<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
<div>
Hi folks,
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
Refuge Volunteer staff met Twenty-six birders at 8 a.m. at the Nisqually NWR Visitors’ Center for the weekly “Wednesday Walk”. There was a light rain over the Delta at the start, but it stopped fairly quickly on a 52 °F overcast morning. We had a cooling rain from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with a 3-10 knot south wind. The sun did come out for a bit at 2 p.m. with maximum temperature 54 °F. The Visitors’ Center pond held MALLARDS, HOODED MERGANSER, and BUFFLEHEAD.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
We were treated to a couple VARIED THRUSH in the orchard, and an ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD, but few sparrows. Birders that joined the group a little later in the morning were treated to 8 OREGON JUNCOS near the maintenance buildings. Surprisingly, juncos - common ‘most everywhere else - are not always seen on the Refuge, and this was a ‘high count’ for the season.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
Along the maintenance road we saw RED-TAILED HAWKS, RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, and various waterfowl: MALLARD, N. SHOVELER, PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, and BUFFLEHEAD. A single TAVERNER’S CACKLING GOOSE associated with a few WESTERN CANADA GEESE. Here, too, an immature RED-TAILED HAWK landed in the fields and was seen running along the ground, perhaps chasing voles or hoping that one of the burrowing TOWNSEND’S MOLES would show itself among the many molehills.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
The west side of the Boardwalk Loop gave good views of a DOWNY WOODPECKER and mixed flock of both KINGLETS, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and BEWICK’S WREN. At least one PACIFIC WREN was in full song. Among the several SONG SPARROWS, a SOOTY FOX SPARROW also showed itself.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
The Twin Barns overlook rewarded us with 14 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, but no Snipe were located. On our return from the estuary boardwalk, we stopped here again, and puzzled over a hen wigeon with not-grey-and-not-reddish head plumage, that we concluded must have been a hybrid AMERICAN x EURASIAN WIGEON. In the maple trees east of the barns, a VIRGINIA OPOSSUM watched us from its perch 20 feet off the ground.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
Along the north dike, a pair of WESTERN MEADOWLARKS was seen, and we picked a PUGET SOUND WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW from a flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS. Usually shy, we had great views of both LINCOLN’S SPARROW, and singing MARSH WRENS. We scoped the six continuing SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS in the surge plain; flagged as “rare” on eBird this time of year, we have seen them in the area for most of the winter. On the outward jaunt, the tide was fairly far out, and the sandpipers were not in sight, but NORTHERN HARRIERS hunted the cattail marsh and surge plain.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
Our way out the estuary boardwalk took place in the rain with the south wind at our back, and provided good views of COMMON GOLDENEYE, SURF SCOTERS, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, LEAST SANDPIPERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and BELTED KINGFISHERS. We were not able to locate the Spotted Sandpiper often seen along the west bank of McAllister Creek, but watched a STELLER’S JAY forage on the shoreline. The iconic GREAT BLUE HERONS were hunkering down out of the wind. From the observation deck at the end of the boardwalk, we scoped the marsh and Nisqually Reach, and were treated to a small flock of BLACK BRANT, and “scope views” of WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BRANDT’S and PELAGIC CORMORANTS.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
On our return, the flood tide pushed a flock of DUNLIN in for a close view, and we picked out at least three WESTERN SANDPIPERS mixed in. No Common Mergansers were found at the River overlook, and our return along the east boardwalk loop was fairly uneventful. The Indian plum and a few cherry trees are in bloom, and we are seeing the first blossoms on the salmonberry, so the return of the Rufous Hummingbirds can’t be too far away.
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; color: #333333;">
We hope to see you one of these Wednesdays!
</div>
<div class="default-style" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;color:#333333;">
<div>
</div>
<div>
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
</div>
<div>
21 Feb, 2024 8:00 AM - 4:01 PM
</div>
<div>
Protocol: Traveling 5.68 miles
</div>
<div>
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Overcast and 52 °F at the start, with cooling rain from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a south wind at 3-10 knots. The sun came out for a bit at 2 p.m. with maximum temperature 54 °F. A high 14.08-foot high tide at 5:16 a.m. ebbed to a +7.25-foot low water at 10:53 a.m. before flooding toward a 11.5-foot high at 3:02 p.m. Indian plum is in full bloom, and the salmon berry flowers are breaking bud. Mammals seen include Columbian black-tailed deer, eastern grey squirrel, harbour seals, and an opossum in the maples east of the Twin Barns.
</div>
<div>
62 species (+8 other taxa)
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Brant (Black) (Branta bernicla nigricans) 5
</div>
<div>
Cackling Goose (minima) (Branta hutchinsii minima) 450
</div>
<div>
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) (Branta hutchinsii taverneri) 1
</div>
<div>
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 45
</div>
<div>
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) 3
</div>
<div>
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 135
</div>
<div>
Gadwall (Mareca strepera) 60
</div>
<div>
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) (Mareca penelope x americana) 1 Apparent hybrid female wigeon; head coloration was neither the grey expected in an AMWI, nor fully reddish-brown as expected in a EUWI.
</div>
<div>
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 145
</div>
<div>
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 275
</div>
<div>
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 285
</div>
<div>
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 2
</div>
<div>
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) 60
</div>
<div>
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) 1 Nisqually Reach
</div>
<div>
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 165
</div>
<div>
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 75
</div>
<div>
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 9
</div>
<div>
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 12
</div>
<div>
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
</div>
<div>
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 10
</div>
<div>
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 35
</div>
<div>
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 6 + Continuing - Small peep-sized plover with single breast band. Foraging in mud flats on surge plain.
</div>
<div>
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) 14
</div>
<div>
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 25
</div>
<div>
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 1350
</div>
<div>
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 195 Flagged for high count: Observed one flock of 90-100, a group of 60, and another group of 35 before the rising tide caused the groups to mingle
</div>
<div>
Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) 3 * Continuing; in flock with the Dunlin
</div>
<div>
Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus) 125
</div>
<div>
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 85
</div>
<div>
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) 1
</div>
<div>
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) (Larus occidentalis x glaucescens) 6
</div>
<div>
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus occidentalis/glaucescens) 15
</div>
<div>
Larus sp. (Larus sp.) 60
</div>
<div>
Brandt's Cormorant (Urile penicillatus) 7
</div>
<div>
Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) 2
</div>
<div>
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) 5
</div>
<div>
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 25
</div>
<div>
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) 2
</div>
<div>
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 22
</div>
<div>
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) (Buteo jamaicensis calurus/alascensis) 3
</div>
<div>
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 3 Two on McAllister Creek; one at Visitors' Center pond
</div>
<div>
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) (Dryobates pubescens gairdnerii/turati) 1 Female
</div>
<div>
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 5
</div>
<div>
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 2
</div>
<div>
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus luteus x cafer) 1
</div>
<div>
Steller's Jay (Coastal) (Cyanocitta stelleri [stelleri Group]) 1 Foraging on beach west side of McAllister Creek
</div>
<div>
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 70
</div>
<div>
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2
</div>
<div>
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 20
</div>
<div>
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 3
</div>
<div>
swallow sp. (Hirundinidae sp.) 6
</div>
<div>
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula) 8
</div>
<div>
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 16
</div>
<div>
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 3
</div>
<div>
Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) 5
</div>
<div>
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 3
</div>
<div>
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 5
</div>
<div>
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 10
</div>
<div>
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) 7
</div>
<div>
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 40
</div>
<div>
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) (Passerella iliaca [unalaschcensis Group]) 2
</div>
<div>
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 8
</div>
<div>
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) (Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis) 1
</div>
<div>
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 17
</div>
<div>
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 19
</div>
<div>
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 1
</div>
<div>
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) (Pipilo maculatus [oregonus Group]) 2
</div>
<div>
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) 2
</div>
<div>
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 70
</div>
<div>
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 3
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
View this checklist online at <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S162515947" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://ebird.org/checklist/S162515947</a>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (<a href="https://ebird.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://ebird.org/home</a>)
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>