This week has been busy with very little birding after flying back from ME Monday. So when Bruce found the Harris’s sparrow yesterday at the 11th Street bridge, I climbed down from the ladder at Brett’s where I was painting and dashed over to try for it. No luck as the flock of sparrows seemed Read More…
Category: Pierce County
Finally a Storm
We Pierce County listers have been impatiently waiting for the first big fall windstorm to blow in pelagic and maybe other rarities to pad our year lists. Today it blew and rained heavily in the AM, and the sun came out but the wind continued to gust in the afternoon. I worked the AM around Read More…
Sunrise is Closed
Today Bruce and I headed for one last day at Sunrise before it closes for the winter. We are late, looks like it closed already, when we got there the gate was down just past the turnoff to White River Campground. As an alternative we went up to Chinook Pass by Lake Tipsoo and birded Read More…
Catching Up
Life has been hectic since getting back from the coast ABC trip. See the post on the ABC site for a report on the rest of the trip. Highlights since returning have included seeing the Franklin’s gull at Dash Point (Pierce FOY) and best of all the Lesser Black-backed Gull at the 11th St. Bridge. Read More…
Chambers Bay Beach Access for Sanderling
Today, finally, after hoping for the last 2 days that the Sanderlings, found by Bruce Labar and since seen by seemingly all the other Pierce County birders, I got down to Chambers Bay to try for them. I was also hoping the Black turnstone Bruce had might still be around, but since others had not Read More…
Owl Not to be at Sunrise Today
The idea was that raptors should be soaring in the afternoon in the passes at Sunrise today so Bruce and I headed that way. It was a slightly overcast day so thoughts of Black swift were in mind also. It was warm not hot, and a nice breeze, so a great day for a hike, Read More…
Eclipse
Today was just a terrific day from start to finish. Kay and I drove to Gig Harbor to meet Ken and Rachel at Schmel Homestead Park to have a picnic breakfast and watch the eclipse. Kay and I brought vegan coffee cake, and Ken and Rachel brought fresh berries. Ken also brought toys and ideas Read More…
Pectoral Sandpiper at Levy Pond
I happened to check my email around noon and saw a very recent (hourly) eBird needs alert for Pierce County that Christopher Clark had seen a Pectoral sandpiper at Levy Pond. Kay and I headed right there, and the PESA was feeding near two Long-billed dowitchers on the sand bar. It moved around a from Read More…
Black Phoebe While Shorebirding
Today I made three quick stops, primarily looking for share birds while Kay was at her book club. At the Freeman Road mitigation the water is nearly dried up and not many birds left. At Levy Pond the mud was good, the SBDO remained, but otherwise just the usual peeps. At 56th St. Stormwater Ponds Read More…
Great Hike and Lousy Birding at Sunrise Today
Today I planned to get up at 4:30 AM to head for Sunrise and beat the crowds and catch the early birds. I forgot to set my alarm, and didn’t wake up until 5;30 so it was a bit before 8 AM when I got to the Sunrise parking lot. Still I was optimistic as Read More…