Fourteen DNCBers enjoyed a beautiful sunny and clear Tuesday visiting several parks on Whidbey Island in Washington State, plus a magnificent ferry ride. There are already some spectacular shots on our Flickr site.
Some left Petra’s at 7:00 am and we all met at the Peace Arch Park parking lot at 7:30 am for carpooling brilliantly in 4 vehicles. No wait at the Border, and the two hour drive down highway 5 to 20, and over the Deception Pass bridge to the Keystone Ferry Terminal at Coupeville on Whidbey Island was smooth and interesting, especially riding with Mike in his chariot along with Langley’s finest birder Welshman Gareth.
All vehicles, including loner Lidia, arrived well before the 10:15 am ferry departure, so we were able to wander around the terminal shore. Got good looks at Pigeon Guillemots, a Rhinoceros Auklet, Harlequin Ducks, and Yellowlegs and other ducks, mostly Northern Pintail, in the distance. Noreen took the Group Photo on the bow of the ferry as we left on the 40 minute ride to Port Townsend. It was cold and windy on the bow, but some of us persevered and we got some decent sightings. Mostly guillemots, but some picked out a Common Murre, both Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Surf & White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, an Heermann’s Gull among the Mew, Ring-billed and Glaucous-winged, Common and Pacific Loons (We had a Red-throated Loon later), as well as Harbour Porpoises. At Port Townsend, we carefully examined the many cormorants and could easily distinguish Pelagic, Brandt’s and Double-crested as they were grouped together on pier pylons.
I should mention that the scenery was spectacular, across the Olympic mountains, Mount Baker, even across the Salish Sea to Victoria and Vancouver Island. And the Growler Jets didn’t bother us until the afternoon over Deception Pass State Park. We spent the whole ferry ride on the outside deck, getting back to Coupeville at 11:30 am. Before lunch, we walked the short path to view the birds on Crocket Lake. A Killdeer-like, Semi-palmated Plover, along with a Least Sandpiper and a flock of Yellowlegs, aroused our ID skills here. We then walked up the hill to Fort Casey, carrying our bag lunches. A family of California Quail and a passing Peregrine Falcon provided some excitement along the way. We decided to eat at the picnic tables in the huge open area of the Fort as two Deer and a fat feral pussy cat watched us. My Peanut Butter & Saltine Crackers, Fruit cup, Tangerine, Gala Apple, and bottle of G Water hit the spot (I saved the two cans of Coor’s Light until later).
We took the forest trail/road back down to the ferry terminal and our vehicles. Lots of neat little birds in the trees including: Bewick’s & Winter Wrens, Chestnut-backed & Black-capped Chickadees, Golden- & Ruby-crowned Kinglets, large flock of Bushtits, and a Fox Sparrow. We drove the 45 minutes back up the island to the West Beach in Deception Pass State Park. On arrival, we noticed on a rock island close to shore, covered with gulls, that smaller birds were moving lower down near the water level. On closer examination, they were Surfbirds and Black Turnstones. And in the bay was a Red-throated Loon, along with a possible Western Grebe. In Cranberry Lake were Pied-billed Grebes, Northern Shovelers and Bufflehead. Walking back to the vehicles, a Garter Snake wiggled across the path in front of me. I wonder if this was a sign as it happened right after I received the call as to how much the repairs to my Range Rover were going to cost me.
Our last stop in this park was across the bridge to Rosario Head and it’s scenic circular trail. The main attraction here this day was an Elephant Seal, lounging very close to the trail, but temporarily fenced off for protection by Park staff. More of the same stuff seen here as we looked across the Pass to West Beach where we were previously. More Group Photos taken at the Lookout as the jets flew by in formation. It was 4:00 pm in the parking lot, while we’re looking at Brown Creeper creeping, that we decided to head for home. I think David will have close to 60 species on his eBird list for the day.
The drive home was relaxing and uneventful (we didn’t stop at a Pub), and the Border was annoying, but we got through easily and at the Peace Arch parking lot by 5:30 pm. And I was home before 6:00 in time to have a couple of beer with Mikey, Sandra, Auntie Barbara, then the “calamitous” arrival of Erica and grandkids Thomas & Callum. It was another glorious DNCB outing.
The fourteen were: David & Noreen drove Terry & Ladner Pam, Richmond Brian & Louise drove Colin & ILB Tony, Glen had newbie Hadas, Mike drove Langley Gareth & me, and limping loner VanCity Lidia.
Next Tuesday, November 5, our destination is Iona Regional Park. We’ll leave Petra’s at 7:30 am and meet others at the Iona washrooms around 8:00 am, depending on traffic. Also, on the evening of the 5th is our Delta Nats monthly meeting, and AGM, with renowned CWS Sean Boyd presenting on Climate Change and its effect on Wetlands & Salmon. All welcome (free) at the Benediction Lutheran Church in Tsawwassen, 7:30 pm. Also, on Saturday evening November 2, the Boundary Bay Park Association is hosting a 2 hour Owl Walk in Boundary Bay Regional Park, meeting and leaving from historic Cammidge House at 5:30 pm. For more info on outings, events, reports and photos, see our Nats website at: www.dncb.wordpress.com. As always, your comments are encouraged and let me know if these far-too-long missives are so annoying that you want off my email list. Happy Halloween. Cheers: Tom
