Subject: ......From S.W. Washington.
Date: Nov 04 19:00:51 1996
From: gerald hamilton - gerald at e-z.net


On Sat.,Nov. 2nd, I visited Rigefield Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge (
south unit)for about 4 hours. The amount of waterfowl I saw was
surprising, since there has been hunting every-other-day.There was
probably more species present than I observed in the short time I was
there, since about half of the refuge is closed off to public access
during the winter months.
But, anyway, here is a list of species observed:

Tundra Swans(hundreds of them!}
Trunpeter Swans ( both mature and immature on both species)
Sandhill Cranes
Northern Shovelers
Great Blue Herons
Mallards
Canada Geese(many Duskies--literally thousands of them!)
Pied-billed Grebes
Pintails
Am. Coots
Am. Widgeons
White-fronted Geese( not seen by me, but reported by other
birders in this area)
Gadwalls
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser(a female)
Green-winged Teals
Water Pipit
Red-winged Blackbirds
Robins
Tree Swallows
Red-tailed Hawk( 1-a surprising lack of hawks and Bald-eagles!!)
Several flocks of shorebirds--probably Dunlins( --was unable to
positively identify since i was only able to observe
them 'in flight'.)

I will be reporting on a regular basis every few weeks or so, as
I make frequent trips to Columbia Whitetail Deer Refuge, and to
Willapa Bay Nat'l Wildlife Refuge in Long Beach Peninsula
area also.As I don't have time to hike these areas often, I
would welcome any additional sightings from fellow birders
traveling through southwest Wash. area.

Gerald Hamilton
Brush Prairie, Wash.
gerald at e-z.net