Hi Tweeters,

I went on a short walk early this afternoon in the riparian portion of Nisqually NWR along the river, just to watch some of more common winter birds that I've been neglecting this season. The highlight for me was a male Pileated Woodpecker on the right side of the trail, working on various holes in the cottonwood trees about 100 hundred before the area opens up near the ring dike trail. At one point, it let out its wild call that always reminds me of my son Deyland beating my wife and I at Carcassonne. Just after the trees end on the left side a little farther up the path, a Northern Shrike was sitting on the top of one of the distant bushes. Some of the other species spotted were four Bald Eagles, seven or so Red-tailed Hawks, a couple of N. Harriers, Brown Creepers, both kinglet species, several Marsh Wrens, and the typical waterfowl for the refuge at this time of year.

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net