Tweets,

Yesterday 27 of us enjoyed a great walk at Nisqually under clear skies.
It was chilly to start, in the mid 40s and it got breezy later in the day.
We had a high tide of 12.1 at 8:40.

Highlights included a GREAT EGRET, PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and watching a BALD
EAGLE catch and eat a salmon.

The walk started slow due to the chill but things got better as the day
warmed up. The refuge has started pumping water into the two pond near the
entrance and they are attracting a few geese right now. Several other pond
area have been hayed and are ready for some fall rains to start filling
them. There were lots of waterfowl about and more are coming in daily.

At the twin barns overlook we got great views of both CANADA and CACKLING
GEESE. There were about a dozen CANADAS and 3 CACKLERS for contrast.
Great opportunity for all to compare field marks.

Also from the deck we got our first look at the GREAT EGRET. It was
roosting in the tree line along the Nisqually River behind the surge plain.
Later it flew in and landed near the start of the estuary boardwalk as we
started out. Very accommodating!

We also got good looks at an AMERICAN KESTRAL that was perched on the peak
of the second barn and hawking from there. Later in the day we had the
KESTRAL and a COOPER'S HAWK vying for the same perch. We also had LINCOLN'S
SPARROW in the elderberry right in front of the deck.

Out in the surge plain we found many AMERICAN PIPETS, WESTERN MEADOWLARK,
and SAVANAH SPARROWS. Out in the ponds were MALLARD, AMERICAN WIGEON,
NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN WINGED TEAL and NORTHERN SHOVELERS.

On the mud flats we observed PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, and GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

Raptors seen included BALD EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, KESTRAL, COOPER'S HAWK,
PEREGRINE FALCON, and a TURKEY VULTURE being harassed by a COMMON RAVEN.

For the day I had 55 species with nothing new for the year.

Mammals seen were COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEER, RACOON, and HARBOR SEAL.

Until next week.....


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