Tweets,

Today 10 of us enjoyed a very productive walk at Nisqually under rather
variable conditions. We started in sun, went into breezy overcast, and back and
forth all day.

Things started out pretty slow although we saw CINNAMON TEAL just about
everywhere there was water, at least 12 pair in all. There was a family of
CANADA GEESE guarding the trail to McAllister Creek, but they weren't aggressive.

We finally hit the birds about 10:00 when the sun came out and the wind died
a bit. We were on the boardwalk out toward the twin barns when Kathy
spotted the juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL in a large cottonwood inside the boardwalk.
As we scoped the owl migration happened.

In the willows around us yellow feathers appeared everywhere. there were
YELLOW WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, both
AUDUBON'S and MYRTLE. We also saw WARBLING VIREO and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE. Near
the Nisqually River overlook we added GOLDFINCH and NASHVILLE WARBLER to out
list.

As we were walking the boardwalk back to the visitor center we spotted a
pair of RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKERS, one of which flew right at us and landed on a
low branch right over our head. Needless to say, good looks were had by all.

The last birds we saw were a pair of BROWN CREEPERS bringing groceries to
their nest in a lightning scarred tree near the start of the boardwalk heading
toward the Nisqually River.

All told we had 55 species for the day with a SORA heard on the way to
McAllister Creek, WARBLING VIREO, YELLOW WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, and NASHVILLE
WARBLER being new for the year giving us a total of 108 species for the year.

The only mammal seen was a COYOTE in the field at the entrance to the refuge.

Until next week when we will walk the full loop......

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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