Hello Tweets,

This afternoon we spent just a few hours in the Elma-Brady area of eastern Grays Harbor Co. with just a few highlights to report. Conditions remained nice all afternoon with mostly sunny skies with just some brief windy times around 3pm,then turning calm again. Our most significant highlight of the afternoon was an adult GOLDEN EAGLE observed at 3pm soaring over the southwestern portion of Brady Loop Rd. until it drifted southward over forested hillsides above the Chehalis River. Throughout the afternoon we encountered good numbers of adult and immature Bald Eagles in the Elma-Brady area so good feeding must be in the area.

Our afternoon began along Wenzel Slough Rd.,where we began with a short visit at Vance Creek Co. Park,where the pair of REDHEADS continue as they swim comfortably on the eastern most pond at the park. A Western Grebe also continues in the western most pond immediately west of the park on the north side of Wenzel Slough Rd.

The "BEWICK'S" SWAN was also observed this afternoon in grassy fields just north of the intersection of Keys and Wenzel Slough Rds.(south of Hwy. 12)near Satsop. The bird unlike other observations was solely with Trumpeter Swans,but nonetheless was easy to pick out,as it grazed on grass at fairly close range. The bird eventually lifted and joined several Trumpeter Swans,where they flew east then landed in the same field further away from the road. Also noted in the same large grassy field were 10 Greater White-fronted Geese and 1 male Eurasian Wigeon amongst large numbers of both Canada and Cackling Geese and about 75+ Am.Wigeon. Nearby, along Keys Rd. 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds were detected amongst large,scattered flock of Starlings and both Brewer's and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Our visit to Brady Loop Rd. was quite slow and windy at times and away from the Golden Eagle few other good species were noted. A few of the most noteworthy sightings,as we drove the entire "loop" as well as Foster Rd. include the following species:

20 "Dusky" Canada Geese
1 female Eurasian Wigeon(observed amongst a large flock of various waterfowl in flooded areas along the north end of Foster Rd.)
1 female "Taiga" Merlin
2 first-winter plumaged GLAUCOUS GULLS and 1 first-winter plumaged Thayer's Gull(observed amongst a very small gull flock in corn stubble fields along the eastern portion of Brady Loop Rd.)
small numbers of Tree and Violet-green Swallows flying over a large Ducks Unlimited wetland along the western portion of Brady Loop Rd.
1 Western Scrub Jay


Good birding,

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