Category Archives: Bird Watching

Wenas Campout May 30 – June 1

By Don Rose Every spring, Washington State’s Audubon Chapters, wildlife lovers, plant specialists, and their friends gather in the Wenas Valley, located on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains between Ellensburg and Yakima. With a variety of natural history and recreation opportunities, the Wenas Valley is a beautiful area that supports a fascinating assortment of springContinue reading “Wenas Campout May 30 – June 1”

My New Best Friend 

Story and Photos by Beth Marlin Lichter  A  much-anticipated visitor is stopping by regularly to drink from my recently installed hummingbird feeder. She is a beautiful Anna’s. Within 24 hours of it being filled, she was imbibing. Now I’m wondering if I should have bought a bigger feeder.   I hung it from the branch of a flowering maple tree in my back yard, in a spot I imagined a bird might feel safe andContinue reading “My New Best Friend “

Ode to the Short-eared Owl

(Asio flammeus) By Beth Marlin Lichter I cannot say what I love mostPerched upon a wooden postOr flying sunlit overheadNo place I’d rather be instead A marshy field with ducks and preyWhere little voles get snatched awayBy owls and hawksA mid-air fight!Whilst day is turning into night Photos: Shillapoo Wildlife Area/Winter 2025-2026 by Beth MarlinContinue reading “Ode to the Short-eared Owl”

Young Birders & Cameraderie inspiring youth birdwatching & photography

By Isaac Lang (newest VAS board member) Ever since I started birding, I’ve always yearned to find peers who enjoy bird-watching just as much as I do. Upon joining the Wild Bird Society of Tainan, I quickly realized that the majority of birders were retired and their teenage years were long past them. After attendingContinue reading “Young Birders & Cameraderie inspiring youth birdwatching & photography”

Short-eared Owls

Photos and Text by Isaac Lang After arriving in America, one of the birds that I desperately wanted to see again was the Short-eared Owl. The only time that I was able to lock eyes on one was when my dad and I saw a pair of them fly between two patches of forest inContinue reading “Short-eared Owls”

I’m Just So Glad You Are Here (Song of the White-crowned Sparrow) 

Photos and Text by Beth Marlin Lichter  Still in the honeymoon stage of birding, I would call myself an advanced novice. Every bird is an uncommon bird.  I get excited about a good photo of an American Robin with a berry in its beak.  Every species is unique with skills and behaviors worthy of observation.   BirdingContinue reading “I’m Just So Glad You Are Here (Song of the White-crowned Sparrow) “

RECAP: First of the Month Bird Walk at Salmon Creek Greenway

By Sam Cable A gentle and intermittent drizzle paired with a cold, gray morning did not stop 13 observers from recording 51 species over 3 hours on our First of the Month Bird Walk led by Cindy McCormack. Leaving from the parking lot we wound our way around the softball facility whose manicured grass lawnsContinue reading “RECAP: First of the Month Bird Walk at Salmon Creek Greenway”

Magnificent Escapees: The Red-whiskered Bulbul 

Photos and Text by Beth Marlin Lichter  The Red-whiskered Bulbul is native to eastern India and Burma and has been a principal species in the Asian caged bird trade. In 1960, escapees from an aviary in Miami adapted well to living locally in the wild. Bulbuls thrive on insects, fruit-bearing shrubs, and the berries of warm weather exotic trees. Florida checks all the boxes with plentiful food sources and a lush ideal habitat for these birds.  In 1967 a Red-whiskered Bulbul flock (more escapees) took up residency at HuntingtonContinue reading “Magnificent Escapees: The Red-whiskered Bulbul “

November 1st VAS Bird Walk

By Tom Tinsley Despite the very wet and occasionally breezy conditions, thirteen dedicated PNW birders joined Cindy McCormack for Vancouver Audubon’s November first of month bird walk. Our walk began in the Vancouver Water Resources building parking lot with a quick round of introductions. We then headed for the Columbia River on the waterfront trailContinue reading “November 1st VAS Bird Walk”