[Tweeters] Great Egrets in Pierce County, JBLM access

[Marcus Roening]

Hi Tweets,

Pierce County has been host to two Great Egrets this past week - a highly unusual occurrence.

One is at Mountain View Cemetery in Lakewood WA.  Happily the management is amenable to birders as long as we are respectful of others visiting the cemetery.  If you go, follow the main entrance road due north.  At the Tee go left and down the hill between a pond and part of the Flett Creek Holding Basins. You can park just past the pond on the left with good viewing of the marsh to the west that recently had a Northern Shrike. Another good parking spot is in the far NE corner near Holding Ponds 3 & 4 in a half circle pull out.

The Great Egret has been seen from this area all the way upstream through a series of 4 holding ponds. Also, in the furthest 2 NE ponds in the next week should be Sora and Cinnamon Teal which are uncommon in Pierce County.

The other Great Egret has been on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Restricted Access Area- The Muck Creek Restoration Site.  Thankfully, the military does provide a process to access their open Training Areas (Open Areas change weekly depending on military training activities).  Here is the link to the getting a one year Range Access Pass from Range Control for which you do not need to be military: https://home.army.mil/lewis-mcchord/index.php/about/Directorates-support-offices/DPTMS/training-division/dptams-range-branch
Range Control will provide a basic map outline, instructions on how to determine which areas are Open & Closed and a Range Control Pass for you and one for your vehicle.

Note that Cell service is spotty in the Training Areas.  All areas with breeding Streaked Horned Lark are Permanently Closed Training Areas to the public during breeding season.

Good birding,
Marcus Roening
Tacoma WA
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