[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 4/10/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 30 of us had a nice spring day at the Refuge with
temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a High
14'7" Tide at 6:15am and a Low -0'11" Tide at 12:59pm.  So we skipped the
Orchard, Access Roads, and west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail in
the morning and headed out to the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail to catch
the falling tide.  Highlights included WILSON SNIPE in the flooded field
south of the Twin Barns, Twin Barns Observation Platform, and freshwater
marsh; RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in the Maple Trees at the Twin Barns Picnic
area, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on the mudflats west of Leschi Slough; MARSH
WREN nest in the cattails of the freshwater marsh just east of the entrance
to the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail; and First of Year NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW at the northern section of the Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail along McAllister Creek.  We had a high count of 100 plus
BALD EAGLE with two occupied nests.  With the low tide, exposed reach and
distant waterfowl, there must be plenty of food along with migration.  We
are monitoring nests of CANADA GOOSE, ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD, BUSHTIT and BROWN
CREEPER.  Other FOY included BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and reports of CASPIAN
TERN on the high tide at 8am.

For the day we observed 79 species and have seen 120 species this year.
Mammals seen included Townsend's Chipmunk, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, River Otter, and Harbor
Seal.  We also observed Pacific Tree Frog, Common or NW Garter Snake,
Painted Turtle and Red-eared Slider.

See eBird report below with additional details and embedded photos.

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
Apr 10, 2024 6:59 AM - 5:03 PM
Protocol: Traveling
8.015 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Mostly sunny with temperatures in
the  40’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 14’7” Tide at 6:15am and a Low
-0’11” Tide at 12:59pm. Mammals seen River Otter, Townsend’s Chipmunk,
Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, Harbor Seal. Other seen Pacific Tree Frog, Northwest or Common
Gartersnake, Painted Turtle, and Red-eared Slider.
79 species (+8 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima)  400
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  10
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  35
Wood Duck  5     Visitor Center Pond and Maple Trees at Twin Barns Picnic
Area.
Northern Shoveler  150
Gadwall  20
Eurasian Wigeon  1     Female spotted by Craig in flooded field south of
Twin Barns.
American Wigeon  125
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid)  1     Male observed from Twin Barns
Overlook.
Mallard  100
Northern Pintail  50
Green-winged Teal (American)  500
dabbling duck sp.  1000     Many waterfowl out on the reach flushed by area
Bald Eagle. Suspect predominently Green-winged Teal do to the lack of white
markings on the wing and tight fast flying formation comparable to
shorebirds.
Ring-necked Duck  20
Greater Scaup  2     One seen in freshwater marsh, the other seen in
McAllister Creek.
Bufflehead  100
Common Goldeneye  45
Hooded Merganser  6     Visitor Center Pond and Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Common Merganser  3     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  25
Pied-billed Grebe  2     Freshwater Marsh.
Horned Grebe  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  20
Band-tailed Pigeon  3     Orchard and West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Mourning Dove  1
Anna's Hummingbird  1     Seen by Louis and Alec.
Rufous Hummingbird  4
American Coot (Red-shielded)  125
Black-bellied Plover  2     Mudflats west of Leschi Slough and north of
Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike.
Long-billed Dowitcher  1     Freshwater marsh.
Wilson's Snipe  4
Spotted Sandpiper  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  30
Dunlin  7     Seen by Louis and Alec at the start of the Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail between 8-9am.
Least Sandpiper  20
Short-billed Gull  100
Ring-billed Gull  10
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  22
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Larus sp.  50
Caspian Tern  1     Seen by Louis and Alec between 8-9am north of the
Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike.
Brandt's Cormorant  1     Channel Marker mouth of Nisqually River.
Double-crested Cormorant  5
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  15
Bald Eagle  100     High Count.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  2     West Bank of McAllister Creek
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2     Twin Barns Picnic Area and east side of Twin
Barns Loop Trail.
Downy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1     Heard only.
Northern Flicker  1
Merlin  1     Spotted by Louis and Alec.
Steller's Jay  2
American Crow  8
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Tree Swallow  75
Violet-green Swallow  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  3     Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Barn Swallow  4
Bushtit  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Brown Creeper  4
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  8
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  50
American Robin  20
Purple Finch  1
Pine Siskin  6
American Goldfinch  4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  6
Golden-crowned Sparrow  30
Savannah Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  22
Lincoln's Sparrow  1     Spotted by Whittier north of the dike.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  1
Red-winged Blackbird  50
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  1     Twin Barns picnic area.
Common Yellowthroat  8
Yellow-rumped Warbler  30
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S168087518
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