 Tahlequah always merits a stop in the fall and winter for a number of reasons. The dock area has a great view of Dalco Passage between Vashon and Pt. Defiance where many loons, grebes, cormorants, ducks, gulls, terns and alcids forage. This is one of the best spots to watch for Orcas as well.
With a scope, the water may be scanned far-out for Pacific Loons, Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklets and Common Murres. From fall through mid-spring, many gulls and cormorants roost on a dilapidated dock adjacent to the ferry landing.
From time to time, a Brandt's Cormorant might be picked out of the many Double-crested and the handful of Pelagic Cormorants. A Herring, Western or Heermann's Gull or two might be found mixed in with the Glaucous-winged and Glaucous-winged X Western hybrids.
The water close to the dock has the usual scoters, goldeneyes, many Bufflehead, a variety of grebes and often a Eurasian Wigeon. Bachelor Road, which continues east from the dock, offers more views of the water providing closer in looks at a variety of ducks, Rhinoceros Auklets and Common Murres. Winter passerines utilize the brush and trees along the road in several locations. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Orange-crowned Warblers have been spotted here for the Christmas Bird Count.
The Park-N-Ride lot above the ferry dock often hosts a mixed sparrow flock of Golden-crowned, Fox and Song Sparrows. Thrushes and Hutton's Vireo flit along the forest edge. Ravens, Bald Eagles, and Red-tailed Hawks regularly cruise along the shore and above the road. Anna's Hummingbirds utilize several local feeders year-round.
Tahlequah ferry dock lies at the southern terminus of Vashon Highway. The best place to park is in the park and ride lot just above the dock or along side the road part way up the hill past the dock.
From Birds of Vashon Island by Ed Swan, Vashon birding guide 206-463-7976
Photo by Terry Donnelly
|
