I failed to find the barnacle geese today on the Brady Loop, searching
between 12.30 and 2pm. There was one flock of several hundred
Canada/Cackling geese in the south-east section of the loop, which I
scanned through multiple times from close range - no barnacles, no
snows. Other than that, I only saw the occasional couple of pairs of
geese around the loop. I did find a slightly unexpected Caspian tern
sitting on a mudbar among a small flock of dunlin, and a cinnamon teal
among the many ducks.

I tried the Keys Rd/Wenzel Slough Rd area too just in case, finding just
a few more Canada and Cackling Geese.

The Chehalis Wildlife Area turned up my first Northern Rough-Winged
Swallow of the year mixed in with the tree swallows, and a very nice
Myrtle Yellow-Rumped Warbler.

Multiple turkey vultures overhead throughout the afternoon, including
one flock of thirteen wheeling over Wenzel Slough Rd.

I started the day by birding the Newman Creek Rd/FR2360 areas north of
Satsop, which someone on this list recommended earlier in the year. I
found it disappointingly unbirdy, but that was probably timing - I
arrived at 10.30 during the only rain of the day, and there was more
birdsong once that started to clear. The network of forest roads do give
great views over the valleys at multiple points, including nice eyeline
views of soaring raptors.

Louise Rutter
Kirkland


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