[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 10/2/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets!

Approximately 30 of us had a nice Autumn Day at the Refuge with clouds in
the morning with sunny skies in the afternoon. Temperatures were in the
40’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit, and there was Low 2’11’ Tide at 12:12pm.
We skipped the Orchard and Access Roads in the morning to make the most of
the falling tide.  Heading out on the west entrance of the Twin Barns Loops
Trail directly out onto the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail.  Highlights
included two mixed flocks of foraging passerines including BLACK-THROATED
GRAY WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER and HUTTON'S VIREO seen at the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop
Trail and the slough adjacent to the green gate across from the entrance to
the Education Center Parking Lot; upwards of 11 MARBLED GODWIT in the surge
plain north of the dike adjacent to the Twin Barns, a nice falcon show all
three expected species (PEREGRINE, MERLIN, AMERICAN KESTREL) hunting in the
Refuge, and return of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and SNOW GEESE to our
wintering waterfowl.  We were not able to relocate the Red Knot observed by
Jason the previous day with BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER.  In other exciting news
there are some recent photos of BARN OWL on the Refuge and a report this
morning of migrating HERMIT WARBLER males x 2 in a large mixed flock on the
Twin Barns Loop Trail.  Mammals seen included Columbian Black-tailed Deer,
Townsend’s Chipmunk, Harbor Seal, Muskrat, Eastern Gray Squirrel, and
Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit. Others seen Pacific Tree Frog, Red-legged
Frog, and Red-eared Slider. and King Bolete Mushroom.

For the day we observed 74 species, with Marbled Godwit and Western Grebe
FOY we are now at 168 species for the year.  See our eBird report pasted
below.

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
Oct 2, 2024 7:15 AM - 4:47 PM
Protocol: Traveling
8.452 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy in the morning with sunny
skies in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 40’s to 60’s degrees
Fahrenheit. A Low 2’11’ Tide at 12:12pm. Mammals seen Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Townsend’s Chipmunk, Harbor Seal, Muskrat, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, and Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit. Others seen Pacific Tree Frog,
Red-legged Frog, and Red-eared Slider. King Bolete Mushroom.
74 species (+6 other taxa)

Snow Goose  4     Spotted by Jon flying north over dike.
Greater White-fronted Goose  70
Cackling Goose (minima)  500
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  50
Northern Shoveler  4
Gadwall  1
American Wigeon  75
Mallard  150
Northern Pintail  200
Green-winged Teal (American)  400
dabbling duck sp.  1200
Greater/Lesser Scaup  30
Common Merganser  1     Nisqually River.
Western Grebe  12     Scoped from Puget Sound Observation Platform on Puget
Sound.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  60
Virginia Rail (Virginia)  3     Three heard, one seen by Jim.
Black-bellied Plover  3
Killdeer  15
Whimbrel  1     Spotted by James on mudflats north of Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail bridge that crosses large channel that feeds into Shannon
Slough between Tower and McAllister Creek Observation Platform.
Marbled Godwit  11     Observed in surge plain north of dike and Twin
Barns. Observed at 1-4 mile with 60x spotting scope foraging on mudflats
along side Green-winged Teal. Large Buffy shorebird with long upturned
bill. Counted individually.
Long-billed Dowitcher  25     Dike and flooded field between Entrance Road
and Access Road.
Wilson's Snipe  1
Spotted Sandpiper  2     Spotted by Ken along West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs  50
Least Sandpiper  10
peep sp.  30
Ring-billed Gull  300
Herring Gull  1     Spotted by Shep at 7:15am flying over fields south of
Twin Barns.
California Gull  1     McAllister Creek.
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  5
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  15
Brandt's Cormorant  2     Channel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  250
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  40
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  8
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  2
Belted Kingfisher  6
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1     Orchard.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  4
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  4
American Kestrel  1
Merlin  2
Peregrine Falcon  2
Hutton's Vireo  1     Slough adjacent to Green Gate across from entrance to
Education Center Parking Lot.
American Crow  150
Common Raven  6
Black-capped Chickadee  30
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  3
Barn Swallow (American)  25
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  14
Golden-crowned Kinglet  10
Brown Creeper  4
Pacific Wren  2
Marsh Wren  4
Bewick's Wren  3
European Starling  150
American Robin  30
Cedar Waxwing  50
American Pipit  50
Evening Grosbeak  4     Heard and spotted by Steve before walk near west
entrance to Twin Barns Loop trail.
Purple Finch  7
American Goldfinch  50
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  3
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  15
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  10
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  33
Lincoln's Sparrow  1     Spotted by Jon and Eric north dike adjacent to
cut-off to Twin Barns.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  4
Western Meadowlark  4     Spotted by Anders north of dike adjacent to
Leschi Slough aqueduct under dike.
Red-winged Blackbird  60
Orange-crowned Warbler  1
Orange-crowned Warbler (Gray-headed)  1
Common Yellowthroat  4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  25
Black-throated Gray Warbler  1
Wilson's Warbler  1     Observed at 50 feet with 10x binoculars foraging
with mixed flock. Yellow warbler with black cap and yellow mandible.
Initially thought this might be a yellow warbler, but yellow mandible and
black cap distinctive. Observed by several other birders.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S197371701
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