Tweeters,

When I cut through Fort Lewis early this afternoon, I passed a large bird
lying on the road. I doubled back to find a dead (car-struck) male SOOTY
GROUSE, the first I've seen at the Fort, though doubtless the species is
there.



Last week during the hot spell, I had a VESPER SPARROW in the yard behind
the house, a first on the property. They nest less than three miles away to
the north on Fort Lewis (Thirteenth Division Prairie), but I've not had any
stop by previously. It could be that the small water sprinkler next to a
small bird bath brought it in, along with a Western Tanager, Common
Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and others. (The temp was about 105deg most of
the afternoon on Wed, with a high of 107.6deg.) Lots of juvenile juncos with
which to compare the Vesper Sparrow, and even a couple of immature Chipping
Sparrows were on hand, too.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com