Hi Tweets:
Many thanks to Kathy Andrich for always finding birds in the Kent Valley! I was down
there today (Monday) at mid-day and the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was very active in the
water at the back of Thomas Pond. Sometimes it couldn't be seen. I also saw 2
SOLITARY SANDPIPERS there. Earlier in the day, 3 were seen there. A WILSON'S SNIPE
was back there too. A PEREGRINE FALCON flew over the pond, and stirred up the birds.
There were about 10 peeps. About half were WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and half were LEAST
SANDPIPERS. Approx. 20 KILLDEER were bathing in the pond in the afternoon. Thomas
Pond is a huge muddy area, that looks like a restoration area. I wish they'd leave
the mud, and not restore it. There is quite a bit of water in that area now.
I was told that migrants including W Tanagers, Blk-headed Grosbeaks, and a flycatcher
were seen and a Sora was heard around back at the Certainteed Wetland earlier in the
morning. I went back there in the afternoon and heard several VIRGINIA RAILS, and
saw a couple of OR-CRNED WARBLERS with Blk-capped Chickadees, and there was a large
flock of Bushtits. There were a lot of COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. These birds may be
resident birds, and the migrants were gone. But it's a nice restored area for small
birds, and there may be some migrating birds at times.
The Certainteed Wetland is to the east of Thomas Pond, on the other side of the
railroad tracks. To get to it, drive to the south end of the large field where
Thomas Pond is, and follow the road around as it heads east over the Interurban Trail
and the RR tracks. Take the first main road to the left (B Street), and drive north
about 4 blocks past the trucks and warehouses. The wetland is on the left, near the
Certainteed Windows bldg.
Just north of 277th across the road from the Toysmith warehouse, there is a huge
car-shipping lot. Ospreys nested on a light in that parking lot this summer. The
young have fledged, but there was an OSPREY perched up on the east side of the
parking lot today.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines, WA
linusq at att.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Andrich" <chukarbird at yahoo.com>
To: "tweet" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 1:51 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Red-necked Phalarope



Hi Tweeters,

I saw one Red-necked Phalarope at the new Thomas Pond earlier today.

Not too long ago I reported a juvenile Northern Harrier at this location and to make
a long story short it turned out harriers nested at this site this year. Pretty cool
to have them nest in the Kent Valley two years in a row especially with developement
constantly continuing.

To get to the area take 272nd street exit from I-5, head east and just after driving
the overpass over both directions of hwy 167 take a right on Frontage Road, the pond
is just on the other side of the Toysmith building.

There has been a Peregrine in the area in the recent past and between it and the
tides you never know if the shorebirds will be there when you visit. Good luck and
good birding.

Kathy
Roosting in Kent, near Lake Meridian
(chukarbird at yahoo dot com)