Skip the seasickness, dawn wake-up and high price of a commercial pelagic boat trip and enjoy observing marine birds on the Coupeville/Port Townsend Ferry. We will walk on the ferry at Keystone and head upstairs to the sun deck to look for nesting herons and gulls on the dolphins while the ferry is in the dock. 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 midchannel bank area. The crossing is likely to include large numbers of Rhinoceros Auklets, Heerman’s Gulls, California Gulls, as well as Marbled Murrelets,Common Murres and possibly both Surf and White-winged Scoters. Early arriving loons and grebes coming off their nesting grounds are always a possibility this time of year, as is a sighting one of the wandering Brown Pelicans from Smith Island or rare sightings such as Tufted Puffin, Parasitic Jaeger or phalaropes.

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. The trip leader is Madrone Ruggiero who will be headed down the waterfront and the group can discuss additional group exploration if attendees are interested in continuing the field trip. 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. (https://www.jeffersontransit.com/178/Routes-Schedules)

We will bird from the front deck 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. 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 be standing during the crossing. Loaner binoculars are available but must be requested at least one week before the trip. To request loaner binoculars contact the Madrone.

Please plan on being at the ferry dock 30 minutes prior to the 8:45 a.m. departure time to meet up with the trip leader and go over some tips for birding on the ferry. Attendees will need to purchase their ferry ticket prior to meeting the group in the passenger waiting area at the ferry terminal. Note that youth and senior tickets need to be purchased at the vehicle toll booth. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult guardian and will have a more enjoyable trip if they are tall enough to see over the deck railing. If there are questions, contact the trip leader. The last ferry from Port Townsend leaves at 10 p.m.

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 (https://www.islandtransit.org/whidbey-routes-and-schedules).

Preregistration is required and the trip is limited to eight participants. If there is a waitlist, a second trip will be scheduled in August.