Day 17.201: McIntosh Lot Preserve

The park with the trail that stretches about a quarter of a mile along the coast past the Giant's Stairs is officially called the McIntosh Lot Preserve, but as far as I can work out everyone just calls in Giant's Stairs.

Here is what we saw apart from the magma-tube-turned-to-basalt staircase that is the well-justified star of the show. You can see our visit to the stairs themselves here.

After we watched it fishing for a while, this double-crested cormorant had a good wash before flying away.

We were surprised to see this herring gull land on the rocks with an apple and then proceed to tear chunks off it.

A large group of eiders were floating in a small inlet between the rocks

In the distance: Halfway Rock Lighthouse

An impressive tent of fall webworm moth caterpillars.

Goldfinches

Song sparrow

Looking at the plants along the trail

The sedimentary rocks that are split by the basalt of the Stairs

It's a beautiful spot