[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 2/1/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 28 of us enjoyed another fine day at the Refuge with
temperatures in the 30's to 40's degrees Fahrenheit, partly sunny skies and
a Low 8.7ft Tide at 9:54 and High 12ft Tide at 1:40pm.  Highlights included
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS foraging off sapsucker wells with nearby
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, large flock of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (Audubon's
variety) foraging in Water Plantain over the water in the flooded fields,
nice Accipiter show with good looks of COOPER'S HAWK and RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK (relocated along Central Access Road in the freshwater marsh), a funky
looking CACKLING GOOSE that had us puzzled over Taverner's vs Aleutian vs
other, and WILSON SNIPE making an afternoon showing at the spring to the
right of the Visitor Center Pond Overlook.

Starting out at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we had excellent
looks at BUFFLEHEAD and MALLARD that are acclimated to visitors making for
nice photography.  A PACIFIC WREN was calling from around the platform.  A
river of AMERICAN CROWS was seen heading southwest in the morning and
northeast in the late afternoon.

The Orchard was good for DOWNY WOODPECKER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET,
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, and
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW.  We relocated the RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in the
fruit trees near the USGS Technician Building, and were rewarded with great
looks of two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER foraging around the sap wells on the
opposite side of the tree from the sapsucker.  A deceased dark morph
immature RED-TAILED HAWK was found as well.

The Access Roads were fun with a large flock of 20+ YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
(Audubon's variety) foraging just above the water in the flooded field in
the Water Plantain.  We had great looks at an immature male COOPER'S HAWK
and HAIRY WOODPECKER.  We enjoyed lots of waterfowl including NORTHERN
SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL and AMERICAN
COOT.

The west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail was good for FOX SPARROW, MARSH
WREN, and a bachelor flock of RING-NECKED DUCK.  VIRGINIA RAIL was heard
east of the Twin Barns Cut-off.

We were not able to relocate the American Bittern reported in the slough
adjacent to the Twin Barns Overlook, but did have nice looks of NORTHERN
HARRIER and additional waterfowl.

The Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike was great for raptors, waterfowl
and shorebirds.  Most notable was that some of our group was able to
relocate the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK in the line of trees along the Central
Access Road through the freshwater marsh between the Twin Barns and the old
McAllister Creek Access Road.  The Refuge was holding a monthly bird
survey, so we enjoyed numerous waterfowl, CACKLING GEESE (mostly minimas
but good numbers of taverners too) and GREAT BLUE HERONS being flushed from
the sanctuary and moving around the Refuge.  Several folks had nice looks
of LINCOLN'S SPARROW along with GOLDEN-CROWNED, WHITE-CROWNED and SONG
SPARROW.  There was a funky looking Cackling Goose that has been hanging
around the dike just south of the green gate adjacent to the entrance of
the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, photos embedded in eBird list, that
I suspect may be a Taverner's Cackling Goose.  We emailed the eBird
monitors some digiscoped photos to help confirm our identification.
Overall the GREEN-WINGED TEAL and AMERICAN WIGEON numbers were much lower
than expected.  Typically we have seen 1000 birds plus, and on our walk we
only had a few hundred.  A nice sized flock, approximately 1000, DUNLIN
could be seen foraging the mudflats.  We had very nice up close looks of a
small flock of LEAST SANDPIPER and several GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was good for COMMON GOLDENEYE,
BUFFLEHEAD, GADWALL, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, HORNED GREBE, SURF SCOTER
and both HOODED MERGANSER and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (30 plus).  Ellen
picked out a SPOTTED SANDPIPER for us along the west side of the McAllister
Creek, as well BELTED KINGFISHER was seen.  From the closure gate we were
able to scope COMMON LOON and BRANDT'S CORMORANT.  We did not relocate the
Brant Geese reported earlier in the week.  There has been a nice sized
flock of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in the reach off Luhr Beach which we have
enjoyed for the last several weeks.  Gulling is always good from the boards
with nice looks of SHORT-BILLED GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED
GULL and Olympic or WESTERN X GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL Hybrid.

Hunting season ends 2/4/2023, hopefully the end of the boardwalk will be
opened up in the next 1-2 weeks.

The Nisqually Overlook was good for COMMON MERGANSER, BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON
GOLDENEYE.  The Common Merganser stage here in the winter and are pretty
reliable.

We ended the day with a sighting of the WILSON'S SNIPE at the spring of the
Visitor Center Pond just right of the observation deck.  The bird was not
apparent in the morning.

We observed 66 species for the day, and have seen 89 species for the year.
Mammals seen included Coyote, Columbian Black-tailed Deer and Harbor Seal.
The eBird list is pasted below.

Until next week, happy birding.
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Feb 1, 2023 7:39 AM - 4:17 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.433 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Partly sunny with temperature in
the 30’s to 40’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 8.7ft Tide at 9:54am and a High
12ft Tide at 1:40pm. Mammals seen Coyote, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, and Harbor Seal.
66 species (+5 other taxa)

Cackling Goose  1
Cackling Goose (minima)  1000
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  100
Canada Goose  10
Northern Shoveler  118
Gadwall  25
American Wigeon  300
Mallard  200
Northern Pintail  450
Green-winged Teal  200
Ring-necked Duck  10
Surf Scoter  40
White-winged Scoter  20
Bufflehead  150
Common Goldeneye  35
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  15
Red-breasted Merganser  40
Horned Grebe  10
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  10
Anna's Hummingbird  1
Virginia Rail  1
American Coot  150
Killdeer  4
Dunlin  1000
Least Sandpiper  100
Wilson's Snipe  1
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  20
Short-billed Gull  50
Ring-billed Gull  25
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  46
Larus sp.  100
Common Loon  2
Brandt's Cormorant  5
Double-crested Cormorant  15
Great Blue Heron  30
Northern Harrier  3
Cooper's Hawk  2
Accipiter sp.  1
Bald Eagle  20
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Seen by some of our group along the central
access road south of the dike or Estuary Trail perched in a tree. Buteo
sized raptor with black and white barred and spots on back. Observed at
1/4mile with spotting scopes. Previously reported rarity.
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  8
Peregrine Falcon  1
American Crow  100
Common Raven  3
Black-capped Chickadee  18
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Golden-crowned Kinglet  10
Brown Creeper  3
Pacific Wren  2
Marsh Wren  6
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  60
American Robin  100
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  2
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  22
Lincoln's Sparrow  2
Spotted Towhee  6
Western Meadowlark  6
Red-winged Blackbird  20
Orange-crowned Warbler  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  30

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S127430990
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