Tweeters,
Seventeen of us enjoyed a (finally) cool (54degF start; 63degF end) and not-so-smoky day at JBLM's Eagles Pride Golf Course. We hadn't expected to tally as many species as we did (47 plus a not-quite-nailed-down call for 48), and we managed to have a few surprises of species or numbers: the PIED-BILLED GREBE family of 7; WARBLING VIREO (4); PURPLE MARTIN (7); RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (15); BELTED KINGFISHER; ORANGE-CROWNED, MACGILLIVRAY'S, and WILSON'S WARBLERS (and call notes from either a Hermit or a Townsend's Warbler); and RED CROSSBILL (3). The kingfisher was the first in 2 years. The GREATER YELLOWLEGS were first ID'd by call. All of us got very good views of the GREAT HORNED OWL, which was being mobbed by California Scrub-Jays.
An interesting note for this site: In 2016, JBLM biologists installed a series of Purple Martin boxes at the 14th hole side of Hodge Lake. A few Tree and Violet-green Swallows nested in them last year, and more Tree Swallows this year. The goal, however, is to attract Purple Martins. During our bird walk, biologists were replacing the boxes with an older style entrance hole with one that is quite different. The boxes with the new-style entrance hole, which is more difficult for Tree Swallows to use, were tested very successfully for Purple Martins this year at a variety of sites on JBLM, so we hope next year Purple Martins will "invade" Hodge Lake.
The JBLM Eagles Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM. Starting point is Bldg # 1514, Driving Range Tee, Eagles Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. Upcoming walks include the following:
• September 20
• October 18
• November 15
Anyone is welcome to join us!
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From the eBird NW report:
45 species (+2 other taxa)
Hooded Merganser 1 Maintenance Pond
Pied-billed Grebe 7 Hodge Lake
Band-tailed Pigeon 1
Anna's Hummingbird 5
Greater Yellowlegs 5 All flyovers: one flock of four and one lone bird
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Great Horned Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 1 First spotted at the 12th hole pond; then likely the same bird at Hodge Lake - first in 2 years
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 13
Western Wood-Pewee 9
Willow Flycatcher 2
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1
Cassin's Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 4
Steller's Jay 8
California Scrub-Jay 2
American/Northwestern Crow 3
Purple Martin 7
Violet-green Swallow 6
Barn Swallow 30
Cliff Swallow 2
Black-capped Chickadee 12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 24
Red-breasted Nuthatch 20
Pacific Wren 4
Bewick's Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 11
American Robin 24
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 23
House Finch 11
Purple Finch 4
Red Crossbill 3
Pine Siskin 5
American Goldfinch 5
Dark-eyed Junco 33
White-crowned Sparrow 26
Song Sparrow 24
Spotted Towhee 6
Red-winged Blackbird 15 All at the Maintenance Pond -- very quiet at first - didn't even know they were there.
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
MacGillivray's Warbler 1 Seen by most birders at the power-line corridor (a definite "hot" area on this walk.
Townsend's/Hermit Warbler 1 Could not distinguish call note - could have been either species
Wilson's Warbler 3
Western Tanager 5
View this checklist online at
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S47911375
May all your birds be identified,
Denis DeSilvis
avnacrs4birds at outlook.com
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