Tweeters:?



Eleven of us had a fair day of birding at the refuge.? Temperatures were mild and?we had light drizzle or rain for most of the walk.?



The usual duck species were on the refuge, but the numbers were down.??We?got great looks at several pair of HOODED MERGANSER and COMMON GOLDENEYE.?There were large flocks of CACKLING GEESE flying over the refuge as we started the walk.



We ran into a couple of mixed flocks.? First on the boardwalk on the way to the barns and then?near the end of the walk?on the riparian overlook?boardwalk.??Sightings included both KINGLETS, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, DOWNY WOODPECKER and BROWN CREEPER.? We also saw BEWICK'S WREN and WINTER WREN.? Another highlight was Chris spotting a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK as we started towards the barns.



The excitement for the day occurred at the the twin barns overlook where we watched a juvenile BALD EAGLE?make multiple attack runs on a hen MALLARD.? The eagle would swoop in, the duck would dive, and then the action was repeated at least a half dozen times.? The eagle eventually gave up.? We enjoyed the show, but clearly it wasn't the mallard's idea of a good time.



The tide was very high as we walked the new dike.? Sightings included PEREGRINE FALCON, AMERICAN KESTREL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, and a small flock of DUNLIN.?



Total species for the day:? 44

Mammals:? harbor seal, deer, and squirrel



Eric Slagle, Olympia

hannaslagle at comcast.net