[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr NWR for 3/22/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 25 of us had a fun, first of Spring, Wednesday Walk with fog
and chill in the morning and sun and warmth in the afternoon.  Temperatures
were from the 30's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a High 14.8ft
Tide at 6:52am and a Low 1.8ft Tide at 1:14pm.  We decided to chase the
tide and forgo our regular route by walking the Access Road directly to the
Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike and make the most of the waters edge in the
Estuary.  Highlights included FOY EURASIAN or COMMON GREEN-WINGED TEAL
north of the McAllister Creek Observation Platform, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
showing nicely at both the Visitor Center Pond Overlook and Twin Barns
Observation Platform, continuing RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in the Maple Trees
next to the Twin Barns, and nesting BALD EAGLE in the large Cottonwood Tree
on the west bank of the Nisqually River north of the River Overlook.  We
also observed nesting BROWN CREEPER under bark shingles on large Maple
Trees next to the Twin Barns and along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop
Trail.

We observed 66 species for the day and have seen 105 species for the year.
Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Coyote, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel and Harbor Seal.  See eBird list
pasted below.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am, Happy Birding,
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Mar 22, 2023 6:51 AM - 3:42 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.136 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Foggy in the morning, sunny in the
afternoon. Temperatures in the 30’s to 60’s. There was a High 14.8ft Tide
at 6:52am and a Low 1.8ft Tide at 1:14pm.  Mammals seen Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Coyote, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal and
Columbian Black-tailed Deer.
66 species (+7 other taxa)

Brant (Black)  15
Cackling Goose (minima)  1000
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  20
Northern Shoveler  200
Gadwall  30
Eurasian Wigeon  3
American Wigeon  623
Mallard  200
Northern Pintail  200
Green-winged Teal (Eurasian)  1     Observed foraging on mudflats with
American Green-winged Teal with 60x spotting scope at 300-400 feet.
Digiscope photo taken. No vertical white bar, horizontal white bar between
side and folded wing, more prominent white lines around green eye patch.
Seen on Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Train north of the McAllister Creek
Observation Platform, and east of the boardwalk. Seen for 15 minutes.
Green-winged Teal (American)  400
dabbling duck sp.  100
Ring-necked Duck  7
Surf Scoter  15
Bufflehead  150
Common Goldeneye  32
Hooded Merganser  4
Common Merganser  4
Red-breasted Merganser  18
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Horned Grebe  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  20
Mourning Dove  2
Anna's Hummingbird  2
Rufous Hummingbird  2     Male birds at Visitor Center Pond Overlook and
Twin Barns Overlook.
hummingbird sp.  1
American Coot (Red-shielded)  200
Least Sandpiper  3
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  25
Bonaparte's Gull  1     Observed flying over mudflats east of Nisqually
Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  30
Glaucous-winged Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  2
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Double-crested Cormorant  4
cormorant sp.  X
Great Blue Heron  15
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  9     Two active nests, one over Twin Barns, the other west of
Nisqually River north the the Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1     Maple Trees around Twin Barns.
Downy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  1
Steller's Jay  2
American Crow  75
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  6
Tree Swallow  30
Violet-green Swallow  12
Bushtit  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  10
Golden-crowned Kinglet  20
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1     Heard west side of McAllister Creek.
Brown Creeper  12
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  6
Bewick's Wren  5
European Starling  50
American Robin  75
Purple Finch  3
American Goldfinch  4
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  2
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  21
Spotted Towhee  6
Red-winged Blackbird  20
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  7

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S131570645
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