[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR, 10/11/2023.

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Twenty plus intrepid birders endured another wet Wednesday that was very
productive.  Temperatures were in the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit and
we had intermittent rain with a couple of sun breaks.  There was a Low 2'0"
Tide at 10;21am and a High 12'11" Tide at 5:04pm, so we did our regular
route.  Highlights included First Of Year WHITE-THROATED SPARROW x 3 in the
Orchard and HEERMANN'S GULL roosting on the mud next to the confluence
between Shannon Slough and McAllister Creek.  The Orchard was very birdy in
the morning with high numbers of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET/GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLET and sparrows.  BLUE-WINGED TEAL was briefly seen from the first
twin bench overlook on the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.  Nice
looks of a continuing first year RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, perched and hunting
the freshwater marsh.  Good numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds with the
tidal push and up close views of EURASIAN WIGEON, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER,
and PECTORAL SANDPIPER.  The back end of the group located the GREAT HORNED
OWL perched in a Red Alder on the inside of the Twin Barns Loop Trail just
north of the east side twin bench overlook.

We observed 82 species for the day and our year list bumped up 2 to 171
species.  Sadly there were no additional reports of the Nazca Boody after
last Wednesday.

I'm headed off to Thailand for a month and will be back on November 15th.
Ken Brown (Olympia Ken), Rob Chrisler, Jim Pruske, Bill and Carol Langford,
and a strong group of regulars will continue to lead the walk in my
absence.  I'm certain they will have additional fun finds while I'm away.

Until next week, when the group meets again at 8am at the Visitor Center
Pond Overlook.

Happy birding,
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Oct 11, 2023 7:36 AM - 5:13 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.05 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Intermittent rain with temperatures
in the 50’s and 60’s. A Low 2’0” Tide at 10:21am and a High 12’11” Tide at
5:04. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, and Harbor Seal. Pacific
Tree Frog.
82 species (+4 other taxa)

Snow Goose  5     Mouth of Nisqually River, seen from Puget Sound
Observation Platform.
Greater White-fronted Goose  30
Cackling Goose (minima)  3000
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  2
Blue-winged Teal  1     Spotted by Elijah and Lin at the first Twin Bench
Overlook on the West side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. Compared to area
AGWT, larger bird, bigger bill, powder blue on wing coverts, dark and light
contrasting pattern on face. Observed with spotting scopes at 50-75 feet.
Northern Shoveler  30
Eurasian Wigeon  1     Shannon Slough. Molting adult male.
American Wigeon  750
Mallard  100
Northern Pintail  2000     Photos of odd looking molting Drake.  Steep
forebrow with left lateral deviation of bill.  Interesting coloration.
Possible hybridization with other species?
Green-winged Teal  3000     Observed over 1 thousand in the surge plain,
over 1 thousand in the tidal estuary, and over 1 thousand on Nisqually
Reach.
Surf Scoter  40     McAllister Creek and Nisqually Reach
White-winged Scoter  6     Off Luhr Beach
Hooded Merganser  12
Red-breasted Merganser  2     Nisqually Reach.
Horned Grebe  12
Western Grebe  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  9
Mourning Dove  1     Orchard.
Anna's Hummingbird  3
Black-bellied Plover  2
Killdeer  3
Dunlin  100
Least Sandpiper  150
Pectoral Sandpiper  1     Spotted by Heather on incoming tide at 2pm,
losely foraging with Long-billed Dowitchers.
Western Sandpiper  75
Short-billed Dowitcher  1     Seen from start of Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail, foraging alone along Shannon Slough.
Long-billed Dowitcher  75
Wilson's Snipe  3     Visitor Center Pond and Freshwater Marsh.
Spotted Sandpiper  2     West bank of  McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  20
Rhinoceros Auklet  5
Heermann's Gull  1     Observed from McAllister Creek Viewing Platform.
Second year bird. Photo.
Short-billed Gull  2
Ring-billed Gull  200
California Gull  25
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  25
Larus sp.  100
Common Loon  10
Brandt's Cormorant  9     Nisqually River channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  200
Great Blue Heron  25
Turkey Vulture  2     Seen from Parking Lot
Northern Harrier  3
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  15
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Continuing first year bird seen perched from
Nisqually Estuary Trail or Dike in the freshwater marsh south of the green
gate. Small buteo with prominent banded tail and white spots on mantle.
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Great Horned Owl  1     Seen perched 20-30 feet high in a Red Alder in the
Riparian Forest along the East side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail just north
of the twin bench overlook.
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2
Northern Flicker  3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  2
Peregrine Falcon  2     Hunting tidal estuary and surg plain.
Steller's Jay (Coastal)  1     West bank of McAllister Creek.
American Crow  75
Common Raven  6
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  15
Violet-green Swallow  30
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  20
Golden-crowned Kinglet  15
Brown Creeper  4
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  1
Bewick's Wren  3
European Starling  500
Varied Thrush  2
American Robin  15
Cedar Waxwing  12
American Pipit  8
Pine Siskin  50
American Goldfinch  2
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  3
Golden-crowned Sparrow  30
White-throated Sparrow  3     Orchard.
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  8
Song Sparrow  34
Lincoln's Sparrow  3     North of dike between dike and surg plain.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  5
Red-winged Blackbird  40
Common Yellowthroat  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S151991619

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
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