Date: 11/22/25 10:45 am From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR on 11/19/2025
Dear Tweets,
Approximately 25 of us had a really nice Autumn day at the Refuge with
cloudy skies and temperatures in the 40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit.
There was a Low 7'7" Tide at 11:15am and a High 12'8" Tide at 3:52pm which
was really nice for keeping plenty of waterfowl within the inner Refuge
during our regular route. Highlights included First Of Year NORTHERN
SHRIKE spotted along the Nisqually Estuary Trail as well YELLOW-SHAFTED
NORTHERN FLICKER. The Orchard was good for RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and
PILEATED WOODPECKER. The flooded fields along the Access or Maintenance
Roads were good for CACKLING GEESE and WILSON'S SNIPE. We had good
diversity of shorebirds at the Twin Barns Overlook Platform and on the
Nisqually Estuary Trail. AMERICAN BITTERN was seen in the freshwater marsh
and a late BARN SWALLOW briefly showed foraging low. We had a three
species of falcon day and 4 TRUMPETER SWANS flying and swimming in Shannon
Slough.
For the day we observed 78 species. With FOY Northern Shrike, we now have
observed 177 species thus far for 2025. See our eBird Report below with
awesome photos embedded.
Other fun sightings included 4 point Columbian Black-tailed Deer partaking
in the flehman display, Great Blue Heron catching and eating a Townsend's
Vole and a Muskrat at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
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
Nov 19, 2025 7:01 AM - 4:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.038 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with Temperatures in the
40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 7’7” Tide at 11:15am and a High 12’8”
Tide at 3:52. Others seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray
Squirrel, Douglas Squirrel, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Puget Sound Garter
Snake, Townsend’s Vole, Harbor Seal, California Sea Lion, and Muskrat.
78 species (+6 other taxa)
Cackling Goose (minima) 1500
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 50
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40
Trumpeter Swan 4 Spotted flying over Nisqually River, then over Refuge
into Shannon Slough. Photos.
Northern Shoveler 150
Gadwall 20
American Wigeon 2000
Mallard 200
Northern Pintail 1000
Green-winged Teal (American) 2000
Greater Scaup 30
Surf Scoter 25
White-winged Scoter 3
Bufflehead 300
Common Goldeneye 2
Hooded Merganser 2
Red-breasted Merganser 5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 35
Mourning Dove 1
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Virginia Rail 2
American Coot (Red-shielded) 5
Black-bellied Plover 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 5
Wilson's Snipe 4 Spotted by Jon in the flooded field south of the Twin
Barns.
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 50
Dunlin 300
Least Sandpiper 125
Bonaparte's Gull 10 Viewed from the end of the Nisqually Estuary Trail
flaring south of Anderson Island.
Short-billed Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 150
Glaucous-winged Gull 2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15
Larus sp. 100
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 6
Common Loon 2
Brandt's Cormorant 5
Double-crested Cormorant 25
American Bittern 1 Spotted by Craig in the Freshwater Marsh along the
Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 51
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Northern) 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Northern Harrier 3
Bald Eagle 8
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Orchard.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1 Orchard.
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Spotted by Mary Linders on the
Nisqually Estuary Trail on either side of the dike. Female, red on nape,
brown face, and yellow shafts. Photos taken. Observed for over 20 minutes
on either side of the dike foraging with other Northern Flickers.
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 4
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 2
American Kestrel 1 Spotted by Laurie at the green closure gate for the
old McAllister Creek Access Road.
Merlin 1 Spotted by Miles in tree along Nisqually River.
Peregrine Falcon 2
Northern Shrike 1 Spotted by Janel and Mary along Leschi Slough and in
the Freshwater Marsh along the Nisqually Estuary Trail.
American Crow 75
Common Raven 4
Black-capped Chickadee 20
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4
Barn Swallow 1 Observed for 10-15 seconds at 1/4 mile with 10x
binoculars flying/foraging over freshwater marsh from Nisqually Estuary
Trail or dike. Dark throat and back with light cream colored breast and
belly. Seen by other birders on dike.
Bushtit 6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 20
Golden-crowned Kinglet 10
Brown Creeper 4
Pacific Wren (Pacific) 6
Marsh Wren 8
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 6
European Starling 125
American Robin 30
Purple Finch 1 West End Parking Lot.
Pine Siskin 2
American Goldfinch 10
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 4
Golden-crowned Sparrow 15
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 18
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Spotted by Jon along the Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 4
Western Meadowlark 2
Red-winged Blackbird 100
