With all the construction going on at Theler Wetlands, I’ve avoided the area for over a month, but I wanted to eat lunch/dinner at Amy’s on the Bay so I decided to visit on a recent Saturday. The best birding areas are still blocked off, but I did manage to see a number of birds I seldom see anywhere else, beginning with this flycatcher,
which I think is, more specifically, a Hammond’s Flycatcher.
Once we got across the large field where they’re trying to reconstruct the wetlands and reached the river, we met John who had spotted these Black-Headed Grosbeak,
a bird I usually only see in Eastern Washington or Oregon.
He also spotted this Black-Throated Gray Warbler,
a new bird for me, or at least one I’ve never gotten a picture of before, or I wouldn’t be including this one as it doesn’t strike me as a particularly great shot.
The highlight of the day, though, had to be two Virginia Rail, though I only managed to get a clear shot of the adult.
It’s been at least a year, but probably two since I sighted a Virginia Rail at precisely this same spot. Even in the middle of massive construction, Theler Wetlands continues to support a remarkable number of species. It’s amazing that earlier generations failed to recognize their importance in the ecosystem.