Subject: [Tweeters] Ridgefield NWR - Wednesday
Date: Oct 17 22:40:09 2012
From: Amy Hill - 60stops2home at kalama.com




We spent a little time at Ridgefield NWR on Wednesday afternoon. At the
little pond by the Plankhouse (Carty Unit), we saw plenty of Mallards; a
couple of Great Blue Heron; a one-eyed bird-stalking CAT http://flic.kr/p/dkFwDo?that?I
ran off; some GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS http://flic.kr/p/dkFrRq?, Song
Sparrows, Western Scrub Jays, one Steller's Jay and two Spotted
Towhees.

At the River S Unit, we did see SANDHILL CRANES from a
distance http://flic.kr/p/dkFCKU,
along with seemingly thousands of CACKLING GEESE. I'm completely out of my
league with little Sandpiper-ish birds, so I think these birds (http://flic.kr/p/dkFCyn) could be
WILSON'S SNIPE.

I checked the sightings board before we started
the route. Someone had seen a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at Rest Lake,
but we found it with a flock of Cacklers at Marker 8 http://flic.kr/p/dkFDW2?. This
little exhausted CACKLING GOOSE was a few yards further along the route http://flic.kr/p/dkFApK?.?The
NORTHERN HARRIERS were skimming around and across Rest Lake http://flic.kr/p/dkFxLg?.

Near the end of the route, we saw this GREAT BLUE HERON http://flic.kr/p/dkFJ11?take a
rodent.

It was a nice way to get out in the sun while it lasts
this week.


Amy Hill
Kalama, Washington
628 ft
up in Cowlitz County
60stops2home at kalama dot com