Tweets,

Today 30 of us endured a chilly, foggy day at Nisqually. The fog eventually
lifted but it never got very warm. We had a 14+ high tide about 9:00 so
there was lots of water near the estuary boardwalk and the ponds are
filling up.

Highlights included a male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER (which I missed) and
an intergrade FLICKER.

When we got to the ed center Dorian spotted a COOPER'S HAWK sitting in a
pear tree that gave everyone great looks. Things were pretty quiet there
after that.

The BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER was seen in the riparian area along the
access road across from the orchard. This is the same spot where I spotted
a female BLACK-THROATED GRAY last week. The warbler was in a flock of
CHICKADEES foraging in the alders.

There were over 2500 CACKLING GEESE on the refuge and they flushed several
time when an EAGLE flew over. There was one GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
seen in one of the flushes. Other waterfowl are returning in numbers.

Besides the COOPER'S HAWK we also saw SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, RED-TAILED HAWK,
NORTHERN HARRIER, BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN KESTRAL, and MERLIN.

Out in the reclamation are we had GREATER YELLOWLEGS, KILDEER, DUNLIN, and
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS.

The intergrade NORTHERN FLICKER was seen just behind the gate on the dike
near the start of the estuary boardwalk.

For the day I had 17 species and still have 142 for the year. Mammals seen
were GRAY SQUIRREL, BLACK-TAILED DEER, and HARBOR SEAL.

Remember, duck hunting season is open until the end of January and the last
700 feet of the estuary boardwalk is closed until then.

Until next week when Shep will lead in my absence....

Phil Kelley
scrubjay323 at gmail.com
Lacey, WA
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