The Whatcom County shoreline tour yesterday was highlighted by spectacular weather and a fine group of enthusiastic birders (12 of us), as well as good birds.

The early start was chilly but the psychology of sunshine prevailed as we walked the waterfront around Blaine Harbor. The expanse of Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay was flat calm, allowing for great views of all the usual suspects, including eagles, loons, grebes, scoters, goldeneyes, cormorants, dabbling ducks, etc. We picked up a Cooper's Hawk perched right beside the road before we left Blaine and, of course, we had to stop! Our convoy around Drayton Harbor stopped for more dabblers, shorebirds, and kingfishers at California Creek and one front-lit and perfectly-perched Peregrine Falcon along the Drayton Harbor Road.

The Semiahmoo Spit came through as it always does with good looks at Harlequin Ducks, Black Scoters, Common and Red-throated Loons, Red-breasted Mergansers, Long-tailed Ducks, scaup, four grebe species, shorebirds, gulls, two more peregrines, and large rafts of Brant and other birds between the spit and White Rock, BC. We treated ourselves to a lunch break that featured bowls of steaming-hot soup in the Marina Cafe! *FYI, this is a birder-friendly cafe. They love to see cold/hungry birders stop by with their scopes, tripods, and appetites!

Our after-lunch tour headed south to the reliably bird-rich Birch Bay and Birch Bay State Park. After a short stop, we continued enthusiastically to Lake Terrell and eventually found the end of the trail on the Lummi Flats, where we witnessed a round of impressive interaction between a Short-eared Owl and a Northern Harrier, making strafing runs at a perched Red-tailed Hawk. It was a great show to end the day, with the sun going down and the temperature dropping noticeably.

Thanks to all who made the journey up to my backyard. I'll look forward to offering this same trip in March or early April. If the WOS Field Trip Chair reads this, we can settle on a date.

Holiday cheers,
Joe Meche
Bellingham