Hi, Tweeters,

My husband and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather to do
the loop at Nisqually Delta today. There wasn't a huge variety of species
of birds, but we still had some notable sightings. We found one Bittern
eating a frog in a muddy area to the east of the road between the Visitors
Center and McAllister Creek. We also saw a Great Egret in the largish bay
formed by McAllister Creek before it enters the sound. Perhaps most
interesting was a large, long-necked white bird we saw with a flock of
Canada Geese. I thought perhaps it was a swan, but its bill didn't match
any swan I know about. The bird had an orange bill, snowy white head and
neck and grayish body. We got several pictures of the bird. Finally, the
flock flew off and the bird appeared to fly the same and be the same size as
the Canada Geese, so I concluded it was an albino goose. If anyone wants to
see the best of the pictures, I'll send it along.

Among the shorebirds we saw Least, Western, and Spotted
Sandpipers, Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, and Dowitchers.

Good birding, Charlotte Byers, Seattle