Sunday, early evening! Time for a hike at Cougar Bay Preserve, a Nature Conservancy site. I had previously been to the nearby National Forest Ranger Station and stocked up on information about hikes in the area. I support the work of the Nature Conservancy and I have never been disappointed by a hike on their lands.

Cougar Bay is stunning. The trail winds along Red-Winged Blackbird wetlands then heads up, slowly. Benches along the way invited me to rest and reflection. The web write-up says,

Cougar Bay attracts migrating and nesting waterfowl, numerous shorebirds, songbirds, moose, beaver, otter, and deer.

The rich wetland habitat of Cougar Bay provides an abundance of wildlife watching opportunities. Thirty-four rare animal species are known to utilize the site, including 27 species of birds.

I saw mostly ducks and a Great Blue Heron. I heard the Red-Winged Blackbirds and some small warblers, which I still cannot distinguish from each other.

Cougar Bay Preserve, Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho

Such a joy to be hiking in lush forests! That pile of hiking trail brochures that I picked up will keep me busy for the summer. On this first local hike, I didn’t take a thing, no camera, water, snacks, locator beacon, or phone. Not even binoculars! Next time I will be prepared, including taking the hiking pole. Trails here have some tree roots and other obstacles that trip me up.