Hello Tweets,

This afternoon my mother and I spent 2 hours at the Nisqually NWR between 2pm-4pm amongst light drizzle at times. We encountered relatively good numbers of raptors,primarily observed from the Twin Barns observation overlook,as well as along the McAllister Creek trail from the main parking lot. The 2 Ross Geese were observed flying in overhead at 2:15pm from the south in the direction from the large,open fields off of Nisqually Cut-Off Rd(south and east of I-5). The Ross' Geese flew overhead amongst a very large flock of Canada Geese and circled just south of the McAllister Creek trail,as we stood along the trail to the Twin Barns,in which the large geese flock separated in three main groups. It is presumed the 2 Ross' Geese landed in a portion of open fields concealed from the McAllister Creek trail,as we were unable to relocate them later during our visit. Other notable highlights included up to 3 up to 3 Short-eared Owls observed hunting over the large brushy areas northwest of the Twin Barns at 3:45pm,as we stood along the McAllister Creek trail. A list of additional highlights to the Nisqually NWR noted during our visit include the following:

1 apparent Greater White-fronted Goose/Canada Goose intergrade
1 male Eurasian Wigeon
14 Ring-necked Ducks
15 Northern Harriers(13 females,1 adult male,1 immature male)
18 Red-tailed Hawks(including 1 adult dark-morph bird)
1 adult Rough-legged Hawk
3 adult Peregrine Falcons
1 Virginia Rail(heard only)
5 Dunlin
1 Hairy Woodpecker
2 Northern Shrikes(1 adult,1 immature)
9 Golden-crowned Sparrows
28 White-crowned Sparrows



Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Tacoma,WA
godwit at worldnet.att.net