Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore.
Although these swallows often nest as single pairs in cavities or nesting boxes, both adults and juveniles now gather on electrical wires by the dozens, socializing before they migrate.
In late summer, juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls are taking flight over downtown Seattle.
But its song belies a rather bloodthirsty feeding habit. A second theory asserts that dipping helps the bird spot prey beneath the surface of the water. Thanks to Harry Potter, the owl is flying high. Merlins, compact birds of prey about ten inches long with a two-foot wingspan, are swift, powerful fliers, true thunderbolts on long, pointed wings.
Put your winter garden to work as a haven for birds. Others dive under the water, using their feet and occasionally their wings for propulsion. Only the Glaucous-winged Gull nests in the Pacific Northwest, so for months, gull-watching has been pretty tame.
Why does the American Dipper dip? Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore. The Yellow-rumped Warbler, probably mid-way through its fall migration, is unafraid. Stretch your arms as far as you can, and imagine a bird whose reach is even greater! The nests are bits of gravel, debris, and dried vegetation or sticks, often next to a wall or chimney. Others dive under the water, using their feet and occasionally their wings for propulsion.
Listen quietly at dusk in the evergreen forests of the Puget Lowlands, and you are likely to hear the melodious, spiraling song of the Swainson's Thrush.
Look farther out, and you might see Pigeon Guillemots.
Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore. Some, like the Harlequin, squeak.
A close look at this Red Crossbill reveals a curious adaptation.
Loping overhead at dusk, with long slender wings, the Common Nighthawk chases down aerial insects with sudden, choppy shifts of direction. Watch for these birds to perch atop a piling or glide along, just above the surface of the water.
Thanks to Harry Potter, the owl is flying high. Along the coast of Washington, just after the summer solstice, thousands of Western Sandpipers settle in to feed along the tidal edge.