American wigeon feeding. This photos shows only a fraction of the large flock. Canada geese were also grazing in the field.

Have you ever been to the Pacific County Museum in South Bend? It boasts a wonderful display of historical documents, photographs, artifacts, scrapbooks, etc., as well as books about Pacific County for sale. It is worth a visit. You will not only get to immerse yourself in the history of our county, but you will also see many species of birds and other wildlife along the way. It makes for a great day! I enjoyed such a day on March 7.

On U.S. Highway 101 there are many acres of wetland just before you reach South Bend. A pair of bald eagles were duking it out over the wetland. One was an intruder, the other the resident eagle. The fight was all about territory. We saw this as we drove into an observation spot along the highway. In front of us appeared a herd of elk. They were taking showers in the water at the edge of the woods. One at time, they would run in, as they raced out of the little pond it was shake, shake, shake. Large droplets of water were tossed off all over the place. Suddenly the herd sensed our presence, but they finished their showers, before heading off into the safety of the forest. These two incidents were wildlife entertainment at its best.

The ponds and sloughs that make up the wetland were well populated with waterbirds. Scaup, mallards, Canada geese, green-winged teal, a few northern pintail and a great blue heron. A lone red-tailed hawk sat quietly in a snag by the roadside watching the action. I am sure it was hoping for lunch!

Another treat on this outing was a stop at Elixir for a cappuccino. Delicious! One can take a break here and walk out on the boardwalk to view the river and the birds. The tide was beginning to ebb, so it was an opportune time to look for shorebirds on the mudflats of the Willapa River. I have photographed dowitcher and least sandpipers here in the past. Today, a spotted sandpiper was the star of the show. It bobbed its way along a log at the water’s edge and then continued to “teeter” its rear end as it moved along the shore foraging for insects, small mollusks. It often just stopped to lounge for a bit. Killdeer were also seen. Pacific Seafoods is the place to look for crows, ravens, and various species of gulls. They are easily seen from the boardwalk.

Another stopping point on Hwy 101 that often has great birding opportunities is Bay Center. So, on the way home from the trip to the museum Bay Center was the destination. As we traveled the road into Bay Center we were entertained by four common loons diving for food. Two of them were lucky enough to catch a small crab. A belted kingfisher sat on the posts along the water but was too skitzy for photographs. A pair of bald eagles were soaring over Bay Center and a small flock of bufflehead enjoyed a swim. Upon reaching the community we were greeted by American robins, European starlings, dark-eyed juncos, a great blue heron, and a few killdeer. Black-tailed deer were foraging in the various open areas.

Further along on U.S. 101 on our way back to the Peninsula Canada geese were grazing in a field along with at least 1,000 American wigeon. I have never seen such a large flock. Their heads were down! They were foraging furiously on the grasses like there was no tomorrow. Soon they will be full and ready to take off to their breeding grounds.

It was a great day! Birds, Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer and a visit to the Pacific County Museum — what more could I ask for? Happy birding!