Tweeters--



Have been out on the Kitsap and Ol. Peninsula all day with Anne Winskie. Weather was uncooperative and we missed Mt. Quail in the Tahuyeh area of s.w Kitsap Peninsula. But for the weather we had, there was still plenty to see.



There were lots of migrants around. The highlight was a 10-warbler day, and this did not include Nashville Warbler. The shocker was an ad male AM. REDSTART, about a month early for a migrant/vagrant, that joined a nice warbler-vireo group in streamside forest along central Tahuyeh River Dr. (this is NNE of the town of Tahuyeh, n. e. Mason Co). I have never seen this species anywhere in WA this early, and this was well west of any likely visitation points as well. The bird responded to pishing by perching about 30' above my head and doing the tail-fan/tailspots-flash display. There were two cooperative CASSIN'S VIREOS here also.



The 10th warbler was about the only bird available in horrid weather along the Lena Lake trail. I'd neared the end of the switchbacks (one mile up?) when a cooperative ad. male HERMIT WARBLER turned up, joined by a second bird (this second bird not seen well enough to rule out hybrid). The ad male HERMIT was down amazingly low and close (this happened the last time on this trail as well!) and was easily seen as it foraged in low understory, so I was able to be certain there was no external evidence of hybridization. This bird was silent except for occasional chips. It was as if it decided that the tall fir crowns were no place to stay during the downpours and fog shrouds. We had another CASSIN'S VIREO singing near the Hamma Hamma Rec Area turnoff, down lower.



Otherwise a first-of-year BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen near Belfair, and I heard an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER about 3 miles north of here in a shelterwood/regenerating area. Very decent numbers of BLACK-THROATED GRAYS and HAMMOND'S FLY were noted at each of 4 stop-points.



For vascular plant fans, the Tahuyeh area yielded local notables (bluff side of road--Rt 300) POISON-OAK (Rhus diversiloba), GIANT CHAIN-FERN (Woodwardia fimbriata), HAIRY MANZANITA (Artostaphylos columbiana), and STICKY LAUREL (Ceanothus velutinus).



Scott Atkinson

Lake Stevens

mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com









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