Subject: [Tweeters] Black Phoebe continues near Elma
Date: Dec 27 19:39:17 2006
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Tweets,

This afternoon we spent a few hours in the Elma area in search of the Black Phoebe that we found yesterday during the Satsop CBC. We arrived at the same location as yesterday's sighting on the private property,where the BLACK PHOEBE was present at 3:15pm in several deciduous trees on the property. The bird was very active,as it kept "flycatching" from several perches along the driveway,but we also noticed the bird coming to one tree that had recent sap wells from a Red-breasted Sapsucker. We noted 2 Red-breasted Sapsuckers in a few of the trees along the driveway,which we did not see yesterday. A single Ruby-crowned Kinglet was also observed coming to the sap wells too. The weather was superb compared to yesterday with very sunny skies and calm conditions! What a difference a day made and we also noticed while driving to Elma snow-covered shoulders along Hwy.8 near the Capitol Forest.

The Black Phoebe stayed in the same area actively calling and flycatching for about 10 minutes on the property before flying off to the west towards Cloquallum Creek. Also present while watching the Black Phoebe were a pair of American Kestrels and a Northern Harrier,which we also did not see yesterday,as well as 30+ Mourning Doves and 5 Western Scrub Jays.

We have placed 2 photos of the Black Phoebe onto our website,which can be accessed from the following link: http://www.pbase.com/godwit/recent_photos/

Later in the afternoon before going home we made a short stop near the end of Dunlap Rd.,where we located the "BEWICK'S" SWAN at 4pm west of the road in a very flooded area. Dunlap Rd,. is accessed west off of Hwy.12 northeast of Elma and the "Bewick's"Swan was observed from the same location along the road immediately north of the set of guardrails on the bridge along the road,which is north of the end of Dunlap Rd. Due to the heavy rainfall from yesterday much additional areas are flooded in the immediate area including a portion of the end of Dunlap Rd.,as well as nearby fields on both sides of the field. The "Bewick's" Swan actually flew in with a Tundra Swan,where it joined 4 Trumpeter Swans with an additional 20 Trumpeter Swans that flew in a short time later from unknown areas near Hwy.12. Also present while watching the "Bewick's Swan were large numbers of waterfowl,of which the main highlights were a single female REDHEAD and CANVASBACK,which were not observed yesterday!


Good birding,

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