Hi Tweeters. On Wednesday (6/7/00) I went birding with Carol Schulz to
Nisqually NWR and later in the day the Hylebos Waterway. It was cloudy and
drizzly all day, which resulted in low numbers of warblers, etc. We were very
surprised to get 76 species during the day, including a few notable birds.
>From the parking lot we heard a BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER way up in the
trees. WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were very common and gave good comparisons with
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHERS (I found a Pac-slope nest on the Nisqually River
Trail). A BROWN CREEPER was seen on the beginning of the Nisqually River
Trail, near the new Visitor's Center. SWAINSON'S THRUSHES were occasionally
seen, more often heard doing a "whit" or "queep" call note or their spiraling
song. WARBLING VIREOS were very common. Out on the Brown Farm Dike Trail
observation tower we watched about 20 fishing BONAPARTE'S GULLS, a CALIFORNIA
GULL, and many fishing CASPIAN TERNS. On the other side we found a
first-spring male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE. Raptors were in very low numbers, only
about 5-10 BALD EAGLES were seen, only 3 NORTHERN HARRIERS and only 1
RED-TAILED HAWK. We saw only three GREAT-BLUE HERONS. After the tide just
about drained out we found 10+ WHIMBRELS, but no other shorebirds. Ducks were
in general low numbers, we saw quite a few CINNAMON TEALS and even more
GADWALLS. Warblers were in very low numbers, no Wilson's or Yellow-rumped
were seen or heard and we blame the rainy weather. Also there were no
White-crowned Sparrows the entire day. After we got back to the Parking Lot,
a quick stop at the Visitor's Center gave great, close-up views of an
AMERICAN BITTERN walking right out in the open. A real treat. Above the
parking lot were 15-25 RED CROSSBILLS. Now we headed to the Hylebos Waterway.
We found a pair of PURPLE MARTINS (lifer) and heard a singing ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER. Here's the day list:

1. Double-crested Cormorant
2. AMERICAN BITTERN
3. Great-blue Heron
4. Canada Goose
5. Wood Duck
6. Mallard
7. Gadwall
8. Northern Shoveler
9. Cinnamon Teal
10. Common Merganser
11. Red-breasted Merganser
12. Osprey
13. Northern Harrier
14. Bald Eagle
15. Red-tailed Hawk
16. Ring-necked Pheasant
17. American Coot
18. Killdeer
19. Spotted Sandpiper
20. WHIMBREL
21. BONAPARTE'S GULL
22. Ring-billed Gull
23. CALIFORNIA GULL
24. Glaucous-winged Gull
25. Caspian Tern
26. Band-tailed Pigeon
27. Rock Dove
28. Mourning Dove
29. Rufous Hummingbird
30. Belted Kingfisher
31. Northern Flicker
32. Red-breasted Sapsucker
33. Downy Woodpecker
34. Western Wood-pewee
35. Willow Flycatcher
36. Pacific-slope Flycatcher
37. Warbling Vireo
38. Steller's Jay
39. American Crow
40. Common Raven
41. Tree Swallow
42. Violet-green Swallow
43. PURPLE MARTIN
44. Cliff Swallow
45. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
46. Barn Swallow
47. Black-capped Chickadee
48. Bushtit
49. Brown Creeper
50. Winter Wren
51. Bewick's Wren
52. Marsh Wren
53. Swainson's Thrush
54. American Robin
55. European Starling
56. Cedar Waxwing
57. Orange-crowned Warbler
58. Yellow Warbler
59. Common Yellowthroat
60. Western Tanager
61. Savannah Sparrow
62. Song Sparrow
63. Dark-eyed Junco
64. Black-headed Grosbeak
65. Red-winged Blackbird
66. Brewer's Blackbird
67. Brown-headed Cowbird
68. BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
69. Purple Finch
70. House Finch
71. RED CROSSBILL
72. Pine Sisken
73. American Goldfinch
74. Evening Grosbeak
75. House Sparrow
76. Black-throated Gray Warbler

Good Birding!

Visit my birding website at:
http://hometown.aol.com/birdking88/index.html

Birdking88 at aol.com
Charlie W. Wright
Sumner, WA
Age 11