[Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr NWR Wednesday Walk for 1/31/2024

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

26 of us enjoyed a fairly dry Wednesday at the Refuge with temperatures in
the 50's degrees Fahrenheit and intermittent light rain.  There was a High
14'2" Tide at 9:05am.  Highlights included a dark MERLIN in the Peregrine
Tree (Douglas Fir in the Visitor Center Pond), good numbers of BROWN
CREEPER along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER and DUNLIN and WILSON'S SNIPE seen in the flooded field from the
Twin Barns Overlook, WESTERN GULL and GREATER SCAUP scoped from the closure
gate at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, 17 plus COMMON
MERGANSER at the Nisqually River Overlook, and both SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and
COOPER'S HAWK in the forest at the Riparian Forest Overlook.  Rare
sightings included SEMIPALMATED PLOVER in the right corner of the surge
plain, WESTERN SANDPIPER mixed in with a large flock of DUNLIN, and upwards
of 6 BARN SWALLOW foraging over the freshwater marsh.  The weather was
spring-like, numerous species were displaying and singing.  The PACIFIC
WREN and various frogs were very vocal.

We observed 71 species for the day.  With FOY Western Gull and Greater
Scaup we have seen 91 species this year.  Our eBird List is pasted below
with photos embedded.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Overlook,
happy birding!

Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742


Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jan 31, 2024 7:57 AM - 4:27 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.26 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. The skies were overcast with
occasional light rain and mist, with temperatures 50-54º F. A High
14.2-foot tide at 9:05 a.m. ebbed to a 3.75-foot Low water at 3:48 p.m.
Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor
Seal, with active Pacific Chorus Frogs and the first bullfrog viewed this
year.
71 species (+4 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima)  445
Canada Goose  34
Northern Shoveler  155
Gadwall  60
Eurasian Wigeon  2
American Wigeon  475
Mallard  185
Northern Pintail  75
Green-winged Teal  115
Ring-necked Duck  29
Greater Scaup  22
Surf Scoter  45
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  60
Hooded Merganser  16     Most in surge plain at high tide
Common Merganser  17     Nisqually River overlook
Red-breasted Merganser  15
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Visitors' centre pond
Horned Grebe  7
Anna's Hummingbird  1     Orchard
American Coot  80
Killdeer  1
Semipalmated Plover  6     *Continuing; small plover with single breast
band; seen in surge plain near low tide
Long-billed Dowitcher  33     Seen from Twin Barns overlook
Wilson's Snipe  2     Seen from Twin Barns overlook
Spotted Sandpiper  1     McAllister Creek
Greater Yellowlegs  30
Dunlin  875
Least Sandpiper  115     * Flagged for high count, flock of 115 counted by
5x
Western Sandpiper  1     In with flock of Dunlin. Larger than least
sandpiper; pale grey face and throat, grey-brown back rather than brown
back; longer bill
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  120
Western Gull  1     Dark mantle, black primary tips, clear white head
feathers
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  9
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  30
Larus sp.  200     Mouth of the river
Common Loon  3
Brandt's Cormorant  4     Nisqually Reach channel marker.
Pelagic Cormorant  1     Nisqually Reach channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  26
Great Blue Heron  45
Northern Harrier  3
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Cooper's Hawk  1     Immature; both accipiters seen at riparian overlook
boardwalk
Bald Eagle  12
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  2
Belted Kingfisher  1     McAllister Creek, captured large sculpin
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Northern Flicker  3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  3
Merlin  1
American Crow  345
Black-capped Chickadee  14
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Barn Swallow  6     Dark-bellied and throated Hirundids, orange breast and
swallow tails seen foraging high over the cattail marsh near McAllister
Creek dike
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  16
Golden-crowned Kinglet  20
Brown Creeper  7
Pacific Wren  3
Marsh Wren  4
Bewick's Wren  11
European Starling  40
Varied Thrush  3     Orchard
American Robin  24
House Finch  2
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  2
Golden-crowned Sparrow  17
Song Sparrow  21
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  4
Western Meadowlark  1
Red-winged Blackbird  60
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160336752
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