Tweeters,

Ten of us got pretty wet at times birding Ft Lewis, but we got the best view
of a MacGillivray's Warbler (and a good bird story to go with it) along with
all six of the usual western Washington swallows and quite a bit more.



Ok - first the MacGillivray's story: I got a tip from one of the roving
soldiers who was on Range Duty that a good view of a hummingbird was to be
had at OP (observation post) 8, so we went to look. (I was thinking
"Rufous.") When we pulled up, an ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (only the second I've
seen in over 30 years birding the range areas) was in pristine view on top
of a dead shrub right in front of us. Then, while looking for other birds,
one of us spotted a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD behind us on a snag, about
eye-level. After getting a scope set up on this jewel, just as one of us
bent down to look, the Rufous was displaced by a male MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER
- top of the snag, eye level, about 50 feet away. Brilliant view of this
skulker of which we normally see only brief glimpses. The hummingbird dove
at the warbler several times, but "Mac" didn't move.until it was displaced
by an AMERICAN ROBIN, which stayed about a minute, flew down, and was
replaced by the hummingbird, which was yet again displaced by the warbler.
Great views!



We started at Range Control about 9am; raining steadily, which persisted
most of the day, only letting up occasionally. Not much going on there
(EUROPEAN STARLING, HOUSE FINCH, HOUSE SPARROW, AMERICAN ROBIN, and
DARK-EYED JUNCO). The only "exciting" thing was an AMERICAN CROW "bathing"
in the longish wet grass.



The first stop at Training Area 4, which usually produces some pretty good
views of warblers, etc., brought only views of CHIPPING and WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS, YELLOW WARBLERS, and vocals from PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS,
CASSIN'S VIREOS, WILSON'S WARBLERS, and WESTERN TANAGERS. We continued along
the dirt road bordering the hillside, and came upon a bathing male WESTERN
TANAGER, and located a female and another male tanager. In that area were
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEES, a distant singing OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER as well as a
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS.



A bit further along we found an AMERICAN GOLDFINCH bathing in a rain puddle,
and the first of the WESTERN BLUEBIRDS that we located in several places.



A stop along Story Road opposite Nisqually Lake produced a BALD EAGLE on top
of the martin box in the lake, and about a dozen PURPLE MARTINS in one of
the snags to the right and close to the road. In addition, we had great
views of TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, BARN, and CLIFF SWALLOWS, all on the electrical
wires nearby. Continuing along Story Rd, opposite the road to OP 10, we
found HOUSE WRENS and a very interesting pair of RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS.
The nest hole is in a Douglas-fir snag immediately under what appears to be
a bracket (polypore) fungus, which gives the immediate impression of the
entrance hole having a roof. Quite appropriate, given the rain! At the end
of Story Rd, we found KILLDEER, and also some shelter to have lunch.



In addition to the hummingbirds and "Mac" warbler at OP 10, we heard another
Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Tanagers, distant calling RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH and several WESTERN MEADOWLARKS, a flyover of an AMERICAN KESTREL,
and more Yellow Warblers. We also passed a COMMON RAVEN on the way. Heading
toward the Muck Creek Bridge, we sighted a RED-TAILED HAWK.



Muck Creek produced a very wet WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (plus
all the other swallows less Purple Martin - yet another 6-swallow day at the
Fort), SAVANNAH and SONG SPARROWS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, and
a singing PURPLE FINCH. Because of the time, we opted to forego seeing the
Osprey at Lewis Lake, and went to Brandenburg Marsh, east of the Muck Creek
bridge. There we saw MARSH WRENS, a WOOD DUCK, another Purple Martin - at a
nest box, and two BAND-TAILED PIGEONS. A NORTHERN FLICKER called nearby. In
addition, we had excellent views of a Western Bluebird that apparently had a
nest in a burned-off snag.



On the way to my home in Roy, we passed a couple of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS
along the road. At the house we had definitive views of an adult male RED
CROSSBILL as well as an immature bird, and EVENING and BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS, as well as a DOWNY WOODPECKER. Several MOURNING DOVES flew past
us, too.



All in all, we had a good day despite the rain and ID'd 58 bird species; we
even saw a Douglas squirrel and a black-tailed deer.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com