Padilla Bay
3 days ago
Abundant waterfowl and shorebirds
3 this month · 20 reports
Skagit Wildlife Area
Puget Sound and Islands
updated 4 days ago
The Skagit Wildlife Area offers good birding opportunities, with recent sightings including snow geese, greater yellowlegs, green-winged teals, northern pintails, mallards, wigeons, coots, and great blue herons. Trails are reportedly in good condition and snow-free as of November 06 and October 22. Roads are suitable for all vehicles, and no bugs have been reported. However, it is currently hunting season, and visitors should be aware of hunters, particularly in areas other than the Fir Island Farm Unit. Orange clothing is recommended for visibility. The Fir Island Farm Unit has a portable toilet with no toilet paper, while Wiley Slough has pit toilets with trash bags.
Generated from 27 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
What hikers ask about Skagit Wildlife Area
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 4 days ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
The area is an active hunting spot, and hunters were observed bagging birds as of November 06. Visitors are advised to wear orange clothing for visibility, especially in areas where hunting is permitted. The Fir Island Farm Unit is noted as an area where hunting and dogs are not allowed.
The trails are reported to be in good condition and snow-free as of November 06 and October 22. There are wide gravel paths and some narrower trails, with one leading to a nice view. One report mentions a closed gate at the end of a main trail.
At the Fir Island Farm Unit, a portable toilet was present but lacked toilet paper, and trash was found dumped inside it as of November 06. The Wiley Slough location has pit toilets with trash bags hanging inside.
Recent sightings include snow geese, greater yellowlegs, green-winged teals, northern pintails, mallards, wigeons, coots, and great blue herons as of November 06. Other reported sightings include northern harriers, plovers, hawks, kingfishers, flickers, and herons as of October 22. Decoys were mistaken for real snow geese near hunting blinds.
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Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
Sources
Fresh4 days ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Wouldn’t normally visit an area with forecasted 40+ mph wind gusts and nonstop rain. Was already in the Conway area for an event with the dog and decided to visit portions of the Skagit Wildlife Area ...
Recent2 weeks ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Now that this wildlife area is open again, it's a nice place to walk for birding. Don't do what I did and forget your binocs! There are 2 parking lots, go right at the T for the shelter and interpreti...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Before meeting some friends in Mt Vernon, I took advantage of a break in the rain to visit places I’d not been to before that Bob and Barb’s trip reports brought to my attention—a section of the Skagi...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
This is a combined report of 2 days last weekend. I drove up north both days to catch beautiful birds, especially Snow goose migration.Yesterday afternoon, I got to see them sitting on a farm.So beau...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
We are camped at Bayview SP and last night was EXTREMELY windy, but this AM the winds had died down with temperature in the low 40's and rain predicted for early afternoon. We began our day with visit...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
This is actually from our sitings yesterday on the 10th. I tried to add it as a separate report last night, but the WTA website told me I had insufficient privileges and wouldn't accept it. Today I wa...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
We have reservations at Bayview SP for 5 nights. On our way from our home in South Seattle we took the Conway Exit off of I-5 and drove our usual route to the park. We stopped at Hayton Reserve where...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
This place has an interesting post-apocalyptic vibe as a landscape, but with strolling birdwatchers instead of warriors in souped up dune buggies. And lots of birds, of course! It was a great way to...
Older8 months ago
Puget Sound and Islands > Bellingham Area
Beautiful trail, well maintained. We saw so many birds, big and small. Great parking too.