[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 12/21/2022

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets!  Happy Holidays!

18 of us had a birdy day at the Refuge, despite the chilly weather with
mostly cloudy skies, light snow, northerly breeze, and temperatures in the
20's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low 8.3ft Tide at 9:40am, and a High
14.3ft Tide at 2:37pm.  Highlights included ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER feeding
from a sapsucker farm on a Pear Tree, SNOW GOOSE and TRUMPETER SWAN fly
overs, AMERICAN KESTREL, two BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the mudflats, and
AMERICAN PIPITS in the freshwater marsh.

Starting out at the Visitor Center at 8am, the Visitor Center Pond was good
for RING-NECKED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN WIGEON and MALLARD.  A WILSON'S
SNIPE was bobbing and foraging on the waters edge adjacent to the spring
just right of the platform.

The Orchard was good for FOX SPARROW and SONG SPARROW.  VARIED THRUSH was
seen along the entrance road.  We had great looks of RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET during a flurry
of activity as both the warbler and kinglet fed from the sapsucker farm in
a Pear Tree.  I'm not sure if they were eating bugs, sap or both, but the
little birds were whirling around the tree trunk while two sapsuckers kept
busy working on the sap wells.

The flooded fields adjacent to the Access Road were great for CACKLING
GEESE, NORTHERN SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED
TEAL, and AMERICAN COOT.  A single SNOW GOOSE was seen flying and circling
overhead.  WESTERN MEADOWLARK was observed foraging in the grassy field
just west of the west parking lot.  A nice flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS
fed by the green gate and two WILSON'S SNIPE flew in to forage along the
watersedge.  A gorgeous male AMERICAN KESTREL showed off his hovering
skills in the chilly breeze.

The west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail was good for
BEWICK'S/PACIFIC/and MARSH WREN.  Both HOUSE FINCH and PURPLE FINCH were
heard and seen.  The Twin Barns Overlook had great looks of both HAIRY
WOODPECKER and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.  There were good numbers of AMERICAN
ROBIN flying around.  On our return from the Estuary Trail in the afternoon
the AMERICAN BITTERN was relocated in the slough adjacent to the barns.

Unfortunately we were not able to relocate the Red-shouldered Hawk on the
Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike, hopefully it will show again when it
warms up over the weekend.  With the incoming tide, we did have really nice
looks of LEAST SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS and BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVER.  We probably observed over 1000 Dunlin split up into a few large
flocks.  We had a nice fly over of a TRUMPETER SWAN.  Other Swans were seen
out on the boardwalk, but remained unidentified (Trumpeter/Tundra).
NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-TAILED HAWK, BALD EAGLE, and PEREGRINE FALCON were
all hunting the Refuge.  As well COMMON RAVEN looking for carion.  Many of
our group enjoyed close views of a flock of 15 AMERICAN PIPITS in the
freshwater marsh.

The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was good for COMMON GOLDENEYE, HORNED
GREBE, GREATER SCAUP, and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT.  We had close looks of
SHORT-BILLED GULL, RING-BILLED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and WESTERN X
GLAUCOUS-WINGED hybrid GULL.  We had distant looks at HERRING GULL and
EURASIAN WIGEON.  BRANDT'S CORMORANT were seen on the Nisqually River
channel marker.  With the northerly wind and rough chop on the water, it
was difficult to scope the water of the reach.  A very dark charcoal
HARLAN'S variety of Red-tailed Hawk was seen soaring high over the Refuge.

On our return we located 4 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER foraging adjacent to GWTE in
the north east corner of the surge plain.  Two PEREGRINE FALCON harassed
each other, nearly locking talons.  One was smaller than the other, so
perhaps a breeding pair with courtship behavior.  A small flock of
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER were seen in the freshwater marsh.

We saw 70 species for the day, with 171 species for the year.  Mammals seen
included Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Coyote, Eastern Gray Squirrel, and
Harbor Seal.

Until next week when we meet again, happy birding.

Shep
-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Dec 21, 2022 8:02 AM - 3:35 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.856 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Mostly cloudy with light snow.
Temperature in the 20’s to 30’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 8.3ft Tide at
9:40am, and a High 14.3ft Tide at 2:37pm. Mammals seen Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Coyote, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal.
69 species (+5 other taxa)

Snow Goose  1
Cackling Goose (minima)  1000
Canada Goose  50
Trumpeter Swan  1
Trumpeter/Tundra Swan  3
Northern Shoveler  100
Gadwall  25
Eurasian Wigeon  1
American Wigeon  1000
Mallard  250
Northern Pintail  500
Green-winged Teal  750
Ring-necked Duck  8
Greater Scaup  1
Bufflehead  200
Common Goldeneye  30
Horned Grebe  6
Anna's Hummingbird  1
American Coot  20
Black-bellied Plover  2
Killdeer  6
Dunlin  1000
Least Sandpiper  150
Long-billed Dowitcher  4
Wilson's Snipe  3
Greater Yellowlegs  25
Short-billed Gull  75
Ring-billed Gull  75
Herring Gull  1
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  50
Larus sp.  150
Brandt's Cormorant  7
Double-crested Cormorant  5
American Bittern  1
Great Blue Heron  10
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  10
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Red-tailed Hawk (Harlan's)  1
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  4
American Kestrel  1
Peregrine Falcon  2
American Crow  50
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  20
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  4
Golden-crowned Kinglet  15
Brown Creeper  7
Pacific Wren  3
Marsh Wren  2
Bewick's Wren  2
European Starling  600
Varied Thrush  2
American Robin  25
American Pipit  15
House Finch  1
Purple Finch  2
American Goldfinch  5
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  7
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
White-crowned Sparrow  4
Golden-crowned Sparrow  40
Song Sparrow  25
Spotted Towhee  6
Western Meadowlark  2
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S124394252
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