Hi Tweets:
Here is another report about Kent Ponds this weekend. Sorry it's so late. A group of us met on Sat, Oct 15 at 9am at Wendy's on S 212th. We first started birding in the back of the Anixter Parking Lot, which is to the north of the Animal Shelter on 64th Ave. We saw and heard some of the usual small birds including 30 Cedar Waxwings, and some Yel-r Warblers. As we approached the back (SW) corner of the parking lot, a BARN OWL flew out of a fir tree, and flew to the west. This was a good sighting as we had not seen Barn Owls for a few months at Kent Ponds. As we looked up into the sky from the parking lot, we started seeing many VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS flying high in the sky.
We went inside at the Animal Shelter gate which is usually closed to the public. At the lagoon there was a WESTERN GREBE, and several duck species including Gadwall, American Wigeon, N Pintail - 2, Mallard, and Ring-neck Duck. From a small overlook on the central dike road, an AMERICAN BITTERN flew from some vegetation at the water's edge quite close to us. It flew a short distance away, and immediately sank into some more vegetation. There were about 40 Green-wing Teal still going into breeding color. We saw several COOPER'S HAWKS, and in the end I had seen two adults, and one juvenile Coop's. The juvenile Cooper's Hawk was quite active, although unsuccessful at catching a bird.
The day was surprisingly nice (the barometer pegged out at 29.5 at home in the morning), about 60 degrees and no wind. As we looked up high we saw at least 100 VG SWALLOWS, and there were more way up there. There could have been hundreds. As one person said they were making their sounds like they were playing laser tag! At one point the swallows came down lower for a better look at them. Down near the south end of the central dike road we heard at least 4-6 Virginia Rails. From that spot we looked at an intergrade N FLICKER w/ red mustache marks, and a red crescent on his nape. He had orange shafts. As we walked out at the weir just south of the Animal Shelter, a Green Heron flew.
There were 3 Red-tailed Hawks seen in the area. Early in the day many V's of Cackling Geese numbering about 100-200 in each flock passed by overhead heading south. Unfortunately none of them landed.
About noon, there was a MOURNING DOVE on a telephone line near VanDoren's Landing Park. We don't see those at Kent Ponds very often. We did not see the eagles that Nancy and Bob saw the next day.
Our morning birdwalk at Kent Ponds yielded 41 species.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines
linusq at att.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Nancy
To: Tweets
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 5:57 AM
Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Ponds


Hi Tweets,
We went down to Kent Ponds on Sunday. We saw very few birds but here is what we did see:

Northern Harrier
2 Bald Eagle
Song Sparrow
Gadwall
Mallard
Shovelers
Green-winged teal
Great Blue Heron
American Crow
Canada Geese

Nancy Lander & Bob Bennett
Renton, WA.