[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR 5/1/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Thirty of us had a fine spring day at the Refuge with mostly sunny skies
and cool temperatures in the 30's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a
High 9'10" Tide at 10:50am.  Highlights included FOY YELLOW WARBLER and
PURPLE MARTIN.  We had a wonderful push of over 500 VAUX'S SWIFTS in the
morning and fantastic views of VIRGINIA RAIL and SORA in the Freshwater
Marsh.  We observed 89 species for the day and have seen 137 species for
the year.  See eBird Report below with 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
May 1, 2024 6:41 AM - 5:58 PM
Protocol: Traveling
8.897 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Mostly sunny with light rain.
Temperatures in the 30’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 9’10” Tide at
10:50am. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Townsend’s Chipmunk, Harbor Seal. Also
Red-eared Slider and NE Salamander egg cluster.
89 species (+4 other taxa)

Greater White-fronted Goose  21     Freshwater Marsh
Brant (Black)  40     Nisqually Reach from Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Cackling Goose (minima)  100
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  20
Wood Duck  7
Cinnamon Teal  6     Visitor Center Pond, flooded field south of Twin
Barns, freshwater marsh.
Northern Shoveler  100
Gadwall  15
American Wigeon  20
Mallard  30
Northern Pintail  40
Green-winged Teal (American)  700     Several groups of 100-200 birds seen
flying around the refuge like shorebirds. On the mudflats of the surge
plain, on mudflats west of Leschi Slough along Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk
Trail, and mudflats between Shannon Slough and McAllister Creek. Numerous
pairs and small groups in flooded fields and freshwater marsh. Counted
approximately 50-100 in freshwater areas. Counted 100-200 on mudflats.
Observed 4 groups of 100-200 birds flying from mudflats to Nisqually Reach.
Ring-necked Duck  6
Greater Scaup  9     Foraging in Madrone slough on falling tide, seen from
Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Bufflehead  50
Common Goldeneye  6
Hooded Merganser  6
Common Merganser  4
Red-breasted Merganser  4
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  3
Band-tailed Pigeon  18
Mourning Dove  2     Orchard.
Vaux's Swift  500     Huge push of swifts moving through in the morning.
Anna's Hummingbird  1     Juvenile in Orchard.
Rufous Hummingbird  5     Nest in Pear Tree across path from USGS Tech
building. Look for tree with purple insect trap. Observe tree directly to
the left of it. Nest is on dangling outer branch at approximately 8
o’clock. Sitting on nest for more than 1 week.  Males seen in Orchard and
north section of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Virginia Rail  4     Freshwater Marsh
Sora  4     Flooded field south of Twin Barns and Freshwater Marsh.
American Coot  25
Black-bellied Plover  3     Nisqually Reach
Whimbrel  1     Reported by other birders. Some in our group observed the
bird, described as large gray brown shorebird with long decurved bill.
Heard flight song, “quiquiquiquiqui” from Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Spotted Sandpiper  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  3
Dunlin  4     Heard only. Flight calls.
Least Sandpiper  200     Freshwater Marsh and Mudflats.
Western Sandpiper  1     Broken leg. Freshwater marsh.
Short-billed Gull  40     Counted. Likely more. Observed foraging along
Shannon Slough, McAllister Creek, and mudflats west of Leschi Slough.
Multiple groups some as large as 20 birds.
Ring-billed Gull  20
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Caspian Tern  8
Common Loon  1
Brandt's Cormorant  5     Channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  30
Great Blue Heron  25
Cooper's Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  50     Occupied nest in tall cottonwood west side of Nisqually
River north of dike and West Bank of McAllister Creek from Puget Sound
Observation Platform. Just left of tallest Conifer in ridge.
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2     Maple Trees in Twin Barns picnic area.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  3     Nest Cavity in Large Maple Tree on
outside of path from Visitor Center to east side parking lot.
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Merlin  1
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope)  1     Stand behind flagpole.
Warbling Vireo  1     West entrance to Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Steller's Jay  1     West Bank of McAllistet Creek.
American Crow  12
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Bank Swallow  1
Tree Swallow  30
Violet-green Swallow  3
Purple Martin  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  10
Barn Swallow  75     Nest at Visitor Center.
Cliff Swallow  50
Bushtit (Pacific)  10     Nest in Orchard, nest east of Maintenance
Building Road just north of Entrance Road, across north section of Twin
Barns Loop Trail from old Owl Nest Tree.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Brown Creeper  3     Nest in Alder under bark shingle in median adjacent to
entrance road to Education Center.
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  12     Freshwater Marsh.
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  16
American Robin  27     Visitor Center.
Purple Finch  3     Orchard and Visitor Center.
Pine Siskin  2     Orchard.
American Goldfinch  15
Golden-crowned Sparrow  15
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  7     Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Song Sparrow  15
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  35
Brown-headed Cowbird  15
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  6
Common Yellowthroat  15
Yellow Warbler  8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  100
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  200
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle x Audubon's)  1     Male, white rimmed yellow
throat patch with white supercillium and white spur from throat up behind
auricles.
Wilson's Warbler  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S171534710
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