Hi Tweeters:
Sorry for this late report. Barry L wrote about the many Lazuli Buntings he
saw
down at Kent Ponds on Sat. (See his msg below.) I headed down there on
Sunday during the mid morning, (the wather was hot and sunny) and found 4
singing males along the Powerline
Trail! The general concensus is that we are indeed seeing a high count of
Lazuli's down there. In another msg. I'll write about our sightings in the
past of Laz's at Kent Ponds.
On my way to Green River Natural Resources Area (GRNRA), also known as Kent
Ponds, I stopped at the construction "muddy pond" along S 212th St. This
was the first time I have been able to view it. An adult Peregrine Falcon
was down it there, eating some prey. There were 3 adult Spotted Sandpipers
there (they arrived after the Peregrine flew).
I drove over to the south of the GRNRA Powerline Trail, entering from a
warehouse parking lot near the east end of the trail. There is a small pond
there. This is where Lazuli's had been seen in the past, but I did not see
or hear any there on Sunday. An adult Bald Eagle being mobbed by crows dove
down into the ponds area. Common Yellowthroats were singing and calling
during display flights to about 50 feet into the air. A Yellow Warbler sang
from the woodlot to the east.
I drove to a warehouse that is south of the South Tower, near the Powerline
Trail. As soon as I stepped onto the trail, I heard what I at first thought
was a singing MacGillivray's Warbler. It had the same piercing warbler-like
quality. It was a singing male LAZULI BUNTING and it perched up on some
blackberries beneath the power tower. It eventually flew up to about 20
feet high on the power tower, perched there and sang. I heard another
bunting answering from inside Kent Ponds near the south tower.
>From the tower I could hear the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT occasionally singing.
At about 11am it started singing louder, and I saw it perch up for awhile.
I was looking out from the top of the South Tower, straight over to the
island, which is directly across the water from the tower. There are two
tall bushes on the water's edge over there. Between the bushes and behind
them is a rounded bushy fir tree. The Chat perched to the left of the fir
tree, and was back in the bushes of the island. I could see it in my bins,
but the scope was a definite help in seeing it's features. It's song
sounded like a bunch of chr's, and cha's, and then a high upslurred querr.
I walked south from the power tower along the Powerline Trail, and saw and
heard 3 more singing LAZULI BUNTINGS! They were perched up in the hot sun,
and singing about every 300 feet. Wow. I did not see any females. A
Cooper's Hawk flew overhead, and there were two Red-tailed Hawks on the
snags in the area. Several Willow Flycatchers were singing "Fitz bew" from
the field.
I had written to several folks, including the site manager, Matt Knox and
told them about Barry's sightings.
Matt went out in the area yesterday, Monday, and missed the Lazuli's but did
see and hear the Yellow-breasted Chat perched up and singing on the island.
He said it is the 3rd year! we have had a chat on the island.
I want to thank Barry for inspiring me to get down there to see all the
buntings. I'll
report later about our past sightings of those birds at Kent Ponds.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines
linusq at att.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Levine, Barron S" <LevineB at bsd405.org>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2007 5:42 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Abnormal amount of Lazuli's at Kent Ponds today?


Tweeters,
Saw 5 possibly 6 Lazuli Buntings today at Kent Ponds. Heard all the birds
singing as well. I have never seen more than 2 previously and was wondering
if this was an unusually high count for that site. Thanks

Barry Levine
levineb at bsd405.org
Seattle, Wa.