Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 1/24/08
Date: Jan 24 16:22:39 2008
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Today 7 of us froze our butts off at Nisqually NWR. Fortunately, it warmed
up a bit and we thawed out but it was cold at 8:15 AM.

It was cold enough when we started on the observation deck at the visitor
center that we got great looks at an AMERICAN BITTERN that flew across the pond
and landed with its back to us.....with frost on its back. Later we saw a
flock of AMERICAN COOT hunkered down in the weeds and they were frost covered!

In spit of the cold and frozen ponds there was a lot to be seen. SPOTTED
TOWHEE turned out to be the trash bird of the day. We saw more of them then we
saw SONG SPARROWS. Passerines were pretty quiet until about 10:00 when the
sun broke through the light cloud cover.

At one spot along the boardwalk to the twin barns we had 4 BROWN CREEPERS
working the same area. We saw a NORTHERN SHRIKE near the trail to McAllister
Creek and saw ROUGH-LEGGED and RED-TAILED HAWKS off the platform at the twin
barns. There is a pale RED-TAIL that roosts out toward the sound that could
be mistaken for an OSPREY when he sits facing the twin barns.

We saw a FLICKER, a PILIATED WOODPECKER, and a DOWNEY WOODPECKER in the
same tree near the Nisqually River overlook and later saw a RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER in the woods near the ring dike.

All told we saw 49 species for the day. Mammals seen were RIVER OTTER,
EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL, and HARBOR SEAL.

Since the outer dike opens Monday we will walk the full loop next Thursday.

Until then.....

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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