Tweeters,

What a glorious day-weather and otherwise-at JBLM (Fort Lewis) on Saturday,
for the ten of us that birded in the various range areas. Highlights
included great views of a LAZULI BUNTING and a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, both
of which were singing at one of our stops. We also found quite a few
flycatchers, including the first WILLOW FLYCATCHER of the year for many of
us.



At Range Control, VAUX'S SWIFTS flew overhead, and we saw or heard HOUSE
SPARROW, EUROPEAN STARLING, VIOLET-GREEN and CLIFF SWALLOWS (the latter
apparently nesting on a nearby building), HOUSE FINCH, DARK-EYED JUNCO,
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, RED-TAILED HAWK (way in the distance), MOURNING DOVE,
KILLDEER, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. The latter was
feeding near the greenhouses beside the Range Control building.



Compared with the washout (almost literally) last week at the first stop
along the Second Division Range Road (Training Area (TA) 4), we hit a
goldmine of species. Most we heard, but we had good views of several:
YELLOW, WILSON'S, YELLOW-RUMPED, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS; COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT; BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD; WESTERN TANAGER; EVENING GROSBEAK;
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE; RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH; OLIVE-SIDED, PACIFIC-SLOPE,
and HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHERS; WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE; SONG and SAVANNAH SPARROWS;
RED-TAILED HAWK; BROWN CREEPER; SPOTTED TOWHEE, PURPLE FINCH; RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD; MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER; BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK; BAND-TAILED
PIGEON; AMERICAN ROBIN; COMMON RAVEN; and SWAINSON'S THRUSH. By far the
most interesting sighting was that of what appears to be two pairs of PURPLE
MARTINS nesting in a burned-off snag about halfway along the TA 4-Range
Road. We all had great scope views of the birds entering holes in the snag.



Further along the road, we found WESTERN BLUEBIRD and NORTHERN FLICKER. Two
HOUSE WRENS were singing near one stopping point, but we couldn't find them
immediately and decided to move on.



>From Story Road, overlooking Nisqually Lake, we spotted AMERICAN COOT, more
CLIFF SWALLOWS, and a nearby SAVANNAH SPARROW. Continuing along Story Road,
opposite Observation Post (OP) 10, we had good views of a HOUSE WREN, WILLOW
FLYCATCHER (FOY), and a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS courtship feeding.

At OP-8, an AMERICAN KESTREL used a pole to hunt from, and we saw it
carrying prey back somewhere to the northeast of us. Sharon spotted a LAZULI
BUNTING, which conveniently (for us) landed on a small Douglas-fir on the
slope in front of us, and sang for several minutes. Behind us, on the same
snag I saw it on last week, a MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER sang, again giving us a
great view of what we'd only seen briefly in brush and along another snag.



The Muck Creek bridge area didn't have as many species as last week, but the
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS made it another 6-swallow day. We also found
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and many of us saw a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER. On the
way to the bridge, we spotted a TURKEY VULTURE. Nearby Brandenburg Marsh
yielded a MARSH WREN, as well as several TREE SWALLOWS, and a female Western
Bluebird.



We tried to find Vesper Sparrows and Streaked Horned Larks, as well as the
Sage Thrasher that Rod Gilbert posted earlier this week, but were skunked
for those. However, at my house (nearby), we picked up STELLER'S JAY, RED
CROSSBILL, PINE SISKIN, and CALIFORNIA QUAIL. We also had excellent views of
a male and female EVENING GROSBEAK, as well as a male BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK,
feeding at one of the feeders on the west side of the house.



Even with missing several "usual" species like Bewick's Wren and Western
Scrub-jays, the 65 species we did find were a treat on a beautiful day on
the prairies of Fort Lewis.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com