[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/5/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 20 of us had a really nice day at the Refuge with a High
12'11" Tide at 6:23am and a Low -3'10" Tide at 1:48pm.  Highlights included
FOY AMERICAN BITTERN and AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, as well as the nice looks
of many breeding birds and the return of migrating shorebirds.

Starting out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am we observed a
female WOOD DUCK with seven ducklings and flushed a GREATER YELLOWLEGS from
the muddy edge by the spring to the right of the observation platform.
Several BARN SWALLOW nests remain active in the breezeway.

We skipped the Orchard in the morning to chase the falling tide.  At the
green gate that restricts access to the old McAllister Creek Access Road we
picked through additional swallows TREE SWALLOW and BANK SWALLOW.  Numerous
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were busy feeding young.  Our FOY AMERICAN BITTERN
flew over the field south of the road for everyone to enjoy.

The west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail was great for SWAINSON'S THRUSH,
WILLOW FLYCATCHER, and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.  There were many YELLOW
WARBLERS singing and foraging.  We observed both CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE
and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE.

The Nisqually Estuary Trail was great for swallows, waterfowl and
shorebirds.  We picked up CLIFF SWALLOW and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW.  We had
distant but nice views of HOODED MERGANSER, PIED-BILLED GREBE, AMERICAN
WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL and BLUE-WINGED TEAL.  VIRGINIA RAIL and SORA
were calling and some of the group were able to see AMERICAN COOT and
WILSON'S SNIPE.  The mudflats west of Leschi Slough were good for WESTERN
SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER and KILLDEER.  The BALD EAGLE nests have fledged.

Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, we were surprised to see a
large flock of 20 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN flying from the Luhr Beach area
and landing at the mouth of the Nisqually River.  We had good looks of
gulls, terns, cormorants and eagles.  A BANK SWALLOW perched up in a dead
snag with BARN SWALLOWS.  NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW are nesting in the
bank along the west bank of McAllister Creek.  PURPLE MARTIN are nesting in
the gourds off Luhr Beach.  OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, and
STELLER'S JAY were heard.

The east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail was good for PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and BROWN CREEPER.  BELTED KINGFISHER was
seen at the Nisqually River Observation Platform.

The Orchard was quiet in the afternoon.  We heard a WARBLING VIREO.
Earlier in the day some of the group heard the RED-EYED VIREO continuing to
call near the Education Building.

We observed 73 species for the day and have seen 145 species this year.  A
Long-tailed Weasel has been observed frequently around the Visitor Center.

Until next week,
good birding.

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jul 5, 2023 5:45 AM - 3:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
8.812 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Sunny with haze and temperatures in
the 50’s to 80’s degree Fahrenheit. A Low -3’10” Tide at 1:48pm.  Mammals
seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern
Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal (McAllister Creek Observation Platform) and Long
Tailed Weasel (Visitor Center).
73 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  25
Wood Duck  12     Visitor Center Pond and freshwater marsh.
Blue-winged Teal  7     Freshwater marsh.
American Wigeon  4     Freshwater marsh
Mallard  80
Green-winged Teal  2     Freshwater marsh.
Hooded Merganser  6
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  20
Band-tailed Pigeon  1
Anna's Hummingbird  1
Rufous Hummingbird  1
hummingbird sp.  1
Virginia Rail  3
Sora  1
American Coot (Red-shielded)  1
Killdeer  4
Least Sandpiper  3     Mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail (dike),
and west of Leschi Slough.
Western Sandpiper  20     Mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail (dike),
and west of Leschi Slough.
Wilson's Snipe  2     Displaying in freshwater marsh.
Greater Yellowlegs  3     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Ring-billed Gull  200     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
California Gull  200     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Glaucous-winged Gull  15     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Larus sp.  20
Caspian Tern  32     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Brandt's Cormorant  1     Nisqually River Channel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  30
American White Pelican  20     Flew west to east across Nisqually Reach and
landed at mouth of Nisqually River. Distinctive large white arial water
bird with black wing tips and gliding/drafting behavior. Unexpected high
count.
American Bittern  2     Two seen. One at 8:15 am flying over the field
south of the old McAllister Creek Access Road. The second seen at 3pm
flying out over the west end parking lot from the Visitor Center Pond
towards the slough along the access road.
Great Blue Heron  40
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  46
Belted Kingfisher  4     Mouth of McAllister Creek and Nisqually River
Overlook.
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2     West side of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  2
Olive-sided Flycatcher  1     Heard along the West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Western Wood-Pewee  6
Willow Flycatcher  6
Pacific-slope Flycatcher  2
Warbling Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  1     Calling at 11am behind the Education Center.
Steller's Jay  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
American Crow  4
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  7     West bank of McAllister Creek.
Purple Martin  6     Gourds at Luhr Beach.
Tree Swallow  20
Violet-green Swallow  3
Bank Swallow  6     Counted, probably more. 1-2 over fields south of Twin
Barns. 4-6 on either side of the Nisqually Estuary Trail-dike, both
freshwater and saltwater areas. 1 just south of Puget Sound Observation
Platform perched in dead tree along McAllister Creek with Barn and Northern
Rough-winged Swallow (photo).
Barn Swallow  60     Visitor Center.
Cliff Swallow  40     Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Bushtit  2     Nests in Orchard.
Brown Creeper  6
Marsh Wren  6     Fields south of Twin Barns and freshwater marsh.
Bewick's Wren  3
European Starling  300
Swainson's Thrush  46
American Robin  30
Cedar Waxwing  14
Purple Finch  2
American Goldfinch  30
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
Savannah Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  31
Spotted Towhee  2
Bullock's Oriole  2     West side of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Red-winged Blackbird  200
Brown-headed Cowbird  30     Song Sparrow feeding Brown-headed Cowbird
chick.
Common Yellowthroat  15     Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Yellow Warbler  30
Western Tanager  1     Heard along West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Black-headed Grosbeak  2     Orchard.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S143687535
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