Hello Tweeters ,


I spent a little time at Nisqually WR this weekend. I was one of the few because of the heavy rains. I dressed well, but got entirely soaked on Sunday. After 30 years of Steelhead flyfishing, it felt familiar. Car heaters are one of the great inventions. Even with the heaviest rains and wind, the birds just kept on going with all activities. Watching the high tide waters flow in from river and sound was great.


Experienced and observed several things:


At least 300 Tree swallows were present over the ponds- fun watching them in the wind -on the boardwalk, they were low and all around me- quite a beautiful experience and it was nice to see them back
Found a Taiga with five Tundra Greater White-fronted Geese(Saturday only- not present Sunday)
Rufous hummer displaying for female
Rufous hummer poking a bee with it's beak to remove it from a flower- the bee instantly disappeared- I couldn't tell if it fell or rapidly retreated- it was too large to be consumed
Dunlin- full breeding plumage birds present, also some in various stages of molt and some with winter/basic plumage, GRYElegs also present
All four Owls present- the two young are in molt and the Cottonwoods are developing serious foliage
Many species of duck
Long flight through the Marsh by Bittern when it was suddenly startled by a passerby
The most unusual thing I saw was a flock of about 15 Golden-crowned sparrows that landed very near me and began feeding on the leaf tips of young nettles- Ouch!! Have others seen this? I recall watching the same species feed on new grass in late Winter


I was taken back by the news that the M creek trail is permanently closed.
Construction is about to begin on the elevated boardwalk to the mouth of McCallister creek (completion may be in October)- this should offer some great views as the the Salt Marsh develops. Let's hope for major shorebird activity.


I was initially skeptical about the intended purposes of the large pond between center and barns, but it has turned out to be duck and goose central- a major roost for the geese.


Best regards,
Dan Reiff
"Dan Reiff, PhD" <notcalm at comcast.net>