Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, WA 4/1

On the drive from Mt. Rainier we had passed a deer and coyote on the way to Nisqually. At the beginning of the day we met with some educators from the refuge that told us about the area and what they have been doing to preserve the many species living in the environment. The climate was much different than Mt. Rainier because we were on the coast of the Puget Sound in a protected estuary that housed many plant species that thrive close to water and birds. The weather was cloudy and about 45 degrees and windy because there was no protection from the winds coming off of the water. After walking on the boardwalk for only a few minutes we saw a Robin in a tree only five feet or so away and heard a Yellow Warbler in the distance. Once again the plants we saw included Indian Plum and Oregon Grape. The tree density was much lower than in the higher elevation and there was a lot more space between each tree. The ground was very marshy and not solid to walk on. Throughout the day there were Canadian Geese flying in flocks around the grounds. Using binoculars we saw three Great Horned Owls perched in one of the trees in the distance across the big grassy field. By chance we witnessed a garter snake chasing a shrew out of its burrow and across the path in front of us and off into the grass. Herons wandered close to the boardwalk and some stood in shallow water waiting for a fish to swim by.
My personal favorite spot of the day was the bright green tree frog hiding in the leaves next to the trail. People had heard them all day but had not yet found them. Its colors were so vibrant and I got to observe him up close.
Watching the many bird species was my main focus for the day not only because we spent the previous day only observing plants but because I had a lot to learn about identifying different bird calls and how to find them with binoculars or a telescope.

Species Identified:
Salmonberry
Canadian Geese
Robin
Yellow Warbler
Song Sparrow
Juvenile Eagle
Skunk Cabbage
Elderberry
Chickadees
Great Horned Owl
Brown Creeper
Snow Berry
Red-tailed Hawk
Rufous Hummingbird
Blue Heron
Double-Crested Cormorant
Pacific Tree Frog
Salamander
Garter Snake
Shrew
Northern Shoveler
Bald Eagle
Norther Herrier

Posted on May 1, 2012 02:00 PM by karavanslyck