Monday, November 10, 2025
When the JOLT publisher first asked me to write a weekly column about local birds, we discussed a title for the series and settled on “Thurston’s Birds.” The readers, after all, were primarily from Thurston County, and it made sense that they would mainly be interested in our local birds.
As time went on (and it’s been 42 months now), it became apparent that my column is not just about birds, but also about birders; that is, people who enjoy bird watching. It turns out many enjoy seeing birds when they go to other places too.
And, I have realized, Thurston County is within convenient driving distance of a wide variety of great birding sites. Our young photographer Liam, with his pursuit the past two years of his Washington Big Year (a quest to see the maximum number of bird species in the state), demonstrated just how well-located our county is for birding.
Last week’s Thurston’s Birds column was devoted to godwits and the good fortune (for bird watchers, at least) of having three of the world’s four godwit species located at Tokeland, a small peninsula projecting out into the north edge of Willapa Bay — just a two-hour drive from home.
So, following my own advice, last Sunday Jill Severn and I took the drive to Tokeland seeking godwits. Here’s what we found.
For the two to three hours before high tide, a flock of 1,000 or so marbled godwits were congregating and conversing along shoreline near the marina at the end of the Tokeland peninsula. They’re right there, sleeping, preening and feeding. You cannot miss them.
Their feeding technique is impressive. They probe into the mud or sand with that long bill, and sometimes submerge their entire heads. We watched them catching and eating marine worms by the dozens.
Although small, this is a working harbor. There are commercial fishing and crabbing boats going in and out all day, as well as recreational fishers. The birds seem totally used to all the activity. We were able to stand on the bulkhead above the birds and inspect them to our heart’s content.
It took several hours for my heart to become fully contented. Jill, with a more easily contented heart, took breaks at the nearby Nelson Crab, Inc. eating oyster shooters and clam chowder. All birders who visit the Tokeland harbor speak highly of this venerable establishment.
While scanning, I found among the many marbled godwits, three of one of the rare visiting godwit species: bar-tailed godwits. As you can see from my mediocre photo, these rare visitors are “different.” Both godwit species have that long two-toned bill, but the bar-tailed visitors have whitish breasts, compared to the marbled godwit’s cinnamon wash, and therefore stand out in the flock. Watching each bird for many minutes, and risking eye strain, I was able to see the fine barring on each bird’s tail.
Naturally, there were other birders around, some with big scopes. And the reports of these others documented four bar-tailed godwits and one Hudsonian godwit. I was not so fortunate. But I certainly was not disappointed. And you won’t be either if you can manage to get to the Tokeland harbor at the magic time of two to three hours before the high tide.
Another shorebird we encountered at Tokeland was the Willet, about 20 in number. These are large, elegant and graceful birds. They are almost crow sized, but their bills and legs are not nearly so long as the godwits’. They breed near wetlands of inland North America and only come to the coast for the winter.
When they’re milling around on the shore, they look rather plain, a uniform gray, sometimes with light brown streaks. But when they fly, they flash dramatic black and white wing feathers. It’s easy to imagine these flashing wings startling potential predators. They have startled me, even when I know what’s coming.
Washington is at the northern edge of Willet wintering territory and so they are often difficult to find. They are much more common along beaches and rocky shores further south, and they are also common on the southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Therefore, as you chance to visit these other coasts, you very likely will have a chance to startle a willet for yourself.
This Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the refuge is the 36th annual Nisqually Watershed Festival. It’s a celebration of all the various environmental organizations that work tirelessly all year to protect our local watershed. There are all sorts of activities and many opportunities for children to have ‘hands on’ nature experiences. For more information click here.
One of the best birding sites on the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is the mile-long boardwalk along McAllister Creek (the west side of the refuge). Starting on Oct. 11, and continuing until late January, the last 700 yards of the boardwalk will be closed to public access. This is because the furthest part of the boardwalk approaches a waterfowl hunting area and is closed as a safety precaution.
George Walter is environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department; he also has a 45+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com.
Photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, an 18-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.
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