Hello All
Early this morning I heard an early Varied Thrush calling in my yard, and a
few minutes later I saw two others migrating. Later in the morning I went
down and birded on the Foothills Trail from South Prairie to Crocker, which
I have done many times this fall. Each trip has been different and
productive, this is a really fun place to bird. But immediately I could tell
that today would be exceptional. Even the town of South Prairie, which is
usually great habitat for House Sparrows and starlings, was loaded with
migrants. While there were no stunning rarities today, the numbers were
excellent and there were a couple of locally rare birds. Best was a Chipping
Sparrow at the wastewater treatment facility on the west side of South
Prairie. Some other highlights included a Solitary Sandpiper (which have
been present in varying numbers at the wetlands every day I've been there
this fall), the first big push of Golden-crowned Sparrows, two late Red-eyed
Vireos, and incredible numbers of warblers. Here are some of the interesting
notes among the total of 78 species.

FOOTHILLS TRAIL (10:30am-3:00pm).
Overcast; a few sprinkles; 55-60?F.

Green-winged Teal (17)
Turkey Vulture (3)
Osprey (2)
Bald Eagle (1)
American Kestrel (1)
Solitary Sandpiper (1)-"REI" wetland.
Mourning Dove (1)
Vaux's Swift (29): 1 found dead in S. Prairie.
Red-breasted Sapsucker (8)
Downy Woodpecker (17)
Hairy Woodpecker (1)
Northern Flicker (13): 1 YS x RS intergrade.
Pileated Woodpecker (2)
Western Wood-Pewee (1)-getting late.
Willow Flycatcher (8)
Hammond's Flycatcher (3)
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (1)
Cassin's Vireo (1)
Hutton's Vireo (7)
Warbling Vireo (8)
Red-eyed Vireo (2): 1 HY, 1 molting adult.
Black-capped Chickadee (80)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (20)
American Dipper (5)
Swainson's Thrush (14)
Hermit Thrush (1)
Varied Thrush (1)-early.
American Pipit (5)
Orange-crowned Warbler (53)
Yellow Warbler (37)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (5)-Audubon's.
Black-throated Gray Warbler (67)
Townsend's Warbler (24)
MacGillivray's Warbler (2)
Common Yellowthroat (26)
Wilson's Warbler (5)
Western Tanager (17)-late push.
Chipping Sparrow (1)-juv.
Fox Sparrow (1)
Lincoln's Sparrow (23)
White-crowned Sparrow (18)
Golden-crowned Sparrow (17)
Black-headed Grosbeak (1)-slightly late.
--
Charlie Wright
Bonney Lake, Washington