Birders'

Top Spots |

Liberty Bay, Site 30 from "Puget Loop" of Audubon Washington's Great Washington State Birding Trail

Location: Poulsbo, Kitsap County.

Habitat: Four city parks by saltwater; mixed woods, creek, wetland, fields.

Best seasons for birding: Year-round.

Birds commonly seen: Thick flocks of wintering water birds include American wigeons, some Eurasians; surf scoters and white-winged scoters, western grebes; common and Barrow's goldeneyes. Also abundant hooded and red-breasted mergansers; horned and red-necked grebes; some greater scaups, double-crested and pelagic cormorants; bald eagles. Also buffleheads, red-throated and common loons, and belted kingfishers. Fish Park estuary in fall hosts green-winged teal, greater yellowlegs. Oyster Plant Park's nest gourds attract summer's purple martins.

Viewing tips: Walk Oyster Plant pier; Liberty Bay Waterfront Park boardwalk to American Legion Park; Fish Park's 0.3-mile interpretive loop. Bonus: nearby Suquamish Museum; see www.suquamish.nsn.us/Museum.aspx.

Getting there: From state Highway 305 at Milepost 11.4 in Poulsbo, turn west onto Northeast Hostmark Drive. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn left on Sixth Avenue Northeast. Drive 0.4 mile. Turn left onto Fjord Drive Northeast. Drive 0.1 mile to Oyster Plant parking on right. Liberty Bay Park-American Legion Park — Turn around; drive 0.5 mile north on Fjord Drive. Turn left onto Front Street Northeast. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn left onto King Harald V Vei/Anderson Parkway. Drive 1 block to Liberty Bay Park lot. Fish Park — Return to Front Street. Turn left. Drive 0.9 mile. Veer left onto Lindvig Way Northeast. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn right into parking.

Source: Audubon Washington, Great Washington State Birding Trail maps. See maps online (or order hard copies, $4.95 apiece), at wa.audubon.org.