Birding Field Trip to Ocean Shores

Winter Birding at Ocean Shores, WA

Trip leader:

Timothy Leque

Registration:

Email Tim Leque to register at timleque@nullhotmail.com

Description:

We will start the morning at Oyhut Wildlife Area, meeting at the entrance and parking area at Tonquin Ave at 8:00 AM. A Discover Pass is required to park at Oyhut. From the parking area we will walk to the lagoon where we have a chance of encountering large roosting flocks of dunlin, least sandpipers and black-bellied plovers.

We will continue towards the Ocean Shores Sewage Treatment Ponds (STP) where there is usually a large gull roost on the beach northeast of the STP. There is a pull out where one can park along the entrance to the STP. Here we are likely to observe many of our large gulls including glaucous-winged, western, herring, Iceland (Thayer’s), and numerous hybrid combinations. The jetty rocks near the STP sometimes produce nice flocks of intertidal shorebirds as well.

Finally, we will move down the road to the Pt. Brown Jetty. This is another reliable location to observe rockpipers, and usually short-billed gulls are found here during the winter flying by the jetty. In February, black-legged kittiwakes are also sometimes seen from the jetty, as well as many of our wintering waterbirds including diving ducks, loons, grebes, and alcids. We will plan to wrap up birding by around noon.

Walking Distance = Approximately 3-5 miles over the course of the morning, with most distance occurring at Oyhut Wildlife Area. Pace = 2, Terrain = B.

Restrooms

There are portable toilets at Pt. Brown Jetty, and several locations with public restrooms in Ocean Shores.

What to bring: Binoculars. Water. Waterproof and insulated clothing. Temperatures average in the 40s this time of year, rain is likely. Waterproof shoes or boots recommended.

Directions:

The meeting location is at the south end of Tonquin Ave SW, near the southern tip of the Ocean Shores Peninsula. The starting point is 1 hour, 40 minutes from Olympia. Carpooling encouraged.

Parking:

A Discover Pass is required at the meeting place at the Oyhut Wildlife Area. There is a large pull-out at the Ocean Shores STP. The Pt. Brown Jetty has free public parking.

Photo credit: Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin, by Rachel Hudson.