Subject: [Tweeters] Mason county highlights from today
Date: May 18 18:27:34 2007
From: Tim O'Brien - kertim7179 at yahoo.com
I spent a good chunk of the day in Mason county birding between Kennedy Creek and the Lake Cushman/Hoodsport area. I ended the trip with 80 species. I had my first of the season singing Willow Flycatcher and Swainson's Thrush today. Also, Cedar Waxwings seemed to be everywhere.
On the Skokomish River delta flats, I found one male Blue-winged Teal. Also, one single Semipalmated Plover along one of the water channels on the delta.
Up the Skokomish River valley a bit, there is a nice sized flooded area on the right side of the road as you are heading up the valley. Here I found a single Red-necked Phalarope.
The Kennedy Creek mudflats yielded 3 Western Sandpipers and 1 Dunlin. The tide was super-low today. I saw lots of people getting oysters all along Hood Canal.
At the bridge that goes over the river just before you get to the Staircase area, I had 4 species of swallow and 2 Vaux's Swifts. The Bear Gulch fire last year burned a good portion of the trees along the road to Staircase. It is awfully rugged in that area, but some areas look like you could go woodpecker-seeking. I didn't notice any woodpecker activity in the places I looked today though.
Tim O'Brien
Elma, WA
mailto: kertim7179 at yahoo.com
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