Hi Tweeters
On a boat survey of Nisqually NWR this morning, working the outer refuge on our USGS survey we located 15 Sandhill Cranes about 200 yards due east of the?terminus of the new outer boardwalk.? They were simply resting on the mudflats.? By midmorning they were seen flying up the refugee toward the farms south of the freeway.? Several?cranes have been seen off and on for several weeks.
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Also on the mudflats, visible from the boardwalk were hundreds of American?Pipits, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, several small flocks of Western and Least Sandpipers, 1 Whimbrel.? Flying over the water was an Osprey, several Bald Eagles. Red-tail Hawk,?a Coopers Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were visible in the raparian area.? Horned Grebes are also coming into the south sound now.? Lots of other ducks and passerines were located on the other parts of the refuge.? It's very lively.
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Dave Richardson?