Tweets,

Today 9 of us walked Nisqually NWR in generally mild conditions.
Translation: we only got rained on a couple of times and then not much. For such a nice
day we were disappointed in the numbers of birds we saw, not the number of
species, but the number of birds.

Highlights were what we didn't see more than what we saw. we saw no NORTHERN
HARRIERS! We saw only one RED-TAILED HAWK. We saw two BALD EAGLES and one
MERLIN. That was it for raptors.

On the other hand we had all five swallow species common at Nisqually and
almost all the waterfowl including CINNAMON TEAL, COMMON MERGANSERS, AND
RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. Instead of the usual 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, we saw
6. And there is a strange goose near the start of the boardwalk that appears
to be a cross between a CANADA GOOSE and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE.
Weird looking creature. Today it was up in a tree at the start of the boardwalk.
Body similar to Canada goose, except lighter and the neck and head are pale
gray with light white patches behind the eyes and a pale white ring around the
base of the bill ala greater white-fronted goose. Made for some interesting
conversation.

We only saw one juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL at the nest tree. Talk about out
on a limb! It was about 20 or 25 feet above and to the left of the nest sitting
all by itself. An adult must have been nearby, but we couldn't find it. As
we returned from the ring dike it was raining pretty good and this bird looked
like it wished it was in the nest hole. It moved back down the branch and
hunkered down in the crotch of another branch. We didn't stick around to see
what happened as it was rainy and getting late.

There was a small flock of DUNLIN on the pond on the right on the way out
toward McAllister Creek and several GREATER YELLOWLEGS just inside the slough
near McAllister Creek. we also had an AMERICAN BITTERN flyby on the way out to
McAllister Creek. And the only new bird of the day was spotted in the same
area...a BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD. We saw another one later in the day. We did
hear a couple of VIRGINIA RAIL near the ponds along this trail, also.

The only warblers seen were COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and a couple YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS. Not many after seeing so many the last couple of weeks. The BUSHTIT
nest on the way to the twin barns appears to by occupied as the bottom of the
nest looks full compared to previous weeks.

Again, nothing spectacular, but we did see 55 species for the day. the
COWBIRD gives us 97 species for the year.

Mammals seen were EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL and BLACK-TAILED DEER.

Until next week.

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

"We were few and they were many. Now we are many and they are few."
Confucius