Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 7/19/07
Date: Jul 20 09:24:17 2007
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Yesterday 9 of us walked Nisqually under overcast shies, but with no rain or
wind. After the past couple of days of rain I expected a lot of
activity...I was disappointed in that regard. It was pretty quiet but still a good day.

The main highlight were the shorebirds on the last pond out near McAllister
Creek. Our first sighting was 8 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS fairly close to the
trail. As we watched them a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER flew in for a brief stop.
After it flew off a small flock of peeps flew in that included WESTERN and
LEAST SANDPIPERS. Off the trail some distance we spotted a SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER in with several GREATER YELLOWLEGS. McAllister Creek was high so the
shorebirds were inside the refuge on the visible mud flats.

Another highlight was a great view of an AMERICAN BITTERN seen from the
boardwalk out to the twin barns. We watched it enjoy a frog for breakfast in very
thin cattails close to the boardwalk. A WESTERN TANAGER was spotted in the
riparian area out toward the ring dike.

All told we saw 40 species for the day with both DOWITCHERS and THE
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER being new for the year.

The only mammal seen was a MINK.

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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