Subject: [Tweeters] Stillwater American Redstarts
Date: Jun 12 17:15:48 2009
From: Michael Hobbs - birdmarymoor at verizon.net


Tweets - I went out this afternoon with Mark and Lee Crawford, and we were
able to find two adult male AMERICAN REDSTARTS at the location specified in
the earlier message by Christopher Anderson.

To clarify the location a bit, we parked at the WDFW lot that is on the west
side of SR-203 immediately north of Fay Rd. (btw- DOWNY WOODPECKERS are
nesting in the snag in that lot.) We crossed the railroad trail and headed
west on the dirt path into the big meadow. At the fork in the middle of the
meadow, we went right. At the second fork, just as we were getting to the
trees, we went right again, and followed the path down to the metal and wood
bridge with no railing. Crossing the bridge, we proceeded another 100 yards
or so through very tall grass on the remnants of some ruts. Eventually, the
grass got shorter in a bit of a clearing. A gravel path went off to the
right to the creek, where recent work has obviously been done to put in a
boulder riffle. Standing at creekside, we were immediately able to hear two
AMERICAN REDSTARTS.

They came right it vigorously to the iPod and chased each other around in
close proximity to us. I shut off the iPod, and one of them stayed for the
entire time we were there, singing, and moving from branch to branch,
actively.

Both were full adult males. Mark maybe saw a female as well, but we can't
confirm.

There was also a singing RED-EYED VIREO at the same location.

Earlier, we walked out to the Bank Swallow site (where there were, indeed,
about a dozen BANK SWALLOWS entering holes in the bank). In the area around
the wood footbridge mentioned by Chris, and further along the trail after
crossing the bridge, we were unable to hear or see any redstarts. There was
a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, though, and lots of mosquitoes.

Along both trails we had RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS and LAZULI BUNTINGS, the
latter seen nicely on the way to the redstarts.

A lone TURKEY VULTURE cruised along the ridge to the east.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.marymoor.org/birding.htm
== http://www.marymoor.org/BirdBlog.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net