Sharon Wootton

Embracing nature: Visit state parks with new book as your guide

Embracing nature: Visit state parks with new book as your guide

Washington State Parks has published its first comprehensive guidebook to Washington’s state parks.

Embracing nature: Visit state parks with new book as your guide
Deep birds: Comormants can dive 150 feet to hunt for fish

Deep birds: Comormants can dive 150 feet to hunt for fish

Research also shows that the birds can hear under water. Their hearing ability is the same as seals.

Deep birds: Comormants can dive 150 feet to hunt for fish

Join your local Audubon Society to watch and learn about birds

The groups host bird-watching field trips that can be a short ride up the road or a drive to Canada.

Raptor factors: Vultures can smell death hundreds of feet up

Raptor factors: Vultures can smell death hundreds of feet up

The birds with bald heads and hooked ivory-white beaks get a bad rap — but they are kind of creepy.

Raptor factors: Vultures can smell death hundreds of feet up

If you haven’t, try hiking along Washington’s most scenic rivers

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic River Act, which protects 13,000 miles of rivers.

Keep yourself out of trouble when crossing streams and rivers

Every year more people are killed in the U.S. while crossing a river than are killed by snake bites.

Jogger attacked by territorial barred owl on Mount Erie — twice

These owls are known for their aggressiveness and for a rapid invasion of spotted owl territory.

Choose from four feather-filled festivals this spring

Why not mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by attending a bird festival?

This column will build up your knowledge about bird nests

Sharon Wootton gathered some interesting facts all about birds and their nests.

Highlights and surprises from the Christmas Bird Count

Birders walk more than 100 miles and count 138 species — including some rare ones.

You can bird-proof your home to prevent window deaths

Studies estimate that billions of birds die after crashing into glass in the U.S. each year.

See migrating snow geese at birding festival next weekend

See migrating snow geese at birding festival next weekend

The Port Susan Snow Goose Festival in Stanwood features speakers, bus tours and kids activities.

See migrating snow geese at birding festival next weekend
Remembering Warren Miller, the man who brought skiing to the masses

Remembering Warren Miller, the man who brought skiing to the masses

On a ski slope far, far away, Warren Miller, who died Wednesday at his home on Orcas Island, might be enchanting an audience with stories… Continue reading

Remembering Warren Miller, the man who brought skiing to the masses

Find many of our region’s winter birds in the Skagit Valley

If you love birding, also check out these bird-related festivals, lectures and other events.

Sight of snow geese turns drivers into bird-brains

Meanwhile, a whopping 187 bird species were tallied in Edmonds in 2017.

Samish Flats in Skagit County prime turf for winter birders

This spot is great for birdwatching because of the mostly flat land, marshy areas and open water.

Calling all birders: Sign up now for the Christmas Bird Count

Two Christmastime bird counts located mostly in Snohomish County are scheduled for Dec. 16 and 30.

How birds stay alive in winter and what you can do to help

When the weather turns chilly, columnist Sharon Wootton’s thoughts turn to birds coping with cold.

House call from an eagle delights 94-year-old Mukilteo woman

I love a good story, especially about birds. Humans are built to deliver, receive and even interpret the allegorical nature of some stories. Lois Utt… Continue reading

Washington Birder website offers birding checklist by county

The Washington Ornithological Society doesn’t list where to find specific birds, so birders made one.