Beaks and Bills

  April 2023

Spring Is Shorebird Time

by Joe Meche When the calendar flips from March into April, it’s our cue to start watching all of our local shorelines and even a few agricultural fields for migrating shorebirds! The sheer numbers of these unique birds that migrate … Continue reading

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  March 2023

Onward to the Equinox

by Joe Meche Cindy and I have lived here for a combined total of 98 years and we can’t think of anyplace we’d rather be. However, this winter has encouraged us to consider our options. Maybe it’s a part of … Continue reading

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  February 2023

Waiting for Spring

by Joe Meche Looking back to the snow and ice-related chaos over the Christmas holidays, it was difficult to imagine how far away spring was. The heavy snowfall was unexpected and caught most of us off guard, especially the freeze/thaw … Continue reading

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  February 2023

Birding Festival 2023              

by Joe Meche Wings Over Water     March 17-19, Blaine, WA   As it was with so many things the Covid-19 pandemic forced widespread delays and changes in plans for millions of people, not the least of which was the … Continue reading

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  January 2023

Of Birds and Bird-Watchers

by Joe Meche As fascinated as any behavioral anthropologist might be, I am always interested in origins and personal stories of how we all came to be and eventually evolved into who or what we are today. One special niche … Continue reading

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  December 2022

Winter Birding

by Joe Meche It goes without saying that the November rains and colder temps heralded a most dramatic shift from fall into early winter. It’s the seasonal transition that you should be used to if you’ve lived in the Pacific … Continue reading

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  Oct/Nov 2022

Two Road Trips for This Fall

by Joe Meche Alberta Bound Not only was “Alberta Bound” one of my favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs back in the day, but it was also the theme of our annual fall getaway this year. In the planning stages, we decided … Continue reading

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  September 2022

September Song in Two Parts

by Joe Meche   Birding on the Water As July segued into August and our annual heat wave descended upon us, birding became less fun with the warmer weather. With the addition of crowds of humans and crowds of mosquitoes … Continue reading

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  August 2022

One If By Land, One If By Sea

by Joe Meche Silver Lake Revisited As the grandkids aged. part of our summer vacation ritual has been a big camping trip to points here and there. We ranged far and wide from Alta Lake and Pearrygin Lake State Parks … Continue reading

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  July 2022

May in the Methow Valley

by Joe Meche The Methow River is a tributary of the Columbia River in north central Washington. Its watershed is in mostly pristine habitats and wilderness areas, so a cleaner free-flowing river would be hard to find. With recreation and … Continue reading

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