Subject: [Tweeters] Nisqually Wednesday Walk
Date: Wed Jun 1 19:19:22 PDT 2022
From: Kenneth Brown - kenbrownpls at comcast.net

Another great day at the refuge. We started with a large crowd, over 40 birders, but split into two groups to make it safer and more manageable. It was warm, a bit muggy and occasionally overcast. We dipped on Western Tanager, most of the shorebirds, Northern Flicker, and saw fewer Warblers than expected. That disappointment was offset by views of the continuing Black-necked Stilts, 2 male Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Stilts and YHBB seen on fresh water side of the dike), and a Western Bluebird (on the Rough-winged Swallow tree near the end of the McCallister Creek boardwalk) We hit the end of the boardwalk at a low low tide (-2') and counted over 50 Bald Eagles just from that vantage point, scavenging fish trapped in pools, and whatever they could find in seldom exposed tide flats. The list follows.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 1, 2022 8:16 AM - 3:25 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
64 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose 65
Wood Duck 8
Blue-winged Teal 9
Cinnamon Teal 8
Gadwall 25
Mallard 50
Bufflehead 1 Single female continuing.
Hooded Merganser 15 Females and ducklings
Common Merganser 1
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2
Mourning Dove 3
Rufous Hummingbird 2
Black-necked Stilt 2 Seen on fresh water side of dike.
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Ring-billed Gull 8
California Gull 6
Glaucous-winged Gull 5
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 4
gull sp. 100
Caspian Tern 14
Brandt's Cormorant 6
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Blue Heron 35
Bald Eagle 70 Counted 55 from viewing platform at end of boardwalk. -2' tide.
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-breasted Sapsucker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Downy/Hairy Woodpecker 1
Merlin 1
Western Wood-Pewee 2
Willow Flycatcher 8
Warbling Vireo 2
American Crow 10
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8
Tree Swallow 20
Violet-green Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 30
Cliff Swallow 60
Brown Creeper 10
Marsh Wren 12
Bewick's Wren 1
European Starling 20
Western Bluebird 1
Swainson's Thrush 12
American Robin 30
Cedar Waxwing 45
Purple Finch 1
American Goldfinch 8
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 25
Spotted Towhee 2
Yellow-headed Blackbird 2 On fresh water side of dike.
Western Meadowlark 1
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Brewer's Blackbird 3
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 15
Yellow Warbler 25
Wilson's Warbler 2
Black-headed Grosbeak 12