[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 3/6/2024

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

We had a really nice day at the Refuge with dry conditions in comparison to
the last two weeks, partly cloudy skies, and temperatures in the 30's
to 40's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a High 11'7' Tide at 1:02pm.
Approximately 46 birders showed up to enjoy the day with new folks and old
friends.  The Refuge Biologist was performing a monthly bird survey as
well, so many volunteers were spread out throughout the sanctuary.
Highlights included First of Year PURPLE FINCH in the Orchard, PILEATED
WOODPECKER calling from the west bank of McAllister Creek, and WOOD DUCK in
the Visitor Center Pond.  We also had nice looks of a hybrid AMERICAN X
COMMON GREEN-WINGED TEAL in the flooded field north of the old McAllister
Creek Access Road, 7 WILSON'S SNIPE from the Twin Barns Overlook, 11
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in the freshwater marsh, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the
mudflats west of Leschi Slough, and two immature male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
mixed with a flock of SURF SCOTER in McAllister Creek.  A final highlight
was another Little Brown Bat foraging over the Visitor Center Pond Overlook
and then flying into the peak vent overhang of the Visitor Center Roof to
presumably roost.  It really helped boost our species list to have so many
eyes scanning the Refuge.  I located another Northern Saw-whet Owl roost in
a Cedar Tree along the south side of the west parking lot.  No owl was
seen, and all the urates were trapped on branches halfway up the tree.  We
located 4 pellets on the ground below that looked to be a couple weeks old.

For the day we had 78 species, and with FOY Purple Finch, Pileated
Woodpecker, and Wood Duck, we have seen 103 species this year.  See eBird
report pasted below with details on location.

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
Mar 6, 2024 7:31 AM - 4:28 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.442 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Partly cloudy with temperatures in
the 30’s to 40’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 8’8” Tide at 9:06am and a High
11’7” Tide at 1:02pm. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern
Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Little Brown Bat. Several frogs heard, suspect
Pacific Tree Frog and possibly Northern Red-legged Frog.
78 species (+8 other taxa)

Brant (Black)  40     Seen from Puget Sound Observatory Platform on
Nisqually Reach at mouth of Madrone Slough.
Cackling Goose (minima)  825
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  25
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  30
Wood Duck  2     Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
Northern Shoveler  175
Gadwall  30
Eurasian Wigeon  2     Flooded field south of Twin Barns and Twin Barns
Overlook.
American Wigeon  320
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid)  1     Twin Barns Overlook.
Mallard  150
Northern Pintail  250
Green-winged Teal (American)  400
Green-winged Teal (Eurasian x American)  1     Spotted by Elijah on the
flooded field just north of the old McAllister Creek Access Road. Both
horizontal and vertical white bars on sides, prominent white lines around
the green eye patch. Photos.
Ring-necked Duck  6
Surf Scoter  64
White-winged Scoter  2     Two juvenile males with Surf Scoters. McAllister
Creek.
Bufflehead  200
Common Goldeneye  50
Hooded Merganser  8
Common Merganser  5     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  25
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Spotted by Teri in flooded field south of Twin
Barns.
Horned Grebe  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  23
Mourning Dove  1     Orchard.
Anna's Hummingbird  4
American Coot  150
Black-bellied Plover  1     Spotted by Dalton on the mudflats west of
Leschi Slough.
Killdeer  2
Long-billed Dowitcher  11     Freshwater marsh.
Wilson's Snipe  7     Twin Barns Overlook.
Spotted Sandpiper  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  25
Dunlin  1500
Least Sandpiper  60
Western Sandpiper  2     Two peep sized shorebirds mixed in with Dunlin.
Lighter gray back, white throat and shorter bill then area Dunlin.
Previously reported, wintering with Dunlin.
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  75
Glaucous-winged Gull  3     Gray wing-tips with similar shade to mantle.
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  85
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  15
Larus sp.  100
Common Loon  2     Spotted by Ellen from the Puget Sound Viewing Platform
on Nisqually Reach at mouth of McAllister Creek.
Brandt's Cormorant  11     Nisqually River Channel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  12
Great Blue Heron  30
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  18     Two adults in nest/nest tree north of dike and West Bank
of Nisqually River.
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1     Spotted by Steve in a Cedar adjacent to the
west end parking lot.
Downy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1     Heard on the west side of McAllister Creek
Northern Flicker  3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  1
Steller's Jay  1
American Crow  50
Common Raven  5
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Tree Swallow  20
Violet-green Swallow  10
Barn Swallow  1     Previously reported. Seen flying/foraging over flooded
field south of Twin Barns along side Tree and VG Swallows. Dark back, dark
throated, molt in wings and tail with a few light or white flight feathers.
Bushtit  2     Heard/seen by Deni near Nisqually River cut-off.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  10
Golden-crowned Kinglet  20
Brown Creeper  8
Pacific Wren  4
Marsh Wren  4
Bewick's Wren  8
European Starling  50
Varied Thrush  6     Entrance Road and west side of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
American Robin  40
Purple Finch  1     Singing male in Orchard.
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  2
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  10
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  1     Reported by Miles at the Twin
Barns.
Golden-crowned Sparrow  30
Song Sparrow  30
Lincoln's Sparrow  1     West side of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Spotted Towhee  5
Red-winged Blackbird  50
Yellow-rumped Warbler  8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  2
Townsend's Warbler  1     Spotted by Elijah in the Conifers along the
entrance road just north of the Green Gate across the parking lot entrance
to the Education Center.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S164000655
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