Happy New Year and all the best for
2012.
At this time of year, many of the shorebirds,
songbirds and waterfowl have settled in to spend the
winter here, or have passed through on their way to
other wintering areas to the south. The Sanctuary's
ponds now have a nice mix of Green-Winged Teal, Northern
Shovellers, Northern Pintail and American Wigeon, as
well as the very common Mallards, plus Ring-neck Ducks,
Lesseer Scaup and Bufflehead.
Most Sandhill Cranes have migrated out of the area
now, leaving a small group of visiting birds as well
as our resident pair and this year's young.
The
first of the Lesser Snow Geese
arrived on September 30th, with numbers peaking in
early November, and feeding in very
large flocks in farm fields and marshes. The Pacific
coast population of this species nests in the Arctic
on Wrangel Island, Russia, and migrates herewhen the
cold weather sets in.
This winter so far has been quite mild and we still
have some flocks offshore and in farm fields. Most
are south of the border in the Skagit river estuary..
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The trail entrance and driveway are
closed at 4 pm to any incoming visitors. We recommend
arriving no later than 3 pm if you wish to enjoy a
walk to the tower and back before it gets dark and
we lock up. By 5 pm, all visitors must be out of the
trails, facilities, parking lot and driveway.
Please note that visitors
are not allowed to take anything home from the Sanctuary.
Please do not pick any berries or fruits, marsh plants
or mushrooms and please stay on trails. NOTE ALSO THAT
FEEDING OF SQUIRRELS IS NOT ALLOWED.
Dogs or other pets are not allowed in the Sanctuary.
Smoking and cooking food are also prohibited, and trails
are for quiet walking only (no bikes or scooters).
There is no public access to nearby farms
or dykes near the Sanctuary. To avoid blocking firelanes
and private driveways near the parking lot, park only
in designated areas.
Please Do Not Disturb
Owls |
The Sanctuary provides lots of roost sites for owls,
and they can often be seen sleeping in the trees along
the trails. During the winter months, all birds need
to conserve their energy, keep warm and get lots of
rest. You are welcome to view owls from a respectful
distance, but please do not try to get in real close
with cameras or otherwise disturb them. 
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