Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Valley, Sun, 6-24-07
Date: Jun 25 12:11:23 2007
From: Lynn Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Folks:
I had a surprisingly good day in the Kent Valley yesterday, Sun, June 24,
'07; despite many rain showers and pretty low temperatures. Because it is
breeding season, I know to get out there birding well before 10am, as
usually the show is over about 10:00 or 10:30. But it was raining pretty
hard yesterday morning, and I slept in. I didn't drop down to the valley
until after 9:00am.

My first stop was the 212th St construction pond. Notable species there
were an adult GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and a MOURNING DOVE. There were several
adult SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. I had some trouble sorting out the flying
swallows, and id'd the 5 local species. In addition, I tried to turn a baby
swallow into a Bank Swallow, because it had a white throat, and sounded like
a Bank. But it was bigger, darker, and had some white at the rump, and I
guess it was a baby Tree Swallow. These baby birds are hard to ID on the
wing.
>From there I turned south from S 212 onto Frager Road next to the Green
River, and headed the 1/2 mile south to the end of the road, at the
footbridge. I parked there and listened to birds. It had been showering,
and the sun came out. A WILLOW FLYCATCHER was active, and called and sang.
A LAZULI BUNTING perched up on top a tall bush in the field on the west side
of the river by the power lines, and sang. This time, the Laz sounded like
a Common Yellowthroat to me, except for the last double note which is
diagnostic for Buntings. This Lazuli also eventually flew across the river
to the Kent Ponds side and sang at times throughout the day near the bridge.

I walked toward Riverview Marsh, which is on the west side of the river. It
was 10:00am. A GREEN HERON flew from the marsh, across the river toward
Kent Ponds. I could hear a couple of WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES. In the woods I
heard a YELLOW WARBLER, and a WILSON'S WARBLER. Another Green Heron flew.
A couple of WARBLING VIREO'S sang from the cottonwoods. The 1/2 mile trail
goes all the way around the back of the pond. In the pond there was a WOOD
DUCK. Up on the back side of the pond there were some loudly chattering
BULLOCK'S ORIOLES. These were very hard to see, and I had to almost hide
before I saw them. Eventually I saw a female, and a first year male. They
were coming into a dense maple tree from a big fir tree, and from other
maple trees. I suspect some of the loud chattering was from some young
birds. Around on the south side of the pond, I heard but did not see a
VIRGINIA RAIL. A really cold shower came through, and dropped the temp to
53 degrees. I warmed up in the truck, and put on all my winter gear.
Sheesh.

In the early afternoon, after the rain slowed down, I drove over to the
Green River Natural Resources Area (GRNRA) also known as Kent Ponds. Next
to the Powerline Trail, I went up to the South Tower. 2 CASPIAN TERNS flew
through. An adult BALD EAGLE was perched out on a stump in the open water.
There were about 50 GADWALL, and at least 4 WOOD DUCKS. When the eagle
flew, it got mobbed by an OSPREY. It continued to rain. About 300 feet to
the west of the south tower there is a thick, sawed-off snag. An adult
female NORTHERN HARRIER (NOHA) perched on it and called loudly. A male NOHA
was in the area. It was really interesting to hear the female call, and
watch the two harriers interact. About 2:20pm, Kathy Andrich met me and we
birded from the south tower. The rain had let up. The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
started to sing over on the island. Eventually it perched up and we saw it
briefly, right in the same area where I have seen it before. Look straight
across the water from the tower. There are two bush-trees right next to the
water over on the island. Up between them and in behind is a small bushy
fir tree. The bird perched up on the fir tree and sang. Then it flew to
the left and continued to sing. The two harriers frequently flew, and the
female called. It was quite the show. Kathy saw an AMERICAN BITTERN in
the west meadow as it landed in tall grass. Earlier we saw a GREEN HERON
flying over the west meadow.

Then the rains returned, and we headed over to Boeing Ponds on 59th Ave. At
Boeing Ponds, another NORTHERN HARRIER flew over the fields across the
street. An OSPREY mobbed a BALD EAGLE that flew through. There were
several SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, but no baby spotties. The water was quite high.
There was one HOODED MERGANSER. We both headed to our homes as yet another
shower started. There was a hail storm at my house later in the afternoon.
Yours, Carol Schulz, Des Moines, linusq at att.net