[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 9/11/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

a delayed report for last Wednesday's walk.  Approximately 25 of us had a
nice day at the Refuge with mild temperatures and mostly cloudy skies.
There was a High 11'2" Tide at 1:56pm.  Highlights included a very vocal
HUTTON'S VIREO across the entrance to the Education Center Parking Lot, a
nice mixed flock of WARBLING VIREO/YELLOW WARBLER/ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER at
the Twin Barn Access Road junction with the Nisqually Estuary Trail, three
groups of SANDHILL CRANE flying south over the Refuge from the Sound, BROWN
PELICAN at the mouth of the Nisqually River, and a great PEREGRINE FALCON
show hunting the numerous shorebirds on the mudflats.  Notable mammals
included 4 River Otters in McAllister Creek.

For the day we observed 77 species.  With the FOY Brown Pelican we now have
seen 166 species this year.  See eBird report pasted below with photos
embedded.

Until next week when we meet 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
Sep 11, 2024 7:53 AM - 5:43 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.145 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy skies in the early morning
and partly cloudy skies in the late morning and afternoon.  Temperatures in
the 50’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed
Deer, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Harbor Seal, and River Otter.  Also
seen Pacific Tree Frog, Red-legged Frog, Red-eared Slider.
77 species (+4 other taxa)

Wood Duck  3
Northern Shoveler  4
Gadwall  1
American Wigeon  40
Mallard  60
Northern Pintail  510
Green-winged Teal (American)  1200     Counted over 1700 waterfowl on the
tidal mudflats west of Leschi Slough. 70% GWTE, 30% NOPI.
Common Merganser  4
Horned Grebe  8     Nisqually Reach.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  35
Mourning Dove  1
Anna's Hummingbird  3
hummingbird sp.  1
Virginia Rail  2     Freshwater marsh.
Sandhill Crane  15     Three different groups flew over the Refuge from the
sound and south into the Valley. Photos. Distinctive, large gray crane with
red cap and extended neck in flight. Croaking call.  Seen from dike.
Killdeer  2
Semipalmated Plover  8
Whimbrel  1     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail north of McAllister Creek
Observation Platform.
Wilson's Snipe  5     Freshwater marsh.
Spotted Sandpiper  4     West bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  20
Least Sandpiper  240
Western Sandpiper  360
Rhinoceros Auklet  4     Nisqually Reach.
Short-billed Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  400
California Gull  30
Glaucous-winged Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  30
Larus sp.  300
Caspian Tern  4
Common Loon  1     Nisqually Reach.
Brandt's Cormorant  4     Nisqually channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  40
Brown Pelican  1     Observed perched on snag at mouth of Nisqually River.
Seen from Puget Sound Observation Platform with spotting scope. Photo.
Large billed waterbird with brown back and head.
Great Blue Heron  40
Northern Harrier  2
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  10
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  4
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  2
Merlin  1
Peregrine Falcon  2     Possible three. Hunting tidal flats.
Willow Flycatcher  2
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope)  1
Hutton's Vireo  1
Warbling Vireo  6
Steller's Jay  1
American Crow  20
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Violet-green Swallow  2
Purple Martin  2
Barn Swallow (American)  92
Bushtit (Pacific)  15
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
Brown Creeper  4
Marsh Wren  2
Bewick's Wren  8
European Starling  400
Swainson's Thrush  3
American Robin  10
American Pipit  40     Nisqually Estuary Trail
Red Crossbill  4
American Goldfinch  1
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  4
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  20
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  23
Spotted Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  30
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  3
Common Yellowthroat  30
Yellow Warbler (Northern)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  1
Wilson's Warbler  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S194804584
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