Tweets,

Today 9 of us walked Nisqually in ideal conditions. It was overcast and
cool to start, cleared up in the middle of the morning and then became overcast
again. We beat the drizzle and the birds cooperated.

We had several highlights that started with the shorebirds out near the
McAllister Creek overlook. We spotted WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER,
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. KILLDEER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILSON'S SNIPE, both
GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and one SOLITARY SANDPIPER. As we watched the
birds feed, some just yards away from us, two PEREGRINE FALCON came to visit.
One dove on the shorebirds that scattered and then made a second pass right at
us and missed again. The second falcon, presumably a juvenile, followed the
first falcon trying to snatch its catch from its talons! Quite a show, to
say the least.

Shortly after that a couple of CASPIAN TERNS flew over the same muddy pond
before heading back toward McAllister Creek. In the same area we also saw a
couple of juvenile VIRGINIA RAIL, a BELTED KINGFISHER, and a GREEN HERON.

Later along the boardwalk toward the twin barns we encountered a mixed flock
of passerines that included a family of WESTERN WOOD PEEWEE, a couple of
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, and a family of WILSON'S WARBLERS. We saw similar
groupings in a couple of other locations along the Nisqually side. We saw
more BLACK-THROATED GRAYS and WILSON'S WARBLERS today than during the rest of
the year combined.

NORTHERN HARRIERS are back on the refuge now that the fields are hayed and
all five SWALLOW species continue to be seen. BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were
everywhere and we saw CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE for the first time since march.
We saw one juvenile RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in the riparian area across from the
parking lot, the first one we've seen in a couple of weeks.

All told we saw 63 species with the SOLITARY SANDPIPER being new for the
year, giving us 140 species for the year. We did not see any mammals today.

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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