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Summer doldrums. That's what some birders call this time of year, after spring migration, after the breeding birds have all hooked up, and most have fledged their young, but before the fall migration and the return of the waterfowl.
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The season and the heat combined to reduce our species count. It started relatively cool in the morning but pretty quickly warmed up. Anticipating the hot afternoon, we varied from the usual route to get out to the exposed dike earlier. That worked as intended but it was still too warm for many. A moderate high tide peaked while we were on the dike, helping to push the shorebirds in for closer viewing. A flock of 25 Long-billed Dowitchers flew in, then dispersed, mixing in with Least Sandpipers, a couple Killdeer, a few Western Sandpipers, and Greater Yellowlegs. Red-winged Blackbirds, Swallows, and European Starlings dominated on the freshwater side.
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From the McAllister Creek boardwalk it seemed that Double-crested Cormorants were holding a convention. They were in large clusters. There were a few Brandt's Cormorants on the Nisqually Reach channel markers, a number of Great Blue Herons on the exposed mud. A few Purple Martins were still using their gourd houses at Luhr Beach. As the temperature rose, we we were faster coming back to the dike than we were going out, stopping longest where there was shade.
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In the shade of the deciduous forested loop trail, Swainson's Thrush, American Robins, Goldfinches, Chickadees, Flycatchers, and Bewick's Wrens were the most numerous of the smaller passerines When we finished, at least an hour earlier than usual, the thermometer read 97°.
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Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
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Jul 16, 2025 7:51 AM - 4:15 PM
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Protocol: Traveling
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5.74 mile(s)
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Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Sunny with temperatures Sunny 68-97° F. with southerly breeze at 0-5 knots. There was a 10.1-foot high water at 10:00 a.m., ebbing toward a +1.8-foot low water at 4:12 p.m. Mammals included Columbian black-tailed deer, Eastern cottontail, the non-native American bullfrog, the native Pacific chorus frog, the non-native Eastern Grey squirrel, the native Douglas squirrel (chickaree) and Townsend’s Chipmunk, a river otter seen by Pete, and many harbor seals with pups.
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56 species (+3 other taxa)
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Canada Goose 7
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Wood Duck 9
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Mallard 25
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Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3 At entrance gate
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Mourning Dove 2
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Anna's Hummingbird 1
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Rufous Hummingbird 1
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hummingbird sp. 1
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Virginia Rail 3
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American Coot 1
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Killdeer 2
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Long-billed Dowitcher 25
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Greater Yellowlegs 18
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Least Sandpiper 95
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Western Sandpiper 6
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peep sp. 65
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Ring-billed Gull 140
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California Gull 45
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Caspian Tern 8
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Brandt's Cormorant 6 Nisqually Reach Channel Marker
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Double-crested Cormorant 230
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Great Blue Heron 48
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Osprey 1
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Bald Eagle 16 Juvenile in north McAllister Creek nest
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Belted Kingfisher 2
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Red-breasted Sapsucker 2
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Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3
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Northern Flicker 1
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Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 3
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Olive-sided Flycatcher 1
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Western Wood-Pewee 5
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Willow Flycatcher 8
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Western Flycatcher 1
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American Crow 6
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Black-capped Chickadee 22
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Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
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Tree Swallow 9
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Purple Martin 7 5 at the Luhr Beach nest gourds and 2 seen at the Nisqually River overlook
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Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
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Barn Swallow 40
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Cliff Swallow 58
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Bushtit (Pacific) 10
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Brown Creeper 8
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Marsh Wren 5
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Bewick's Wren 10
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European Starling 75
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Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed) 41
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American Robin 12
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Cedar Waxwing 9
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Purple Finch (Western) 5 Male offering food to begging female
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American Goldfinch 32
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Savannah Sparrow 5
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Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 24
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Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 4
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Red-winged Blackbird 170
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Brown-headed Cowbird 15
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Common Yellowthroat 4
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Yellow Warbler 12
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Wilson's Warbler 1
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<br>View this checklist online at <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S260454394">https://ebird.org/checklist/S260454394</a>
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