Tweets,

Today 4 of us started out in light fog at 8:30 and finished up about 1:00.
The sun finally came out about 11:00. The walk out to McAllister Creek was
pretty active with lots of birds out and about. Nothing spectacular, but lots of
activity from CEDAR WAXWINGS, ROBINS and SONG and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS.
The highlight was an AMERICAN BITTERN in the marsh on the right about 100 yards
short of McAllister Creek. We also had a couple of NORTHERN HARRIERS and
RED-TAILED HAWKS in that area. On the way back toward the visitor center we had
a flock of about 24 BUSHTITS.

There were plenty of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS behind the visitor center and we
had a DOWNEY WOODPECKER and a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER on the inside of the pond
seen from the freshwater marsh overlook off the boardwalk. We also saw our
first winter flock of PINE SISKINS in that area. BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were
quite common, but we couldn't change any of them into MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES.

At the Nisqually River overlook we saw at least one RIVER OTTER and not much
else.

All told we saw 43 species, but nothing new for the year so we still stand
at 131 for the year.

Water levels are increasing and waterfowl are becoming more abundant, but
the species diversity remains limited to MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, SHOVELERS,
and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. There is an increasing number of CANADA GEESE on the
refuge.

Until next week.

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