Hello Tweets,

This Easter Sunday we birded several areas with Jim Pruske in both Lewis and Thurston Cos. Our route consisted of beginning the day along the end of Goodrich Rd. in Lewis Co. then checking nearby areas along Wagner Rd. then along Meadows Rd. in Thurston Co. Highlights in this area included 2 adult WHITE-TAILED KITES observed in flight along Wagner Rd.,as the birds flew in a distance over areas near Meadows Rd. The "pond" at the end of Goodrich Rd. hosted a small assortment of common waterfowl species,as well as 2-3 Greater Yellowlegs. We then headed north and birded the south access of the Scatter Creek WMA(accessed off of Guma Street and 180th Ave.),where we spent an hour and a half walking along a trail that extended into open prairie areas then back to the parking area along a portion of a horse trail. This is the same location that was described in Kelly McAllister and Jim Lynch's Tweeters posting,where we successfully photographed the male MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD that they located there yesterday. The bird was very cooperative perched from one of two posts along the horse trail just southwest of the "island of trees" at the southwest access area of Scatter Creek WMA. Before locating the Mountain Bluebird we were treated by 4-5 Western Bluebirds foraging along Guma Street near the entrance to the Scatter Creek WMA parking area. After our 2+ mile hike in this area we returned back to the parking area,where we observed a nice adult Chipping Sparrow before we headed north. After birding the Scatter Creek WMA we drove to the Nisqually NWR where we birded from 12:30pm-4:30pm. Overall our visit to the refuge hosted uncountable numbers of swallows that were active foraging everywhere,especially along the McAllister Creek Trail north to the Nisqually Delta. Good numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers were also in good numbers along this route too. Our main highlights at the Nisqually NWR included the lingering 2 immature Snow Geese, 7 Greater White-fronted Geese, 4 Cinnamon Teal and 18+ Greater Yellowlegs. It was here we encountered our only main of the day,which was quite heavy at times especially on our return back to the main parking area. All in all it was a great day of fairly local birding with many photos taken!

Other highlights of note during our day included the following species:

Wood Duck
10 birds(with 1 pair of Cinnamon Teal)along a canal along Goodrich Rd.,Lewis Co.
2 pair at the Nisqually NWR

Eurasian Wigeon
1 male(with 100+ Am.Wigeons)at the mouth of McAllister Creek at the Nisqually NWR

Turkey Vulture
2 birds flying over the forested hillsides south of Goodrich Rd.

Cooper's Hawk
1 adult bird at the Nisqually NWR

Am.Kestrel
2 birds at the end of Wagner Rd.
1 bird at the Scatter Creek WMA

Peregrine Falcon
1 adult bird flying over open field at the end of Meadows Rd.

California Quail
1 bird calling at the end of Goodrich Rd.

Bonaparte's Gull
4 birds at the Nisqually NWR(Nisqually Delta,McAllister Creek)

Western Gull
1 adult bird at the Nisqually NWR(Nisqually Delta)

Caspian Tern
2 birds at the Nisqually NWR(Nisqually Delta,McAllister Creek)

Mourning Dove
2+ birds at the Scatter Creek WMA
2 birds at the Nisqually NWR

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1 bird near the Scatter Creek WMA
10+ birds at the Nisqually NWR(McAllister Creek)

Am.Pipit
1 bird flying over open fields at the end of Meadows Rd.,Thurston Co.

Orange-crowned Warbler
1 bird at the Scatter Creek WMA
1 bird at the Nisqually NWR

Lincoln's Sparrow
5 birds at the Nisqually NWR

Golden-crowned Sparrow
40+ birds at the Nisqually NWR

Western Meadowlark
2 birds at the end of Meadows Rd.
1 bird singing at the Scatter Creek WMA



Good birding,

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