Hi Tweeters -

Today at Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge for the
Columbian White-tailed Deer [to avoid all acronyms....], a BLACK
PHOEBE was present along the loop drive. I don't believe one's been
reported from JBH yet this year. The bird was actively flycatching
and vocalizing from one of the new fence pens, about a half mile west
along Steamboat Slough Dr. past the woody slough/canal/oxbow on the
north side, a [very approximate] couple miles from the HeadQuarters.
[by the way, the main road is blocked for construction a bit later on
the drive -- the signs at the entrance make it sound like the entire
road is closed, but you can drive most of the loop before hitting the
construction spot - nevertheless, no loop is possible right now,
until late Sep according to the signs].

Other birds from today in Wahkiakum Co included HOUSE WREN & GRAY
JAYS up Deep Creek Rd [the House Wrens on a clear cut just north of
Wirkala Rd, the Gray Jays up at the top of the road, just before
entering Pacific Co.].

Saturday, I birded around Mason County. Highlights:

WHIMBREL - at Theler Wetlands in Belfair. Theler also had maybe 100
peeps, mostly Western, with some Leasts mixed in, as wells as a
couple Spotted Sandpipers.

Down at the Kennedy Creek estuary, once I got the tides right, a
bigger group of peeps included at least one SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER [a
'code 5' bird in Mason] as well as a single SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER.

About 23 miles up FR 23, from the Skokomish Valley Rd. BLACK SWIFTS
[another '5' bird in Mason], NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL - The cloud cover was
probably perfect for pushing the swifts from higher up in the
Olympics, low, but not so low that they visited the Sound.

At dawn, at Sanderson Airfield / Couny Fairgrounds outside Shelton,
one COMMON NIGHTHAWK flew overhead, and what I am pretty sure were
several HORNED LARKS vocalized from the landing strip.

Finally, to follow-up on Bob Sundstrom's question about crossbill
numbers, both Mason Co on Saturday and Wahkiakum Co on Sunday were
teeming with Red Crossbills. Almost every stop, regardless of
habitat, had Red Crossbills at least present in voice. I had them
along the marsh walk at Theler Wetlands, along the loop trail at JBH
NWR, and everywhere in between. Maybe there is something to this
influx idea.....

Matt Bartels
Seattle, WA