Date: 6/3/26 9:07 pm From: Shep Thorp via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 6/3/2026
Hi Tweets,
Approximately 30 of us enjoyed a busy spring day at the Refuge with
overcast skies and temperatures in the 60s degree Fahrenheit. There was a
Low -1'8" Tide at 2:15pm so we did our routine walk. Highlights included
several birders observing a First Of Year BLACK PHOEBE in the maintenance
yard and just north of the west entrance to the Twin Barns Loop Trail.
Likely the same bird. There were two CEDAR WAXWING nests and a BUSHTIT
nest in the Orchard Area. Two of the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD nests—one over the
twin bench overlook just south of the Twin Barns cut-off, and the other
just 50 feet north of the overlook—had second clutches of birds. The
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER nest cavity is still active on the outside of the
trail just north of the overlook. We had good looks of both BLUE-WINGED
TEAL and CINNAMON TEAL in the Visitor Center Pond and freshwater marsh. At
the end of the day we observed a River Otter take a HOODED MERGANSER chick
in the freshwater marsh.
We observed 74 species for the day. With FOY Black Phoebe, a late
SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER, and RHINOCEROUS AUKLET on the Reach, we now have
observed 148 species for the year. See our eBird report pasted below for
additional details.
Other interesting finds included Muskrat, River Otter, and Ranchman's Tiger
Moth.
Until next week when we meet again at 8 a.m. at the Visitor Center Pond
Overlook...
Happy birding,
Shep
--
Shep Thorp
Browns Point
253-370-3742
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US
Jun 3, 2026 5:57 AM - 4:32 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.354 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Mostly cloudy with breezy
conditions and temperatures on the 60’s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low -1’18”
Tide at 2:15pm. Others seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian
Black-tailed Deer, River Otter, Muskrat, Harbor Seal, Puget Sound Garter
Snake, American Bullfrog, “Cardinal” type Meadowhawk Dragonfly, Ranchman’s
Tiger Mouth.
74 species (+3 other taxa)
Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40
Wood Duck 8
Blue-winged Teal 3
Cinnamon Teal (Northern) 4
Gadwall 2
Mallard 20
Ring-necked Duck 1
Hooded Merganser 11
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3
Band-tailed Pigeon 16
Mourning Dove 5
Vaux's Swift 1
Anna's Hummingbird 1
Rufous Hummingbird 11
Virginia Rail 4
Sora 1
Killdeer 2
Semipalmated Plover 1 Small Plover seen at 7am on high tide on
mudflats west of Leschi Slough north of dike. Observed with spotting scope
for 10 minutes in area near gulls and terns. Distant photo.
Rhinoceros Auklet 2 Nisqually Reach.
Ring-billed Gull 40
California Gull 80
Glaucous-winged Gull 2
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 2
Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 10
Caspian Tern 27
Brandt's Cormorant 4
Double-crested Cormorant 10
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 40
Turkey Vulture (Northern) 3
Bald Eagle 40 Occupied nest on West Bank of McAllister Creek north of
McAllister Creek/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform.
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) 2
Belted Kingfisher 2 Burrow on West Bank of McAllister Creek between
McAllister/Medicine Creek Viewing Platform and Puget Sound Viewing Platform.
Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Snag tree outside of Twin Barns Loop Trail on
the west side just north of the twin bench observation platform south of
the Twin Barns cut-off.
Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 1
Northern Flicker 1
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1
Western Wood-Pewee 8
Willow Flycatcher 3
Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 1
Black Phoebe 1 Seen by several birders during the day. Early morning
observed near the maintenance yard. Later morning observed on the west side
of the Twin Barns Loop Trail on the inside of the trail just north of the
entrance. Black flycatcher with white belly and crested head.
Hutton's Vireo (Pacific) 1 Heard only.
Western Warbling Vireo 6
Steller's Jay (Coastal) 2
American Crow 8
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2
Bank Swallow 4
Tree Swallow 30
Violet-green Swallow 1
Purple Martin 14
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Northern) 4
Barn Swallow 30
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 30
Bushtit (Pacific) 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Brown Creeper 4
Marsh Wren 20
Bewick's Wren 4
European Starling 50
Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed) 26
American Robin (migratorius Group) 20
Cedar Waxwing 60
Purple Finch 6
American Goldfinch 10
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 1
Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 6
Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 30
Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 5
Bullock's Oriole 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 60
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Common Yellowthroat 11
Northern Yellow Warbler 41
Wilson's Warbler 2
Black-headed Grosbeak 4
