Tweets,

Five of us walked the outer dike at Nisqually yesterday on a beautiful
day....sunny and comfortable. For the summer doldrums it was a pretty good day.

Many broods were visible, none more so than WOOD DUCKS. We saw several
broods of them, so many that they became the day's "trash bird". What a pity. It
really was great to see so many of them and in so many different areas.

Eric Slagle and I got into a short argument over a VIRGINIA RAIL out near
the end of McAllister Creek. Actually it was 2 VIRGINIA RAIL. I saw one going
left and he was saying it was going right. Well, his bird was closed in...and
it was going right. We wound up with good views of both.

Fall shorebird migration has started as we saw both WESTERN and LEAST
SANDPIPERS in the wetland just short of McAllister Creek. we also say several
KILLDEER, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, a WILSON'S SNIPE, and several GREATER YELLOWLEGS
out toward the sound.

Many of the adults are molting, and mixed with the juveniles, we saw some
scruffy birds and the lack of raptors continues to amaze. We had several BALD
EAGLES out on the mud flats and a single RED-TAILED HAWK in the same area, but
that was it. We haven't seen a HARRIER in over a month.

All told we had 50 species for the day with nothing new for the year, so we
are still at 126 species for the year.

Mammals seen included BLACK-TAILED DEER, MINK, MUSKRAT, COTTONTAIL RABBIT,
EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL, and HARBOR SEALS.

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