[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 10/16/2024

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 25 of us enjoyed a very nice Autumn Day at the Refuge with
partly cloudy skies in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon and
temperatures in the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low 2'11"
Tide at 11:12am, so we did our usual walk.  Highlights included nice mixed
flocks of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, both CHICKADEE'S,
both YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and DOWNY WOODPECKER, nice looks of WILSON'S
SNIPE in the flooded field between the entrance road and access road, a
good raptor day with observation of AMERICAN KESTREL, MERLIN, PEREGRINE
FALCON, NORTHERN HARRIER (Ghost as well), RED-TAILED HAWK and BALD EAGLE, a
WESTERN GREBE in Shannon Slough, and continuing WHIMBREL and MARBLED
GODWIT.  Steve observed our First Of Year BARN OWL flying into the Twin
Barns at dawn.  Both FOX SPARROW and GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW were singing
away with the autumnal recrudescence of the amorous urge in the morning.
There was an intergrade NORTHERN FLICKER in the Orchard and a few WESTERN
SANDPIPER's mixed in with LEAST SANDPIPERs along Shannon Slough.

For the day we observed 71 species, and with FOY Barn Owl we have seen 169
species this year.  Check out our eBird report pasted below with great
photos from Lisa and all.   We had another good frog day and great looks at
Paddle-tailed Darner.

I'll be away for the next 3 weeks, on a trip to the north east Atlantic
Forest in Brazil.  Ken, Jim, Pete, Heather, Jon and Jason will sub in my
absence.

Until next week when the Wednesday Walk meets 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
Oct 16, 2024 7:54 AM - 5:01 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.46 mile(s)
71 species (+6 other taxa)

Greater White-fronted Goose  6     Fresh water marsh.
Cackling Goose (minima)  1000
Cackling Goose (Taverner's)  6
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  6
Northern Shoveler  25
American Wigeon  2000
Mallard  30
Northern Pintail  250
Green-winged Teal (American)  1500
Surf Scoter  30     Nisqually Reach
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Flooded field between entrance road and access
road.
Western Grebe  1     Spotted by Heather in Shannon Slough.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  40
Anna's Hummingbird  4
Virginia Rail (Virginia)  1     Freshwater marsh.
Black-bellied Plover  5
Killdeer  18
Whimbrel  1     Previously reported. Photo. Seen on incoming tide north
dike and west of Leschi Slough.
Marbled Godwit  8     Previously reported. Seen on incoming tide on
mudflats west of Leschi Slough and in the surge plain. Photo.
Wilson's Snipe  3
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Greater Yellowlegs  45
Dunlin  60
Least Sandpiper  20
Western Sandpiper  4
Ring-billed Gull  150
California Gull  1
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  10
Larus sp.  200
Brandt's Cormorant  4     Channel Marker
Pelagic Cormorant  2     Channel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  50
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  30
Northern Harrier  4
Bald Eagle  6
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis)  1
Barn Owl  1     Spotted by Steve at Twin Barns Observation Platform.
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2     Orchard.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  5
Northern Flicker  2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted)  1     Orchard.
American Kestrel  1
Merlin  2
Peregrine Falcon  2
Steller's Jay  1
California Scrub-Jay  2
American Crow  75
Common Raven  4
Black-capped Chickadee  20
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  4
Barn Swallow  2     Two dark throated swallows seen flying over freshwater
marsh.  Observed foraging at 1/4 mile with 10x binoculars.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  12
Golden-crowned Kinglet  20
Brown Creeper  4
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  3
Bewick's Wren  7
European Starling  25
American Robin  20
Cedar Waxwing  9
American Pipit  20
Pine Siskin  25
American Goldfinch  4
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  3
Golden-crowned Sparrow  20
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  6
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  23
Lincoln's Sparrow  1     Spotted by Jon north of dike north of Twin Barns.
Spotted Towhee  4
Western Meadowlark  1     Seen in grassy area south of surge plain.
Red-winged Blackbird  50
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's)  20

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S199184176
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