Eight enthusiastic birders walked Nisqually today and were treated to many birdy delights.
Thanks to Eric for leading for Phil who is out of town this week. And thanks to Nancy for bringing her scope.

Highlights started right away while we stood on the deck at the visitor center where a Virginia Rail foraged out in the open for quite some time giving all great looks. What a way to start the day! On the trail to McAllister Creek we enjoyed watching a Merlin both while it perched and then as it flew off like a bullet. The number of both Tree and Violet-green Swallows were up this week from last week. There was a good hatch of insects to keep them busy. We had great views of the Peregrine Falcon as it checked out various groups of birds and occasionally tried for a meal. An American Bittern was flushed on the boardwalk trail on the way to the twin barns. After watching it fly into a set of reeds we all enjoyed the game of trying to see past the camouflage...finally spotting it again and having great looks through the scope. On the way to the river overlook from the twin barns Eric spotted a Great Horned Owl roosting in the "V" of a tree. As we all rejoiced (rather bois!
terously)
the owl opened one eye to look at us and then closed it again. I think I heard him sigh...hehe. Along the river side trail we found a male Rufous Hummingbird feeding from the salmon berry bushes.

The day was a very enjoyable one with new birds for quite a few in the group and good identification lessons along the way. Below is a list of all 49 species we saw or heard today.

Pied-billed Grebe
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Virginia Rail
American Coot
Killdeer
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Great-horned Owl
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Pine Sisken

Happy Birding,

Maurie Kirschner
Olympia WA
outdoorchickerooatyahoo.com




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