Hello Tweets,

This afternoon we walked the entire loop of the Nisqually NWR as yesterday under overcast skies and a slightly different assortment of species. We encountered slightly more passerines species today since conditions were more calmer. Shorebird numbers were slightly less in distribution,although habitat south of the inner dike trail remains good. Although the shorebird habitat is very good south of the dike at the north end of the refuge you need a good spotting scope,especially since areas are hidden from one view and good from another,as well as the distance being a factor. If heat waves aren't too bad you can have good looks at most of the shorebirds if any exist. Today we encountered incased numbers of Long-billed Dowitchers in 4 separate flocks ranging from 64 birds in the largest flock with a total of 98 birds tallied altogether. The Nisqually Delta was very slow for shorebirds despite good tide conditions with only 3 Whimbrel noted from the north trail just west of he Nisqually Overlook Platform. The 3 Whimbrel were in close association to 7 lingering "Black"Brant on a muddy strip along the shoreline.

We started our walk from the Nisqually River side of the refuge,where our first highlight of the afternoon began with a single calling male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE behind the visitor center followed by a brief,but good looks at a DUSKY FLYCATCHER that partially sang a few times before disappearing into denser habitat. This was our 2nd personal record for the Nisqually NWR and about the 4th current record(that we are personally aware of)for Thurston Co.! Continuing along the lush riparian trail along the Nisqually River we encountered our first Swainson's Thrushes of the afternoon and by the time we reached the Primitive Trail at the north end of the refuge we had tallied 5 birds. The remainder of our walk was good,but slow at times with patches of bird activity,as well as time spent looking for shorebirds from the north end of the refuge.

A list of other highlights of our afternoon walk at the Nisqually NWR included the following:

2 Pied-billed Grebes
1 Am.Bittern(heard only)
16 Wood Ducks
10 Green-winged Teal
9 Northern Pintails
1 Blue-winged Teal
1 pair of Cinnamon Teal
7 Northern Shovelers
75+ Am.Wigeon(primarily encountered fro he Nisqually Delta with small numbers of Gadwall)
3 Ring-necked Ducks
30 Greater Scaup
5 Surf Scoters
35 Common Goldeneyes(including a flock of 24 birds along the Nisqually River)
60 Buffleheads
7 Hooded Mergansers
3 Common Mergansers
2 Red-breasted Mergansers
1 male RUDDY DUCK(very uncommon for the Nisqually NWR)
1 Turkey Vulture
8 Bald Eagles
1 Am.Kestrel(observed and heard calling from dead snags behind the visitor center)
1 adult female Peregrine Falcon
4 Virginia Rail(heard only)
12 Sora(heard from the same along the same stretch of the outer dike trail as yesterday in extensive wetland areas)
6 Am.Coots
17 Greater Yellowlegs
5 Western Sandpipers
20+ Least Sandpipers
3 Bonaparte's Gulls
2 Pigeon Guillemots
1 Red-breasted Sapsucker
1 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
5 Purple Martins
8 Northern Rough-winged Swallows
1 Hutton's Vireo
4 Warbling Vireos
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
25+ Yellow Warblers
40+ Yellow-rumped Warblers
1 Wilson's Warbler
12 Western Tanagers
28 Golden-crowned Sparrows
1 pair of Purple Finches

In addition we had continued good numbers of dragonflies consisting mainly of California Darner with several forktails of uncertain species,as well as good numbers of butterflies. Butterfly species that were identified and photographed included Anise Swallowtail,Satyr Angelwing and Morning Cloak.


On a side note before arriving at the Nisqually NWR a single Western Scrub Jay was noted along I-5 just north of the Mounts Rd. in Pierce Co.


Good birding,

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