Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually NWR Wednesday Walk for 11/28/2018
Date: Wed Nov 28 19:49:53 PST 2018
From: Shep Thorp - shepthorp at gmail.com

Hi Tweets,

about 20 of us enjoyed a wet one today at the Refuge with temperatures in
the 50's degrees Fahrenheit and a High 14.78ft Tide at 10:08am. Highlights
included SNOW GEESE, an accommodating NORTHERN SHRIKE and many RAPTORS.

Starting out at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook we had nice views of
BUFFLEHEAD, RING-NECKED DUCK and RED-TAILED HAWK. A WILSONS SNIPE was
flushed from adjacent to the observation platform.

The Orchard was good for RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER,
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW and FOX SPARROW. It has been several weeks since
we've seen the White-throated Sparrow in this area.

The fields along the entrance road and access road are finally flooding
nicely with our more recent rain over the last week. We had terrific looks
at CACKLING GEESE, both minimas and taverners, SNOW GEESE, NORTHERN
SHOVELER, NORTHERN PINTAIL and AMERICAN COOT.

The west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail had nice mixed flocks of
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, BROWN
CREEPER, DOWNY WOODPECKER and HAIRY WOODPECKER. The SWAMP SPARROW was
heard vocalizing a distinctive hard metallic chip contact call where it was
previously seen in the area where the access road intersects with the board
walk at the north end of the Visitor Center Pond.

The Twin Barns Observation Platform is a great spot to survey the waterfowl
and we had nice observations of NORTHERN HARRIER and heard AMERICAN
GOLDFINCH.

Out on the new dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail we counted over 5000
AMERICAN GREEN WINGED TEAL and over 2000 AMERICAN WIGEON in the surge plain
and the mudflats. An adult COOPERS HAWK was perched by the Nisqually River
Overlook, a bonded pair of PEREGRINE FALCON used the snags to scan the
estuary, as well as a female AMERICAN KESTREL. Many BALD EAGLE were seen
as well as additional RTHA and NOHA. A very cooperative NORTHERN SHRIKE
hunted along the dike. We had good looks at GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, MEW GULL and RING-BILLED GULL. Both AMERICAN
BITTERN and VIRGINIA RAIL were seen in the fresh water marsh on the inside
of the dike.

On the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail we observed 2 of 4 EURASIAN
WIGEON, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON LOON, HORNED
GREBE and SPOTTED SANDPIPER. From the trail closure gate, 700 feet from
the Puget Sound Viewing Platform, we were able to scope RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER, SURF SCOTER, DUNLIN, and BRANDT CORMORANT. ON our way back we
enjoyed a nice flock of LEAST SANDPIPER.

On our return, we picked up the GREAT HORNED OWL along the east side of the
Twin Barns Loop Trail on the inside of the board walk between the double
bench overlook and the beaver dam. We also had great looks of an adult
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK at the Riparian Forest Overlook.

We had 71 species for the day, and the Wednesday Walk has 166 species for
the year. Mammals seen included Eastern Gray Squirrel, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer and Harbor Seal.

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

Shep
eBird list pasted below, click on list to see photos.
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742


Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Nov 28, 2018 7:50 AM - 3:25 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.782 mile(s)
Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy, intermittent rain. Temperatures in
the 50's degrees Fahrenheit. High 14.78ft Tide at 10:08am. Mammals seen
Eastern Gray Squirrel, Colombian Black-tailed Deer, Harbor Seal.
71 species (+5 other taxa)

Snow Goose 17
Cackling Goose (minima) 800
Cackling Goose (Taverner's) 22
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 6
Northern Shoveler 100
Gadwall 30
Eurasian Wigeon 4
American Wigeon 2500
Mallard 300
Northern Pintail 500
Green-winged Teal 5000 Counted, probably more. Observed by multiple
bird watchers in group.
Ring-necked Duck 7
Surf Scoter 10
Bufflehead 100
Common Goldeneye 30
Hooded Merganser 7
Red-breasted Merganser 15
Horned Grebe 3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2
Band-tailed Pigeon 3
Mourning Dove 1
Virginia Rail 1
American Coot 4
Dunlin 300
Least Sandpiper 170
Long-billed Dowitcher 30
Wilson's Snipe 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 15
Mew Gull (American) 130
Ring-billed Gull 40
Glaucous-winged Gull 3
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 6
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 75
Larus sp. 100
Common Loon 2
Brandt's Cormorant 6
Double-crested Cormorant 25
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 20
Northern Harrier 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 10
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Great Horned Owl 1 Seen along the east side of Twin Barns Loop Trail
just north of the observation platform with two benches on the inside of
the trail.
Belted Kingfisher 4
Red-breasted Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 4
American Kestrel 1
Peregrine Falcon 2
Northern Shrike 1
American/Northwestern Crow 250
Common Raven 1
Black-capped Chickadee 15
Bushtit (Pacific) 10
Brown Creeper 3
Pacific Wren 2
Marsh Wren 4
Bewick's Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5
American Robin 30
European Starling 200
American Pipit 1
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 10
Fox Sparrow (Sooty) 3
Golden-crowned Sparrow 15
Song Sparrow 20
Swamp Sparrow 1 Heard only. Previously reported rarity in this area,
north side of Visitor Center Pond along the west side of the Twin Barns
Loop Trail. Last seen 3 weeks ago. Loud metallic chip note, repeated,
distinctive, heard by several birders in group.
Spotted Towhee 4
Western Meadowlark 11
Red-winged Blackbird 50

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S50288861
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