[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Nisqually

[Kenneth Brown]

Everyone seemed to enjoy the break in the weather, the day being cooler and overcast in the morning after rain showers overnight.  That must account, at least in part, for why there were 40 or so in attendance for the weekly walk.  When the group is large we tend to scatter a bit more and this was no exception.  We are in the summer doldrums still but they're coming to an end soon as migration picks up.  A single Long-billed Curlew continues to grace the mudflats, joined by at least 2 Baird's Sandpipers, a Semi-palmated Sandpiper and 10 Semi-palmated Plovers, along with the usual shorebird species.  Out on the reach a small raft of Common Mergansers were observed. The list of species follows:
 
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Aug 23, 2023 7:56 AM - 3:25 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.37 mile(s)
71 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose  7
Wood Duck  2
Northern Shoveler  2
Mallard  35
Northern Pintail  4
Green-winged Teal  2
Hooded Merganser  3
Common Merganser  16
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  7
Band-tailed Pigeon  5
Mourning Dove  3
Vaux's Swift  5
Anna's Hummingbird  2
Virginia Rail  1
American Coot  1
Semipalmated Plover  10
Killdeer  2
Long-billed Curlew  1     * Continuing. Long, decurved bill. No stripes on head/crown
Sanderling  1
Baird's Sandpiper  2
Least Sandpiper  125
Semipalmated Sandpiper  1
Western Sandpiper  450
Wilson's Snipe  2
Greater Yellowlegs  9
Ring-billed Gull  75
California Gull  28
Glaucous-winged Gull  5
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  4
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  24
Larus sp.  200
Caspian Tern  8
Brandt's Cormorant  6     Nisqually Reach channel marker
Double-crested Cormorant  32
Great Blue Heron  65
Osprey  1
Northern Harrier  1     Immature
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  11     Counted 1x1
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Northern Flicker  4
Western Wood-Pewee  4
Cassin's Vireo  1
Warbling Vireo  2
American Crow  4
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  14
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Purple Martin  4
Violet-green Swallow  60
Barn Swallow  170
Cliff Swallow  1
Bushtit  10
Brown Creeper  2
Marsh Wren  1
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  625
Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed)  6
American Robin  10
Cedar Waxwing  36
Purple Finch  2
American Goldfinch  30
Savannah Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  11
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  1
Red-winged Blackbird  15
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  3
Common Yellowthroat  23
Yellow Warbler  2
Western Tanager  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S147968915


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