Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 9/30/04
Date: Oct 3 13:27:31 2004
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Sorry for the late report, but my goof off schedule has been very busy.

5 of us walked Nisqually NWR Thursday morning. We started in overcast/light
foggy conditions and finished up in sunshine. The refuge ponds are beginning
to fill up with water allowing more waterfowl habitat to be viewed.

Highlights of the day included 3 separate AMERICAN BITTERN sightings, one
flying into the pond across from the parking lot from the direction of
McAllister Creek. One flying from that pond toward the pond behind the Visitor Center
(same bird?), and the third in the slough just outside the Ring Dike along
the Nisqually River trail. We also saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK in the trees behind
the pond across from the parking lot. It flew and hovered just behind the
pond before flying off in the direction of McAllister Creek

There were still scads of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and CEDAR WAXWINGS about.
Sparrows are becoming more abundant and warbler numbers are diminishing as the
seasons change. All told we saw 41 species with nothing new for the year.
Year total remains 128 species.

We did see a LONG-TAILED WEASEL cross the trail out near McAllister Creek.
At about 11:30 as we were coming back into the wooded area between the Ring
Dike and the Nisqually River overlook we spotted a strange bird hawking insects a
bove the trail. This turned out to be a small BAT that flew towards us, then
turned around and flew away from us before disappearing into the trees.
First one I've seen out hunting in broad daylight.

Until Thursday...when I plan on doing the full loop.

Phil Kelley
scrubjay323 at aol.com
Lacey, WA
360-459-1499

"We were few and they were many, now we are many and they are few."
Confucius