Snow Geese on Fir Island

Fir Island is synonymous with Snow Geese during the winter months amongst birders. Located near Conway in Skagit County, the area offers excellent opportunities for viewing Bald Eagles, hawks, owls, herons, geese...the list goes on!

Eagles commonly gather in trees while hawks swoop down low along the fields in search of rodents. Owls make their appearance known in early morning and evening. It is an incredible experience to witness. My first visit to Fir Island quickly deemed it my favorite birding destination in our state to date.

To get to Fir Island, drive I-5 north from Seattle to the Conway, exit. Turn left and head west back over the freeway. Take an immediate right on Fir Island Road, and let your eyes guide you the rest of the way! That's right - Fir Island is about driving the countryside exploring, not looking for a specific destination.

All roads can lead to opportunities. Mann Road is popular. Turn left immediately after crossing the Skagit River for this option. Follow the signs along this road to the Skagit Wildlife Area. As with most wildlife areas, a parking pass is required here. I chose instead to follow Fir Island Road west. The Snow Geese are very easy to find in the morning. Just look to the sky!

Their tendency is to sleep out on the tide flats at night, then fly into the fields in the morning.With over 10,000 geese in the area, they were easy to spot throughout the morning as as they flew in!

During my visit, the geese began to gather just off Moore Road. They consisted of a few thousand at first, but more kept arriving. They slowly moved in a northeasterly direction until they consumed the area around Poulson Road.

The geese kept flying in and flying in. Non-stop arrivals. The sky was cluttered with them as the first few images show. The real treat was when a raptor flew by. The entire flock would spook and take flight all at once. It was a truly amazing experience.

I was fortunate enough to visit on a clear, sunny day. The treat was that both Mt. Baker and the Olympics were out in full view, serving as an excellent backdrop. Truly a Northwest experience.

It was interesting to pay attention to the crowds. Early on photographers clearly were the audience. But as the day grew on, the demographic grew as well. What really stood out to me were the number of international tourists - namely Japanese. I talked to a number of them!

As I mentioned previously, the geese began to slowly migrate in a northeasterly direction. This was key to note. While positioned on Moore Road, their backs were primarily to you. But move ahead to Poulson Road and you watched them come flying in! Their numbers kept increasing as their group size expanded and grew toward you.



Of course, there were more birds to watch as well. Bald Eagles were apparent in numbers, and hawks would swoop down along the road and fields when you least expected it.

Fir Island is a marvelous place to visit. The opportunities are numerous and begging for your attention! The Snow Geese appear to be hanging around much later than normal years, so it's not too late to enjoy these beautiful creatures.

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The Nisqually River Delta forms one of the largest remaining estuaries in Washington. While most estuaries have been filled, dredged or developed, Nisqually River's has been set aside for wildlife, receiving official protection in 1974 as the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Here the freshwater of the Nisqually meets with the saltwater of the Puget Sound, supporting a web of sea life. In fact, the refuge hosts more than 200 bird species, from song birds to waterfowl to raptors. River otters, seals and sea lions are also common to see.

The refuge offers over 7 miles of trails to walk, including the 5.5 mile Brown Farm Dike Trail. This loop trail is a must!

I visited this refuge for the first time last weekend, having no idea what to expect. I had a strange emotional sense about it as it would offer completion for me; the final piece to the puzzle if you will. You see, I have hiked and backpacked along this river. In fact, I have stood on top of the 14,111' summit of its source on several occasions (even by the glacier of its name). Experiencing this river from its icy beginnings down to flower-filled alpine and sub-alpine meadows thru rich forests of old-growth and now to the end of its journey at the Nisqually Delta just seemed like one of life's special moments. To experience it in all its splendor is something I don't think a lot of people are privileged to do. That's unfortunate.

I would like to tell you how glorious the weather was on this day, with the warmth of the sun's rays being cast down upon me and reflected off the still waters nearby. Ah, but that wasn't to be. If you can imagine cloudy skies somewhere above the thickly entrenched fog and temperatures just above freezing, your imagination might paint a little more accurate picture for you!

The boardwalk leading out to the barns was quite iced up and dangerous to walk on. Each step was precarious. I exited first chance I got, retreating to solid ground and trusted footing. I visited the two eagles nested by the barn, then worked my way over to the Brown Farm Dike Trail. Now this was nice walking! It was also peaceful and offered more solitude than expected. It was along this section I watched a couple of Great Blue Herons across the water and laughed at a river otter who seemed to be trying to get my attention!

Just past the Nisqually Overlook, I ran into the fellow you see to the left. I have many more pictures of him. MANY more. He was only 30' above the trail and was oblivious to all walking under him. Ok, I saw three people walk under him...

I continued on to McAllister Creek where I met a group from the Audabon Society. They were quite tickled, having watched two Pine Grosbeaks shortly before my arrival. I was fortunate to see these beautiful birds as well; an uncommon visitor to these parts.

I wrapped up my visit with a venture to the visitor center to chat with some of the staff and pick up a new sweatshirt - hey, it was cold out!