Date: 3/12/25 10:26 pm From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 3/12/2025.
Hi Tweets,
Approximately 25 of us had a wet Wednesday at the Refuge with rain until
10am, then cloudy skies and temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees
Fahrenheit. There was a Low 4'11" Tide at 12:16pm and we did our routine
route. Highlights included TOWNSEND'S WARBLER at the Education Center and
east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, First Of Year BAND-TAILED PIGEON in
the Orchard, EURASIAN WIGEON in the freshwater marsh and confluence of
Shannon Slough and McAllister Creek, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTER immature male
in McAllister Creek with SURF SCOTER. Other notables were BARN OWL and
SNOW GOOSE observed from the Twin Barns Overlook at Dawn, and a HAIRY
WOODPECKER working on a cavity in a Cottonwood tree on the south side of
the east entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail. See details and photos on
eBird list below.
For the day we observed 75 species and have seen 106 species so far this
year. Mammals seen included Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend's Chipmunk, American Beaver at
aqueduct below Nisqually Estuary Trail, Harbor Seal and California Sea
Lion. We also observed several Northwest Salamander Egg Masses along the
Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Until next week when we meet again at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at
8am, happy birding!
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Mar 12, 2025 7:37 AM - 4:24 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.88 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Raining in the morning until 10am
with cloudy skies and temperatures in the 40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit.
A Low 4’11” Tide at 12:16pm. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer,
Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend’s Chipmunk, American Beaver, Harbor
Seal, and California Sea Lion. Others seen include Northwest Salamander
Egg Masses.
75 species (+8 other taxa)
Snow Goose 1 Seen by Steve from Twin Barns Observation Platform at
dawn.
Brant (Black) 35 Seen on Nisqually Reach from Puget Sound Observation
Platform.
Cackling Goose (minima) 400
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 4
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 20
Northern Shoveler 100
Gadwall 30
Eurasian Wigeon 3 Two observed in fresh water marsh, one observed from
McAllister Creek Viewing Platform in confluence of Shannon Slough and
McAllister Creek.
American Wigeon 700
Mallard 225
Northern Pintail 175
Green-winged Teal (American) 300
Ring-necked Duck 17 Several in Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
Surf Scoter 100
White-winged Scoter 4 Immature male seen in McAllister Creek with Surf
Scoters. Additional adults seen on Reach.
Bufflehead 230
Common Goldeneye 50
Hooded Merganser 12
Common Merganser 4 Nisqually River Overlook.
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 32
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 1 FOY! Orchard.
Mourning Dove 6 Orchard.
Rufous Hummingbird 2 Orchard and Twin Barns cut-off.
Virginia Rail 2 Fresh water marsh.
American Coot 150
Killdeer 2 Flooded fields.
Spotted Sandpiper 2 West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs 20
Dunlin 400
Least Sandpiper 80
Short-billed Gull 200
Ring-billed Gull 50
California Gull 2 Roosting with Short-billed and Ring-billed Gulls.
Glaucous-winged Gull 2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20
Larus sp. 250
Pied-billed Grebe 4 Fresh water marsh.
Horned Grebe 30
Common Loon 3 Nisqually Reach
Pelagic Cormorant 1 Nisqually Reach.
Double-crested Cormorant 2
cormorant sp. 10
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Spotted by Shep, brief looks of Hawk flying on
far side of flooded field south of Twin Barns Observation Platform Small
accipiter with square tail.
Northern Harrier 1
Bald Eagle 25 Nests over Twin Barns, along Nisqually River, and mouth
of McAllister Creek on hill side.
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Barn Owl 1 Spotted by Steve flying into Twin Barns from Twin
Barns Observation Platform at dawn.
Belted Kingfisher 3
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Excavating cavity in Cottonwood on south
side of east entrance to Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Northern Flicker 2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2
American Crow 100
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4
Tree Swallow 200
Violet-green Swallow 8
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 25
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Heard along west bank of McAllister Creek.
Brown Creeper 5
Pacific Wren (pacificus Group) 3
Marsh Wren 6
Bewick's Wren 7
European Starling 30
Varied Thrush 2 Entrance road in morning.
American Robin (migratorius Group) 40
Pine Siskin (Northern) 30
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3
White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis) 1 Spotted by Lisa along Nisqually
Estuary Trail or new dike.
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 27
Lincoln's Sparrow 3 Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 4
Western Meadowlark 2 Surge plain.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 50
Yellow-rumped Warbler 41
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 20
Townsend's Warbler 2 Orchard and Twin Barns Loop Trail.
