Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR - 07/08/09
Date: Jul 8 17:17:38 2009
From: hannaslagle at comcast.net - hannaslagle at comcast.net





Tweeters:



There were twelve of us on the walk today.?? We enjoyed the cooler weather and the birds?seemed to like it as well.? There was a lot of activity. We had twenty species at the parking lot and visitor center including a PEREGRINE FALCON, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, WESTERN WOOD PEWEE, and TREE, CLIFF and BARN SWALLOWS (NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED were sighted earlier just off the entry road, and VIOLET-GREEN a bit later on the walk, so we had all five swallows for the day).



Highlights as we moved down the boardwalk were:? KILLDEER, female WOOD DUCK with at least seven brand new ducklings, RED-TAILED HAWK and PURPLE FINCH.? We also saw five?warblers on this part of the walk:? ORANGE-CROWNED, YELLOW, WILSON's, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and MACGILLIVRAY'S.? From the twin barns two gulls were sighted,? RING-BILLED and GLAUCOUS-WINGED, and a CASPIAN TERN.



A major highlight of the day was on the crossover part of the boardwalk:? a n AMERICAN ROBIN holding?a small green tree frog in its beak, with the frog's legs d angling down.? It gave us multiple views.? It was the first time any of us had seen a robin ?with a frog.



A BELTED KINGFISHER and SPOTTED SANDPIPER were sighted at the river overlook.? There was also a family of four river otters.? On the way back we saw a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, WARBLING VIREO, a family of BROWN CREEPERS, and active GOLD FINCH and ROBIN nests.? We got great looks at two PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATHERS near the riparian overlook.



Total species for the day:? 48

Mammals:? river otter, eastern gray squirrel and chipmunk



Eric Slagle, Olympia

hannaslagle at comcast.net