Tweets,

Took my usual walk at Nisqually yesterday morning and at least the weather
was better for me than for Michael at Marymoor the day before. Started at 8:15
in a light drizzle that stopped shortly after I started the walk. There
swallows everywhere there was water, both TREE SWALLOWS AND VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS,
the first of the year. I also saw a male CINNAMON TEAL on the pond just across
from the parking lot, but it flew behind some trees, not to be seen again. On
the ponds were the usual selection of ducks, mostly in pairs, except for the
WIGEON. No EURASIAN WIGEON in evidence.

SONG SPARROWS, MARSH WREN and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were singing everywhere!
On the way back from McAllister Creek I had an AMERICAN BITTERN out in the
open about 20 feet from the trail. Where is my camera when I need it?

The rain began again about the time I got back to the ponds and continued for
the rest of the walk. At least it wasn't very heavy and it wasn't windy.
Things quieted down after the rains came back except in the wooded areas. By the
time I finished at noon there wasn't a swallow to be seen. I had hoped to see a
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, but didn't. I found out later that one had been seen
earlier that morning by one of the volunteers who does a daily raptor count.

Speaking of which, there were several RED-TAILED HAWKS perched throughout the
refuge, many in the woods. A sign of impending weather? the BALD EAGLES were
at the nest tree overlooking McAllister Creek, and I saw only one NORTHERN
HARRIER, a female eating breakfast on the ground near the ponds on the way to
McAllister Creek. There were no raptors soaring anywhere on the refuge.

On the way back from the Ring Dike I did see one RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD and
several RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, and a single BROWN CREEPER.
In side the boardwalk I saw 6 deer within 150 yards of each other and watched
a raccoon climb a tree near where the hummingbird sign in on the boardwalk.
Just before the end of the boardwalk a pair of WOOD DUCKS flushed from the marsh
and flew onto the pond behind the Visitor's Center.

All in all a good day with 41 species, including CINNAMON TEAL, VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW and MARSH WREN new for the year for a total of 74 species for the year.

Spring in really close and I'm looking forward to next Thursday, same time,
same station.


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