Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is just that...outstanding! For more information, click
here. Right from the parking lot, things were exciting for us. A peregrine falcon and nest was perched on the hill overlooking the parking lot! Photographers were patiently waiting for little heads to peek out at them from the nest perched on the rocky hillside. Such patience!
 |
| peregrine falcon |
 |
| close up |
The Visitor's Center was really good, and had a film on the lighthouse, which was very interesting to us. (I really like the informative films offered at Visitor Centers)! After getting a map and the lay of the land, we headed out on foot for the coast. The views were spectacular.
 |
| beach at Yaquina |
 |
| there's the lighthouse now |
 |
| looks like a postcard! |
 |
| the rocks are teeming with wildlife |
It is nesting time for many of the sea birds. We were told that the murres, the ones that look like penguins, nest here for the month of May or so, and then they are out at sea for the rest of the year and you don't see them. We were very lucky, there were thousands of them here. They were so loud too, as you can imagine. Very cool!
 |
| lots of sea birds! |
We were so busy looking at the birds, we didn't see the sea lions at first! They are so big...and fun to watch as well. Especially the young ones.
 |
| sea lions AND birds, that is! |
 |
| close up |
The lighthouse offers tours, which we declined, and you need to sign up for them in the Visitor's Center in advance. The folks that just drove up to the lighthouse without stopping at the Visitor's Center first had no idea about that and seemed a bit disappointed that they couldn't just walk in and explore on their own.
 |
| another post card! |
 |
| the coast is so scenic! |
Once we rounded the bend and got closer to the lighthouse, the sound was deafening. So many birds! It was awesome to see, and we were happy we remembered our binoculars for this little outing! It was like watching a Nat Geo special! Fun! It really got exciting when a bird of prey flew in to the mix (a turkey vulture), and wow it got loud! No casualties that we could see...truth be told, that's the part of nature I don't like watching.
 |
| TONS of birds nesting |
 |
| mostly murres....they look like penguins |
 |
| and the sea lions are on the lower rocks in the water |
 |
| the full picture...lighthouse, birds, sea lions |
 |
| lots and lots of birds! Very loud here too! |
 |
| good one for us all to remember |
 |
| close up-fascinating to watch through binoculars |
 |
| from a distance |
 |
| view from the other side of the lighthouse |
 |
| this is fascinating! we are witnessing another Nat Geo special! |
 |
| Yaquina Head Lighthouse |
 |
| yikes-a bird of prey!! |
 |
| swooping in |
As we walked back toward the tide pools, we stopped again to observe the sea lions. We really enjoyed watching a mom and its young one trying to get on a rock. It was so funny. Once the pup got up on the rock, and the mom got up there too, the young one just slid back in the water on purpose. Then the mom had to go back in, and it started all over again. No wonder the moms are exhausted and laying around when they can! Haha!
 |
| baby sea lion/seal heading up on the rocks |
 |
| Mom trying to coax the young pup onto the rock for a rest |
 |
| they were such fun to watch |
 |
| Mom coming up too for a nap |
This is a very scenic area of the Oregon Coast...which is saying a lot because the whole coast is scenic! The views were spectacular.
 |
| the view |
 |
| the lighthouse is really sharp |
After our fun of watching the sea lions in action, we headed to the tide pools. We walked over some really smooth lava stones to get to the water. Imagine that each grain of sand on the beach is actually a round smooth stone...that is what it was like walking on that beach.
 |
| heading down to the tidal pools here |
 |
| these black smooth rocks are layers and layers deep...."fun" to walk on |
We checked out the tide pools, where there were a ton of anemones and color! We were disappointed we didn't see any starfish, but we did see quite a lot of crabs in action, chowing down on seafood :)
 |
| tide pool with pretty flora |
 |
| a crab, right in the middle of the pic...its black and circular and moved like crazy to catch "dinner" |
 |
| very colorful |
 |
| sooo green |
It wasn't easy walking on the rocks, but no one got hurt so it was a good day! We really enjoyed watching the ocean waves crash through the rocks. Lucky us...walking the distance to the end of the beach...we spotted several sea lions lounging on a rock. So cool!
 |
| quite a workout walking on the rocks! |
 |
| another view of the lighthouse |
 |
| glad I have my hiking shoes and not my sandals!! |
 |
| walking through to another cove |
 |
| more nesting birds and sea lions |
 |
| they are so close! |
 |
| lots of wildlife here |
 |
| so cool |
 |
| a private rock...not too crowded |
 |
| more tide pooling? |
Once back up from the sea level, we were just gawking at the ocean, not really wanting to leave yet, when Tom spotted a huge whale! WOW! That was the biggest one we'd seen yet..like the size of a bus. I tried to get some good pictures, but it was tough. We followed the whale all the way back to the lighthouse viewing area. It was really cool to see such a huge whale so close to shore, and just past the nesting birds. So cool! We really had a fun day!
 |
| another whale! (middle of the picture above the rock) |
 |
| close up...this one seemed huge! lots of birds out there too |
 |
| puffing!! |
 |
| amazing view of the whale...so close to shore |
 |
| so many birds on the water...they don't seem to mind the whale |
 |
| another shot |
 |
| so cool |
 |
| oh...and another puff!! |
 |
| one last look of the whale out there...past the bird-covered rocks |
 |
| very scenic lighthouse and great natural environment |
 |
| the surfers like this beach! |
 |
| another view out to sea |
There are two lighthouses-Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay. The lighthouse at Yaquina Bay is open and you can walk in and check out the rooms where the lighthouse keeper lived. I love that stuff! Its so much fun to see how other people lived..in a era that was not as easy as the one we live in!
 |
| Yaquina Bay Lighthouse |
 |
| love the rooms inside...fun to see how people lived |
 |
| the living room |
 |
| wow...that bed looks so uncomfortable |
 |
| the guest room (and obviously the sewing room too) |
 |
| the master bedroom |
 |
| another bedroom |
 |
| a look at the lighthouse from down below |
 |
| this one was so cozy |
Back at the ranch, our little friends came by to entertain us. They come by every evening, and we can watch them from the front seats in the RV. Who needs TV? Another great day on the Oregon coast!
 |
| we see you! |
 |
| the bay outside our front window |
 |
| bye bye you two! |
