Ed Swan and Gary Shugart reported a Northern Wheatear at Pt. Robinson on October 18th. This is a very rare bird for the area. Ed reports:
“Martha and Dennis Taylor from Seattle found this Northern Wheatear at Pt. Robinson Saturday. It’s a very rare vagrant from Eurasia. I’ve only seen it as a wintering bird in Kenya.”
This Vashon sighting is one of only a few records in the state. As of October 20th, Adria Magrath reports the bird is still at Pt. Robinson and birders from throughout the state are coming to see it.
Read more about this amazing bird.
Foxfire, fairy fire, bioluminescence!!! Christopher Van Putten was chopping wood at night and stumbled upon some bioluminscent fungi mycelia, likely an Armillaria species but we are not sure which one. Christopher says the fungi mycelia he found in the log glowed for 2 days! According to fungi expert Brian McNett, all of our Armillaria are bioluminescent. Our most common is Armillaria solidipes which grows on conifers but there is an interesting un-described species of Armillaria that has been found only 4 times on the Olympic Peninsula occurring on hardwoods. A key to Armillaria and thanks to Brian McNett for sharing this key with us. Now, go chop some winter wood tonight and let us know what you find glowing!
We also had a visit from members of the JKL pods this week. Likely they are following the chum salmon down to our shores. Still no reports of either coho or chum salmon in our creeks yet this fall. Salmonwatchers are on the look out and we will keep you updated. Who said the rainy season was boring?
Featured photo of Northern Wheatear by Gary Shugart, Slater Museum of Natural History.