[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 5/15/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Dear Tweets,

Approximately 40 of us had a beautiful spring day at the Refuge with partly
cloudy skies early and clearing to sunny skies by late morning.
Temperature was in the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low
6’2” Tide at 8:02am and a High 8’7” Tide at 11:36am, so not much of a tidal
push and we proceeded with our regular route.  Highlights included 8 first
of year including WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, an influx of CEDAR
WAXWING, NASHVILLE WARBLER - heard and seen by few, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE near
the Twin Barns, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE in the freshwater marsh, and RED
CROSSBILLS seen by Tim on the Twin Barns Loop Trail.

Starting out at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, things were a
little slow as a BALD EAGLE perched in a Maple Tree Over the Pond.  We did
have brief sightings of BLUE-WINGED TEAL and WOOD DUCK.  The Visitor Center
Pond was good for numerous sightings of both these species as well as
CINNAMON TEAL and we had good counts for our list.

The Orchard was hopping in the morning with singing BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK,
WILSON'S WARBLER, high count of YELLOW WARBLER, WARBLING VIREO and PURPLE
FINCH.  *Merlin* was picking up on Nashville Warbler which I did not see,
but some of our visiting birders heard and observed NASHVILLE WARBLER along
the Twin Barns Loop Trail.  We had an influx of CEDAR WAXWINGS which were
singing and courting pretty much everywhere.  The BUSHTIT continues to nest
in the Orchard, entrance to maintenance road, and along the north section
of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.  Sadly, the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nest near the
Land Trust building has been predated on and abandoned.

The Access Roads were good for observing swallows.  SORA continues to call
from the flooded fields south of the Twin Barns.  The numbers of wintering
ducks were way down and more difficult to spot with the growing grass.

The Twin Barns Loop Trail is great for warblers, chickadees, hummingbirds,
BAND-TAILED PIGEON, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, and WESTERN
FLYCATCHER, along with the breeding duck species.  Craig located another
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER nest cavity on the outside of the trail just north
of the double bench overlook south of the Twin Barns cut-off.  Ken and
others located a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE singing and showing in the Maple Trees
around the Twin Barns Picnic Area.  A breeding pair of NORTHERN
ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW are nesting in a knot hole of a large maple tree near
the cut-off to the Twin Barns.

The Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike was good for few remaining
waterfowl and CACKLING GEESE.  A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was observed
relatively close to the dike foraging in the grassy freshwater marsh.  We
also saw approximately 6 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS.  VIRGINIA RAIL was heard
and seen.  On the muddy tidal saltwater side there are upwards of 11
WHIMBREL continuing west of Leschi Slough.

Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, some remaining COMMON
GOLDEN-EYE, BUFFLEHEAD, and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER remain in Shannon Slough
and McAllister Creek.  A small group of continuing non-breeding GREATER
SCAUP were foraging in Shannon Slough.  We had nice numbers of CASPIAN TERN
and GREAT BLUE HERON foraging along McAllister Creek.  A single SURF SCOTER
was spotted by Robin on Nisqually Reach in Madrone Slough.

On our return, Jon spotted COMMON MERGANSER merglings x 3 at the Nisqually
River Overlook.  Tim located 5 RED CROSSBILLS on the Twin Barns Loop Trail
on his return.

For the day we observed 89 species, with eight FOY we have now seen 151
species this year.  Please see eBird report pasted below with details and
embedded photos.

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
May 15, 2024 7:05 AM - 5:08 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.409 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk.  Partly cloudy in the morning,
sunny in the late morning and afternoon. Temperature in the 50’s to 60’s
degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 6’2” Tide at 8:02am and a High 8’7” Tide at
11:36am.  Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend’s Chipmunk,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, and Harbor Seal.
Others seen Bullfrog, Red-eared Slider, Pacific Tree Frog, and Puget Sound
Garter Snake.
89 species (+4 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima)  40
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  40
Wood Duck  12
Blue-winged Teal  8
Cinnamon Teal  6
Northern Shoveler  1     Spotted by Robin.
Gadwall  4
American Wigeon  10
Mallard  50
Northern Pintail  6
Green-winged Teal (American)  12
Ring-necked Duck  3     Freshwater marsh.
Greater Scaup  6     Shannon Slough.
Surf Scoter  1     Nisqually Reach, Madrone Slough.
Bufflehead  12
Common Goldeneye  5
Hooded Merganser  5
Common Merganser  5     Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser  2
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Band-tailed Pigeon  20     Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Mourning Dove  3
Vaux's Swift  2
Rufous Hummingbird  6     Nest in the orchard was predated and destroyed.
hummingbird sp.  1
Virginia Rail (Virginia)  3     Freshwater Marsh. Heard and seen.
Sora  2     Heard in flooded fields south of Twin Barns.
American Coot  6
Killdeer  2
Whimbrel (Hudsonian)  11     Mudflats west of Leschi Slough.
Long-billed Dowitcher  6     Freshwater marsh
Red-necked Phalarope  1     Foraging Freshwater Marsh. Dark cap and neck,
white throat patch. Prominent streaks on the mantle/back.
Spotted Sandpiper  1     Shannon Slough
Ring-billed Gull  100
California Gull  3     Deceased gull.
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  20
Caspian Tern  35     No bands.
Brandt's Cormorant  4
Double-crested Cormorant  50
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  40
Osprey (carolinensis)  1
Bald Eagle  20
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  1
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-breasted Sapsucker  3     Cavities outside of Twin Barns Loop Trail
just north of Twin Bench Overlook south of Twin Barns cut-off and in Maple
in Twin Barns picnic area.
Downy Woodpecker  2
Western Wood-Pewee  3
Willow Flycatcher  1     Heard “Fitz-bew” call across from Visitor Center.
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope)  2
Warbling Vireo (Western)  15
Steller's Jay  2
American Crow  6
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  2
Tree Swallow  25
Violet-green Swallow  2
Purple Martin  4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  6
Barn Swallow  40
Cliff Swallow  50
Bushtit (Pacific)  4     Nests in orchard, entrance to maintenance road and
north section of Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Brown Creeper  3     Nest in median, left of entrance to Visitor Center.
Marsh Wren  12
Bewick's Wren  7
European Starling  30
Swainson's Thrush  26     Counted individually as we walked throughout the
Refuge. Included orchard, access roads, Twin Barns Loop Trail, Twin Barns
Overlook and Nisqually Estuary Trail.  Probably more.
Hermit Thrush  1     Seen by Laurie in the Parking Lot at 7:15am.  Red
tail, lacking spectacles around eye, dark speckling on breast in comparison
to Swainson’s Thrush.
American Robin  36
Cedar Waxwing  20
American Pipit  10     Fly over seen by Jon.
Purple Finch (Western)  10
Red Crossbill  5     Seen by Tim on Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Pine Siskin  4
American Goldfinch  12
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  4
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  36
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  1
Bullock's Oriole  1     Twin Barns Picnic Area, NW section of Twin Barns
Loop Trail.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  40
Brown-headed Cowbird  20
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  1     Seen by Jon
Nashville Warbler  1     Heard by a few.  Seen by couple from Port Orchard.
Common Yellowthroat  20
Yellow Warbler (Northern)  46
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  1
Wilson's Warbler  4
Western Tanager  3     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Black-headed Grosbeak  15

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S174900858
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