The snowy egret continues at Nisqually and was easy to find Wednesday with
its brilliant white plummage. It foraged in a large tidal pool adjacent to
the inland side of the dike trail opposite the creek, methodically
hop-stepping to stir up the shallow water and then repeatedly striking for
food. A great blue heron flew in and began following the egret. Together,
in line, they could have been doing the conga. Near the end of the tidal
pool, the heron rushed the egret but the white bird just flapped up and over
and the "dance" continued in the opposite direction. They were still in
line when I left after a half hour of viewing/photographing. Other
highlights of the morning included a pair of California quail with a covey
of 9 chicks scattering when a sharp-shinned came careening through the trees
after an unidentified passerine, which got away. The hawk flew into a near
by tree along the dike while the qual took refuge in blackberries. The male
continued to keep look out from near the top of the brambles until the hawk
flew off and the whole covey then moved out cautiously to continue
scratching along the dike trail. As to other species I noted, the shore
birds were pretty much unobserved (tide was way out) but there were many
herons (6 blue, 2 green), an American bittern, kingfisher, Canadian geese,
wood ducks and mallards, barn swallows, sparrows (Savannah and song),
warblers (common yellowthroat, orange crowned, yellow) flycathers (Pacific
slope, Pee Wee, willow), a brown creeper, both black and chestnut
chickadees, cedar waxwings, 3 mourning doves, 5 rock pigeons and many
finches (gold and house). Nisqually never disappoints, even on a
cloudy/misty mid week morning.
Tom Mansfield, Seattle
tmiseattle at msn.com