Photo: Pied-billed Grebe by Philip Dickinson
April 11, 2023
We drove through heavy rain, but once at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR we had only a few drips and the sun arrived by mid-morning to make for a nice day of wandering the Refuge trails. Our morning began with singing Orange-crowned Warbler and Purple Finch. Near the orchard, we spied a Merlin high in a cottonwood. Numerous wigeon, shoveler, teal and coot swam in the wetlands. There also were several Greater Yellowlegs and Violet-green Swallow. The boardwalk was quiet, but we did see Wood Duck. Along the dike, we found two Common Yellowthroats and a Myrtle Warbler, while a Caspian Tern and Least Sandpipers joined Short-billed Gulls on the flats. At lunch, we were entertained by a male Hooded Merganser and a fish-eating Pied-billed Grebe. Our afternoon on the east boardwalk yielded Northern-rough Winged Swallow, Brown Creeper and Pileated Woodpecker.
58 species (approx. qty.)
Attendees: Phil, Rex, Dianna, Frank, Carol, Tari, Ed, Sue P., Denny, Rick, Graham, Catha, Lonnie
CHECKLIST:
WATERFOWL: Cackling Goose (275), Canada Goose (6), Wood Duck (3), Gadwall (1), American Wigeon (45), Mallard (47), Northern Shoveler (89), Northern Pintail (13), Ring-necked Duck (34), Green-winged Teal (250), Bufflehead (11), Common Goldeneye (4), Hooded Merganser (2), Common Merganser (11), Red-breasted Merganser (1)
LOON, GREBES: Pied-billed Grebe (3)
PELICANS, HERONS, IBIS: Great Blue Heron (4)
RAPTORS: Cooper’s Hawk (1), Bald Eagle (5), Red-tailed Hawk (1), Merlin (1)
RAILS, CRANES: American Coot (63)
SHOREBIRDS: Least Sandpiper (8), Greater Yellowlegs (14)
GULLS, TERNS: Short-billed Gull (100), Ring-billed Gull (1) Glaucous-winged Gull (25), Caspian Tern (1)
DOVES, PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon (1), Mourning Dove (1)
HUMMMINGBIRDS: Rufous Hummingbird (2)
KINGFISHER: Belted Kingfisher (1)
WOODPECKERS: Northern Flicker (3), Pileated Woodpecker (1)
CORVIDS: American Crow (9), Common Raven (2)
LARKS, SWALLOWS: Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1), Tree Swallow (15), Violet-Green Swallow (25), Barn Swallow (3)
CHICKADEES, BUSHTIT: Black-capped Chickadee (5), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (1)
NUTHATCHES, CREEPER: Brown Creeper (3)
WRENS: Bewick’s Wren (2), Pacific Wren (1), Marsh Wren (3)
KINGLETS: Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1)
THRUSHES: American Robin (18)
MIMIDS, STARLINGS: European Starling (1)
WARBLERS, CHATS: Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Common Yellowthroat (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (5)
LONGSPURS, SPARROWS: Spotted Towhee (1), Song Sparrow (17), Golden-crowned Sparrow (2)
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES: Red-winged Blackbird (3)
FINCHES, WEAVER FINCH: Purple Finch (7), American Goldfinch (4)