Hi Tweets,

We had a really nice spring day at the Refuge despite the intermittent rain
and hail. Partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 40's-50's degree
Fahrenheit. Highlights included both LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, high count of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and VAUX'S
SWIFT, FOY WARBLING VIREO and WHIMBREL, as well reports of PACIFIC-SLOPE
FLYCATCHER. The bird of the day for most of us was the 4 Orca Whale seen
between the Nisqually Reach and Anderson Island from the Puget Sound
Viewing Platform. Other mammals seen included River Otter and Muskrat. We
observed 87 species for the day, and have seen 129 species for the year.
Until next week when we bird again, happy birding.

Shep
eBird list pasted.
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Apr 27, 2022 6:52 AM - 4:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.86 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Partly cloudy with intermittent
showers, temperature in the 40's to 50's degree Fahrenheit. A Low 2.83ft
Tide at 10:55am and a High 10.87ft Tide at 4:33pm. Mammals seen Eastern
Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Columbian Black-tailed Deer,
River Otter, Muskrat, Harbor Seal, Orca(4 whale, one large male).
87 species (+7 other taxa)

Cackling Goose (minima) 8
Canada Goose 60
Wood Duck 6
Cinnamon Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 250
Gadwall 30
Eurasian Wigeon 2
American Wigeon 175
Mallard 100
Mallard (Domestic type) 1
Northern Pintail 60
Green-winged Teal 1000
Green-winged Teal (Eurasian x American) 1 Continuing. Seen from the
Twin Barn Overlook. Predominantly horizontal white line between folded wing
and side, very slight vertical line from shoulder. Observed by many at
100-200 feet with spotting scopes.
Ring-necked Duck 10
Surf Scoter 2
Bufflehead 150
Common Goldeneye 11
Hooded Merganser 6
Common Merganser 16
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 10
Mourning Dove 1
Vaux's Swift 150
Anna's Hummingbird 3
Rufous Hummingbird 2
American Coot 50
Black-bellied Plover 3
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 1
Whimbrel 6
Dunlin 20
Least Sandpiper 400
Western Sandpiper 150
Short-billed Dowitcher 23 Two groups observed in the tidal estuary
along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. First group of 20 dowitchers
flew directly overhead within 50 feet and distinctive "tu, tu" call. The
second group of three observed foraging on the mudflats with spotted sides
of neck and sides. As these birds flew, also vocalizing "tu, tu".
Long-billed Dowitcher 4
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 30
Pigeon Guillemot 2
Short-billed Gull 100
Ring-billed Gull 100
Glaucous-winged Gull 1
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 15
Larus sp. 200
Caspian Tern 20 Banded Bird. Right Leg:black on yellow J987; Left Leg:
Orange, Green, Silver.
Brandt's Cormorant 4
Double-crested Cormorant 10
Great Blue Heron 18
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 45
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
American Kestrel 3
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1
Warbling Vireo 4
Steller's Jay 2
American Crow 8
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6
Tree Swallow 40
Violet-green Swallow 80
Tree/Violet-green Swallow 80
Bank Swallow 4 Flying over flooded fields in the morning. Small brown
topped swallow with white throat and neck-tie.
Barn Swallow 20
Cliff Swallow 100
Bushtit 4
Brown Creeper 1
Pacific Wren 1
Marsh Wren 6
Bewick's Wren 4
European Starling 30
American Robin 60
House Finch 1
Purple Finch 5
Pine Siskin 4
American Goldfinch 8
Dark-eyed Junco 1
White-crowned Sparrow 4
Golden-crowned Sparrow 15
Savannah Sparrow 12
Song Sparrow 15
Spotted Towhee 2
Red-winged Blackbird 60
Brown-headed Cowbird 20
Orange-crowned Warbler 8
Common Yellowthroat 12
Yellow Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 40
Townsend's Warbler 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S108256008