It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington.
The grebe is the master of its own buoyancy.
When the American Goldfinch molts in spring, it makes a dramatic change in plumage, from somber winter-brown with only a pale yellow tinge, to bright sunshine-yellow and coal-black.
During spring, the male pheasant establishes his territory and attracts one or more females into his harem.
But they are fiercely territorial when nesting. When the Great Horned Owl eggs hatched in the first days of March, the downy owlets were the size of newborn chickens and their mother brooded them day and night. Of the many signs announcing the arrival of spring in the Pacific Northwest, one of the most welcome is the return of Violet-green Swallows. A striking vision amid the open habitats it prefers, the Black-billed Magpie is a familiar sight throughout much of the West. Researchers suggest that the legend goes back into pagan times, when civilizations were keen to have high birthrates.
Of the many signs announcing the arrival of spring in the Pacific Northwest, one of the most welcome is the return of Violet-green Swallows.
Coastal beaches and estuaries offer excellent resting and feeding stops for migrating shorebirds, some of which travel from Argentina to the Arctic and back, every year.
The American Kestrel is the smallest, most numerous, and most widespread North American falcon.
But a cavalry regiment from Wisconsin actually had an eagle that accompanied it during the Civil War. The raucous birds of the neighborhood.
Outside of the breeding season, robins tend to gather in large flocks. Both Douglas squirrels and the firs they call home bear the name of David Douglas.
But with many hawks and falcons, the pattern is reversed. When you hear their chorus, be assured that our summer birds will soon arrive, some from as far south as Northern Mexico.
As early morning light extinguishes the stars, male birds begin to belt out their songs.
But the supply is limited. Long-necked and long-legged, these grayish cranes stand three feet tall.
But with many hawks and falcons, the pattern is reversed. Robins form monogamous pair bonds that last through the breeding season, and the males are very protective of their turf. Several adaptations protect Brown Pelicans as they dive.
More birds equal more money for conservation and education. These are Sanderlings, small sandpipers that stay through the winter. Bald Eagles build large stick nests in tall trees and reuse them year after year.
But many remain, and even the shy and secretive sometimes reveal themselves.
By contrast, a human creates sound using only two percent of the air exhaled through the larynx. One stretches out its neck, and the groomer, or preener, twirls individual feathers in its beak, often starting at the back of the head and working around to the front. When the Great Horned Owl eggs hatched in the first days of March, the downy owlets were the size of newborn chickens and their mother brooded them day and night. Birders across the country count birds in parks or fields or their own back yards, and then report the numbers on-line.
Among the most welcome features of spring is the renewal of bird song.