Tweets,

Another great & at times frustrating day at Nisqually. The weather was great
and the birds (most) cooperated to make this a good day.

The WILSON'S PHALAROPES and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were in the pond just off the
parking lot like they were supposed to be, but the BULLOCK'S ORIOLE kept
being seen where I wasn't. The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was no where to be seen. I
couldn't find him Tuesday when he was first sighted, why should I find him today?
At least no one else saw him today.

Now to what we did see today. I mentioned the PHALAROPES AND PECS on the pond
just across from the parking lot. Also had GREATER YELLOWLEGS there. While
looking at the pond on the other side of the trail to McAllister Creek for SORAS
and/or RAILS I heard a oomp -oomp behind me and turned to see an AMERICAN
BITTERN in the marsh. Heard and seen. Later I had a couple of fly bys from GREAT
BLUE HERON and the consolation prize for looking for the ORIOLE behind the
Visitor Center at noon was a flying GREEN HERON heading out toward the Twin
Barns. A three wader day...I'll take it.

Water levels are down everywhere there is or should be marsh so waterfowl in
general are way down. GEESE. MALLARDS and WOOD DUCKS abound as do MERGANSERS,
COMMON and HOODED, with a couple of broods of HOODYS around.

YELLOWTHROAT and YELLOW WARBLERS were just about everywhere and we had CEDAR
WAXWINGS and WESTERN TANAGERS on the Nisqually River side between the Overlook
and the Ring Dike. We also had our first BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK there as well
as BUSHTITS and DOWNEY WOODPECKERS. The first STELLER'S JAY of the years also
showed up there.

The BALD EAGLES were active at the nest tree at McAllister Creek and both
NORTHERN HARRIERS and RED-TAILED HAWKS were out and about.

Total species for the day was 50 with WILSON'S PHALAROPE, PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, STELLER'S JAY, WARBLING VIREO, and VIRGINIA RAIL and
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER seen last Saturday being new for the year, bring the
year total to 106.

The only mammal seen today was a HARBOR SEAL in the Nisqually River near the
Ring Dike.

I will do next week's walk on Tuesday at the same time as I will be in Neah
Bay from Wednesday through Sunday.


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
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