Editor's Note: Terry Martin is a retired fisheries biologist and accountant now living in Centralia. He grew up in Chehalis and graduated from W. F. West in 1968. He’s been an avid birder for the past six years and enjoys photography and nature in general.
Rainy skies and flooded fields are clear signs that winter is upon us in Lewis County. But with this damp weather comes welcomed visitors from the north. No, not in RVs. These ones come on the wing. Migrating birds also flood our fields and ponds.
Winter migrations are triggered by cooling weather in the far north, which for many birds is Arctic Alaska. For most of us, the first signs of this migration are those Vs of ducks and geese coursing high in the sky. Fortunately, many of these birds agree with us and consider Lewis County a fine place to spend some time — not too cold, and not too crowded!
One of my favorite spots to get closer to our visitors is Hillburger Pond, located just west of Interstate 5 a mile south of state Route 6 in Chehalis. As an added bonus, this location also happens to be the eastern trailhead of the Willapa Hills Trail (more on that in the future).
Hillburger Pond is a 20-acre pond that is "home" year round for a host of song birds, shorebirds and other assorted passerines (perching birds). You can expect to see chickadees, jays and towhees, and maybe a wren or two will "scold" you from the thickets. There are plenty of mallard ducks and Canada geese that think this is a great place to become full time residents.
But it is the winter when Hillburger becomes "alive" with birds. It's not unusual to see literally hundreds of ducks, geese and even swans on the water — with the freeway in the background. Thanks to many dedicated birders who prowl the county on a regular basis — and report their findings on Cornell University's website (https://ebird.org — there have been 140 documented species observed at Hillburger Pond. That is, of course, the year-round total; but the winter and spring months boast the highest counts. By using the eBird app you can see historic bird observations on a weekly basis. It's worth noting that these observations are invaluable for mapping bird populations, distributions and migrating timing and patterns. All this helps with wildfowl conservation efforts.
So grab your coat and car keys and head for a lake. A bird book and pair of binoculars are helpful, if you have them. I find a camera helpful too, especially if it has a telephoto lens.
One last thing: Please be respectful of "no trespassing" signs. Quite often public access is at the generosity of land owners, so be a good neighbor and don't cross into private property.
At Hillburger Pond you'll need a Discover Pass for parking. There is a nice public restroom in the parking lot. When you're done at the pond, it's only a few steps over to the Willapa Hills Trail for some more birding or strolling on a flat, paved path that stretches clear to the coast. Happy birding!