Date: 11/27/25 11:18 am From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 11/26/2025
Hi Tweets,
Approximately 25 of us enjoyed a misty bird walk with temperatures in the
40's to 50's degrees Fahrenheit and a High 13'11" Tide at 10:30am.
Highlights included two WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - tan striped in the Orchard
and a white striped along the Nisqually Estuary Trail/dike north of the
Twin Barns, WILSON'S SNIPE in the flooded field west of the west side
parking lot, continuing VIRGINIA RAIL along the west side of the Twin Barns
Loop Trail, EURASIAN WIGEON from the Twin Barns Overlook, continuing
NORTHERN FLICKER - yellow shafted from the dike, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER from
the McAllister/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform, upwards of 6
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS on the far east side of the surge plain north of the
dike on a falling tide, and both lutescens and gray-headed variety of
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER between the Twin Barns and the honey-buckets.
A retraction/correction to last week's report, our Trumpeter Swans turned
into FOY TUNDRA SWANS on closer inspection of photographs.
For the day we tallied 68 species, and with FOY Tundra Swans from 11/19, we
now have observed 178 species so far this year. See our eBird report below
for further details and photos.
Other notables seen included Muskrat, Douglas Squirrel, numerous Columbian
Black-tailed Deer and Harbor Seal.
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 26, 2025 7:14 AM - 4:14 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.5 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy skies with mist and
temperatures in the 40’s to 50’s. A High 13’11” Tide at 10:30am. Others
seen included Muskrat, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Douglas Squirrel, Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend’s Vole, Harbor Seal, and Columbian
Black-tailed Deer.
68 species (+6 other taxa)
Cackling Goose (minima) 1000
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 30
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 25
Northern Shoveler 150
Gadwall 30
Eurasian Wigeon 2 One seen from the Twin Barns Observation Platform,
the other seen from the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail just north of the
Twin Barns in the surge plain north of the barns and dike.
American Wigeon 2500
Mallard 100
Northern Pintail 500
Green-winged Teal (American) 750
Ring-necked Duck 1 Flooded field south of the Twin Barns.
Surf Scoter 20
White-winged Scoter 1 Seen from McAllister/Medicine Creek Viewing
Platform on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail in the confluence of
Shannon Slough with McAllister Creek.
Bufflehead 100
Common Goldeneye 12
Hooded Merganser 3
Red-breasted Merganser 11 McAllister Creek and Nisqually Reach.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 40
Anna's Hummingbird 2
Virginia Rail 2 Visitor Center Pond and freshwater Marsh.
American Coot (Red-shielded) 10
Black-bellied Plover 1 Flew over Observation Tower at start of
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail heading north along Leschi Slough.
Semipalmated Plover 6 Counted individually. Seen at 2pm on surge plain
on far right side on falling tide. Small one banded plover.
Wilson's Snipe 1 Seen in flooded field west of west side parking lot
and just south of the old McAllister Creek Access Road.
Greater Yellowlegs 35
Least Sandpiper 75
Short-billed Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 32
California Gull 1
Glaucous-winged Gull 1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 12
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 25
Pied-billed Grebe 2 Visitor Center Pond.
Horned Grebe 1 McAllister Creek.
Common Loon 3 One Loon showed nicely on our return approximately at
1:30pm in the confluence of Shannon Slough with McAllister Creek from the
McAllister/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform.
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 30
Cooper's Hawk 1 Orchard.
Northern Harrier 3 Two female, one male.
Bald Eagle 6
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Belted Kingfisher 4
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2
Northern Flicker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Previously reported. Seen by some
of the Wednesday Walk on the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail. Near where
Leschi Slough meets the dike at the aqueduct.
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1
American Kestrel (Northern) 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
American Crow 80
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 25
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Bushtit 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15
Golden-crowned Kinglet 20
Brown Creeper 5
Pacific Wren 4
Marsh Wren 9
Bewick's Wren 3
European Starling 50
American Robin 30
Purple Finch 1 West end of parking lot.
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1 Orchard.
Golden-crowned Sparrow 30
White-throated Sparrow 2 One spotted by Bruce in Orchard, tan strip
variety. Another found by Jim along the Nisqually Estaury Trail or new
dike, white striped variety.
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 15
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Off dike.
Spotted Towhee 4
Western Meadowlark 4 Along Leschi Slough.
Red-winged Blackbird 75
Orange-crowned Warbler (Gray-headed) 1 Spotted by Heather between the
Twin Barns and the Honey Buckets.
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 1 Spotted by Heather between the
Twin Barns and the Honey Buckets.
