Deer Lagoon is a popular spot with dog walkers, bike riders, strollers and joggers. But it’s really popular with birds and bird watchers. When I first moved to Whidbey in the late 1970s it was popular with duck hunters. Now it’s protected. In fact, it’s an official Important Bird Area, listed on the National Audubon website. The estuarine habitat, where fresh water and salt water mix, the small islands for nesting, the mud, the sand, the bay, the shrubby shore and nearby trees all make great habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, eagles and osprey. Walkers here often carry spotting scopes, binoculars and long lens cameras. But I was hesitant to include it in our book, Hiking Close to Home, because parking is limited and each access is adorned with signs saying, "No Trespassing" and "Private Property". Still, it’s commonly used by the locals. I scratched my head and tried to figure out where the property lines were and what might be open to the public. Were the signs there to protect private property owners from liability? I asked my friend Libby, an avid birder and a realtor who lives nearby. While we spoke on the phone I looked at the County website and saw the property lines that surround Deer Lagoon. Some extended far up the trail. So we cross private property to get to this amazing bird sanctuary. She said we can use the trail as long as we don't abuse the trail, or the homes nearby. Such a deal! Last Saturday was cold and clear. Jack was visiting so we bundled up and went to Deer Lagoon for a walk. He brought his camera. I brought my binoculars. We started our walk from the end of Deer Lagoon Road, passed the Private Property sign and entered through the trees. Double Bluff loomed large in the distance. Kinglets twitted and chirped. Red winged blackbirds called, “Mukilteeeeeo!” Out in the open I pulled out my binoculars. We strolled the dike southward into the sun stopping often to study the birds. We both tried to identify the ducks. Wigeons laughed at us. “That’s a mallard you bufflehead!” It wasn’t easy to identify a pintail with its head under water and its long tail bent over. We’re novice birders compared to the Audubon members who come daily. We noticed a Pacific wren darting among the shrubs on shore. Clouds of shorebirds cut across the bright blue sky flashing white and disappearing in an instant, turning and flashing white as they zipped past again. In recent summers flocks of white pelicans gathered at Deer Lagoon. I noted there were people strolling, a young family rode bikes, a woman jogged, some walked together six feet apart, couples walked side by side. The trail had a channel to the left where a lone duck swam getting a little “me time”. On the other side the lagoon stretched westward full of waterfowl. Houses ringed the distant perimeter. At the far end of the dike, just before the next Private Property sign, we took a narrow trail to the left that dropped down to a low area and crossed to the other side. We stepped up to the dike on the east side and headed north with a great view of the beach. We met a few others on the trail. All stepped around each other with masks up, passing safely and greeting each other warmly. It looks like a great place to live, especially if you're a duck. Directions: Take Highway 525 a half mile south of Freeland and turn south on Double Bluff Road. Drive another half mile to Millman Road and turn left. Drive another half mile to Deer Lagoon Road and turn right. Park at the end of the road being careful not to block anyone's driveway. Be respectful of Private Property as you enter the trail to the south.
This trail is within a mile and a half of the fare free Island Transit Route 1 bus and could be reached with the help of a bicycle. 1-2 bikes fit on a bus bike rack. It may be accessible to those who use mobility devices if they can maneuver through the entry area at the trailhead where it may require some assistance. The trail on the dike is flat, wide and hard packed dirt.
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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
April 2024
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