Dinner at Padilla Bay Reserve

Before we left home to look at the daffodils, we got some sandwiches for our dinner. After a nice ride around the daffodil fields we decided to head for Padilla Bay Reserve - to have a picnic for our dinner. Padilla Bay is a magnificent wildlife area in the delta of the Skagit River, in the Salish Sea.


The SALISH SEA extends from the north end of the Strait of Georgia and Desolation Sound to the south end of the Puget Sound and west to the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, including the inland marine waters of southern British Columbia, Canada and northern Washington.

Click to enlarge the map - near the middle you find Mt. Baker - Bellingham is just west of Mt. Baker, and Padilla Bay is a bit southwest of Bellingham.

This is one of our favorite wildlife viewing areas. We parked down near the water to eat our sandwiches - it was still too cold to eat outdoors at the picnic tables, but we had good views of the water and birds.

Our first birds were the crows - walking along . . .

One up on a post . . .

As the crow flies . . .

This one had a lot to say . . .

Herons wading in the flooded fields nearby . . .

Pintail ducks . . .

And a sparrow or two . . .

I think these shots are what convinced me that I needed more "zoom" in my camera - so I'm looking at one with 35x zoom - wouldn't that be fabulous!?!

As the sun was setting the reflection was full of ducks . . .

Then in a field we saw this beautiful fellow. We hadn't seen a pheasant in several years, but couldn't get close enough for a really good shot - he was way out in the field . . .

And this wonderful Heron flew across the road and landed in a blueberry field . . .

There were some horses eating dinner in the field . . .

And a mother and pony. The farmer was in the field with a rope - and I suspect the mother was running to protect her baby. They were coming at me so fast that I couldn't get all of her in the picture . . .

On the way home through Bow and Edison we came upon a small farm with lots of sheep and goats . . .

And this rooster that kept racing back and forth - really fast . . .

The lambs and goats loved the wood pile . . .

Spectacular day!

On the Way Home

On the way out of Birch Bay State Park I had to get some pictures of the clouds - they are always so amazing up there.



After we left Birch Bay we drove the back way home - and saw this wonderful wood lot in the sunshine. I can never resist a good picture of a tree in the sunshine, with a bright blue sky.

And then once we were back in town - some clouds and sky over Bellingham . . .

Perfect Day!

The Rest of Birch Bay on My Birthday

A few more interesting things at Birch Bay . . .

A big rusted boat sitting on the beach, just waiting for the tide to come back in . . .

This weeping pussy willow had the faintest scent of cotton candy . . .

Lots of rock walls . . .

And plenty of nautical items . . .

And there is always ice cream in Birch Bay . . .

With a bird house on top . . .

And rusty sculptures . . .

My favorite gate . . .

Somebody is ready for Easter - I like this idea and might get up to Dollar Tree and get me a bunch of cute Easter things . . . though we don't have this perfect tree for decorating . . .

A lot of people in Birch Bay gather drift wood from the beaches - this yard was full of it . . .
I like the rock Inukshuk too . . .

A birdhouse sitting on driftwood . . .

This tree was full of beads - and sitting in one of the windows, reading his paper, was an older man - guess he is ready for Mardi Gras . . .

I was curious as to how they got some of those beads up there . . .

Don't you just love this driftwood hanging?

And that concludes our birthday trip to Birch Bay. Don asked me what I wanted to do that day, and I said "Go someplace and take a lot of pictures". Well, that is what we did, and we had a grand time doing it. Don will stop any time for me to take pictures - he's such a good sport.

What is your idea of a good birthday outing?