Tweets,

Today 5 of us walked Nisqually under cloudy skies. No rain, but we sure
could use some! The refuge is the driest I've ever seen it. Needless to say the
only waterfowl we saw were flybys.

Highlight of the day was a WHITE TAILED KITE seen off the viewing platform
at the twin barns. It was perched in a small tree (large bush?) out toward Luhr
Beach. We got great scope views of the bird as it sat there preening.

Other highlights included 4 AMERICAN BITTERN and a small flock of mixed
warblers in the riparian area across from the parking lot near the service road.
This flock included ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED
WARBLER, and WILSON'S WARBLER, as well as BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE and GOLDFINCH.

We also had an OSPREY fly over as we walked out toward McAllister Creek.
There were many WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS as well as the first GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROWS of the year. STARLINGS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were flocking up so
fall is here or rapidly approaching.

Total species for the day was 46 with nothing new for the year.

Until next week when Eric Slagle will lead the walk as I am out of town....

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