Search trip reports
untitled-7.jpg

Trip Report    

Naturalist Trip - Spencer Island

8 of us enjoyed 47 bird species on a 4-hour birding adventure. Our 5.5 mile excursion included overgrown paths which meant an overflow of resident and migrating birds!

Courtenay Schurman Courtenay Schurman
May 13, 2025
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • The last time I birded on Spencer Island was probably a dozen years ago. The most recent trip report on WTA was from February, although Ebirders had posted lists for May as recent as two days prior. The STP (Sewage treatment plant) was exceptionally fragrant; I amended our trip plan to meet west of the freeway for our intros then drive to the gravel pulloff so we could high-tail past the stink.

    untitled-4.jpg

    The south path is overgrown with grasses and nettles (and very buggy) past the last bridge, about where it starts heading east, but we got great views of swallows buzzing below us so it's worth the walk. Just don't go past the bridge expecting to get to Union Slough. And what's the story about the shipwrecked barge and bird blinds that have been flooded? I didn't remember that being the case last visit.

    untitled-1.jpg

    We backtracked and crossed east to Union Slough but decided not to turn south and backtracked from there, then explored to the north as far as a water crossing we couldn't get over. All in all 5.5 miles and only a handful of people, one man with two dogs on the opposite side (walking path), one birder, and two gents coming in as we were leaving around 11:30.

    untitled-6.jpg

I arrived at 5:45 to scout the area and had 19 species in 40 minutes. As a group we had an enjoyable 47 species in just over 4 hours. We had a mixture of birding experience from novice to 10+ years and everyone recapped at least one highlight moment at the end. It pays to have lots of ears and eyes!

untitled-3.jpg

Highlights included a single blue-winged teal, a pair of cinnamon teal (between the two STP containers) with young,  Canada geese with 7 goslings, mallards and gadwall with ducklings, over a dozen eagles and herons, good looks at common yellowthroats, golden-crowned sparrow on the trail, yellow warblers, marsh wren nests (at least 5), and several killdeer close to the path as the tide went out. We also saw one lone coot escape predation from a bald eagle, and we heard a hairy and a downy woodpecker. Merlin picked up a Nashville warbler and a few other birds in our vicinity that we looked for but were not able to get eyes on.

untitled-8.jpg

I opted NOT to carry my big lens due to the spitting rain while I was scouting - a mistake - so my bird shots leave a lot to be desired. It will never happen again.

The rain held off, and my 4 out of 5 stars reflects a ding for the mosquitoes, nettles, overgrowth, and stink from the STP. But otherwise, this was a very enjoyable trip with wonderful company and felt like a treasure hunt for adults.