Hi Tweeters,

My wife and I walked to the Nisqually River overlook early this afternoon (the kids are in school, yeah!). I was hoping to see the fierce males Rufous Hummingbirds displaying around the blooming salmonberry; they were. Buzzing and chirping and zooming straight up in the air for 20 feet and zipping off at right angles. Last year at this time, I was lucky enough to have a few days to bird in Arizona. At one of the hummingbird feeder locations, up to 6 species of hummers might be at the feeders, and then a Rufous would show up and chase them all away (but not for long). Definitely tough little birds. On the way to the twin barns, there was a huge flock of Cackling Geese. I counted more than 2,000, although my wife thought that I was crazy (but then, she always thinks that). Beyond them was a small flock of wigeons with two Eurasian drakes mixed in. We only spotted one adult Great-horned Owl; it was sitting in its old nest. Other than that, not much activity.

Good birding,

Lonnie Somer
Olympia, WA
wheelermombi at comcast.net