Subject: Nisqually NWR 2/26/2004
Date: Feb 26 14:38:57 2004
From: SCRBJAY at aol.com - SCRBJAY at aol.com


Tweets,

Another great day for a walk at Nisqually. Started at 8:15 at about 40
degrees and a light sprinkle and finished at 12:45, also in a light sprinkle. In
between I had periods of sunshine, sprinkles and clouds. At least is wasn't windy.

I had a couple of views of the NORTHERN SHRIKE; first across the pond on the
right on the way to McAllister Creek, and a short time later off to the left
from the same trail. When I stopped to view the SHRIKE the first time an
AMERICAN BITTERN flushed in front of me and flew back toward the Visitor Center.
There were also 5 TREE SWALLOWS flying over the ponds and I saw SONG SPARROWS and
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES hawking for insects. And there were plenty around!
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and SONG SPARROWS were singing like crazy and appeared to
be establishing nesting territories.

I got another look at the partial albino SONG SPARROW that is near the break
in the boardwalk near the freshwater marsh overlook. He was singing from the
top of a bush and a bit later he was chasing another song sparrow around in the
trees.

There were lots of BALD EAGLES around, perhaps because the water level was
extremely high and the mud flats were under water. I had a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
flyby between the Twin Barns and the Nisqually River. Saw plenty of NORTHERN
HARRIERS and RED-TAILED HAWKS. I saw one smallish RED-TAIL fly inside the
boardwalk near the Twin Barns turn off.

There were several small mixed flocks that included BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES,
BUSHTITS, DOWNEY WOODPECKER and both KINGLETS. First RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
I've seen this year.

Total species for the day was 45, with the SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, BUSHTITS,
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and BARROWS GOLDENEYE at McAllister Creek being new for the
year for a total of 67 species for the year.


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