[Tweeters] Earth Day Bird Walk (w/ optional Tree Planting) at South Prairie Creek Preserve

[Glenn Johnson]

Hi Tweeters, 
Tomorrow (Saturday 4/22) as part of Pierce Conservation District's celebration of Earth Day, I'll be leading a bird walk at South Prairie Creek Preserve, east of the town of South Prairie in Pierce Co. Later in the morning there will also be opportunities to plant trees and learn about other aspects of the Preserve. For example, you can help me plant a few Ponderosa Pine of the "Fort Lewis" variety that are native to the west-side of the Cascades and primarily found in the Spanaway/JBLM area (we can call it "assisted mini-migration". You could also join in other activities/stations run by other staff, or you can continue birding all morning if you like.
The site is part of a multi-partner floodplain and riparian improvement program on one of the most productive salmon-bearing waterways in the county (see https://www.piercecd.org/671/South-Prairie-Creek-Preserve for more info, videos, story map, etc.). Though it is listed by eBird as a hotspot (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L9354629) the site is not typically open to the public. I anticipate detecting some regulars such as American Kestrel and America Dipper, as well as neotropical migrant species, and hopefully add to the site's species list. 
Please see the following link for more info and to register:https://piercecd.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=2318&month=4&year=2023&day=21&calType=0Also, please call/text 253-325-8914 or email me at glennj at piercecd.org so I know you're coming. 
I will meet birders starting at 0745 at the end of Spring Site Road East, then at 8 we'll walk south in to the preserve to the creek, and then upstream (east). Note that there is no access from the south off of Hwy 162/Pioneer East--so if you're using GPS type in "Spring Site Rd E, Prairie Ridge, WA 98360". Go to the end of the road where the turn around and the gate are. We'll meet at the gate there and go south in to the preserve. 
Though it is relatively flat and open, there are no real trails and the grass will be wet, so bring appropriate footwear. Also, if you'd like to participate in planting native plants feel free to bring gloves and your favorite spade fork, shovel, or other tree-planting equipment (we will certainly have some tools but since we're hosting many other work parties in other locations tomorrow, tools may be limited). 
I realize it's late notice but I hope to see some of y'all there! 
 Glenn 
Glenn Johnson
Board of Directors, Puget Sound Bird Observatory, &Riparian Stewardship Program Manager, Pierce Conservation DistrictTacoma/Fircrest WA Work cell: 253-325-8914
   

    On Friday, April 21, 2023 at 12:05:59 PM PDT, tweeters-request at mailman11.u.washington.edu <tweeters-request at mailman11.u.washington.edu> wrote:  
 
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Today's Topics:

  1. Tanzania Blog Continued - Speke Bay to the Serengeti (B B)
  2. Swifts in Wagner (Larry Schwitters)
  3.  Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2023-04-20 (Matt Bartels)
  4. Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course
      (GC) monthly bird walk - 4-20-2023 (Denis DeSilvis)


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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:47:30 +0000 (UTC)
From: B B <birder4184 at yahoo.com>
To: Tweeters <tweeters at uw.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] Tanzania Blog Continued - Speke Bay to the
    Serengeti
Message-ID: <1621385225.3447659.1682030850128 at mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Lots of bird and mammal photos in this blog post of day 5 in Tanzania - from Speke Bay on Lake Victoria into the Serengeti.
https://blairbirding.com/2023/04/20/tanzania-day-5-speke-bay-and-the-serengeti/


Blair Bernson
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:39:47 -0700
From: Larry Schwitters <leschwitters at me.com>
To: Tweeters <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] Swifts in Wagner
Message-ID: <EC734C9C-97B3-48B1-8EE6-0B8750A95F3F at me.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=us-ascii

The Monroe Wagner Roost hosted ten or so individuals last night. First time this migration. 
Our inside camera shows they're back in at 4:30 this PM.

Nothing yet at JBLM or Selleck.

Larry Schwitters
Issaquah

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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:46:47 -0700
From: Matt Bartels <mattxyz at earthlink.net>
To: "Tweeters (E-mail)" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters]  Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2023-04-20
Message-ID: <99984CA2-A2B3-4EAA-8901-5BB591933562 at earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=utf-8

Hi Tweeters -
With Michael away, Brian Bell and I led the weekly Marymoor walk today. While we haven?t yet seen a sunny warm Thursday , this week?s weather was decent - cool and overcast, but we were done before the rain started  - we?ll take it.

The big highlight for the day was early on. Yesterday a SAGE THRASHER was reported at Marymoor by the east meadow viewing mound. An early crew of KC birders over there - about 7:15, word reached our main group that it was still present and we opted to go there right away. Great looks for all. I was surprised to find this was at least Sage Thrasher #7 for Marymoor ? still quite a fun eastside bird to see!

We opted complete the loop in reverse direction from there, and the birding was decent throughout.

Highlights:

SAGE THRASHER - FOS - see above
PURPLE MARTIN - several perched on a small tree in the east meadow - our FOS 
GREATER YELLOWLEGS - 2 along the slough below the weir - FOS
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER - 2 FOS [one seen, one singing]
GREAT-BLUE HERON - many hatched eggs on ground below heronry, the first audible ?grum-grum-grum?ing from the nests
LINCOLN?S SPARROW - 2 or 3 still lingering/passing
FOX SPARROW - only one left today
OSPREY - several around, but so far the 2 Canada Goose pairs have maintained their hold on last year?s 2 Osprey nests - looks like a new nest is going up on a light pole near the east nest [looks pretty flimsy tho]

On the mammal side, we got nice looks at our first Long-tailed Weasel of the year too

Misses today:
Cackling Goose - gone for season?
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - likewise, none today
Red-tailed Hawk - maybe too overcast to soar, or just on nests?
Killdeer - probably quiet on nests somewhere

In all we tallied 62 species for the day - bring on spring!

Matt Bartels [& Brian Bell]
Seattle [& Woodinville]

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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2023 03:53:50 +0000
From: Denis DeSilvis <avnacrs4birds at outlook.com>
To: "Tweeters at u.washington.edu" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf
    Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 4-20-2023
Message-ID:
    <DS0SPRMB0041687943B3731CE77DF68CFC609 at DS0SPRMB0041.namprd20.prod.outlook.com>
    
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Tweeters,

The cold (33degF) start only warmed up slightly (43degF) when the seven of us finished, but we did manage to dodge the rain - only getting sprinkled on a bit during the last half-mile of our 10th anniversary trip around JBLM's Eagle's Pride GC. We had a few notables (besides the bear report), mainly being FOY birds:

BAND-TAILED PIGEON - 6

BARN SWALLOW - 4

VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW - 14

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER - 3

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER - 2



We also found a DARK-EYED JUNCO nest with 4 eggs in it, and a pair of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES were excavating further into a partial cavity in a snaggish-looking (pretty thin - dead) tree near the pond at the 13th hole. Two pairs of WOOD DUCKS were a nice treat: one pair at Hodge Lake and the other at the 13th hole pond.



Mammals include Townsend's chipmunk, Douglas squirrel, Eastern gray squirrel (one of the first seen on the golf course proper). A golf course employee stopped to tell us that a BLACK BEAR had been sighted recently in an area we go past. Most fortuitously, a golfer on the 15th hole showed us a photo that he took on March 29 of the bear on the far side of Hodge Lake. The bear was facing a coyote!



The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM. Starting point is Bldg # 1514, Driving Range Tee, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. Upcoming walks include the following:

* May 18

* June 15

* July 20

Anyone is welcome to join us!




>From the eBirdPNW report:




38 species (+1 other taxa)



Canada Goose  10

Wood Duck  4    A pair at hole 13 pond and another pair at Hodge Lake.

Mallard  7

Ring-necked Duck  4    One pair at the maintenance pond and one pair at Hodge Lake.

Bufflehead  9

Pied-billed Grebe  1    At Hodge Lake.

Band-tailed Pigeon  6

Mourning Dove  4

Anna's Hummingbird  3

hummingbird sp.  1

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Northern Flicker  4

Hutton's Vireo  1

Steller's Jay  10

American Crow  5

Black-capped Chickadee  15

Chestnut-backed Chickadee  20    One pair excavating further into a probable woodpecker-drilled partial hole near the pond on hole 13.

Tree Swallow  20

Violet-green Swallow  14

Barn Swallow  4

Bushtit  2

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5

Golden-crowned Kinglet  13

Red-breasted Nuthatch  10

Brown Creeper  2

Bewick's Wren  1

European Starling  6

American Robin  125

House Finch  8

Purple Finch  20

American Goldfinch  2

Dark-eyed Junco  22    One nest with four eggs found in the rough along the 4th hole of the Green course.

White-crowned Sparrow  30

Song Sparrow  15

Spotted Towhee  5

Red-winged Blackbird  27

Orange-crowned Warbler  3    All singing.

Yellow-rumped Warbler  2

Townsend's Warbler  2



View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS134434118&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cb4d3524346d042a772fb08db421ae2e8%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638176455458414913%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=LqyMxIcpH243xcPh1KEEOYuWwwKmXQvDkh7XW4zetx4%3D&reserved=0<https://ebird.org/checklist/S134434118>

May all your birds be identified,
Denis

Denis DeSilvis
Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com

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