Winterspring

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.

I always contend that there are more than four seasons. I base this on the theory that there is a bridge between seasons when one feels more like the other. It can be very subtle, like the first break from summer heat when you can actually feel the first hint of fall; hence, summerfall. Perhaps there’s a link somewhere between my reasoning and the subliminal implant of the character on the old “Howdy Doody” show from the 1950s, Princess Summerfall Winterspring. Nevertheless, I stand by my own philosophy about the seasons, and I look forward to this winterspring, for reasons that I’m certain are obvious to everyone.

After a bitter cold snap in December and another one in early February, the best plan I can think of is to go ahead and scrape the windshield one more time and focus on what’s ahead. By the time you read this, we will be just a few weeks away from the first day of spring. It’s the time of year when many wait, unwaveringly, for a break in the weather. We’re all anxious to see our days with perhaps a little more green on the landscape. In my 37 years here, this winter has been one of the coldest for me. Factors that might contribute to this are the vagaries of a long winter, increasing years, or maybe our first winter in a less cozy domicile.

Whatever the reason, this winter has encouraged me to embrace the ethos of the Snowbirds — those folks who winter in warmer climes. Birds do it, so why not humans? No matter the cold or rainy days, we who haven’t migrated make do, knowing that eventually we will return to our wonderfully moderate Pacific Northwest weather. I don’t think that most of us live here for weather extremes, but we manage as best we can because we love our little corner of the planet. Just for perspective, the red-winged blackbirds at Scudder Pond are getting restless, too, so spring must be on the way.

As freshwater everywhere struggles to rid itself of its icy winter coat, there is actually an array of new buds swelling here and there. The color green is trying to emerge as I write. Winterspring gives way to the spring equinox this year on March 20, and the door will swing wide for of one nature’s most spectacular events — spring migration. Millions upon millions of birds — snowbirds if you will — leave their wintering grounds and travel north to their nesting grounds. The target for many of these birds is right here, in our own backyard.

As long as humans have been observing birds, there’s been a direct correlation between seasonal changes and the movements of specific birds. The American robin has long been heralded as the harbinger of spring in most parts of the country, but that’s not the case here. Since we have robins here throughout the year, we in the Pacific Northwest keep our collective eyes open for the first swallows of the year. These are the birds that speak to us of spring. The general rule of thumb points to the traditional Washington’s birthday of February 22 as the date when tree swallows are expected to arrive, followed by the violet-green variety around St. Patrick’s Day.

The parallel between the first insect hatches of the spring and the return of species that are dependent on them follows a consistent pattern with other birds. The phenomenon of bird migration has always been about following the food resource. The driving forces throughout the animal kingdom are food and shelter. When we experience large scale irruptions of snowy owls, for instance, it’s usually because populations of their primary food resource have crashed. Quite simply, birds will move to wherever they can find food.

Coincidental to weather, shelter, and food are the annual rituals of the nesting season, including courtship, breeding, and finding suitable accommodations to welcome the next generation. On a sunny day at Scudder Pond in early February, the early chorus of red-winged blackbirds was in full swing. After what seems like a longer than usual winter, there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. We’ll change to Daylight Saving Time on the first weekend in March and before we know it, winterspring will give way to a much anticipated spring!

Annual Wings Over Water Festival

True indicators of spring are the numerous birding festivals around the country that celebrate bird migration. Many of these festivals celebrate birds that are returning to a specific area or possibly just passing through. Other festivals celebrate the birds that have wintered in the area and are preparing to leave for their nesting grounds farther north. Such is the case for the Wings Over Water Festival in Blaine.

Originally known as the Washington Brant Festival, this northernmost festival in the United States still focuses on the unique Pacific black brant as its signature species. However, the festival has broadened its scope to include all the birdlife that contributed to the designation of Drayton Harbor/Semiahmoo Bay as one of Washington state’s premier Important Bird Areas. This particular area is a significant wintering area for many birds, as well as an important stopover for migratory species.

The festival has returned to a three-day format this year, to provide more opportunities for people to enjoy a wider variety of events and presentations. Included in this year’s agenda are kid’s activities, more field trips, wildlife speakers, live raptor displays, wildlife cruises on the MV Plover passenger ferry, exhibits and displays, as well as food, arts and crafts.

This year’s festival has two featured speakers to offer at two separate venues. Paul Bannick, well known photographer and author of “The Owl and the Woodpecker,” will be on the main stage at Blaine Middle School PAC Saturday evening. Author and bird photographer Noah Strycker will do a presentation at the Birch Bay Birding breakfast on Sunday morning. After the presentation in Birch Bay, there will be potential for a beach walk to look at birds on Birch Bay.

The focus of this festival, from day one, has been to increase awareness of the rich natural resource that is right in our own backyard. If you’re interested in attending or participating in any of the activities at this year’s festival, visit the festival’s web site at www.wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com, for full details. I’ll see you there!