Dear Tweets,

We had a very nice spring day at the Refuge with cloudy skies and light
rain in the morning and sunny skies with sun in the afternoon.
Temperatures were in the 60's degrees Fahrenheit and there was a High
9.05ft Tide at 2:07pm. Highlights included many breeding birds including
two BLACK-NECKED STILTS on 4 eggs in the freshwater marsh 75 yards south of
the Nisqually Estuary Trail, new dike, 100 yards east of the Nisqually
Estuary Boardwalk Trail. An unexpected second cycle SHORT-BILLED GULL
continues with the many RING-BILLED GULLS and immature CALIFORNIA GULLS on
the mud flats north of the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform.

The Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am was good for WOOD DUCK, HOODED
MERGANSER, and PIED-BILLED GREBE. There are nesting BARN SWALLOW in the
eves and under the bridge.

The morning chorus was very nice with singing SWAINSON'S THRUSH, YELLOW
WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, SONG SPARROW, PURPLE FINCH, WILLOW FLYCATCHER
and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE.

The Orchard had BAND-TAILED PIGEON, MORNING DOVE and PINE SISKIN. There
were numerous PURPLE FINCH and AMERICAN ROBIN, with recently fledged young,
and the many juveniles challenged our identification abilities with mottled
speckled first year birds. A pair of WARBLING VIREO were building a nest
in a fruit tree near the USGS Technician building. We also observed
DARK-EYED JUNCO, SPOTTED TOWHEE and BEWICK'S WREN.

The flooded fields along the access road still have some water, but are
overgrown with vegetation making spotting difficult. Flying over the
fields we observed additional swallow, TREE SWALLOW, CLIFF SWALLOW,
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW and BANK SWALLOW. In
the water we observed juvenile Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, and MALLARD
with hens watching over.

The Riparian Forest around the Twin Barns Loop Trail and Twin Barns was
very active with foraging and singing YELLOW WARBLER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH,
CEDAR WAXWING and SONG SPARROW. Numerous species sallying for insects and
aquatic invertebrates around the water's edge provided terrific
opportunities to enjoy bird behavior. There were singing BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS overhead. At the Twin Barns cut-off a pair of nesting
Rough-Winged Swallow are feeding young in a knot hole in a large Big-leaf
Maple at eye level just adjacent to the bridge. Juvenile RED-BREASTED
SAPSUCKER was observed with adults at thin farm trees just inside of the
boards east of the cut-off. The Twin Barns Overlook was great for numerous
hummingbirds. The Himalayan Blackberry is in full bloom in the area and we
observed upwards of 10 plus hummingbirds, mostly RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS and
several ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS as well.

The Nisqually Estuary Trail or new dike was great for enjoying our nesting
BLACK-NECKED STILTS. One bird on the nest, the other foraging in the
area. In the scope, we spotted 4 eggs and suspect incubation has been
going on for over 1 week. I'm not aware of this species breeding on the
Refuge before and am curious if anyone recalls nesting at Nisqually in the
past. There is an active BALD EAGLE nest in a tall Cottonwood just west of
the Nisqually River. We also picked up CINNAMON TEAL and heard VIRGINIA
RAIL.

The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk was great for gulls, CASPIAN TERNS,
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, nesting BELTED KINGFISHER and Northern
Rough-winged Swallow. We identified two banded terns in approximately 75
individuals, and observed courtship/copulation behavior. A SHORT-BILLED
GULL, second cycle, continues with a large flock of gulls on the mudflats.
The Puget Sound Viewing Platform helped us pick up PURPLE MARTIN off Luhr
Beach, PIGEON GUILLEMOT in the sound, and BRANDT'S CORMORANT on the channel
marker.

On our return we had nice sightings of woodpeckers, both DOWNY and HAIRY,
as well additional Red-breasted Sapsucker.

We observed 67 species for the day, and have seen 152 species for the
year. Mammals seen included Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal and Coyote. A Mink
was seen at the west entrance of the Twin Barns Loop Trail on Monday. See
eBird report copied, click on report link to see photos.

Until next time, happy birding.

Shep Thorp

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 22, 2022 7:37 AM - 5:06 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.036 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Temperatures in the 60's degree
Fahrenheit with light rain in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon.
A High 9.05ft Tide at 2:07pm. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit,
Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Harbor Seal, Eastern Gray Squirrel and Coyote.
67 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose 12
Wood Duck 14
Cinnamon Teal 3
Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal 1
Mallard 50
Mallard (Domestic type) 1
Lesser Scaup 4
Hooded Merganser 19
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3
Band-tailed Pigeon 6
Mourning Dove 2
Anna's Hummingbird 3
Rufous Hummingbird 11
hummingbird sp. 4
Virginia Rail 2
Black-necked Stilt 2 Photo. Previously reported. Nesting on the
inside of the Nisqually Estuary Trail, new dike, in the freshwater marsh.
3/4 of the way from the Twin Barns to the Observation Tower, 75 yards south
of the dike. Four eggs seen in the nest, incubating eggs for greater than 7
days.
Pigeon Guillemot 3
Short-billed Gull 1 Previously reported. Photo. Small dove shaped head
with small gray-green bill and black tip. Gray legs. Smaller than area
Ring-billed Gull and California Gull. Seen along the Nisqually Estuary
Boardwalk Trail between the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform and the Puget
Sound Viewing Platform.
Ring-billed Gull 75
California Gull 150
Glaucous-winged Gull 6
Caspian Tern 75 Two Banded CATE: 1) Right Leg, yellow on black, A529;
Left Leg, Orange/Blue/Silver. 2) Right Leg, Yellow/Green/Silver; Left Leg,
Green/White/Blue.
Brandt's Cormorant 1
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Great Blue Heron 75
Bald Eagle 18 Cottonwood west of Nisqually River in the north east
section of the surge plain.
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-breasted Sapsucker 4
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Western Wood-Pewee 8
Willow Flycatcher 8
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 4
Warbling Vireo 4 Nest building in fruit tree by USGS Tech Building.
Steller's Jay 2
American Crow 6
Black-capped Chickadee 7
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 10
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 40
Violet-green Swallow 4
Bank Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 50
Cliff Swallow 75 Observation Tower, McAllister Creek Observation
Platform, Puget Sound Observation Platform.
Bushtit 1
Brown Creeper 3
Pacific Wren 1
Marsh Wren 12
Bewick's Wren 5
European Starling 100
Swainson's Thrush 30
American Robin 45
Cedar Waxwing 75
House Finch 2
Purple Finch 8
Pine Siskin 2
American Goldfinch 30
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Savannah Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 48
Spotted Towhee 2
Red-winged Blackbird 40
Brown-headed Cowbird 30
Common Yellowthroat 35
Yellow Warbler 39
Western Tanager 2
Black-headed Grosbeak 5

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S113608334

--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742