Hi Folks:
I visited Flaming Geyser State Park yesterday, Thurs. Sept 9. Flam. Geyser is 10 miles east of Auburn on the Green River. On the way along Green Valley Road there were several hundred Swallows, most BARN SWALLOWS, but a good portion were VG SWALLOWS.
The park interior road had been closed off this spring and summer, but now the road is open again. There is no water in the park, due to constuction of utilities. There are plenty of portable toilets, and one main restroom w/ flush toilets.
I entered the park, and 0.1 mile past the stop sign in the park, there is a little rise in the road. Near that on both sides of the road were 4 WILD TURKEYS. They all appeared to be young, and I think 3 of the 4 were males. They are all big. Apparently someone left 16 of them in the area sometime in Aug. 11 of them went somewhere on the other side of the river, one was eaten by a Coyote, and 4 remain in the park. They are very-unwary, let you approach pretty close, and probably won't last long. There are plenty of predators in that park to take care of the turkeys.
About 0.2 miles past the stop sign, an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was active in the tops of the conifers. It even sang "3 Beers" twice. At the wetland there were several COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, two WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, and one VIRGINIA RAIL. At the main picnic area, there were a pair of very-active COMMON RAVENS, a soaring PEREGRINE FALCON, 30 VIOLET-GRN. SWALLOWS, and 16 VAUX'S SWIFTS. A TURKEY VULTURE flew over the ridge. There are a lot of recent deer and elk droppings, and some coyote scat. I couldn't find any American Dippers. There were no salmon yet, either.
Over on the other side of the river, you head back to Auburn on Green Vly. Rd. and at 0.1 mile from the Fl. Geyser entrance, there is an access to the river. There is a chain-link fence and a sanican there. That whole area is a King County Natural Area. It is in an area where the river takes a bend away from the road. I walked a terrific trail there which is probably about 1.5 miles long. It's for fishermen, walkers, and in the summer rafters use it. It goes alongside the river, and through lovely woods, w/ some old-growth trees. Along there I saw a perched-up SWAINSON'S THRUSH calling, two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS along the river, and finally found one AMERICAN DIPPER. The salmon are not up the river yet, but when they get there Flaming Geyser should get the dippers that are usually-present inside the park. This lovely wooded trail passes quite a few beaches and overlooks on the river. I saw a bunch of swallows in the gloom there (it was drizzling and about to rain). They were Violet-greens, and I think at least one BANK SWALLOW. But the lighting was very poor and the swallows never perched. This lovely trail eventually ends at the new bridge on SE Flaming Geyser Rd, the road that leads into the state park.
It was a dark, gloomy day, but the the birding was good. It was a kick discovering the trail and area that was new to me in the area called "King County Natural Area". A local I met yesterday told me about it.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines
carol.schulz50 at gmail.com