[Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR on 2/4/2026

[Shep Thorp via Tweeters]

Hi Tweets,

Approximately 25 of us had a really fine day at the Refuge with cloudy
skies in the morning turning to sunshine in the afternoon and unseasonable
warm temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit.  There was a High
15'1" Tide at 7:36am and a Low 4'6" Tide at 1:46pm, so we skipped the
Orchard and Access Roads until the afternoon to chase the tide.

Highlights included 6 WILSON'S SNIPE in the flooded fields, 3 EURASIAN
WIGEON in the flooded fields/surge plain/and McAllister Creek, continuing
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW from the Twin Barns Observation Platform and
Nisqually Estuary Trail, First of Year BRANT GEESE at the mouth of Leschi
Slough seen from the Puget Sound Observation Platform at the end of the
boardwalk, FOY WHITE-WINGED SCOTER off Luhr Beach, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER
along the east entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail, upwards of three
HUTTON'S VIREO exhibiting defensive/aggressive behavior near the access
road green gate across from the entrance to the Education Center Parking
Lot, and a MERLIN hunting the flooded field south of the old McAllister
Creek Access Road.  The BARN OWL was seen from the Twin Barns Overlook at
approximately 7am.

For the day we observed 74 species, with FOY STELLER'S JAY, Brant Geese,
and White Winged Scoter, we now have seen 85 species so far this year.  See
our eBird Report with additional details posted below.

Others seen included Muskrat, American Beaver, Columbian Black-tailed Deer,
Harbor Seal, and numerous Common Garter Snakes sunbathing.

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
Feb 4, 2026 6:50 AM - 5:07 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.342 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Wednesday Walk. Mostly cloudy with sun in the
afternoon, temperatures in the  40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High
15’1” Tide at 7:36am and a Low 4’6” Tide at 1:46pm. Animals seen included
Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, American Beaver, Muskrat, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Pacific Chorus Frog,
and Common Garter Snake.
74 species (+5 other taxa)

Brant (Black)  24     Nisqually Reach from Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Cackling Goose (minima)  1300
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima)  15
Northern Shoveler  150
Gadwall  70
Eurasian Wigeon  3     One in flooded field south of Twin Barns, another in
surge plain - both spotted by Mary. A third spotted by Teri in McAllister
Creek.
American Wigeon  1700
Mallard  150
Northern Pintail  350
Green-winged Teal (American)  800
Ring-necked Duck  4     Visitor Center Pond.
Greater/Lesser Scaup  4
Surf Scoter  75
White-winged Scoter  15     Small flock off Luhr Beach.
Bufflehead  60
Common Goldeneye  40
Hooded Merganser  3
Common Merganser  20
Red-breasted Merganser  20
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  21
Virginia Rail  2     Freshwater Marsh.
American Coot  80
Killdeer  2
Long-billed Dowitcher  1     Spotted by Janel on Nisqually Estuary Trail or
Dike at 7:15am
Wilson's Snipe  6     Three in flooded field south of Twin Barns just north
of the old McAllister Creek Access Road.  Another three in the flooded
field off the Twin Barns Observation Platform.
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Greater Yellowlegs  25
Dunlin  1     Counted in ones.
Least Sandpiper  24
Short-billed Gull  125
Ring-billed Gull  40
Glaucous-winged Gull  3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)  10
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull  10
Larus sp.  200
Pied-billed Grebe  1     Visitor Center Pond.
Horned Grebe  20     Many in McAllister Creek.
Common Loon  3     Nisqually Reach.
Brandt's Cormorant  6     Nisqually Channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant  15
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  50
Northern Harrier  2
Bald Eagle  18
Red-tailed Hawk  3
American Barn Owl  1     Spotted by Steve and Gene from the Twin Barns
Observation Platform at 7am.
Belted Kingfisher  5
Red-breasted Sapsucker  1     Spotted by Avy along the east entrance to the
Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific)  5
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific)  2     Spotted by Matt along the east entrance
to the Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Northern Flicker  4
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)  2
American Kestrel (Northern)  1
Merlin  1     Spotted by Avy in the Alder Trees on the far side of the
flooded field west of the west end parking lot and south of the old
McAllister Creek Access Road.
Hutton's Vireo (Pacific)  3     Heard and spotted by Janel, Matt and Mary
at the green gate of the Access Road across from the entrance to the
Education Center Parking Lot.
Steller's Jay (Coastal)  1     Heard by Avy on McAllister Hill from the
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
American Crow  200
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  25
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  10
Bushtit (Pacific)  15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  15
Golden-crowned Kinglet  20
Brown Creeper  8
Pacific Wren  7
Marsh Wren  10
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group)  4
European Starling  200
Varied Thrush  2     Spotted by Jon and Janel in the Orchard.
American Robin (migratorius Group)  40
Purple Finch  7     Spotted by Ellen in the Orchard.
Fox Sparrow (Sooty)  4
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis)  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  40
White-throated Sparrow  2     Spotted by Jon and seen by many from the Twin
Barns Observation Platform and the junction between the Nisqually Estuary
Trail or dike and the central access road just west of the Leschi Slough
Aqueduct.
Song Sparrow (rufina Group)  34
Lincoln's Sparrow  1     Seen in the freshwater marsh across from the
entrance to the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group)  6
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged)  60
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1     Heard by Gene along the west side of the Twin
Barns Loop Trail.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S298168969
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