Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR 12/29/10
Date: Dec 29 17:16:16 2010
From: Scrubjay323 at aol.com - Scrubjay323 at aol.com


Tweets,

Today 13 of us enjoyed the last Nisqually walk for 2010. In spite of snow
reports in Tacoma and north it was clear and in the upper 30s at the start
of the walk and it got better from there. The weather cooperated the rest
of the day and there was little breeze on the new dike. The new boardwalk
remains closed and may for some time. There are reports of problems with
the pier blocks that need to be resolved.

Highlights today were GREAT HORNED OWL, 2 AMERICAN KESTRALS, 2 PILIATED
WOOEPECKERS, 2 NORTHERN SHRIKE, 2 VIRGINIA RAIL...geez, I feel like Noah with
2 of each animal. We did see lots of waterfowl and passerines.

You know it is a good day when someone spots an AMERICAN BITTERN and most
people ignore it. We did that today because 2 VIRGINIA RAIL were calling.
This occurred at the boardwalk turn off to the twin barns. The BITTERN
was on the left side of the boardwalk and the VIRGINIA RAILS were calling on
the right side of the boardwalk, one right next to the boardwalk and the
other opposite on the other side of the slough. They called for several
minutes but we never saw them.

We had three NORTHERN SHRIKE sighting. The first was an adult way out
toward McAllister Creek across the pond on the way to the twin barns. The
second was a juvenile spotted near the new boardwalk on one of the gate posts
on a maintenance road. This is were we say the same bird(?) last week.
>From there we spotted another adult well out in the restoration area toward
the sound.

At the start of the new dike we spotted two AMERICAN KESTRALS, one on top
of one of the planted snags and the other behind it in the trees near the
Nisqually overlook. The two PILITAED WOODPECKERS flew over the same area
before disappearing into the woods. We also saw DOWNEY WOODPECKER and
FLICKER. The HERMIT THRUSH continues near the Nisqually River overlook.

Besides the KESTRALS and SHRIKE we saw BALD EAGLES (20+), RED-TAILED HAWK,
NORTHERN HARRIER and PEREGRINE FALCON.

There were lots of waterfowl and lots of water on the refuge. We hit a
14.8 tide and almost all of the restoration area was under water. High tide
hit as we were on the new dike. The EURASIAN WIGEON continues at the
visitor center along with MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCKS, female
COMMON GOLDENEYE, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. Not a bad way to start the day.

All told we saw 62 species with nothing new for the year. For the year we
saw 144 species, a bit low, but we added some species to the refuge life
list.

Mammals seen were EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL, COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEER,
HARBOR SEAL(2), CALIFORNIS SEA LION (2).

Until next week and next year, Happy New Year to all....





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