Tweeters:?



Twelve of us enjoyed another beautiful day at the refuge, and the birding was pretty good too, although not as exciting as the group had?last week.? It started off with an AMERICAN BITTERN making itself visible as it flew up right in front of us at the visitor center and headed west.? We also?had a fly-by of a COOPER'S HAWK .? YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, CEDAR WAXWINGS, and a DARK-EYED JUNCO were sighted as we rounded the parking lot.



Highlights on the way to the?twin barns included CANADA GEESE, with upwards of?eighty CACKLING and a flock of about thirty COMMON MERGANSERS flying over the inner refuge.? Other sightings included WINTER WREN and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.? The most activity for the day was at the twin barns.? Sightings included SAVANNAH, WHITE-CROWNED, GOLDEN-CROWNED, FOX and LINCOLN SPARROWS; male and juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER, COOPER'S HAWK,? BALD EAGLE and a flock of about?fifteen GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.? Several KILLDEER were also seen landing near the new flooded estuary area north of the barns: and a NORTHERN PINTAIL was?sighted among the MALLARDS and CANADA GEESE.



The walk to the river overlook yielded a RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, BEWICK'S WREN and several more FOX SPARROWS.



The remainder of? the walk was fairly quiet, with new birds for the day including BELTED KINGFISHER and a female COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.



Total species for the day:? 39

Mammals:? Harbor Seal and California Sea Lion



Eric Slagle, Olympia

hannaslagle at comcast.net