On 5/10 I wrote:
"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."

That last sentence is the one to pay attention to. Today proved the old
theory: "Whine enough and you will get your way."

Keith Brady and I walked the Nisqually NWR loop today, intending to see what
goodies may be hiding out in the NW corner where water remains. At about
9:00 AM we found a pair of WILSON'S PHALAROPE and a few L/B Dowitchers in
the first pond on the south side of the trail to McAllister Creek. While
watching these birds we heard a noise from further down the trail that I was
thinking could be the chattering of an Oriole. As we made our way to the
culvert that runs under the trail we again heard the noise and saw a
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT singing on top of the shrubs on the south side of the
trail. After it disappeared we decided to walk to the other side of the
shrub break and check to see if it could be relocated for photos. It then
popped up in the small group of bushes on the north side of the trail about
20 feet further along. Keith was able to get video and photos through the
scope.

We reached the good ponds south of the photo blind at McAllister at about
11:00. Here we had good looks at Western Sandpipers, Dunlin, a Least
Sandpiper and 3 more WILSON'S PHALAROPE (2 male). Along the back edge of
these ponds Keith noticed an interesting shorebird which turned out to be a
PECTORAL SANDPIPER. As we watched this bird two more Pecs flew in next to
it.

Near the photo blind trail we watched 4 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER feeding with
one L/B Dowitcher and got better views of the Phalaropes.

The last great bird of the day was found just after noon near the bench
overlooking the mouth of McAllister Creek. Here we watched a VESPER SPARROW
feeding in the grass and along the exposed shoreline with a Savannah
Sparrow. Keith was able to get photos of this rare Nisqually bird too.

Other good birds:
1 Strange looking G/W Teal (vermiculation along the sides was very widely
spaced, head pattern was odd as well)
1 Cooper's Hawk (along McAllister)
8 WHIMBREL (on the Reach)
Caspian Tern
Cedar Waxwing (common along the Nisqually)
2 Y/R Warbler
1 B/T Gray Warbler
2 Golden-crowned Sparrows

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA