Black Oystercatcher— Photo: Barry Zimmer

Mid-July on the Olympic Peninsula—there is no more fitting season to introduce birders to this special region within the Pacific Northwest. There is so much variety within a short distance: great and diverse birding, stunning mountain scenery and wildflowers, marine waters dotted with emerald islands and teeming with bird life, and miles and miles of accessible shoreline. We will spend three of the four nights of our tour in Sequim, a small town admirably situated between the saw-toothed Olympic Mountains on one side and the deep marine bays and the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the other—with great birds and great food close at hand.

Our Pacific Northwest Introductory tour makes the most of the varied natural history that the northeast portion of the Olympic Peninsula has to offer. In addition, early in the tour we'll explore the South Puget Sound region, with good chances to see such birds as Red-breasted Sapsucker, Pacific Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Purple Finch, and a whole range of species typical of this area. The rest of our tour will be devoted to touring the Olympic Mountains and a range of lowland habitats on the Olympic Peninsula, particularly the edges of the marine bays. Such mountain specialties as Sooty Grouse, Varied Thrush, American Dipper, Northern Pygmy-Owl, and Gray Jay are among a longer list of species we may encounter at higher elevation. Expect, too, an incredible show of wildflowers at their peak.

We will bird also along the water's edge and during ferry crossings, with excellent opportunities to view such seabirds as Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, and Pelagic Cormorant, as well as eye-catching specialties like Harlequin Duck and Black Oystercatcher. Shorebirds are coming south after nesting season too, with birds like Black Turnstone, dowitchers, yellowlegs, and others a good bet. Lowland habitats are also home to many nesting species, from stately Bald Eagles to miniature Rufous Hummingbirds, and from western specialties like Black-headed Grosbeak to Vaux's Swifts and Western Tanagers. Red Crossbills may turn up at any elevation in this land of many conifers.

Very good accommodations and cuisine; easy, non-strenuous walking; ferry crossings on inland marine waters; comfortably moderate weather conditions.