Chinook Scenic Byway offers dazzling views of Mt. Rainier, but for a more intimate experience, stop by Mt. Rainier National Park and scope out the park’s many species of birds. The Northern Spotted Owl is the only bird listed on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service list of threatened and endangered species that permanently inhabits the park, although Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons are thought to migrate through the park. During your visit you may also spot a Marbled Murrelet. These birds nest in the park and have been seen by birders inside and outside the park. Spot some Little Willow Flycatcher, Harlequin Duck and Northern Goshawk as you do some excellent birding near Mt. Rainier.
Chinook Scenic Byway also passes through the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, home to raptors and other birds. Be sure to stop by the Skagit River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River. Every year hundreds of Bald Eagles migrate here from Alaska and Canada during the winter. They feed on the dead salmon that wash up on the sides of the river. Sometimes as many as 600 eagles perch in the cottonwoods along the river. Eagle-watcher volunteers staff different sites along the river. These volunteers help to manage visitors' use of the river by monitoring spotting scopes, handing out eagle watching etiquette brochures and sharing reference material. Several locations even offer interpretive programs.
Drive the Chinook Scenic Byway for an amazing birding experience, both up-close and through the scope of binoculars. Pass through Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and watch as eagles feast on salmon. Pull out your binoculars and be dazzled by the birds of Mt. Rainier.
