[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR for 6/14/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets!

Another nice Wednesday at the Refuge.  Approximately 25 birders joined us
for mostly cloudy skies and cool temperatures in the 50's to 60's degrees
Fahrenheit.  There was a Low -0'6" Tide at 10:04am, so we did our usual
walk.  Highlights included nesting YELLOW WARBLER in the Orchard,
displaying WILSON'S SNIPE over the fields and marsh, BAND-TAILED PIGEON
foraging on the ElderBerry bushes, good numbers of breeding BLUE-WINGED
TEAL in the freshwater marsh, and early subadult SHORT-BILLED GULL on the
mudflats with our other expected gulls.  We observed 70 species for the
day.  There were several FOY sightings of VAUX'S SWIFT, so we have seen 142
species this year.  Although not seen, there have been several reports of
Long-tailed Weasels hunting Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbits around the
parking lot.  See our eBird report pasted below.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am, happy birding.

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 14, 2023 6:52 AM - 4:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.598 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy skies with occasional sun
breaks. Temperature in the 50’s to 60’s. A Low -0’6” Tide at 10:04am.
Mammals seen Townsend’s Chipmunk, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern
Gray Squirrel, and Harbor Seal.  Other animals included Bullfrog and
Western Painted Turtle.
70 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  40
Wood Duck  19
Blue-winged Teal  8
Northern Shoveler  2
Gadwall  1
Mallard  75
Green-winged Teal  2
Hooded Merganser  10
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  3
Band-tailed Pigeon  12
Mourning Dove  1
Vaux's Swift  6
Anna's Hummingbird  1
Rufous Hummingbird  5
hummingbird sp.  2
Virginia Rail  4
American Coot  3
Killdeer  4
Wilson's Snipe  6
Pigeon Guillemot  2
Short-billed Gull  1     Observed for 10 minutes with spotting scope at 300
to 500 feet. Subadult, likely second or third year bird, with black band on
tip of thin grey-green bill and grey-green-yellow colored legs. Dove like
head with dark eye, light brown tipped worn primaries. Smaller then area
RBGU. Photos
Ring-billed Gull  100
California Gull  75
Glaucous-winged Gull  6
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  2
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  6
Caspian Tern  40
Brandt's Cormorant  8
Double-crested Cormorant  50
Great Blue Heron  50
Bald Eagle  15
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Red-breasted Sapsucker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  1
Merlin  1
Western Wood-Pewee  6
Willow Flycatcher  14
Pacific-slope Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  6
Steller's Jay  2
American Crow  4
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  8
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  8
Purple Martin  1
Tree Swallow  30
Violet-green Swallow  4
Bank Swallow  5
Barn Swallow  40
Cliff Swallow  25
Brown Creeper  4
Marsh Wren  15
Bewick's Wren  6
European Starling  200
Swainson's Thrush  48
American Robin  30
Cedar Waxwing  15
Purple Finch  6
American Goldfinch  12
Savannah Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  28
Spotted Towhee  3
Bullock's Oriole  3
Red-winged Blackbird  60
Brown-headed Cowbird  20
Common Yellowthroat  15
Yellow Warbler  29
Wilson's Warbler  2
Western Tanager  3
Black-headed Grosbeak  6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S141637267
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