I stopped here with my partner on the way to Seattle earlier this month. It was a great leg stretch after a long drive, though I was jealous of the birds who got to rest and relax in the sunshine.

Only got to the beginning of the boardwalk this time, but hoping to time our next visit with the tide being in!

Beautiful overcast day on the estuary - bring your binoculars (or don't the visitor center lends them out). Having a hand lens was also super fun for all the lichen and moss growing on the railings.

Everyone at the visitor center was very helpful. We were there for hours looking at the birds and other critters that live in the refuge. Boardwalk and gravel walk was level and wide. There was also a kind naturalist who helped us find a great horned owl.

Only downside is we planned to get milkshakes at the cafe near by and it closed at 2pm! But luckily we found Lucky's Drive In and the day was saved.

A fair amount of cars in the lot when we got there at 10:30 and left at 2:30 but there were still spots around.

Having been inspired by Bob & Barb's recent report, I spent some time wandering around the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. An unexpectedly nice day for February--some sun, some wind, and wonderful crisp air. Perfect day to stretch the legs a bit!

This place is such a treasure and so convenient, just off of I-5. I feel embarrassed not having spent more time here over the years. It is a busy place, but also can provide moments of solitude when visited during the week. Once you filter out the drone of cars on I-5, it can be quite peaceful. 

Lots of birds at various places throughout, but not everywhere. Many more heard than seen. Didn't see any particularly unusual species. There was a bald eagle dismembering a carcass on a small island in the middle of one of the freshwater areas. Ew, but interesting to see it fairly close up.

I look forward to coming back as Spring rolls in. It's a place worth a stop to explore if you are rolling past on the highway, whether you have a few minutes or half a day.

The wetland and sound boardwalks were in great condition, as was the wide trail connecting them.

What a day for birding! It was a chilly day (around the 40s) with pouring rain until about 2pm. We arrived just after it had cleared up.

Here are some highlights:

-Near the barn at the end of the wetland boardwalk, there is a tree with an eagles’ nest. Fellow birders let us know they’ve been nesting there year after year. In the tree, we saw two adults and three juveniles who appear to be sticking around with their parents until they’re ready for life on their own.
-Waterfowl!!! We heard migrating cackling geese as soon as we arrived and noted their higher-pitched call than Canada geese. A helpful sign on the boardwalk educated us on the difference. I was overjoyed to see and learn to distinguish 8 different species of duck: Widgeon, shoveler, pintail, ring-necked, bufflehead, goldeneye, and good ole mallards
-saw three different species of woodpecker on the same cluster of trees: downy, hairy, and red-breasted sapsucker
-multiple species of gull + greater yellow legs out on the mud flats
-the frogs were calling everywhere, and I was able to spot just one of the elusive little guys
-a fellow hiker let us know there were some hauled-out seals visible from the end of the boardwalk. By the time we got there, just one mottled gray seal was visible, just chilling on the grass.

The sun came out in full force on the Tacoma narrows bridge before setting and leaving the trail in darkness. We saw numerous rabbits and even a bat, which was a surprise for February.

What a joyful hike. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys birding or loves seeing wildlife.

All photos by Christopher Atherly.