Subject: [Tweeters] Theler Wetlands 05/03/2013
Date: May 4 09:55:02 2013
From: John Riegsecker - jriegsecker at pobox.com


All,

I spend a wonderful day at Theler yesterday, May 3, 2013. The weather
was just beautiful, I met a number of nice people, and there were lots
of interesting birds, 42 species in all. Some highlights:

There were two Wilson's Snipe in the Salmon Center field near the trail
working a wet area as you walk to the river. Sixteen Caspian Terns did
a fly over. As I walked along the river a Cooper's Hawk flew over,
hotly pursued and dive-bombed by Barn Swallows. I have one reasonable
shot of a Barn Swallow making a run on the Hawk. Later a female Anna's
flew up to me and perched on a branch so close my camera would not focus
and I had to back up. She seemed to be intrigued by the sound of my
shutter. As I shot away, happy to have a full frame shot of a hummer,
she would cock her head each time I took a shot as if trying to locate
where the noise was coming from.

At the Salmon Center, the Cliff Swallows were making repeated runs
picking up mud to build their nests. They are building six nests in the
barn overhang, and two nests in the open shed that will only be 10 to 12
feet above the ground.

On my return trip along the river there were well over 100 Western
Sandpipers working the sand bar. Had an Osprey flyover, then saw 6
birds heading north over the Salmon Center fields. When I put my
binoculars on them I saw long bills, so began photographing them. Six
Whimbrels. As I was photographing the Whimbrels, a Turkey Vulture
suddenly appeared in the view finder. For about 5 minutes we had 3
Turkey Vultures circling close overhead.

I also have an ID request. What is the larger sandpiper in the
background of these photos? There were four of these birds mixed in
with some Least Sandpipers. They were noticeably larger. I have
another shot that includes a Killdeer, and they are smaller than a
Killdeer. Are they just larger Least Sandpipers or something else?

http://skygardener.zenfolio.com/p996964534/h5e092330#h5e092330

Reply off line if you like. Any help appreciated.

John Riegsecker
jriegsecker at pobox dot com
Gig Harbor, WA

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John Riegsecker