March 3 - Mud Bay

This afternoon, I decided to go for a walk down to Mud Bay, which is within my 5-mile-radius.  This was the southernmost point explored by Lt. Peter Puget of the Vancouver expedition, after whom Puget Sound was named.  Lt. Puget called Eld Inlet Friendly Inlet, because of the warm treatment he received when he visited a village of 60 Indians on 26 May 1792.  Eld Inlet itself was subsequently named after Midshipman Henry Eld, a member of the 1841 U.S. Exploring Expedition under Lt. Charles Wilkes.  However, the locals call this “Mud Bay”.

Killdeer

I scanned the Bay from the bridge near Buzz’s Tavern, then went over to the William Cannon trail.  According to the Squaxin Island Tribe, the 4,000-foot long trail, dedicated in April 2002, is named after the only American in a 41-member Hudson's Bay Co. expedition that stopped at Mud Bay on its way north from Oregon to the Fraser River Valley. The date was Dec. 6, 1824. Cannon was the first American pioneer to set eyes on Eld Inlet.

Mud Bay, Eld Inlet, Puget Sound

The trail is accessed at the northeast corner of the Park-and-Ride, goes behind some warehouse buildings, and loops back to the Madrona Beach road, providing views of some of the water birds.

A busy flock of Dunlin

A somewhat more sedate flock of Mew Gulls, supervised by a Glaucous-winged Gull

Double-crested Cormorant on the log . ..

As I was about to leave the parking area, when I saw an early Turkey Vulture soaring north over the Bay and along the foothills.  Good times.

First of the Season

Mud Bay eBird Checklist is Here

William Cannon trail eBird Checklist is Here