What a wonderful way to start of the new year. I headed out for a day of bird watching and hit several trails.
I actually started at a bird viewing area just west of this trail. It's a very short walk, but is worth a stop if you are in this area. To find it, follow Fir Island Road west. Just before it makes a 90 degree turn to the north, a gravel road on your left heads to the wildlife viewing area.
I started my day at that spot, where I spent a magical hour+ watching a flock of swarming dunlin. It was perhaps the most amazing thing I've ever seen in nature. There were thousands of them and a few times the whole flock swept over me, very close and I could hear them chirping and hear the wind through their wings. Magic.
I even watched a peregrine fly through the flock, but it must not have been hungry because it made no effort to go after the dunlin.
After that, I headed down to the Skagit Headquarters (described here) for another bit of birdwatching. I mostly saw a number of swans, fun! There were a few hunters out on the trail as well as folks simply out for a walk. It was fun to chat with a few folks and just admire a lovely day.
This is a great trail for most anyone. It's pretty easy and you can wander as short or far as you like.
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