Tweeters,

Three of us took a trip around some of the areas of Lewis Base starting
about 8:30am (temp at Roy at 6:30am - 30 deg F - temp at 3pm - 74 deg F).
Many training areas were closed due to hunting, etc., but we managed quite a
few spots around the artillery impact area and at Johnson Marsh. It appears
that RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES had a good year around the JBLM ranges - we had
that species in fairly good numbers at every stop and I noticed that two
weeks ago both at my home in Roy and at the JBLM range areas around the Weir
prairie sites.



Highlights today include the following:

WESTERN MEADOWLARKS (2) at the Muck Creek bridge

WESTERN BLUEBIRD along the Range Road near Range 74

EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES (2) at Chambers Lake (along with several WESTERN
SCRUB-JAYS)

RING-NECKED DUCK (our only waterfowl) at Chambers Lake



Not many species (29 located), but we did locate some RED CROSSBILLS at
Johnson Marsh, the usual wintering sparrows - including a very nice view of
a FOX SPARROW at Observation Post 8, and four RED-TAILED HAWKS, including an
immature.



Almost the entire 91st Division Prairie and adjacent areas have undergone
controlled burning, as have other areas along 8th Ave S, Upper Weir Prairie,
etc. It'll be interesting to see what transpires with the plant life,
especially prairie species like camas, during next Spring.



May all your birds be identified,



Denis DeSilvis

Roy, WA

Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com