Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually Wildlife Refuge: Wed. morning walk 6/30
Date: Jul 2 19:19:00 2010
From: Shep Thorp - tanwaxlake at comcast.net


Hello Tweeters,

Nineteen of us enjoyed a breezy morning with partly sunny skies and
temperatures in the high 50?s.

At the entrance gate, some of us observed two Caspian Terns flying along
McAllister Creek.

There is a Cedar Waxwing nest in the bramble just in front of the Visitor
Center pond overlook, with presumably a female sitting on eggs. Many Cliff
Swallow and Barn Swallow nests are active in the eves of the roof, with
plenty of Tree Swallows flying about. Wood Duck hen and ducklings were seen
on the pond, along with a female Mallard. We also saw American Robin,
European Starling, Redwing Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler,
and Song Sparrow and heard Northern Flicker.

Along the access road, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Savannah Sparrows, American
Goldfinch, American Crow, and many swallows were seen over the flooded
fields.

Working our way along the west side of the boardwalk, we added Western
Wood-pewee, Warbling Vireo, Brown Creeper, Bewick?s Wren, Marsh Wren and
Spotted Towhee to our list. Plenty more Yellow Warblers and Common
Yellowthroat were seen. Nancy and Matt observed a Douglas Squirrel adjacent
to the second overlook, which is rare at the refuge.

>From the Twin Barns Overlook we saw Bald Eagle, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Killdeer, and Rock Pigeon. At the cut off for the barns, if you look down
the slough that runs parallel to the northern boardwalk, in a leafless
bramble overhanging the right side of slough, 30 feet back, is a Willow
Flycatcher nest with adults working on the nest. A family of
Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Black-tailed Deer, with fawn, was foraging
just south of boardwalk. We had terrific looks at Swainson?s Thrush and a
juvenile Great Horned Owl that has been roosting over the Nisqually River
dike adjacent to where the north boardwalk intersects with the east
boardwalk. From the Nisqually River overlook, we observed a pair of Spotted
Sandpiper and a male Belted Kingfisher.

Out on the new dike, we saw a few Gadwall and Mallards, a male Wilson?s
Phalarope and seven Least Sandpiper?s. We speculated the Least Sandpipers
were early arrivals for the migration south, hard to believe given that
summer has not even started for us locals. We also saw Great Blue Heron,
Violet-green Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Ring-billed Gull.
Highlights included a quick glimpse of a Virginia Rail, a Sharp-shinned Hawk
getting mobbed and hawking swallows, and a pair of Wilson?s Snipe.

Along the east boardwalk that runs along the Nisqually River dike, we saw
two Rufous Hummingbird nests over the slough, one active with chicks being
fed, and a Bushtit nest with adults visiting. We also saw Black-capped
Chickadee, Mourning Dove and another Willow Flycatcher.

At the Riparian Overlook, we had nice looks at a female Belted Kingfisher
and added the Pacific-slope flycatcher to our list for the day.

49 bird species, I believe the Wilson?s Snipe was our first of the year. 3
mammal species and an unexpected visit by a Douglas Squirrel.

Until next week at 8am, good birding!

Shep Thorp
Browns Point
sthorp at theaec.com <mailto:sthorp at theaec.com>
253-370-3742