[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR for 9/27/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Fifteen intrepid birders endured a wet and windy Wednesday at the Refuge
with rain in the morning, clouds in the afternoon and temperatures in the
50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low -0'9" Tide at 10:31am and
a High 13'10" Tide at 5:20pm.  There were some nice rewards for our
dedication including migrating HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER in the Orchard,
hundreds of VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW swirling in high flying flocks, migrating
WARBLING VIREO along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, a large
flock of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE on the surge plain north of the
Nisqually Estuary Trail (WESTERN MEADOWLARK as well), and a gorgeous adult
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK along the Nisqually River north of the dike.  With the
blustery conditions, the RSHA seemed to fall off a perch providing some
interesting photos embedded in the eBird list.

For the day we observed 71 Species, and have seen 162 species this year.
There was some nice shorebird action as well on the incoming tide.
Numerous Red-legged Frogs were seen on the trail with our other expected
mammals, amphibians and reptiles.  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
Sep 27, 2023 7:30 AM - 4:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.586 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Rainy in the morning, cloudy in the
afternoon with sun breaks.  Windy with gusts.  Temperatures in the 50’s to
60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low -0’9” Tide at 10:31am and a High 13’10” Tide
at 5:20pm.  Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, and Harbor Seal. Numerous Red-legged Frogs, Pacific Tree Frog and
American Bullfrog. Red-eared Slider in borrow slough.
71 species (+3 other taxa)

Greater White-fronted Goose  40
Cackling Goose (minima)  300
Northern Shoveler  50
Gadwall  2
American Wigeon  200
Mallard  100
Northern Pintail  600
Green-winged Teal  100
Hooded Merganser  12
Common Merganser  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  5
Virginia Rail  1
Black-bellied Plover  8
Killdeer  1
Least Sandpiper  150
Pectoral Sandpiper  1
Western Sandpiper  100
Long-billed Dowitcher  15
Wilson's Snipe  1
Spotted Sandpiper  3
Greater Yellowlegs  30
Short-billed Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  300
California Gull  5
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  15
Larus sp.  200
Caspian Tern  1
Brandt's Cormorant  8
Double-crested Cormorant  175
Great Blue Heron  20
Turkey Vulture  11
Northern Harrier  2
Cooper's Hawk  2
Bald Eagle  9
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Observed flying, perched, and falling from perch
along the Nisqually River north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail for 5
minutes. Observed with bins and scopes, and interacting with Red-tailed
Hawk. Small buteo with banded tail and speckled wings, white crescents on
flight feathers, red head, body and shoulders. Photos of bird falling from
perch perhaps secondary to windy conditions.
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2
Northern Flicker  2
Merlin  1
Peregrine Falcon  1
Hammond's Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  2
Steller's Jay  1
American Crow  75
Common Raven  6
Black-capped Chickadee  12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1
Violet-green Swallow  175
Barn Swallow  125
Cliff Swallow  2     Seen foraging with Barn Swallows over fields from Twin
Barns Observation Platform. Dark throated swallow with buffy rump and light
forehead.
Bushtit  21
Golden-crowned Kinglet  8
Brown Creeper  3
Bewick's Wren  2
European Starling  75
Swainson's Thrush  1
American Robin  20
Cedar Waxwing  20
American Pipit  30
Purple Finch  1
American Goldfinch  6
Dark-eyed Junco  1
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  12
Savannah Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  32
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  4
Western Meadowlark  2
Red-winged Blackbird  10
Common Yellowthroat  2
new world warbler sp.  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S150938594
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