Neah Bay

A little bay not too far from Neah Bay

 
Twice a year I visit Neah Bay, which is in the most Northwest corner of the 'lower 48'. I mostly go there to see water birds, but it is worth the 2 hour drive just to see the scenery.

Am sure these 2 rocks have a name but I don't
know what it is. Let's call it 'The Two Sisters'

Last year I also visited Neah Bay. Getting hungry, I stopped by a cute and tiny diner that was far from the main roads. As I climbed the stairs to the Cafe door. it opened. A man there looked at me, and told me the diner was closed. My disappointed face must have looked as hungry as I felt. He told me to go to the main entrance to the cafe and go on in. I did, and there were 2 ladies there, whom I soon found out were members of the Makah Tribe. They were quite friendly, and we immediately began to chat. The man appeared with a menu and urged me to choose something to eat. I eagerly settled on a burger with fries and some kind of interesting beverage - Ginger beer?

A grass and cedar Makah hat
not the one that was shown to me

Italian Soda? I can't quite recall. While the man preped lunch, one of the ladies showed me a photo of a beautiful hat she made for her granddaughter. The hat featured a wolf head - I think they were of the Wolf Clan. The hat was woven of local grasses and strongly reminded me of the Maidu and Miwok hats I used to see at the California State Indian Museum back when I was a docent. 

Soon the man (Mike?) came out with my lunch in a to-go box. I started to dig in my purse to pay for the meal. 

"No, that's alright," he said, "Just don't want you going hungry out here, its on the house."

I. was. flabbergasted. 

My cheeks went all red and I profusely thanked him, and the ladies. When I got home that day I sat right down, writing them a 'thank you' note I dug up the Cafe's name and address on line, and the following day I mailed it. 

A week later the note was returned to me with "Not deliverable at this address"  sprawled across the envelope. 

So that was my secondary task today - to hand deliver the thank you note to the Café. No one was there today so I jammed the envelope into the back door. I hope they find it before rain makes the card into a pile of paper pulp. Oh well, I tried! 

After dropping off the long delayed thank you note, I briefly toured the Makah National Fish Hatchery.

By the roads into the hatchery, there were oodles of blooming 'Skunk Cabbage'. They aren't exactly a rare plant, they're found in my area, but they are always cool to see. I know the young shoots are edible but I've not yet worked up the courage to forage for any. Some day!

Skunk Cabbage everywhere!

The scenery along the Pacific NW coast always makes me think of the book, "The Island of Blue Dolphins'. Not  that I would want to be abandoned to live alone, but just the beauty of the Pacific Ocean is breathtaking. 

The Pacific Ocean

So much for the scenery, as my true purpose for my visit to Neah Bay was birding. The first feathered wonders I spotter were several Bald Eagles up a tree on Neah Bay's main drag.

OK, count the number of eagles in this tree

Close up of the most obvious eagle

TADA!

The main road through Neah Bay parallels the actual bay. In winter there are many species of waterfowl present. Often the birds are quite far out, so only a few, in relatively good focus are showcased here. 

Common Loon in its plain pajamas (non-breeding plumage)

Male Goldeneye sea duck

Armada of White-winged Scoters - a fav of mine

Pigeon Guillemot, showing a hint
 of its crayon red legs

After driving to the Café, where I dropped off the thank you note, Common Mergansers were found on a riverway.

Common Merganser drake and two hens

When I finally had enough of Neah Bay's waterfowl, I headed back to Sequim. I can't wait to visit Neah Bay this winter when the number of waterfowl will be at its height.