[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Dear Tweets,

Another fine Summer Day was enjoyed by approximately 25 birders at the
Refuge with cloudy skies, intermittent drizzle, and cool temperatures in
the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  Highlights included nice looks at the
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE between the Land Trust/Technician Building and the
entrance road along the Orchard, fly over three TURKEY VULTURES along the
Access Road as well BULLOCK'S ORIOLE feeding young, continuing WHIMBREL on
the mudflats with the autumnal return of WESTERN SANDPIPER, continuing
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN at the mouth of the Nisqually River, and many babies
being fed including BARN SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, YELLOW
WARBLER, WOOD DUCK and MALLARD.  See our eBird Report below for additional
details and embedded photos.

For the day we observed 66 species, I thought the American White Pelican
was a FOY but apparently not, we have observed 159 species this year.

Other fun sightings included Exuviae, Mink and Red-legged Frog.

I'll be away next week, Ken/Jon/Pete/Jim/Rob will help co-lead in my
absence.  I look forward to being back on July 23rd.  Until then, happy
birding,

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jul 9, 2025 6:12 AM - 4:47 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.304 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with intermittent drizzle
and temperatures in  the 50’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low -1’10” Tide
at 11:30am. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Mink. Others seen Red-legged Frog, American
Bullfrog, Red-eared Slider and Exuviae of Dragonfly Larva.
66 species (+4 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  150
Wood Duck  10
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal  1
Mallard  20
Hooded Merganser  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  13
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern)  4
Mourning Dove  1
Vaux's Swift  1
Rufous Hummingbird  3
Virginia Rail  1
Sora  1
Killdeer  5
Whimbrel  1     Previously reported. Observed for 10 minutes from Tower
Observation Platform of Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail on mudflats
adjacent to Shannon Slough. Also seen on mudflats west of Leschi Slough.
Large brown shorebird with long decurved bill and brown crown stripes.
Photos.
Wilson's Snipe  1
Spotted Sandpiper  3
Greater Yellowlegs  6
Least Sandpiper  15
Western Sandpiper  3
peep sp.  550     Most likely large flock of WESA, but too far out on reach
to definitively identify.  Spotted by Janel but seen by many, murmuration
of peeps 500-1000 birds at 1 mile adjacent to mouth of Nisqually River.
Scoped, peep sized shorebirds, mostly white undersides but otherwise
brown-gray. No black bellies.
Ring-billed Gull  75
California Gull  100
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  10
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  10
Caspian Tern  4
Brandt's Cormorant  9
Pelagic Cormorant  1
Double-crested Cormorant  25
Great Blue Heron  40
American White Pelican  3     Previously reported by Gene Revelas, finely
picked up by Wednesday Walk. Large white arial waterbird with distinctive
large yellow bill. Roosting at mouth of Nisqually River. Scoped at 1 mile
with 60x spotting scope.
Turkey Vulture  3
Bald Eagle  20     Nest seen from Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Belted Kingfisher  5
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1     Education Center.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
Western Wood-Pewee  5
Willow Flycatcher  4
Steller's Jay  1     McAllister Hill
American Crow  7
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  5
Bank Swallow  4
Tree Swallow  15
Violet-green Swallow  2
Purple Martin  4     Luhr Beach.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2
Barn Swallow (American)  75     Visitor Center.
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group)  75     Observation Tower and McAllister
Observation Platform.
Bushtit (Pacific)  14
Brown Creeper  7
Marsh Wren  3
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group)  3
European Starling  150
Swainson's Thrush  39
American Robin  30
Cedar Waxwing  13
Purple Finch (Western)  2
American Goldfinch  42
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  2     West end parking lot.
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  3
Song Sparrow  20
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  3
Bullock's Oriole  3     Access Road west of west end parking lot. And
Nisqually River cut off.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  150
Brown-headed Cowbird  20
Common Yellowthroat  7
Yellow Warbler (Northern)  25

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S258686196
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