Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge — Sunday, Mar. 27, 2022

Fabulous day spent wandering the trails with our nature loving teenager. I love going this time of year and seeing the daffodils from the old gardens popping up in the woods at the south end of the Twin Barns loop. I am always blown away with the diversity and abundance of wildlife so near I-5. Pussywillows, red flowering currant, Indian plum, salmon berry blossoms. Herons, raptors, sapsuckers and songbirds. Lots of frog eggsacs were easily visible from the boardwalk on the west side of the loop. We saw turtles sunning themselves and even a snake swimming along. The swallows are starting to build their nests along the barns. A woman came rushing out of one of the outhouses while we were watching the swallows, screaming and frantically pulling up her pants, "There's a frog in there!!!" We found a tiny frightened tree frog in a corner behind the vent pipe and rescued the poor thing (he seemed very happy to be back outside). Spotted more herons, sand pipers, eagles and seals from the boardwalk out over the mud flats. All reminded me that we really need to come out here more often.