[Tweeters] Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 9/21/2022

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

22 of us enjoyed a lovely last day of Summer Wednesday Walk with
temperatures in the 40’s to 80’s degrees Fahrenheit. Sunny skies with smog
from the Bolt Creek Fire, we had a light northerly breeze to help keep
the climate comfortable. There was a Low 1ft Tide at 9:20am and a High
12.9ft Tide at 5:04pm, so we did our usual walk.

Highlights included the return of CACKLING GEESE, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET,
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, and SOOTY FOX SPARROW.  Many of our summer breeders
have moved on and we observed only 20 or so BARN SWALLOW and one CASPIAN
TERN.  We had terrific looks of GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN SANDPIPER and
LEAST SANDPIPER.  We observed thousands of waterfowl on the flooded
mudflats on the incoming tide, most in non-breeding or eclipse plumage,
with high counts of NORTHERN PINTAIL.  See eBird list pasted.

We saw 66 species for the day, and have seen 165 species this year.  Until
next week when we meet again at the Visitor Center Overlook at 8am, happy
birding.

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

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Sep 21, 2022 7:44 AM - 7:07 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Temperatures in the 50’s to 80’s
degrees Fahrenheit. Sunny with smog from the Bolt Creek Fire. Light
northerly breeze. A Low 1ft Tide at 9:20am and a High 12.9ft Tide at
5:04pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed
Deer, Coyote, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Townsend’s Chipmunk.
66 species (+4 other taxa)

Cackling Goose  8
Canada Goose  20
Wood Duck  7
Northern Shoveler  1
American Wigeon  100
Mallard  100
Northern Pintail  3000     Observed approximately 4-5,000 waterfowl over
flooded mudflats and marsh on an incoming tide. The predominant species was
Northern Pintail. Several hundred American Wigeon were seen, as well
smaller numbers of Mallards and Green-winged Teal. Birds observed and
counted by several birders in groups of 1000. Discussion at end of walk
concluded consensus of approximately 3000 Northern Pintail.
Green-winged Teal  50
Common Merganser  8
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Band-tailed Pigeon  4
Mourning Dove  1
Anna's Hummingbird  1
Semipalmated Plover  2
Killdeer  5
Least Sandpiper  200
Western Sandpiper  400
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  15
Rhinoceros Auklet  5
Short-billed Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  400
California Gull  50
Glaucous-winged Gull  4
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  8
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  25
Larus sp.  100
Caspian Tern  1
Common Loon  2
Brandt's Cormorant  8
Double-crested Cormorant  60
Great Blue Heron  40
Osprey  1
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  8
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  5
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  2
Steller's Jay  6
California Scrub-Jay  1
American Crow  10
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  8
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Violet-green Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
Golden-crowned Kinglet  10
Brown Creeper  6
Pacific Wren  2
Bewick's Wren  6
European Starling  200
Swainson's Thrush  3
American Robin  6
American Pipit  30
American Goldfinch  6
Fox Sparrow  3
Dark-eyed Junco  1
White-crowned Sparrow  3
Golden-crowned Sparrow  12
Savannah Sparrow  10
Song Sparrow  20
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  30
Orange-crowned Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  2
warbler sp. (Parulidae sp.)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S119170118
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