Harbour and Marina

Located on the Tokeland Peninsula, on the north side of Willapa Bay, Tokeland Harbor is one of the more unusual places to photograph shorebirds. The marina is the main roost for a flock of Marbled Godwits which frequent the north side of the bay. The birds roost on the jetty, pictured in the foreground, and are rather tolerant of the hustle and bustle of this small port which has about half dozen boats which fish for Dungeness Crabs in the bay.

The area is named for Chief Toke of the Chehalis Tribe who used the area as his family summer home, and is home to the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation. Crabbing, fishing, and clam digging (when in season) are popular activities for visitors to Tokeland. Boats may be launched at the Tokeland Marina, though generally the area is quiet.

Best Times To Visit

Between 400 and 600 Marbled Godwits regularly overwinter in the area. The birds are present from September through to late April. October, before the weather has settled into a winter pattern and April when the birds are almost in full breeding plumage are probably the best times to visit. The Washington coast receives a large amount of rainfall and the coast is often cloudy so any day which offers sunshine is a good time to visit.

During The Day
Toke Point projects well into Willapa Bay and often escapes the shroud of cloud which often covers the nearby forested hillsides in early morning. Birds are present roughly 3 hours either side of high tide. A high tide around 1pm is often best. By the time the water has receded for the birds to start moving onto the mudflats along the west side of the harbor the sun is low enough in the sky to provide nice lighting.

What Species To Expect

Marbled Godwit along with a handful of Whimbrel and Willet are the most common species found in the roost. A small number of dowitchers can also be found mixed in with the flock. Most smaller shorebirds roost on the outer beaches and are only seen occasionally in the harbor.

The roost will also attract more unusual visitors. Bar-tailed Godwit is almost an annual visitor with birds seen most commonly in Autumn. Between 1 and 3 are typically found each year. American Avocet has been seen on more than one occasion and in 2003 a Hudsonian Godwit show up for a few weeks.

The pilings and the shade from the jetties attract a number of small fish. Loons, grebes and sea-ducks such as Red-breasted Merganser can often be found fishing in the harbor. This offers a rare opportunity to get close-up shots of species which are not normally seen close enough to dry land.

What's Good

• The birds are used to the activity in the harbor and so are not easily disturbed. The occasional loud noise will disturb the flock, though most of the time they will return to the jetty after circling the harbor a couple of times.
• When the birds roost on the abandoned jetty they are only about 10m from the nearest suitable point to photograph them. The road overlooking the jetty has a small amount of foot and road traffic so although you are silhouetted against the skyline the birds usually ignore your presence.
• Toke Point projects out into Willapa Bay and is sunnier than the surrounding area. When the rest of the coast is shrouded in cloud there is often a small patch of blue sky right over the area offering a haven and rescuing an otherwise washed out day.

What's Not So Good

• The weather along the coast in unpredictable so the long drive just might be a waste of time.