I was just about to leave the house for stops at the Freeman Rd mitigation and Levy Pond enroute to working at Brett’s this morning when the texts started flying. Peter W. told us of a SBDO at Freeman, and I headed that way. Sure enough a juvenile SBDO was with two adult LBDO in Read More…
Category: Pierce County
Brief Shorebirding Today
This morning on the way to work at Brett’s place I stopped first at Levy Pond. The good news is that the sand bar is only maybe 2′ under water and shorebirds are starting to come. I had 9 LESA and 4 LBDO today, but not much else. Next stop was 56th St. Stormwater Ponds Read More…
Sunrise: First Mt. Rainier Hike of 2017
Today I finally broke free for a trip to the mountain. I’ve done well on the lowland birds in Pierce this year, but had yet to break free for a hike. I left home at 5 AM today, and got to Sunrise about 6:45 after several unsuccessful stops on the ride up hoping to hear Read More…
Checking Water Levels
This morning I got out about 10 AM and spent a few hours checking out the various shorebird spots in Pierce. There were areas too dry (most), some too wet (the Fife Oxbow area) and overall not much success with shorebirding. First at Levy Pond really nothing. Very little mud still water too high. Then Read More…
Chamber’s Bay Beach Access
Yesterday Bruce found a Ruddy turnstone at Chamber’s Bay beach access so this morning I waited until low tide in late AM and headed over. From the bridge area I scanned north, and saw what looked like a pale below dowitcher. I headed straight that way, and in the first larger cove-like area with green Read More…
FOY Pierce Semi-palmated Plover
Today the informal Pierce County birders text chain came through again, as Michael Charest relocated a Semi-palmated plover seen earlier at the Freeman Road mitigation. He texted Bruce and me at 4:46 PM and about 5:30 Bruce and I arrived about the same time and easily saw the bird with the other peeps. 196th Pierce Read More…
Merlin Finally
So far this year a Pierce County Merlin had avoided me until today. I started at the Chamber’s Bay beach access where yesterday Bruce had seen 2 Baird’s sandpipers, but today I had just WESA and LESA for peeps, but did manage a distant Cassin’s aucklet. Best bird for me though was a perched Merlin Read More…
Bushwhacking Around Government Meadow
Today Ken, Bruce and I went to try for the woodpeckers seen recently at Government Meadows. Bruce drove and we got to the horse camp 19 miles on FR 70 on the left off Hwy 410. The first 10 miles are paved, then it’s dirt but a pretty good road. Note-to-self to stay straight at Read More…
Freeman Rd Mitigation
This morning I made a trip to the Freeman Rd mitigation that is under construction. I got there about 9:20 and it has not dried up much since my last trip and remains great shorebird habitat. There were even more peeps there today. I counted 105 in one bino’s pass, and later found 6 Western Read More…
Lake Eleanor Hike to Grand Park with Jean
Today Jean and I went to the Lake Eleanor trailhead to hike into Grand Park. It was a beautiful day, we got to the trailhead about 9:50 AM, and we got as far as the lowest meadow of the Grand Park complex, about a 7.5 mile round trip hike. Birding was slow, but the wildflowers Read More…