Eric Slagle forwarded this report for tweeters:

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
October 27, 2005

Five birders showed up for the regular Thursday walk at the refuge. Phil Kelly, our trusted leader was absent. Phil had last been reported on a beach in Hawaii. He missed a very cold and foggy morning of northwest birding.

Highlights included:

> A flock of about ten Wilson's(common) snipes flying in and joining a large number of cackling canada geese in the wetland near the parking lot.
> A western meadow lark on the south side of the trail to McAllister Creek, about 2/3 of the way down.
> A western grebe at the McAllister Creek overlook.
> Two mature bald eagles in the nest at the twin barns.
> An American bittern at the junction of the main trail and the ring dike trail.
> Two barn swallows flying behind the parking lot.
> A male blue-winged teal in the wetland area at the visitor center.
> The peregrine falcon landing in its favorite fir tree at the end of our walk.
> On the way out of the parking lot there was a cooper hawk harassing a juv bald eagle.

There were many ruby-crowned kinglets, especially in the wooded area between the river overlook and the ring dike. Ducks included a large number of mallards and American wigeons, and smaller numbers of green-winged teal, northern pintail, and northern shoveler. All in all, given the cold and fog it turned out to be a good day. Total species observed was 33.