On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Mike in Oly
I am fortunate to live within a short drive to the Billy Frank Jr.-Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, just off I-5 between Tacoma and Olympia, WA. It is one of my favorite places to go with my camera for a good walk and interesting wildlife. I try to get out there at least once a month to enjoy the changing of the season over the course of the year. It is repurposed from an old farm at the mouth of the Nisqually river, and covers a riparian habitat along the river, several beaver ponds, seasonal wetlands, and a boardwalk that extends out over the tidal flats of the delta where the river meets Puget Sound. You never know what you’ll see for wildlife. There’s always a great blue heron around, and often bald eagles. Loads of water fowl, occasionally mink or otters, seals and sea lions, and salmon in the river in the fall. I went a few weeks ago and had a very enjoyable walk. Here’s are some things I saw.

I was busy watching a cloud of bushtits working over alder cones when another visitor drew my attention to this pair of bald eagles looking noble at the top of a Douglas fir tree. I saw this pair courting at a few points during my visit around the refuge. The female was singing brightly and they kept close company.

As I headed out toward the tidal flats the view to the north was quite dramatic over the grassland and Sound. The Tacoma narrows bridge is just out there and can be seen on a clear day. This day small showers were moving thru the area making the skies dramatic.

I headed out there that day as I had heard there were snow geese recently spotted, and I was delighted to come across them quite close to the trail. While there are normally thousands of Canada and cackling geese in winter residence here, and the occasional small group of Brant geese, snow geese usually stay north in the Skagit Valley for the winter. But this year four of them – an adult and three juveniles – decided to come on down this way and entertain the visitors. They were unconcerned with the onlookers taking their photo. Most wildlife here is so used to people were are just ignored.

The water in the seasonal wetlands was still very low that day, due to a long period of drought we’ve had for several years. But the deeper areas had plenty of ducks hanging about. Here is a group of wigeons enjoying the sunny afternoon. I can never remember which of the two species is which.

More wigeons in flight. It is rare I am able to get ‘in flight’ shots with my small telephoto, but the light was so perfect this day I got a few good shots.

Once out the mudflats I saw the tide was ebbing so the birds who like the waters edge were all busy seeking out food. I very much enjoy seeing lesser yellowlegs about. Such attractive birds with a distinctive call.

I very much enjoyed the winter light and all the mist and clouds from the weather moving thru. If you look closely you can see vehicles on I-5 in this shot.

Back around the beaver ponds I had noticed that the beavers had for some reason started to chew at this ancient big leaf maple tree. In all the years I have been here they have never paid it any attention. I am sad to see it as now the trees may be removed if they keep it up. I often see mink in this area and suspect there is a burrow under the tree.

Winter is the time for moss to shine here in the Evergreen State. And it was indeed glowing in the low sun like small green flames on every surface in the forest.

One last shot of the alders and cottonwoods that separate the river from the beaver ponds. The light was just so beautiful.
Jeffg166
I saw a bald eagle gliding over head as we were driving down Kelly Drive next to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia last Friday. I had heard they were back on the river and think I have seen a couple of them flying over my house but wasn’t sure. This sighting the bird was about 50’ in the air over the cars. I got a very clear look.
Baud
Nice.
eclare
I can see why you go there once a month.
Winter Wren
Beautiful pictures – I especially like the one with the dramatic sky and grasses in the foreground and of the wigeons in flight.
Our refuge system is an underrated national treasure IMO. They are much more widespread than our National Parks so they are more accessible for everyone. Near our house in MA, we have Great Meadows which I visit at least once a week and we visit Parker River on Plum Island probably monthly. On the Pelican Island NWR in Florida (the first refuge), there is a neat boardwalk where all of the refuges are listed on the boards, from the first created to the most recent.
Spanish Moss
Gorgeous! I love bleak landscapes, and I especially enjoyed the photos with moss in them.
MazeDancer
Two eagles! Well done!
H.E.Wolf
Thank you for the gorgeous photos, as well as the introduction and commentary.
Wikipedia’s entry on Billy Frank, Jr., includes a footnote (#5) specifically about this refuge, which I enjoyed reading in light of your photo essay!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Frank_Jr.
Mike in Oly
One correction – that is a lesser yellowlegs, not greater. Not sure how I messed that up.
@Winter Wren:
I love that idea of all the names of NWRs along the boards. So neat!
MCat
Thank you. I’m absorbing the peace and beauty from your photos. We can all use beauty and peace these days.
WaterGirl
I look at that last photo and feel like I’m about to step onto that pathway.
WaterGirl
@Mike in Oly: Fixed.
Wapiti
I think you captured the refuge quite well. When I was stationed at Fort Lewis in the early 2000s, we went around the place a few times. Once we investigation a loud commotion and spotted sea lions hunting salmon in the Nisqually River on the eastern boundary. We saw one sea lion surface with a salmon in its jaws, which was cool.
Mike in Oly
@WaterGirl: Thank you!
Mike in Oly
@Wapiti: I love when they come in after the salmon. I once saw one in the woods during a very high tide. The water had come quite far up a side creek channel and the sea lion was exploring. It was surreal.
beckya57
@MazeDancer: I live about an hour from this refuge (Tacoma), and I’ve seen many eagles there. Last time I think there was about 10-15 in one area where they like to hang out. We also saw a kestrel, which was cool (not a common sighting). I’m planning to lead a hike there in the spring, as part of an introduction to hiking course (the refuge is flat and the trails are easy walking for beginners).
Tenar Arha
@Mike in Oly: I agree especially about the light in that last shot with the walkway and the light. Thanks for sharing your special place.
Yutsano
Every time I see a bald eagle I’m reminded that about 40 years ago they were almost extinct because of DDT. To see how they have not only bounced back but are thriving in more and more places makes me happy that Congress long ago pushed Nixon into passing the Endangered Species Act. It’s been wildly successful in some important areas.
Plus: it’s now the official ‘Merica birb!
Madeleine
I really enjoy the variety of shots today. Still, I particularly appreciate the layers of browns and greys in #2 over the grasslands. Thanks Mike.
kindness
Great pics!
KatKapCC
Wonderful shots :D
way2blue
Mike in Oly. Given our support of indigenous participation in elections… Could I just mention that Bill Frank Jr was a beloved leader to local tribes. He led a long fight for their treaty rights to be respected. An effort that spilled over to neighboring tribes which pushed to recover control of their timber, Lake Quinault, et cetera. See for example:
Much more at >> https://billyfrankjr.org/
weasel
Love that you go often enough to know individual trees! I’ve only been able to get out there once since I’ve lived in Oly but plan on making it a more regular outing this year. Thanks for the wonderful pictures and great commentary
wonkie
Oh gosh thank you for the beautiful photos! I need to get down there–the delta is lovely at every time of year, but this time is good because fewer people. I live just up the road on Hartstene Island, so hello!
Mike in Oly
@way2blue: He left such a legacy for the tribes of WA and the rest of us to. I thought it was wonderful when they decided to name the NWR after him. Very happy his statue is going to DC to replace that other guy as well. All of these honors are well deserved.
As for the eagles, I am happy their numbers are up, but due to lack of salmon they are predating other species now and causing issues. They’ve wiped out a few heron rookeries around the bay and I have seen them hunting pets in my urban neighborhood.
KSinMA
What beautiful photographs! Thank you, Mike!
rosalind
@way2blue: a fabulous documentary called “Fish War” was released in 2024 that tells the story of Billy Frank Jr. and many others who led a long legal fight and civil action to reclaim and legally enshrine their treaty fishing rights. It’s a fascinating, frustrating story. Highly recommend if you can find it available.
Dan B
Great post! A group of us visited the Nisqually delta just before it was restored. It was great and we were concerned that removal of the levies would reduce access. We came back afterwards and it was even better. I love the big tidal changes that seem to move a mile up from the sound in the western part of the delta. We’ve only visited in the summer but the winter looks moody and amazing.
No One You Know
These are beautiful! I haven’t been to that refugee for over a year. Must start planning– spring migration’s coming.
Interstadial
Thanks for sharing!
Much of the refuge had been farmland that had been reclaimed from tidal marshes long ago by diking. I visited the refuge in the late 1990s when the dikes were still there. The Fish and Wildlife Service was deliberating on how they wanted to manage the property in the long term.
Years later holes were punched in the dikes and the area was allowed to return to a more natural condition. It’s good to see the area doing well.
way2blue
@rosalind: Ah. Didn’t know that. I’ll look for it. (I’ve been following Washington tribal history for many years via the Quinault newspaper, Nugguam, including Larry Workman’s column that posts news clippings back in time.)