Tweeters,

I took a run out to Ft Lewis this morning and spent several hours birding
around the 91st Div Prairie - a couple of the places I wanted to go were not
available today, but it was a good day for birds.

Starting at 0745 at the Muck Creek bridge area, I saw ROUGH-WINGED, BARN,
TREE, and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Lots of YELLOW and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS,
along with COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. Woodpeckers included DOWNY, and NORTHERN
FLICKER, with a nice flyby of a PILEATED, the first I've seen at this spot.
A WESTERN WOOD-PEEWEE was calling from about the same place I heard it
yesterday. Sparrows included WHITE-CROWNED, SONG, and SAVANNAH, along with
near-kin SPOTTED TOWHEE. Rounding out the 29 species in this area were
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD,
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, MOURNING DOVE, WESTERN
SCRUB-JAY, COMMON RAVEN, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, AMERICAN ROBIN, CANADA
GOOSE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED KINGFISHER, and lastly, EUROPEAN STARLING.
I thought I heard a Swainson's Thrush call, but it only occurred once, and I
didn't count it.



On the way to Lewis Lake, I stopped along the road and got the first
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER for me this year (several calling in different parts
of the area). At the same spot I saw a Yellow Warbler gathering nesting
material, and heard, then finally saw, a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. Several
EVENING GROSBEAKS flew over.



The Lewis Lake OSPREYS are nesting on their platform, and I saw MARSH WREN,
DOUBLE-CREASTED CORMORANT, and the only duck of the day, a GADWALL pair.



At an area I've not visited to the south of the impact zone, I took a tour
through some big Douglas-firs and saw my first CHIPPING SPARROW singing from
a low perch (very few of these usually abundant sparrows were around today).
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and DARK-EYED JUNCO were
all singing in this spot. A bit further on, I got the first of many singing
WESTERN TANAGERS.



Not much was going on at the Nisqually River bridge, but a flyover of
several VAUX'S SWIFTS was welcome. On the way back along the road, I saw the
first of several WESTERN BLUEBIRDS - this one across the road from Range 89.



At the turnoff to the Second Division Range Road, I saw several KILLDEER,
and heard, then saw, a WESTERN MEADOWLARK. Just before Nisqually Lake I saw
a kiting RED-TAILED HAWK, and at the lake were AMERICAN COOTS, and PURPLE
MARTINS (which rounded out the usual 5-pack of swallows at the Fort). Three
RED CROSSBILLS flew overhead heading to the evergreens, as was a lone (!)
BAND-TAILED PIGEON. (The 70 or so Band-taileds feasting at my house should -
I hope - be heading to Fort Lewis soon.)



I'd tried several places for HOUSE WREN, but finally lucked out at a small
"birdy" spot across from the road that leads to OP 10, along Story Road.
There, too, was a BEWICK'S WREN and CASSIN'S VIREO.



Even with missing out on some pretty good birding areas, I tallied 53
species. Significant misses today include Purple Finch, American Goldfinch,
and Pine Siskin. I spent quite a bit of time trying for Northern Bobwhite,
Yellow-breasted Chat, and Vesper Sparrow, but to no avail. Maybe better luck
when I head there with the UW Retiree Association birders on Sunday.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com