Pacific Northwest Trip: The Shorebird Splendor of Grays Harbor with Stefan Schlick
*This is a self-driving trip. Lodging and meals, except dinner, are included.
Early September is the perfect time to enjoy shorebird migration. Join Stefan Schlick and explore the west coast birding hotspot of Grays Harbor, Washington! From Marbled Godwit flocks in Westport to Sooty Shearwater on the horizon, this trip will excite any birdwatcher and ocean lover.
After leaving Portland at 6 a.m. from the Vanport/Delta Park Park & Ride, our first stop will be Bottle Beach, a state park preserved for its extensive tide flats and bird habitat. Depending on the tide, many shorebirds are possible, including Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, and Black-bellied Plover.
On the second day, we will stay on the Ocean Shores side and will be doing a fair amount of walking on the sand. A visit to Brown’s Jetty at the very southern tip of the Point Brown peninsula may yield rock pipers such as Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, and Black Turnstone. We will also be on the lookout for Sooty Shearwater offshore.
The Hoquiam Storm Treatment Plant is typically great for peep flocks and several species of ducks, gulls, and terns. There is passerine habitat as well, with possibilities of Lincoln’s Sparrow, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Orange-crowned Warbler. We will also explore Westport Harbor, the largest marina on the Pacific Northwest coast. Heerman’s Gull, Brandt’s Cormorant, and Brown Pelican are possible here.
The last stop before heading back to Portland will be reliably birdy Tokeland, where we will look for Heerman’s Gull, Caspian Tern, and Willet. We will aim for a return time of 7 p.m.