Tweets,

Today 13 of us enjoyed a great morning at Nisqually. The weather was
gorgeous October weather, cool and partly, but dry with no breeze. And the birds
cooperated.

The day started with a PEREGRINE FALCON in the doug fir behind the visitor
center and a COOPER'S HAWK in a tree behind and below the PEREGRINE. They
appeared to ignore each other, but I suspect they were well aware of each other.
The COOPER'S left first.

The next highlight was at the back of the field across from the parking
lot...a GREAT EGRET. There were MALLARDS and CACKLING GEESE in the same area.
The EGRET allowed great looks until it flushed when a walker got too close
along the trail to McAllister Creek. It circled and headed out toward the photo
blind along McAllister Creek where it had been seen recently.

The BARN OWL we spotted last week was in the same bush again this week,
except it was deeper in and more difficult to see. Out near McAllister Creek
there were 2 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and we got really close looks at a
EURASIAN WIGEON in the slough on the left as we headed out to McAllister Creek.

The only warblers around were YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and there were lots of
them. There were also loads of CEDAR WAXWINGS and many raptors, mostly
NORTHERN HARRIERS and REDTAILED HAWKS about.

The only new bird for the day was a BREWER'S BLACKBIRD in the parking lot as
I was getting ready to leave the refuge. I can't remember seeing a BREWER'S
BLACKBIRD on the refuge before.

All told we saw 50 species for the day. The only mammal was an EASTER GRAY
SQUIRREL in a hawthorn tree along the Nisqually River side.

Remember, the outer dike closes Saturday until the end of January Saturday,
except for next Thursday and Friday when it will be open. Some of the group
will walk the outer dike next week, but I won't be able to.

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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