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Whatcom Watch
Beaks and Bills
August 2019
Birding by the Seasons
This is always the toughest column of the year to write, considering that it’s the time I’ve always referred to as the Dog Days of Birding. From mid-July and into late August, people actually complain that there are “no birds.” … Continue reading
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July 2019
May in the Methow Valley
The Methow River is a tributary of the Columbia, the largest river in the Pacific Northwest. The Methow’s 1,890 square mile watershed drains much of the wilderness areas of the eastern slope of the North Cascades. Its tributaries include the … Continue reading
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June 2019
Parks and Trails
Editor’s Note: Whatcom Watch thanks Joe for his years and years of superb columns! We’ll celebrate number 200 next year. I wrote my first column for the Whatcom Watch in April of 2002. In the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy, … Continue reading
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May 2019
Spring Birds, Nests, and Nesting Boxes
The Birds During this time of year the seasonal transition is mostly complete. Many of our wintering birds have left and made room for the species that are coming in to spend the spring and summer with us. What this … Continue reading
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April 2019
From Bellingham to Port Townsend
It’s the time of year when you might have the urge or itch to get outside and sample the freshness of the season. That widespread phenomenon is usually referred to as spring fever, but you should never feel that you’re … Continue reading
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March 2019
Equinox
Equinoxes occur on any planet that has a tilted rotational axis. On Earth, the equinox is the time of year when the plane of our equator passes through the center of the sun, resulting in equal times of day and … Continue reading
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February 2019
What’s in a Name?
With the January hump behind us we can begin anew, having experienced the wild windstorm of Dec. 20. Wind gauges at Mt. Baker measured gusts of 117 mph and the shoreline roads in Birch Bay and on the Semiahmoo Spit … Continue reading
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January 2019
An Idea for Birding in the New Year
In the middle of December the weather often demands that I spend more time indoors. During these slower times, I think back through the year to see if I satisfied myself with all the birds that I hoped to see. … Continue reading
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December 2018
Winter Waterfowl
For most of my life I’ve had a strong affinity for one of the most visible groups of birds — the ducks, geese, and related species that comprise the greater family of waterfowl. Some of my earliest bird-related memories are … Continue reading
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October-November 2018
The Southwest Coast: Cape Disappointment to Ocean Shores
It was with great anticipation that I finally changed my calendar to September to begin the countdown to my getaway for a week to Washington’s southwest coast. My anticipation was heightened by the stream of reports of large numbers of … Continue reading
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