Tweets,

Today 15 of us walked the interior portion of Nisqually in cool conditions
under mostly cloudy skies. It was cool enough that the birds cooperated more
than in recent weeks.

Highlights included the shorebirds out near McAllister Creek and a
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER with some WESTERN TANAGERS along the Nisqually River side.

The shorebirds in the last pond area before the McAllister Creek overlook
Included GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHERS, KILLDEER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, and at least 2
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES. Also in that area were WOOD DUCKS and HOODED MERGANSERS.
As the Sullivans reported form last night the water levels are down from
previous weeks and more mud is exposed. We did not see the numbers of birds the
Sullivans saw but the diversity was good.

Many passerines were out and about, some in family groups, as the fattened
up for migration. Between the Nisqually River overlook and the ring dike we
found a nice flock of passerines that included our first BLACK-THROATED GRAY
WARBLER of the year, WESTERN TANAGERS, YELLOW WARBLERS, and BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES.

All told we saw 57 species for the day with the BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
and RED-NECKED PHALAROPE being new for the year.

Mammals seen included EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL and HARBOR SEAL.

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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