An overcast and intermittently drizzly day gave me my first swallows of
the season, with around 10 over the wetlands path between the visitor
centre and McAllister Creek at midday (I'm 90% sure tree swallows - I
spent some 5 minutes looking for the white rump patches of violet-green
and didn't see them).

Highlight of the day - I flushed a bittern while entering the Nisqually
River photo blind at about 2.30. It wasn't even 10 feet from the path,
but of course I didn't discover that till the dull thunk of the first
wet wooden step down, when it flew off squawking clipped and irritated
at the disturbance. It didn't fly far, maybe two seconds and thirty
feet, but that was enough to take it behind the next patch of tall
rushes, and naturally it didn't show itself again. No bittern pictures
for me.

The only raptors I confirmed were red-tailed hawks (4) and northern
harriers (3). Something very peregrine-like flew overhead as I was
driving the road to the parking area, but it was gone before I could
stop and get my binoculars to hand.

I found one greater white-fronted goose among the Canadians, and one
domestic goose (at least, that's what I'm going to assume of the single
large white and grey goose with orange legs and beak with no black off
the twin barns loop). One Eurasian wigeon for sure among the Americans
by Mcallister creek. I only saw two species of sparrow, with over 50
golden-crowned and 12 or so song. Passerines generally were on the
frustrating side, with lots of song and not much visibly moving. The
tides were too far out for shore and seabirds, with 3 greater yellowlegs
making up my only waders. Even the gulls stayed at a distance and/or in
flight, and my limited ability could only confirm Thayer's and Mew.

On the mammal side, an otter ran across the path in front of me just
before McAllister creek, and there was a coyote along the creek fishing
path.

Not a bad four hours' birding, despite the obvious misses with the tides
- 36 species with just my pair of eyes, with the American bittern as a
lifer and three for the year list.

Louise Rutter
Kirkland

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