Hi folks,
Scott Saunders was down with a bug, so I kept the checklist whilst 8 of us braved the 42° F rain for Tahoma Audubon's monthly bird walk at Fort Steilacoom Park. The rain kept bird activity subdued this morning, but we saw 31 species - not bad for birding in the New Year's rain.
There's a bird walk every first Tuesday of the month at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, WA, generally covering 3-4 hours and 2-3 miles on the park’s many trails through a wide range of habitat, including circumambulating Waughop Lake. For the 'colder' months (Nov-Feb) we are starting at 9 a.m. During the 'warmer' months (Mar-Oct) the walk starts at 8 a.m. Hope to see you there one of these times.
Good birding,
- Jon. Anderson
OlyWA
Fort Steilacoom Park, Pierce, Washington, US
2 Jan, 2024 8:48 AM - 12:24 PM
Protocol: Traveling 3.44 miles
Checklist Comments: Monthly Tahoma Audubon walk. Rain, calm and 42° F. Saw a family of Raccoons near the 100th St. feeders.
31 species (+4 other taxa)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) 365
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 114
American Wigeon (Mareca americana) 1 female
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 7
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 3
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 3
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 34
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 3
Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) 88
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) (Larus occidentalis x glaucescens) 2
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus occidentalis/glaucescens) 5
gull sp. (Larinae sp.) 40 Likely mostly Short-billeds but too far away to ID
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1 Heard only
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 1
Steller's Jay (Coastal) (Cyanocitta stelleri [stelleri Group]) 2
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 4
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 18
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 36
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 19
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 16
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 42
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) 1 Male
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 38
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 24
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) 22 Feeding on Oregon Ash seeds
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) (Passerella iliaca [unalaschcensis Group]) 3
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 18
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 32
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1 Tan stripe
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 11
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) (Pipilo maculatus [oregonus Group]) 5