Grassland sparrows have been settling in on the Thurston County prairies.

At West Rocky Prairie Wildlife Area on Tuesday the 10th, while walking my 2-? mile
transect route on the mounded prairie on the east side of the W.A., I found 2 Vesper
Sparrow, 9 Savannah Sparrow, and 11 White-crowned Sparrow. (As usual though, I heard
my first singing White-crown of the year at the Top Foods parking lot in west Olympia.)

At Mima Mounds Natural Area on the morning of Friday the 13th, while walking the full
2.6-mile southerly loop trail route, I found 14 Savannah Sparrow and 2 White-crowned
Sparrow. (This area is also good for Vesper Sparrow.)

At Scatter Creek Wildlife Area (South Unit) on the afternoon of the 13th I found no
sparrows to be active while walking the 1.4-mile inner trail loop, though some other
visitors who were departing just as I arrived, reported seeing Savannah Sparrow. (This
area is generally good for Chipping, Vesper, Savannah, and White-crowned sparrows.

_____________
Doug Canning
Olympia Wash.