| Detailed Itinerary |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker (above and including the banner photo). |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker |
| Photo by Harry Fuller |
| For more information or to register for this trip, call Charles or Alison at 888-203-7464 or Charles directly at 720-320-1974 or by email at info@PIBird.com. |
| Day 1: Arrival (Flight Info) Most participants will travel to Portland and arrive at the airport prior to 10 AM on arrival day. Some participants may choose to fly in the day before and spend an extra night (at an additional cost) close to the airport. Others may meet the group at or near the airport at around 10 AM arrival day Everyone should try for a flight home after 3 PM to allow for early morning birding travel to Portland before heading for Portland airport and arriving at about 1:30 PM. Please contact us before booking your flight so that you understand the group’s plans well. Booking flights outside these timeframes can result in additional lodging and transport costs. Day 1: Sauvie’s Island We pick up birders at Portland Airport and go straight to Sauvie’s Island: Sandhill Cranes, Tundra Swans, Cackling Goose, Glaucous-winged, Thayer’s, and Western Gulls, Possible Glaucous Gull, possible Rough-legged Hawks and Short-eared Owls. Several species of grebe (including Red-necked) plus three loons species (Common, Pacific, Red-throated) possible on the Columbia River. Spend that first night in Astoria (just a short walk away from the California Sea Lions), about 80 miles west from Sauvie’s Island. Day 2: Astoria Here, Lewis & Clark spent their winter in Oregon in 1804-5. They were the first American explorers to discover numerous western species including, Western Tanager, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Lewis’s Woodpecker and Clark’s Nutcracker. Just over thirty years later John Townsend and Thomas Nuttall came here, crossing the Great Plains on foot with fur traders. They added numerous new species to the list of known birds in North America, including Townsend’s Warbler (possible on our trip), Black Oystercatcher, and several others. West of Astoria is the mouth of the Columbia River, on the south (Oregon side) is Clatsop Spit. In the winter there are a dozen possible gull species including Slaty-backed (rare) from Asia. Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs (both occasional) are regular in small numbers. Pacific Loons outnumber the other species here. All three Pacific cormorant species (including Brandt’s, Pelagic and Double- creasted) occur along with Brown Pelicans, all the northern grebes, and various near-shore alcids like Cassin’s Auklet. There’ll be thousands of Sanderlings and a mixture of other shorebirds including Black Turnstone, Surfbird, and Black- bellied Plover. Along the coast south of Clatsop Point, we will look along the rocky shoreline for three types of Scoter. We will spend a second night in Astoria to set up for an early departure northward the next morning. Day 3: Nisqually Refuge We then head north into Washington toward the Olympic Peninsula and then Skagit Delta. On I-5 near Olympia is Nisqually Refuge. It is about 160 miles from Astoria. Here we could add Northern Shrike, Pileated Woodpecker, Varied Thrush, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Spotted Towhee, Golden-crowned Sparrow and any freshwater ducks we have missed. Several western gull species are also common here. Day 4: Olympic Peninsula From there we head north to the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island. Along Olympic Peninsula, we should add Harlequin Duck for sure, Long-tailed Duck, possibly Snowy Owl, Yellow-billed Loon and even Gyrfalcon. We may find flocks of Trumpeter Swans and Brant loafing, along the shoreline of Hood Canal. Alcids possible here include Ancient Murrelet, Rhino Auklet, Marbled Murrelet. Others birds we will see include Red-throated Loon (abundant), Common Loon and Pacific Loon. In the wooded foothills. we should find Anna’s Hummingbird, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Townsend’s Warbler, Wrentit, Bushtit, both Kinglets, and Pacific Wren. Day 5: Puget Sound Next morning ferry and drive across Puget Sound drive to Whidbey Island. We expect to see several alcid species and this is our chance at an Orca sighting! Return to Sequim for the night. Day 6: Departure In the morning, we will have time for a little birding before heading to Portland for afternoon flights home (after 4 PM). |
Pacific Northwest, USA
Birdwatching Details
Birdwatching Details
| Photo by Harry Fuller |
| Photo by Bill Schmoker |
| Minneapolis Audubon and All Birders Welcome |