Tweeters,

I got to the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (I'll continue to refer to it as Fort
Lewis to delineate it from the McChord area) Muck Creek bridge at 6:30 this
morning (38 deg, but gorgeous), and one of the first birds I heard was a
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT singing from the same area as we found it last year. I
hiked south from the bridge about 150 yards and the Chat was singing from
the oak tree next to the road. The bird wasn't here (or at least wasn't
singing) last Wednesday when I stopped by.



Other birds at the bridge area included TREE, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, BARN,
and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS; MOURNING DOVE; RED-TAILED HAWK; RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD; BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK; COMMON YELLOWTHROAT; CALIFORNIA QUAIL; and
SAVANNAH, CHIPPING, and SONG SPARROWS.



I went north from the bridge along the range road and spotted a BLACK BEAR
on the dirt road that's north of the road to Range 79 and south of the road
to OP 2. That was different!



At OP 3, I heard VESPER SPARROWS and several WESTERN MEADOWLARKS. A WESTERN
WOOD-PEEWEE was calling from the trees along the edge of the wooded area -
the first I've heard at the Fort this year. Then, at least two NORTHERN
BOBWHITES were calling from somewhere to the south and southwest of the
overlook, so I packed up and headed back toward OP 2, which is south of OP
3. I did hear one Bobwhite calling, but it was even further south, somewhere
toward Muck Creek. Back to Muck Creek, but no luck there. At least I know
there are Bobwhites still around that area.



Note: Western Meadowlarks were singing all along the area between Range 79
and OP 3.



A fine start to the day at Fort Lewis!



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com