Are You Ready for Winter?

by Joe Meche Bald eaglephoto: Joe Meche With all things considered, we felt that winter was not far away when we crossed the North Cascades after a birthday weekend in Winthrop. The eastbound trip over the mountains and the first day in the Methow Valley held promise for [Read More...]

By |2022-03-07T20:09:30-08:00December 31, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

October Miscellany

Hooded merganserphoto: Joe Meche by Joe Meche Silver Lake Revisited It seems that Silver Lake Park has become an August tradition for us over the last few years. Actually, the appeal of this nearby retreat started 29 years ago in the dead of winter. We spent our first [Read More...]

By |2022-03-08T18:02:29-08:00November 30, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

A Keystone Fourth

Pigeon guillemotphoto: Joe Meche by Joe Meche Before we get too far along, I should say that summer is my least favorite season and the Fourth of July/Independence Day is my least favorite holiday. If I felt that everyone was thinking about the significance of the holiday rather [Read More...]

By |2022-03-09T14:49:45-08:00August 31, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

Pearrygin Lake 2021

California quail photo: Joe Meche by Joe Meche Washington Pass on State Highway 20 was opened for cross-state travel in mid-May, triggering our traditional itch to spend a few days on the drier and typically warmer side of the Cascades. On a nice west side Sunday morning, we [Read More...]

By |2022-03-09T16:21:12-08:00July 30, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

Coastal Sojourn

Whimbrelphoto: Joe Meche by Joe Meche It seems that every year when the calendar flips from mid- to late-April, I start thinking about shorebirds. It’s not mere coincidence, however, since it’s the prime time of year for the northbound migration of millions of birds along the Pacific Coast. [Read More...]

By |2022-03-09T17:13:44-08:00June 27, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

Caspian Terns in Bellingham

Caspian Terns photo: Joe Meche by Joe Meche In 2009, Caspian terns starting nesting on the former Georgia-Pacific property now called the Waterfront District. Approximately 250 birds produced about 100 chicks. The next year, between 2,500 and 3,000 birds produced over 1,000 young terns. The Port of Bellingham [Read More...]

By |2022-03-09T18:16:57-08:00May 30, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

Spring Into Summer

Anna’s hummingbirdphoto: Joe Meche As we transitioned from winter into spring, the seasons and the birds around us changed accordingly. Cherry blossoms greeted us in just about every part of town, along with scattered greenery here and there. Rain was still with us in the lowlands, while heavy [Read More...]

By |2021-05-30T08:20:43-07:00May 30, 2021|Beaks and Bills|

Fidalgo Island

  White pelicanphoto: Joe Meche by Joe Meche While it’s a noticeably different part of Skagit County and separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel on the east and Deception Pass on the south, this unique island offers a wealth of recreational opportunities; and the bird watching [Read More...]

By |2022-03-10T06:35:49-08:00April 30, 2021|Beaks and Bills|
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