Date: 5/8/26 12:32 pm From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 5/6/2026
Dear Tweets,
Approximately 30 of us enjoyed a really nice day of Spring birding at the
Refuge. It was breezy and cool with temperatures in the 50's to 60's degree
Fahrenheit. We had a Low -0'10" Tide at 3:20pm. Sadly, the White-faced
Ibis foraging in the flooded field adjacent to the Twin Barns Overlook
could not be relocated and has likely migrated north and/or east. It was a
real treat to see White-faced Ibis last Wednesday and have them foraging
for longer than 1 week. Along with the Ibis we observed significant
decreases in the numbers of wintering/migrating geese, ducks, shorebirds,
gulls, sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers. However the highlights made up
for these expected changes, including First of Year (FOY) sightings of
WILSON'S WARBLER, BANK SWALLOW, VAUX'S SWIFT, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, a
likely YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, and a heard-only NASHVILLE WARBLER. We also
noted excellent numbers of YELLOW WARBLER and nesting BARN, CLIFF, and TREE
SWALLOWS. Numerous hummingbird nests were present, including both RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD and ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD. We observed numerous calling SORA with
several seen clearly. 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS were in the freshwater marsh
along with very nice sightings of WOOD DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, CINNAMON
TEAL and BLUE-WINGED TEAL. A BALD EAGLE chick can be seen in the large
Cottonwood Tree on the left bank of the Nisqually River north of the
Nisqually Estuary Trail or dike on the east side of the surge plain.
For the day we observed 85 species. With FOY Vaux's Swift, Bank Swallow,
Yellow-headed Blackbird, Nashville Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, and
Black-headed Grosbeak, we have now seen 134 species thus far for 2026.
Others seen included Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Muskrat, Townsend's
Chipmunk, Harbor Seal, Red-eared Slider and Red Admiral Butterfly. See our
eBird Report pasted below for additional details and embedded photos.
Next week I'll be away scouting for the WOS Conference in
Clarkston/Lewiston and Ken, Pete, Jim, Rob, Ed and Jon will lead in my
absence. I'll return May 20th. Until then, happy birding.
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
May 6, 2026 6:22 AM - 4:49 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.437 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy with temperatures in the
50’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low -0’10” Tide at 3:20pm. Others seen
Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Muskrat, Eastern
Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, Townsend’s Chipmunk, Red-eared Slider, Pacific
Chorus Frog, Red Admiral Butterfly.
85 species (+4 other taxa)
Cackling Goose 1 Fly over with Canada Geese.
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40
Wood Duck 8
Blue-winged Teal 4 Flooded field adjacent to Twin Barns and freshwater
Marsh
Cinnamon Teal (Northern) 12 Visitor Center Pond, flooded fields,
freshwater marsh.
Northern Shoveler 25
Gadwall 4
American Wigeon 150 Large flock Nisqually Reach
Mallard 30
Northern Pintail 2
Green-winged Teal (American) 30 Mudflats on high tide.
Ring-necked Duck 4
Bufflehead 20 McAllister Creek
Hooded Merganser 6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 10
Mourning Dove 2
Vaux's Swift 1
Anna's Hummingbird 2 Occupied nest on the inside of the Twin Barns
Loop Trail, on the west side of the loop approximately 50-75 feet north of
the access road cut through, on a relatively small tree/small branch with
leaf coverage to protect from rain, above eye level and approximately 30-40
feet from the boards.
Rufous Hummingbird 8 Four nests observed. All on the west side of the
Twin Barns Loop Trail. One with young that is built at eye level over the
water just north of the Twin Bench Overlook south of the Twin Barns
cut-off. This nest is in a Willow Tree 15-20 feet from the boards. An
occupied nest is very close to the Anna’s Hummingbird nest, on the inside
of the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, approximately 75 feet north
of the access road cut through above eye level on an Alder Tree branch.
Another occupied nest is on a Maple Tree Branch high above the twin bench
overlook south of the Twin Barns cut-off.
Virginia Rail 6 Heard only. Freshwater marsh.
Sora 10 Heard and seen. Visitor Center Pond, flooded fields,
freshwater marsh. At least three individuals seen and multiple calls from
different regions of Refuge.
American Coot (Red-shielded) 6
Killdeer 2
Hudsonian Whimbrel 12 Mudflats adjacent to Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk
Trail.
Wilson's Snipe 1 Freshwater marsh in the morning.
Greater Yellowlegs 1 McAllister Creek
Dunlin 10
Least Sandpiper 5
Western Sandpiper 40
Short-billed Gull 5
Ring-billed Gull 60
Glaucous-winged Gull 3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 3
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20
gull sp. 30
Caspian Tern 23
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Brandt's Cormorant 6 Nisqually River Channel Marker.
Double-crested Cormorant 25
American Bittern 2 Freshwater marsh. Two birds different locations of
marsh.
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 35
Turkey Vulture (Northern) 1
Bald Eagle 30 Occupied nest in Douglas Fir 3/4 way up slope on West
Bank of McAllister Creek south of McAllister Creek/Medicine Creek Viewing
Platform. Occupied nest with young in tall Cottonwood Tree West Bank of
Nisqually River north of Nisqually Estuary Trail/dike on east side of surge
plain.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Snag with cavity nest along the west side of
the Twin Barns Loop Trail. On the outside of the trail just north of the
Twin Bench Overlook south of the Twin Barns cut-off approximately 25 feet
high in a section of debarked snag.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2
Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2
Northern Flicker 2
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 2
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 2 Heard only.
Hutton's Vireo 1 Heard only
Western Warbling Vireo 1 Heard only
American Crow 4
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Bank Swallow 6 Counted individually, probably more. Small brown-gray
backed swallow with white throat and neck tie. Frequently flying adjacent
to other Bank Swallows or ‘in formation’. Foraging over flooded fields and
freshwater marsh adjacent to Barn/Tree/Cliff and Northern Rough-winged
Swallow.
Tree Swallow 40
Violet-green Swallow 3
Purple Martin 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow (American) 75 Visitor Center and Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail.
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 50 Visitor Center,
McAllister/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform, and bridge over McAllister at
I5 south bound on ramp.
Bushtit (Pacific) 6 Eye level in a Doug Fir branch adjacent to the
green gate opposite the entrance to the Education Center Parking Lot.
Brown Creeper 1
Marsh Wren 20 Nests in Visitor Center Pond and Freshwater Marsh.
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 4
European Starling 100 Numerous cavity nests in snags on surge plain
and around Twin Barns.
Swainson's Thrush 7
Hermit Thrush 1 Heard and seen by other birders.
American Robin (migratorius Group) 30
Purple Finch (Western) 2
American Goldfinch 10 Nest in large Maple Tree high above twin bench
overlook west side of Twin Barns Loop Trail south of Twin Barns cut-off.
Golden-crowned Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 5
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 31
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 3
Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 Reported by Laurie from the Nisqually
Estuary Trail in the Freshwater Marsh.
Bullock's Oriole 1 Heard only in the Twin Barns picnic area in the
early morning.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 50
Brown-headed Cowbird 12
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 1
Nashville Warbler (ridgwayi) 2 Heard only by several birders. Alerted
by song differing from surrounding YEWA, WIWA and OCWA. Picked up on
Merlin. I don’t recall the species being directly seen.
Common Yellowthroat 25
Northern Yellow Warbler 49
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler 3
Black-headed Grosbeak 1
