North by Northwest

Great Washington Birding Trail

By Steve Mlodinow

Squish. Squish. The sound of your footfall can tell you much about where you are. Growing up in Chicago, I learned the Styrofoam-like crunch of dry snow; in southern California, the raspy whisper of desert sands. But squish—that sound is western Washington, and on Spencer Island in Snohomish County, one of the sites on the Great Washington Birding Trail, it was plentiful. Walking along alder-lined sloughs, I passed innumerable song sparrows, with the occasional fox or Lincoln’s sparrow salted in. Flocks of chickadees, kinglets, and bushtits filtered their way past. From the marsh rose a froggy chorus of kreek-kreek, the chattering of hundreds of green-winged teals.

The outing was vintage western Washington: mild temperatures and plenty of moisture. Still, Washington habitat is hard to pigeonhole. There are almost too many types to list: sweeping ocean beaches and vast estuaries, sopping-wet Douglas fir forests and alpine meadows, tinder-dry ponderosa pine woodlands and expanses of arid shrub-steppe. Because of the diverse habitat, more than 465 species of birds have been found in Washington, an amazing number for a state this far north.

Recognizing this treasure trove, Audubon Washington created the Great Washington Birding Trail; the Cascade Loop, where I was walking, was newly opened. Its 400 miles cover much of northwestern and north-central Washington and will help guide wandering birders to a fine array of birds, from pelagic cormorants to pine grosbeaks and sage sparrows. The loop’s sites include a delectable sampling of what northern Washington has to offer: At Blaine Harbor, in Whatcom County, you can watch a multitude of loons and sea ducks against a startling backdrop of Canada’s coastal ranges; at the Samish Flats, western Washington farmland provides some of the best raptor watching in North America; and from Washington Pass, in Skagit County, you can scan the alpine peaks of the North Cascades while listening to the boom of the blue grouse. Eventually at least four more loops will be tacked on, adding more than 1,500 miles of trail.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, wildlife watching already brings $1.7 billion into the state economy each year and creates 21,000 jobs. The potential for continued economic growth—and conservation—is enormous. The trail is being developed with Audubon’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) program, which should foster a sense of stewardship for these critical habitats. Audubon centers planned along the trail will provide education at significant stops.

On a warm evening last summer, my feet softly dented the leaf-covered soil at Blackbird Island, in Leavenworth. Across the maple woodlands floated the haunting song of the veery, while an irate gray catbird scolded nearby. I only recently learned of this special place, despite having lived in Washington for 10 years. The Great Washington Birding Trail will make finding such treasured spots far easier.

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