[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 12/6/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 20 of us enjoyed a break in the rain for some nice late
Autumn birding at the Refuge with cloudy skies, temperatures in the 40's to
50's degrees Fahrenheit, and a High 13'6" Tide at  12:37pm.  The Refuge
Biologist and their Team of Volunteers were performing a monthly bird
survey within the Sanctuary.  There activity, along with hunting BALD
EAGLE, RED-TAILED HAWK, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIER, and MERLIN,
we observed large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds moving around the
Refuge.  Highlights included PINE SISKIN in the Orchard, nice observation
of WILSON'S SNIPE along the Access Road and from the Twin Barns Overlook, a
showy VARIED THRUSH at the cut-off between the Twin Barns and Nisqually
Estuary Trail, high count of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS in both the Estuary and
Freshwater Marsh, great looks of LINCOLN'S SPARROW across from the
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Entrance, perched LEAST SANDPIPER on the gum
weed at high tide at the end of the boardwalk, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in
the Maple Trees at the Twin Barns and east side of the Loop Trail, and
First of Year EVENING GROSBEAK heard just south of the Nisqually River
Overlook.  See our eBird Report below with locations and click on the list
to check out photos.

For the day we observed 72 species, and with FOY Evening Grosbeak we have
now seen 173 species for the year.  Mammals seen included Eastern Gray
Squirrel, Harbor Seal, California Sea Lion (in the Nisqually River), and
Columbian Black-tailed Deer.

A huge thank you to the Refuge Maintenance Department for clearing and
repairing the Twin Barns Loop Trail after fallen trees on Sunday.  We are
fortunate and appreciative to have rapid attention to the trail system.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center, happy
birding!
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Dec 6, 2023 7:26 AM - 4:13 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.658 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk.  Cloudy with temperatures in the
40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 13’6” Tide at 12:37pm. Occasional
light rain. Mammals seen Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, California Sea
Lion and Columbian Black-tailed Deer.
72 species (+5 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima)  1200
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  100
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  13
Northern Shoveler  200
Gadwall  30
Eurasian Wigeon  3     Flooded field south of Twin Barns and Shannon Slough.
American Wigeon  2000
Mallard  150
Northern Pintail  800
Green-winged Teal (American)  900
Ring-necked Duck  6
Surf Scoter  8
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  20
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  1     Photo by Alex of male flying up McAllister Creek.
Red-breasted Merganser  4
Horned Grebe  2
Mourning Dove  1
American Coot (Red-shielded)  40
Long-billed Dowitcher  100
Wilson's Snipe  7     One along Access Road and six seen from Twin Barns
Observation Platform.
Greater Yellowlegs  35
Dunlin  600
Least Sandpiper  200
Western Sandpiper  1
Bonaparte's Gull  3
Short-billed Gull  60
Ring-billed Gull  70
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  8
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Larus sp.  50
Brandt's Cormorant  10     Nisqually River Channel Marker
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Great Blue Heron  25
Northern Harrier  2
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  20
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Heard between the Access Road and Entrance Road,
heard north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail in the surge plain area.
Photographed by Alex at 9:30am north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail across
from the Access Road cut-off to the Twin Barns.  Seen in a snag in the
surge plain.
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-breasted Sapsucker  3     Picnic Area Twin Barns and East side of Twin
Barns Loop Trail.
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Northern Flicker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  2
Merlin  1
American Crow  300
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  20
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  10
Golden-crowned Kinglet  16
Brown Creeper  6
Pacific Wren  3
Marsh Wren  6
Bewick's Wren  3
European Starling  50
Varied Thrush  3     Parking Lot and Twin Barns
American Robin  15
American Pipit  7
Evening Grosbeak  1     Heard just south of the Nisqually River Overlook on
the outside of the old Nisqually River Dike.
House Finch  2     Twin Barns.
Purple Finch (Western)  1     Feeding on small crabapple fruit with
Golden-crowned Sparrows where Leschi Slough aqueduct goes under dike.
Pine Siskin  1     Orchard. Seen by some of our group.
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  3
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1     Orchard.
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  5     Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  22
Lincoln's Sparrow  3     Nice views in freshwater marsh across from
entrance to Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  4
Western Meadowlark  3     Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Red-winged Blackbird  60
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  1     Education Center
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S155902824
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