Tweets,
Tuesday I took advantage of the balmy mid-morning break in the weather
to check on bird activity at the Mull Street marsh on the eastern outskirts
of Tenino. I watched an aggressive NORTHERN SHRIKE chase several other birds
out of its claimed sentinel tree, or at least try to: kestrel, flicker,
robin, redwing, scrub jay, purple finch. Why these birds couldn't resist
agitating the shrike, I'll never know. Needless to say it didn't get a lot
of quality hunting time in.
Also nearby were good numbers of FOX SPARROWs. On one distant bird I
could make out a glowing-rusty rump and dark streaks on a dull red-brown
back. Unfortunately the extensive sparrow habitat at this site has mostly
been mowed down recently by the landowner, reducing the prospects for a good
"sparrow crop" this fall/winter.
Monday I saw three WHITE-TAILED KITES west of Tenino, one adult hunting
along Melville St, one in the tree farm along the north fringe of the
expansive field viewed from Gibson x 173rd, and one in the tree farm edge
further north, north of the chicken barns.
In the plowed field to the west were at least 12 MEADOWLARKS, and 5+
were present east of Melville well out into the alpaca ranch property. After
a long stretch of detecting none (since June or July?), in the last two
weeks meadowlarks have been both vocal and visible. I'm wondering if this is
a winter gathering of visitors from the north. Also on Gibson were easily
100 PIPITS and at least 47 KILLDEER. Good birding!
--Paul Hicks / Tenino, s. Thurston Co / phicks AT accessgrace.org