Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 11/18/09
Date: Nov 19 13:30:30 2009
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Yesterday 10 of us enjoyed a great walk and bird survey at Nisqually. We
split into 2 groups with the main group led by Eric and Shep doing the
regular walk and Kelley Turner, Dave Richardson and I doing the south part of
the new dike that is usually closed. Kelley will post the survey results on
the Nisqually web site.

The weather started out cold and clear but got windier as the day
progressed. Raptors had an easy time soaring but the passerines got scarce as the
day went on.

I was surprised by the number of waterfowl in areas we usually don't get a
chance to look at. There had to be over 1000 GREEN WINGED TEAL on the new
fresh water ponds created by the restoration and there were well over 2000
CACKLING GEESE on the refuge. Surveys will continue on a monthly basis for
the foreseeable future. We also saw a TRUMPETER SWAN flying over the
refuge. Both Dave Richardson and I got good looks at it as it flew overhead.

Highlights were many including a PEREGRINE FALCON eating prey in the large
trees at the start of the boardwalk, a couple of NORTHERN SHRIKE, an
AMERICAN BITTERN, a SHORT-EARED OWL, and a GREAT HORNED OWL.

There were scads of RED TAILED HAWKS and NORTHERN HARRIERS as well as BALD
EAGLES and a COOPER'S HAWK over the new dike and a hunting MERLIN out
behind the twin barns.

Our group found an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE near where the old McAllister
Creek trail crossed the new dike and we all saw an adult SHRIKE over the
newly opened dike trail behind the twin barns. The other group saw the
SHORT-EARED OWL over the outer part of the refuge before we joined them.

The GREAT HORNED OWL was inside the boardwalk at the visitor center end of
the grove of trees where the old nest tree was.

The BITTERN was in the slough near the hummingbird tree near where the
hummingbird interpretive sign is

All told we saw 46 species for the day with the TRUMPETER SWAN being new
for the year giving us a total of 146 species for the year.

Mammals seen were COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEER, a COYOTE, and EASTERN GRAY
SQUIRREL.

Until next week when we do our usual walk....

.

Phil Kelley
scrubjay323 at aol.com
Lacey, WA
360-459-1499