Where to View Wildlife
1 Deception Pass Rosario Head, Bowman Bay - best fall to spring - most species of the region's loons, grebes, cormorants, sea ducks, gulls, and alcids. Bald Eagles, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones, kingfishers. Also forest birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, kinglets, chickadees, nuthatches, and crossbills. Pass Lake- diving ducks and forest birds. Brushy areas are good for finding migrants.
2 Anacortes Area Washington Park - best fall through spring - outstanding seabird watching area including Pacific Loons, Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemots, Marbled Murrelets, gulls, cormorants, and many seaducks including Harlequin Ducks. Bald Eagles and shorebirds are likely. Rhinoceros Auklets are present from July to October and Ancient Murrelets are possible November to December. Many forest birds in the wooded areas. Guemes Channel- from the ferry terminal to Cap Sante includes Red-necked Grebes, Oldsquaws, alcids, and cormorants. Anacortes Forest Lands- varied habitats with many possibilities including migrating hawks seen from Mt. Erie.
3 March Point Fidalgo Bay - fall to spring - Brant, scoters, Oldsquaws and other sea ducks, cormorants, and herons. Padilla Bay- many wintering water birds, and Caspian Terns in summer. Snow Bunting have been found in this area in winter.
4 Samish Flats Padilla Bay and Alice Bay - fall to spring - many raptors, waterfowl, and passerines. Good area for Snowy Owls, Short-eared Owls, Peregrines, Gyrfalcons. Prairie Falcons, Merlins, and Kestrels are also present making this a target area for finding 5 falcon species. Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Bald Eagles are common. Herons, Canvasbacks, large flocks of Dunlins, Black-bellied Plovers, dabbling ducks including large numbers of Eurasian Wigeons among flocks of American Wigeons are some of the possibilities.
5 Skagit Flats Fir Island - (the area between the north and south forks of the Skagit) fall to spring - is good place to see Snow Geese, Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, as well as raptors, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Western Meadowlarks. Skagit Bay- Skagit Wildlife Area- Wylie Slough Area- many species of sparrows, woodpeckers and other woodland birds, and Great-horned Owls, Northern Shrike may be seen. In summer there are many nesting species including Marsh Wrens, Virginia Rails, Soras, Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Wood Ducks, Tree Swallows, and Northern Flickers. Jensen Access- geese, shorebirds, seaducks, eagles, Snowy Owls. North Fork Access- Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers.
6 Butler Flats Green Rd. Pond - Hawks and winter waterfowl, Lazuli Buntings have nested on the hillsides along with many other more common species.
7 Clear Lake Area Beaver Lake - Redheads, Ring-necked and other ducks winter here. Trumpeter Swans are possible here. DeBay Slough-may have Trumpeters, Redheads, Canvasbacks, and other ducks. Whimbrels are found in this area during spring migration.
8 Route 20, Rockport Area Skagit River Bald Eagle Area - The valley corridor here in winter hosts Bald Eagles and diving ducks. In summer, Osprey, Spotted Sandpipers, American Dippers, Black and Vaux's Swifts, Northern Orioles and Lazuli Buntings are possible.
9 Route 20, Upper Skagit Valley Area Heading upriver, the diverse forest and river habitats host a variety of species including Spotted and Barred Owls, Ruffed and Blue Grouse, Pileated and other woodpeckers, Ospreys, Varied and Swainson's Thrushes, Steller's Jays, Winter Wrens, chickadees, Red-breasted nuthatches, Purple Finches, and Western Tanagers. Warblers, including Yellow, Nashville, MacGillivray's, Yellow-rumped, Wilson's and Black-throated Gray are possible, as well as Willow and Pacific-slope Flycatchers.
10 Route 20, County Line Ponds (milepost 116.5) late spring to fall- Riparian area with many species possible in season including Hammond's Flycatchers, Common Yellowthroats, Marsh Wrens, Red-eyed Vireos, and American Redstarts.
11 Route 20, Hardy Burn Area (milepost 151) summer to fall- around sand pit below Mt. Hardy Burn- Numerous species have been recorded here including Blue Grouse, Northern Goshawk, Mountain Chickadees, White-winged Crossbills, Black and Vaux's Swifts. Hardy Burn- Hiking in the burn look for Black-backed, Three-toed, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Mountain Bluebirds, Calliope Hummingbirds, Gray-crowned Rosy finches, and Spruce Grouse.
12 Route 20, Rainy Pass Area - summer to fall - Clark's Nutcrackers, Three-toed Woodpeckers, Pine Grosbeaks, White-winged Crossbills, Gray Jays, Pygmy and Spotted Owls are possible.
Where to View Wildlife
