Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually Wildlife Refuge-Wed. morning walk 6/2/10
Date: Jun 3 14:48:16 2010
From: Shep Thorp - tanwaxlake at comcast.net


Hello Tweets,

10 of us enjoyed a wet and windy morning with plenty of birds and
temperatures in the 50?s.

At the visitor center pond overlook, an American Bittern flew into the right
side of the pond just before our departure, terrific views. We continue to
watch 4 baby Hooded Mergansers grow on a weekly basis. We also saw
Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Gadwall, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow,
Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, American Robin, European Starling, Song
Sparrow, Common Yellow-throat, Yellow Warbler, Band-tailed Pigeon, American
Crow, Rufous Hummingbird, American Goldfinch and Red-winged Blackbird. A
female Common Merganser with a blurry light malar/chin patch was seen
several times throughout the morning both swimming and flying. At one point
she landed in a large maple tree approximately 15 feet from the ground,
interesting behavior. Eric also spotted an Otter.

Walking across the parking lot, we saw the first of many Cedar Waxwings for
the day. The waxwings were everywhere with their high pitched trill and
rapid descending into our many berry brambles around the boardwalk.

Along the access road, we saw Savannah Sparrow and Black-headed Grosbeak, no
waterfowl were seen in the drying field to the south. Four Black-tailed
Deer where bedded down in the field to the southwest.

>From the old McAllister Creek road lookout we saw Cinnamon Teal, Mallard,
Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Marsh Wren. At
the entrance to the boardwalk, Dave reported seeing Purple Finch,
Orange-crowned Warbler and Warbling Vireo.

Heading out on the western side of the boardwalk, we saw Western Wood-pewee,
and Bewick?s Wren. Birding by ear was very helpful entering the willows and
cottonwoods. There is plenty of opportunity to work on distinguishing
audibly Black-headed Grosbeaks form Robins from Warbling Vireo?s, Swainson?s
Thrush call from Spotted Towhee, Yellow Warbler from Wilson?s Warbler from
Orange-crowned warbler, and Western Wood-pewee from Willow Flycatcher from
Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Good stuff and very accessible!

>From the Twin Barns overlook, we saw Canada Goose, Green-winged Teal, Rock
Pigeon, and Willow Flycatcher. Several people heard greater Yellowlegs over
the wet fields south of the Twin Barns. Great views of Rufous Hummingbird
and Swainson?s Thrush were seen along the north boardwalk on our way to the
Nisqually River Overlook, and of course many more Cedar Waxwings.

At the juncture between the new dike and the old Nisqually River Dike we saw
more Band-tailed Pigeon, Swainson?s Thrush and a Downy Woodpecker. Both
Pacific-slope Flycatcher and Willow Flycatcher were singing extensively, but
difficult to see. Our two yellow warbler nests have survived the rain, but
no obvious activity to report on.

Out on the new dike we saw three Bald Eagles, three Spotted Sandpipers in
the repaired riparian area, many Canada Goose families with goslings,
American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern
Shoveler, Gadwall, Killdeer, and Ring-billed Gull. We had great looks of a
female Wilson?s Phalarope in the flooded field on the inside of the new
dike. Her black stripe running from her lore, across her eye and auricles,
and down along the lateral sides of her neck were clear and obvious. As was
this birds gray cap and light red neck and breast. She was walking along
the waters edge feeding, occasionally stopping to preen. At the new board
walk extension from the dike, there was a large group of 12 plus Great Blue
Herons, some foraging and others roosting.

The highlight of the morning was an audible and visual sighting of a Sora on
the inside of the new dike across from the new boardwalk. This was a life
bird for some in our group and we had fantastic looks. The Sora was first
heard, and then a tape of a Sora was played. We patiently waited for 15
minutes and were rewarded with several views of an individual bird walking
along the edge of some cattails 40 feet away. A thrill for everyone!

On way back along the old Nisqually River Dike section of the east
boardwalk, we saw a juvenile Brown Creeper, Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit,
and Hutton?s Vireo. Eric reported spotting a flycatcher nest near the
cutoff for the Riparian Overlook. We have also been monitoring a Downy
Woodpecker nest that Jeff located in a dead branch snag from a live
Cottonwood ? way along the south boardwalk on the south side.

All in all, a great ?birdy? day with 58 species and 2 mammals, until next
week when our leader, Phil Kelly returns,

Good birding.

Shep Thorp
Browns Point

Shep Thorp, VMD
Member, LLC
The Animal Emergency Clinic
Puget Sound Veterinary Referral Center, PLLC
Tacoma, WA 98409
253-474-0791 ~ fax 253-474-6057
http://www.theaec.com/ <http://www.theaec.com/>

mailto:sthorp at theaec.com <mailto:sthorp at theaec.com>
mailto:tanwaxlake at comcast.net <mailto:tanwaxlake at comcast.net>
cell #: 253-370-3742