Subject: [Tweeters] Boeing Ponds, Kent Migration
Date: Sep 18 07:54:01 2011
From: Carol & Lynn Schulz - carol.schulz50 at gmail.com


Hi Tweets:
Migration is starting in the Kent Valley. I stopped briefly down in Boeing Ponds vicinity in north Kent mid-day yesterday (Saturday). Drizzle had started and it was wetting the pavement pretty good. As I drove into the big Boeing parking lot off on S 209th and West Valley (68th) I heard a couple of Western Scrub-Jays in the wooded area around the pond there. The pond is on the west side of W Valley. There were many W Scrubs in that area last fall flying back and forth over to the big business park w/ the Alki Cafe. There are lots of small, but mature oak trees over there, and it was a free-for all for acorns late Sept and into October. The south side of this pond has a Sleep Country warehouse and parking and there is a trail on the east side of the pond near W Valley. These jays are not migrants, but we don't see that many down there except during acorn time.
I drove north through the big Boeing parking lot. When I got over to the road that comes from Boeing Ponds, there were about 5 AMERICAN PIPITS bobbing around and playing in the water on the pavement there. They looked happy to be in a drizzle storm. I was on S 199th Pl. near W Valley. This is the road that curves around Boeing Ponds. At Boe. Ponds, there were 30-40 WHITE-CRND. SPARROWS. A WILLOW FLYCATCHER perched briefly. I saw a LINCOLN'S SPARROW. A sparrow was singing but I didn't have my analog recorder, and could not remember the exact song later. It was not a Wht-crowned Sparrow song. The female PEREGRINE FALCON was perched up in her usual spot in the groove near the top of the big bldg. She perches at the top of a black vertical stripe and blends in well.
I got pretty wet and cold in the drizzle and left, but I welcome the cooler weather, and the evidence of migration. Guess I should start carrying an extra jacket or rain coat in my car now.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines