Hi folks,

Just wanted to let the Tweeters community know that Thurston County is also experiencing the "irruption" of Common Redpolls into western Washington.

Many thanks for Kyle Leader - young birder extraordinaire - for finding and eBirding a flock of Redpolls at Tumwater Falls Park. You Rock! I went down to the Fish Hatchery this afternoon to see if I could find the flock. I walked the loop trail to the lower falls, and birding was pretty slow; even the resident American Dippers were not to be found along the roaring, muddy waters of the Deschutes River.

I had just returned to the parking lot, resigned to the prospect of birding at this historic site yet another day, when a flock of Redpolls dropped into a Red Alder tree right at the parking lot! After chirping there for a few minutes, the flock of 16 birds dropped to the lawn, apparently feeding on alder seeds that had fallen to the ground.

I texted a few other locals, and Chris Strode & Doug Martin arrived within minutes (!) and we got on them as they returned to the alders along the river above the Upper Falls. There were a few Pine Siskins mixed in with the Redpolls at this point.

If these birds behave like the Seattle area Redpolls, local birders may have the opportunity to add them to your County list! I tried for some photos, but didn't get much in the way of decent shots. The one recognizable shot I had is on my eBird checklist at
http://ebird.org/ebird/pnw/view/checklist/S42234242

Best,
Jon. Anderson
OlyWA
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