Hello Tweets,

This afternoon we led a Birdathon/monthly walk around the grounds of the Adriana Hess Audubon Center in University Place. This fine area in Pierce Co. is accessed along Morrison Road West and offers an array of habitats from a large wetland to mixed coniferous and deciduous areas with overgrown bushes and brambles across from the main complex. Much of the habitat area encompassing the Audubon Center is native with much of the foliage covered in leaves now or in bloom. A large waterfall/manmade creek behind the Audubon Center attracts many songbirds and a nice trail leads around the main complex. The area is rather small,but during our 2 hour visit we yielded 40 species. This is not too bad considering the time of day and being very near a city/town setting. A large detention pond lies next to the Audubon Center,which collects rain/storm water,but is saddly dry now.

Today we encountered our most species to date during our monthly visit with an overall nice assortment of birds. Our main highlights for our group of 14 particpants include a loudly calling SORA that never quit calling behind the observation deck along the edge of the wetland. The bird did allow very brief and limited views through the thick marsh vegetation,but never came into full view even though the bird was very close. It was our first personal encounter of Sora at this location,as well as several others there on hand. We normally encounter Virginia Rail at this same location,but weren't able to hear one calling this afternoon. Other species of interest included the following:

1 Turkey Vulture(our last species and observed drifting over towards Tacoma)
2 Red-tailed Hawks
2 Band-tailed Pigeons
1-2 Anna's Hummingbirds
1 pair of Downy Woodpeckers(nesting)
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
1 Western Wood Pewee
1 Common Raven(observed flying over at a distance and being pursued by 2 Am.Crows)
1-2 Orange-crowned Warblers
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Wilson's Warbler
2-3 Western Tanagers
1 female Bullock's Oriole


For those interesting in visiting this location the Adriana Hess Audubon Center building is open to the public Monday-Friday from 10am-1pm,but the trail can be accessed during daytime hours behind the Audubon Center. The address of the Adriana Hess Audubon Center is 2917 Morrison Road West,which can be accessed either off of 27th Street West or 35th Street West in University Place. For more information you may call the Adriana Hess Aububon Center at (253)565-9278.



Good birding,

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