Spring Birding Close to Home

Joe Meche is president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and also serves the chapter as newsletter editor and birding programs coordinator. He has been watching birds for more than 50 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 30 years. He has written more than 100 articles for Whatcom Watch.

The weather phenomenon known to everyone as La Niña has caused many of us to question our calendars this year. Spring officially arrived toward the end of March and the latest reports are that we’ve just experienced the coolest and fourth-wettest April on record. But those of us who really love it here in the Pacific Northwest don’t really grumble about the whims of weather that much. We just deal with whatever comes our way and adjust our attire accordingly. Slowly but surely, however, we’re seeing more spring green than winter brown and everyone knows that the pendulum will swing, eventually, and shorts and white legs will rule the day.

Despite the often wild and unseasonable weather, our resident birds are actively nesting and many of the migrants have arrived and are busy getting into the swing of things. And of course, the sounds of bird song fill the air. If you’re into the early morning hours, you will experience more activity than you will at midday when birds seem to be enjoying a respite from their daily activities. Most of our swallow species have arrived, along with a variety of wood warblers, which bring with them the colors and songs we often associate with spring.

Nesting waterfowl pairs are easy to find in all appropriate habitats, bald eagles, owls, and ospreys are all sitting on eggs or feeding young at the nest. Again, the cooler, wetter weather has a tendency to keep one of the adults on the nest for longer periods of time to protect the eggs or the hatchlings. A recent rainy day visit to a barred owl nest was an example of that behavior. We have seen young left alone in the nest while the adults were away, but on this cool, rainy morning the female kept the owlets cozy and warm while the male perched in a nearby tree.

There’s really no doubt that the seasonal goings on in the bird world will continue despite what Mother Nature holds in store. And that’s part of the beauty of birds – they just keep going, no matter what. It is always in our own best interest that we understand that the birds will be out there, waiting for us. They live and survive on a day-to-day basis and the least we can do is show them that we appreciate their efforts to keep us entertained.

No one who has lived here for any length of time can deny that we are blessed with a tremendous variety of parks, both large and small, and a trail system that few cities can offer. The extent of the trails that connect many of the parks is due primarily to an effective and comprehensive plan for the future. An additional feature of these parks is that most of us have the capability to reach them without consuming excess amounts of fossil fuels.

One of the most magnificent city parks I’ve ever experienced is right here in the middle of our fair village, and this park is as close to wild as you can get and still be inside the Bellingham city limits. As I pointed out in my May 2011 Whatcom Watch column “Whatcom Creek: A Passage in Time,” the heart of this 240-acre park and its history is Whatcom Creek.

The creek is the outflow of Lake Whatcom, and its numerous backwaters and rapids provide ideal habitats for a good number of species along its entire course to Bellingham Bay. Whatcom Creek races through the entire park, with several noisy waterfalls along the way. When you think waterfalls, think of American dippers – a unique bird that spends its life in and around moving and falling water. There are at least two documented dipper nests on the creek this spring, inside the park.

If you decide to visit the park, start your journey from any direction and you’re likely to see birds immediately. If you enter from Electric Avenue, you’ll pass Scudder Pond and marvel at the birds you will see and hear in this unique urban preserve. Red-winged blackbirds, Virginia rails, wood ducks, and hooded mergansers are just a few of the species that nest here. As you make your way along the trail, the habitat will change from cattail wetland to riparian forest, and the Pacific wrens, chestnut-backed chickadees, and woodpeckers will alert you to the change.

Known more these days for its disc golf course, this park has been a haven for urban owls. Over the years, though not so much recently, western screech owls nested in the large Douglas fir and cedar trees. Barred owls are the most frequent visitor now, with occasional visits by great horned owls. The best birding in the park is along the less used eastern edge, which is intersected by numerous trails.

An added bonus to Cornwall Park has been the addition of a trail corridor that leads from the park to the Squalicum Creek Greenway and Bug Lake. This aptly named lake lies just below the freeway and even though you can hear the rush of traffic, the birds that utilize this impoundment of Squalicum Creek are often numerous and surprising. Ring-necked ducks, wood ducks, cinnamon teal, buffleheads, cormorants and hooded mergansers are regular visitors, especially during the winter months.

In winter, the calm waters of the lake can be filled with plentiful numbers of waterfowl including canvasbacks, ring-necked ducks, and American wigeons. Be sure to check the wigeon flocks for the occasional Eurasian wigeon whose numbers appear to be increasing in the area. Belted kingfishers nest in burrows on the far shore where there are fewer access points for humans. This park is visited by a good number of people on any given day, but very few venture too far beyond the lake itself.

Although the lake and surrounding forest have good birds, the best places for birds are the tucked away upper recesses and the maze of trails that traverse the southeastern portion of the park. The elevation increases as you continue up the trail and leave the crowds behind. This is always a good place for birds that prefer the deeper forest, like warblers and pileated woodpeckers, Swainson’s thrushes and black-headed grosbeaks.

Get out and enjoy spring birds closer to home this year, and explore your local city parks while you’re at it. For a comprehensive overview of all the parks and trails within the city, pick up a free map at the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department’s main office at 3424 Meridian Street, on the northwest corner of Cornwall Park. You can also read details about all of the parks and trails by using the comprehensive, interactive map on the city’s web site at http://www.cob.org/parks. §