Anders left for home, so I made lunch
and then drove out to Potlatch State Park to see what might be in the bight of
the Canal.
The name Potlatch on the Northwest Coast
of North America refers to a Nootka Indian word that was added to the Chinook
Jargon meaning a gift or the giving of a gift. Potlatches were held by
Northwest Coast Indians from time to time where, with great ceremony, goods
were distributed among those who were in attendance often by one host. Often
large buildings called Potlatch Houses were built for the ceremonies and
sometimes were used year after year until the practice was outlawed by
government. The last major potlatches held in Tacoma were in 1907 and 1909. The history of the nearby town of Potlatch dates
to 1900, when Thomas Bordeaux became president of the newly incorporated
Potlatch Commercial and Terminal Company. The company acquired timber lands and
began construction of a logging railway to access them. Potlatch was built as a
company town.
The sun was out, and the Olympic Mountains shone in its light, so it was a pleasant drive over. I arrived at the picnic area and scoped the bight of Hood Canal for water birds. There was a flock of over 400 wigeon
with a distant Eurasian Wigeon,
Mallards, Greater Scaup, and both species of Goldeneye. A flock of Killdeer was resting on the picnic area lawn, amongst the molehills. Our local Townsend's mole is the largest North American mole.
The only ‘new bird’ species for the day
included my view of a few distant Red-necked Grebes, bringing my year total to 107
Species
 |
| Potlatch State Park |
The sun was out, and the Olympic Mountains shone in its light, so it was a pleasant drive over. I arrived at the picnic area and scoped the bight of Hood Canal for water birds. There was a flock of over 400 wigeon
 |
| The Wigeon were close to shore, feeding on sea lettuce |
 |
| Townsend's mole hill dwarfs the Killdeer |
Potlatch State Park eBird Checklist is
Here
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