Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually Wednesday morning walk 1/4/12.
Date: Jan 4 15:51:15 2012
From: Shep Thorp - tanwaxlake at comcast.net


Hello Tweets,

18 of us enjoyed a rainy morning at the Refuge with temperatures in the
50's degree Fahrenheit and a low 8'3" tide at 8:16am and a high 12'9" tide
at 1:08pm.

Meeting at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we had great looks at
Hooded Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, American Coot, American Wigeon, and
Ring-necked Duck. A rainbow was visible to the west over McAllister Creek,
and we were treated to close observation of Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle.

The flooded field south of the access road was quiet, but the flooded field
south of the Twin Barns had good numbers of waterfowl feeding. There were
1,000 Cackling Geese, most minima with a few taverner's and a Snow Goose.
We also observed Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail and Green-winged
Teal. Raptors seen were Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, and a pair of
Bald Eagles in the nest tree across McAllister Creek.. We had up close
viewing of a male Downy Woodpecker in the bushes between the road and the
parking lot.

On the Twin Barns Boardwalk Loop Trail, we had very nice observation of
Gadwall and additional Ring-necked Duck. Along the western side of the
boardwalk between the most northern overlook and the Twin Barns cut off, we
enjoyed a nice mixed winter flock of Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Bewick's Wren. Pacific
Wren was heard. A Hairy Woodpecker to the east called many times helping
us to locate the bird high in a Cottonwood Tree. Several Golden-crowned
Sparrow were seen just north of the cut off.

As we arrived at the Twin Barns Overlook, the wind and rain increased
making it difficult to use optics, so we quickly left to bird the New
Estuarine Dike Trail. Out on the new dike, we enjoyed good looks of
Western Meadowlark, Great Egret, and Great Blue Heron. A flock of 12
Dunlin flew overhead into the freshwater section of the refuge. We counted
over 20 Bald Eagles in the trees along Nisqually River, and may have seen
nearly 50 for the day.

At the the first shelter at the beginning of the New Boardwalk Estuarine
Trail we had terrific observations of Belted Kingfisher and Cooper's Hawk.
Mew Gull, Ring-billed gull and Glaucous-winged Gull were seen. We scoped
Red-breasted Merganser, Horned Grebe, Common Goldeneye and Double-crested
Cormorant at the mouth of Shannon Slough.

On our return back, we were fortunate to see an immature Red-tailed Hawk
eating a small rodent and one of a pair of Bald Eagles eating a salmon in a
Cottonwood Tree.

48 Species for the day, with many behaviors to observe in the rainy
weather. 5 species of mammal were seen including Eastern Gray Squirrel,
Vole, California Sea Lion, Harbor Seal and Columbia Black-tailed Deer.

Until next week, when hopefully it will be just a little dryer, good
birding and Happy New Year!

Shep Thorp
Browns Point
sthorp at theaec.com
253-370-3742
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