Trip Report
Juanita Bay Park Naturalist Leader Training Clinic
11 experienced birders got together at Juanita Bay to exchange trip lead tips focused on birds and we saw 38 species on the morning with a red-breasted sapsucker and marsh wren as a few highlights.
Courtenay Schurman
- Sat, May 3, 2025
- Juanita Bay Park
- Naturalist
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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I arrived at 7:25 to scout before the clinic's official 8 a.m. start and was surprised to see the lake level so high. Only 4 juvenile double-crested cormorants were on pilings only a foot out of the water, though by 11 there were more like 16. And the mud that allowed us to spot killdeer and wood ducks in abundance two months ago (https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2025-03-01.120713416724) is pretty much non-existent.
Restrooms have ample toilet paper and were open by 8 a.m. when the clinic started. The gate was open when I arrived at 7:25 though that's sometimes not the case. The parking lot only had 3-4 cars at 7:25; it was full by 11:25. Trails are all in excellent condition, though on a weekend this time of year there are a LOT of joggers, bikers, and walkers with kids and dogs. I noticed that 5/4 is a fun-run 5K so BE WARNED there will be heavy usage this weekend.
With all the foliage it's much harder to see the birds, but fortunately all the birds are singing and nesting right now. Using eyes and ears of 11 birders and Merlin we were able to see or hear (on my record) 38 species.
We chose to visit the boardwalk first and when the sun made an appearance, the birds got more active. Among the prized species today were 5-6 bald eagles, some tree swallows, mallard and gadwall ducklings, beautiful wood ducks, buffleheads, a bushtit, and of woodpeckers, hairy, downy, flicker, and red-breasted sapsucker. Go in another week and I'm guessing warblers and grosbeaks will make their way through. Anna's hummingbirds are in full activity and I spotted a chestnut-backed chickadee entering a cavity west of the boardwalk. Look for the "obvious hole."
I marveled at a male mallard perched on a boardwalk rail on one leg (above) trying to get some shut-eye despite kids seeing how close they could get to it before it would move. Our final and best spot was a red-breasted sapsucker doing its syncopated drumming and I chose to lead off this trip report with it. Glad I had my big lens.
Tree swallow on a snag. All in all a lovely morning and so grateful to Vicki King for leading and everyone's contribution to the outing.