Hi Everyone:
If you are going to Grays Harbor, you may want to view Brady Loop Wetlands
which is near Montesano. A very small sign near the gate says "Landowner
plus USDA/NRCS". There is a small wire fence next to the gate that you may
have to squeeze through because the grass has grown up and you can't see in.
It is apparently Fish & Game land. Thanks to Patrick Sullivan's & Ryan
Shaw's sets of directions, we found the wetlands, and wrote down some
mileages. Here are the detailed directions:
Take State Highway 12 west from Olympia toward Aberdeen, Hoquiam, & Ocean
Shores. West of Elma, after passing the Satsop River Bridge, watch for the
exit to the town of Brady on the right. Turn LEFT, away from the town,
cross the highway, and go right (west) on the other side of the highway onto
Monte-Brady Rd. Monte-Brady Rd parallels the main highway and is south of
the highway. It runs west from the Brady exit to an exit east of Montesano.
Go west on Monte-Brady 1.5 miles, passing Foster Rd on your left (which can
be good in spring migration for shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors). At 1.5
miles, turn left on Brady Loop Rd.
On Brady Loop, go south 0.4 miles, passing a trailer house on the left, and
then a farmhouse on the left. On the left side of the road, down in the
fields, a metal gate blocks a trail along a dike. It is open during hunting
season, but going through the fence has not been a problem lately, as
birders cannot view the wetlands past the grass and berry bushes. The fence
is not electrified and is not barbed wire. Walk past the gate about 1 block
on the dike/trail. Wetlands are on the right of the trail. There are two
ponds. The first one is visible but is almost dried up. Walk out through
or around it, to view the far side of it, and then the pond behind which has
more water. We saw birds in the near pond in the small amt. of remaining
water, then they flew to the rear pond when a Harrier flew over.
If driving from Aberdeen, take Highway 12 to Montesano. Two miles east of
Montesano, turn right (south) on Monte Brady Rd. At 0.9 miles, turn right
(south) at Brady Loop Rd. Follow directions above.

Carol Schulz
DesMoines
linusq at worldnet.att.net