Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 3/2/06
Date: Mar 2 14:48:12 2006
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Today three of us enjoyed a very wind blown walk at Nisqually. At least it
was dry and reasonably warm, but boy was it windy. Everything except people was
hunkered down in secluded places.

Highlights included some unmistakable head shots of SNOWY OWLS, one on the
outer flats and one in the woodpile in the center of the refuge. Both were down
in the cover instead of on top of it as usual.

We also saw the first VIRGINIA RAIL of the year off the viewing platform
behind the visitor center first thing this morning. And the last bird we saw was
an AMERICAN BITTERN inside the boardwalk near the hummingbird sign on the
Nisqually side.

We saw some DUNLIN and gulls out on the flats, but it was so windy that my
scope would not stay stable and we couldn't see much out on the sound at low
tide.

We did see a few passerines including both KINGLETS, both CHICKADEES,
BUSHTITS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, DOWNY WOODPECKERS, FLICKERS, and lots of ROBINS.
there were a couple of TREE SWALLOWS flying around the ponds across from the
parking lot.

Raptors were pretty scarce except for BALD EAGLES , including two adults in
the nest across McAllister Creek, a couple of NORTHERN HARRIERS, and a single
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK that flew across the parking lot just after I arrived.

All told we had 52 species for there day, much better than I had expected.
New for the year were TREE SWALLOW, VIRGINIA RAIL, and BUSHTIT, giving us 78
species for the year.

The only mammal seen was an EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL.

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