Sorry for the delay: had trouble with hotel internet system here in CA

Tweeters,
Yesterday I led a trip to Fort Lewis, and for the first time in a while, lots of the range areas were open. Highlights included WESTERN BLUEBIRDS, TOWNSEND?S WARBLERS, SCRUB JAY, NORTHERN SHRIKE, possible SAVANNA SPARROWS, and a variety of raptors. The weather was foggy, cool, and got even cooler as the day went on. We never did see any sunshine. (For those of you on the trip, the last part of this message includes the link to photos that one of the biologists at Fort Lewis maintains. Many excellent photos of birds, plants, and landscape at the Fort.)

After obtaining required vehicle passes for some of our transport systems, we headed over to the Range Control office to get annual passes for those who didn?t have them. Across the street from the office is always worth a scan, and we found three WESTERN BLUEBIRDS (two m, one f), TOWNSEND?S WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and AMERICAN CROW.

Heading out Second Division Road, we found lots of AMERICAN ROBINS, some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, EUROPEAN STARLINGS, NORTHERN FLICKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and an AMERICAN KESTREL, but not much else. Most areas on both sides of the road have had the standing crop of Scotch broom cut down, which limits cover for lots of the sparrows that used to be there, and that opens up the area for the intrusion of the Starlings, which I?ve not seen in the numbers we saw there Saturday. (Not to say I?m against knocking down Scotch broom, it?s just that there will definitely be a change in the species composition. It?ll be interesting to see what happens with the White-Crowned and Chipping Sparrow, as well as Common Yellowthroat population this Spring.)

Turning right on Story Road, along the boundary of the 91st Div Prairie impact area and training area 4, we found STELLER?S JAY, DOWNY WOODPECKER, RED-TAILED HAWK, NORTHERN FLICKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, more Starlings, and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES.

The hatchery area yielded one BALD EAGLE (last week we had 8), WINTER WREN, DARK-EYED JUNCO, HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON GOLDENEYE, and a small flock of PINE SISKINS.

We headed east along the south side of training area 5, and went up the hill at OP 7, overlooking the 91st Div Prairie. There we encountered some very cooperative FOX SPARROWS, SPOTTED TOWHEES, and BEWICK?S WREN. Heading further east gave us good views of an AMERICAN KESTREL. In addition, two COMMON RAVENS were strolling along on the 91st Div Prairie well past the signs that indicate unexploded ordnance might be out there. (Guess they can?t read or don?t care?.)

Muck Creek was flowing, but no early swallows were there (#1 place to find at least 5 swallow species in the Spring). We did find one MALLARD, and heard some RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.

Stopping off at Lewis Lake for lunch yielded a bunch of ducks, including COMMON GOLDENEYE (displaying, with one pair making the ?C? list), RING-NECKED DUCK, CANADA GOOSE, and BUFFLEHEAD. In addition, we found a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (same bird as last week?), RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, and MARSH WREN. Two, and possibly three river otters were on the far shore, swimming near a spot that held another BALD EAGLE.

Driving back toward Muck Creek, we found a COOPER?S HAWK, that most of us at least got a glance at.

Just past the creek, we turned east across training area 6 and took in Brandenburg Marsh, the open water of which was full of ducks: GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, and MALLARD. This was the only spot we found the teal and wigeon. In addition, we had mixed flock that included BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, and our second TOWNSEND?S WARBLER of the day.

>From there we drove to the south end of Chambers Lake, were we found lots of COMMON GOLDENEYE and RING-NECKED DUCKS, as well as LESSER SCAUP. A more careful drive back along the west side of the lake yielded SCRUB and STELLER?S JAYS, HAIRY WOODPECKER, and VARIED THRUSH. A bit further toward the Roy Gate road, we found an AMERICAN KESTREL, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, and BALD EAGLE. Driving north along the Roy Gate Road, one of the drivers (!) found a NORTHERN SHRIKE (with lots of brown in its plumage) well off the side of the road toward the railroad tracks. Everyone got good looks at this bird.

Johnson Marsh didn?t yield very much, although we did find more COMMON GOLDENEYES, as well as another HAIRY WOODPECKER.

Thirteenth Division Prairie didn?t yield any bluebirds (perhaps the tractors working there during the week spooked them?), but we did find a very large flock of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, which also may have included several SAVANNAH SPARROWS. Tough to tell, though, because the birds were flighty, but the flight pattern, size, and ?jizz? looked right for that species. Lots of AMERICAN ROBINS and NORTHERN FLICKERS were in the area. On the right side of the road, we found two more COOPER?S HAWKS, as well as another BALD EAGLE.

Altogether, we noted 42 bird species, which, given the weather and time of year, seemed very OK.

Here?s the link to the photos: http://www.pbase.com/rodg/root

May all your birds be identified,

Denis DeSilvis
Roy, WA
Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com