Hello Tweets,

Today my mother and I took a very leisurely trip over to the Elma-Brady area,which was our first time out birding since my mother's hip surgery. It was an enjoyable early spring day out and about with pretty nice weather,although quite windy most of the day. Our most significant highlight of the day came while searching diligently through a large gull flock near the western portion of Wenzel Slough Rd. These gulls were all attracted to a large fertilizer sprayer just west of the Goere's Farm property and viewed from a small road that leads south of Wenzel Slough Rd. Within this flock of 450+ gulls were 3 GLAUCOUS GULLS(2 adults,1 immature),which was a personal high count for this species for us in Grays Harbor Co. Most of the gulls were actively feeding and concentrated in the thick grassy surrounded by the fertilizer sprayer,but lighting conditions were great. There was another active sprayer north of Wenzel Slough Rd.,but no gulls activity was noted there. Of the 8 species of gulls noted at this location the main diversity was of Ring-billed Gulls followed by California Gulls both in their bright breeding plumage. 2 adult Western Gulls,3 Herring Gulls,4 Thayer's Gulls and a scattering of Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls rounded out the gull flock.

This location is a great spot to study gulls when they are there and move around alot from day to day. Most of gulls seemed to be attracted to the grubs that are brought up presumably by the fertilizer. On the 7th of January 2006 we located 2 separate Glaucous Gulls near this same location,but conditions were far more flooded then.


Away from studying the large gull flock along Wenzel Slough Rd. we casually checked other areas,despite the near constant wind which seemed to put a damper on most birding. Our only other highlights of the day were a single Trumpeter Swan observed in an extensive wetland area along Wenzel Slough Rd. and the lingering adult SNOW GOOSE that today was noted south of Hwy.12 in a partially flooded area near the Schouweiler Rd. wetland complex. The Snow Goose was in a small flock of Canada Geese and other waterfowl,but we highly suspect this is the same individual bird than earlier reported by us and other birders. Only 3 TURKEY VULTURES were observed during the day with two birds being noted along Wenzel Sough Rd. and an additional bird observed along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.

We began our short trip checking areas near Vance Creek Co. Park,where the only substantial flock of waterfowl, were encounter in both the main pond at the park and the large "lake" along the south edge of Wenzel Slough Rd. We encountered both species of scaups,as well as a few Ring-necked Ducks,Buffleheads,Pied-billed Grebes and 3 WESTERN GREBES.

A fairly thorough coverage of the entire Brady Loop Rd. complex produced a few additional species for the day. Waterfowl numbers were very concentrated,where an estimated 750+ birds were noted in flooded fields along the northern portion of Foster Rd. The main diversity of these flocks were made of Am.Wigeon and Northern Pintails with smaller numbers of Mallards,Green-winged Teal and Northern Shovelers. We located only 1 male Eurasian Wigeon in this large flock of waterfowl,but the birds were quite scattered in a limited area.

Am.Robins were very widespread and abundant at most locations and thus was the most common bird of the day. Our last stop of the day was made at the Schouweiler Rd. wetland,where very good numbers of both Tree and Violet-green Swallows were observed. Other notable highlights of the day included the following species:

Northern Harrier
4 along Brady Loop Rd.

Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 at the Schouweiler Rd. wetland

Cooper's Hawk
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

Am.Kestrel
2 along Foster Rd.(Brady Loop Rd. complex)

Merlin
1 along Hwy.12 at Elma

Black-bellied Plover(with 5 Dunlin)
5 along Brady Loop Rd.

Greater Yellowlegs
1 along Brady Loop Rd.

"Slate-colored"Junco
1 along Brady Loop Rd.


On a side note we have had our first female Rufous Hummingbird of the season over the past 2 days in our yard.


Good birding,

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