Subject: [Tweeters] Lewis County birding
Date: Nov 23 19:34:53 2008
From: washingtonbirder.Knittle - washingtonbirder at hotmail.com



Tom Mansfield and I birded Lewis County today from 6 am to 4:30pm. It was frosty when we left Morton at 6 am. A brief stop to check for Spotted Owls produced a flock of Pine Siskins instead. What a trade off! Next we stopped at the pond south of Hwy 12 west of the summit where a female Hooded Merganser and a female Barrow's Goldeneye were the only birds visable. On White Pass it was 22 degrees with a few inches of fresh snow and none of our attempted species such as Nutcrackers, Pine Grosbeaks, and/or White-winged Crossbills. When we played the I-Pod for nutcrackers all we got was lots of Gray Jays and 1 Steller's Jay. Not sure of the fall to early winter movements of nutcrackers. All I know they weren't showing themselves. One more stop produced Mt. Chickadees.

We next headed down to lower elevations in hopes of a Dipper at Ohanapecosh. Again no target birds were showing themselves, so we had to enjoy a Northern Goshawk instead. It was where the forest shrieks "Spotted Owls" but of course none were waiting for us along the road.

At Glenoma we turned off to check the east end of Riffe Lake. 2 Common Loons with lots of Horned Grebes and Western Grebes and a couple of Herring Gulls and 1 female Common Goldeneye. Knowing from past experience I suggested we nail the Hutton's Vireos at Ike Kinswa State Park. Well, we worked quite awhile before 1 called and then immediately scolded us. We then back tracked to Swafford Pond and I told Tom that this is where we get Marsh Wrens. We had to hike down to the waters edge and play it's call before 1 would show itself and never utter a peep. Seemed like Lewis County birds were acting very strange today. Next we turn south at Salkum on Fuller Rd. and pulled up below the Cowlitz Salmon Fish Hatchery. It was very foggy when we arrived, but cleared off enough to finally see the target birds (Glaucous-winged Gulls, Greater Scaup female, lots of Bufflehead, and other diving ducks just as we had planned.

We headed straight west and went north up Pleasant Valley Rd. hoping for Tundra Swans. None there so we next tried Schruber Rd. Again no swans. A quick stop at the Goodrich Ponds produced a million starlings being chased by a Northern Harrier and then a Peregrine Falcon joined the chase which appeared to be more of a cat and mouse game and not a real meal deal. As the starlings and blackbirds came flying straight over us Tom spotted a female Yellow-headed Blackbird, a code 5 bird for Lewis with fewer than 5 records for the county.

We were running late all day thanks to slick roads going up to White Pass so we next headed to the Centralia Steam Plant. A Virginia Rail called from one of the ponds just east of the main facility. Then we spotted a Canvasback on the last pond which was close to the road. Tom spotted a couple of White-tailed Kites out beyond the ponds. We birded to the end of Big Hanaford Rd. and found Purple Finches, a calling Great Horned Owl responding to our Pygmy-Owl I-Pod. A Lincoln's Sparrow and a Ruffed Grouse added to our day list. A brief stop a Schaefer County Park produced a noisy train and 1 Brown Creeper and 1 bright Red-breasted Sapsucker. Our last stop was at the park along I-5 at Centralia to check over the gulls. Our only California Gull adult was waiting for us. We were thinking Thayer's or Mew, but we were glad to see the California Gull as it was Tom's 100'th bird in Lewis County.

Our Lewis County day total species was 78. Not bad for this time of year.


Ken KnittleVancouver WA 98665 mailto:washingtonbirder at hotmail.com Washington Birder online http://www.wabirder.com/