Tweets,

Today 14 of us enjoyed a productive walk under cool, breezy conditions. It
never did warm up very much, but the wind died down later in the day when we
were in the woods.

Highlights included our first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED and CLIFF SWALLOWS of
the year and our first CINNAMON TEAL of the year.

There were SWALLOWS everywhere! The CLIFF SWALLOWS were over the ponds
across from the parking lot and the NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were seen out
near McAllister Creek and later over the pond behind the visitor center.

The CINNAMON TEAL were seen in the pond on the right on the way out to
McAllister Creek and again from the viewing platform at the twin barns. We also
had a pair of EURASIAN WIGEON behind the twin barns. We also watched a couple
of large flocks of CANADA and CACKLING GEESE fly in with the two SNOW GEESE
in their midst.

The adult GREAT HORNED OWL was seen from the boardwalk near the twin barns
turn off and the juvenile owl was in the same area. The juvenile is showing
quite a bit of adult feathers and is loosing its downy grayness. It appears
it will be able to leave the nesting area pretty soon. The trees leafing out
are already making it a problem to see the owls.

There was a SORA that put on quite a show at the visitor center just before
we finished our walk and someone reported a large flock of BRANT out near Luhr
Beach. We did have an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER in with some of the many
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and there were lots of COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in the marsh
areas.

All told we had 60 species for the day with 3 new for the year.

No mammals were seen today, except lots of walkers and school children.

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




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