Birding is best in early morning as close to first light as possible. In spring and fall scan the lake for diving ducks, particularly scoters, loons and grebes. In the latter half of May watch for migrating flocks of Brant and arctic-breeding shorebirds; be sure to scan the numerous small, rocky islets for groups of roosting shorebirds. A spotting scope is pretty much essential at this location.

Waterfowl and other waterbirds. Around 250 pairs of Ring-billed Gull, smaller numbers of Herring Gull and several dozen pairs of Double-crested Cormorants nest on the barren islands (Elephant Rock and Mouse Island) directly south of the Mount Julian wharf. A small number of Common Terns formerly nested on a few of these offshore islands with the last known nesting in the early 1980s, but transients from breeding colonies elsewhere are occasionally observed in May and August. Migrant Caspian Terns are often present in May and again in August. Flocks of migrant Whimbrel may be observed in late May and in the past flocks of both Red Knot and Ruddy Turnstone have been seen as well.

This location provides one of the few publicly accessible vantages from which to view the open waters of the western basin of Stony Lake. There is limited parking along the east side of the road immediately south of FR 8, but these spaces are often quickly taken up by vehicles with boat trailers. It is possible to park at the wharf, provided that you remain close to your vehicle, but do not leave it unattended or otherwise block access to the fire stand pipe or the boat launch on the east side of the wharf.