Skagit Wildlife Area - Fir Island

At first light over the Skagit Wildlife Area on Fir Island fog hangs low across the tidal flats as the rising sun filters through the estuary. Trumpeter swans drift through the shallows among scattered flocks of ducks, their calls carrying softly over the marsh. In the distance, a bald eagle and a solitary great blue heron emerge briefly from the mist, while long-billed dowitchers sweep low across the flats. The soundscape belongs to the delta — where wintering and migrating birds keep the estuary alive well before the day fully arrives.

Long-billed Dowitcher

These long-billed dowitchers are migrants from the far north, breeding in Alaska and the Arctic. Their long, sensitive bills act like probes, allowing them to detect prey underground without seeing it, often with rapid, piston-like feeding motions. In flight, their flocks move in tight, synchronized patterns, flashing white bellies as a defensive display. Watching them, you can see the speed and precision of their movements, as well as the unique beauty of their collective behavior.

Pacific Northwest Landscapes

Pacific Northwest Landscapes

RoozenGaarde (3/23/26)

Skagit Wildlife Area - Fir Island

Long-billed Dowitcher

Pacific Northwest Landscapes

Pacific Northwest Landscapes

RoozenGaarde (3/23/26)

Skagit Wildlife Area - Fir Island

Long-billed Dowitcher

Instagram

Connect With Us

This website uses cookies.