[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/3/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets!

Approximately 35 of us had a really fun Summer day at the Refuge with
overcast skies in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon and
temperatures in the 60's to 80's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low -2'5"
Tide at 10:27am.  Highlights included Long-tailed Weasel adult and 2 young
in the Orchard, Coyote pup along the entrance road, good numbers and
diversity of birds with many juveniles, WILLOW FLYCATCHER at the Twin Barns
Overlook, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in the freshwater marsh, WHIMBREL on the
mudflats adjacent to Shannon Slough, and River Otter at the Visitor Center
Pond Overlook.

For the day we observed 62 species, no firsts of year, we have observed 156
species this year.  See eBird report below, photos embedded.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond
Overlook, happy birding.

Shep

-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jul 3, 2024 6:44 AM - 4:52 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.952 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Overcast in the morning, sunny in
the afternoon, temperatures in the 50’s to 80’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low
-2’5” Tide at 10:27am.  Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit,
Townsend’s Chipmunk, Long-tailed Weasel, Coyote, Columbian Black-tailed
Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Townsend’s Vole, Harbor Seal and River Otter.
Others seen Pacific Tree Frog, and American Bullfrog.
62 species (+4 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  40
Wood Duck  14
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal  1
Mallard  20
Hooded Merganser  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Band-tailed Pigeon  10
Mourning Dove  2
Anna's Hummingbird  1
Rufous Hummingbird  2
Virginia Rail  3
Killdeer  1
Whimbrel  1     Photo. Large shorebird with long decurved bill and stripes
on head. Grayish breast and belly. Observed foraging on mud flats from 100
yards with 60x spotting scope.
Long-billed Dowitcher  2
Wilson's Snipe  4
Greater Yellowlegs  2
Ring-billed Gull  200
California Gull  40
Glaucous-winged Gull  10
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  10
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Caspian Tern  40
Brandt's Cormorant  3
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Great Blue Heron  85
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  25     West Bank of McAllister Creek across from Puget Sound
Observation Platform.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  1
Western Wood-Pewee  6
Willow Flycatcher  4
Warbling Vireo  4
American Crow  6
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  6
Bank Swallow  3
Tree Swallow  40
Violet-green Swallow  2
Purple Martin  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  5
Barn Swallow  57     Visitors Center.
Cliff Swallow  35     Visitors center.
Bushtit  30
Brown Creeper  4
Marsh Wren  10
Bewick's Wren  2
European Starling  200
Swainson's Thrush  45
American Robin  25
Cedar Waxwing  30
House Finch  1
Purple Finch  8
American Goldfinch  8
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  6
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  37
Spotted Towhee  1
Bullock's Oriole  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  50
Brown-headed Cowbird  24
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  1
Common Yellowthroat  18
Yellow Warbler  25
Black-headed Grosbeak  5

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S185199285
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