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A fine late winter morning, cool, just above freezing, but clear and windless to start. From the Visitor's Center deck we saw Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Mallards and watched a Pied-billed Grebe catch and eat it's fishy breakfast. A Red-breasted Sapsucker watched us briefly from a nearby snag before departing. A few Canada Geese have chosen the grass tufts in the center of the pond as their nest site.
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American Crows called and passed overhead as we walked to the orchard. A Mourning Dove perched in the top of a bare Pear Tree above an American Robin. Chickadees and Kinglets flitted in the trees at the entrance to the play area. A male Anna's Hummingbird perched in the top of a small cedar tree, his emerald back shining in the morning sun. We spent an unnecessary amount of energy and time debating that age old question "Is this a Cooper's or a Sharp-shinned Hawk? The hawk in question was by itself, back to us in an Alder tree near the Maintenance Compound fence. We reached no consensus.
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The flooded fields produced the usual duck species, lots of American Coot, Red-winged Blackbirds, lots of Robins. A Great Blue Heron stood watch on the west edge of the swampy field while a Northern Harrier patrolled from the air. From the west side of the loop trail we saw another Pied-billed Grebe, it's chosen meal, a bullfrog. A Marsh Wren shared the reeds with Song Sparrows. Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Spotted Towhees, Bewick's Wren, and a Downy Woodpecker made appearances along the loop trail. Yellow-rumped Warblers were a happy surprise.
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By the time we reached the dike the tide was far out leaving mostly mud to scan. Another Harrier hunted to the north, gulls, mostly Ring-billed, were few, and ducks fewer still. The wind had picked up and several of the group turned around after exposure to the unabated cold breeze. McAllister Creek held Bufflehead, Wigeon, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, and Horned Grebe. A Spotted Sandpiper and several Greater Yellowlegs dotted its banks. From the Puget Sound viewing platform several Brant Geese were mixed with the distant ducks, more Red-breasted Mergansers, a few more Horned Grebes, Surf Scoters and Bufflehead. Brandt's Cormorants were on the channel marker, a few Double-crested Cormorants swam in the water and sat on piling. A small flock of Least Sandpipers flew overhead but did not stick around. Brief flurries of rain were brought in by the gusting storm front as we returned to the dike. More Golden-crowned Sparrows and an Orange-crowned Warbler were in the shelter of the Willows on the south side of the dike.
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At the Nisqually River viewing platform we saw several Common Merganser and a female Common Goldeneye. Only after returning to the visitors Center to end the walk and finish our tally did we see a hairy Woodpecker and on the way out an American Kestrel. The complete checklist follows:
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Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
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Feb 18, 2026 7:54 AM - 2:28 PM
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Protocol: Traveling
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3.408 mile(s)
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Checklist Comments: Temp 31° - 44°F, SE wind 0-12 mph. No precipitation until end of walk.
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60 species (+7 other taxa)
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Brant 8
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Cackling Goose 150
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Canada Goose 7
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Northern Shoveler 150
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Gadwall 16
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American Wigeon 500
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Mallard 125
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Northern Pintail 100
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Green-winged Teal 150
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Ring-necked Duck 4
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Surf Scoter 100
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Bufflehead 200
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Common Goldeneye 40
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Hooded Merganser 2
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Common Merganser 8
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Red-breasted Merganser 30
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Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 12
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Mourning Dove 1
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Anna's Hummingbird 2
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American Coot 120
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Spotted Sandpiper 1
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Greater Yellowlegs 15
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Least Sandpiper 14
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Short-billed Gull 40
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Ring-billed Gull 25
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California Gull 1
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Glaucous-winged Gull 1
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Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 12
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Larus sp. 75
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Pied-billed Grebe 2
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Horned Grebe 6
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Brandt's Cormorant 9
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Double-crested Cormorant 20
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Great Blue Heron 12
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Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk 1
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Northern Harrier 2
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Bald Eagle 13
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Belted Kingfisher 1
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Red-breasted Sapsucker 1
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Downy Woodpecker 2
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Hairy Woodpecker 1
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Northern Flicker 3
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Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Continuing female.
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Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Male sharing same small tree with Yellow-shafted female.
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American Kestrel 1
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American Crow 40
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Black-capped Chickadee 6
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Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1
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Tree Swallow 1 Heard only by Bruce.
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
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Golden-crowned Kinglet 30
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Brown Creeper 7
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Marsh Wren 4
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Bewick's Wren 4
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European Starling 12
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American Robin 21
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Purple Finch 2
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Fox Sparrow 3
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White-crowned Sparrow 1
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Golden-crowned Sparrow 35
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Song Sparrow 20
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Spotted Towhee 6
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Red-winged Blackbird 40
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Orange-crowned Warbler 1
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Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2
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Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 2
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<br>View this checklist online at <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S302089134">https://ebird.org/checklist/S302089134</a>
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