[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR 8/6/2025

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 20 of us had a refreshingly cool and hydrating walk at the
Refuge with light rain intermittently throughout the day and temperatures
in the 50's to 60's degrees.  There was a Low -0’11” Tide at 10:25am and a
High 13’1” Tide at 6:31pm, so we decided to bird the Orchard/Access
Roads/and Twin Barns Loop Trail in the morning and return in the afternoon
to bird the Nisqually Estuary Trail and Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail
in the afternoon with the incoming tide.  Highlights included a nice push
of WILSON'S WARBLER's throughout the Riparian Forest, great looks of BANK
SWALLOW and subadult VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW/TREE SWALLOW/BARN SWALLOW/and
CLIFF SWALLOW on the Visitor Center Roof, good sightings of RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER, and expected flycatchers WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, WILLOW FLYCATCHER
and WESTERN FLYCATCHER.  In the afternoon we had two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS
at the Puget Sound Observation Platform as well as good numbers of LEAST
and WESTERN SANDPIPER as the autumnal migration begins to hit high gear.
We had decent looks of WILSON'S SNIPE and DOWITCHERS in breeding plumage.
We struggled to identify CINNAMON/BLUE-WINGED TEAL female types roosting in
the freshwater marsh.

For the day, we observed 64 species.  The doldrums are here with the loss
of the morning chorus, but with right tide and conditions shorebirds and
gulls are returning and plenty of confusing plumages to sort through.  We
have seen 160 species so far this year.

We had a great frog day with the rain and good looks of RED-LEGGED FROG and
PACIFIC CHORUS FROG.  A GREAT BLUE HERON was observed eating suspected
NORTHWEST SALAMANDER from the second Twin Bench Overlook on the west side
of the Twin Barns Loop Trail just south of the Twin Barns cut-off.

See our eBird report pasted below.  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
Aug 6, 2025 7:13 AM - 5:13 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk.  Light rain in the morning,
clearing in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 50’s to 60’s degrees
Fahrenheit. A Low -0’11” Tide at 10:25am and a High 13’1” Tide at 6:31pm.
We split the day birding the Orchard, Access Roads and Twin Barns Loop
Trail in the morning and in the afternoon returning to bird the Nisqually
Estuary Trail and Nisqually Boardwalk Estuary Trail on the incoming tide.
Others seen include Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed,
Mustelid, Harbor Seal, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Red-eared Slider, Red-legged
Frog, Pacific Chorus Frog, and American Bullfrog.
64 species (+8 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  100
Wood Duck  8
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal  2
Mallard  16
Hooded Merganser  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  14
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern)  3
Mourning Dove  8
Vaux's Swift  3
Anna's Hummingbird  3
hummingbird sp.  2
Killdeer  5
Semipalmated Plover  2
Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher  12
Wilson's Snipe  1
Greater Yellowlegs  11
Least Sandpiper  150
Western Sandpiper  400
Ring-billed Gull  200
California Gull  20
Glaucous-winged Gull  2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  3
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  15
Larus sp.  150
Caspian Tern  1
Brandt's Cormorant  6
Double-crested Cormorant  100
Great Blue Heron  50
Osprey  3
Cooper's Hawk  3
Northern Harrier  1
Bald Eagle  10
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Belted Kingfisher  3
Red-breasted Sapsucker  3
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  3
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  1
Northern Flicker  1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  3
Western Wood-Pewee  6
Willow Flycatcher  2
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope)  1
Warbling Vireo (Western)  1
Steller's Jay  1
American Crow  16
Black-capped Chickadee  19
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  6
Bank Swallow  7     Counted individually. Probably more.
Tree Swallow  6
Violet-green Swallow  6
Purple Martin  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  3
Barn Swallow (American)  125
Cliff Swallow  11
Bushtit (Pacific)  12
Brown Creeper  3
Bewick's Wren  4
European Starling  500
Swainson's Thrush  1
Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed)  5
American Robin  20
Cedar Waxwing  45
Purple Finch (Western)  4
American Goldfinch  15
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  16
Song Sparrow  12
Spotted Towhee  1
Red-winged Blackbird  150
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Common Yellowthroat  10
Yellow Warbler  6
Wilson's Warbler  10

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S265717740
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