Hello Tweeters!

Today (Friday) Melissa Sherwood & I left Tacoma at 7am and arrived in Brownsmead about 0930. We met up with Pete from California, who had just spotted the Arctic Loon, and re-found it along Gnat Creek Road, just east of the Barendse Rd. Bridge. We parted ways, and we watched the loon for quite some time, catching fish and preening in still water, scattered sun & showers, and even a rainbow to highlight our good fortune.

There were a handful of Red-throated Loons and a Pacific Loon for comparison.

We birded from 0930-1150 there & in the fields surrounding Blind Slough, and refound The Loon one last time before heading home -- in the same general area, perhaps 1/4 mile more east, near the pull-out for boat-launch/parking.

We also saw a White-tailed Kite in the field area about 1 mile west of the Barendse Rd Bridge, still along Ziak Gnat Creek Road (Gnat Creek Rd changes names to Ziak Gnat Creek Rd when it passes the Bridge).

Our list:
Canada & Cackling Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Cinnamon Teal (shining in the sun)
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-throated Loon
ARCTIC LOON
Pacific Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
White-tailed Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Wilson's Snipe
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Steller's Jay
Western-Scrub Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Pine Siskin

Good luck & Good birding!
Faye McAdams Hands
zest4parus at hotmail.com
Tacoma, WA


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