What a difference a day makes! Following Bob and Barb’s report from yesterday, I thought I’d go look for an owl photo op.
I kept my eye in the trees but no luck spotting an owl and so much rain it was hard to take any decent pictures. Didn’t matter. It was still a great day. We saw a bunch of deer, ducks, geese and bald eagles.

After meandering the Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls, we had 90 minutes before dark to meander Nisqually NWR. We started on the Twin Barns Loop and met a voulnteer who told us there was a barred owl near the Nisqually River Overlook. When we arrived in the area, the owl flew away, but Bob saw it again a few minutes later. We saw a few mallards and many widgeons, but no other birds.

This wildlife preserve is easily accessed from the freeway; once you are parked and begin the walk the freeway is easily forgotten.

Our hiking group enjoyed a cool, sunny morning with no wind as we walked past wetlands and out onto the delta. Many birds of various kinds were feeding. There are a couple of trail branches and a picnic area near the barns remaining from an old dairy farm.

Nice easy stroll, peaceful and right off the freeway — easy stop between Seattle and Olympia. It wasn’t crowded on a Friday afternoon. Folks in the visitors center were super helpful & you can borrow binoculars for free! Really cool walking the long boardwalk over the Sound. Saw lots of ducks, sandpipers (?) & a bald eagle. We did 4 miles. 

Trail was in good condition, freshwater levels the lowest we've seen out here. We watched a heron catch a frog for breakfast just outside the visitor center, and mallard ducks were going nuts in the duckweed farther along the trail. We watched a deer just walk right across what is usually all water, grazing happily. Lots of ripe berries (don't worry, we left them for the wildlife) along the trail. Nisqually river is super low and SO still this morning, and a pretty light blue color that we read is caused by "glacial milk" (super fine sediment).