[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 11/22/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Dear Tweets,

Approximately 30 of us enjoyed a dry, cool, breezy day at the Refuge with
temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit and a High 14'5" Tide
at 1:25pm.  Highlights included numerous VARIED THRUSH and an
Intergrade NORTHERN FLICKER in the Orchard, WILSON SNIPE in the flooded
fields west of the Access Road along the west side parking lot,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS in the surge plain north of the dike, WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW in the bramble just before Leschi Slough goes under the dike, and
good numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds with the tidal push.  We had nice
looks of CACKLING GEESE, both minima and taverners.  A nice raptor show
with two MERLINs, a PEREGRINE FALCON, at least three NORTHERN HARRIER, and
a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was heard in the riparian stand along the east side
of the Surge Plain.  We had great looks of LEAST SANDPIPER roosting on logs
and dorment gum weed during the high tide at the end of the boardwalk.  We
were unable to relocate any owls, but had nice looks of ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER in mixed flocks in the Orchard and at the Nisqually River
Overlook.  See eBird report copied below.

We observed 67 species for the day, and have seen 172 species this year.
Mammals seen included Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel,
Harbor Seal and Sea Lion on wrecked barge off Dupont.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am, good birding and Happy
Thanksgiving.
Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Nov 22, 2023 7:39 AM - 3:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.446 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Mostly cloudy with temperatures in
the 40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 14’5” Tide at 1:25pm. Mammals
seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and
Sea Lion.
67 species (+7 other taxa)

Greater White-fronted Goose  1
Cackling Goose (minima)  2000
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  40
Canada Goose  30
Northern Shoveler  300
Gadwall  40
Eurasian Wigeon  2
American Wigeon  3670
Mallard  300
Northern Pintail  500
Green-winged Teal  2500     Estimated by 100x, over flooded fields, surge
plain, and tidal estuary.
Ring-necked Duck  2
Greater Scaup  3
Surf Scoter  8
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  5
Hooded Merganser  1
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  10
Horned Grebe  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  25
Mourning Dove  2
Anna's Hummingbird  1
hummingbird sp.  1
American Coot  12
Long-billed Dowitcher  35
Wilson's Snipe  2
Greater Yellowlegs  55
Dunlin  250
Least Sandpiper  400
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  75
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  25
Larus sp.  250
Common Loon  1
Brandt's Cormorant  7
Double-crested Cormorant  20
Great Blue Heron  15
Northern Harrier  3
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  12
Red-shouldered Hawk  1     Vocalizing north of dike or Nisqually Estuary
Trail in Riparian Forest west of the Nisqually river and east of Surge
Plain.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  2
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  3
Northern Flicker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  1
Merlin  2
Peregrine Falcon  1
American Crow  200
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  25
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  14
Golden-crowned Kinglet  24
Brown Creeper  10
Pacific Wren  3
Marsh Wren  8
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  300
Varied Thrush  6
American Robin  40
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  4
Golden-crowned Sparrow  35
White-throated Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  22
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  8
Western Meadowlark  3
Red-winged Blackbird  70
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S155004287
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