American Bittern by Christopher Guy Elliott/Audubon Photography Awards
Dungeness River Levee Road (Dungeness-Towne Road Marsh) Trip Report
by Kathy McCoy, trip leader
On Saturday, March 22, 2025, we met at the Dungeness Levee Footpath parking area at 9 a.m. by the Old Dungeness Schoolhouse at Towne Rd and E Anderson Rd. The weather was delightful, very cooperative, no wind, no rain, even some sunshine! This was a nice walking trip, following the dike upstream about ¾ mile and then back. The group was mostly newer birders or new to the area, but I had help from a couple of folks keeping track of the group and keeping our eBird list.
The highlight of the trip for many of us was an American Bittern which showed itself briefly; it flushed from near the dike and flew 20 yards into an area between cattails and riparian shrubs. The light brown bird was smaller than the Great Blue Heron we saw, keeping its legs tucked in rather than trailing behind—a fascinating sight.
Marsh Wrens were pitching a fit, and a couple even showed their faces to the delight of at least one birder; it was a life bird for her. The Red-winged Blackbirds are currently returning, mostly males, but there were a couple of females. She’s easily mistaken for a giant sparrow! A pair of Green-winged Teals were napping near the edge of the marsh, and while they were easy to see, they had their heads tucked in. The signature green wing patch was on display, to help out our ID. Among the raptors we encountered were a majestic Bald Eagle, a striking Red-tailed Hawk, and a graceful Northern Harrier.
Other highlights included a Tree Swallow (the first of the season for me) and Bewick’s Wrens, whose melodious song never fails to intrigue me."
We had a great time. Here’s the rest of the birds we spotted: