Subject: [Tweeters] Western Bluebirds off of Chehalis Western Trail
Date: Mar 19 12:22:36 2006
From: wheelermombi at comcast.net - wheelermombi at comcast.net


Hi Tweeters,

I finally had some free time this morning (Sunday) and went birding along the Chehalis Western Trail starting where Military and Waldrick Roads intersect, just east of Tenino. If you're not familiar with the region, Jim Pruske maintains several Western Bluebird nesting boxes as one walks north along the biking trail. I saw at least 5 Western Bluebirds near some of the boxes (2 females and 3 males). Other birds seen along the trail included: numerous Tree Swallows, 2 Violet-green Swallows, 1 Bald Eagle, several Northern Flickers, Brewer's and Red-winged Blackbirds, a Hermit Thrush, both species of Kinglet, both species of Chickdee, Spotted Towhee, Common Raven, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, California Quail, Mourning Dove, Western Scrub-Jay, and Dark-eyed Junco. There were a few Homo spandexus zipping by as well.

On an unrelated note, I was catching up on my reading and noticed in the March/April issue of Audubon Magazine on Page 27 is a photo of two huge American Chestnut trees that grow on the grounds of a Tumwater cemetary near Costco (in a rapidly uglifying section of the community). Having grown up on the East Coast and having spent countless unsuccessful hours in my teens and early 20s looking for mature American Chestnut trees, I almost went off of the road the first time that I saw these trees while driving by them a few years ago. I even have a framed leaf from one of these trees hanging in my bedroom. It was kind of strange seeing their picture in a National magazine.

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net