[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 9/13/2023

[Shep Thorp]

Hi Tweets!

Approximately 28 of us had a beautiful Autumn Day at the Refuge with foggy
conditions early clearing to sunny skies and temperatures in the 50's to
70's degrees Fahrenheit.  Highlights included continuing SOLITARY SANDPIPER
foraging near WILSON'S SNIPE at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, LINCOLN'S
SPARROW x 3 along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, numerous
COOPER'S HAWK x 3 perched and soaring around the recently mowed fields and
Twin Barns, and continued sightings of GREAT HORNED OWL on the inside of
the Twin Barns Loop Trail just north of the Riparian Forest cut-off.  The
Refuge has started to flood the fields and water can be seen in the field
between the Access and Entrance Road.  We split the walk into a morning
session and afternoon session to catch the evening high tide, where good
numbers of returning waterfowl, mostly in eclipse or non-breeding plumage,
could be enjoyed.  We were not able to relocate a Great Egret seen by some
other birders earlier at the Riparian Forest Overlook, however this slough
does have Pink or "Humpy" Salmon residing during the record Nisqually River
Pink run this year.  A Mink was observed at the Nisqually River cut-off.

For the day, we observed 69 species and have seen 160 species this year.
See eBird lists attached with additional information.

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
Sep 13, 2023 7:32 AM - 2:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.275 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Foggy in the early morning, sunny
late morning with temperatures in the 50’s to 70’s degrees Fahrenheit. A
Low 0’6” Tide at 11:32am. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Mink.
57 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  1
Wood Duck  5     Visitor Center Pond.
American Wigeon  30
Mallard  8
Hooded Merganser  2     Shannon Slough.
Common Merganser  1     Nisqually River.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  50
Band-tailed Pigeon  5
Mourning Dove  1
Anna's Hummingbird  3
Semipalmated Plover  2     Mudflats west of Leschi Slough.
Killdeer  3
Least Sandpiper  8     North of dike, west of Leschi Slough.
Wilson's Snipe  1     Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
Solitary Sandpiper  1     Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
Greater Yellowlegs  6     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Ring-billed Gull  4
California Gull  1
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Blue Heron  15
Cooper's Hawk  3     Twin Barns Overlook and Freshwater Marsh.
Bald Eagle  6
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Great Horned Owl  1     Inside Twin Barns Loop Trail just north of Riparian
Forest Cut-off.
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2     Twin Barns picnic area.
Downy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  3
Peregrine Falcon  1     Freshwater marsh.
Western Wood-Pewee  3     Twin Barns Overlook.
Steller's Jay  2
California Scrub-Jay  3     Orchard.
American Crow  8
Common Raven  1     Nisqually River Overlook.
Black-capped Chickadee  30
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  20
Violet-green Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  50
Cliff Swallow  1
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1     Conifers adjacent to green gate across from
Education Center.
Brown Creeper  6
Marsh Wren  2
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  800
Swainson's Thrush  4
American Robin  4
American Pipit  8     Fly over Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Fox Sparrow  1
White-crowned Sparrow  4
Golden-crowned Sparrow  3
Savannah Sparrow  6
Song Sparrow  15
Lincoln's Sparrow  3     Visitor Center Pond.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  4
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  20
Common Yellowthroat  12
Western Tanager  1     East side of Twin Barns Loop Trail near Beaver
Deceiver.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S149866383

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Sep 13, 2023 3:24 PM - 6:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.793 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk - afternoon. Sunny with temperatures
in the 70’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 12’11’’ Tide at 6:27pm.
41 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  10
Northern Shoveler  6
Gadwall  3
American Wigeon  150
Mallard  10
Northern Pintail  700
Green-winged Teal (American)  40
Hooded Merganser  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  10
Semipalmated Plover  8
Killdeer  2
Least Sandpiper  25
Western Sandpiper  4
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Greater Yellowlegs  9
Short-billed Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  50
California Gull  10
Glaucous-winged Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  1
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  5
Larus sp.  200
Caspian Tern  6
Brandt's Cormorant  8
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Great Blue Heron  30
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  2
Peregrine Falcon  2
American Crow  4
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  6
Tree Swallow  1     Photo. Single juvenile. White throat/breast/belly. No
hip patches or white behind eye.
Barn Swallow (American)  150
Brown Creeper  1
Marsh Wren  1
Bewick's Wren  1
European Starling  300
American Robin  2
American Pipit  2
White-crowned Sparrow  1
Savannah Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  1
Common Yellowthroat  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S149864895
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