Midsummer Birding South of the Border

Joe Meche is a past president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and is still active in chapter affairs.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.

This past Independence Day, Cindy and I took our kayaks up to Blaine and Semiahmoo for the day, continuing our traditional escape from the random noise of the rabid celebrants. It was a bit challenging to get to the boat launch in Blaine due to the big celebration parade and the accompanying maze of detours, but once we were on the water, a peaceful feeling enveloped us. I could see immediately that the birds were going about their business as usual, just like any other day. I’m always impressed with the way birds are able to ignore our biggest holidays.

While the majority of bird watching is done on terra firma, there’s something very special about being on the water, more or less with the birds. Notable exceptions to dry land birding are pelagic trips that generally take groups of birders off the coast to see ocean birds up close. If you prefer a smaller group or a less-involved experience, look into the overall benefits of a small, shallow-draft vessel like a canoe or a kayak. Ponds and lakes, protected bays and inlets are ideal places to paddle in search of birds, and Whatcom County has a wealth of locations to offer.

I never expect to see the abundance of birds that I find in these same waters during the winter months, but summer kayaking has its own perks, especially when you consider the luxury of warmer weather. This translates to less clothing, no shoes, etc. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know the area from water level while taking in the fresh air with a good upper body workout.

We shoved off from the boat launch in our kayaks, with a general plan to follow the breakwater out to the channel between Blaine and Semiahmoo. Along the way we had close-up views of the nesting activity that this particular breakwater is known for in birding circles. In early July numerous glaucous-winged gull chicks are visible waiting for parent birds to feed them. Depending on their age, the chicks will either stare at you as you paddle by or run for cover in the rocks.

On top of the breakwater and always closer to the boat launch are often good numbers of great blue herons. They are here, more than likely, to preen and rest between trips to and from the nearby rookeries to feed their own young. At low tide on the Drayton Harbor side of the breakwater, as many as 300 great blues can be seen feeding on the tide flats. These large birds are always spectacular, no matter where you find them.

In addition to any unexpected species or early migrants, the big attraction for this particular kayak venture is the large nesting colony of double-crested cormorants. If you ever decide to do an in-depth study of cormorants, this is a great place to start. During most nesting seasons, as many as 200 pairs will build large stick nests, some of which will eventually house as many as five chicks. From the shore, you can appreciate the size of the nests, but you really see the details of the structure from water level.

As is often the case with rookeries of large birds, there is always a constant stream of activity on this unique colony of cormorants. Food is coming in at a rapid pace throughout the day and some of the birds seem intent on remodeling their nests by bringing in new nesting materials, even though the nest is filled with chicks. If you’re a photographer interested in bird flight, there’s no better place to hone your skills than right here. Just park your kayak at a respectful distance and wait. One word of caution here, and this might be self-explanatory: be sure to stay upwind from a large nesting colony of cormorants.

Within the seeming chaos of the comings and goings of the cormorants and gulls, we were treated to a small group of western sandpipers near the end of the breakwater. These shorebirds were more than likely the vanguard of the southbound movement of birds from the northern breeding grounds. In the past, I’ve usually found black turnstones and dunlin in this same location. When the tide is in, thousands of dunlin will rest on the breakwater.

Our birds of the day — a pair of black oystercatchers — flew in with their distinctive vocalizations and proceeded to pose for us atop the breakwater. Oystercatchers are always entertaining and their vibrant red-orange bills contrast nicely with their black bodies. This is a bird that highlights any birding field trip and closer views are always possible by kayak. They build their nests in the nooks and crannies of the jumble of rocks that make up this protective wall on the south side of Blaine harbor. It’s always a delight to see the recently-fledged young touring their new neighborhood with the adults.

For the most part, all the birds that utilize this manmade structure see it as a safe place for resting and raising a family. There are no land predators to deal with and humans tend to keep their distance. The only problem, as it appears to me, is the propensity of the gulls to steal eggs from the cormorant nests. The gulls habitually soar just above the breakwater looking for unattended eggs. Regardless, the cormorant population doesn’t appear to be suffering the losses.

The water was a little choppy on this day so we decided not to paddle across the channel to the Semiahmoo Spit. Instead, we loaded the highly-portable kayaks and drove around Drayton Harbor for another launch opportunity. This is always a pleasant departure from the bustle of the Blaine waterfront, so the transition is welcomed any time of year. With the resort in a shut-down mode, it’s especially quiet these days. The best put-in point at the Moo is a sandy beach between the old cannery buildings at the end of the spit.

From this location, Cindy opted to walk the spit while I paddled around the marina breakwater to see what awaited me on the water and on the wing. Hundreds of gulls utilize the floating breakwater here to rest and when you see and hear all of them rise as one, you know that a bald eagle is nearby. Along with the gulls on this holiday paddle, there were numerous Caspian terns and pelagic cormorants. This floating barrier also serves as a perfect haul-out for the harbor seals that frequent the area. In mid-summer, there is usually an abundance of seal pups to observe as well.

While out on the open water during the day I found myself reminiscing about all the times I’ve pursued birds with a paddle in hand. I’ve owned a canoe for most of my adult life and made the switch to kayaks just last year. If you’re willing and able, try to see the birds from this perspective. Always wear a PFD and keep an eye on the tides and the wind. At the end of the day when the noise from neighborhood fireworks was deafening, our tired bodies ignored the bombs bursting in air and we slept quite well….ear plugs helped!