Enjoy a short pelagic excursion across Admiralty Inlet on the Port Townsend Keystone. We will walk on the ferry at Keystone and head upstairs to the sun deck to look for birds feeding in the harbor (Harlequin Ducks are always a possibility). After the ferry leaves the harbor, we will head down to the passenger deck on the front of the boat to look for Pigeon Guillemots, cormorants and gulls as we depart the cove. Depending on the tides and fish presence the birds may be scattered throughout the voyage or clustered out in the mid-channel bank area. The crossing is likely to include large numbers of Rhinoceros Auklets and Common Murres as well as Common Loons, Marbled Murrelets, Red-necked and Horned Grebes, Surf and possibly White-winged Scoters. This time of year anything can show up out in the middle of Admiralty Inlet and we should see a few Heerman's Gulls, Red-breasted Mergansers and Buffleheads that are arriving to overwinter in the Salish Sea. Possible rarities include Cassin's Auklet, jaegers or shearwaters.
This trip is limited to eight. Please register below.
After arriving in Port Townsend the field trip will conclude and attendees are free to return to Whidbey or explore Port Townsend on their own. It is the parade and water race day for the Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race! This field trip leader is Madrone Ruggiero, who will be walking down the waterfront to Point Hudson to look for Brant, Black Turnstones, and Surfbirds and attendees are welcome to join before the sculpture race festivities begin. Local walkable birding points of interest include Kah Tai Lagoon, Point Hudson, Fort Worden and Point Wilson. Jefferson Transit offers fare-free Saturday service around Port Townsend and to Fort Worden. See the schedule here.
We will bird from the front of the boat for the best viewing, so expect to stand for the entire crossing (~35 minutes) and have a strong and possibly chilly breeze. If there is rain or a strong breeze we may bird from inside, but the view is always best from out on the deck. There is a passenger elevator on the ferry for stair-free access to the passenger and sun decks. There is not any seating in the deck area where we will plan on standing during the crossing.
Please plan on meeting the group in the passenger waiting area 20 minutes prior to the 10:15 a.m. departure. Note that youth tickets need to be purchased at the vehicle toll booth. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult guardian. If there are questions, contact the trip leader. The last ferry from Port Townsend leaves at 10 p.m. and there are no tide cancellations on the 3rd.
High wind or vessel issues will cancel trip.
The Coupeville Ferry Terminal at Keystone can be accessed by bus via Island Transit’s #6 route. See the schedule here.