Its Sunday and its fall/winter in Tacoma which means RAIN!! If you live on the westside of Washington you know that you have to accept the neverending rain in order to get outside!
Being couped up for sometime indoors I jumped in my car and headed south to the Nisqually Nat' Wildlife Refuge.
marsh/wetland
Upon arriving the parking lot to my amazement was almost packed. The sweet lady at the desk alerted me that a Great Horned Owl had been spotted the last couple days.
The gift store is nice with lots of birding books along with wildlife books. I grabbed a list of all the birds that either call Nisqually refuge their home or just pass by. The list was quite long.
The estuary
The refuge is almost all boardwalk. There are also trails next to the boardwalk and a trail that connects the marsh boardwalk to the estuary boardwalk.
The estuary boardwalk goes far out into the estuary where high tide will surround on all sides.
Birds were everywhere especially in the estuary portion. Waterfowl were plentiful. I wish i had brought my binoculars as i probably would have been able to cross off more birds on my list.
The Northern Harrier made his rounds above the estuary twice as i walked. Each time he flew low the waterfowl would scatter beneath him. It was life he was just having fun showing everyone who was the boss.
Two eagles were seen playing with each other or possibly mating. I don't know when their mating season is but i know that eagles mate for life!
I never saw the Great Horned Owl but i did see a couple seals in the Nisqually river overlook.
The rain came and went. Soon my patience with it took a steep decline. I cut short the estuary boardwalk and took to the car for heat and warmth.
It was still far better than staying home!!
Bubbles from clams
Blue Heron
Birds spotted: Blue Heron, Mallard, Canadian Geese, Buffleheads, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Hooded Merganser, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, American Coot, Belted Kingfisher, Winter Wren
Here's more info and facts about NWR:
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/nisqually/
http://friendsofnisquallynwr.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisqually_National_Wildlife_Refuge
