Hi Tweeters,



Thirty-six of us enjoyed a beautiful late summer day at Nisqually, with lots of bird activity.? High tide was 11' 9" at 10:58 am.? Mixed flocks continue as they have over the past several weeks.? The fall migration of waterfowl is?well ?underway.? The eBird? report that Russ Smith posted for the walk is below my narrative. ??



Highlights of the sightings for the day:



A small mixed flock was seen from the overlook at the visitor center as we were gathering for the walk.??Species included Common Yellowthroat, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow.? We also had several Savannah Sparrow and Cedar Waxwings ?in the taller trees just west of the overlook and?a ?Pied-billed Grebe in the pond.



The pond south of the parking lot had Canada Geese and two?Cinnamon Teal .? Southwest of the pond in the tall cottonwoods we had a?Red-tailed Hawk.? The real?treat?was a male American?Kestrel in?the same tree and in the sunlight.??Everyone got great looks, and the bird was absolutely stunning in the sunlight.



We came into another mixed flock as we started down the boardwalk.? Species included Black-throated Gray Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren, Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler and Red-breasted Nuthatch.



As we made the turn to the?twin barns we came across another mixed flock.? Species included Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Willow Flycatcher.? We also got looks at a Red-breasted Sapsucker and?two Pileated Woodpeckers that were in a tall cottonwood towards the river.??Both a Rufous and Anna's Hummingbird were also seen in the same area as the mixed flock.? We had a Cooper's Hawk and ?Lincoln's Sparrow off the twin barns overlook.



As we walked the dike trail to the boardwalk we saw Killdeer, Common Raven, American Pipit,?Osprey, and Common?Merganser.? A mixed flock of shorebirds included Western, Pectoral and Baird's Sandpipers was on the north (saltwater) side of the dike. ? We also saw the Great Egret fly from McAllister Creek into the center of the refuge.? The area along the inside of the dike approaching the boardwalk was again productive for Virginia Rail and Wilson's Snipe.



Additional s pecies seen by the group of folks that walked the entire boardwalk included Greater White-fronted Goose, American Wigeon, Common Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant, Least Sandpiper ?and Great Blue Heron.



Total Species for the day:? 70

Mammals:? Squirrel and Deer



Until next week when Shep will return to lead the walk.?



Good birding,



Eric Slagle

Olympia



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Nisqually NWR, Thurston, US-WA

Sep 11, 2013 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Protocol: Traveling

4.0 mile(s)

Comments:???? Sunny, 60 deg warming to 92 deg, 11'9" high tide at 10:58 AM, 6'2" low tide at 4:33 PM

70 species (+2 other taxa)

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Greater White-fronted Goose? 11 ???? flock circled overhead several times for close views, bright orange legs, gray underwing, head shape/colors, heavily mottled belly

Canada Goose? 50

Wood Duck? 2

American Wigeon? 35

Mallard? 100

Cinnamon Teal? 3

Common Merganser? 5

Pied-billed Grebe? 1

Double-crested Cormorant? 100

Great Blue Heron? 45

Great Egret? 1

Osprey? 3

Northern Harrier? 1

Cooper's Hawk? 1

Bald Eagle? 2

Red-tailed Hawk (Western)? 1

Virginia Rail? 1

American Coot? 1

Killdeer? 10

Baird's Sandpiper? 2

Least Sandpiper? 50

Pectoral Sandpiper? 5

Western Sandpiper? 8

Wilson's Snipe? 2

Ring-billed Gull? 70

California Gull? 20

Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)? 20 gull sp.? 200 Caspian Tern? 3 Rock Pigeon? 8 Eurasian Collared-Dove? 1 Mourning Dove? 2 Anna's Hummingbird? 1

Rufous Hummingbird? 1???? close look, rufous sides, small(er than Anna's)

Belted Kingfisher? 5

Red-breasted Sapsucker? 1

Downy Woodpecker? 2

Pileated Woodpecker? 2

American Kestrel? 1

Willow Flycatcher? 1

Warbling Vireo? 2

Steller's Jay? 2

American Crow? 50

Common Raven? 2

Tree Swallow? 3???? white underside, cap covered below eyes, blue-green back

Barn Swallow? 100

Black-capped Chickadee? 25

Red-breasted Nuthatch? 2

Brown Creeper? 3

Marsh Wren? 10

Bewick's Wren? 3

Ruby-crowned Kinglet? 1

Swainson's Thrush? 1

American Robin? 5

European Starling? 500

American Pipit? 35

Cedar Waxwing? 4

Orange-crowned Warbler? 2

Common Yellowthroat? 25

Yellow Warbler? 3

Black-throated Gray Warbler? 3

Wilson's Warbler? 5

Spotted Towhee (Pacific)? 7

Savannah Sparrow? 10

Song Sparrow? 18

Lincoln's Sparrow? 1

White-crowned Sparrow? 12

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)? 3

Red-winged Blackbird? 15

Brown-headed Cowbird ?1

House Finch? 1

American Goldfinch? 10

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View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15152210

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