I was heading to Sha-dax wetlands in Fife this afternoon to check on the
shorebird situation and saw the GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE at the park on 61st
and North Levee Road. This is the park where it was being seen last
winter, but not since February. I travel this road frequently and always
keep an eye out, but figured the bird had moved on. The bird flew to a
rooftop, vocalized, and flew off into the adjacent neighborhood. I hadn't
heard it make a sound before. It sounded like Mexico to me, Grackle sounds
always remind me of Mexico.

Birding from the road on JBLM this morning, I came across a VESPER
SPARROW. While watching the VESPER, I heard a NORTHERN BOBWHITE, never did
see it as it stayed out in the restricted area of the prairie. The bird
called continually for about 30 minutes. I made several recordings of the
call.

The Gull numbers are steadily increasing at Gog-le-hi-te and shorebirds
are starting to show up on a good tide. The LAZULI BUNTINGS that were
there for a couple weeks seem to have moved on, I never saw the
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMER again after he made a brief appearance a couple weeks
ago. A family of 4 BULLOCK'S ORIOLES has been chattering away and staying
low for easy viewing recently.

Water levels at Sha-dax Wetlands and Levee Pond park are coming down and
should be the shorebird hotspots that they were last year.

I hiked up out of Sunrise to Mount Freemont last weekend to look for
PTARMIGAN without luck, but there were lots of other great birds up there.
Might be a good idea in all this heat. HORNED LARKS and PIPITS were
hanging around the meadow at Frozen Lake. Other goodies all over up there.

GRACKLE: www.flickr.com/photos/mikecharest/14460856140/in/photostream/
BOBWHITE:www.flickr.com/photos/mikecharest/14460047550/in/photostream/
www.flickr.com/photos/mikecharest/14459274339/in/photostream/
VESPER: www.flickr.com/photos/mikecharest/14645479572/in/photostream/


Have a great day,

Michael Charest
Tacoma, Washington
mcharest at wamail.net