The Olympic Peninsula & Mount Rainier, Washington
August 18-27, 2016

The Olympic Peninsula of Washington hosts an incredible mix of natural beauty and great birding. Late summer is the peak time to experience an array of regional residents, fall migrants, alpine, specialties and pelagic wonders. Over 170 species are likely on this trip through diverse habitats like alpine meadows, rugged beaches, and temperate rain-forest. Along the way we'll enjoy the other delights like marmots, seals, whales, butterflies and more! 

We'll start off along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, with a commanding view of the strait below and Vancouver Island in the distance. We'll search for mountain birds like Sooty (Blue) Grouse up high and Northern Pygmy-Owl and Varied Thrush below. The rest of our time we will peruse the wetlands, spits, scrub, and tidal rips around the Sequim (pronounced "skwim") area, marveling at alcids, grebes (possibly Western), waterfowl (Eurasion Wigeon might show up), warblers, sparrows, and more! We'll continue with the picturesque rugged coastline at Cape Flattery and mix in the uniqueness of the Olympic National Park's Hoh Rain Forest, with moss-draped giants and emerald highlights. This is also the home of the endangered Spotted Owl, and we'll keep our eyes open for this elusive resident. Coastal Washington is famous for its abundance of staging shorebirds (sandpipers, yellowlegs, dowitchers, plovers, and more), and we'll scour the masses hoping for specialties like Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruff, or Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Our pelagic trip in Westport can best be described as one-of-a-kind, and we'll be overwhelmed by the beauty and grace of thousands of seabirds, including awe-inspiring albatrosses, jaegers, phalaropes, alcids, uncommon gulls, and a chance for a rarity like Xantus's Murrelet or Horned Puffin. We'll change the scenery dramatically once again by next visiting Mount Rainier, the highest peak in Washington at over 14,000 feet. This goliath is permanently capped with snow and provides the easiest access to birds associated with alpine conditions and fantastic vistas. We'll also search the varied habitats encountered at different elevations on the mountain to get the most out of this birding treasure. Truly a birding trip to remember! 

Day One: Arrive at the Seattle airport at any point during the day and take a shuttle to our nearby accommodations. An introductory meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the hotel to get acquainted and make sure everyone is ready for a great trip. Overnight near Sea-Tac airport. 

Day Two: We will proceed to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and an introduction to the birdlife of the Pacific Northwest. Our path will take us by Mt. Walker and a chance to see Hermit Warbler and Northern Pygmy Owl. We'll stop in Port Townsend or Diamond Point to watch the antics of alcids, such as Rhinoceros Auklet, Common Murre, and Marbled Murrelet, feeding in the tidal rips. Once in Port Angeles, we'll visit Ediz Hook. This natural sandbar hosts an assortment of interesting birds, including Harlequin Duck, Marbled Murrelet, Brant, and Heerman's Gull. Overnight in Port Angeles.

Day Three: We'll start the day with a trek to the mountains of Olympic National Park. We'll bird our way up, with a stop to search the heavily wooded areas on our way to the subalpine regions of Hurricane Ridge. A nice mix should be encountered, with the likes of Sooty Grouse, Townsend's Solitaire, Rufous Hummingbird, Common Raven, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, and Sooty Fox Sparrow. The afternoon will be spent surverying the area around Sequim and the extensive Dungeness Spit. The waters of the bay and strait may yield Bald Eagle, American Bittern, Virginia Rail, Northwestern Crow, Rhinoceros Auklet, Barrow's Goldeneye, and Cinnamon Teal, while surrounding vegetation may produce warblers, sparrows, and other migrants. Overnight in Port Angeles. 

Day Four: The northwestern tip of the Lower 48 will greet us this day, after winding our way west to Cape Flattery. As we gaze westward toward Tatoosh Island and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean, viewing platforms will provide excellent looks at the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its attendant seabirds. Pigeon Guillemot, Black Oystercatcher, Pacific Loon, Black-legged Kittiwake, Sooty Shearwater, and Pelagic Cormorant are some of the possibilities at this magical spot. Further south we'll enter a different world at the Hoh Rain Forest; a spectacular walk amidst the towering Douglas Fir and Sitka Spruce and moss-draped maples. We'll keep our eyes open for birds here and along the way, such as Varied Thrush, Hammond's Flycatcher, Winter Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Spotted Towhee. Overnight in Forks. 

Day Five: We'll be birding in the gentler coastal terrain aound Ocean Shores and Westport. We'll enjoy the beaches, mudflats and wetlands while searching for Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, Mew Gull, Snowy Plover, Pacific Golden-Plover, Red Knot, scoters, Merlin, and Peregrine Falcon, as well as Band-tailed Pigeon, Hutton's Vireo, Bewick's Wren, Townsend's Warbler and others in the surrounding woodlands. An incredible variety of species are possible in this resort area. A stop at Gray's Harbor NWR on our way to Westport may turn up some new waterfowl or produce some passerine migrants. Late afternoon will find us searching Tokeland for shorebird rarities; this spot is famous for hosting Bar-tailed Godwits. It may also provide looks at the bountiful shorebirds present, such as Willet, Long-billed Curlew, and Marbled Godwit, not to ignore the likes of Brown Pelican, Brandt's Cormorant, Black Turnstone, and much more. Overnight in Westport. 

Day Six: An all-day pelagic trip will provide the excitement as we head out of Gray's Harbor to the edge of the continental shelf. An incredible abundance (thousands) and variety of seabirds will be encountered, with just a few of the highlights we hope to see including Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Pink-footed Shearwater, Buller's Shearwater, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Red-necked and Red Phalaropes, all three jaegers, Sabine's Gull, Cassin's Auklet, and Marbled Murrelet. Other possibilities include Laysan Albatross, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Leach's Storm-Petrel, South Polar Skua, and Tufted Puffin. As if that wasn't enough, we may cross paths with dolphins, seals, sea lions, Leatherback Turtles, Humpback Whales, or Gray Whales. This is truly an experience to treasure. Late afternoon may provide a chance to relax with some birding around Gray's Harbor, and the sighting of some typical gulls like Western, Glaucous-winged, and California. Overnight in Westport.

Day Seven: Today we'll change our surroundings and environment once again. This time we'll visit some lowland destinations on our way to Mt. Rainier. The agricultural lands, riparian shrubs, and wetlands of the Chehalis River Valley should turn up species like Virginia Rail, Green Heron, waterfowl, Western Meadowlark, and Western Scrub-Jay. The marshes and woodlands of the Nisqually N.W.R. often produce American Bittern, Willow Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo, Savannah Sparrow, Bewick's Wren, and more. Overnight in Packwood.

Day Eight: An early start will find us exploring the alpine and sub-alpine habitats surrounding the Sunrise Visitor Center; at 6400', with the snow-capped peak of the mountain and its glaciers towering over us. A hike into the incredible mountain meadows may yield delights such as Gray Jay, Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, Black Swift, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. We will spend the entire day in the park, soaking in its majestic beauty. Stops in various habitats, like lush lowland conifer forest, may produce the likes of Red-breasted Sapsucker, Vaux's Swift, Bushtit, Violet-green Swallow, American Dipper, and MacGillivray's Warbler. Overnight in Packwood. 

Day Nine: Our second morning on Mt. Rainier will take us to the wildflowers of Paradise, where we'll search for American Pipits, Golden Eagles, and White-tailed Ptarmigans amidst the Hoary Marmots. Aptly named, some walking among this delicate ecosystem will surely be delighted by its natural beauty and breathtaking views. Besides the birds, we'll enjoy the mammals of the area: Black-tailed Deer, Townsend's Chipmunk, and a chance to spot Mountain Goats on the rocky hillsides. Reluctantly, we'll work our way off the mountain and return to Seattle for a relaxing dinner and a summary of our sightings. Overnight near Sea-Tac airport. 

Day Ten: Participants can depart at any point during the day, with shuttle service available for the airport. Checkout of the rooms is before 11:00 a.m. Have a safe trip home! 

Tour Details

Tour Pricing: $2645.00 per person based on double occupancy. Single occupancy supplement is $695.00 

Tour Services: This tour includes nine nights of comfortable accommodations at hotels or guesthouses. All meals, from breakfast on Day Two to breakfast on Day Ten, are included, excluding any alcoholic beverages. Ground transportation throughout the tour, starting at and returning to the accommodations in Seattle, will be provided, as well as any charter or entrance fees. This tour does not include airfare to/from Seattle, special gratuities, or items of a personal nature. Also included are professional guide services for the duration of the tour. Brett M. Ewald will be the tour leader on this exciting excursion. As well as being an accomplished birder, naturalist, and biologist, Brett has traveled and birded extensively in North America, including time spent birding and leading tours in Washington. He looks forward to sharing the wonders of the Pacific Northwest with you!

Terms and Conditions
Please fill out completely and sign the Extended Tours Registration Form and mail to Lakeshore Nature Tours, along with a $600.00 per person deposit. Make your check or money order payable to Lakeshore Nature Tours. Any balance due is required June 30, 2016. Confirmation and an informational packet, with finalized tour itinerary and details, will be sent upon guarantee of tour departure, based on adequate participation. Tour participants should not secure their flights to/from Seattle until directed from Lakeshore Nature Tours. A full refund of tour payments will be executed from Lakeshore Nature Tours for any cancellation resulting from inadequate participation. If the tour is full, a waiting list will be taken, and filled according to the date of registration. A $75 service fee will apply to a participant cancellation before June 30, 2016. Cancellations between June 30, 2016 and July 31, 2016 will forfeit the entire $600.00 deposit. After July 31, 2016, no refund will be available.