Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR Wed. Morning walk/survey 10/13
Date: Oct 13 22:08:53 2010
From: tanwaxlake at comcast.net - tanwaxlake at comcast.net


Hi Tweets,
Today was a survey day for the refuge, so our group split up to cover our regular route and in addition birded the south dike and the old dike footprint via boat. Over 20 of us birded the refuge from 8a-1p, initially foggy with temperatures in the high forties, the weather improved with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's. Highlights included 150 Greater White Fronted Geese, the return of the Northern Shrike, increasing numbers of waterfowl, 70 or more Long-billed Dowitchers in the repaired riparian area, our visiting Great Egret, three different species of falcon, 4 Black-bellied Plover, Wilson Snipe, and Virginia Rail. 76 species in all! Until next week when we meet at 8am.
Good birding,
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
sthorp at theaec.com
253-370-3742

Visitor Center:
Chestnut-backed Chickadee? 1
Pied-billed Grebe? 1
Northern Flicker? 1
Starlings? 12
Crows? 2
Red-winged Blackbird? 2
Song Sparrow? 1
American Bittern? 1

Access Road Flooded Field Overlook:
Northern Flicker 1
Canada Geese 45
Cackling Geese 3
Green-winged Teal? 24
Northern?Pintail? 3
Mallards? 10

Fields South of Twin Barns:?
No sightings

Board Walk Loop Trail:
Golden-crowned Sparrows? 5
American Coot? 2
Mallard?? 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler??1
Pied-billed Grebe? 1
Black Capped Chickadee? 10
Ruby-crowned Kinglets? 4
Brown Creeper? 1?
Song Sparrow? 1
Merlin? 1

Twin Barns Overlook:
Starling 6
Killdeer? 1
Fox Sparrow? 1

Cross Over Boardwalk to River Overlook:
Pacific Wren?

River Overlook:
Mallard? 2
Ring-billed Gull? 3
Song Sparrow? 2
Robin? 1
Downy Woodpecker? 2

New?Dike:
Bald?Eagle? 2
Robin? 1
Green-winged Teal? 325
Mallard 112
Northern?Pintail? 42
Greater Yellow Legs? 12
Wilson's Snipe? 3
Red-tailed Hawk? 1
Killdeer? 2
Long-billed Dowitcher? 73
Song Sparrow? 5
Golden-crowned sparrow? 3
Kestrel? 1
Pipit? 12
Kingfisher? 4
Great Blue Heron? 5
Western Meadowlark? 10
Starlings? 30
Canada Geese? 10
Junco? 1
Northern Harrier? 1
Ring-billed Gull? 3
Double-crested Cormorants? 2


Location: South Dike
Observation date: 10/13/10
Number of species: 38

Greater White-fronted Goose 150 Unusual to see this many Greater White-fronted Geese at one time. The birds flew into the refuge during our count/survey and we did not spend time to distinguish age.
Snow Goose 1
Canada Goose 161
Cackling/Canada Goose 1
Wood Duck 6
American Wigeon 2
Mallard 206
Northern Shoveler 1
Northern Pintail 7
Green-winged Teal (American) 76
Hooded Merganser 2
Common Merganser 2
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant 5
Great Blue Heron 12
Great Egret 1
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Virginia Rail 2
Killdeer 13
Wilson's Snipe 8
Ring-billed Gull 2
California Gull 2
Belted Kingfisher 5
Northern Shrike 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Marsh Wren 7
American Robin 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Savannah Sparrow 6
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 3
White-crowned Sparrow 3
Golden-crowned Sparrow 6
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 2
Red-winged Blackbird 33
House Finch 14
American Goldfinch 14


Location: Old Dike 'foot print', Reference Marsh and Recreational Area
Observation date: 10/13/10
Number of species: 35

American Wigeon 500
Mallard 200
Northern Pintail 200
Green-winged Teal 300
Surf Scoter 6
Bufflehead 1
Horned Grebe 6
Red-necked Grebe 3
Western Grebe 1
Brandt's Cormorant 1
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Great Blue Heron 40
Bald Eagle 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Black-bellied Plover 5
Killdeer 2
Greater Yellowlegs 4
Dunlin 40
Mew Gull 20
Ring-billed Gull 50
Western Gull 5
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 50
California Gull 30
Glaucous-winged Gull 50
Rhinoceros Auklet 2
Belted Kingfisher 6
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Marsh Wren 4
European Starling 400
American Pipit 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Spotted Towhee 2
Song Sparrow 10
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1
Red-winged Blackbird 50

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

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