Today I had a short window between yard work and covering SDC so the PAs could go to their quarterly meeting, and when Bruce texted about not just the usual Lazuli Bunting but Western Kingbird in Orting, where to go was clear.  I had only an hour to bird after dashing down the hill to the Orting Valley and getting to the 178th Street hotspot, but it was enough. I checked the powerline and fenceline on the way down 178th but couldn’t find the WEKI.  Lazuli buntings were on station and singing all over the place in the field past the bend in the road, in the Scotch Broom as Bruce described.  I had at least 4 birds, two males singing and posing near the gravel trail, and another two singing farther away at the same time. I think there were a minimum of 6 birds singing, but reported 4 on eBird.

I made it a quick stop in this area to have time for another look for the kingbird, and just before giving up on the way back I spotted the WEKI on the wire from the utility pole just in front of and to the left of the cell tower.  I managed a digiscope ID quality photo.  In the photo I can see the white outer tail feathers, and in the scope clearly saw the gray overall color with yellow belly.  These birds seem to frequently stop at this location in migration at this time of year.  last year Bruce and I had them in the same field 2 days earlier in May.

Two good FOY Pierce County birds.  Thanks Bruce.