Date: 9/30/26 10:11 pm From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk for Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 9/30/2026
Dear Tweets,
Approximately 25 of us enjoyed a nice Fall day at the Refuge with fog in
the morning clearing to sunny skies and temperatures in the 50's to 60's
degrees. There was a High 13'1" Tide at 9:16am, so we skipped the Orchard
in the morning to chase the tide. Highlights included a PEREGRINE FALCON
catching a GREEN-WINGED TEAL in flight, great views of an AMERICAN KESTREL
in the surge plain, a MARBLED GODWIT seen well from the Puget Sound
Observation Platform, and nice views of WHITE-THROATED SPARROW just north
of the northeast corner of the Twin Barns Loop Trail. The RED-SHOULDERED
HAWK was heard only in the morning west of the west end parking lot. We
observed GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE adjacent to CACKLING GEESE in the
flooded field between the access road and entrance road.
For the day, we saw 77 species. The Marbled Godwit was FOY, and we have
now seen 167 species this year. See our eBird report pasted below.
Other fun sightings included River Otter in the slough adjacent to the Twin
Barns and crossing the old Nisqually River dike just south of the Nisqually
River Overlook.
Until next time 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
Sep 30, 2026 7:08 AM - 4:29 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.168 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Fog in the morning, transitioning
to sun. Temperatures in the 50’s to 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 13’1”
Tide at 9:16am. Others seen Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Muskrat, Townsend’s Chipmunk, Pacific Chorus Frog,
Harbor Seal, River Otter, Eastern Gray Squirrel.
77 species (+5 other taxa)
Greater White-fronted Goose 14 Roosting in field between access road
and entrance road.
Cackling Goose (minima) 420
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 5
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 15
Wood Duck 12
American Wigeon 100
Mallard 150
Northern Pintail 500
Green-winged Teal 500
Surf Scoter 1 Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 45
Anna's Hummingbird 3
Virginia Rail 1
Black-bellied Plover 2
Killdeer 4
Marbled Godwit 1 Observed foraging on mudflats 100 yards east of Puget
Sound Observation Platform at the end of the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk
Trail. A large tan shorebird with long two toned upwardly curved bill and
dark legs. Larger and longer billed then area Greater Yellowlegs. Plain
faced. Using bill to probe deeply into mud as it foraged for food. Observed
twice and seen for over 5 minutes. Observed flying as well.
Greater Yellowlegs 40
Dunlin 1 Scoped on Nisqually Reach with peeps from Puget Sound
Observation Platform.
Least Sandpiper 200
Western Sandpiper 40
peep sp. 300
Rhinoceros Auklet 8
Ring-billed Gull 200
California Gull 1
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 15
Larus sp. 500
Caspian Tern 2 Foraging along McAllister Creek in the afternoon.
Pied-billed Grebe 1 Visitor Center Pond.
Western Grebe 2 Nisqually Reach.
Common Loon 2
Brandt's Cormorant 4
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 30
Northern Harrier 2
Bald Eagle 6
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Heard only. Repeated Kyeer call from riparian
Forrest west and south of west end parking lot.
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Belted Kingfisher 6
Red-breasted Sapsucker 4
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 5
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 6
American Kestrel (Northern) 2
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 1 Captured and ate a Green-winged Teal.
Hutton's Vireo 1 Orchard.
Steller's Jay 1
American Crow 125
Common Raven 4
Black-capped Chickadee 15
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 3
Barn Swallow 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4
Brown Creeper 9
Pacific Wren 4
Marsh Wren 4
Bewick's Wren 6
European Starling 300
Varied Thrush 2
Swainson's Thrush 2
American Robin (migratorius Group) 30
Cedar Waxwing 25
American Pipit 4
Purple Finch (Western) 2
Red Crossbill 4
Pine Siskin 20
American Goldfinch 25
Fox Sparrow 4
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 15
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) 1 Orchard.
Golden-crowned Sparrow 30
White-throated Sparrow 1 Observed north of the NE corner of the Twin
Barns Loop Trail.
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 20
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 25
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 8
Western Meadowlark 1 Surge plain.
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 250
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Yellow Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 10
