Birds

Invertebrates

 

Great Blue Heron

The Nisqually Reach Nature Center is a great place to observe birds on Nisqually Reach and Nisqually Flats.

 

Set up your spotting scope on the pier under the roof, or in really inclement weather, seek shelter in our observation lounge with a 180 degree view. 

 

Since 1997, we've seen these birds from Luhr Beach:

 


Gaviidae (Loons)
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon

Podicipedidae (Grebes)
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe

Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
American White Pelican

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant

Ardeidae (Bitterns and Herons)
Great Blue Heron

 

Anatidae (Swans, Geese and Ducks)
Canada Goose
Brant
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-Winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Oldsquaw
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser

 

Accipitridae (Hawks, Kites,

Eagles & Allies)
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle


Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules & Coots)
American Coot

Charadriidae (Lapwings & Plovers)
Killdeer

Scolopacidae (Sandpipers,

Phalaropes and Allies)
Greater Yellowlegs
Whimbrel
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin

 

Laridae (Skuas, Gulls, Terns & Skimmers)
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull

 

Laridae, cont.

Herring Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous-winged x Western Gull
Caspian Tern

 

Alcidae (Auks, Murres and Puffins)
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet

Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
Rock Dove (B)

Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
Belted Kingfisher

Picidae (Woodpeckers and Allies)
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker

 

Vireonidae (Vireos)
Hutton's Vireo

Corvidae (Crows and Jays)
Steller's Jay
American Crow

Hirundinidae (Swallows)
Purple Martin (B)
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow

Paridae (Chickadees and Titmice)
Black-capped Chickadee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Troglodytidae (Wrens)
Bewick's Wren

 

Turdidae (Thrushes)
American Robin
Varied Thrush

Parulidae (Wood-Warblers)
Yellow Warbler

Sturnidae (Starlings)
European Starling

 

Emberizidae (Emberizids)
Song Sparrow
Oregon Junco

Icteridae (Blackbirds)
Red-winged Blackbird

Fringillidae (Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies)
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
House Sparrow

 

 

Purple Martin

A Purple Martin looks out from the pier

 

 

 

Ongoing Bird Monitoring Programs

 

NRNC Restoration Site Bird Monitoring

 

Bird Species List for Restoration Site

 

Green-winged Teal Analysis