High noon for loons at Blaine's Marine Park

Marine Park on Drayton Harbor, Site 55 from "Cascade Loop" of Audubon Washington's Great Washington State Birding Trail.

Location: Blaine, Whatcom County. Good rest stop on road to Vancouver.

Habitat: City-owned grasslands, sandy beaches by Drayton Harbor mud flats and saltwater.

Best seasons for birding: Year-round.

Birds commonly seen: Blue-ribbon water-birding in winter — especially for loons at this time. Popular stars include Pacific, common, and red-throated loons; red-necked, Western and horned grebes; Barrow's and common goldeneyes; long-tailed ducks, Northern pintails. Also watch for yellow-billed loons; surf, black, and white-winged scoters, harlequin ducks, plus bald eagles.

Viewing tips: Walk or bike half-mile Marine Park with covered observation decks. Public dock 0.1-mile further overlooks breakwater with large breeding colonies of double-crested cormorants and glaucous-winged gulls. Best birding is 2 to 3 hours before incoming tide.

Getting there: From Interstate 5 northbound, take Exit 276 (Blaine City Center). Turn left on Peace Portal Drive. Drive 0.1 mile. Turn right onto Marine Drive. From I-5 southbound, take Exit 276 (Blaine City Center). Turn right immediately onto Marine Drive. Drive 0.1 mile to parallel parking on street.

More birding: Semiahmoo Park. Drive south 2 miles on Peace Portal Drive. Turn right onto Bell Road. Drive 0.9 mile. Turn right onto Drayton Harbor Road. Drive 3.3 miles, staying right at each Y. Turn right onto Semiahmoo Parkway. Drive 0.4 mile. Park on left across from park sign. Bird both sides of 1.5-mile sand spit for short-eared owls, Savannah sparrows, black oystercatchers; plus flocks of migrating black turnstones, black-bellied plovers, dunlins.

Source: Audubon Washington, Great Washington State Birding Trail maps. To order maps, see the Web site www.wa.audubon.org. Details, call 866-922-4737.