Tweets,

Yesterday 18 of us walked Nisqually NWR under clear, sunny skies. Perhaps
too sunny, as the birds were pretty scarce. Lots of work going on on the refuge,
so that may have put things down a bit.

Highlights included an AMERICAN BITTERN on the way back from McAllister
Creek that posed nicely so everyone got a good look. a GREEN HERON that flushed
in front of us several times on the Nisqually River side, and a mixed flock of
passerines, also on the Nisqually side, that included WILSON'S WARBLER,
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, BROWN CREEPERS, and YELLOW WARBLERS, as well as
both CHICKADEES.

We also had a couple of PURPLE MARTINS in the dead tree at the start of the
boardwalk to the twin barns. I guess they wanted a change of scenery from Luhr
Beach.

Water levels are way down inside the refuge and the tide was way up on the
outside so we didn't see much in the way of shorebirds. Waterfowl numbers are
way down, although CANADA GEESE are back now that the fields have been hayed.

There was an OSPREY circling near the Nisqually overlook, and we had a great
view of a COOPER'S HAWK flying by the twin barns overlook.

All told we had 41 species for the day, with nothing new for the year. No
mammals were noted yesterday.

Until next week when we walk the outer dike trail...



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