Park in the lot, be sure to hide or carry any valuables, and walk all of the dike road/trails in the area.  Scope the containers and rooftops in winter for unusual gulls.  Glaucous, Herring, Iceland, and Western Gulls can  sometimes be found, and "Olympic", California, and Glaucous-winged are common. In spring and fall look for shorebirds in the ponds in the middle section, and in migration look in any of the trees for passerines.  Barn Owl has at times been found under the highway at the back of the area.  On the river look for cormorants, gulls and waterfowl. 

Gulls of any type, Lapland Longspur, Swamp Sparrow, and Black Phoebe have been seen.  Lincoln's Sparrow in winter, Western Meadowlark in winter, and Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, and the Eurasian race of Green-winged Teal might be seen with good numbers of Green-winged Teal.  Any of our falcons are possible, and Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk are common. Rough-legged and Red-shouldered Hawks have been seen, as well as Northern Harrier.  This oasis in the middle of the Port of Tacoma can really attract just about anything, so though it is not a visually, or often olfactory attractive place, it can be worth a visit almost anytime except midsummer.  

Gog-le-hi-te is currently comprised of three different restoration actions: Gog-le-hi-te I, II, and Habitat Improvement Action (HIA). Gog-le-hi-te I is the Port’s oldest habitat restoration site, constructed in 1986. The Puyallup River levee was breached in two locations for Gog-le-hi-te I and II. The breaches create essential off-channel estuary habitat for migrating salmon.

"The Gog" as local birders call it has been one of the top Pierce County hotspots since its creation. It has attracted many rarities over the years, but is probably best known as a winter gull spot.  In 2022 the nearby rendering plant burned down and the previous huge congregation of gulls it attracted has markedly diminished, but it is still worth a look at the adjacent shipping containers and rooftops for winter Herring, Iceland (Thayers), Western and other more common gulls. 

The dike trails around the mitigation areas can yield winter sparrows, Lapland Longspur, and shorebirds or waterfowl.