Hello, Tweets! Phil Kelley led a small group on a Nisqually field trip
today. I showed up 10 minutes late, as usual, which meant Phil had
already listed CLIFF SWALLOWS (although technically off the NWR, as he
saw them at the I-5 underpass) CANADA GEESE (small groups of 2 to 4,
lounging around the road in and the current parking lot), VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS and ubiquitous AMERICAN ROBINS (everywhere, everywhere).

We officially started on the Observation Deck of the new Interpretive
Center. Looking out over the "Swamp" there were VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS
and TREE SWALLOWS chasing about the air and hanging out on the nesting
boxes and and nest-holes in the several snags. Among the Tree and
Violet-green swallows I saw a pair of BARN SWALLOWS. Down below a CANADA
GOOSE or two were swimming on the water, and a MALLARD drake. REDWING
BLACKBIRDS filled the air with raucous cries, and for once outnumbered
the EUROPEAN STARLINGS. Somewhat distant, on the western side of one of
the tall snags that is adjacent to the eastern curve of the new
boardwalk, a NORTHERN FLICKER hugged the bark and repeatedly stuck its
head into what appeared to be a nesting hole. A BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
flitted among the limbs of the shorter trees surrounding the "Swamp,"
hanging upside-down here and pecking at the branches there.

We next headed out along the road to McAllister Creek, intending to pump
up our respective lists with numerous species of waterfowl at "The
Willows," or "Duckpond" as some of us call it. At the "Crossroads,"
where the road to the Twin Barns crosses the McAllister Creek Road we
saw a SAVANNAH SPARROW. He was in the midst and then atop a solitary
bush singing away -- Sit Sit Threeee (trilled) Threee (slightly
lower-pitced trill). It appeared to me there were sometimes 3 Sits. As
we approached "The Willows" we were disappointed there did not seem to
be many waterfowl. No American Coots hogging the road. No cacophony of
Marsh Wren from the sides of the road either, for that matter. All we
saw on the Duckpond itself were a pair of Gadwalls, hugging and hiding
in the tall grasses on the far side. As we had approached Phil and I
watched a pair of flying waterfowl which Phil believed were NORTHERN
PINTAIL, and once he made the id I noticed the white semicircular
markings on the head and upper neck of one of the flying birds that
seemed to confirm Phil's impression. (So I capitalized the species
common name in this report, as a definite sighting, although neither
Phil nor I listed it at the time as a definite id.) We did see in the
distance, on the other side of the Duckpond a NORTHERN HARRIER cruising
over the grassy fields.

Phil went on a little ways along the road toward McAllister Creek. There
is a small stream that runs under the road. Looking south Phil made a
great find, which made up for the general lack of duck-type activity.
CINNAMON TEAL. The males were beautiful. Through the spotting scopes we
could see the male's bright red eyes. There were at least two pair, male
and female, and I believe a third male was seen. Some of us, I for one,
counted another female or two, until it was pointed out that my Cinnamon
Teal females were really of the male and female GADWALL variety. At the
same spot, along the little stream, on the western bank and very close
to the road, there was a CANADA GOOSE sitting on her nest. CGs are of
course a dime a dozen and possibly soon to be nuked, as attested to by
recent threads on Tweeters, but this was a good opportunity to look at
the loosely arranged bowl or basket of grasses that formed the nest. (A
slightly larger CG, presumably the male, was swimming up the stream
keeping the Teal and Gadwalls under surveillance.

Just as we decided to turn back to the Twin Barns road, the sound of the
MARSH WREN burst like static on our ears. This meant another
insufferably long five minutes of trying to spot the bird and the source
of the Buddy -Rich-like snare drumming seemed to dart invisible from
bush to clump of grass to bush along the northern side of the road. As
the one called, another could be heard a ways off. Finally, several of
us spotted the little bird that was the source of the loud, raspy,
percussive sound.

While in the area of the Duckpond we scanned the distant shrub- and
tree-lines for raptors. Saw one very far off that flew before id was
possible. A NORTHERN HARRIER was observed again. Closer in were some
AMERICAN CROWS.

Finally we headed back toward the new Interpretive Center to get on the
boardwalk heading up to the Twin Barns. As we started on the boardwalk a
SONG SPARROW led the way for a bit. Approximately half to two thirds of
the way toward the Barns things got very interesting. One of the group
heard a bird that she id'd from sound as a WILSON'S WARBLER. But we
couldn't see it. The trees and shrubs were sprouting more of that green
stuff that is the bane of spring birders, grown lazy and impatient after
a winter of bare branches and unobstructed views. I was thinking about
something I'd read on Tweeters or heard on Tom Foote's and Jim Pruske's
BirdTalk radio program about a relationship between distinctive
birdcalls and spring foliage. The group was debating whether the bird
could be a Wilson's Warbler, because no Yellow Warblers had been seen
yet, we thought. Then, one of us spotted the caller between the leaves,
and eventually most of us were able to focus in on the bird as it moved
from branch to branch. A yellow bird with a definite black spot on the
top of the head: a Wilson's to be sure.

As we walked on along the boardwalk a little farther we encountered the
Magic Tree. Hear the tale! It was the witchity-witch of a COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT that attracted our attention. Eventually our eyes captured
the black-masked bird. But then someone heard and spotted a YELLOW
WARBLER, red dotted lines on its breast and all, in the same tree. All
of a sudden there was one, then two DOWNY WOODPECKERS on another branch.
I followed the woodpeckers, and instead of simply pecking along the
branches they seemed to be playing with each other, flitting and hopping
towards each other, then in the same direction together, then over one
another. Off over the swamp a GREAT BLUE HERON flew toward the Dike
Loop trail.

Then, back to the Magic Tree, or maybe it was the first bird we saw on
the tree -- the Magic Tree moment made time meaningless, you see -- a
WESTERN TANAGER, yellow body with orangish head. We thought the Cinnamon
Teal had been the eye catcher of the day, but the tanager was perfectly
lovely. And then there were two of 'em, then three, as we gradually
became aware we were standing under something of a flock.

After many minutes at the Tree, we moved on along the boardwalk. Perhaps
we were lucky to escape its Influence. As we neared the Twin Barns we
were brought more or less down to earth again by a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
and male AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

We stopped at the Barns and spent a few minutes on the Observation
Platform. There was another NORTHERN HARRIER in the distance, lots of
TREE SWALLOWS, a few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, and, as happens so often in
birding, as we settled into exhibiting a
ho-hum-seen-all-those-before-on-today's-trip boredom, low and behold a
male WOODUCK swims into view briefly.

Finally we moved on and took the boardwalk away from the Twin Barns
toward the road to the Dike Loop. More COMMON YELLOWTHROATS. On the Dike
Loop road where it adjoins the Nisqually River we saw NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS darting over the Nisqually along with some BARN
SWALLOWS. At this point we split up. Phil and half the group went on the
Dike Loop. The rest and I went back down the road to spend some time
observing the hummingbird young on their nest.

Phil's report of the Dike Loop quest included GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS,
more WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. His group had a
Four-Warbler day. Observations of the soon-to-fledge RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS
and their mom I'll include in a separate posting to Tweeters.

It was 1:30 when we started back along the boardwalk to the parking lot,
and frankly we were not looking very hard to see if we could see
anything besides the SONG SPARROWS and AMERICAN ROBINS, plus assorted
swallows, that dogged our tired steps. All seemed to agree the high
spots were the Cinnamon Teal, the Western Tanagers and the Magic Tree,
and getting a good long look at the young hummers on their nest.

Oh, well, some 29-to-30 species within a-half-mile-or-slightly-more
radius of the Interpretive Center. Perhaps I should note that one of our
number was in a wheelchair much of the way. A typical handicapped
accessible NWR day!

Good Birding.

Bill Ward
Lacey WA
wward at cco.net