Tweets,

20 of us were treated to a special day at Nisqually this morning. The
weather was great and the birds were fantastic! Things started slow but got
better as the day went on. Construction on the new boardwalk continues and
they are draining the freshwater ponds so they can do more work on the new
dike, but someone forgot to tell the birds...especially the shorebirds.

We started with a CEDAR WAXWING nest right in front of the observation
deck at the visitor center with active CLIFF and BARN SWALLOW nests there also.

A lowlight was watching a harried WARBLING VIREO feeding a COWBIRD chick
near the freshwater pond overlook. From there it got better with several
YELLOW WARBLERS feeding young, along with BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, other
WARBLING VIREOS and BULLOCK'S ORIOLE with young.

Things really got going at the Nisqually River overlook where we spotted a
female COMMON MERGANZER, DOWNEY WOODPECKER and SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Along the
new dike we saw BALD EAGLE and an AMERICAN KESTRAL with prey. Farther out
we saw an OSPREY over McAllister Creek.

The best spot of the day was the pond inside the new dike. Here we found
GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS,
LEAST, WESTERN and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, a male WILSON'S PHALAROPE, and
KILLDEER with young. A WILSON'S SNIPE was seen a bit farther out the dike. All
these birds was enough to make one's head spin!! WOW!! We must have spent
close to an hour watching and wondering what would show up next. On top
of that we saw MALLARDS, NORTHERN SHOVELERS and a CINNAMON TEAL, all with
young on the same pond.

On the way back in we found a juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL inside the
boardwalk about 100 yards from the trail from the twin barns. A bit later we
encountered a family of BUSHTITS foraging in the willows with some BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES and a BEWICK'S WREN nearby.

All told we had 60 species for the day with the OSPREY, LESSER YELLOWLEGS,
PECTORAL SANDPIPER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and a MOURNING DOVE being new
for the year, giving us a total of 133 species for the year.

Mammals seen were BLACK-TAILED DEER, COTTONTAILED RABBIT, EASTERN GRAY
SQUIRREL, RACCOON, and a MUSKRAT.

Until next week when we start at 8:00 am as usual.....

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