Joan Carson

BIRD WATCH: Taking a better look at cormorants

SOMETIMES IT FEELS like cormorants are birds that get overlooked. They aren’t small. They’re actually one of the largest birds on the water. Perhaps it… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Birds swoop into action as cold lingers but days lengthen

THE BEST PART of clear, cold winter weather is the bright sunshine and the lack of clouds or rain. That’s a given, but there is… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Bohemian waxwing sightings get 2017 off to a good start

CEDAR WAXWINGS ARE regular visitors and resident birds in Western Washington. They are unpredictable but they do show up at various times throughout the year.… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Waiting for the varied thrush once again

THIS FIRST COLUMN for 2017 was retrieved from past columns. This will be the 50th year of the column’s existence and looking back over five… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: ‘Tis the season for a Christmas walk

FOR MANY, CHRISTMAS is the season when cherished traditions envelop us. They make the season special. One of the more simple traditions is a Christmas… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Company for the holidays, both feathered and family

GUESTS DURING THE holidays can also be Christmas gifts, especially when one is a favorite cousin from Florida. A planned entertainment schedule isn’t needed, but… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Some standby gifts for bird lovers

THREE OLD STANDBYS top the list for gift-giving bird-watchers or hints for bird-watchers to drop. They also work as gifts to give when introducing someone… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: A look back at 50 years of columns

ON DEC. 6, this column will begin its 50th year. It’s impossible to approach this milestone without a great deal of looking back. Change, overwhelming… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Controversial Canada geese come in a variety of shades, sizes

right? A little more tricky is knowing which race or subspecies you are looking at.… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Distant travelers can be beckoned with bird seed

THIS IS A good time to sprinkle some mixed bird seed around the yard’s bushes or, where possible, under existing feeders. The golden-crowned sparrows arrived… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: ‘News flash’ alerts watchers to snow geese sightings in Sequim area

A FEW DAYS ago, a “news flash” came across my desk. Actually, it was a bird-watcher’s news flash. Reporters in the field Joan and Chuck… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Respite from the rain calls to birds, humans alike

POURING RAIN FOR too many days messes with your seasonal clock. On those rare days when the clouds suddenly part and the sunshine makes you… Continue reading

BIRD WATCH: Table manners particular to each species

This is the perfect time to watch birds that have settled in for the winter.

BIRD WATCH: October’s owls and hummingbirds out in proper form

There are 15 species on Washington’s bird checklist. That’s a lot of owls, more than enough to go around the entire state, and that’s just what they do.

BIRD WATCH: Land of the raven in Navajo Country where four corners meet

Miles from nowhere, there is almost no visible life in Monument Valley except for one creature: a bird.

BIRD WATCH: Visit to Rocky Mountain National Park a treat for the eyes

With fall in the air, birds are on the move, including mountain bluebirds and Townsend’s solitaires.

BIRD WATCH: Peck-peck-peck heralds woodpeckers, busy birds for fall

There are various ways to (humanely) deter their attacks on your home.

BIRD WATCH: Look to the skies along Hood Canal for great birding

Because this body of water is popular with migrating birds, it is also one of those spots where the unexpected can be expected.

BIRD WATCH: Audubon offers a wealth of information

From newsletters to gorgeous rendered websites, its chapters offer it all.

BIRD WATCH: ‘Feral’ cat a hungry burden for bird lover

My goal is now the relocation of an animal that would make a great housecat.