Beaks and Bills

  April 2018

Seasonal Transition

by Joe Meche

As you’re reading this column, the first day of spring is behind us and the profusion of greenery is everywhere. We’re also seeing and hearing the transitional phases of our migratory birds. The birds that have spent the winter with … Continue reading →

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  March 2018

Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival  

by Joe Meche

Blaine/Birch Bay/Semiahmoo,  March 16-18 The Wings Over Water birding festival celebrates its 16th anniversary this year and, if the popularity of recent festivals continues, it could become a permanent fixture for Whatcom County birders of every level. The festival originated … Continue reading →

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  March 2018

The Best Early Spring Birding

by Joe Meche

From my own experience, I have a select list of places I’ve been where the birding was, and hopefully still is, spectacular. The short list ranges from the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Sanibel Island in Florida to … Continue reading →

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  February 2018

Owls in Whatcom County

by Joe Meche

Whenever I think of birds and I’m pinned down to decide which of these remarkable creatures are the most fascinating, I always lean toward owls. I know from personal experience that I don’t just look at an owl and walk … Continue reading →

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  January 2018

Three for the Winter Road

by Joe Meche

Fellow watchers often ask me to provide a list of my favorite places to see birds in winter, without having to spend half the day getting there! That’s easy to do because I go to the same three places throughout … Continue reading →

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  December 2017

Winter Birding

by Joe Meche

After what seemed like an abrupt transition from fall to winter, we suddenly find ourselves facing a few months of birding wearing multiple layers. Migratory birds have either passed through on the way to warmer climes or flown in to … Continue reading →

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  Oct/Nov 2017

Shorebirds

by Joe Meche

One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve heard from people who discover that I’m interested in birds is, “what’s your favorite bird?” Most of the birders I know have favorites or can at least narrow it down to a … Continue reading →

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  September 2017

Late Summer Birding

by Joe Meche

I’ve written before about the dog days of birding and this summer has proven beyond a doubt that they exist. These are the times that try a birder’s soul because birds are painfully scarce in most habitats, and finding them … Continue reading →

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  August 2017

East of the Mountains

Whatcom Watch

by Joe Meche Over the past two decades we’ve made our first trip over Washington Pass as soon as the snowplows opened State Highway 20, usually in mid-May. For one reason or another this year, mid-May suddenly became mid-June before … Continue reading →

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  July 2017

Birding the Olympic Coast

by Joe Meche

Cape Flattery Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island began operating in 1857.       Photo: Joe Meche Part II Cape Flattery to Port Townsend After three days on the southwest coast between Tokeland and Ocean Shores, I continued my journey along the loop … Continue reading →

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