[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 3/29/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets,

A wonderful spring day at the Refuge where approximately 32 of us enjoyed
partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 40's to 60's degrees
Fahrenheit.  There was a low High 10.1ft Tide at 11:23am, so we did our
usual route.  Highlights included a BUSHTIT nest in the Orchard, FOY
CINNAMON TEAL in the flooded field south of the old McAllister Creek Access
Road, BALD EAGLE on the nest north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail on the
west bank of the Nisqually River, WILSON'S SNIPE in the freshwater marsh,
EURASIAN WIGEON in McAllister Creek and a female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
checking out mossy branches over the borrow ditch slough along the east
side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.  One of the biggest surprises of the day
was PHIL KELLEY visiting from Arizona.  Phil started the walk 20 years ago
in 2003, and migrated back for a visit, while he was in town to see
family.  It was a great surprise and terrific to see Phil again.

Starting out at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook we had nice views
of PIED-BILLED GREBE, RING-NECKED DUCK, and HOODED MERGANSER.

The Orchard was good for both RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLET,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, VARIED THRUSH, and MOURNING DOVE.  PURPLE FINCH
were singing in multiple trees.  Rob found BUSHTITs actively building a
nest in a Douglas Fir Tree.

The flooded fields along the Access Road were great for all waterfowl
including NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL,
GREEN-WINGED TEAL and AMERICAN COOT.  We had good views of First Of Year
CINNAMON TEAL, males x 2, in the flooded field west of the west end parking
lot and south of the restricted old McAllister Creek Access Road.  Liam
pointed out a vocalizing FOY SORA calling just west of the Twin Barns.
Good numbers, 40+, TREE SWALLOWS foraged over the fields and a few
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS were heard and seen.

The west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail was good for FOX SPARROW,
BEWICK'S WREN, and RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD at the cut-off for the Twin Barns.
We observed two clusters of salamander eggs on submerged grass stalks
adjacent to the cut-off.  A BROWN CREEPER nest was located in a large Maple
Tree in the NE corner of the Twin Barns cut-off junction with the Access
Road.  GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWs continue around the Twin Barns,
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWs  were seen as well.  The Twin Barns Overlook had an
additional RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD defending an area of flowering bramble
adjacent to the slough.  A single BARN SWALLOW was seen.

A BALD EAGLE continues sitting in the nest north of the Nisqually Estuary
Trail, new dike, on the west bank of the Nisqually River.  Hopefully the
nest will be successful.  Kathleen found a WILSON'S SNIPE and Jon pointed
out a female EURASIAN WIGEON in the freshwater marsh.  LINCOLN'S SPARROW
was seen along the dike.  The marsh had good numbers of CACKLING GEESE,
both minima's and taverner's.  Liam spotted a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the
mudflats along with numerous GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was good for SURF SCOTER,
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, COMMON GOLDENEYE, SMALL-BILLED GULL, RING-BILLED
GULLS and BIG GUYS (Glaucous-winged Gull, Western x Glaucous-winged Gull
hybrid).  We had great looks at three EURASIAN WIGEON, LEAST SANDPIPER, and
COMMON LOON.  SPOTTED SANDPIPER was seen on the west bank of McAllister
Creek.  HORNED GREBE, BRANT GEESE, and both DOUBLE-CRESTED and BRANDT'S
CORMORANT were observed on the reach from the Puget Sound Viewing
Platform.  A distant intergrade EURASIAN X AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL was
seen in a tributary off Shannon Slough.

The Nisqually River Overlook was good for COMMON MERGANSER.

We picked up DOWNY WOODPECKER, PACIFIC WREN and a female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
exploring mossy branches in an Alder Tree on the east side of the Twin
Barns Loop Trail.

For the day we had 73 species, and we've observed 107 species this year.
Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel,
Mink at the Twin Barns and east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, Harbor
Seal and Coyote.

Until next week, happy birding,
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Mar 29, 2023 7:23 AM - 4:31 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.2 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Partly cloudy in the morning with
sunny skies in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 40’s to 60’s degrees
Fahrenheit. A High 10.1ft Tide at 11:23am. Mammals seen Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Mink at Twin Barns and east side of Twin Barns Loop
Trail, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Coyote.
73 species (+6 other taxa)

Brant (Black)  55     Mouth of Leschi Slough, visible from Puget Sound
Viewing Platform.
Cackling Goose (minima)  1100
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  75
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  30     Occupied nest along the north
section of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.  On the inside of the trail in the
old Great Horned Owl nest tree.
Wood Duck  6     Visitor Center Pond
Cinnamon Teal  2     Flooded field west of west end parking lot and south
of restricted McAllister Creek Access Road
Northern Shoveler  125
Gadwall  45     Shannon Slough
Eurasian Wigeon  4     Three males and one female. Female in freshwater
marsh, males in McAllister Creek.
American Wigeon  800
Mallard  200
Northern Pintail  500
Green-winged Teal (American)  500
Green-winged Teal (Eurasian x American)  1     Observed at 1/4 mile with
60x spotting scope foraging on mud flats with other GWTE. Male with very
faint vertical bar on side and more prominent white lines around green eye
patch. Seen on mudflats between Shannon Slough and McAllister Creek
southwest of entrance to Nisqually Boardwalk Trail.
Ring-necked Duck  9     Visitor Center Pond.
Surf Scoter  75     McAllister Creek
scoter sp.  25
Bufflehead  200
Common Goldeneye  60
Hooded Merganser  8
Common Merganser  5     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  40     McAllister Creek.
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Horned Grebe  12     McAllister Creek and Nisqually Reach.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  11
Mourning Dove  1     Orchard.
Anna's Hummingbird  3     Orchard and Riparian Forest Overlook.
Rufous Hummingbird  10     Orchard, Twin Barns cut-off, Twin Barns
overlook, north loop trail, east side of loop trail.
Sora  1     Heard. Twin Barn.
American Coot  200
Black-bellied Plover  1     Mudflats west of Leschi Slough
Least Sandpiper  50
Wilson's Snipe  1     Fresh water Marsh, flooded field.
Spotted Sandpiper  3     McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  25
Short-billed Gull  150
Ring-billed Gull  75
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  4
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  40
Larus sp.  100
Common Loon  2     McAllister Creek.
Brandt's Cormorant  6     Nisqually River channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  12
Great Blue Heron  20
Bald Eagle  15     Occupied nest north of Nisqually Estuary Trail and west
of Nisqually River.  Occupied nest on McAllister Creek Hill west of Puget
Sound Observation Platform.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  1     Nest in bank on west side of McAllister Creek
between last overlook of Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail and the terminus
at the Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  4
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
American Crow  40
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  20     East side of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1
Tree Swallow  35
Violet-green Swallow  3
Barn Swallow  1
Bushtit (Pacific)  2     Orchard
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  15
Golden-crowned Kinglet  8
Brown Creeper  6     Large Maple in NE corner of intersection between Twin
Barns cut-off and Access Road.
Pacific Wren  2
Marsh Wren  10
Bewick's Wren  6
European Starling  4
Varied Thrush  1     Orchard.
American Robin  50
House Finch  1
Purple Finch  6
American Goldfinch  1
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  2
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Song Sparrow  31
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  4
Red-winged Blackbird  35
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  8

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S132183429
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