Life on the Bays
Wildlife
A Wildlife Refuge
An Extraordinary Concentration of Life
The Minterbrook property is home to an extraordinary concentration of Pacific Northwest wildlife. We seek to live and work in harmony with the ecosystem that surrounds our farm — a place that is as much a sanctuary as it is a working bay.
The Rhythm of the Year
Four Salmon Runs
Minter Bay hosts four distinct salmon runs throughout the year, drawing large populations of adult and juvenile bald eagles — two active nesting sites on the property keep them present year-round.
White River Spring Chinook
Mid-May – late June
Chinook
Late June – early September
Coho
Early September – early November
Chum
Mid-November – late December
In Motion
Wildlife on Film
Shot on the bays by the family.
Watch in Full
The Full Videos
Tap any of them to watch the full video.
The bays are home to harbor seals year-round, with sea lions arriving seasonally. Orca whales visit both bays several times a year, and sea otters come and go throughout the seasons. A nearby Great Blue Heron rookery keeps herons present all year, alongside Canadian Geese, Kingfishers, and — from late September through April — large flocks of wintering Mallards, Scoters, Bufflehead, and Mergansers.
On the uplands, at least two deer families raise fawns each year. Raccoons work the tide line at low water, and black bears have been spotted passing through and occasionally swimming in the bay.