These wetlands are well-suited for walkers, birders, and nature enthusiasts of all ages.
nature
Posted inAround West Sound
Wild Society
Nonprofit Spotlight Washington state has more than 30,000 registered nonprofit organizations. Their missions are wide ranging, but all attempt to address a significant community need, often relying completely on donor funding and an active cadre of community volunteers. With federal funding reduced, rescinded or at risk, nonprofits are eager to engage increased community support. The […]
Posted inGarden
A Beloved Spring Migrant That Brings Loads of Summer Fun
Bird migration is a fascinating phenomenon. About half of the world’s approximately 10,000 bird species are migratory. Some fly short distances to warmer wintering grounds and back to breeding grounds in spring. Others cover thousands of miles twice a year in extraordinary journeys that cross oceans and international borders. North America is home to four […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Tails and Trails on the Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is an especially pet-friendly place to visit and explore. With loads of dog parks, pet-friendly accommodations, trails and parks that welcome well-behaved dogs and cats, locals and visitors alike are sure to find an adventure that they and their animal companions will love. From the sandy, driftwood-strewn beach of Point No Point […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Advancing Scientific and Historic Projects with… Citizen Science
“World’s Oldest European Hedgehog Found by Citizen Scientists,” trumpeted a recent Smithsonian Magazine headline. A 16-year-old male hedgehog dubbed Thorvald had outlived the lifespan of his species by 14 years, surviving habitat loss, pesticides and the No. 1 cause of hedgehog deaths — road crossings. That Europe’s smallest mammal could outwit modern-day encroachment was cause […]
Posted inGarden
Unmasking the ‘Watchful Butcher’ Bird
Imagine walking a West Sound trail through an open, wooded area on a crisp day in late fall or winter. A charming black, white and gray bird, slightly smaller than a robin, is perched in a bare tree. Its endearing black-eye mask gives the impression that it’s pretending to be a villain. It appears almost […]
Posted inGarden
Swooping Swallows Signal Springtime
Nothing signals the advent of spring like the arrival of swallows. Among the first migrants to return from a warm winter in the south, swallows are endearing songbirds, many of which live in proximity to humans and nest on man-made structures. Swallows live virtually anywhere in the world that isn’t covered in ice. Built for […]
Posted inGarden
A Hummingbird for All Seasons
Everyone loves hummingbirds. Even people with little interest in other species are captivated by tiny birds that run on sugar and fly forward, backward, up and down and from side to side, and can hover like a helicopter — the only birds with such aerial abilities. Despite their diminutive size, hummingbirds are fiercely aggressive, attacking […]
Posted inGarden
The Whistler in the Woods
Birders measure the arrival of spring not by a date on the calendar, but by the sounds of birds returning from winter warmth in the South. From March to May, over two dozen species of migrant songbirds arrive for breeding in West Sound. To the delight of many, they fill the mornings with an array […]