[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 11/15/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Dear Tweets,

Approximately 30 of us had a very birdy Autumn Day at the Refuge with
temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit and a High 14'3" Tide
at 7:28am and a Low 8'2" Tide at 12:53pm.  Highlights included continuing
BARRED OWL around the Twin Barn Loop Trail, fly over of swans including FOY
TUNDRA SWAN and TRUMPETER SWAN in the mix, nice looks of TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK on the Twin Barns Loop Trail, nice diversity of
shorebirds, waterfowl and sparrows along the dike, a late WOOD DUCK and
flushed AMERICAN BITTERN in the freshwater marsh, upwards of 4 EURASIAN
WIGEON, and an afternoon sighting of the continuing red adult
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK between the surge plain and Nisqually River.

Overall we observed 79 species, with Tundra Swan being FOY, and we have
seen 172 species thus far this year.  See eBird list pasted below (some
photos embedded).

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

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia US-WA 47.07254,
-122.71391, Thurston, Washington, US
Nov 15, 2023 7:43 AM - 4:11 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.481 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk.  Mostly cloudy with temperatures in
the 40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 14’3” Tide at 7:28am and a Low
8’2” Tide at 12:53pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern
Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seals, Sea Lions on barge wreck off DuPont,
Townsend’s Chipmunk.
79 species (+8 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima)  3000
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  25
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  15
Trumpeter Swan  9
Tundra Swan (Whistling)  8
Trumpeter/Tundra Swan  20     Fly over.
Wood Duck  1     Twin Barns and Freshwater Marsh
Northern Shoveler  200
Gadwall  15
Eurasian Wigeon  4     Female at Twin Barns. Three males at McAllister
Creek Observation Platform on incoming tide.
American Wigeon  2000
Mallard  150
Northern Pintail  300
Green-winged Teal (American)  3500     Counted birds in groups of 100.
Observed birds in flooded fields, surge plain, and tidal mudflats. Groups
of mixed waterfowl, 1000 and more, individuals seen on surge plain north of
dike, mudflats west of Leschi Slough, mudflats north along old dike
footprint, and mudflats along Shannon slough. Additional waterfowl flying
in and out of freshwater marsh and mudflats along the entrance road.  An
area of over 1000 acres.
Ring-necked Duck  1     Visitor Center Pond.
Surf Scoter  20
White-winged Scoter  1
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  4
Hooded Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  25
Horned Grebe  12
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  40
Mourning Dove  1
Anna's Hummingbird  2
Virginia Rail  1
American Coot  4
Semipalmated Plover  6     Southeast corner of Surge Plain.
Long-billed Dowitcher  6
Wilson's Snipe  6     Northeast corner of flooded field just south of the
old McAllister Creek Access Road.
Spotted Sandpiper  1     West side of McAllister Creek
Greater Yellowlegs  20
Dunlin  750
Least Sandpiper  30
Western Sandpiper  4     Mixed in with Dunlin
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  100
California Gull  1
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
gull sp.  200
Common Loon  3
Brandt's Cormorant  2     Nisqually Chanel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  30
American Bittern  1     Flushed from freshwater marsh.
Great Blue Heron  20
Osprey  1     Fly over in the afternoon around 3pm. Seen from the Orchard
at 200 feet. Looked lightly demarcated, possible immature bird.
Northern Harrier  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk  2
Bald Eagle  15
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Continuing rarity. Adult plumage, distinctive
red head, body and shoulders. Black wings with white spots. Black and white
barred tail. Flew in to Riparian Forest just north of dike on the east side
of the surge plain adjacent to Nisqually River. Seen at 2pm.
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Barred Owl  2     Two reported by Ethan along the east side of the Twin
Barns Loop Trail in the morning prior to 8am bickering. One relocated by
group between Visitor Center and the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail
in the afternoon at 4pm hunting.
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  2
Peregrine Falcon  1
falcon sp.  1
American Crow  100
Common Raven  5
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  12
Bushtit  12
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  15
Golden-crowned Kinglet  30
Brown Creeper  4
Pacific Wren  6
Marsh Wren  6
Bewick's Wren  1
European Starling  200
Varied Thrush  4
American Robin  30
Pine Siskin  100
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
White-crowned Sparrow  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  25
Song Sparrow  21
Lincoln's Sparrow  3     Heard and seen along the Nisqually Estuary Trail
or dike with other sparrows.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  6
Red-winged Blackbird  100
Yellow-rumped Warbler  4
Townsend's Warbler  2     Seen in a mixed flock with Chickadees along the
northwest section of the Twin Barns Loop Trail around 9:30am.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S154572707
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