September Song

Joe Meche is vice president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and is in his 10th year as editor of the chapter newsletter. Joe is also a member of the board of directors of the Washington Brant Foundation. He has been photographing birds and landscapes for more than 30 years and has been watching birds for more than 50 years.

Lengthening shadows, conspicuously cooler mornings, and leaves giving in to water stress can mean only one thing — it must be September in the Pacific Northwest. Also, as Labor Day rapidly approaches and the traditional end of summer is in sight, there are numerous reports of birds already on the move. For the past few weeks, members of the ever popular family of shorebirds have begun to arrive on local beaches and mudflats in increasing numbers. For the calendar-conscious birdwatcher, these signs let us know that fall is on the way. And so are many more birds to come!

After the near-record hot-weather days of July and August, it can’t happen a minute too soon for yours truly. Summer has become my least favorite season in recent years for a number of reasons — so much so that I look forward to the crisp days of early fall. I can go so far as to say that I also have no fear of rain. Most of us who enjoy living here don’t do so for the heat. We do not complain about what Timothy Egan refers to as “the good rain.”

When the ninth month of the calendar year rolls in, the days will grow noticeably shorter, dew will begin to cover the ground in the morning, and thirsty leaves will begin to transform from green to red and yellow. Swallows on the verge of migration will gather in staging flocks on utility wires to the point where the wires seem almost to sag under their weight. And once again, school kids will be a common sighting at local feeders or while waiting for the bus in the morning. September seems to change the pace for many species.

After the dog days of birding that we visited in last month’s column, the pace of avian activity is already beginning to pick up. The oystercatchers that were prowling the beach at Semiahmoo last month have been joined by black-bellied plovers, western sandpipers and even a couple of marbled godwits. Several observers have reported young merlins streaking around various neighborhoods. Merlins were an exciting part of the birding year for many watchers. It has been speculated that there are as many as six merlin nests in the city this year so keep a watchful eye out for the youngsters as they try to learn the ways of the raptor.

As we endeavor to shake off the dust of the dog days, where do we go and how do we prepare for the fall and winter birds that will be heading our way before we know it? Just as you would prepare for a bird count, like the annual Christmas Bird Count or the spring North American Migration Count, you think about the birds you hope to see and get to know the areas they frequent. For those who keep life lists or county lists, preparation is the key (for the rest of it, it’s the sheer joy of it all).

For starters, spend time with your optics to make sure they didn’t collect too much dust over the summer. Dry conditions can have as much of a deleterious effect on your binoculars and scopes as wet weather. If you’re a big proponent of using a scope, make sure your tripod is ready. Nothing is more frustrating on the first day of birding in the fall than to realize that the one tripod leg that was slipping in June never did get repaired.

For a great resource to the status and distribution of local birds, put your hands on a copy of Terry Wahl’s “Birds of Whatcom County: Status and Distribution” (self published, 1995), and make a list of the species that interest you. Then, as you prepare your list for an outing or three, visit the Web site of the North Cascades Audubon Society at http://www.northcascadesaudubon.org and, under the birding menu on the homepage, click on “Locations” for the best places to see birds in Whatcom County. The sites range from Hale Passage on the west side to Hart’s Pass on the eastern edge of the county, so keep DeLorme’s “Washington Atlas & Gazetteer” (DeLorme Mapping Company, 6th edition 2002) handy. The birds will be as varied as the terrain, so be prepared and know where you’re going.

For the sake of this conversation, take into consideration the far removed and dissimilar east and west sides of the county, where the potential is high for a variety of birds in a diversity of habitats early in the fall birding season. Not many places in the country can compare with the natural wonders of our very own Whatcom County. You can easily experience everything from sea level to alpine meadows in a good day’s drive.

If you wish to stay a little closer to home, take a short drive to a number of viewing locations on Hale Passage, between the southern tip of the Lummi Peninsula and Lummi Island. Many birds utilize this area to feed and rest and you can see loons, terns, and alcids, and the sure-eyed birder might even see jaegers in migration. If you have the time for an on-the-water birding treat, walk onto the Lummi Island ferry for a quick roundtrip. You should get nice views of rhinoceros auklets from the ferry.

For hardy souls who wish to gain a little elevation and take a drive to the dry east side before the snow begins to fly, consider a mid- to late-September trip to the Hart’s Pass. Along with migrating raptors that follow the high ridges, you can observe mountain species like pipits, rosy finches, ptarmigan and maybe a lingering swift or two. The area around the pass suffered greatly from forest fires a couple of years ago so call ahead to the local ranger station if you plan to make the trip.

While we begin to make all these preparations and plans to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall, there is one other thing I might mention. Lest I forget, and even though it might sound a bit pessimistic, don’t forget to check your rain gear — before it starts raining, again! Surely you didn’t think this wonderful weather would last, did you?

Ah, sweet September! And just think, before you know it there will be frost on the pumpkin. We’ll talk again in October.

After continuous operation for more than 15 years, the Wild Bird Chalet, at 705 Kentucky Street, has changed ownership. Guy Loiselle, a friend to the birding community — and a character in his own right — founded the business in 1992. He has graciously served the needs of local bird-feeding enthusiasts since then and his presence will be missed. He has chosen to move on to greener pastures and encourages everyone to continue to support the business and the new owner, Valeri Wade.

Adieu, Guy, and a great big merci from all your friends—feathered and otherwise. §