[Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR - Wednesday Walk for 1/17/2024

[Shep Thorp]

Dear Tweets!

Sixteen intrepid birders endured a cold and wet Wednesday at the Refuge
with cloudy skies and light rain in the morning, and partly cloudy skies
and sun breaks in the afternoon.  Temperatures were in the 30's degrees
Fahrenheit.  There was a High 15'5" Tide at 10:08am.

Highlights included high counts of VARIED THRUSH along the entrance road
and FOX SPARROW in several locations, BRANT GEESE from the closure gate at
the end of Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, and continuing WESTERN
SANDPIPER mixed in with Dunlin and wintering SEMIPALMATED PLOVER in the
surge plain.  There were high counts of DUNLIN, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER,
LEAST SANDPIPER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS with the 15 foot tide.

We observed 58 species for the day, and have seen 85 species this year.
Sightings of KILLDEER, WILSON'S SNIPE, LESSER SCAUP, and BRANT GEESE were
FOY.  eBird list pasted below with notes on locations.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond
Overlook.  Happy birding, stay dry and warm.

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jan 17, 2024 7:41 AM - 2:58 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.262 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with rain in the morning and
sun breaks in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 30’s degrees Fahrenheit. A
High 15’5” Tide at 10:08 am. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer and
Harbor Seal.
58 species (+5 other taxa)

Brant  12     Scoped on reach from closure gate at the end of the Nisqually
Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Cackling Goose (minima)  750
Northern Shoveler  100
Gadwall  45     Visitor Center Pond Overlook and Surge Plain
Eurasian Wigeon  1     Surge plain. Seen from Nisqually Estuary Trail.
American Wigeon  600
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid)  1     Surge plain. Seen from Nisqually
Estuary Trail.
Mallard  200
Northern Pintail  150
Green-winged Teal (American)  600
Lesser Scaup  1     Roosting on marsh plain west of Leschi Slough. Peaked
head behind the eye, typical Scaup bill.
Surf Scoter  70     McAllister Creek and Nisqually Reach.
Bufflehead  125
Common Goldeneye  15
Hooded Merganser  2     Surge Plain
Common Merganser  13     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  40     McAllister Creek
Horned Grebe  4     McAllister Creek.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
American Coot  80
Killdeer  7
Semipalmated Plover  6     Counted, right side of surge plain. Continuing
wintering birds.  Scoped from Nisqually Estuary Trail near aqueduct.  Small
peep sized plover with single breast band.
Long-billed Dowitcher  40     Freshwater marsh and tide flats.
Wilson's Snipe  4     Perched and flying from near edge of surge plain over
the Nisqually Estuary Trail into the freshwater marsh.
Greater Yellowlegs  50
Dunlin  3000     1200 birds seen in freshwater marsh, 2000 plus birds seen
in multiple flocks in surge plain, tide flats and Nisqually Reach.
Least Sandpiper  200     Counted, probably more. Multiple small and
moderate sized flocks seen along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail and
mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Western Sandpiper  8     Two seen with a large flock of Dunlin in the
freshwater marsh. At least 6 seen in a large flock of Dunlin foraging on
the mud west of Leschi Slough. Lighter gray back with white throat in
comparison to surrounding larger Dunlin.
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  100
Glaucous-winged Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  30
Common Loon  3     McAllister Creek.
Brandt's Cormorant  11     Nisqually River Channel Marker on reach.
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Great Blue Heron  5
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  10
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  4
Northern Flicker  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  1
Steller's Jay  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
American Crow  300
Black-capped Chickadee  7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet  8
Brown Creeper  5
Pacific Wren  2
Marsh Wren  1
Bewick's Wren  2
European Starling  50
Varied Thrush  20     Many foraging along the entrance road and around the
parking lots.
American Robin  30
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  15     High count. Seen in the Orchard, west entrance
to Twin Barns Loop Trail, access road to Twin Barns Loop Trail on the west
side, and adjacent to the Twin Barns.
Golden-crowned Sparrow  25
Song Sparrow  25
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  6
Western Meadowlark  4     Freshwater marsh from the Nisqually Estuary Trail
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  15

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159173673
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