Rediscovering Birds in Whatcom County

Joe Meche is in his sixth year as editor of the Avalanche, the newsletter of the North Cascades Audubon Society, and a member of the board of directors. Joe has been observing birds for over 50 years and chairs or coordinates many of the bird-related activities of North Cascades Audubon, such as the Important Bird Areas program and the Great Washington Birding Trail project.

The events of the past several months have had an impact on everyone in a myriad of ways; more so for some than for others. Even outdoor enthusiasts have been affected by the tighter security at the border.

While many birdwatchers in the area have been known to head north to the lower mainland of British Columbia, especially in the wintertime, the longer-than-usual delays at the border have caused many of us to spend more time rediscovering the birds and birdwatcher-friendly environs of our own backyard, right here in Whatcom County.

While Iona Island, the George Reifel Sanctuary, and Boundary Bay have always held great appeal for weekend field trips, Whatcom County can boast some of the best birdwatching in the entire state in winter; or in the entire country for that matter.

Rare bird sightings have been known to occur here, as well as in the northern reaches of neighboring Skagit County. One of the more prominent of the 53 recently-designated Audubon Important Bird Areas of Washington state is right here in Whatcom County.

Of nearly 140 sites nominated for inclusion in the first loop of the proposed Great Washington Birding Trail, Whatcom County lays claim to some of the key areas for winter birdwatching in the western lowlands. When a great part of the state lies dormant underneath considerable snow or ice, the marine and lowland habitats of Whatcom County are usually snow-free and accessible for birds and the people who enjoy watching them.

Birds aren’t aware of boundaries and our field guides mean absolutely nothing to them. They just do what they do, and the pleasure provided by birds and birdwatching can be a lifetime pursuit and, for many, borders on being a passion.

Some folks are drawn to birdwatching because of their love of the outdoors and the natural order of things. Some participate in observations of birds for scientific reasons ranging from Master’s theses to the citizen-science of bird counts at Christmas time and during spring migration.

The new kid on the block is the lister, who has added a new dimension to this age-old activity by creating new and more-competitive ways to watch birds; e.g., how many birds they’ve seen in one day; which birds they’ve seen in Whatcom County, Washington state, the U.S. or the world.

And, of course, they have their life lists, which supposedly include every bird they’ve ever seen anywhere in their lives. These are the competitive birdwatchers who prefer to think of themselves as birders. But then, what’s in a name?Whatever your interest level or reason for watching birds, Whatcom County is a great place to observe and appreciate birds, practice your identification skills, and, if necessary, add to your very own life list.

The list that follows is offered as a primer for some of the more notable sites for watching birds in Whatcom County. If your favorite site is omitted, you might consider it a blessing of sorts.

Pack a lunch, binoculars, and your scope (don’t forget the tripod) and enjoy an easy drive up the interstate to Blaine’s Marine Park and the Blaine Marina area. Parking is available in numerous locations, but the pier at the end of Marine Drive is a good place to start your day.

From the pier, you can glass the channel between Blaine and the Semiahmoo Spit, as well as the expanse of open water that is Semiahmoo Bay, between the end of the spit and White Rock, British Columbia. In wintertime and during migration, the channel is often filled with numerous species of diving ducks, loons, grebes, and cormorants.

On a recent outing, more than 400 Pacific and common loons were congregated and feeding actively in the water just north of the spit. A yellow-billed loon has also been reported recently, along with another winter favorite, the long-tailed ducks.

Bald eagles soar overhead while several species of gulls wheel about in search of food. From the walkways or from one of four covered shelters in Marine Park, you can see several species of shorebirds feeding on the tide flats, along with common and Caspian terns in migration, great blue herons, and sometimes thousands of dabbling ducks. Be prepared for the spectacular flights of peregrine falcons.

The significance of the Drayton Harbor/Semiahmoo Bay area for wintering and migrating birds has been acknowledged and the area is now designated as one of Washington state’s first Important Bird Areas.

If your tastes lean more toward an outing with a mixture of habitat types, consider spending some time at Birch Bay and the state park, which is just south of town. This large, shallow bay hosts one of the largest concentrations of birds on the West Coast in mid-April, in the area of the south bay, just north of Point Whitehorn.

Thousands of scoters, harlequin ducks, cormorants, loons, and gulls gather to feed on the herring spawn. In the woodlands of the park, you can find owls and other forest dwellers. In the Terrell Creek wetlands, you’ll find nesting common yellowthroats, marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, and rails.

Terrell Creek flows into the bay north of the park and should be checked along the way for ducks, kingfishers, and herons. Yellowlegs, dunlin, and other shorebirds are frequent visitors to the beaches and mudflats of the bay.

When you reach the north end of Birch Bay, head north and over the hill to Semiahmoo Park, part of the Whatcom County Parks system. Park on either end of the spit and walk from one end to the other to enjoy the birds along the way.

Watch closely for black turnstones and black-bellied plovers on the gravel beaches, bald eagles, and the occasional short-eared owl cruising the grassy center of the spit. This site is also perfect for bicycle birding, since a paved trail runs the length of the spit.

Just a few miles south of Bellingham is a prime example of the richness of this area. The habitats range from beaches and open water to the trails and hidden lakes of Chuckanut Mountain. These varied habitats harbor as diverse a range of bird species as you might expect.

From the belted kingfishers and harlequin ducks on the tidewater to the barred and northern pygmy owls and woodpeckers along the trail to Fragrance Lake, this site has so much potential that you might consider packing an even-larger lunch, because you’ll want to stay a while.

Tennant Lake has a newly-refurbished, state-of-the-art observation tower which has a camera that can be accessed at the ground level by anyone who might be unable to climb the stairway to the top. After scanning the lake from the tower, take a walk along the boardwalk and be prepared for any number of marsh nesters such as American bitterns, Virginia rails, soras, green herons, and common yellowthroats. Take the trails to Hovander Park and watch for bald eagles and northern harriers, and be sure to check out the barn for barn owls.

You can spend entire days exploring the incredible parks of Bellingham and hiking the extensive trails that make up the city’s Greenway Trail System. Little Squalicum Beach, Zuanich Point Park, Boulevard Park, and Marine Park all offer unobstructed views of Bellingham Bay and the large concentrations of western grebes, surf scoters, goldeneyes, gulls, and cormorants that are common in winter.

Be sure to check the mudflats in Padden Lagoon for shorebirds and be alert for bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Cornwall Park has nesting barred and western screech owls and a variety of passerine species. Lake Padden Park has a series of trails that circle and rise above the lake and offer occasional glimpses of the resident pair of bald eagles and choruses of Swainson’s thrushes. Barred owls can be heard in the forests above the lake early and late in the day during the spring. A pair of ospreys nest nearby, as well.

Bellingham’s urban jewel is Scudder Pond, a nature preserve that is owned by the North Cascades Audubon Society and is connected by trails to Whatcom Falls Park. The wetlands of Scudder Pond come to life in the springtime with nesting wood ducks, Virginia rails, green herons, and black-crowned night herons, along with the ubiquitous red-winged blackbirds.

These are but just a few of the sites in Whatcom County for ornithological pursuits. More than 328 species of birds have been recorded in Whatcom County in habitats ranging from deep water marine and rocky shorelines to wetlands, woodlands, and even the slopes of 10,778' Mount Baker.

When you consider that many birdwatchers travel to Whatcom County to watch birds, shouldn’t we be doing the same? Forget the long lines at the border and rediscover the birds of Whatcom County. For more information about birdwatching in the area, visit the North Cascades Audubon Society website at http://www.northcascadesaudubon.org.