Tweets,

Another great day in paradise! The Thursday morning walk started out cool
and overcast with a very light sprinkle, but the sprinkle was just a fake out.

Birds were very active and numerous. The ponds near the Visitor Center had a
great selection of waterfowl and shorebirds. The best bird of the day was seen
on the pond across from the parking lot, a BLUE-WINGED TEAL. On the other
pond was a small flock of DUNLIN, some LEAST SANDPIPERS, and GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

CINNAMON TEAL were on both ponds at the start of the McAllister Creek Trail
and behind the Twin Barns. I've seen more CINNAMON TEAL in the last two weeks
than I've seen in the last ten years at Nisqually. I guess there is something
to doing this every week......

All five swallows also were seen and a SHORT-EARED OWL was sitting in a bush
between the trail to McAllister Creek and the freeway out beyond the ponds.

The RING-NECKED PHEASANT was heard in the field beyond the Twin Barns near
the Nisqually River side.

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS seemed to be everywhere as were COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. A
LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen in the trees near the Twin Barns in with the
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. SAVANNAH SPARROWS also were
plentiful.

Mammals seen included a MINK near the slough just before McAllister Creek, a
yearling deer with coat mange inside the boardwalk between the Twin Barns and
the Nisqually River Trail, and 6 RIVER OTTERS on the far bank of the Nisqually
River near the start of the Ring Dike Trail.

All in all a great day. I started alone and four of us finished the walk. 53
species for the day, with BLUE-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED PHEASANT and LEAST
SANDPIPER new for the year. Year total now stands at 85.


Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
360-459-1499
scrbjay at aol.com

"We were few and they were plenty. Now we are plenty and they
are few."
Confucius