Hi Tweets,

24 of us enjoyed a very birdy day at the Refuge with mostly cloudy skies,
temperature in the 60's degrees Fahrenheit, and a Low -0'9" Tide at
10:38am. Highlights included a GREAT HORNED OWL roosting in a Maple Tree
just west the the Peregrine Tree/tall Douglass Fir visible from the Visitor
Center Pond Overlook all day long, three mixed flocks with warblers, two
GREEN HERONS, FOY PECTORAL SANDPIPERS x 3, and the return of waterfowl
AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL and AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

Starting out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am we observed our
juvenile GREAT HORNED OWL across the pond just west of the Peregrine Tree
and large snag quietly roosting. We also saw WESTERN TANAGER, CEDAR
WAXWING, BARN SWALLOW, GADWALL, AMERICAN ROBIN, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.

Heading out on the east entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail we picked up
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, SONG SPARROW, and SPOTTED TOWHEE.
We ran into our first mixed flock with BEWICK'S WREN, BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE, DOWNY WOODPECKER, YELLOW WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER and Common
Yellowthroat.

On the Riparian Forest Overlook we added DARK-EYED JUNCO, BROWN CREEPER,
SWAINSON'S THRUSH and additional Song Sparrow and Western Wood-pewee.

Along the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail that runs parallel to the
old Nisqually River Dike we heard for the second week RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
which is rare at the Refuge. We also heard our first of Autumn
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. RED CROSSBILL'S were also heard. A COOPER'S HAWK
was seen perched within the trail.

At the forest edge where the east side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail
intersects with the Nisqually Estuary Trail-new dike, we bumped into a
second large mixed flock of 5 BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS, 4 WARBLING
VIREOS, 6 WILSON'S WARBLERS, 3 YELLOW WARBLERS, and many BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEE. A real delight to enjoy! Overhead soaring high we observed
RED-TAILED HAWK and female NORTHERN HARRIER sparring.

At the Nisqually River Overlook we spotted RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BALD EAGLE
and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD. Additional Black-capped Chickadee, Yellow
Warbler, Bewick's Wren, Song Sparrow and Cedar Waxwing were seen.

On the north side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, we continued to enjoy the
mixed flock seen earlier. We added ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD to our list and had
quick looks at WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

>From the Twin Barns Overlook, we had great looks at two GREEN HERONS and a
juvenile female CINNAMON TEAL in the slough. We added VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW to our list and
had additional nice looks at Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk and Willow
Flycatcher.

Two birders reported hearing first of Autumn GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW as we
started out on the Nisqually Estuary Trail - new dike, but we were not able
to get visual confirmation. This time of year has so many strange calls
with communicative call notes and immature birds practicing their songs and
call notes. We had very nice observations of SAVANNAH SPARROW, WILSON'S
SNIPE, and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD'S.

The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail was very exciting despite the low
tide. On the way out we observed GREAT BLUE HERON, MALLARD, LEAST
SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, RING-BILLED GULL,
CALIFORNIA GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED X WESTERN (OLYMPIC)
GULL, CANADA GOOSE, CASPIAN TERN, BELTED KINGFISHER, Peale's variety of
PEREGRINE FALCON, OSPREY and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT. We were fairly
certain we saw a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER flying with other peeps. One of our
birders was confident he had seen and heard BANK SWALLOW, but again the
group was not able to confirm. On our return we observed flocks of
returning waterfowl including 25 plus AMERICAN WIGEON and 50 plus NORTHERN
PINTAIL. A LESSER CANADA GOOSE and two AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL were
spotted at the confluence of McAllister Creek and Shannon Slough. A
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER within 50 feet of the boardwalk was thoroughly
observed as a peep with a short blunt tipped bill, light buffy appearance
with a white throat/belly and sides, slight hint of brown on the mantle
with no rufous on the scapulars or crown to indicate a male Western
Sandpiper. We spotted a FOY PECTORAL SANDPIPER fly in, which looked like a
giant long legged Least Sandpiper with a dark yellow base to the mandibular
bill. As the tide rolled in, thousands of peeps moved around the mud flats
and surge plain. While identifying two additional Pectoral Sandpipers, the
Peregrine Falcon jetted through flushing the birds.

On the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail we added WOOD DUCK,
RING-NECKED DUCK and PIED-BILLED GREBE. We saw additional Mallard, mixed
flocks of passerines and Gadwall.

Over the past week, there have been reports of BROWN PELICAN and BLACK
TERN, we were unable to relocate these species. Overall we had 77 species
on the day with 169 species for the year with FOY Pectoral Sandpiper, and
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD picked up at the bar and grill parking lot. Mammals
seen included a Vole, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Raccoon.

Until next week when Phil Kelley will return to lead the walk, good birding!

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