Hi Tweets,

25 of us enjoyed a great day at the refuge. Many nesting birds and broods
to be seen. Some of the highlights included a Bullock's Oriole collecting
nest material around the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, Pacific-slope
Flycatcher singing along the east side of the old Nisqually River Dike,
Band-tailed Pigeon eating Elder Berries within the Twin Barns Loop Trail,
#4 Cedar Waxwing nests located, a near death Bald Eagle pursuit of a Great
Blue Heron over McAllister Creek, #22 non-breeding summer resident
Whimbrels feeding from the mud flats, and a Lazuli Bunting spotted in the
orchard. My ebird report is attached and has further details regarding
location and breeding observations.

58 species seen for the day, 150 species for the year. Mammals seen
include Eastern Gray Squirrel and Coyote.

Until next week when we meet at 8am, good birding!

Shep Thorp
Browns Point
sthorp at theaec.com
253-370-3742.
--
Nisqually NWR, Thurston, US-WA
Jun 13, 2012 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Partly cloudy and breezy, temperature in the 50's-60's
degrees Fahrenheit, with a Low 1'8" Tide at 8:45am and a High 9'9" Tide at
3:28pm. Approximately 25 participants.
57 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) (Branta canadensis moffitti/maxima) 30
Creche of gosslings.
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 25 3 broods.
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 10
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 30 2 broods
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 4
Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) 3
Green-winged Teal (American) (Anas crecca carolinensis) 6 The return
of male Green-winged Teal.
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 12 2 broods.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 10 One adult Great Blue Heron
pursued as prey by Bald Eagle for approximately 5 minutes. Heron escaped
as Bald Eagle discontinued pursuit.
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 6 Full size juvenile in nest
tree on the west side of McAllister Creek south of the McAllister Creek
Viewing Platform.
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) (Buteo jamaicensis calurus) 3
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) 1 Calling in the Cat Tails inside or
on the fresh water side of the Nisqually Estuary Trail.
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 5
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) 22 Flying over McAllister Creek area mud
flats and landed/foraged in Refuge mud flats west of Madrone Slough.
Speculate these birds are non breeding summer residents.
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 5
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) 1
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 5
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) 1
Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) 8 Eating Elder Berries
within the Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) 6
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [cafer Group]) 1
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) 2
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 3
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) 3
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 4
American/Northwestern Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos/caurinus) 3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 50
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) 3
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 30
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 150
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus) 1
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 6 Multiple nests within the Twin
Barns Loop Trail. Fledglings seen within fresh water side of Nisqually
Estuary Trail.
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) 10
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 10 Two nests, one on Riparian
Forest Overlook Trail, the other nest on the Twin Barns Observation
Platform Trail.
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 100
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 30 Located 4 nests on the Twin
Barns Loop Trail.
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 7
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 12
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 1
Spotted Towhee (Pacific) (Pipilo maculatus [oregonus Group]) 3
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 9
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 20
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 1
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) 6
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena) 1 Beautiful male with dark bill,
blue head/back/tail with white wing bars, rufous breast and white belly.
Seen in the Orchard at 2:30pm.
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 40
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 6
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) 1 Seen at 8am at Visitor Center
Pond Overlook.
Purple Finch (Western) (Carpodacus purpureus californicus) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 30

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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