We had a great bird watching cruise this past weekend, a trip that took us through the middle of the San Juans, then north to Sucia and Patos Islands. We saw a nice variety of birds, with seals, sea lions and a Humpback whale as well. Thanks to Jim Bachman for his incredible photos from… Continue reading Photos From August 27th Bird Watching Cruise
Tag: bird watching cruise
Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 7, 2017
We set out on Friday to go to Smith Island, the only place in the San Juan Islands that has a nesting colony of tufted puffins. Unfortunately, the weather was too windy to venture out of the protection of the islands. Smith Island is a few miles south of the San Juans in unprotected waters.… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 7, 2017
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 7th and 8th, 2014
We had bird cruises this month on both Saturday and Sunday. Our Saturday trip was full, so we added a Sunday Cruise. On both days our trips were similar with bird sightings and our route remained identical. We traveled across Bellingham Bay and then turned north into Hale Passage between Lummi Island and the Lummi… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 7th and 8th, 2014
Bird Watching Cruise Report – May 3, 2014
Migrants of May (Photos courtesy of Jim Bachman) What a beautiful day we had two weeks ago out on the Salish Sea. Our travels started out on the South side of Bellingham out of Fairhaven. We crossed Bellingham Bay heading south. Here we encountered dozens of Bonaparte’s gulls in their full breeding plumage. They are… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – May 3, 2014
Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 27, 2013
We left the harbor on another wonderful summer day. We cruised to Chuckanut Bay to observe the nesting Pigeon Guillemots and the Glaucous-winged gulls. The Glaucous-winged gulls have chicks that are a ball of fluffy grey. Â Glaucous-winged gulls are the only gulls that stay here year round and nest here. The other gulls that we… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 27, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 13, 2013
One of the most interesting sightings of this cruise was this Common Murre spotted near Colville Island, just south of Lopez Island. Unlike most Common Murres that we encounter, this one was adorned with a lengthy antenna – if it hadn’t been swimming and moving about, one could easily mistake it for a remote-controlled toy! … Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 13, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 29, 2013
As one would expect of a birding cruise, our primary focus is on waterbirds, and the trip is, of course, full of Auklets and Guillemots and Murrelets and Oystercatchers and Gulls and Terns and Cormorants and Harlequin Ducks and others. This past saturday we also spotted a few Common Murres, just beginning to wander back… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 29, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 22, 2013
Our June 22 bird cruise was blessed again with pleasant weather, interesting folks, breathtaking scenery, and repeated encounters with the typical summer avifauna of the salish sea. Eagles and Ospreys are still incubating their eggs; we check three active Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests during our cruise, and are eagerly anticipating the sight of young birds any… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 22, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 15, 2013
Our June 15 bird cruise was blessed both with beautiful weather and many interesting encounters. Four different active Bald Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests along our route hold the promise of wobbly-legged fuzzy young soon to come; for now, it is a treat just to see the impressive adult raptors incubating their eggs… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 15, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 8, 2013
It is now late spring, and the resident birds of the Salish Sea are primarily focused on one activity now: nesting. Glaucous-winged Gulls have decorated many of the smaller islands and rocks with their twiggy cups. Pelagic Cormorants cram their nests into the narrowest of crannies and crevices on steep and inaccessible (to those lacking… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 8, 2013
