Tweeters,
This morning I decided to walk the dike trail at Nisqually, despite rather
marginal weather. Highlights included a Red Fox Sparrow (details below) and
5+ Tree Swallows, the first of the year for me. Other noticible sightings
included 2 Northern Shrikes (an Adult along the cross over tail and an
Immature at the middle of the outer dike), and a drake Eurasian Wigeon and
101 Brant on the outer dike in the saltwater. A close up encounter with a
Mink along the river side was a nice treat also.

Details for the Fox Sparrow:
With golden-crowns along the outer dike trail along MacAllister Creek, north
of the photo blind, just beyond the beginning of the NW pond on the inside
of the dike. It was at a spot where the trail bends outward (south) and
parallels the bay at the mouth of MacAllister Creek. There are small orange
wire whip flags stuck into the ground here. (This is the same area I had a
Swamp Sparrow and a male Slate-colored Junco while scouting for the
Christmas bird count on 12/17/04, so keep an eye out)

The bird was seen very well though the scope for a period of at least 15
min. A brief description is as follows: The bird had a pale gray head,
nape and sides of the neck (unstreaked). There was strong contrast in the
face from a dark reddish brown ear patch/ auricular and bold white malar
stripe, wrapping back into the side of the neck. The crown was streaked
brown. Lower mandible was pale, yellowish at base. The back was gray with
fine red-brown streaking. The rump and upper tail coverts were bright rusty
red, extending well down the sides to the sides of the undertail. The tail
was brownish red, a shade darker that the upper tail/ rump. The wing
coverts and tertials were rusty red-brown with pale tips; brighter on the
leading edge, darker on the trailing edge. The secondaries were red-brown
with the primaries darker brown. Underparts and throat were bright white;
mid breast and flanks heavily streaked red-brown. Streaking is thick,
diffuse and coalescing at the base of the throat, top of the breast.

Good luck and good birding,
Bill Shelmerdine, Olympia

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