Hello Tweets,

This afternoon we walked the entire 5+ mile"loop"trail at the Nisqually NWR between 12:30pm-4:30pm and encountered a good assortment of species. We noticed few passerines including warblers,etc that seem to have moved on or it could have been the time of day. Most significant was 8 species of shorebirds for the afternoon,where many of the species were encountered along the outer or northern part of the refuge. Good shorebird habitat does exists along the outer loop trail between McAllister Creek to just west of the Observation Tower that overlooks the Nisqually Delta. The Observation Tower is still closed,but the best shorebird habitat is just west of the tower and south of he trail,where patches of mud are available amongst the flooded areas. A list of the shorebirds encountered from this location included the following species:

4 Killdeer
13 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
9 Western Sandpipers
40 Least Sandpipers
12 Long-billed Dowitchers


Much of this viewing is made through the row of shrubbery with a few open areas to scope from. Areas south of this are still very flooded primarily from the photo blind to the south McAllister Creek trail and continue to be good for waterfowl. Areas just west of the main parking lot have very limited shorebird habitat with some more flooded areas nearest a drainage culvert. Areas from the Twin Barns are very overgrown with very little wet areas visible from the observation platform at the Twin Barns. Depending on tide conditions shorebirds can be also observed from the McAllister Creek Overlook,where this afternoon we encountered a small flock of "peeps" containing 2 Western Sandpipers and 10 Least Sandpipers.

We arrived to the Nisqually Delta during incoming tide and only a small portion of shoreline was left making viewing fairly good for shorebirds,despite the heat waves. The best viewing we had of the Nisqually Delta as far as for shorebirds was just west of the Nisqually Delta Overlook Platform,where we were able to locate 5 Black-bellied Plovers(3 birds in breeding plumage,2 birds in non breeding plumage)and 14 WHIMBREL. 5 Bonaparte's Gulls and 17 Caspian Terns were also at this location,as well as nice gathering of Gadwall and Am.Wigeons along the immediate shoreline.


Other noteworthy sightings from the Nisqually NWR included the following:

1 Am.Bittern
2 Cackling Geese
22 Wood Ducks
14 Green-winged Teal
12 Northern Pintail
2 Blue-winged Teal
6 Cinnamon Teal
10 Northern Shovelers
1 pair of Ring-necked Ducks(Nisqually River)
5 Common Goldeneyes(McAllister Creek and the Nisqually River)
13 Buffleheads
13 Hooded Mergansers
4 Common Mergansers
1 Osprey
7 Bald Eagles
1 Northern Harrier
5 Virginia Rails
14 Sora(calling constantly from a wetland area at the northwest corner of the refuge)
8 Am.Coots
1 Red-breasted Sapsucker
7 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH(1 bird heard only in thick,dense habitat just north of the Ring Dike Trail)
2 Black-headed Grosbeaks
35 Golden-crowned Sparrows
1 pair of Purple Finches

Our mammal highlight of the afternoon was a single Coyote at the edge of a large,open field along the McAllister Creek trail. Good numbers of dragonflies were observed due to warm conditions including California Darners and a few Swift Forktails.



Good birding,

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