Hello Steve,
We expecial looked for that Bittern,as Jim mention this bird to me seeing it
so close for photos.I feel so sad about this kill,but this is survival of
the fittest.Mink are verry agressive Mamal, watched a Mink killing a big Rat
on Brady-Loop Rd right on the road and this was a slow kill since the Mink
played first with his prey for a long time.We was basicly going for the
Red-shoudred Hawk and walked the road to the dike twice because of the heavy
fog.We are still tired from three days of heavy birding doing the Satsop CBC
on Saturday but there is never enough what you enjoying.

Happy New Year and
Good Birding in 2001

Ruth Sullivan
Tacoma
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Nord <birdersteve at home.com>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 6:12 PM
Subject: Predator vs. Prey at Nisqually NWR


> Tweeters:
>
> Birded the refuge early this morning (7:30-11:30). Sounds like the
> Sullivan's did much better than I. I looked for the AM TREE SPARROWS
where
> I had last seen them near McAllister with no luck. Apparently they slept
in
> to be seen later in the day. The fog was so thick at times that I was
unable
> to see the opposite shore of the Nisqually River, resulting in many birds
> being missed.
>
> The highlight was an AMERICAN BITTERN in a small pond just before
McAllister
> Creek. I've seen this bird here several times in the recent past, but
today
> was different. As I watched this bird standing motionless against the
> cattails, a MINK pounced upon the BITTERN grabbing it by its neck. I
> watched as the bird struggled against it's much smaller predator, but the
> MINK was much stronger. The BITTERN soon laid motionless against the
> cattails. The new year starts off with mixed emotions for me - sadness for
a
> bird that I've come to "know" and joy for a predators success on the hunt.
>
> That's all for now.
> Good Birding!
>
> Steve Nord
> Lacey, WA
> birdersteve at home.com
>