July 25 - Theler Wetlands

It was a great morning, sunny and 53 degrees, when I drove north to Union and the Theler Wetlands.

John claims that he's just the "eBird Guy" and photographer

Every second and fourth Thursday, leaders Faye Hands and John Riegsecker of the Advanced Birding Club of Tahoma Audubon gather for a birding walk through this great estuary on the Union River in Belfair.  If you’re interested in the walk, show up at the Theler Center at 8 a.m.

The birders leave from the parking lot, walk down the trail past the Environmental Education Center buildings and out onto the estuary boardwalk, then back along the old dike past the recently-restored saltwater estuary, and up the Union River to the upper viewing platform, and returning past the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center facility.

Checking out the Cliff Swallow nests on the Salmon Center's barn

The walk is pretty easy, on a flat trail or boardwalk, and is a little over 3 miles in length.

The path past the Salmon Center provides a look at the llamas and alpacas in the pasture.  I keep hoping to see a Lesser Rhea among the herd, but I'll have to go to Chile to see one, I guess.

There are a lot of regulars that come for the walk, but they are very welcoming of birders of any skill level.  They welcomed me, after all . . .

Osprey hunting the mouth of the river

It’s always fun to be out with these folks.

Diane Yorgason-Quinn photographs the group on every walk.  This is her picture

After the bird walk, my route home takes me past Big Bubba's in Allyn, a "landmark" along Highway 3.  I usually indulge myself with a burger, fries and shake, and eat the lunch at the Port of Allyn docks.  I deserve it . . . 

Big Bubba's Burgers in Allyn

Theler Wetlands eBird Checklist is Here

July 24 - Nisqually Refuge

This morning was deliciously cool (OK, I’ve just returned home from a cross-country trip where the temperatures and humidity were a bit higher…) and mostly sunny.  I went to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for the weekly Wednesday Bird Walk led by Refuge Volunteers.

Phil has led the Nisqually Wednesday Bird Walk for years and yea

The Refuge was just called "Nisqually NWR" until December 18, 2015, when President Barack Obama signed the Billy Frank Jr. Tell Your Story Act into law, re-designating the wildlife refuge in honor of Nisqually tribe leader and treaty rights activist Billy Frank, Jr., who died in 2014.

A Good Man:  Billy Frank Jr. 1931 - May 5, 2014

Photo stolen from http://billyfrankjr.org/

Today, Phil Kelley had to leave early, and Shep Thorp was available, so others led the group, and I volunteered to keep the eBird checklist and sent the following trip report to the "Tweeters" birding e-mail group, which is hosted by the University of Washington.

The temperatures this morning were from 60-77º F, and today's tides on the flats included a +9.00-foot high at 11:40 a.m., rising from the 6:04 a.m. low water at +3.64 feet, so it would have been perfect for viewing shorebirds, if only they were in . . . 

Refuge Manager Glynnis Nakai greeting the Wednesday Walk birders

Twenty-six birders, from Olympia to Texas, met at the Visitors’ Center at 8 a.m. for the walk, led by our able leader Phil Kelley.  Highlights included nice sightings of Anna’s Hummingbird, Yellow and Wilson’s Warblers, and Willow and Pacific-slope Flycatcher.  Western Wood Pewees were pretty common.

Pewees are drab-plumaged little flycatchers

Starting out at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, we had nice looks at an immature Bald Eagle being harassed by a Red-tailed Hawk.  Many Barn and Tree Swallows were at the visitors’ center, and all along our route through the day.

Recently-fledged Barn Swallow

Our first regular stop after leaving the center is at the Heritage Orchard, which was pretty quiet, but we had nice looks of Tree Swallows, Cedar Waxwings, Western Wood Pewees, and some warblers.

Barn Swallow on her cup-shaped mud nest

Along the Access Road we had good looks at a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, which was  a ‘target bird’ for Mark, the visitor from Austin.  A few Bank and Violet-green Swallows were seen mixed in with the many foraging Tree, Barn, and Cliff Swallows.

Wilson's Warbler

On the west side of the Twin Barns Loop Trail, we observed a few Mallard broods, including ducklings that were half-grown, as well as a few three-day old youngsters.  As usual, there were Northern Rough-winged Swallows foraging over the Visitor Center Pond.  We had great looks at warblers, including Yellow Warblers feeding young, and a LOT of Swainson’s Thrushes, both adult and young.

Chestnut-backed Chickadees are a West Coast specialty

Black-capped Chickadees were seen along this route, and at least one Chestnut-backed Chickadee was heard.  We had nice looks at Willow Flycatcher in the area of the Twin Barns Cut-off.  A Long-tailed Weasel threatened to climb up the pants leg of one of the birders, but got away before a camera could be focused!

A Bald-faced Hornet nest along the trail keeps us on our toes

The Twin Barns Overlook revealed Common Yellowthroats, as well as confirmation that the Tree Swallows were still feeding their youngsters at the nest boxes.  The Nisqually Estuary "north dike" Trail provided views of Ring-billed Gulls, but was otherwise pretty quiet.  In the fresh water marsh on the inside of the dike, Hans spotted a Virginia Rail, and while we were watching it, a juvenile Sora foraged nearby, getting chased off by the rail.  We observed many swallows including Bank Swallow, and a few Marsh Wrens.

Twenty shots, and this is the best that I got of the rail . . .

Out on the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail, there is a colony of 40 plus Cliff Swallows nesting in the McAllister Creek Viewing Platform.

Cliff Swallow in her jug-shaped nest

The Bald Eagle nests along McAllister Creek were empty, but adults and this year’s young were seen along the boardwalk.

The Estuary Boardwalk along McAllister Creek

Most birders had bailed at the boardwalk, but a few of us continued to the end, seeing Belted Kingfisher, and many Ring-billed and dozens of California gulls, along with several Caspian Terns and a handful of Glaucous-winged Gulls.

We should always take time to smell the flowers: These are Puget Sound Gumweed Grindelia integrifolia

From the Puget Sound Observation Platform we scoped a single Brandt’s Cormorant on the channel marker, numerous Double-crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, and Bald Eagles on the flats.

Glaucous-winged Gull adult

Third-cycle California Gull

Second-cycle Ring-billed Gull

On our return, from the west side of McAllister Creek, we heard the “Quick! Three Beers!” call of the Olive-sided Flycatcher, as well as the raucous calls of Steller’s Jays.

Brown Creeper

The east side of the boardwalk loop was good for both Brown Creeper, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees.  I hope the Texan, who left the group earlier, got looks at the Chessies!

The habitat along the riparian boardwalk

At the Riparian overlook, there was a flock of Bushtits, a Red-breasted Sapsucker, and a few more Chessies.

"Documentation Photo" of the sapsucker

The count for today’s walk was 58 bird species.  Mammals seen included an adult and a baby mink, coyote, 2 does and a fawn Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern cottontail, Eastern grey squirrel, the long-tailed weasel, and a dozen-and-a-half or so harbor seals.

Black-tailed doe skulking through the marsh

Until next week when the Refuge Volunteers will welcome you at 8 a.m. at the Refuge’s Visitor Center, here’s wishing you excellent birding!

Nobody seems to love Cowbirds, which I think are really cool native birds.

Nisqually NWR eBird Checklist is Here

Nisqually Crow, showing that this is "the end"