Tweets,

Today 10 of us braved pretty nasty weather...high winds and intermittent
showers to walk Nisqually. Funny, last week's 5 hour walk took just 3.5
hours today. Still we had a pretty good day...and the worst of the weather
came as we were leaving the refuge.

Highlights included the lingering GREAT EGRET, a first of the winter
EURASIAN WIGEON, 3 TUNDRA SWANS, and a TOWNSEND'S WARBLER.

At the visitor center overlook we saw MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, PIED
BILLED GREBE, BUSHTITS, and a RED-TAILED HAWK. We saw the TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
in a nice mixed flock along the boardwalk to the twin barns near the second
overlook. It was with both KINGLETS, BROWN CREEPER, and BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE.

The EURASIAN WIGEON was seen behind the twin barns and the 3 TUNDRA SWANS
flew in and landed in that same general area. There were lots of waterfowl
on the refuge including BUFFLEHEAD and AMERICAN COOTS in numbers for the
first time this fall.

The GREAT EGRET continues along the new dike as does a female AMERICAN
KESTRAL and some WESTERN MEADOWLARKS.

For the day we had 49 species with the TOWNSEND'S WARBLER being new for the
year.

The only mammal seen (other than crazy humans) was an EASTERN GRAY
SQUIRREL.

Until next week when I hope the weather is better....

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