Waterfowl

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 60 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 40 years. He has written more than 132 articles for Whatcom Watch.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed the changing seasons and the distinctive characteristics of each. Spring brings vivid greens and the joy that comes from having another winter behind us; summer begins with the promise of longer days and outdoor activities but always winds down to hot, dry, and dusty days; fall is the respite from summer and dazzles us with incredible colors and crisp mornings; and winter, though it’s dreaded by many and presents unique challenges, heralds the best time of the year for…waterfowl!

Waterfowl — ducks, geese, and swans — belong to the order Anseriformes and are some of the most popular birds among the bird watching multitudes. The species in this order are some of the best birds for beginners to learn as they hone their field identification skills. They are not as challenging to learn as many other groups of birds and they are always easy to find. They can also be entertaining to observe, especially the diving ducks. As well as the enjoyment we experience watching waterfowl, we also see them as ideal barometers for the health of the planet. With their extensively-studied migratory patterns and choice of habitats, waterfowl provide us with invaluable data across their continent-wide ranges.

The beautiful and distinctive plumage of waterfowl is very appealing to the observer and their behavior is endlessly fascinating. The same birds that are fiercely territorial in the spring join together in immense flocks during the colder months. One of the most enjoyable moments in birding comes from discovering huge rafts of waterfowl covering the surface of small ponds or estuaries. An actively feeding flock of birds provides an excellent remedy for those who might be suffering from cabin fever.

Yes, I’m a waterfowl junkie. I came by it naturally growing up in southwest Louisiana and my addiction has only worsened by living here. Both my early days and these later years have been spent in the company of waterfowl. I’ve lived in places where these birds were less abundant and, in retrospect, I missed having them around. Perhaps their abundance in western Washington has been a key ingredient that has made me feel at home for almost 37 years.

For overall variety of waterfowl species, northwestern Washington surpasses southwest Louisiana, and that’s saying a lot. While the numbers of particular species in my home state might be higher, it’s the diversity of species here that makes this Fourth Corner a waterfowl paradise. A key ingredient here for bird watchers is the accessibility to these birds throughout the winter. Access to saltwater habitats is extremely limited in south Louisiana while here, in places like Blaine and Semiahmoo, we have all our wintering species practically underfoot.

In winter, waterfowl in Whatcom County range in size from the very large trumpeter swans to the comparably petite buffleheads. The preferred habitats of waterfowl include fresh water lakes and ponds, agricultural fields, salt water estuaries, and the deeper open water of bays and inlets that delineate the county’s shorelines. From the international border to Larrabee State Park, waterfowl are literally everywhere.

On a typical day of winter bird watching in Whatcom County, you have choices of prime saltwater viewing locations like Blaine, Semiahmoo, Birch Bay, Sandy Point, and Lummi and Bellingham Bays. From these sites you are always within striking distance of the the fresh water habitats of Wiser Lake, Lake Terrell, and Tennant Lake. The open and frequently flooded agricultural fields connect the fresh and saltwater habitats so the potential for a local waterfowl big day is limited only by your desire to move from point to point. Sometimes the viewing is so good in one location that you might not want to move.

If you’re a newcomer to the county or just looking for places to see birds, consider this basic driving tour and pack a big lunch. For a typical day in the field in pursuit of waterfowl, a perfect place to start is just south of the Canadian border at Marine Park in Blaine. From the first covered shelter at the park, you can observe an impressive variety of ducks and geese at the mouth of Cain Creek. Within the flocks of American wigeons gathered along the outflow of the creek, a thorough scan often turns up a less common Eurasian wigeon or two. When observing large flocks of birds, I always encourage beginning birders to look for something different and don’t assume that they’re all the same.

From the first shelter it’s an easy walk along the shoreline on level ground to the end of Marine Drive and the public pier that overlooks the deep water channel between Blaine and Semiahmoo. From this single vantage point a veritable potpourri of diving ducks is well within binocular range. Both species of goldeneyes, buffleheads, scaup, and three scoter species are often close to the pier, along with red-breasted mergansers and the ever popular long-tailed ducks. With a scope you can cover all the open water across Semiahmoo Bay to White Rock, BC. After you’ve covered the Blaine waterfront, the drive around the expanse of Drayton Harbor to Semiahmoo will be punctuated by stops along the way to view thousands of northern pintails, foraging and resting on the perimeter of this shallow, protected embayment.

As winter progresses a drive along the shoreline through Birch Bay to Birch Bay State Park will reveal yet another protected area for birds. Birch Bay is one of the preferred locations for a unique species – the Pacific black brant. Brant are small sea geese with strict criteria for resting and foraging during the winter months. These Arctic nesters require undisturbed stretches of shoreline where they feed on eelgrass and sea lettuce. The decline in brant numbers can be traced directly to overdeveloped shorelines that destroy these essential beachfronts. Unlike Canada geese, brant lack the resiliency to adapt to human alterations to the environment.

Farther south along the shoreline, waterfowl often mass in Lummi Bay, in the lee of the peninsula that is Sandy Point. In mid-winter a couple of years ago, 50,000 birds covered the bay. The Lummi peninsula also provides ample viewing opportunities for bay and sea ducks on Hale Passage from Gooseberry Point and pullouts along the Lummi Shore Road. This drive is easy enough to follow the shoreline all the way to Larrabee State Park … just remember to keep the water on your right!

Keep in mind that Whatcom County is one of the premier locations in the country for winter bird watching. Our moderate climate and protected bays and fresh water impoundments are ideal for ducks, geese, and swans. While you’re on the search for waterfowl, be prepared for the variety of other birds that you’ll encounter along the way. Wherever you find dabbling ducks like northern pintails and American wigeons, you’re likely to encounter thousands of shorebirds like dunlin and western sandpipers. And wherever you find shorebirds, there will more than likely be a host of raptors, including merlins, peregrine falcons, and Cooper’s hawks. Bald eagles and red-tailed hawks are plentiful as well so your day will be filled with winged wonders.

Waterfowl have long-time connections with man, both as a source of food and fascination. The timing and reliability of their seasonal migrations have been studied more than any other group of birds. Their beautiful plumage has inspired artists throughout the world, and subjects are always easy to find. Habitat destruction and overhunting are the primary causes of declines in a number of species, and we can correct that. Waterfowl can be found in a wide range of habitats and these habitats need to be conserved or restored for future generations.