Wandering Tattler, far out of its usual strictly coastal migration range today at the Breakwater Marina in Tacoma.
I need a stinking Wandering Tattler, at least I did until later this afternoon. Let's go back. First "need" is only in the birding lister definition. Like, "I still 'need' a Wandering Tattler for my Pierce County and State year list." Last year both in spring and fall an out of place Wandering Tattler was found at the marina by Hope Anderson, a birder who works there. This spring, once again, in this one unlikely location a Wandering Tattler was found initially by Hope, but subsequently it seems like by every local county lister except me! I live nearby and have made several trips there at low tide, but every time I biffed. "Biffed" is another birder term meaning going to where a bird is expected and not finding the targeted bird species. I was beginning to feel like I was jinxed.
Chipping Sparrows were everywhere at JBLM today.
Today started out on a great foundation. I met Bruce at 7:30 and we headed out to Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) looking for a White-tailed Kite that was found there 2 days ago. I tried that day shortly after it was found, but "biffed" again. Today, we first stopped at a reliable spot for a FOY (first-of-the-year) Hermit Warbler, and sure enough it was singing and we caught brief looks. Then off to the location where the kite had been found. No luck again on the kite, but at a nearby spot we did find a FOY Bobwhite quail calling. A House Wren was singing there too, and a California Quail was calling. We tried for a tough Pierce County bird, Vesper Sparrow also, but no success.
At JBLM there are many areas where we need to stay on the roads. This Tree Swallow didn't seem to mind the sign or heed any warnings
At nearby Chamber's Lake we got good looks at FOY Yellow Warblers and MacGillivray's Warblers. That made 3 FOY warblers for both of us. The lake was almost devoid of waterfowl, but we had calling Pied-billed Grebes. Throughout the course of the morning at JBLM we also saw several Western Bluebirds, heard and saw lots of Western Meadowlarks, and had a Northern Harrier cruising over the prairie in its usual low dihedral teetering flight.
This alone would have made it a great day. I got home by 11 AM and caught a delicious nap. On awakening my daughter called from Costa Rica and we caught up. You should check out her Tropical Regeneration project, it's pretty awesome. https://www.tropicalregeneration.org/
After the nap, feeling great, I went to my son's house and painted some trim on his place, a project I've been working at very leisurely for a few months, with a long hiatus waiting for warmer weather to finish. After that I made a trip to the marina, and no luck on the Tattler. I met Scott there, and left before he did. I went to a local brewery, the Ram, planning on a beer to celebrate a great day. Before I could even order, Scott called Bruce (Scott didn't have my phone number) who called me that the Tattler was back. I dashed back (only about 2 miles away) and he had lost the bird just as I got there. I decided I just needed to be more patient.
This Spotted Sandpiper, along with several Killdeer kept me looking at every possible shorebird hoping it would be the tattler.
I waited a while, then went back to the car, popped open a diet coke, got out a snack, and leaned on the hood of my car watching the marina and waited. I was photographing a cooperative Spotted Sandpiper and a late-to-leave Cackling Goose, when I turned my head and there was the Wandering Tattler. It seems to move between the large jetty in front of the marina, and the backwater tidal pools area where it feeds. Anyway, I no longer feel jinxed.
A less tightly cropped photo of the Wandering Tattler, gives the perspective of the type of rocky substrate where it likes to feed.
I came home to celebrate a great day and relax over dinner.
I have been pretty lazy lately making vegan meals, and although this was nothing difficult, frying up tofu and making a warm salad was outside and well above my recent dinner efforts. A great way to celebrate a terrific day of birding.
Good Birding. Steem on!