hi Tweets,

missing Phil this week, we had a huge day at the Refuge with our regular
Wednesday morning walk and helping the USGS survey bird species and numbers
for restoration study. With a total of 20 participants, we split into three
groups, two of which observed birds in restricted sanctuary along the
southwest portion of the New Dike and the other along the northeast portion
of the old 5 mile Dike. We started out at 8am with sunny skies,
temperatures in the 60's and 70's degrees Fahrenheit, and a high 11'2" tide
at 8:21am.

Highlight of our day, shorebirds. We counted over 3,000 shorebirds, and
from the boat along the mud flats thousands more.

At the Entrance Gate Road, we observed Eurasian Collared Dove, Red-tailed
Hawk, House Finch and Western Scrub Jay.

Meeting at the Visitor Center, we saw American Bittern, Common Yellowthroat,
Rufous Hummingbird, Barn Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Northern Flicker and
Willow Flycatcher.

Along the Access Road, we picked up American Goldfinch, Savannah Sparrow,
White-crowned Sparrow, Warbling Vireo, and our first Lincoln Sparrow since
spring.

On the Twin Barns Boardwalk Loop Trail we observed Wood Duck, Bewick's Wren,
Yellow Warbler, Brown Creeper, Wilson's Warbler, Song Sparrow, Black-capped
Chickadee, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing and Swainson's Thrush.

Out on the Dike Trail, we saw Great Blue Heron, Marsh Wren, Greater
Yellowlegs, Killdeer, Sora, Cinnamon Teal, Hooded Merganser, Turkey Vulture,
Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, Cooper's Hawk, Brown-headed Cowbird,
Purple Finch, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Glaucous-winged Gull, California
Gull, Wilson's Snipe, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Long-billed
Dowitcher, Baird's Sandpiper and Virginia Rail was heard.

At the terminal end shelter or Octagon Shelter of the new Estuarine
Boardwalk, we observed Band-tailed Pigeon, Purple Martin, Red-breasted
Merganser, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Caspian Tern-large numbers, Ring-billed Gull,
more peeps - large numbers, and a group of 12 Semipalmated Plovers with
Western Sandpipers and two Ruddy Turnstones.

>From the boat, we picked up two Semipalmated Sandpipers with a group of
mixed peeps - more large numbers, two Peregrine Falcons, Spotted
Sandpiper, Gadwall, Canada Goose, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Steller's Jay, Hairy
Woodpecker, Northwestern x American Crow hybrid, Common Raven, Western x
Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid, Double-crested Cormorant, Pigeon Guillemot and
Marbled Murrelet.

At the Nisqually River Overlook, we observed Spotted Towhee and Western
Wood-Pewee. We saw Belted Kingfisher at the Riparian Overlook.

Mammals seen included Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Columbia
Black-tailed Deer, White-footed Weasel, Coyote, Beaver and Harbor Seal.

72 species for the day, with Baird's Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper,
California Gull, Marbled Murrelet and Ruddy Turnstone first of the year
giving us a total of 160 species for the year.

Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center, good
birding!

Shep Thorp
Browns Point, Tacoma
sthorp at theaec.com
253-370-3742
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