Photos by Carolyn Hoard
ABOVE: Resident Kori Foster, left, and her daughter, Niki Doggett, pause during a walk along
the trail. TOP RIGHT: Benches by the pond offer a respite and a good viewing spot for birding.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Bufflehead swim in a pond.
Continued from Page 8
trail passes four large freshwater lagoons
with marshes and woodlands on both sides
of the trail.
Climb the short steps to the viewing
platform where artistic placards portray
local flora, fauna and the birds. These beau-
tifully painted and informative displays,
written and illustrated by Sally Lackaff,
are located at several places along the trail.
They provide rich details about the natu-
ral and human history of the area, as well
as about the wide variety of plants, animals,
birds and insects that live in the lagoons
and surrounding wetlands.
The woods are a mix of alder and
spruce, with undergrowth of ferns, salal,
huckleberry and elderberry bushes. The
trail crosses a short wooden walking bridge
and leads to the upper water treatments
ponds which are frequented by mallard
ducks and seagulls. A spur trail to the south
leads to a spruce reserve, then into some
quiet Cannon Beach neighborhoods.
In winter, ducks such as the black and
white bufflehead, cinnamon teal, shovelers
and ring-necked ducks dabble and dive for
aquatic food. Ospreys, vultures and eagles
may be seen along with views of the Coast
Range mountains to the southeast.
Come spring, little pompey wetlands
liven with yellow and green skunk cabbage,
soft grey pussy willows and brown cattails.
Warblers, flycatchers and songbirds such as
the red-winged blackbirds with their bright
red shoulder patches, fill the marsh with
color and their distinctive songs.
Almost any day, you can find folks
walking their dogs, birdwatching or
jogging.
“I use the trail for so many things. It’s
nice for running and jogging because it’s a
loop and protected from the wind. It’s flat
and even an easy sunny spot,” said local
resident Jen Yih.
Yih frequents the trail almost every day.
“It’s really quiet. You don’t have the
tourist traffic. It’s a local trail,” she added.
Kori Foster and her daughter Niki Dog-
gett walk their dog along the trail. Foster
visits the trail a couple times a week.
“The attraction for me is my camera.
I’ve gotten photos of so many ducks land-
ing and taking off,” Foster said. “You see
eagles once in a while.”
Although this nature area is close to U.S.
Highway 101, it is vibrant with plants, birds
and animals. One may find frogs, salaman-
ders, raccoons, deer, butterflies, woodpeck-
ers, even a brown creeper, a bird that looks
for insects while walking up the tree bark.
Canada geese and great blue herons are
common.
Across the parking lot from the lagoons
is the paved trail along Ecola Creek. At
the start of this short trail, there is a plac-
ard about the 1964 tsunami which hit Can-
non Beach. A city park with a playground,
picnic tables, tennis courts and a skate park
borders the beginning of this walk. Chick-
adees and jays inhabit the woodlands while
alders and willow trees overhang the creek
where mallards and mergansers swim.
There are two parking spots and a view-
ing bench at the end with a view of a barn
and horses across the creek. The ocean and
town are just around the corner.
Whether for birdwatching, a peaceful
walk or an energetic jog, the Cannon Beach
Nature Trail is a lovely place to be rejuve-
nated by the beauty of nature.
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021 // 9