Hello Tweets,

This Easter Sunday we enjoyed a 3 hour jaunt around the Brady-Elma area between 12:30pm-3:30pm. We encountered a total of 68 species by driving 160 miles spending $13.00 of gas. The weather remained nice,despite threatening clouds with only one major rain/hail shower that we encountered while birding. We noticed that much changed from our last visit to the areas we checked from last weekend although passerine movements remained slow. 4 species of swallows were in good numbers from various locations including Tree,Violet-green,Cliff and Barn Swallow in the relative order of abundance.

Our main highlight of our short day was 2 separate flocks of SANDHILL CRANES both observed from either ends of Wenzel Slough Rd. between Elma and Satsop. Our first flock of Sandhill Cranes was encountered along the western portion of Wenzel Slough Rd. just east of the Goere's Farm property,where we heard then located a circling flock of 70 birds flying over the Brady area. The birds were first noted in 2 separate flocks then joined one large flock and circled at the head of a dark rain clouds. We watched the birds circle for 15 minutes before we continued along Wenzel Slough Rd. towards Vance Creek Co. Park. We presume this flock could have eventually landed in open fields within the Brady Loop Rd. complex or perhaps they drifted northward.

The second flock of Sandhill Cranes was noted along Wenzel Slough Rd. between the Elma Airport and Vance Creek Co. Park,where a flock of 35 birds was observed and heard calling as they drifted northward from the direction of Chehalis. The bird circled 3 times over Elma before continuing northward into dark clouds. Both these observations were a nice spectacle since it was a species we have been anticipating on this spring.


Our second highlight of the day was an adult ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK observed along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.,where the bird circled several times overhead. This was a nice bird since there have been very few reports of this species from this location over the past winter and we suspect this individual was a migrant. This represented our second personal latest spring record to date from this location with our latest date being on the 21st of April,2004.

Thirdly,we observed a large,loud flock of 700+ Cackling Geese that were flushed up from a Bald Eagle along Brady Loop Rd. Within this flock a single immature SNOW GOOSE and 15 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were observed,as they all circled overhead 2 times before finally flying west and were relocated in the large,extensive wetland at the extreme western portion of Brady Loop Rd. This was our only geese flock that we observed during our visit to the Elma-Brady area,with only scattered pairs of Canada Geese noted from other locations.


We started along Brady Loop Rd. and began with a nice check of the riparian area accessed from the public fishing area along Brady Loop Rd. Our main highlight from this location included 2 adult WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS(including one individual that was heard singing in full song),which was the first time hearing this species in WA for my mother! Both birds were noted at separate location with one individual being mainly by itself in a relatively thick riparian area and the other singing bird was noted along the edges of a bramble patch amongst a small flock of Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows. A single female "Slate-colored"Junco was also observed at this location amongst a small flock of "Oregon"Juncos.

We covered he remainder of Brady Loop Rd. very good by stopping at many stops and scanning the open fields,but during migration everyday is different or perhaps evenly hourly.
After birding Brady Loop Rd. we avoided a large band of rain showers by continuing east to Wenzel Slough Rd. Away from the Sandhill Cranes along this route our other notable highlight was the lingering TRUMPETER SWAN observed in the large wetland area bordering the Schouweiler Rd. wetland complex. Although we have no physical proof we believe this bird may be somehow injured since it seems to stay at one location along with the date. Our last stop of the day was made via Hwy.12 southeast of Elma,where highlights included 1 pair of WOOD DUCKS and 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS along Dunlap RD. followed by another pair of Wood Ducks and a pair of CINNAMON TEAL along North Blockhouse Rd.(with the latter species previous reported by Tim O'Brien).


Other key highlights noted from selected locations included the following:

Common Loon
1 pair in full breeding plumage at Vance Creek Co. Park

Common/Am.Green-winged Teal intergrade
1 along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.

Turkey Vulture
6 along Brady Loop Rd.
4 along Wenzel Slough Rd.
2 along Hwy.12 southeast of Elma

Osprey
1 pair atop an active nestsite along Wenzel Slough Rd.

Am.Kestrel
1 along Brady Loop Rd.
1 along Wenzel Slough Rd.
2 along Hwy.12 southeast of Elma

Merlin
2 along Foster Rd.(Brady Loop Rd. complex)

Wilson's Snipe
2 along Wenzel Slough Rd. near Vance Creek Co. Park

Caspian Tern
13 along Brady Loop Rd.
4 along Wenzel Slough Rd.

Band-tailed Pigeon
4 along Keys Rd.
30 along the western portion of Wenzel Slough Rd.

Hairy Woodpecker
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Pileated Woodpecker
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1 near Vance Creek Co. Park

Western Scrub Jay
1 pair along Brady Loop Rd.(observed gathering nesting material)
2 near Vance Creek Co. Park

Am.Pipit
20 along Foster Rd.
35 along Dunlap Rd.

Hutton's Vireo
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Common Yellowthroat
5 along Brady Loop Rd.

Savannah Sparrow
10 along Brady Loop Rd.



Mammal highlight of the day: A single Raccoon along Brady Loop Rd.



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com