I spen the late morning to early afternoon birding from Elma to Brady and back. Starting at Vance Creek County Park, there was a single Horned Grebe on pond #1 plus a few Pied-billed Grebes and two Double-crested Comorants. On the pond closest to the airport, there were approximately 40 swans when I pulled up. A group of 20 or so flew off as I approached. The flying group plus 17 on the pond were Tundra Swans with just 3 Trumpeters on the pond as well.

The next hotspot was the western end of Wenzel Slough Rd. which continues to have a large amount of gulls. Most of the gulls are Ring-billed and Mew. I did see one Bonaparte's today. There are some larger pink-legged immatures around too which I don't dare touch. New to me today at this end of road is a heavy concentration of ducks. Species seen here include Mallard, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon (lots to look through but no Eurasian seen), Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Bufflehead, Scaup, Green-winged Teal, Common Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, and American Coot. Two more Horned Grebes were here too. There were a few shorebirds around too including Dunlin flying all over the place (most likely because of the Peregrine Falcon I saw here) and 7 Long-billed Dowitchers. Tundra and Trumpeter Swans were also here.

Next, along the Brady Loop complex the birds seemed a bit harder to find. I did spot the light morph Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk in a tree on the western side of the loop that the Sullivans reported and photographed earlier this fall. It usually hangs out on Schafer Boom Rd..

Heading back home on Pine St. in Elma, I spotted my first Rough-legged Hawk of the season. It was perched on top of a cedar tree on an opposite ridge.

Bald Eagles seemed to be everywhere on the drive. I counted 6 adults and 5 immatures.

Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo.com



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