Wally Davis with the Cascade Bicycle Club will be leading another Ride for the Raptors ride in the Samish Flats. Read the full discription and register for the ride at:
https://cascade.org/rides-events/88762https://cascade.org/rides-events/88762
The Samish Flats are one of the best locations in the state for viewing migrating raptors. A dozen or more species are recorded most years including Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier, and five falcons (American Kestrel, Merlin, Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, and Prairie Falcon). Ten species of owls have been observed on the flats or in the adjacent forested foothills with Short-eared Owl being frequently observed. Shorebirds, Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, snow geese, and 25 other species of waterfowl are commonly observed in the various ponds and waterways.
This is a scenic, steady-paced ride (12-14 mph) paralleling Padilla Bay and crisscrossing the Samish Flats. The first and last 2 miles of this route are fine, packed gravel and are suitable for road bikes. The ride is mostly flat with only one significant hill; everyone may climb the hill at their own pace, and we will regroup at the top. This ride is as much about enjoying birds and nature as it is about riding a bicycle.