[Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 2-15-2024 (delayed report)

[Denis DeSilvis]

Tweeters,

Mostly overcast with drizzle and mist, clearing through the morning p. 38° F and 3 inches (!) of snow on the ground. Five of us braved the morning snow at JBLM Eagle's Pride GC.  It was melting off through the morning and was actually a pleasant winter walk. (I had to bug out early, and Jon A kept score and did most of the write-up.)



But...The birds were not showing!!  After last month's walk, and low count, we'd hoped for more birds this morning, tanking up after last night's rain and snow.  But we can only presume that the snow kept them quiet. We finally broke 20 species when Dr. Pete spied a fly-by Eagle as we were heading toward coffee and lunch at the end of the walk. We TRIED!!  Even using the Merlin app as a listening device, we had ZERO Kinglets.  Zero Nuthatches.  Zero Black-capped Chickadees. Jon had one Chestnut-back calling, and pulled up the Merlin app immediately, hoping for a mixed flock.  No such luck.  The chickadee didn't even continue calling. Almost all of the Song Sparrows were located in response to Jon playing the Sibley 'contact call'.  No Juncos.  No finches.  No idea why....



Highlights were the continued LARGE gathering of MOURNING DOVES at the north side cottonwoods above the MacArthur St/Meyer Street power line corridor in the Dupont housing area.  We had a few nice views of Varied Thrush, saw a few deer, and Ellen spied a coyote.  Our paths crossed a LOT of animal tracks in the snow.  Lots of coyote, deer & raccoon, with some Douglas' squirrel and chipmunk.  Curiously, we didn't see any rabbit tracks.



One positive thing was that several of the swallow/martin houses at Hodge Lake had rotted off at the base & tipped over last month.  Today, we noted that they had been re-set with new 4x4s.  Looking forward to the Spring, when the boxes will be busy with nesting birds.



The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM starting in March. Starting point is the Driving Range building, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. (Turn left immediately after entering the parking lot to take the road leading to the driving range building.) Upcoming walks include the following:

* March 21 (start time - 8AM)

* April 18

* May 16




>From the eBirdPNW report:




20 species (+1 other taxa)



American Wigeon  15

Mallard  10

Ring-necked Duck  6

Bufflehead  19     15 on Hodge Lake

Hooded Merganser  2

Mourning Dove  59

Anna's Hummingbird  2

Cooper's Hawk  1

Bald Eagle  1

Northern Flicker  2

Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  3

Steller's Jay (Coastal)  8

American Crow  2

Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1

Pacific Wren  4

Bewick's Wren  2

Varied Thrush  4

American Robin  56

Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  1

Song Sparrow  12

Red-winged Blackbird  1



View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS161597851&data=05%7C02%7C%7C6159bbbabead40da020d08dc30ef23c4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638439050863198384%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=C26ilPW%2F41Qh35Ok%2FM7QHssPLyLCnLsHCFlbrOc4Wf8%3D&reserved=0<https://ebird.org/checklist/S161597851>

May all your birds be identified,
Denis

Denis DeSilvis
Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com

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