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Whatcom Watch
Beaks and Bills
April 2022
Orcas Island
by Joe Meche To celebrate the 26th anniversary of our marriage in Baja, we treated ourselves to another getaway. This time we chose to take the ferry to Orcas Island and the historic Rosario Inn. Not quite as warm and … Continue reading
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March 2022
Marching Into Spring
by Joe Meche By the time you read this month’s Whatcom Watch, we will be a short three weeks away from the first day of spring. Given the weather events we’ve all experienced since November, it couldn’t come a day … Continue reading
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February 2022
Birding Anacortes
by Joe Meche It’s been a while since we celebrated Cindy’s birthday with a getaway, so this year I decided to take her someplace she’s never been. For that matter, I had never been to the Fidalgo Bay Resort, either. … Continue reading
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January 2022
Whatcom County Winter
Waterfowl, Shorebirds, and Raptors by Joe Meche As we enter yet another new year, it’s more obvious every day that we’re in the thick of winter weather and the birds we associate with the colder months. I’m quite possibly under the … Continue reading
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January 2022
Bird Names Revisited
by Joe Meche As I approach the 20-year mark of writing for Whatcom Watch and Beaks and Bills, I have occasion to look back at some of the titles, possibly for inspiration or just out of curiosity. Sometimes I see … Continue reading
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December 2021
Are You Ready for Winter?
by Joe Meche With all things considered, we felt that winter was not far away when we crossed the North Cascades after a birthday weekend in Winthrop. The eastbound trip over the mountains and the first day in the Methow … Continue reading
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Oct/Nov 2021
October Miscellany
by Joe Meche Silver Lake Revisited It seems that Silver Lake Park has become an August tradition for us over the last few years. Actually, the appeal of this nearby retreat started 29 years ago in the dead of winter. … Continue reading
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Oct/Nov 2021
Book Review: What It’s Like To Be a Bird
by Joe Meche From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing — What Birds Are Doing, and Why by David Allen Sibley Alfred A. Knopf, 2020 203 pages; hardcover; $35.00 We’re all familiar with David Sibley’s excellent field guides, but, in my … Continue reading
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September 2021
Birding as a Coping Mechanism
by Joe Meche In the midst of downtime due to the expected dog days of birding in August, there was ample time to reflect on and deal with a multitude of other details. It’s not surprising when you consider the … Continue reading
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August 2021
A Keystone Fourth
by Joe Meche Before we get too far along, I should say that summer is my least favorite season and the Fourth of July/Independence Day is my least favorite holiday. If I felt that everyone was thinking about the significance … Continue reading
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