Watchable Wildlife
Timing and patience are two of the most important factors to a successful wildlife watching trip. Keep these tips in mind for a rewarding experience.
Wildlife Watching Tips
鈥 Plan your trip according to the season, tidal phase, and time of day.
鈥 Remember that wildlife is more active in the mornings and early evenings than in the afternoon.
鈥 Noise travels easily across water. Keep voices down when approaching a viewing area to avoid scaring wildlife away before you arrive.
鈥 Use binoculars and spotting scopes to bring animals 鈥渃loser鈥 to you without disturbing them.
鈥 Bring a field guide to help identify species.
鈥 Avoid disturbing wildlife, maintain the required 200 yard buffer from shore.
Be Part of the Solution
State and Federal laws protect seabirds and other marine life from disturbance and harassment.
鈥 Stay 200 yards from shore.
鈥 Steer your boat (including jet skis and kayaks) around bird flocks, not through them.
鈥 Never feed or touch wildlife.
鈥 Try to observe wildlife without them observing you.
鈥 Weight fishing lines to avoid hooking seabirds.
鈥 Recycle or dispose responsibly of fishing hooks and monofilament lines.
鈥 Pack out your trash.
鈥 Report stranded marine mammals to the Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.
鈥 Special rules apply when observing whales in inland Washington waters. Find a complete set of guidelines for marine wildlife at .