[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 6/4/2025

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 30 of us had a very fine day at the Refuge with mostly cloudy
skies and light intermittent rain in the morning.  Temperatures were in the
50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a Low 3'4" Tide at 8:39am and a
High 8'6" Tide at 2:00pm so we followed our usual route.  Highlights
included ten WOOD DUCK ducklings with a hen in the Visitor Center Pond,
great looks of RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD in the Orchard, late comers heard the
AMERICAN BITTERN booming in the flooded field south of the Twin Barns,
patient birders saw the BULLOCK'S ORIOLE return to the nest on the outside
of the west side Twin Barns Loop Trail 100 feet south of the Twin Barns
cut-off, great looks of two PIED-BILLED GREBE chicks in the freshwater
marsh, and First of Year FRANKLIN'S GULL on the mudflats around the
McAllister Creek Viewing Platform on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.

For the day we observed 71 species with decreasing numbers of waterfowl and
shorebirds.  We have observed 156 species so far this year with FOY
Franklin's Gull and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER.

Others seen included a fawn Columbian Black-tailed Deer from the Twin Barns
Overlook, Townsend's Chipmunk, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Muskrat (along Twin Barns Loop Trail), and juvenile
Coho Salmon (Silver Salmon Fry in the freshwater tidal channels of the
Riparian Forest Overlook).

The Refuge Ranger and Volunteers have observed American Crow destroying
Barn Swallow nests in the Visitor Center breezeway, we suspect predating on
eggs and chicks.

See our eBird report below.

Until next week, when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center, happy
birding.  I look forward to seeing some of you at the WFO-WOS Conference in
Yakima this weekend.

Shep
-- 
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 4, 2025 7:33 AM - 4:42 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.584 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with light rain in the
morning and partly sunny skies in the afternoon. A Low 3’4” Tide at 8:39am
and a High 8’6” Tide at 2:00pm. Mammals seen Townsend’s Chipmunk, Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Muskrat, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, and Harbor Seal.   Others seen American Bullfrog and Red-eared
Slider.
71 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  60
Wood Duck  12
Blue-winged Teal  3
Cinnamon Teal  2
Gadwall  2
Mallard  30
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  4
Band-tailed Pigeon  12
Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
Mourning Dove  5
Rufous Hummingbird  5
Virginia Rail  2
Killdeer  1
Franklin's Gull  1     Observed foraging and flying on mudflats with bins
and spotting scopes from the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail in the area
around the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform at 100 feet to 1/4 mile. Bird
was adjacent to RBGU and CAGU. Photos taken. Black headed gull with red
bill, split eye ring, rose wash to breast. Mantle darker then area gulls.
White crescent on open wing between gray back and black tips to wing.
Short-billed Gull  1     Spotted by Ken on Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk
Trail north of the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform. Small yellow legged
dark eyed gull with small danty dark tipped bill and darker mantle then
area RBGU. Photos taken. Unusual mark right face.
Ring-billed Gull  75
California Gull  8
Glaucous-winged Gull  15
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  20
Caspian Tern  15
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Brandt's Cormorant  3
Double-crested Cormorant  80
American Bittern  1
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  60
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  20
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-breasted Sapsucker  2
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Olive-sided Flycatcher  1     West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Western Wood-Pewee  6
Willow Flycatcher  4
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope)  2
Warbling Vireo (Western)  8
Steller's Jay  2
American Crow  11
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  9
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  8
Bank Swallow  5
Tree Swallow  30
Violet-green Swallow  8
Purple Martin  4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  3
Barn Swallow (American)  50
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group)  60
Bushtit (Pacific)  10
Brown Creeper  3
Pacific Wren  1
Marsh Wren  12
Bewick's Wren  3
European Starling  30
Swainson's Thrush  28
American Robin  25
Cedar Waxwing  45
Purple Finch  4
Pine Siskin  6
American Goldfinch  15
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah)  4
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  45
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  2
Bullock's Oriole  1
Red-winged Blackbird  40
Brown-headed Cowbird  20
Common Yellowthroat  8
Yellow Warbler  30
Wilson's Warbler  1
Black-headed Grosbeak  10

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S246830050
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