Such labels are not used by ornithologists, but they add a bit of fun to the study of birds.
These gulls nest on flat, sunny rooftops that are generally inaccessible to humans.
Ravens often travel in pairs, while crows are seen in larger groups. Remember when you were a young Saturday morning birdwatcher, learning the intricate lessons of predator-prey relationships? Along the coast of Washington, just after the summer solstice, thousands of Western Sandpipers settle in to feed along the tidal edge. Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore.
Right now a flock of Bar-headed Geese could be flying over Mt. What birds you see depends upon the time of year and the route of your ferry.
This bird inhabits remote areas near tree-line in the western mountains, where it lives in symbiosis with whitebark pines. The Brown Creeper lives in a mature forest where evergreen and deciduous trees reach for sun.
Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore.
How do birdwatchers identify a particular species?
Stretch your arms as far as you can, and imagine a bird whose reach is even greater! The swallows that make mud nests in spring and catch flying insects all summer are now far south in Mexico, and Central and South America. Look farther out, and you might see Pigeon Guillemots. How did this lovely jewel get its name?
This nondescript bird steps off a small boulder right into the torrent, and begins to peer under water.
Merlins, compact birds of prey about ten inches long with a two-foot wingspan, are swift, powerful fliers, true thunderbolts on long, pointed wings. The tern whirls, folds its wings, and plunges into the water, diving for small fish that swim just below the surface. The jewel-like male Rufous Hummingbirds are fewer in number these days. Long ago the tide did not ebb and flow, but stayed close to shore.
Not really a hawk at all, the nighthawk is closely related to the more fully nocturnal nightjars, such as the Whip-poor-will of eastern North America. Only the Glaucous-winged Gull nests in the Pacific Northwest, so for months, gull-watching has been pretty tame.