Samish West 90

Photography

Best light

Evening lightOvercast

Recommended focal length

500–800mm

• Harriers, rough-legged hawks and falcons hunt the unit and surrounding fields all winter, most actively in the last hours of light.
• On winter evenings, waterfowl flights into the ponds make good silhouette and motion-blur frames.
• The flats are open with little cover; settle in at the lot edge or on the dike and let birds come to you.
• When winter rain floods the fields and ponds, waterfowl and shorebirds spread across the unit. The blinds on the ponds give close, hidden views, but hunters use them in season; share politely and check WDFW dates.

Access

Parking

WDFW gravel lot with a portable toilet, straight ahead where Samish Island Road bends sharply north, about 0.5 miles west of Bayview-Edison Road.

Trails

A short paved trail from the lot, then about 0.75 miles across the unit to the bay dike; the route can be wet in winter. Viewing blinds sit on the sculpted ponds.

Restrictions

• A Discover Pass or WDFW Vehicle Access Pass is required.
• Managed for waterfowl hunting in fall and winter; wear bright clothing and check WDFW season dates.
• Stay on the trail and dike, and respect the private farmland around the unit.

Before you go

• Lens: 500–800mm. Pack spare batteries; cold drains them fast.
• Review the access restrictions above and any posted closures.
• Check the weather and, on the shoreline, the tide forecast.
• Keep a respectful distance. If an animal changes its behavior, you're too close.