Lime Kiln Lighthouse

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Showing posts with label refuge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label refuge. Show all posts

Sunday, May 5, 2013

No. 181 Mount Vernon Skagit Wildlife Area

Island Unit Headquarters
21961 Wylie Road
Mt. Vernon, WA 98273

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The Skagit Wildlife Area covers about 16,700 acres west of the Cascade Mountain range. Bordered on the east edge by Highway 530 between Darrington and Rockport and to west along Skagit and Padilla Bays. Most of the 16 managed wildlife sanctuaries are located throughout the Skagit River Delta Region. Tidal action and the mixing of fresh and saltwater create a rich estuarine environment including open water, tidal mudflats and marshes providing safe and sustainable wildlife habitat for   birds of prey, hawks, eagles, marine birds, shorebirds, songbirds, upland birds, wading birds, waterfowl, deer and other smaller mammals.
Washington's DFW has contracts with regional farmers to plant barley and corn to enhance food  resources for local and wintering waterfowl.

In order to see and photography any wildlife its important to pay attention to the various habits of birds. If you plan on exploring a wildlife sanctuary mid day in the summer chances are you will have little luck in spotting a rare bird of prey. Ducks and smaller waterfowl can be scene throughout the day. But if you are keen on snapping images of birds of prey you have to understand which time of day they are active and also which food source they are hunting. Dawn and Dusk are the best times to spot birds of prey in action as they leave their nests high atop the trees and start stalking smaller prey. If its bright and sunny and mid 70s degrees out you will have reduced chances of seeing any wildlife. Unlike us humans who have sunglasses, air conditioning and access to refrigerated beverages, animals do not. They retreat the cooler tree top canopy's until the late afternoon.


Skagit WIldife Area
Island Unit Tidal area home to many ducks and insects
Skagit WIldife Area
Natures Window Frame
Skagit WIldife Area

Skagit WIldife Area
A Mature (White feathers) American Bald Eagle keeping a stealthy eye on its family nest

Skagit WIldife Area
Backdrop of Mount Baker behind Island Unit Wildlife Area

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Sunday, October 7, 2012

No.125 Nisqually WIldlife Refuge

Nisqually Wildlife Refuge
I-5 Exit 114
8 Miles north of Olympia
Website: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Nisqually/

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Open Daily Sunrise to Sunset
$3 fee per group of 4 Adults



The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Nisqually River Delta near Puget Sound in northeastern Thurston County, Washington and northwestern Pierce County, Washington. The refuge is located just off Interstate 5, between the cities of Tacoma and Olympia.
The 12.6 km2 refuge was created in 1974 to provide habitat and nesting areas for waterfowl and other migratory birds. It includes a protected estuary, salt marshes and open mudflats, freshwater marshes, open grassland, and riparian woodland and brush. An additional 3.2 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi) planned is protected by the disjoint Black River Unit on a tributary of the Chehalis River.
Over 20,000 birds, made up of 275 different migrating species, use the freshwater marshes and grasslands for breeding, resting or wintering. The most abundant bird types include raptors, shorebirds and songbirds. Larger animals such as hawks and coyotes feast in the grassland due to the presence of mice and voles.
The riparian woodland and brush habitats contain many amphibians, mammals and reptiles. The Refuge has around 5 miles of walking trails. The one-mile long raised boardwalk Twin Barns Loop Trail takes you past various marshes and small ponds, past the Twin Barns and then to open estuary.


Nisqually Wildlife
Entrance to Nisqually Refuge
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
Portion of Twin Barns Loop Trail
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
The Eastern Twin of the Twin Barns
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
Mallard Duck eating algae in a pond
Duck breakfast
Everyone is in on it
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
A Young Red Tailed Hawk keeps an eye on the walkers below
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
Be mindful of the squirrels
Nisqually Wildlife Sanctuary
Spider Web covered in morning dew
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