Tweets,

I took some time from a crazy schedule of vacation and golf rules to make it to Nisqually today and had a great day. 40+ of us enjoyed a great walk with lots of activity for this time of year. We had a 9.6 high tide at 10:31AM so we hustled out toward the estuary boardwalk to look for shorebirds.

Highlights included 6 swallow species, both rails, and a PEREGRINE FALCON harassing a BALE EAGLE. We also had scads of juvenile birds making ID more difficult.

SWALLOWS seen were BARN, CLIFF, TREE, VIOLET-GREEN, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED, and BANK. There were swallows over all the open spaces and marshes. I saw a juvenile VIRGINIA RAIL dash from one patch of cattails to another and we saw a SORA do the same out near the start of the estuary boardwalk.

The PEREGRINE FALCON was dive bombing an adult BALD EAGLE over the restoration area and put on quite a display. There was a couple of disinterested OSPREY in the area roosting in the trees.

The only sandpipers I could see well enough to identify were several LEAST SANDPIPERS. The folks who walked the entire boardwalk had better luck. There were several small flocks flying about but they were too far our for me to ID.

The lucistic/hybrid GREAT BLUE HERON was about today. It had partially white wings and black and yellow legs. Interesting bird.

For the day I had 50 species and now have 118 for the year.

Until next week when Shep and Eric will lead.....


Phil Kelley
scrubjay323 at aol.com