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Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge |
| WASHINGTON STATE > OLYMPIA HOTELS > SEATTLE > SEATTLE HOTELS > SEATTLE AIRPORT HOTELS | ||||||||||||||||
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NISQUALLY National Wildlife Refuge, on the Nisqually River Delta in southern
Puget Sound, was established in 1974 for the protection of migratory birds.
Three thousand acres of salt and freshwater marshes, grasslands, riparian, and
mixed forest habitats provide resting and nesting areas for migratory waterfowl,
songbirds, raptors, and wading birds. Over 175 species of birds have been recorded at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, so it is a favorite spot for birders traveling the I-5 corridor. Check the log at the headquarters office for the latest sightings (or read it online at the Peepers web site). Nisqually NWR has a variety of habitats. Up to 20,000 ducks and 300 geese find food, water, and shelter in the grasslands, mudflats, and freshwater ponds during spring and migration (part of the refuge is closed during hunting season). Salt marshes serve as resting and feeding habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl. Brant feed on beds of eelgrass. Deciduous woodlands host numerous songbirds and raptors. Grasslands attract Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, Northern Harrier, and feeding Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Cinnamon Teal, American Wigeon, and the occasional Eurasion Widgeon. Directions Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is on the southern end of Puget Sound between Olympia and Fort Lewis. Take Exit 114 from I-5 and follow the signs to the refuge. The refuge is open daily during daylight hours. The daily entrance fee is $3. |
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