Hi Tweets:

The weekend of March 10/11 East Lake Washington Audubon led a trip to
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and Julia Butler Hansen NWR. Eleven
folks saw a total of 72 bird species that included at least 15 Bald Eagles
and 43 Red-tailed Hawks. We saw Black-tailed deer and Nutria at Ridgefield
and Roosevelt Elk and Columbian White-tailed deer at Julia Butler Hansen.

We were at the South Unit, Ridgefield, watching a Nutria eating grass on a
stream bank when an American Bittern walked out to the water's edge giving
everyone a chance to see it. We later drove along River Road, passing
Shillapoo Wildlife Area and arriving at the west edge of Ridgefield NWR.
Along the way we scoped two Great Horned Owls on nests. The first owl was
sitting so that we could see the tail as well as the rest of the bird. The
second owl was watching over a fluffy, white, youngster. Really great views
of these owls.

The most exciting find at the Julia Butler Hansen NWR was a White-tailed
Kite. It frequently hovered in its search for food.

I recommend the Post Office/groceries/sandwich store in Skamokawa for a
comfort stop. Excellent soup, bread and sandwiches, indoor or outdoor
seating. The folks are also looking for volunteers for the Christmas Bird
Count.

Joyce Meyer
Woodinville, WA
www.elwas.org