2/22 Pierce County

Wapato Lake Park - Pierce County

American Wigeons and Ruddy Ducks

Zipped out Thursday morning with Declan to a few spots in Pierce County.  I haven't been to a lot of lakes in the county, so I thought I'd take a look at Wapato Lake, and Fort Steilacoom Park.  It's winter still, so there were ducks, but it's winter still, so it was really really cold!  Good play equipment at Wapato Lake, and Declan got on the monkey bars... froze his hands off... and was ready to go!  Before we packed up, I was able to find some good dabbling ducks, a Cooper's Hawk, lots of gulls (mostly Ring-billed and Glaucous-winged) and a couple of Pied-billed Grebes.


Fort Steilacoom was a place I hadn't visited, and I'm sure I'll want to hit it again with both of the kids in warmer weather.  Interpretive trails, lots of open fields and places to play.  Interesting to read up on it

http://www.historicfortsteilacoom.com/history.php

Funny that the pass they used back then was Naches Pass!  I visited the pass on a Washington Ornithological Society field trip last summer, and it's no I-90!  I guess if you're not doing 60, it'd be safe enough.

I swear the windows were already broken!

Waughop Lake (thank goodness I only have to type that name) at the park had 3 billion Northern Shoverlers, and some Ring-necked Ducks as well - species 39 and 40 for the year.  Could have looked for more, but... did I mention it was cold?  Declan and I found a good field for throwing a boomerang.  We got a little better with it, and left before taking out any windows on the historic buildings around us.

8 counties down!  Whatcom, San Juan, King, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Chelan, Skagit and Pierce.  I'm looking outside right now at 3" of snow on the ground... maybe today is a bad day for driving, eh?