Black Oystercatchers at Salt Creek Recreation Area - Photo: Skip Perkins
Tongue Point–Tide Pools and Birds Field Trip
Leader: Kathy McCoy
Date and time: Saturday, August 9, 2025, 7:30 a.m.—11 a.m. +
Number of participants: 12—Registration required. Register below at the “REGISTER” button.
Cost: Free
Meeting place: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VA1rQAgis2sZfmUy7 Parking area at E end of Salt Creek Campground, about ¼ mile from the turnoff into Salt Creek Recreation Area. We will meet there and carpool farther into the park, as parking can be limited.
Directions: Follow Google Map directions to Salt Creek Recreation Area: From Port Angeles head W on US-101 for 4.6 miles to WA 112 W, turn right. Go 7.2 miles to Camp Hayden Rd, turn right. Go 3.5 miles to Tongue Point Road, turn right. Go 0.2 miles to the parking area.
Features: This area is a delightful place for exploring nature, popular with divers, hikers, beachcombers, tide pool afficionados and birders. The trail is short, and gnarly. According to eBird last year, 37 species were observed in all of August; I make no promises!
The upland area is home to our usual summer birds, but by August many of the migrants may have left, residents may be quiet, and young birds will be cryptic. Bring your ID skills! We may see and hear wrens, chickadees, ravens, nuthatches, swallows, waxwings, crossbills, and robins, and the babies will be puzzling.
The water birds will include shorebirds, gulls, loons, and ducks. I am better with upland birds than with gulls; this will be a joint effort at figuring out who is who. Birds to expect: oystercatchers, harlequins, scoters, Glaucous-winged Gulls, cormorants, murres, loons, mergansers, and other peeps and ducks.
I always check out the other things in the area besides birds; we may see otters, seals, and sea lions; whales or porpoises would be a treat. I will also be checking out the plant life. I am working on introducing native plants to my yard, so I love seeing what might work at home.
Special Requirements: The trail is short and steep, rocky and rough. Do not wear your Jimmy Choo’s; hiking shoes are the thing. Dress for the weather, bring water to drink. I would highly recommend that you download eBird, Merlin, and Seek apps to your phone, and I will be happy to show you how to use them. If you’d like to see what else might be there on our walk, visit the eBird website and check out the August lists at https://ebird.org/hotspot/L234894/bird-list?m=8.
Equipment Required: Bring your binoculars. If you have a scope feel free to bring it, but realize it may be challenging to carry. Protocol on scopes is to make sure everyone gets a look. I will bring one scope.
Contact information: Kathy McCoy (208) 921-1340. Text or call if you have questions!
Liability Form: We ask field trip participants to sign a liability release form on or before the day of the trip. This signed form will be good for future field trips. You can review, download, and print the form in advance by visiting thon the OPAS website or clicking here. It’s preferred that you eSign the liability release form by clicking here.
Note: A waitlist has been enabled for this trip. If you need to cancel your reservation, please email webmaster@olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org.