Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve

Our weather has been pretty iffy the last couple weeks; yesterday was pouring but today looked like we had a good chance of staying dry so we headed out for a new adventure.

Today we decided to check out the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve in Belfair, WA.   The guide book says its a 3.5 mile hike round trip and takes you to the Union River estuary that feeds into Hood Canal.  The trails are very well maintained and easily accessible to all (flat, wide and smooth). Even on a busy Sunday afternoon,  the bird activity was high.   We were serenaded the entire trip by birds all along the grassy meadows and waterways.   We saw whole colonies of Red Winged Black Birds and Swallows,  as well as sparrows, a pileated woodpecker, what we think was kingfisher, and many more we couldn't ID.    This would be a great place to come with binoculars and spend extra time just sitting on the many benches along the way and bird watching.   We only brought the outdoor camera, but still managed to get a couple shots:

One thing to note - no dogs are allowed in this area due to the fragile ecosystem. The sun was warm and the breezes were cool. It was a nice, easy Sunday afternoon hike with beautiful views and amazing birds.