Tweets,

Today 11 of us walked Nisqually under overcast skies...but it stayed dry.
It also appears the winter birds have started migrating and the spring birds
haven't, although we did have a few highlights.

The best bird of the day was a CHIPPING SPARROW in with a small flock of
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS along the trail near the gate
out by the ring dike. We all got great looks as it picked grit from the
trial. Other highlights were an AMERICAN BITTERN in flight on the way out to
McAllister Creek and a MERLIN that took off from behind the visitor center at
the start of the day. It took off for McAllister Creek and was gone in a
flash.

Surprisingly, there were plenty of waterfowl still around. Besides the usual
MALLARDS, PINTAILS, et al we were able to find a EURASIAN WIGEON behind the
twin barns and several pairs of WOOD DUCKS and HOODED MERGANSERS. We also
had COMMON GOLDENEYE and COMMON MERGANSERS on the Nisqually River.

The adult GREAT HORNED OWL was at the nest tree but junior was not seen
early today. When we returned to the area about 12:30 it must have been nap time
because no one was out and about.

We did see several YELLOW RUMPED WARBLERS, both MYRTLE'S and AUDUBON'S. and
both TREE and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were present. We also saw our first RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRDS of the year.

All told we saw 46 species for the day, with MERLIN, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, and
CHIPPING SPARROW being new for the year. Our yearly total stands at 84 for
the year.

The only mammals we saw were three RACCOONS by the pond inside the boardwalk.

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




************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone.
Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.