Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR shorebirds 7-17-06
Date: Jul 17 17:29:24 2006
From: Ruth and/or Patrick Sullivan - godwit513 at msn.com


Hello Tweets,

Today we enjoyed a nice visit to the Nisqually NWR between 9:30am-3pm. Our main efforts were to focus on migrating shorebirds,as we thoroughly checked the wetland areas along the McAllister Creek Trail north to the Nisqually Delta. Conditions were great with wind to help the temperatures from getting too hot,as well as a good tide with still some areas of mudflats at extreme high tide at the Nisqually Delta. Most of the greatest shorebird diversity was encountered along the McAllister Creek Trail immediately north of the McAllister Creek Overlook,where the activity was noted east of the trail in the wetland areas with ample mudflats. This area extends north along the McAllister Creek Trail until less areas of mudflats are visible with more flooded areas as you continue north to the photo blind/boardwalk. Upon arriving to the McAllister Creek Overlook we immediately noted good numbers of "peeps", primarily being Western Sandpipers as well as our first Long-billed Dowitchers of the day. As soon as we walked north along the trail towards the Nisqually Delta we located a single adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER foraging amongst a small group of Western Sandpipers until the entire flock flew a short distance to a concealed area invisible from our vantage point. The Semipalmated Sandpiper was easy to separate from the brighter,longer-billed Western Sandpipers by showing much paler areas,as well as having a very short,stubby,straight bill.

As we continued north along the trail a short distance we continued scanning through all the shorebirds visible from our view and soon located a SOLITARY SANDPIPER foraging mainly alone with 2 Long-billed Dowitchers and 2 Western Sandpipers nearby. This was a species we did not expect so early in the season and was our very first personal July record for the location! The Solitary Sandpiper soon became very active and continued foraging along a muddy margin until it moved to another location out of our viewing. As we continued northwards towards the photo blind we encountered fewer "peeps" with an increase in Greater Yellowlegs. By the time we reached the Nisqually Delta the inner wetlands thinned out considerable with shorebirds even if some minor areas of mudflats still existed. This entire area could change daily and should be checked thoroughly through fall migration and not every area is visible from one vantage point. At the Nisqually Delta we walked along the trail to just west of the Nisqually Delta Overlook,then proceeded back to the main parking lot. Upon returning to the wetland areas we noticed a great decline in overall shorebird numbers compared to a short time earlier,but small numbers of Long-billed Dowitchers still remained. Our only highlights from the mudflats areas at the Nisqually Delta included 3 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and 10 BONAPARTE'S GULLS along with good numbers of Western Sandpipers. A list of additional notable species encountered at the Nisqually NWR include the following:

4 female Wood Ducks(including 1 female with 12 young)
1 Green-winged Teal
2 Northern Pintail
9 Hooded Mergansers
230+ Common Mergansers(Nisqually Delta)
3 Ospreys
7 Bald Eagles
2 Virginia Rails(including 1 juvenile bird seen)
42 Greater Yellowlegs
1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS
750+ Western Sandpipers
120+ Least Sandpipers
43 Long-billed Dowitchers
1 Wilson's Snipe
52 Caspian Terns(with scattered numbers of Ring-billed and California Gulls at the Nisqually Delta)
1 Pigeon Guillemot(Nisqually Reach)
1 Mourning Dove
4 Belted Kingfishers
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
1 Western Wood Pewee
8 Willow Flycatchers
10+ Purple Martins
15+ Northern Rough-winged Swallows
2 Steller's Jays(McAllister Creek hillside)
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Purple Finch

In addition good numbers of Tree,Violet-green,Cliff and Barn Swallow persisted throughout the day including many recently fledged young,as well as good numbers of both Common Yellowthroats and Am.Goldfinches.


Good birding,

Ruth and Patrick Sullivan
Fircrest,WA
godwit513 at msn.com