A Weekend of Wildlife in Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest

Wildlife lovers rejoice, and consider moving here to Bellingham; the Pacific Northwest is chock full of cute, fluffy, and very rare critters and Bellingham is the perfect home base to see them all. Whether you’re walking through the forest on any of our hundreds of miles of trails, or sailing through the San Juan Islands by boat, you’re guaranteed to encounter an animal that will make you stop, enjoy your surroundings, and appreciate your decision to live in the PNW. 

Summer in Bellingham provides the perfect opportunity to get out and discover the animals that also make their homes here, and we recently had the chance to do just that as we guided a visiting friend on a tour of the area. We managed to see what felt like a lifetime’s amount of wildlife in just one weekend and we hope you’re inspired to get outside and do the same. Here’s what we saw while hiking and exploring Orcas Island, Deception Pass, Bellingham, and Sauk Mountain in Skagit Valley. 

Our Resident Orcas

This was an absolute treat. Any day that we’re able to see the orcas that reside in the Puget Sound is a fantastic day. Our weekend journey began on the appropriately named Orcas Island where we saw some of the aquatic wildlife mentioned later in this blog, but on the ferry ride home we began to slow as we neared Lopez Island. Our captain quickly announced that we would soon be passed by a pod of orcas and we rushed to the bow of the ship to catch a glimpse.  Using the slow moving whale watching cruise ships that follow the whales at a safe distance as our guide for where to look, we spotted a group of arguably the ocean’s most majestic creatures as they came to the surface for air.



We were lucky enough to happen across orcas en route to the mainland, but this is not always the case. In fact it’s a few and far between occurrence and seeing the orcas feels like a gift. For your best chance to see whales in the area we recommend taking a whale watching cruise from Bellingham or La Conner. 

Harbor Seals

Backing up a bit, our first stop on Orcas Island was what we expected to be one of the sleepiest; Deer Harbor. We visited to shake out our sea legs and observe the morning life of the local sailors. But while we humans were still waking up, the wildlife was already out and active. We found sea anemones swaying in the current, starfish clinging to the underside of the docks, and a curious harbor seal poking its head out of the water to watch us in return. 



When they’re far away the harbor seals can be difficult to spot as their shiny heads blend in with the water. They often look like a grey soccer ball bobbing along with the waves. Our blurry picture doesn't do justice to how difficult they can be to spot, but the pixelation is a clue as to how far away they tend to stay from people on the shore. However, when up close you can see the intelligence and playfulness in their eyes and it’s clear why they’re affectionately nicknamed “sea dogs”.

North American River Otters

Shortly after our encounter with the harbor seal, we began to hear an out-of-place crunching sound that was coming from the other side of the dock. We were on high alert to see more wildlife thanks to our harbor seal sighting so we followed our ears, continually scanning the calm water for ripples. As the crunching got louder, we soon spotted a north american river otter eating quite the healthy helping of breakfast.



The otter was in a constant dance of diving to catch a fish and surfacing to eat it. Dive, surface, chew, repeat. The otter let us watch it eat its fair share of fresh seafood for nearly 15 minutes and we would have stayed longer if we didn’t need to head to our next location. 

North American Beavers

Thanks to restoration and rehabilitation efforts, this shy keystone species is making a comeback in the Pacific Northwest. Their water restricting construction habits help curb erosion and store water in the ground through drought season, and seeing one in the wild is always a treat. They’re awfully selective about when in the day they leave the confines of their lodge and they’ll usually bolt if they sense movement of any sort from the shore. 



Back on mainland from our island adventure, we headed to Bowman Bay to view Deception Pass from the Lighthouse Bay Trail and we were in for quite the treat after completing the loop; We spotted three beavers swimming in the ponds off the shore of the bay. We were able to watch them collect food, swim in and out of their lodge, and groom each other for several minutes without frightening the beavers away. While these critters are rare to come by in the wild, we actually have at least three resident beavers living in Lake Louise in Sudden Valley. You can find their lodge on the north end of the lake, hidden amongst the cattails, and can often spot them swimming along the shore at dusk during the spring and fall seasons.   

Baby Whitetail Deer (Fawns)

Seeing fawns in the Pacific Northwest, especially in a forested community like Sudden Valley, is not a rare occurrence, but they’re so cute that you have to stop and watch as they clumsily scamper into the bushes. Their white spots fade quickly, so be sure to enjoy them while you can. These cute additions to the neighborhood begin to leave the safety of their favorite hiding place in mid-spring and stay with their mothers for the first year of their lives. 

A Massive Banana Slug

Are banana slugs rare? Commonly thought of as cute? Cuddly? Or even considered to be most peoples’ favorite animals? No, no, no and no. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited to see these alien-like creatures. 

Keep your eyes peeled after a rainy day here in Bellingham and you just might spot one as large as we did. We happened across this massive slug while walking along the Cold Springs Trail in Orcas Island’s Moran State Park. Seeing the slow moving creature take hefty bits out of a mushroom reminded us that it’s ok to slow down and enjoy our surroundings.

Belted Kingfishers

As we watched the river otter munch on its seemingly endless buffet of fish, we also spotted a pair of belted kingfishers flying through the masts of the anchored sailboats. Kingfishers can be spotted sitting above the water in trees or bushes as they hunt for fish and we’re lucky to have a few that frequent Lake Louise in Sudden Valley. While their feathers appear to be grey, they’re actually a quite pleasant shade of blue that often stands out from the lush green surroundings of our local lakes. 

Hooded Mergansers and Ducklings

Hooded mergansers might be one of the more interesting looking birds we have in the area and their distinct head shape is both difficult to miss and easy to distinguish. We stumbled across a female merganser and her ducklings at the same pond where we would later see the trio of beavers at Bowman Bay. This small family of mergansers was hunting for dinner as we watched from the path and the ducklings made sure to never stray too far from their mother’s side.  

Great Blue Heron

One second we’re watching the merganser ducklings and the next we raise our eyes toward the back of the pond and spot a great blue heron slowly stalking fish through the reed grass.



Great blue herons are common in the wetlands and tidal zones of the Pacific Northwest and they can be found all over Bellingham, including near our office here in Sudden Valley. That said, their frequency doesn’t make them any less intriguing. Their graceful, slow hunting technique is always entertaining to watch and their smooth descent before landing amongst the shallows is a sight to see. While their movements are smooth and calculated, their call seems to be anything but. If you hear something akin to a pterodactyl screech overhead, it just may be a great blue heron.   

Giant Pacific Octopus (Not Wild)

While the octopus we saw was not found in the wild, the giant pacific octopus does live in the waters of Bellingham Bay where they hunt and sleep along the ocean floor. This particular octopus, named Atly, finds itself temporarily housed by Marine Life Center at the Port of Bellingham building near Squalicum Harbor. The Marine Life Center often plays host to an octopus after they were caught in the net of local fishermen and they will release them after they have gone through a rehabilitation process.



The Marine Life Center is an educational facility that promotes stewardship of our local waters and beyond and it’s free to visit. They provide a great opportunity to learn about the fish, anemones and crustaceans that live in our local waters, so head down to the port for a visit. 

Hoary Marmots

Have you hiked in the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade Mountains and had your peace and quiet interrupted by a high pitched shriek? Well it just might be these furry critters. 



Marmots use their scream to warn each other of nearby predators, so if you hear it it’s possible that they’re telling their family about you. To find these over-sized squirrels, keep an eye on large boulder fields in alpine settings. You’ll likely spot one sunning itself on a nice day or pressing its belly on a rock to get some extra warmth. When we reached the summit of Sauk Mountain in Skagit County we found a handful of marmots doing just that. 

Roosevelt Elk

While these megafauna can also be found in the foothills of Whatcom County, we happened across them while driving to Sauk Mountain along the North Cascades Highway (Highway 20). The North Cascade Herd can be spotted while grazing in large fields and prairie like settings and frequently travels through Hurn Field, a popular pullout along Highway 20. The parking lot has signage provided by the Skagit Land Trust that teaches about the herd and their migratory patterns. If you happen to be driving to the many hikes in North Cascades National Park, or heading east to check out Mazama and Winthrop, keep your eyes peeled for the elk and be sure to stop and watch them graze.

Sea Anemones, Crabs, Squirrels, Butterflies, and Small Animals

While the animals mentioned earlier in this blog made us “oooh” and “ahhh”, the more common animals that live amongst us are what truly make the Pacific Northwest feel like home. Anemones move with the waves like grasses sway in the wind, crabs scuttle from rock to rock on every beach, squirrels jump between trees as we walk through the forest, butterflies flit from flower to flower, and an uncountable number of bird species sing their songs in the morning to gently wake us up. We are incredibly lucky to live in such a diverse place, and we would encourage any lover of nature to visit and experience it for themselves. 

We hope to see you on the trails, squatting around a banana slug in the near future but if we don't, we can always be found at our office in Sudden Valley, or via our connect page here on our website. If you'd like to make Bellingham your home and to ride the trails here year round, reach out to us.

About the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team

For more than 50 years, the Weitzel & Andrew Home Team has helped buyers and sellers navigate the Sudden Valley and greater Whatcom County real estate market. Our passion for this community extends beyond real estate. We believe in supporting the people, events, and organizations that make this such a special place to call home.

Whether you're buying, selling, or simply exploring your options, we're here to be your trusted local resource.