[Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 10-17-2024

[Denis DeSilvis via Tweeters]

Tweeters,

Although the weather forecast appeared to bode a bit of wet, the 18 of us touring JBLM Eagle's Pride GC found just a cloudy although cool Fall day (44-52degF) with a nice roundup of species typical of this time of year.



Highlights included the following:

- NORTHERN PINTAIL - A new species for this site! A lone female was spotted by Jon A and subsequently ID'd by many of us. Given that we've been tallying birds at Eagle's Pride GC each month for over 11 years, it seems almost ridiculous that we haven't seen this duck species here in that time. I must chalk this lack of sightings up to timing because Northern Pintails are relatively plentiful in the area around here in season.

- Duck species aplenty: WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, HOODED MERGANSER, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN WIGEON, and the aforementioned PINTAIL, most of which were at Hodge Lake. No ducks were at the 9th hole pond, which is atypical. It could be maintenance work in the area spooked away what might have usually been there.

- RED CROSSBILL - 89, the most seen thus far this year.

- EVENING GROSBEAK - A single bird.

- VARIED THRUSH - 12 of this species, which at most times wouldn't be a "big" highlight except that all of these were found in trees and none on the ground - a more typical occurrence here.

- An unidentified GULL (Larus genus) flew directly over us, but the backlighting made it such that no definitive ID could be made. Gulls are rarely seen on this count.

- A lone, unidentified, SWALLOW flyover; high up, but with typical swallow flight. Barn Swallows were seen at Billy Frank, Jr., Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, which is about a mile south of Eagle's Pride, the previous day.



Mammals were scarce with only Douglas squirrels (10) found along the route.



The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM except for November to February, when the start time is at 9:00AM. 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:

* November 21 (start time - 9AM)

* December 19 (start time - 9AM)

* January 16 (start time - 9AM)




>From the eBirdPNW report:




36 species (+2 other taxa)



Cackling Goose  82

Wood Duck  1

American Wigeon  15

Mallard  22

Northern Pintail  1     A first sighting of this species at this location for this monthly walk.

Ring-necked Duck  5

Hooded Merganser  22

Band-tailed Pigeon  1

Larus sp.  1     Overflight but backlit such that ID problematic.

Great Blue Heron  1     At Hodge Lake.

Bald Eagle  2

Northern Flicker  9

Steller's Jay  8

American Crow  44

Common Raven  2

Black-capped Chickadee  7

Chestnut-backed Chickadee  9

swallow sp.  1     Flew relatively high overhead. ID'd as "swallow" by shape and flight pattern by several of the group. Barn Swallows persist at Billy Frank Jr., Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge less than 1 mile from Eagle's Pride GC and were seen there the previous day.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  10

Golden-crowned Kinglet  18

Red-breasted Nuthatch  10

Brown Creeper  2

Pacific Wren  4

Bewick's Wren  4

European Starling  5

Varied Thrush  12     All found in trees with none on the ground.

American Robin  15

Evening Grosbeak  1

Red Crossbill  89

Pine Siskin  55

Fox Sparrow  4

Dark-eyed Junco  38

Golden-crowned Sparrow  4

Song Sparrow  21

Spotted Towhee  10

Red-winged Blackbird  4

Yellow-rumped Warbler  2

Townsend's Warbler  1



View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS199369960&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cc0886245327847cf2bc008dcefb49891%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638648806171708942%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WU6onf1yFGhNSKwhzvbNKXCBZtogcXAPjv%2BHd0%2BmZOg%3D&reserved=0<https://ebird.org/checklist/S199369960>

May all your birds be identified,
Denis

Denis DeSilvis
Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com

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