Tweeters, today the first south pond on the trail to McAllister Creek held 3 WILSON'S PHALAROPES (1 female) at about 9:00 AM. By 9:10 AM one male was "taken" from us by a hungry PEREGRINE. Luckily for the female this was not the male who was "making eyes"....or "macking" as the kids say. So we may yet get a mated pair of Phalaropes at Nisqually this year.

When Keith and I arrived we scoped this pond from the parking lot. Two male Wilson's were seen and then one female came swimming into view. Also present were a handful of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS. Within minutes we heard the swallows get agitated and then noticed that a Peregrine had just swooped through and snagged a bird where one male Phalarope had been preening. It must have come in real low since neither we nor any of the birds saw it coming. As it flew away we noticed that the legs dangling from the prey looked rather long, so I assumed that it was the male Phalarope, though it should be said that I can't rule out one of the other shorebirds present. Guess we'll have to look later on and see what's still around.

Other good birds (in short supply):
1 Bittern (heard pumping)
1 SORA
1 Swainson's Thrush
1 B/T Gray Warbler

Nisqually just doesn't seem to be as hoppin' this year as the last few. Those first ponds used to be tremendous and always held such potential, but I just don't get the feeling this year. Hopefully some good westside birds will arrive and prove me wrong. I still think if you want to find good shorebirds at Nisqually you'll have to be willing to haul out to the NW corner where some water remains. The first few ponds are mostly dry and vegetation is getting taller by the day. In a few years that great first pond on the south side will be useless to refuge viewers as the willow starts will block all access to viewing the water edge (if there is any water, who knows if the willows will suck it dry). Sigh.


Luhr Beach had some Horned Grebes remaining along with some very distant EARED-looking GREBES. Caspian Terns were on the far east side of the Nisqually Reach. High tide pushed any shorebirds into hiding. Most of the waterfowl seemed to have disappeared from Luhr, though it may have been a result of tides.

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA