Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

I walked around some of the trails and the boardwalk at Nisqually Wildlife Refuge for a 4 mile walk. There were lots of birds to see and not many people this morning.

geese sitting on the trail

Watched this eagle land on the boardwalk railing and then fly off. Stood back and took this zoom shot.

seagull

more seagulls

view along the boardwalk

great blue heron

yellowlegs

common goldeneye

mallards

redwinged blackbird

robin

deer in the forest

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park

We stopped in Vantage Washington to walk the Ridge Trail and a long section of the Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail to make a 2 mile loop with 250 ft of gain. We went counterclock wise.

The trail goes up to a ridge, we had a view of the Columbia River in the distane.

fuzzy zoom of some of the elk we saw.

fuzzy zoom of some deer

The exhibits of petrified wood are located in concrete enclosures with wire on top along the Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail.

Photos of some of the petrified wood taken between the wire grids covering the exhibits.

Manchester State Park

I went to Manchester State Park in Port Orchard Washington for a short walk. Near the beginning of the trail were some old buildings from when this was Middle Point in the early 1900's. The Torpedo Storehouse is now the group picnic area.

The Mine Casement

The unfinished Battery Mitchell is on the trail along the shoreline

View of Rich Passage with a ferry and a distant Mount Rainier

zoom of Mount Rainier

Part of the steps leading up the hill to complete the loop trail

Ferns and trees along the trail, it was very quiet here this morning, I didn't see any one else on the trail.

I then walked the sort way along the marine camp area. Overall, I walked about 1.25 miles. Seagull on a rock in the water

zoom of American wigeons

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

This morning, I walked about 3.25 miles along the trails and board walk at Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. View across Puget Sound.

zoom looking towards the snowy Olympic Peaks in the distance

High tide today

American wigeons

view along the boardwalk

Great blue heron

seagull

cormorant and seal on a small islet

about a dozen seals on another islet

view of Mt Rainier to the northeast

zoom of Mt Rainier

The last part of the boardwalk is closed because of waterfowl hunting season (mid October to February 3)

Two bald eagles

Lots of Canadian geese