Thursday, March 21st – Port Susan Bay (The Nature Conservancy Property) – Stanwood

Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm (approximately) NOTE: pre-registration required, see below

Trip Leader: Jeff Osmundson, jeffo4297@gmail.com

Winter is a great time to study waterfowl and look for unusual passerines and raptors. Port Susan Bay is a salt marsh estuary bordering the Stillaguamish River. We have the potential to see thousands of snow geese, ducks, and trumpeter swans in the estuary. There are usually lots of eagles and hawks, and if we are really lucky, a short-eared owl sometimes works the area. In the salt marsh the birds can be further away so you should bring binoculars and spotting scope (optional) to see out to the bay. Dress for the weather. It can be very windy on Port Susan Bay. We will be joined by Amber Parmenter, Puget Sound Stewardship Manager for TNC. She will show us the new tidal restoration just completed in 2023 and share what the future of the area might be.

Directions: From I-5 (exit 212) to WA-532 W in Snohomish County. Continue West WA-532 and turn left onto 267th St NW and then right onto Pioneer Hwy. Continue 1.4 miles and turn right onto Boe Rd. and follow until the end. Register here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA4AF28A4F4C16-48020057-port