Hey Tweets,
Randy Bjorklund and I chased some birds on saturday.? Randy was looking for YB Chat on JBLM (missed) and HERMIT WARBLER on Capitol Forest (YES!).

JBLM - Grand day out there!? So many birds!? What a great slice of birding habitat!? ALL resident Swallow species - VIOLET-GREEN, TREE, BARN, CLIFF, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, and PURPLE MARTIN.? VAUX'S SWIFT at Range Control.? So many OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS we got tired of listening for them!? ;)? Many HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS as well.???HUTTONS VIREO, HOUSE WREN, BEWICK'S WREN, WESTERN TANAGER. SWAINSON'S THRUSH (singing, finally!).? Killer looks at a female MACGILLIVRAY's WARBLER.? Other WARBLERS were - ORANGE-CORWNED, many YELLOW, and a few WILSON'S. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT everywhere. And many of the birds were feelin "Frisky" as we saw copulating CHIPPING SPARROW and LAZULI BUNTING !!? WESTERN BLUEBIRDS seemingly everywhere.? Heard some EVENING GROSBEAK in the trees. VERY nice morning of birding with Denis!? MANY Thanks Denis!? I mean to visit there again!

Randy and I then headed up for a quick visit to Capitol Forest, up Rocky Candy Mountain road.? The gate is open now, by-the-way.? Many of the "usuals" seen? and heard on the way up the mountain - WILSON's WARBLER, one TURKEY VULTURE, RB NUTHATCH, BH GROSBEAK, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, SWAINSON's THRUSH, fly-over BAND-TAILED PIGEON.
Above the gate, we got serious about listening for warblers.? Eventually stopped and were listening at a booming SOOTY GROUSE, when the song of HERMIT WARBLER wafted down from the trees.? A little judicious use of the IPod, and he came down for a closer few, and Randy got a few Great pictures!? He did the "Happy Life-Bird Dance", after getting those pics!? ;)? Also picked up VARIED THRUSH, HAMMOND's FLYCATCHER, and PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER.
http://picasaweb.google.com/randybjo/PicturesForSharing#

Randy dropped me off in the early evening, and I dashed back down to Nisqually. Found the pair of BLACK TERNS still patrolling the fresh water ponds. Also picked up a WILSON'S PHALAROPE and a single WESTERN SANDPIPER. Also picked up a PURPLE MARTIN in the swallow crowds. The GREAT EGRET was hanging on the salt-water side of the dike. Saw a total of at least 5 WHIMBREL (3 fly-overs and 2 or 3 from the end of the boardwalk). Several groups of lounging and fly-over CASPIAN TERNS, I counted at least 25. Saw a beautiful BITTERN on the way out, and heard a calling SORA.

Was a NICE day of birding, and the weather was wonderful, despite the gloomy forecast!

May all your birds be identified !!
(I owe you a nickel for copyright infringement, Denis! ;)

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com