Hi Tweets,
thirty of us enjoyed a sunny day at the Refuge, with temperatures in the
50's-70's degrees Fahrenheit and a Low 3'4' Tide at 8:59am and a High
8'11' Tide at 2:32pm. Highlights included good numbers of SWAINSON'S
THRUSH, BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, WESTERN TANAGERS, and BLUE-WINGED TEAL. There
were many species building nests including CLIFF SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW,
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, CEDAR WAXWING, YELLOW WARBLER, and
RED-WINGed BLACKBIRD. Unexpected sightings included a female YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk trail between the
Observation Tower and the Photoblind, and a late female BUFFLEHEAD in the
fresh water marsh pond on the inside of the Nisqually Estuary Trail or new
dike. Some of our birders observed a female WOOD DUCK catch/kill/ingest a
frog which was a new behavioral observation for many of us. The GREAT
HORNED OWLS were located in the area of the Riparian Forest Overlook with
the help of mobbing AMERICAN ROBINS and CROWS.
eBird report pasted below, 77 species seen, my apologies for the short
report.
Until next week, when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center.
Good birding,
Shep Thorp
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 125
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 4 Female captured, killed and ingested frog.
Seen on borrow ditch slough along east side of Twin Barns Loop Trail near
beaver dam.
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 6
American Wigeon (Anas americana) 1
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 75
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 4 <a href="
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124216888 at N03/18198562372" title="Blue-winged
Teal. Visitor Center, Nisqually NWR. by shep Thorp, on Flickr"><img src="
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8823/18198562372_5b818dc52b_z.jpg"
alt="Blue-winged Teal. Visitor Center, Nisqually NWR." /></a>
Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) 4
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal (Anas discors/cyanoptera) 6
Green-winged Teal (American) (Anas crecca carolinensis) 1
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 1 Seen at 100 feet with bino's and
scopes foraging/diving in shallow water in fresh water marsh on the inside
of the Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike. Female Bufflehead with black
head, white ear spot, and dark gray brown body. Unexpectedly late, should
have migrated by now.
Common/Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula/islandica) 1 Seen in
Nisqually River foraging/diving. Female Common Goldeneye based on
silhouette and more sloped brow then BAGO.
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 6
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 1
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 1
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) 2
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 20
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 50
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 4
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 8 <a href="
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124216888 at N03/18014481970" title="Bald Eagle
chick, Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, West Bank of north McAllister
Creek, north of confluence with Shannon Slough. by shep Thorp, on
Flickr"><img src="
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7770/18014481970_223103c49f_z.jpg" alt="Bald
Eagle chick, Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, West Bank of north
McAllister Creek, north of confluence with Shannon Slough." /></a>
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) 2
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 5
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) 100
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 3
Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) 20
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) 3
Vaux's Swift (Chaetura vauxi) 1
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) 6
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 3
Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 2
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) 2
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) 1 Heard along west bank of
McAllister Creek.
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) 10
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) 6
Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) 5
Warbling Vireo (Western) (Vireo gilvus [swainsoni Group]) 3
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 1 Seen along Entrance Road.
American/Northwestern Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos/caurinus) 20
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 5
Purple Martin (Progne subis) 8
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 50
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) 2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 25
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 35
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 5
Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) 3
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 5
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 5
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 15
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 6
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) 30 Estimated count probably
lower then actual number. Approximately 10 seen, but morning chorus heard
dozens along our walk.
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 30
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 35
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 50
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 15
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 30
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) 5
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 2
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 6
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 15
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 1
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 5
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) 10
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 40
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) 1 Seen on the
Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail between Observation Tower and Photo Blind.
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 16
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) 6
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) 16
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) 1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 30
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23676938
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