[Tweeters] Wednesday at Nisqually.

[Kenneth Brown via Tweeters]

The Summer doldrums slipped in today.   A significant drop off in the number of species could be blamed on the season or the absence of our usual incomparable leader. It could be both. The number of birders peaked at about 30, but dropped off steadily late morning.  It was cool, overcast, and windy.  We decide to reverse our usual route.   After the orchard, we took the eastern half of the loop trail along the Nisqually River to the overlook, then to the twin barns, the dike and then to the  McCallister Creek boardwalk and back to finish the western half of the loop and the flooded fields.  Duck species and numbers have declined and many birds are quieter now than in spring.  Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallow parents feeding young were found, as were Cedar Waxwings.  Other than a single observation of a Yellow-headed Blackbird, no unexpected species were observed, but there was an unusually large congregation of Double-crested Cormorants and Great Blue Herons on McCallister Creek.  They were seen catching Skulpin and Perch, and may have found something else tasty in the creek. The complete list of species is as follows:
 
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia US-WA 47.07225, -122.71205, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 26, 2024 7:57 AM - 2:58 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.01 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Mostly cool, overcast, and windy.  Non-avian fauna seen includes, Long-tailed Weasel, Rabbits, Gray Squirrel, Chipmunk,  Garter Snake.
59 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose  31
Wood Duck  12
Gadwall  9
Mallard  5
Hooded Merganser  9
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Band-tailed Pigeon  17
Mourning Dove  4
Anna's Hummingbird  3
Rufous Hummingbird  2
Virginia Rail  1
Killdeer  6
Ring-billed Gull  30
California Gull  60
Glaucous-winged Gull  1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  3
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  6
Larus sp.  75
Caspian Tern  35
Brandt's Cormorant  9
Double-crested Cormorant  100
Great Blue Heron  125
Bald Eagle  40
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  2
American Kestrel  1
Western Wood-Pewee  10
Willow Flycatcher  8
Western Flycatcher  2
Warbling Vireo  4
Steller's Jay  1
American Crow  4
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  6
Tree Swallow  50
Purple Martin  3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  10
Barn Swallow  35
Cliff Swallow  35
Bushtit  2
Brown Creeper  5
Marsh Wren  12
Bewick's Wren  5
European Starling  150
Swainson's Thrush  43
American Robin  10
Cedar Waxwing  25
Purple Finch  7
American Goldfinch  18
Savannah Sparrow  4
Song Sparrow  40
Spotted Towhee  2
Yellow-headed Blackbird  1     Black bird with yellow head, white patches on wings.
Red-winged Blackbird  40
Brown-headed Cowbird  15
Common Yellowthroat  25
Yellow Warbler  30
Wilson's Warbler  2
Western Tanager  1
Black-headed Grosbeak  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S183948222
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