<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Wow, thanks to everyone who replied!!!!. I did not expect such a rich supply of detailed suggestions! Three Crabs, incidentally, is one of the sites I went to with Pilchuck Audubon that I was trying to remember. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">After posting this request a few days ago, I noticed I had an open tab (my husband says he will inscribe "open tabs" on my tombstone!) of the Olympic Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail. I meticulously went over the areas I could potentially visit in the course of 3 1/2 days, plotting the exact travel times to each from our hotel with OCD accuracy, and came up with this:</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><ol><li>First day, arrival at Port Townsend terminal, birding there, Fort Worden, Kah Tai Lagoon and Fort Flagler in Marrowstone, then to our lodging in Sequim, which is 7 miles from the John Wayne Marina.</li><li>Next morning, off to Salt Creek, Elwha Estuary, Lake Crescent and Ediz Hook. I'll need to look at tides to determine where to go first. </li><li>Following day, Dungeness NWR, Dungeness River audubon Center, Dungeness Bay and John Wayne Marina</li><li>On the last day, heading toward Port Townsend, possibly revisit any of the above and see if I have time for Johnnycomelately Creek.</li></ol></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Did I take on too much? Any suggestions about what to do first? last? Anything not worth my time?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Judith, thank you for the details on the Elwha River Estuary. Sounds like a must see and it's definitely a place I will visit now. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">David, I've highlighted every place where I can see Long Tailed Ducks, in hope for better images than I have. I didn't think Yellow Rumped Warblers would be anywhere close by this deep in winter. Thanks very much!</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Jane, I thought it was interesting how many of you recommend Three Crabs, which is in the Birding in Washington big book but not listed on the Olympic Trail map locations. I did find a map with its specific location also. Thank you for giving me the detailed instructions and alternate label. I did look up the Birder's Dashboard when I researched. I will keep my eye on it. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Bob, Thank you for the additional resources; I'll take a look. I usually go armed with way more information than I need or ever use so I'll have an artillery. Big book is the BGA. What a wonderful resource that book is!! As a newcomer to Skagit County and eventually Snohomish County, that book was an amazing resource, now dog eared and tab marked almost into non functional mayhem! Appreciate your complete list. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Also, Paul, thank you also for the Three Crabs and dining recommendations also. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">I can see why this would be a good region to visit throughout the seasons, but I now see that I picked a good place for winter birding, which had been something I was second guessing.. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><b>Additional Question</b>: How much hiking should I be doing on the NWR Spit? I'm concerned about spending too much time there at the cost of losing other more valuable time in other, perhaps richer locations.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Kudos to you Washingtonians. Maybe it's because I was just a burgeoning birder and photographer in Southern California, but the birding resources and community paled in my area in comparison to up here. The Big Book alone is a treasure trove. I'm so grateful to the great birders who put that information together. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Also, I hope I'm replying correctly. I was trying to find a way to stay on one thread but they seem broken up and I haven't yet figured out the nuances of Tweeters. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">thanks again, everyone, </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">Ann</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Feb 1, 2026 at 9:51 AM David Swinford via Tweeters <<a href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">tweeters@u.washington.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Don't forget Ediz Hook. Easy looks at Harlequin Ducks, Black Turnstone and Black-Bellied Plovers. Often you can score all three species of Cormorant, Loon and Grebe. Common Goldeneye and sometimes a stray Barrows. Brant are likely, Red-Breasted Mergansers and Surf Scoters. Just after passing the Mckinley Paper Mill, find a parking area on the right and scope the boom logs on the inner harbor. Then look across the road and back to the Mill and there is an area where you can easily and safely walk to the top of the bouldered seawall revetment and scope out to the Strait. Long-Tailed Ducks are usually spotted there. Drive out the end and scope the inner bay and Strait from there. Grab the occasional pull out along the way. On the way back stop at the Mill pond and look for Hooded Mergansers. Then walk the trail that is on the opposite side of the road from the Mill Pond back towards PA and look for a wintering group of Yellow-Rumped Warblers.<div><br></div><div>If I had a day I would probably do Ediz Hook, the Mouth of the Elwha and the Salt Creek Campground including Tongue Point. <br><div><br></div><div> </div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Jan 31, 2026 at 12:11 PM Judith A. Howard via Tweeters <<a href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">tweeters@u.washington.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div>
<div lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Ann, there is a wonderful birding area, part of the Washington State Birding Trail, just west of Port Angeles. Take Highway 112, turn right on Place Road, and take it to the water. At Dike Access, turn right
and park. It’s where the Elwha enters the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Since the dams were removed, it has become a beautiful estuary again. Enjoy!<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Judy Howard<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt">Clinton <u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
_______________________________________________<br>
Tweeters mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">Tweeters@u.washington.edu</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters</a><br>
</div></blockquote></div>
_______________________________________________<br>
Tweeters mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">Tweeters@u.washington.edu</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters</a><br>
</blockquote></div>