Snow Goose Festival: Time to flock to The Birds

  • By Mike Benbow Special to The Herald
  • Saturday, February 18, 2012 9:42pm
  • Sports

STANWOOD — They’ve had to fly about 3,000 miles, but they’re here now and waiting for you in Stanwood.

Thousands of snow geese are visiting for the winter from Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean north of Russia’s Siberia, just in time for the city’s seventh annual Snow Goose Festival.

The free event, scheduled for Feb. 25-26, is a good opportunity for serious and casual birders to learn a lot about the geese, migrating trumpeter swans, and other birds such as eagles, which enjoy eating snow geese. There are a number of lectures and some popular tours and bird walks. There also are events for kids.

Laura Byers of Coastal Bank’s Stanwood branch is chairperson for the event, established to promote wintertime tourism. “We wanted something we could do in the offseason to attract people to the Stanwood area,” she said.

Because of its location near the Skagit delta, the Stanwood area gets several thousands of the snow geese. They birds are part of a population of at least 35,000 of the migrating waterfowl wintering in Washington and in the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, B.C,. every year before returning to Wrangel to lay their eggs.

Vasily Baranyuk has been studying the geese for more than 25 years at Wrangel Island and will be one of the featured speakers at the festival. He’ll talk about his work and show videos and slides of the geese on both days.

Also speaking will be Martha Jordan of the Trumpeter Swan Society; Jim Watson, a raptor specialist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife; and Daniel Froehlich of the Puget Sound Bird Observatory.

The Sarvey Wildlife Center will bring some injured birds that have been rescued but weren’t able to be released to the wild.

There also will be a visit to the Port Susan Nature Preserve that is owned by the Nature Conservancy and maintained to aid the area’s wildlife and migratory visitors. The preserve isn’t generally open to the public, but there will be a series of public tours during both days of the festival. Sponsors make the speakers and events free to the public but people need to register to ensure a seat. Byers said the tours always fill up quickly, so people interested in them should sign up early rather than just showing up.

You can register at www.snowgoosefest.org/Home.html

Other events include a bus tour of trumpeter swan sites, a nature walk on Iverson Spit on Camano Island, and self-guided trips to areas such as Fir Island Farms/Hayton Snow Goose Reserve west of Conway or The Big Ditch north of Stanwood. Hayton Reserve and Big Ditch require a state Discover or vehicle access pass for parking.

Byers said that depending on the weather, the festival typically attracts 700 to 1,000 people. “For a community as small as ours, they have a pretty significant impact,” she said.

Headquarters for the festival is the Stanwood Area Historical Society, located at 7108 102nd Ave. NW in Stanwood. Society members will be offering a light breakfast, a lunch and snacks for sale on both days. There also will be a $5 pancake breakfast and a silent auction next door to the headquarters.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Mountlake Terrace and Arlington players all leap in the air for a rebound during the game on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Terrace boys basketball wins rematch over Arlington 47-46

Hawks weather a 20-turnover night against their rivals.

X
Prep roundup for Tuesday, Dec. 10

Prep roundup schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 10: (Note for coaches/scorekeepers: To report… Continue reading

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Dec. 1-7

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Dec. 1-7. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Seahawks defensive tackles Byron Murphy II (91) and Johnathan Hankins (97) celebrate after a defensive play against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks meeting challenge to go into playoff ‘death mode’

Can Seattle sustain postseason mentality for the remainder of regular season?

Seahawks unsure when Kenneth Walker III will return

Backup running back Zach Charbonnet enjoyed a career day in Walker’s absence Sunday.

Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) pitches against Mexico during the second inning of a semifinal game at the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park on Monday, March 20, 2023, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner / Miami Herald / Tribune News Services)
Mariners making Japanese ace Roki Sasaki ‘a priority’

Jerry Dipoto optimistic about chance to woo Roki Sasaki to Seattle

Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo (19) celebrates with running back Zach Charbonnet (26) after a touchdown during the Seahawks 30-18 victory at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks put together complete game, beat Arizona

Seattle wins its fourth straight by beating the Cardinals in all phases.

Stanwood (red) and Monroe (white) each huddle before a league game at Monroe High School on Dec. 7, 2024. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Stanwood girls basketball survives Monroe in OT

Spartans outscore Monroe 14-1 in OT to deny the Bearcats.

Cougars lose 15 players in transfer portal’s first day open

Keeping quarterback John Mateer will be a key for WSU

Gonzaga drops to No. 8 in poll

Bulldogs slip one spot after overtime loss to Kentucky.

X
Prep roundup for Saturday, Dec. 7

Zia-Daye Anderson scores 35 points for Kamiak girls and Grady Rohrich leads boys with 31.

Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) celebrates his interception with teammates in a 30-18 win over Arizona at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
Dave Boling: Seahawks have the foundation of a new LOB

‘Baby Boomers’ are coming into their own during four-game winning streak.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.