[Tweeters] It's Wednesday, this must be Nisqually.

[Kenneth Brown]

On this warm, sunny day about 30 of us gathered for the weekly walk.  We followed our default route beginning with the orchard where the busy Bushtit parents are still feeding young, as yet unseen but able make their sock bulge and move seemingly on its own.  Mourning Doves and Band-tailed pigeons were also observed along with the first of several Rufous Hummingbirds.   Several species of ducks were seen in the flooded fields, but their numbers are decreasing still.  FOY Swainson's Thrushes and a Sora were heard on the boardwalk along the west side of the pond.  We dipped on the Bullock's Oriole seen last week.  Yellow Warblers seemed to be anywhere there was a tree.  At the twin barns overlook, several participants announced their displeasure over the lack of string cheese and apple slices usually provided by the still absent Shep (the Benevolent).  Out on the dike we were treated with two Yellow-headed Blackbirds.  A Virginia Rail and lone Greater Yellowlegs were heard.  Along the McCallister Creek boardwalk a large number of Caspian Terns accompanied the usual gulls, and Whimbrels were scattered over the exposed mud.  56 Bald Eagles were counted from the Puget Sound viewing platform alone, which might have accounted for the absence of most waterfowl.  The complete list follows.
 
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
May 10, 2023 8:19 AM - 3:18 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.31 mile(s)
67 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  60     12 goslings
Wood Duck  5
Northern Shoveler  12
American Wigeon  8
Mallard  12
Northern Pintail  3
Green-winged Teal  2
Surf Scoter  2
Bufflehead  16
Common Goldeneye  5
Hooded Merganser  10     6 ducklings
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Band-tailed Pigeon  4
Mourning Dove  3
Rufous Hummingbird  6
Virginia Rail  1
Sora  1
American Coot  15
Whimbrel  18     Counted individually by several birders.
Greater Yellowlegs  1
Short-billed Gull  2
Ring-billed Gull  12
California Gull  2
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  25
Caspian Tern  80
Brandt's Cormorant  4
Double-crested Cormorant  40
Great Blue Heron  25
Osprey  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  65     Whole lotta beach eagles.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Northern Flicker  4
Pacific-slope Flycatcher  2
Warbling Vireo  1
American Crow  8
Common Raven  4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Purple Martin  8
Tree Swallow  150
Violet-green Swallow  50
Barn Swallow  100
Cliff Swallow  50
Bushtit  12
Marsh Wren  15
Bewick's Wren  8
European Starling  25
Swainson's Thrush  2
American Robin  30
Purple Finch  7
American Goldfinch  6
White-crowned Sparrow  4
Golden-crowned Sparrow  4
Savannah Sparrow  6
Song Sparrow  25
Spotted Towhee  2
Yellow-headed Blackbird  2
Red-winged Blackbird  50
Brown-headed Cowbird  30
Orange-crowned Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  10
Yellow Warbler  30
Yellow-rumped Warbler  8
Wilson's Warbler  5
Western Tanager  5

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136985447
 
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