Tweets,

Today 8 of us enjoyed a relatively dry walk at Nisqually. We got sprinkled
on a bit, but it wasn't like the steady rain of the last couple of weeks.

Since there is still lots of water on the refuge we saw a good variety of
waterfowl, just not too many of any one species. We did have both HOODED and
COMMON MERGANSERS, as well as COMMON GOLDENEYE.

Passerines were out in much better numbers than the last couple of weeks. We
saw a nice flock of 75 or so PINE SISKINS and had a small flock of GOLDFINCH.
Both KINGLETS and both CHICKADEES were in evidence as were BROWN CREEPERS.

Raptors were just about everywhere with several BALD EAGLES , RED-TAILED
HAWKS and NORTHERN HARRIERS about. We also saw an AMERICAN KESTRAL out toward
McAllister Creek and saw a PEREGRINE FALCON at the back of the pond behind the
visitor center. For some reason the PEREGRINE wasn't in his usual doug fir
behind the visitor center. Wonder if it was because an adult BALD EAGLE was
there. Hmm.

All told we saw 49 species for the day. Total for the year is 62.

Mammals seen included EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL, COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEER,
HARBOR SEAL, and a CALIFORNIA SEAL LION off the Nisqually River Overlook.

Until next week....

Phil Kelley
Lacey, WA
scrubjay323 at aol.com
360-459-1499

" We were few and they were many. Now we are many and they are few"
Confucius