Tweets,

Today the Mongol horde descended on Nisqually NWR. Well, not quite, but
there were 26 of us (I think). A big enough group that we split into 2
groups for the walk. Naturally each group saw something the other group
didn't. My group got the COOPER'S HAWK, the other group BLACK-THROATED GRAY
WARBLERS and PEREGRINE FALCON, and we both got CINNAMON TEAL and AMERICAN
KESTRAL and GREAT HORNED OWLS.

It turned out to be a pretty slow day with some highlights including the
BLACK-THROATED GRAY, CINNAMON TEAL, and both adult GREAT HORNED OWLS but only
one OWLET. Not sure if the second OWLET was hiding or no longer among
us. Time will tell.

The water levels are down and construction has started on the new board
walk out toward Luhr Beach so waterfowl numbers are down. Lots of species
just not many of most of them. We did see over 50 GADWALL and lots of
SHOVELERS and PINTAILS but few WIGEON. There are increasing numbers of WOOD
DUCKS on the refuge.

With the exception of the BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS seen in the old
orchard passerines are still scarce. COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS were about but nothing else. We did see our first WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW of the year but not much else.

Besides the falcons and a couple of BALD EAGLES raptors were non-existent.
We did not see any RED-TAILED HAWKS or NORTHERN HARRIERS. This is the
second week in a row that we missed both of them. We were also skunked on
woodpeckers.

All told we saw 45 species with the CINNAMON TEAL, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
and BLACK-THROATED WARBLER being new for the year. We now have 91 species
for the year.

There were no mammals sighted.

Until next week....

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