WILDLIFE IN GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY
Lots of animals can be found near the beaches of Grays Harbor County: deer,
eagles, sandpipers and other shorebirds, seals, ducks, seagulls, pelicans,
great blue heron, otters, sea lions, butterflies, starfish, and anemones.
There's always something interesting to see on the beach between Pacific
Beach and Moclips: sand dollar shells, sandpiper birds, seagulls, crabs, clam
shells, seaweed, dune grass, and driftwood. The sunsets are awesome.
Eagles live in the cliffs above the beach at Copalis and Pacific Beach. I've
seen them twice - the last time at the height of a storm, eating a dead seal
that had washed up on the beach.
If you reach Copalis Rock at an extreme low tide, you can walk all the way out
and touch the rock. The lower ten feet of the rock are covered in big purple
and orange starfish, tightly closed anenomes, and mussel shells. There are
no tide pools in the area, so this is a rare treat to see these animals. The
rocks around Point Grenville will presumably display the same community of
animals at low tide.
Birds and seals can be seen at the southern end of Ocean Shores from the
North Jetty or Damon Point State Park. We saw the cutest baby seal at this
park, lounging on a rock by the shore, waiting for its mother. The last time at
the jetty we spotted the fin of a shark swimming around at sea.
Guides are available on the Quinault Nation to see eagles, visit untouristed
beaches, fish for salmon on the Quinault River, and hunt bear:
http://www.quinaultindiannation.com/thingstodo.htm
http://www.rezenterprises.com
http://www.lettypotter.com
http://www.quinaultfishingguide.com
http://www.quinaultfisherking.com
http://www.bigbearhunting.com/Fishing.php
http://www.bigbearhunting.com
The Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge near Hoquiam with its mile long
Sandpiper Trail boardwalk gives access to the mudflats of Grays Harbor for
birdwatching. In late April through early May, thousands of shorebirds of 16
species feed on the mudflats. They are migrating from Mexico to Alaska.
http://www.fws.gov/graysharbor
http://www.shorebirdfestival.com
In March through May, Pacific Grey whales migrate towards the Arctic. The
mothers and babies pass by in May. You can catch a whalewatching boat out
of Westport or they can pick you up in Ocean Shores.
http://www.westportgrayland-chamber.org/whalewatching_info.htm
Rent a comfortable, modern electric-powered boat from the Ocean Shores
Electric Boat Company on the south end of Ocean Shore's Grand Canal.
Explore the canals and Duck Lake, where saw blue heron and seagulls. Deer
swim to the islands in the middle of Duck Lake to give birth to their foals in
safety.
http://www.oselectricboat.com
Westport Seabirds will take you 35 miles out to sea due west of the Grays
Harbor mouth to see ocean-going seabirds: albatross, skuas, petrels, etc.
http://www.westportseabirds.com
Lots of animals can be found near the beaches of Grays Harbor County: deer,
eagles, sandpipers and other shorebirds, seals, ducks, seagulls, pelicans,
great blue heron, otters, sea lions, butterflies, starfish, and anemones.
There's always something interesting to see on the beach between Pacific
Beach and Moclips: sand dollar shells, sandpiper birds, seagulls, crabs, clam
shells, seaweed, dune grass, and driftwood. The sunsets are awesome.
Eagles live in the cliffs above the beach at Copalis and Pacific Beach. I've
seen them twice - the last time at the height of a storm, eating a dead seal
that had washed up on the beach.
If you reach Copalis Rock at an extreme low tide, you can walk all the way out
and touch the rock. The lower ten feet of the rock are covered in big purple
and orange starfish, tightly closed anenomes, and mussel shells. There are
no tide pools in the area, so this is a rare treat to see these animals. The
rocks around Point Grenville will presumably display the same community of
animals at low tide.
Birds and seals can be seen at the southern end of Ocean Shores from the
North Jetty or Damon Point State Park. We saw the cutest baby seal at this
park, lounging on a rock by the shore, waiting for its mother. The last time at
the jetty we spotted the fin of a shark swimming around at sea.
Guides are available on the Quinault Nation to see eagles, visit untouristed
beaches, fish for salmon on the Quinault River, and hunt bear:
http://www.quinaultindiannation.com/thingstodo.htm
http://www.rezenterprises.com
http://www.lettypotter.com
http://www.quinaultfishingguide.com
http://www.quinaultfisherking.com
http://www.bigbearhunting.com/Fishing.php
http://www.bigbearhunting.com
The Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge near Hoquiam with its mile long
Sandpiper Trail boardwalk gives access to the mudflats of Grays Harbor for
birdwatching. In late April through early May, thousands of shorebirds of 16
species feed on the mudflats. They are migrating from Mexico to Alaska.
http://www.fws.gov/graysharbor
http://www.shorebirdfestival.com
In March through May, Pacific Grey whales migrate towards the Arctic. The
mothers and babies pass by in May. You can catch a whalewatching boat out
of Westport or they can pick you up in Ocean Shores.
http://www.westportgrayland-chamber.org/whalewatching_info.htm
Rent a comfortable, modern electric-powered boat from the Ocean Shores
Electric Boat Company on the south end of Ocean Shore's Grand Canal.
Explore the canals and Duck Lake, where saw blue heron and seagulls. Deer
swim to the islands in the middle of Duck Lake to give birth to their foals in
safety.
http://www.oselectricboat.com
Westport Seabirds will take you 35 miles out to sea due west of the Grays
Harbor mouth to see ocean-going seabirds: albatross, skuas, petrels, etc.
http://www.westportseabirds.com
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