Date: 3/26/26 11:42 am From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 3/25/2026 with update on 3/18
Dear Tweets,
Approximately 25-30 of us endured a wild first Wednesday Walk of spring,
experiencing sun, clouds, rain, wind, and sleet. Temperatures ranged from
the 40s to the 50s; some moments felt like a warm spring day, while others
felt like a cold, rainy winter day. There was a High 12'3" Tide at 10:08am
so we proceeded with our regular route. Highlights included two early
First of Year COMMON YELLOWTHROAT WARBLER one at the west entrance to the
Twin Barns Loop Trail and the other on the Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike
just north of the Twin Barns. Birding was excellent at the Green Closure
Gate for the old McAllister Creek Access Road where the flooded fields on
either side offered great views of EURASIAN WIGEON, AMERICAN X EURASIAN
WIGEON hybrid, WILSON'S SNIPE and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. A RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD nest was located by a photographer on the inside of the west
side Twin Barns Loop Trail half way between the Twin Barns cut-off and the
twin bench overlook south in a diagonal fork just above eye level;
continuing WHITE-THROATED SPARROW with a large flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW in the Twin Barns picnic area and a yellow-shafted NORTHERN FLICKER
in the surge plain. Many observers had brief views of the AMERICAN BITTERN
in the freshwater marsh. The Orchard was really nice for ORANGE-CROWNED
WARBLER, BAND-TAILED PIGEON and Rufous Hummingbird with quick views of
HUTTON'S VIREO and FOY HERMIT THRUSH. Dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers
were present, including both the Audubon's and Myrtle varieties. At noon,
the wind and rain picked up and much of the group peeled off. At the end
of our walk we spotted FOY WOOD DUCK at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
For the day we observed 79 species. With the FOY Hermit Thrush, Common
Yellowthroat, and Wood Duck we have observed 104 species for the year. See
our eBird Report pasted below, which includes additional details and
embedded photos.
Last week, we spotted a FOY Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove and
Sora - heard only. We saw many more Violet-green Swallows 3/18, and many
more Tree Swallows 3/25. We had great views of River Otter at the Twin
Barns Overlook and upwards of 45 Trumpeter Swans flying over the Refuge.
We have several birders taking really nice photos to embed in our eBird
Reports which makes them enjoyable to review. Thanks to everyone who
contributes to the Wednesday Walk.
I'll be away birding in India - Northwest [Desert National Park/Tal Chhapar
Sanctuary] and Northeast [Sela Pass/Dirang/Eaglenest WLS/Kaziranga
NP/Dibang Valley] for the next three weeks and will return on April 29th.
In my absence Ken Brown, Rob Chrisler, Pete Kilburn, Jim Pruske, Ed Beck,
Lisa Genuit, Dan Paul, Jon Anderson and a host of regulars will continue.
I'm certain I'll miss tons of cool stuff at Nisqually while searching for
the Great Indian Bustard and Bugun Liocichla.
Happy birding until next week when the group meets again at 8am at the
Visitor Center Pond Overlook.
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Mar 25, 2026 7:30 AM - 4:09 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.219 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Sun, clouds, rain and wind with
temperature in the 40’s to 50’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 12’3” Tide at
10:08am. Others seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Douglas Squirrel, River
Otter, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Columbian Black-tailed Deer,
Red-legged Frog egg cluster, and Northwest Salamander egg cluster.
79 species (+10 other taxa)
Cackling Goose (minima) 300
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 50
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 30
Wood Duck 2 Visitor Center Pond in the afternoon.
Northern Shoveler 250
Gadwall 40
Eurasian Wigeon 4 Flooded fields on either side of the old McAllister
Creek Access Road and south of Twin Barns.
American Wigeon 750
Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) 1 In flooded field west of west
side parking lot.
Mallard 143
Northern Pintail 50
Green-winged Teal (American) 500
Ring-necked Duck 7 Visitor Center Pond.
Surf Scoter 40
Bufflehead 100
Common Goldeneye 30
Hooded Merganser 10
Common Merganser 9
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 16
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 1
Mourning Dove 3
Anna's Hummingbird 2
Rufous Hummingbird 5 Nest observed on west side of Twin Barns Loop
Trail.
Virginia Rail 1 Heard along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.
American Coot (Red-shielded) 100
Killdeer 2
Long-billed Dowitcher 20 Flooded field south of the Twin Barns.
Wilson's Snipe 7 Flooded field south of the old McAllister Creek
Access Road and Twin Barns Observation Platform.
Spotted Sandpiper 1 West Bank of McAllister Creek.
Greater Yellowlegs 40
Dunlin 2
Least Sandpiper 25
Short-billed Gull 250
Ring-billed Gull 40
Glaucous-winged Gull 2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 10
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Horned Grebe 6
Common Loon 1 Nisqually Reach.
Brandt's Cormorant 3
Double-crested Cormorant 10
American Bittern 1 Seen in fresh water marsh.
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 20
Turkey Vulture 1 Spotted by Laurie and Steve circling over the Visitor
Center.
Northern Harrier 2
Bald Eagle 25 Occupied nest in large cottonwood west bank of Nisqually
River and Douglas Fir West Bank of McAllister Creek south of McAllister
Creek observation platform.
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Twin Barns picnic area
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2
Northern Flicker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Previously reported. Photos.
Female observed at 75 feet with bins and scope. Brown face, red nape and
yellow shafts. Seen in surge plain.
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted) 1
American Kestrel 1
Hutton's Vireo (Pacific) 2 Orchard and Access Roads.
American Crow 25
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Tree Swallow 100
Violet-green Swallow 20
Barn Swallow (American) 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 20
Golden-crowned Kinglet 5
Brown Creeper 6
Pacific Wren (Pacific) 3
Marsh Wren 15
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 8
European Starling 100
Hermit Thrush 1 Behind Education Center.
American Robin (migratorius Group) 60
Purple Finch (Western) 3
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 2
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 10
Golden-crowned Sparrow 40
White-throated Sparrow 1 Twin Barns Picnic Area.
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 32
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 6
Western Meadowlark 1 Surge plain.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 75
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 1 Orchard.
Common Yellowthroat 2 Early arrival! Two birds seen. One around the
west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail, the second off the dike or
Nisqually Estuary Trail north of the Twin Barns.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 34
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 40
