Days Five and Six: Sol Duc, Lake Crescent, and Dungeness Spit
The final stretch of the trip became less about chasing birds and more about experiencing the remaining beauty of Olympic National Park.
After settling into our accommodations Thursday evening, we slowed the pace down a bit. We grabbed dinner, relaxed, and spent the night playing a board game instead of planning routes or studying tide charts. My oldest daughter joined us that evening for the remainder of the trip, and over the next two days I found myself quietly impressed by how much bird knowledge she has absorbed simply by being around it over the years.
Day five started with coffee and a drive deeper into the mountains toward Sol Duc Valley.
Our first stop was the Ancient Groves Trail. The forest itself immediately became the focus—towering trees, filtered sunlight, and the quiet feeling that seems unique to old Pacific Northwest forests. Bird activity was fairly light overall, but the morning opened with a great surprise when I spotted a Lincoln's Sparrow. It’s never a common sighting for me, so finding one right away felt like a strong start to the day.
From there, we headed to the Sol Duc Falls trail. The hike itself was beautiful, with sunlight breaking through the canopy and reflecting off the moss-covered forest around us.
Throughout the entire trip I had been scanning streams and rivers hoping for one particular bird: the American Dipper.
Earlier in the trip I had seen a bird flash low above a stream and disappear quickly enough that I suspected it was a dipper, but I never got the confirming look I wanted. At Sol Duc Falls, it happened again—a dark bird shooting low past the rushing water before disappearing downstream.
This time, though, we eventually caught up to it.
As we started walking back from the falls, we reached a bend in the stream where the bird suddenly became visible along the rocks and rushing water. I immediately called everyone over to look. After searching for months—really years—it was finally there in clear view.
That moment alone would have made the stop memorable, but the forest had one more surprise waiting.
Not long afterward, a medium-sized bird moved through the understory ahead of us. Most of the time that shape and movement ends up being an American Robin, but this time it was a Varied Thrush. My wife and daughter were already familiar with the species from living in Washington, so I made sure my brother got the binoculars first. I honestly thought the thrushes had already moved farther north by then, which made the sighting even more enjoyable.
After the hike, we spent some time at the hot springs before eventually heading back to rest for the evening.
Later that afternoon we made our way to Lake Crescent and hiked the trail leading toward the Devils Punchbowl. The water there hardly looks real—deep blue against the forested shoreline and mountains surrounding the lake. It immediately became one of those places I knew I wanted to return to, hopefully sometime this summer for a swim.
Once again, a single bird sighting became the defining moment of the walk.
Back at the Hoh Rain Forest, I had spent considerable effort trying to visually locate a Hammond's Flycatcher that I could only hear. At Lake Crescent, I finally got my chance. High in the treetops, the flycatcher briefly revealed itself long enough for a satisfying look before disappearing back into the canopy.
The final morning of the trip arrived quickly.
My wife and daughter headed home while my brother and I made one final stop at Dungeness Spit. I’ve visited the area several times before, but it’s difficult not to appreciate the scenery there—the long stretch of shoreline with mountains rising across the background always feels distinctly Washington.
Bird activity was lighter than earlier portions of the trip, but there were still a few memorable moments. Several loons and mergansers moved offshore while a Dunlin gave us unusually close looks along the shoreline. I also spotted what I believe was a female Long-tailed Duck, which felt fitting after finally finding my lifer male earlier in the trip.
We ended the walk talking birds with a friendly couple visiting from Minnesota, who shared a few recommendations for birding locations back in their home state.
From there, we finally started the drive home. My brother would head back to Massachusetts the following day, and all of us were ready for a bit of rest after six full days of movement, scenery, and birding.
It was an incredible trip.
Next up: some final reflections and overall thoughts from the week around the Olympics.
Field Notes — Sol Duc & Lake Crescent
Location: Sol Duc Valley and Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Date: Late April 2026
Habitat: Old-growth temperate rainforest, mountain streams, conifer forest, alpine lake shoreline
Conditions: Sunny spring weather with filtered forest light and cool mountain air
Species Observed (highlights):
Lincoln's Sparrow
American Dipper
Varied Thrush
Hammond's Flycatcher
American Robin
Other Observations: Multiple target species finally revealed themselves after earlier near-misses; strong contrast between rushing streams, dense rainforest, and the vivid blue water of Lake Crescent.
Field Notes — Dungeness Spit
Location: Dungeness Spit, Washington, USA
Date: Late April 2026
Habitat: Coastal spit, shoreline, marine waters, estuarine habitat
Conditions: Calm spring morning with clear mountain visibility
Species Observed (highlights):
Dunlin
Long-tailed Duck (possible female)
Loons
Mergansers
Other Observations: Final stop of the trip emphasized scenery and quiet observation over active bird searching; memorable conversation with visiting birders reinforced the shared community aspect of birding travel.
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