Things To Do - Wildlife

Gray Whale Tours From Everett 
    Island Adventure Cruises
Gray Whale tours depart from Everett and will lead out into Possession Sound, claimed for the British by George Vancouver in 1792.   This area is proven to hold the highest concentrations of Gray Whale sightings in the inland waters of Washington State mainly around the months of March through April. 

Orca Whales typically are seen from April through summer with the highest concentration in the San Juan Island area.  However on your tours out of Everett you may glimpse not just Gray Whales and Orcas, but also sea lions, seals, porpoise, as well as Bald Eagles on the tour.

There will be plenty of seabirds to see in the water and the beautiful forests on the mainland and the islands helping to understand why Washington is called the “Evergreen State”.

Island Adventures        (March 8 -May 8) From Everett, Gray & Orca Whale Tours
1-800-465-4604
Guaranteed 4 hour tours. Call for reservations and directions to departure dock in Everett.
The 125' "Island Explorer III" is well equipt with a galley, restrooms, seating area indoors and outdoors and very comfortable for your viewing pleasure.
Departures from Anacortes April-December for Orca Whale tours.
www.islandadventurecruises.com

Spencer Island
Habitat: 412-acre island in Snohomish River estuary surrounded by trees and saltwater and freshwater sloughs. Owned by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Snohomish County.
Birding: Area features 200+ species. Year-round residents include Bald Eagle, Great-horned Owl, Northern Harrier, Belted Kingfisher, and five species of woodpeckers. Spring and summer bring Ospreys, Wood Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Western Tanagers, Black-headded Grosbeaks, Band-tailed Pigeons, three species of vireos, four of warblers, and five of swallows. During fall, watch for Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers; in winter, look for Pine Siskins, Merlins, Peregrine Falcons and sparrows.
Viewing: Explore 3.6 miles of trails and short boardwalk. Cross-island dike provides views of shorebirds and American Bitterns. Vireos and warblers like the foliage along perimeter River Trail.
Access: From Northbound I-5, take exit 195 (Marine View Dr/Port of Everett). Drive left (west) on East Marine View Dr. Drive 1.4 miles. Turn left (north) onto Hwy 529N ramp and drive 0.8 mile over bridge. Turn right (east) onto 28th Pl NE. Turn right (south) onto 35th Ave NE. Drive 0.3 mile. Turn left (east) onto Ross Ave. Drive 1 mile, bearing right at Y onto Smith Island Road. Drive 1.2 miles. Turn left (east) onto 4th St SE. Drive 0.2 mile to City of Everett Water Pollution Control Facility parking lot. Walk 0.3 mile and cross bridge to island.

Edmonds Marsh
Habitat: City-owned marine/estuarine, freshwater wetlands, 23 acres of saltwater marsh.
Birding: More than 200 species sighted here. At marsh, spring and fall migrants are Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Western and Solitary Sandpipers, Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers, American and Eurasion Wigeons, and rare Eurasian Green-winged Teal occur in winter. At waterfront, spring brings Rhinoceros Auklets, Heermann's Gulls arive in late summer. Common Terns migrate through in fall, and Ancient Murrelets may appear in Novermber. Fall and winter visitors include Common Murres, Brant, and White-winged Black and Surg Scoters. Year-round look for Marbled Murrelets, Pegion Guillemots, Harlequin Ducks, and Pelagic Cormorants.
Viewing: Best vantage points are marsh boardwalk, and at waterfront, fishing piers, and beach north to ferry terminal.
Access: From I-5 Northbound, take exit 177 (West Hwy 104/Edmonds/Kingston Ferry). Drive west on Hwy 104/NE 205th St 3.5 miles toward Kingston Ferry tollbooth. Turn left (west) onto Dayton St, then turn left at second driveway, drive two blocks to back of business parking lot. Waterfront is one block west on Dayton St.
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE

Jetty Island
Habitat: Municipal marine/estuarine park with island 0.5-mile wide by 2-miles long.
Birding: Jetty Island hosts 45 species, highlighted by nesting pairs of Caspian Tern and Glaucous-winged Gull. Others include Pegeon Guillemot, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer; and Least, Spotted and Western Sandpiper.
Viewing: Open only July 4th through Labor Day, Wednesday through Sunday, Jetty Island is reached by a free 10-minute public ferry ride. Park rangers give guided walks. Best birding locations are the sand beach on west side of island and island's middle tidal lagoon.
Access: From I-5 Northbound, take exit 195 (Marine View Dr/Port of Everett). Turn left (west) onto East Marine View Dr. Drive 3.3 miles. Turn right (west) onto 10th St. Drive 0.4 mile to end of parking lot. Ferry leaves from kiosk in Marine Park.

Lowell Riverfront Trail
Habitat: Municipal park on banks of the Snohomish River.
Birding: Common species include Pine Siskun, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (during migration and winter). Raptors here are Bald Eagles; and Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned, and Cooper's Hawks. Watch for Fox Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Hermit Thrushes during winter.
Viewing: Park features 1-mile loop trail. Look in cottonwood trees for Bullock's Orioles' nests, around old barn across river for owls, in river for Double-crested Cormorants and Barrow's Goldeneyes, along with occasional Steller sea lions and river otters.
Access: From I-5 Northbound, take exit 192 (41st St SE). Take left exit lande onto Broadway. Drive 0.5 mile. Turn right (east) onto Lowell River Road exit. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn right (south) onto Lowell Road/3rd Ave. Drive 1.9 miles. Turn left (east) onto Lenora St. Drive 0.2 mile to Lowell Riverfront Trail parking area.
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE

North View Park and South View Parks
Habitat: Two municipal parks above intertidal mud flats and shallow bay.
Birding: Exceptionally large-concentration of Ospreys arrives in spring to nest on offshore pilings, along with Purple Martins nesting in boxes on southern pilings. Many Jetty Island summer species forage in the bay. Fall and winter species include Red-necked Grebe, American Wigeon, Brant, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, REd-breasted Merganser, Bufflehead, and Mew Gull. Bald Eagles and Merlins are year-round residents.
Viewing: Walk paved trail through both parks. Birding is best at low and incoming tides.
Access: From I-5 Northbound, take exit 195 (Marine View Dr/Port of Everett). Turn left (west) onto East Marine View Dr. Drive 3 miles. Turn right (west) into parking areas.
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE

Ferguson Park
Habitat: Family-friendly municipal park by Blackman Lake, with conifers and riparian wetlands.
Birding: Best birding is in spring and winter. Watch for Mallards, Northern Shoverlers, Hooded Mergansers, Northern Pintails, American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaups, Western Grebes, Double-crested Cormoratns, Dark-eyed Juncos, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, House Finches, Spotted Towhees, and Red-breasted Nuthatches.
Viewing: Walk road to water's edge and onto small dock to spot water birds. Look for songbirds in the brush.
Access: From Hwy 2 at milepost 4.9 take Hwy 9 south. Drive for 1 mile. Turn left (southeast) onto Bickford Ave. Drive 0.2 mil. Turn left (south) onto Ave D. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn left (east) onto Ferguson Park Ave. Drive into park.

Heirman Wildlife Preserve
Habitat: 343-acre county park on riverfront hillside with riparian, wetland and agricultural habitats.
Birding: Nearly 80 species are here annually, including Bald Eagle, American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Hairy Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, and Spotted Towhee. Watch for Common Yellowthroats and Willow Flycatchers during summer, and Tuby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Ducks, and Trumpeter Swans during Winter.
Viewing: Parking lot affords good views of river's shore, sandbars, and islands. Also, walk down old road to river and 0.5 mile to oxbow.
Access: From Hwy 2 at milepost 4.9, turn south on Hwy 9. Dirve 5 miles. Turn left (east) onto Broadway Ave. Drive 0.8 mile. Again, turn left (east) onto Connelly Rd. Drive 0.7 mile to Heirman Wildlife Preserve.

Index Cliff
Habitat: State-owned, 400-foot granite wall with mixed forest at base along North Fork of Skykomish River.
Birding: Peregrine Falcons nest on cliffs. Check the Skykomish River for Harlequin Ducks and Hooded Mergansers, and the riparian willow and cottonwood trees for warblers and swallows.
Viewing: Walk to the base of cliff to view Peregrine Falcons April-August.
Access: From Hwy 2 at milepost 35.5, turn north. Drive 1.5 miles to town of Index. Turn left. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn left (south) onto Index Ave/2nd St and drive 0.3 mile. Turn right (south) onto Ave A. Drive 0.5 mile. Turn right into Index climbers' parking lot.

Kayak Point County Park
Habitat: 670-acre county park with forest and marine areas.
Birding: Great for families and beginning birders, this park features Bald Eagles, Common Loons, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Double-crested Cormorants, Barrow's Goldeneyes; Horned and Red-necked Grebes; Song Sparrows; Chestnut-backed and Black-capped Chickadees; Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; and Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers.
Viewing: Explore hillside trail, walk along 0.5-mile driftwood-covered Puget Sound shoreline, go onto pier, and check out mud cliffs at south end of beach.
Access: From I-5, take exit 199 (Marine View Dr) at Marysville. Turn west onto 4th St/Marine Dr NE/Tulalip Rd. Drive 12.9 miles to Kayak Point. Turn left (west) and drive 0.4 mile to beach parking. FEE REQUIRED

Other places to birdwatch within Snohomish County:
North Creek Park
Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary

The Snohomish County Visitor Information Center and the Pilchuck Audubon Society of Everett also sell a wonderful publication called Birding in Snohomish County, which includes bird viewing locations, directions along with species checklist and status. Cost: $6.45

ALPACAS OF AMERICA
25525 Dahl Road, Arlington ..........360-629-6395
Visit the largest alpaca farm ourside of South America. One hundred acres of pasture, barns and a fruit tree orchard is home to 1,000 alpacas. Alpacas of America was one of the first to import alpacas into the United States. The primary market for alpacas is to raise and sell the animals, with some demand for the fiber.

THE FUNNY FARM
11510 227th Ave SE, Monroe ..........360-863-0280
A exotic petting farm with animals such as Red Kangaroos, Wallaroos, Llamas, Alpacas, Zena the Zebra, mommoth Donkey, Camels, Rabbits, Chinchillas, Giggles the Goat and MORE! Open for tours Go to website for tour times and prices. Tours take about 1 hour. After your tour browse the unique gift shop in the barn. Open to all ages.

NORTHWEST STREAM CENTER
600 128th St SE, Everett ..........425-316-8592
Wetland habitat which has been restored to a wildlife sanctuary and educational center. Offering year round adult and youth educational programming and tours of the wetlands. Learn about the salmon life cycle, wild birds and wetland critters, stream keeper training and watershed education.

THE OUTBACK
10030 State Route 530 NE, Arlington ..........360-403-7474
Wander through a wildlife park in a guided 40 minute tour. Hand feed kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos. Learn about llamas and alpacas, pygmy goats and ostrich. Gift shop. Open March 1 through October 30. Scheduled tours Wed-Sun 10am, 12am, 2pm & 4pm. Reservations required for groups of 16 or more.
$6 6-12 years; $7 adults.

WASHINGTON SERPENTARIUM
22715 Highway 2, Monroe ..........360-668-8204
Proprietor Scott Petersen calls himself The Reptile Man. He houses 200 creatures in his menagerie, including 75 species of chameleons, scorpions, turtles, and spiders big and small. His collection of snakes is scary: rattlesnakes, pythons, cobras and mambas. If you're brave enough, you can even hold some of the animals in this zoo! Open 10am to 5pm daily. Children $5; Adults $5.

JUST FROGS TOADS TOO
300 Admiral Way, Suite 104, Edmonds..........425-778-8726
Find out what's hopping in Edmonds. Check out how important frogs are and see rescued frogs, toads, turtles and more. Plus, every kind of gift for the frog lover. Also offer craft workshops, frog themed parties and amphibian pet care.