Tweets,
Saturday midday I observed an adult White-tailed Kite in the NW corner of
Rock Prairie 2-3 miles W of Tenino. It was foraging over the large scotch
broom patch between Melville St and the alpaca pasture. Kites are
infrequently seen in Rock Prairie but I personally have not seen one beyond
Feb or maybe Mar I'm guessing. (Does this mean it's actually still winter
not summer? Bob Sundstrom suggests this could be a bird just finished with
nesting nearby, such as Lewis County.) A Lazuli Bunting which has been
singing in the scotch broom (I've detected only one this season) was also
observed at the SE portion of this patch. It eventually crossed Old Hwy 99
into the firs near the old "country store" building at the prairie's west
edge. On another note, my impression (not actual head-count) is that there
may be more Red-eyed Vireos present than the usual 1 or 2 near the
intersection of Mull/Churchill and SR507 just east of Tenino. They are
easily heard within a 1/4 mile radius. Good birding!
--Paul Hicks, Tenino, s. Thurston Co
phicks AT accessgrace.org