Here’s what to know about bird-watching in Whatcom, including this weekend’s festival
Whatcom County has many beautiful parks, trails and spots for its bird-watching community, and this weekend birding enthusiasts in the area can also enjoy a festival.
The Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival from March 18-20 in Blaine and is offering field trips, classes and a San Juan birding cruise.
The festival also includes speakers and artists, arts and craft vendors, and activities for children.
Registration is open and available on the festival’s website. Some events are free of charge and some have a small fee.
Audubon Washington, a field office of the National Audubon Society, which works to protect birds and their habitat, recognizes Whatcom County as a great location to view 225 of Washington’s 346 bird species.
Whatcom County is part of the Cascade Loop, the Audubon Society’s Great Washington State Birding Trail. The loop stretches across Washington’s Pacific Northwest region and reaches from Ferndale to Wenatchee.
Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism also offers a bird-watching guide full of locations and events for bird-watching. Their website features Birch Bay birding guides, bald eagle viewing, and a list of locations to bird-watch.
North Cascades Audobon Society also has a checklist of spotted birds by county, featuring Whatcom’s many species.
Where to bird-watch
▪ Larabee State Park, 245 Chuckanut Drive.
▪ Lake Terrell off Lake Terrell Road west of Ferndale.
▪ Sehome Hill Arboretum, 600 25th St.
▪ Zuanich Point, 2600 N. Harbor Loop Drive.
▪ Whatcom Falls Park, 1401 Electric Ave.
