The scouring wind howls through the shifting dunes and their islands of sheltering scrub, carrying with streamers of sand like a tawny river of air and pulverized rock. The throbbing rhythm of the ceaseless tide rises to meet the whistling breeze and coursing sand pouring from Leadbetter Point , the jutting prow of Long Beach, reaching northward to almost touch the headlands beyond the mouth of Willapa Bay. This coastal wilderness is home to a vast menagerie of wild creatures, and is a sheltering paradise that welcomes millions of migrating birds to its tumultuous ocean shores and peaceful bayside marshes.
It is also a sanctuary for endangered species on the road to recovery - Snowy Plovers nest in sheltered hollows, and streaked horned larks return yearly to their familiar clumps of grass to raise their young.
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| Snowy Plover |
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| Streaked Horned Lark |
Every year at the Wings over Willapa festival the Refuge takes visitors out into to experience Leadbetter Point first hand, to learn about this wild landscape and spot the many birds that feed, nest, and rest here. Join the tour, or visit by yourself on foot and experience this wild and lovely place.
