I was planning to bike and hike to Guemes Mountain with friends last Saturday. The forecast said there was a 20% chance of rain. But one friend was sick on Thanksgiving day, and another the day after. Jack and Kath would be babysitting a grandchild. So it was just me and my niece, Deb, visiting from Seattle. We drove up Whidbey as I watched the clouds grow more threatening. On our way, Jack texted to say he and Kath had been relieved of their babysitting duty and would meet us on Guemes Island. So Deb and I took our bikes on the ferry. We met Jack and Kath and began to ride the shoreline road. It was cold. It was windy. It was threatening rain. Jack said the forecast had been changed to a 60% chance of rain with a downpour at 2pm. That bit of news percalated in my brain for a minute before it spit out a response. “Abort! Abort!” This was not a good day for a trip to Guemes Mountain. Instead we caught the ferry back to Anacortes, biked to a café and had a nice lunch and a good visit. Then we all headed back to our respective warm, dry homes like sensible people. Sunday dawned bright and cold. There were a few clouds and a cool breeze, but the day held far more promise than the day before. I drove a few miles to Deer Lagoon. The clouds gathered again, but as I walked through the trees at the start of the trail, the skies cleared. I needed that vitamin D! I met Libby who lives nearby and keeps an eye on the birdlife. She handed me a heart shaped rock, a good omen. Walking on, a kingfisher announced my arrival. Pairs of mallards and coots hid among the cattails and duck weed. I passed some downed trees from wind storms. Folks had stacked the limbs into loose piles which provided shelter for wildlife. In the channel I saw tubby little buffleheads and elegant pintails. Colorful hooded mergansers glided by showing their broad white crests. On the marsh in the distance were a dozen Canada geese. A pair of Northern Harriers swooped this way and that. Gulls made a white line across the blue water. But most of the birds I saw were wigeons. Wonderful wigeons! Hundreds, maybe thousands of wigeons! I thought about Kevin Costner dancing with wolves. He can dance with wolves if he likes. I would much rather go waltzing with wigeons, though walking with wigeons was fun, too. Just being around wigeons makes me happy. Like when you walk into a room full of friends that have just shared a good joke and everyone is folded over laughing? That’s what it’s like to encounter wigeons. They have such a hearty laugh. It makes me smile, even if I didn’t hear the joke. There must be some good storytellers among them. Of course there are. I mean there are so MANY! There must be some clowns. The males have that bright green eye patch set off by their white forehead like a duck in clown face. And the word “duck” is funny, too. Lucky duck. Just ducky. Duck, duck, goose! There were other birds, too. Eagles swooped down and scattered the ducks into giant cloud of wings. One eagle perched on a post to dine on take-out. There were sparrows and towhees hiding in the blackberries, and hawks soaring between the trees. There were people, some with dogs, walking the trail, too. I met a charming fellow named Smokey. Double Bluff framed the scene to the west. The skyscrapers of Seattle stood out to the south, and a line of beach homes circled it all. But the wigeons ruled the wetland. It was a sunny, funny day for a walk with the wigeons. Maribeth Hear recordings of wigeons here. Directions: From highway 525 just south of Freeland, turn south on Double Bluff Road. In about a half mile turn left on Millman Road. Then turn right on Deer Lagoon Road. Drive to the end and park without blocking any driveways. Please be considerate of the neighbors, stay on the trail, and properly dispose of your dog's waste.
Bus and Bike: The Island Transit Route 1 stops at the corner of Double Bluff Road and Highway 525. There is room for 2 bikes on a bus. The road is almost level and the distance is less than 2 miles to Deer Lagoon. Please wear something bright for visibility while walking or biking the road or waiting for the bus. Mobility: The entrance to the Deer Lagoon trail has been modified to make it more accessible. It is nearly level with a surface of small gravel and dirt, wide enough for 2 wheelchairs to pass.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
March 2024
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