[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 4/9/2025

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 40 of us had a really nice spring day at the Refuge with
mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 40’s to 50’s degrees
Fahrenheit.  There was a Low 3’9” Tide at 11:16am and a High 10’9” Tide at
4:38pm.  We walked the Twin Barns Loop Trail counter clockwise, backwards
from usual, to relocate a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nest.

Highlights included First Of Year AMERICAN BITTERN in the freshwater marsh,
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW flying along McAllister Creek, gorgeous male
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH at the Visitor Center, and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.  There
is an AMERICAN ROBIN occupied nest in the breezeway above the entrance to
the Visitor Center.  We had intriguing looks at displaying BAND-TAILED
PIGEONS over the Orchard.  Over the weekend the photographers located
an occupied RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nest on the east side of the Twin Barns Loop
Trail in a broken vertical branch at eye level over the borough slough just
8 railing planks north of the "beaver deceiver".  While enjoying this nest,
James and Leo located two additional nests in the same area.  We had a
spectacular display of four RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER males confronting each
other in either territorial or perhaps breeding pair disputes in the large
Maple Tree at the Nisqually River Overlook.  SNOW GOOSE and GREATER-WHITE
FRONTED GOOSE continue along the Nisqually Estuary Trail.  Out on the
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail we observed a BLACK SCOTER off Luhr
Beach.  Anders spotted a PEREGRINE FALCON which initiated a prolonged hunt
over the mudflats and freshwater marsh in the afternoon on the incoming
tide.  We stomached multiple collisions of Peregrine on waterfowl, but did
not observe a successful kill.

For the day we observed 86 species, with FOY American Bittern, American
Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbird and Northern Rough-winged Swallow we have
seen 118 species this year.  Notable misses included Osprey, Cliff Swallow,
Cinnamon Teal, Great Egret, and Caspian Tern.  Cinnamon Teal and Great
Egret have been reported in the last week, but we could not relocate.  Many
of these species seem to be late in arriving in comparison to previous
years, not sure why?

Mammals seen include Townsend's Chipmunk, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit,
Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Muskrat, and Mary spotted a River Otter
in McAllister Creek.  Others seen include NW Salamander Egg Masses and
Puget Sound Garter Snake.

See our eBird report below for additional information and photos.  Until
next week, when we meet again at 8am, happy birding!

Be well,
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

do-not-reply at ebird.org
10:19 AM (6 hours ago)
to me
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Apr 9, 2025 7:10 AM - 5:33 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.788 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk.  Mostly cloudy with temperatures in
the 40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 3’9” Tide at 11:16am and a High
10’9” Tide at 4:38pm.  Mammals seen Townsend’s Chipmunk, Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, River Otter,
Muskrat, Puget Sound Garter Snake, NW Salamander egg mass.
86 species (+8 other taxa)

Snow Goose  1     Freshwater marsh.
Greater White-fronted Goose (Western)  29     Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Brant (Black)  90     Observed at 3pm from Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk
Trail at mouth of Leschi Slough with scopes.
Cackling Goose (minima)  750
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  35
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  40
Wood Duck  12
Northern Shoveler  100
Gadwall  25
Eurasian Wigeon  2     Flooded field south of Twin Barns. Fresh water marsh.
American Wigeon  400
Mallard  110
Northern Pintail  300
Green-winged Teal (American)  1000
Ring-necked Duck  20
Greater Scaup  80     Observed from Puget Sound Observatory Platform with
scopes off Luhr Beach.
Surf Scoter  20
White-winged Scoter  100     Observed from Puget Sound Observatory Platform
with scopes on Nisqually Reach.
Black Scoter  1     Seen from Puget Sound Observatory Platform with scopes
off Luhr Beach. Male.
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  30
Hooded Merganser  10
Common Merganser  2     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  12
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  14
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern)  12     Visitor Center, Education Center and
Orchard.
Mourning Dove  4
Rufous Hummingbird  8     Nest observed on inside of east side of Twin
Barns Loop Trail 40-80 feet north of Beaver Deceiver at eye level on
precariously located vertical branch over borough slough. Two other nests
see just north of Beaver Deceiver.
Virginia Rail  2     Calling from Visitor Center Pond.
American Coot (Red-shielded)  150
Killdeer  2
Wilson's Snipe  4
Spotted Sandpiper  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  20
Dunlin  500
Least Sandpiper  20
Short-billed Gull  175
Ring-billed Gull  20
California Gull  2
Glaucous-winged Gull  5
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  15
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  100
gull sp.  100
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Horned Grebe  1     Nisqually Reach.
Brandt's Cormorant  4     Nisqually River channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  4
American Bittern  1     FOY!  Great looks from Nisqually Estuary Trail
between Willow “bush” Tree on inside of trail and entrance to Nisqually
Estuary Boardwalk Trail hunting in Freshwater Marsh.
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  20
Accipitrine hawk sp. (former Accipiter sp.)  1
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  16     Occupied nest West Bank of Nisqually River north of
Nisqually River Observatory Platform and West Bank of McAllister Creek
across from Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-breasted Sapsucker  6     One bird seen in nest snag right of Visitor
Center entrance, four males seen displaying in Maple on west side of
Nisqually River Observatory Platform, and one bird seen in Twin Barns
Picnic Area.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  4
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  3
Pileated Woodpecker  1     Heard only from West Bank of McAllister Creek
from Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Northern Flicker  3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  3
Peregrine Falcon  1     Actively hunting entire Refuge.
American Crow  8
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  6
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Tree Swallow  60
Violet-green Swallow  1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2
Barn Swallow (American)  10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  6
Brown Creeper  8
Pacific Wren (pacificus Group)  1
Marsh Wren  16
Bewick's Wren  8
European Starling  50
Varied Thrush  1
Hermit Thrush  1     Seen by Steve from Nisqually River Overlook.
American Robin (migratorius Group)  30
Purple Finch (Western)  6
Pine Siskin  30
American Goldfinch  1
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  15
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  2
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  32
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  30
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Common Yellowthroat  4
Yellow-rumped Warbler  20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  6
Townsend's Warbler  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S224328476
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