It’s nesting season for the great blue herons at the locks in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, a ritual that is carrying on uninterrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic. March is a good time to see the gangly birds prepping for the arrival of their spring hatchlings. The …
Category: Wildlife

Ozette Triangle Hike, where a boardwalk through the rainforest leads you to a wild Pacific coastline
A rugged coastline dotted with giant sea stacks and tidal pools. Large pods of seals sunning on the rocky edge of an island. A golden eagle soaring just above the trees, while gangling herons spar over the best low-tide fishing spots. And just a hint …

Summer at the Ballard Locks in Seattle means boats, birds and the timeless ritual of Pacific salmon runs
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks may be the coolest place to hang out in Seattle. On a recent morning we caught a cool breeze ahead of the summer swelter. We strolled passed the manicured lawns and gardens. Great blue heron glided overhead in a busy …

Canada’s Reifel Bird Sanctuary is a haven for swans, cranes, owls and the people who love to gaze at them
British Columbia’s George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary is the best place on the West Coast to see some of the world’s most spectacular birds, including trumpeter swans, eagles, owls and sandhill cranes. This pit stop for migratory birds is the perfect reason to linger …