Date: 4/30/26 7:18 am From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 4/29/2026
Dear Tweets,
Approximately 30 of us had an exciting Spring Day at the Refuge with sunny
skies and temperatures in the 50's to 60's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a
Low 0'6" Tide at 11:29am and a High 11'10" Tide at 5:59pm. Highlights
included continuing WHITE-FACED IBIS (2) at the Twin Barns Overlook,
upwards of 12 First of Year sightings including BLUE-WINGED TEAL/NORTHERN
YELLOW WARBLER/and AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, several RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (3)
nests along the northwest section of the Twin Barns Loop Trail between the
twin bench overlook just south of the Twin Barns cut-off and the cut-off,
the return of BULLOCK'S ORIOLE to the Twin Barns Picnic area and just south
in the cottonwood trees between the access road and the Twin Barns Loop
Trail, and nice numbers of BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (9) and HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL
(19) using the mud flats north of the Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike along
the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
In the morning, our group split in two: Ken Brown led some of the group on
our routine walk through the Orchard and I led the other portion on a
twitch to the Twin Barns Overlook Platform to relocate two WHITE-FACED IBIS
that were continuing in the flooded field adjacent to the Twin Barns. It's
been over twenty years since this species was last reported at the Refuge,
so it's very exciting to have them back comfortably feeding and roosting in
the flooded fields for a nice view. FOY BULLOCKS ORIOLE, two male and one
female, were heard and seen in the Twin Barns Picnic Area and the tall
Cottonwood Trees between the Access Road and Twin Barns Loop Trail where
this species nested last year. Our two groups reunited along the Access
Road adjacent to the west side parking lot after our twitch. Upwards of 14
FOY AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN were observed flying south up the
McAllister/Medicine Creek. Numerous SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL were heard and
seen in the flooded fields, Visitor Center Pond, and the freshwater marsh.
The Visitor Center Pond and Twin Barns Loop Trail was great for observing
FOY BLUE-WINGED TEAL, CINNAMON TEAL, and PIED-BILL GREBE. The Riparian
Forest around the Twin Barns Loop Trail is a great breeding area for BARN
SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, and
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. The section between the Twin Barns cut-off and south
to the twin bench overlook just south of the cut-off is very active with
several nests. The large Maple Tree at the cut-off has a knot hole that a
NORTHERN ROUGH-WING SWALLOW is re-exploring.
The Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike was great for observing
waterfowl/shorebirds, including migrating GREATER WHITE-FRONTED
GEESE/BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER/and HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL. AMERICAN BITTERN was
reported by some of our group who made it out on the dike earlier in the
morning. The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail allowed very close viewing
of breeding plumage LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SHORT-BILLED GULL,
RING-BILLED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED/WESTERN GULL, CASPIAN TERN, and COMMON
LOON. Several CLIFF SWALLOWS are building mud-hut nests at the McAllister
Creek/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform.
We located a BARRED OWL at the Nisqually River Overlook thanks to several
agitated AMERICAN ROBINS. FOY WESTERN FLYCATCHER (pacific-slope variety)
was heard along east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. Numerous sightings
of many expected warblers including ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, COMMON
YELLOW-THROAT, NORTHERN YELLOW WARBLER, and both Audubon's and Myrtle
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.
For the day we observed over 95 species with upwards of 12 FOY. We have
observed 128 species thus far this year. See our eBird Report pasted below
for additional details and photos.
Others seen included the Columbia Black-tailed Deer, Long-tailed Weasel,
Townsend's Chipmunk, Townsend's Vole, Muskrat, Painted Turtle, and Garter
Snake.
Until next week, happy birding.
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Apr 29, 2026 9:44 AM - 5:36 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.722 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Actual time approximately
700minutes. Actual distance approximately 7 miles. Sunny skies with
temperatures in the 50’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low 0’6” Tide at
11:29am and a High 11’10” Tide at 5:59pm. Mammals seen Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Townsend’s Chipmunk,
Long-tailed Weasel, Townsend’s Vole, Muskrat, and Harbor Seal. Others seen
include Painted Turtle, American Bullfrog, Red Admiral Butterfly, and
Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly.
96 species (+7 other taxa)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Western) 27 Freshwater marsh.
Cackling Goose 30
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 2 Injured bird continues along the dike or
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail.
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 35
Wood Duck 8
Blue-winged Teal 6 Counted individually. Two in Visitor Center Pond,
two in flooded field south of Twin Barns, and two adjacent to Twin Barns.
Cinnamon Teal 8
Northern Shoveler 50
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 100
Mallard 45
Northern Pintail 20
Green-winged Teal 80
Ring-necked Duck 16
Greater Scaup 20
Lesser Scaup 1
Surf Scoter 8
Bufflehead 40
Common Goldeneye 15
Hooded Merganser 8
Common Merganser 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 14
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1
Mourning Dove 2
Anna's Hummingbird 2
Rufous Hummingbird 14 Three nests along the Northwest Section of Twin
Barns Loop Trail, south of cut-off to Twin Barns to the double bench
overlook immediately south.
Virginia Rail 7
Sora 5
American Coot (Red-shielded) 7
Black-bellied Plover 9 Small flock flew into mudflats west of Leschi
Slough, group of 9 individuals.
Hudsonian Whimbrel 19 Possible more. Nineteen individuals counted on
the ground, additional birds flying around vicinity. Mudflats North and
East of McAllister Creek/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform.
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Dunlin 4
Least Sandpiper 100
Western Sandpiper 40
Short-billed Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 25
California Gull 4
Glaucous-winged Gull 3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 40
Larus sp. 100
Caspian Tern 8
Pied-billed Grebe 5
Common Loon 2
Brandt's Cormorant 1
Double-crested Cormorant 50
White-faced Ibis 2 Previously reported rare migrant stopping over at
Refuge. Photos and video. Best seen from Twin Barns Overlook. Medium sized
red to bronzed colored wading waterbird with red eye, long decurved bill,
and red legs. Faint rim of white around facial skin.
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 25
American White Pelican 14 Surprise! Distinctive. Large white arial
waterbird with white and black wings and large yellow bill. Flying south up
McAllister Creek.
Turkey Vulture (Northern) 1
Bald Eagle 20 Two occupied nests. One in tall Cottonwood Tree West
Bank of Nisqually River, 1/4mile north of Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike.
The second in Doug Fir on the West Bank of McAllister Creek just south of
McAllister Creek/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform of the Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 2
Barred Owl 1 Adjacent to Nisqually River Overlook.
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Building cavity/nest in large snag on the
outside of the Twin Barns Loop Trail just north of the north double bench
overlook just south of the Twin Barns cut-off.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3
Northern Flicker 2
Peregrine Falcon 2
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 1
Hutton's Vireo (Pacific) 1
Western Warbling Vireo 1
Steller's Jay 2
California Scrub-Jay 1
American Crow 8
Common Raven 3
Black-capped Chickadee 12
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 7
Tree Swallow 30
Violet-green Swallow 2
Purple Martin 9 Luhr Beach.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 7 McAllister Creek and Large Old Maple
Tree at Twin Barns Cut-off from Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Barn Swallow (American) 50
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 40 Building mud hut nests at Visitor
Center and McAllister Creek/Medicine Observation Platform.
Bushtit (Pacific) 3
Brown Creeper 4
Marsh Wren 21
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 12
European Starling 20
Swainson's Thrush 2 Heard only.
American Robin (migratorius Group) 40
Purple Finch (Western) 3
American Goldfinch 4
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) 2
Golden-crowned Sparrow 30
White-throated Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 2
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 35
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Spotted Towhee 4
Bullock's Oriole 2 Two males and possible one female in area of Twin
Barns Picnic Table área and along Access Road and Twin Barns Loop Trail
just south of Twin Barns Picnic Área. Oriole chatter and call heard.
Confirmed sighting of immature and mature male birds. Hanging out in the
tall Cottonwood Trees between the Access Road and Twin Barns Loop Trail
just south of Twin Barns where birds had nested last year.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 50
Brown-headed Cowbird 7
Orange-crowned Warbler (Gray-headed) 1
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 6
Common Yellowthroat 15
Northern Yellow Warbler 15 Probably more. Counted individually, heard
and seen.
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 30
