Date: 7/9/26 4:19 pm From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/8/2026
Hi Tweets,
Approximately 30 of us had a nice Summers Day at the Refuge. The morning
was chilly and moist, transitioning into a sunny afternoon with
temperatures in the 60's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 9'4"
Tide at 1:16pm and we walked our regular route. Highlights included a
MERLIN eating a BARN SWALLOW and RED-TAILED HAWK eating a Rabbit in the
Riparian Stand behind the flagpole. We observed three active WESTERN
WOOD-PEWEE nests - one along the Access Road across from the Education
Center and the other two along the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail.
We had nice views of migrating WESTERN SANDPIPER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and
SHORT-BILLED GULL. We also scoped our First Of Year COMMON MURRE from the
Puget Sound Observation Platform as well as continuing AMERICAN WHITE
PELICAN.
For the day we observed 64 species. With the FOY Common Murre, we have now
seen 153 species thus far this year. Check out our eBird Report pasted
below for additional details and photos.
Other fun sightings included a juvenile RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER in a Pear
Tree adjacent to the Land Trust Building, and occupied nests/cavities of
BARN SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
and BALD EAGLE. CEDAR WAXWING, YELLOW WARBLER, SWAINSON THRUSH and
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD fledglings were being fed by adults.
Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend's Chipmunk,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Muskrat, Long-tailed Weasel, Harbor Seal,
River Otter and Harbor Porpoise.
Until next week when we meet again at 8 a.m. at the Visitor Center Pond
Overlook. Happy birding,
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jul 8, 2026 7:12 AM - 5:11 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.224 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday walk. Overcast morning with light rain
transitioning to sunny skies by afternoon. Temperatures in the 60’s to
70’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 9’4” Tide at 1:16pm. Mammals seen Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Townsend’s Chipmunk,
Muskrat, Long-tailed Weasel, Harbor Seal, upwards of five River Otter, and
Harbor Porpoise.
64 species (+4 other taxa)
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40
Wood Duck 12
Mallard 18
Hooded Merganser 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 7
Band-tailed Pigeon (Northern) 8
Mourning Dove 4
Rufous Hummingbird 10
Virginia Rail 2
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Least Sandpiper 12
Western Sandpiper 40
Rhinoceros Auklet 19
Common Murre 6
alcid sp. 2
Short-billed Gull 1 Observed foraging on mud flats adjacent to
Ring-billed Gull at 100-200 feet with spotting scopes. Smaller yellow-green
bill with dark tip, rounder head with steeper fore brow, dark eye, darker
gray mantle with more prominent scapular crescent then adjacent RBGU.
Second to third year bird with worn light brown primaries. More pink in
feet with pink-green-yellow upper leg. Photos taken.
Ring-billed Gull 75
California Gull 150
Glaucous-winged Gull 2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 1
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15
Caspian Tern 50
Brandt's Cormorant 5 Nisqually River channel marker.
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 100
American White Pelican 2 Spotted by AnnaJane on marsh plain of
Nisqually Reach just west of mouth of Nisqually River. Preening on marsh
plain for 5-10 minutes, then suddenly not visible on falling tide, and
likely out of sight in tide flat channel or slough. Observed with spotting
scopes. Distinctive large white bird with long orange bill. Previously
reported.
Bald Eagle 14 Nest with young West Bank of McAllister Creek north of
the McAllister/Medicine Creek observation platform.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 2 One observed eating a rabbit in
stand of trees adjacent to flagpole.
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1
Red-breasted Sapsucker (ruber) 1 Juvenile observed in pear tree
adjacent to land trust building.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 5
Merlin 1
Western Wood-Pewee 10 Three nests observed. One on inside of green
gate across from Education Center over the slough at eye level, and two on
west side Twin Barns Loop Trail between access road cut through and Twin
Barns cut-off. Both on the inside of the loop trail immediately adjacent
and above trail.
Willow Flycatcher 3
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 1
Hutton's Vireo (Pacific) 2
American Crow 6
Black-capped Chickadee 20 Active nest in snag on outside of west side
of Twin Barns Loop Trail south of Twin Barns cut off.
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Bank Swallow 8 Counted individually. Likely more. Observed 6 birds
perched in one dead bush in freshwater marsh with Cliff Swallows. Counted
2-3 on Motus Tower adjacent to Twin Barns with Tree Swallows. Counted 1-2
foraging-flying over fields south of Twin Barns and Shannon Slough.
Tree Swallow 40
Purple Martin 6 Gourds on Luhr Beach.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Northern) 5
Barn Swallow (American) 50 Active nests in Visitor Center.
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 100 Visitor Center and
McAllister/Medicine Observation Platform.
Bushtit (Pacific) 0
Brown Creeper 6
Marsh Wren 12 Fresh water marsh.
Bewick's Wren (spilurus Group) 2
European Starling 75
Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed) 61 Counted individually.
American Robin (migratorius Group) 30
Cedar Waxwing 30
Purple Finch 8
Red Crossbill 2
American Goldfinch 26
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 10
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 34
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 60
Brown-headed Cowbird 30
Common Yellowthroat 8
Northern Yellow Warbler 40
Western Tanager 1 Heard only.
Black-headed Grosbeak 1 Female.
