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Deception Pass State Park
Synopsis
We returned to this lovely state park during the winter of 2023. Instead of braving the cold, we decided to rent one of the cabins at the Quarry Pond Campground (the only campground open in the winter). The cabins are completely utilitarian and without any charm, but the come with electricity and most importantly heat. It was nice returning to a toasty cabin after a day hiking through the reminant old growth forest of Deception Pass Start Park and the nearby Hoypus Park.
Hoypus Park has some equally large and impressive forest of cedar, hemlock and douglas fir as Deception Pass. The edges are badly degraded as one would expect. The ambience isn't improved by the constant sound of chainsaws or rifle shots. Despite the reminders that we aren't ever far from the pressure of humans, it's still wonderful to wander through dense sword ferns, over large nurse logs, and vernal pools.
Near the mouth of Deception Pass, we watched a large flock of Red-throated Loons swirl around the sound. I pressume they were changing location depending on the incoming and outcoming tides - better positioning themselves the catch their next meal. From Rosario Head, we watched a large pod of Harbor Porpoise feed offshore. The gulls circled and called waiting to snap up any morsels. On the rocks off of the park, a Black Turnstone and two Surfbirds picked at the invertabrate life that clung to the slick surface. Gulls and Pigeon Guillemots rode the fast currents coming out of the pass.
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Bird List
| Canada Goose |
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| Lesser Scaup |
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| Surf Scoter |
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| Bufflehead |
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| Common Goldeneye |
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| Hooded Merganser |
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| Common Merganser |
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| Red-breasted Merganser |
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| Horned Grebe |
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| American Coot |
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| Black Oystercatcher |
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| Black Turnstone |
1
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| Surfbird |
2
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| Pigeon Guillemot |
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| Marbled Murrelet |
1
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| Short-billed Gull |
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| Ring-billed Gull |
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| Glaucous-winged Gull |
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| Red-throated Loon |
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| Common Loon |
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| Pelagic Cormorant |
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| Double-crested Cormorant |
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| Great Blue Heron |
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| Cooper's Hawk |
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| Bald Eagle |
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| Barred Owl |
heard
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| Belted Kingfisher |
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| Hairy Woodpecker |
1
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| Pileated Woodpecker |
heard
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| American Crow |
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| Common Raven |
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| Chestnut-backed Chickadee |
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| Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
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| Golden-crowned Kinglet |
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
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| Brown Creeper |
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| Pacific Wren |
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| Varied Thrush |
2 large flocks
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| Hermit Thrush |
1
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| American Robin |
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| Red Crossbill |
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| Dark-eyed Junco |
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| White-crowned Sparrow |
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| Song Sparrow |
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| Spotted Towhee |
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| Critters: |
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| Harbor Porpoise |
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| Harbor Seal |
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| Douglas Squirrel |
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| Pacific Tree Frog |
Heard
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Do not use without author's consent Email: Birder AT NWBirding.com |