Late Fall Birding on Whidbey Island
by Janet O'Mara
Nearly every square inch
of Whidbey Island, only 45 miles long, is a prime outdoor recreation location,
but birding and hiking are especially fine. Writers tend to run out of superlatives
trying to describe the breathtaking scenery, trails, forests, and beaches.
Of all the possible areas to recommend, we decided to pick two—Deception
Pass State Park and Crockett Lake.
Whidbey Island is connected
to the mainland by a bridge at its north end, by the Clinton/Mukilteo ferry
on the southeast side and by the Keystone/Port Townsend ferry on the west.
The bridge is actually two historic bridges, over two passes, Cattle Pass
and Deception Pass, with superb wide-open views of water, mountains, forests,
and beaches.
- Just a half mile south
of the Deception Pass Bridge lies Deception Pass State
Park, one of the most popular state parks in Washington. With 3,000
acres in the park, including some 17 miles of shoreline, tide pools, sand
dunes, and old-growth forests; the birding and the hiking are excellent.
- November through February
are good months to find solitude and to see ducks, seabirds, and shorebirds
-- on saltwater and on the park’s three freshwater lakes. It is a good area
for the fit and limited birdwatcher alike -- spend hours birding from the
parking lot, beach, or paved trail through the sand dunes.
- Then just turn around
and do some freshwater birding -- Cranberry Lake
is on the other side of the parking lot. Look for wood duck, hooded merganser,
and kingfishers. All manner of trails criss-cross along the shoreline,
up over hills and into the forest. Woodland birds include pileated woodpecker,
winter wren, and song sparrow.
There are three more state parks
on the island, Joseph Whidbey, Fort Ebey, and Fort Casey. Our second choice
for Whidbey birding is Crockett Lake, adjacent to the Keystone ferry, which
in turn is adjacent to Fort Casey State Park. Travel on SR 20 south through
Oak Harbor and follow the signs to the Keystone Ferry and Fort Casey.
- Just northeast of the ferry
dock and parking lot is the Crockett Lake area.
This is a shorebird hot spot! There is lots of access and parking, between
the road and the beach. Bird from your car, if you must. You will still
be successful. This entire area is 360-degree birding. Turn one way and watch
ducks in the wetlands and a peregrine falcon overhead; turn another and spot
a short-eared owl, swooping low, hunting rodents; turn again and spot rafts
of waterfowl on saltwater; in another direction, find forest birds.
- If Port Townsend is your
next stop, there’s also good birding from onboard the Keystone Ferry, including the occasional parasitic
jaeger.
For more information and birding
hotspots, access the Whidbey Audubon Society or call 360-341-6387.
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