[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/24/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Dear Tweets,

Forty-one of us had a nice summer day at the Refuge with sunny skies and
temperatures in the 50's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a High
12'0" Tide at 7:37am and a Low -1'10" Tide at 2:33pm, so we altered our
usual route and took the Access Road to the Twin Barns to get out onto the
dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail to catch the falling tide.  We had a
wonderful group of birders with several new attendees, numerous regular
birders, and old friends that were great to see again.  Highlights included
several juveniles including WOOD DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, CINNAMON TEAL,
HAIRY WOODPECKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, MARSH WREN, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WESTERN
WOOD-PEWEE, SWAINSON'S THRUSH and BALD EAGLE, Jon spotted a migrating first
of year GREAT EGRET in the freshwater marsh, most of the group had
excellent views of SORA, we enjoyed a good push of 600 plus shorebirds with
nice looks of LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER,
GREATER YELLOWLEGS and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and Jason spotted a
continuing WHIMBREL foraging the channel of Madrone Slough which runs
adjacent to the Puget Sound Observation Platform.  I was out on the dike
prior to the walk at 7am and observed 40-50 BANK SWALLOWS roosting in dead
Elderberry Trees along Leschi Slough where it parallels the dike.
Unfortunately, we were not able to locate Semipalmated Sandpiper, yet...
Steve and Tim located a first of year OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in the area
around the Twin Barns Picnic Tables.

For the day we had 73 species, and with two FOY, Olive-sided Flycatcher and
Great Egret, we have now seen 159 species this year.  It was a good mammal
day as well with reports of Coyote, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, two
reports of Long-tailed Weasel, Townsend's Chipmunk, Muskrat and Harbor
Seal.  Ryan Munes, Refuge Biologist, is evaluating the Puget Sound Garter
Snakes on the Refuge, looking at the scales around the mouth, to help
determine the status of subspecies.  See eBird Report with details below.

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 24, 2024 6:33 AM - 4:48 PM
Protocol: Traveling
9.174 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Sunny skies with temperatures in
the 50’s to 70’s degrees Fahrenheit.  A High 12’0” Tide at 7:37am and a Low
-1’10” Tide at 2:33pm.  Mammals observed include Eastern Cotton-tailed
Rabbit, Coyote, Long-tailed Weasel x 2, Townsend’s Chipmunk, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Muskrat. Others
seen included Red-eared Slider, American Bullfrog, and Puget Sound
Gartersnake.
73 species (+2 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  130
Wood Duck  12
Cinnamon Teal  6
Mallard  30
Hooded Merganser  4
Common Merganser  2     Observed by Whittier and Tom in Shannon Slough near
entrance to Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Freshwater Marsh
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  30
Band-tailed Pigeon  3
Mourning Dove  1     Orchard.
Anna's Hummingbird  2
Rufous Hummingbird  6
Virginia Rail  1     Freshwater marsh. Heard only.
Sora  1     Seen well by many foraging in the Freshwater Marsh.
American Coot (Red-shielded)  2     Spotted by Ken in freshwater marsh.
Killdeer  4
Semipalmated Plover  10
Whimbrel  1     Spotted by Jason from the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk trail
on the mudflats east and north of McAllister Creek Viewing Platform along
Madrone Slough. Large shorebird with distinctive decurved bill and brown
crown stripes foraging on mudflats. Observed with spotting scopes at 1/4 to
1/2 mile.  Seen multiple times.
Long-billed Dowitcher  15     Several small groups flying around.
Spotted Sandpiper  2     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  8
Least Sandpiper  150
Western Sandpiper  400     Large flock of peeps counted in groups of
25-100. At one point observed one flock of 300 birds. 10-20% were Least
Sandpiper. Total bird count likely 500-700 birds.
Ring-billed Gull  200
California Gull  75
Glaucous-winged Gull  15
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  15
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Caspian Tern  75
Brandt's Cormorant  5     Channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  75
Great Egret  1     Spotted by Jon in freshwater marsh. FOY, perched in dead
Elderberry.
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  80
Turkey Vulture  1     Spotted by Steve eating deceased Snake in mowed field.
Osprey (carolinensis)  1     Foraging over McAllister Creek.
Northern Harrier  1     Spotted by Tim flying along the Central Access Road.
Bald Eagle  45
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  3
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  1
Peregrine Falcon  1     Hunting shorebirds.
Olive-sided Flycatcher  1     Spotted by Tim and Steve near the Twin Barns.
Western Wood-Pewee  12
Willow Flycatcher  8
Warbling Vireo (Western)  4
Steller's Jay (Coastal)  2
American Crow  31
Black-capped Chickadee  17
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  4
Bank Swallow  40     Observed roosting in dead elderberry bushes along
Leschi Slough adjacent to Nisqually Estuary Trail at 7am. Counted in groups
of 5, suspect minimally 40-50 birds mixed with Tree Swallow and Barn
Swallow.  Observed with binoculars and scope.
Tree Swallow  20
Violet-green Swallow  3
Purple Martin  3     Luhr Beach Gourd nest boxes.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2
Barn Swallow (American)  85     Nesting at Visitor Center.
Cliff Swallow  4     Nesting at Visitor Center
Bushtit (Pacific)  20
Brown Creeper  2
Marsh Wren  6     Dust bathing on dike in the morning.
Bewick's Wren  8
European Starling  200
Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed)  19
American Robin  25
Cedar Waxwing  40
House Finch  2
Purple Finch (Western)  4
American Goldfinch  30
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  8
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  20     Feeding cowbird chicks as well.
Spotted Towhee  3
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  15
Brown-headed Cowbird  25     Being fed by Song Sparrow.
Common Yellowthroat  10
Yellow Warbler  7

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S188777273
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