Life
Black bears are waking up from hibernation this time of year
Beware: These eating machines tend to look for the easiest and closest source of high-protein food.
Sharon Wootton
Life
Unlocking the mystery of the marbled murrelet took 5 years
Writer Maria Mudd Ruth’s book details the bird that can fly 100 mph and dive into the ocean…
Life
UW’s Burke Museum moves to a new space less than 500 feet away
The 113,000-square-foot building is the 21st-century version of the 57-year-old cramped museum.
Life
Visit the 9 coolest interpretive centers in our state parks
Most are free, many have child-oriented exhibits, some offer tours and others have outdoor areas.
Life
Robin gets creative when embedding nest into a stepladder
Nest-builders don’t have to be a feathered Frank Lloyd Wright to keep their eggs safe and warm.
Life
Quiz: Test your outdoors knowledge with these odds and ends
Answers to the pop quiz can be found at the bottom of this column.
Life
The ever-fascinating crow gets attention, from Everett to India
Scientists study whether they’re a conscious being, while a local resident worries about changes.
Life
Despite high winds, bird count sees record volunteer turnout
The 2018 Christmas Bird Count by the numbers: 125 species, 35,328 birds and 126 birdwatchers.
Life
Look to Skagit Valley skies and waters for trumpeter swans
Glimpse the white birds with black bills and long necks while driving on I-5 through Skagit County.
Life
UW-Bothell studying how crows communicate with each other
About 16,000 of the birds roost each night on the North Creek Wetland Restoration near the campus.
Life
Attention snow enthusiasts: Make Mount Baker your destination
No matter what your non-motorized winter sport, the area offers you places to play with easy access.
Life
More deer wearing radio collars for predator-prey study
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is assessing the impact of wolves and cougars on deer and elk.
Life
Snow geese, swans returning to Skagit Valley
The Fir Island Farms Reserve Unit is the best place to view the beautiful white birds.
Life
In the mood for a romp in the snow? Get your permit first
Winter recreation permits are for skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, snowshoeing, tubing and more.
Life
Thousands of Vaux’s swifts put on a show at chimney in Monroe
The Vaux’s Happening Project counted a third of a million of the wee birds migrating in Washington.
Life
Birds on the brain: Stupefying facts from new avian research
Here is some of the latest information from bird studies that made the news this year.
Life
Can you guess this rare bird? Hint: A group is called a ‘cloud’
One was spotted at Wiley Slough on Fir Island just last month, probably a fall migrant.
Life
You can watch thousands of Vaux’s swifts funnel into a chimney
On Sept. 8, hang out at the Frank Wagner Center in Monroe to see the migrating birds dive…
Life
Give rattlers a wide berth on the trail
The venomous snakes are shy and retiring — unless you blunder into one.
Life
Missing your hummingbirds? Hummers come and go as they please
The birds are important pollinators of wild and agricultural plants, as well as those in gardens.