Daffodils in the Skagit Valley

March is here and that can only mean one thing - daffodils! These beautiful flowers begin popping up in flower beds in neighborhoods all over the Pacific Northwest this time of year.

Want to see more? I'll let you in on a little secret. Think Skagit Valley. Think Mount Vernon!

I say secret because, unlike the Tulip Festival that takes place next month and draws visitors from around the world, the daffodils attract a much smaller crowd. In fact, calling it a "crowd" is overselling it!

You can arrive at 8:00 am on a Saturday morning and possibly be one of only a handful of cars in the Roozengaarde parking lot - it happened to me last year!

Meanwhile, the fields of flowers are there in all their glory and variety of colors. Variety? Oh yes. If you thought daffodils only came in yellow, think again!

Though the varieties may not be as numerous as with the tulips, there are still enough to create attractive alternating rows in the fields. Bring your camera!

How to get there. If you've attended the Tulip Festival, the driving directions are exactly the same.

From Seattle, take I-5 north to Mount Vernon. Take the Kincaid Street exit (#226), go west on Kincaid. At the first stoplight after the railroad tracks, take a right. Go straight through 2 stoplights and over the Division Street Bridge. Continue to the first stoplight after the bridge, taking a left at the light onto Wall Street. Wall Street makes a quick right turn and becomes McLean Road.

Continue down McLean Road about 3 miles. Make a left at the grocery store onto Beaver Marsh Road, and begin watching for yellow fields on your right.

The main parking lot for Roozengaarde is 1/4 down on your right. There is another parking lot about 1/2 a mile further. Both offer access to excellent viewing opportunities.

How to view. I recommend viewing the fields first, especially if arriving early. If photography is your goal, I really recommend viewing the fields first. Both parking lots offer access to ample wandering and many opportunities - check them both out or you'll regret it!

Please respect all signs and walk only in designated areas.



After finishing your wanderings, make your way back to the Roozengaarde Gardens. There is a $5 entry fee to get in, but it is well worth it. The gardens aren't as bustling as during tulip season, but there is still a lot to see. Make sure to get your picture taken in front of the windmill!

What to wear. Dress for the weather. There is something else synonymous with March - rain! Dress warm and bring rain gear. Even if you arrive under dry skies, this can change fast. There is a reason that daffodils and tulips grow so well here! Speaking of rain, it has - and often, trust me! Expect lots of puddles in the fields, much more than during tulip season. Rubber boots are highly recommended.

When to go. Mid to late March offers the best showing of daffodils. Weekdays and weekends are both excellent. Reports this year are that peak blooms are still ahead!

Best weather. Clear days offer vivid colors in the fields and the backdrop of the snow-clad Olympic Mountains in the distance - truly a Pacific Northwest experience.

But many photographers prefer cloudy days. Direct sun offers harsh lighting that burns out the color and details of the flowers. It also creates unwanted contrasts with dark shadows. Cloudy skies diffuse the light, making it more even. The last three images appearing here were taken under such conditions.

Most important. Have fun! Bring a camera if you wish and enjoy the day! Drive slow and stare often!

Finally. Roozengaarde offers the biggest fields and displays that I have found. But there are others. I encourage you to drive around and explore. If you see another display that you really like, send me line and let me know!

Farewell Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Well, the day many of us have dreaded has finally arrived. The P-I has announced that tomorrow, March 17th, will be the last printed edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. After tomorrow, it will be available as an online edition only.

Read the full story here.

A 'Thank You' from Karen Sykes

Don!!

I am overwhelmed! I don't even know what to say except thank you.

Thank you for being my friend. Our writing is a long and lonesome journey at times and it's good to "hike" that trail with another writer/photographer when those opportunities arise.


Karen

The End of an Era

Update: The P-I has decided to extend Karen's "Hike of the Week" one more week, with the last article scheduled to appear March 19th.

An era is about to come to an end on Thursday. I know this to be true, but still can’t seem to believe the news.

After thirteen years of writing the “Hike of the Week” for the Seattle P-I Getaways section, my good friend Karen Sykes is approaching the finish line. It’s been a marathon of sorts for her, complete with joys, challenges, hardships, rewards, and stories that will last her (and I hope us) the rest of her life. She is finishing the race strong. Her energy level and motivation are high. Her determination is fierce. This is a race we all new she would complete; victory was never a concern or doubt. We just didn’t know it would be so soon.

Karen will be writing her last hiking article for the P-I on Thursday.

I first met Karen on a hike. Let me correct that. I first met Karen on a long drive to do a hike in Eastern Washington. I enjoyed her company immediately and it became quite clear that it was going to be a fun day. She had a very happy, outgoing personality and an equally enjoyable sense of humor. I don’t remember where conversation steered us that day for the 3-1/2 hours plus on the road, but I remember there being a lot of laughs. A third person whose name escapes me did the driving that day. I jest of course. It was our good friend Alan Bauer, who's images grace this entry (thank you Alan).

My friendship with Karen has grown since that first hike. I’ve followed her hiking accounts in the P-I as well as another forum we both frequent, and have shared laughs via e-mails and phone calls many times. I have resurrected her computer from the dead on multiple occasions. Well, not really. But she would have you believe so.

It was while working on her computer one day that we began talking publishing projects again. When Karen learned of my book Mt. Rainier, she asked me for a copy to review for the P-I. I was in shock! Of course, I obliged too!

When Karen’s review came out, I was flabbergasted. I was expecting a quick couple of paragraphs and just hoped that they would read kindly. I was astonished to find a very in-depth, two-page review with one of my blown-up images jumping across the page! Oh, and she was kind too! Seeing it was truly an incredible experience for me. And now as I look back on it, it is also important to me because it wasn’t just written by a book reviewer trying to meet deadline, it was written by Karen.

Karen will be writing her last hiking article for the P-I on Thursday.

Life is about changes and that rings true with Karen as well. She is soon to experience many new ones and I am very excited for her. One of these changes is her new blog she has started, which I encourage you to visit. She has written about the difficult times and emotions she has experienced as that finish line comes into view. It’s a powerful read. Bookmark it and come back often. I think she’s about to find the finish line to be a simple piece of ribbon, and that the road in fact has a long way to go.

Karen, you made Thursdays fun and something to look forward to. Thank you.

All images appear courtesy Alan L. Bauer. I had a camera too - I was just too busy trying to keep up with Karen.

Snow Geese on Fir Island

Fir Island is synonymous with Snow Geese during the winter months amongst birders. Located near Conway in Skagit County, the area offers excellent opportunities for viewing Bald Eagles, hawks, owls, herons, geese...the list goes on!

Eagles commonly gather in trees while hawks swoop down low along the fields in search of rodents. Owls make their appearance known in early morning and evening. It is an incredible experience to witness. My first visit to Fir Island quickly deemed it my favorite birding destination in our state to date.

To get to Fir Island, drive I-5 north from Seattle to the Conway, exit. Turn left and head west back over the freeway. Take an immediate right on Fir Island Road, and let your eyes guide you the rest of the way! That's right - Fir Island is about driving the countryside exploring, not looking for a specific destination.

All roads can lead to opportunities. Mann Road is popular. Turn left immediately after crossing the Skagit River for this option. Follow the signs along this road to the Skagit Wildlife Area. As with most wildlife areas, a parking pass is required here. I chose instead to follow Fir Island Road west. The Snow Geese are very easy to find in the morning. Just look to the sky!

Their tendency is to sleep out on the tide flats at night, then fly into the fields in the morning.With over 10,000 geese in the area, they were easy to spot throughout the morning as as they flew in!

During my visit, the geese began to gather just off Moore Road. They consisted of a few thousand at first, but more kept arriving. They slowly moved in a northeasterly direction until they consumed the area around Poulson Road.

The geese kept flying in and flying in. Non-stop arrivals. The sky was cluttered with them as the first few images show. The real treat was when a raptor flew by. The entire flock would spook and take flight all at once. It was a truly amazing experience.

I was fortunate enough to visit on a clear, sunny day. The treat was that both Mt. Baker and the Olympics were out in full view, serving as an excellent backdrop. Truly a Northwest experience.

It was interesting to pay attention to the crowds. Early on photographers clearly were the audience. But as the day grew on, the demographic grew as well. What really stood out to me were the number of international tourists - namely Japanese. I talked to a number of them!

As I mentioned previously, the geese began to slowly migrate in a northeasterly direction. This was key to note. While positioned on Moore Road, their backs were primarily to you. But move ahead to Poulson Road and you watched them come flying in! Their numbers kept increasing as their group size expanded and grew toward you.



Of course, there were more birds to watch as well. Bald Eagles were apparent in numbers, and hawks would swoop down along the road and fields when you least expected it.

Fir Island is a marvelous place to visit. The opportunities are numerous and begging for your attention! The Snow Geese appear to be hanging around much later than normal years, so it's not too late to enjoy these beautiful creatures.

Friendly Get-Together

This past week I met up with my good friend Alan Bauer at the Issaquah Brewhouse - one of our favorite meeting places (outside of trails, of course!).

Alan and I have been good friends for a few years now, so it is always fun to get together. We talk shop, current projects we are working on, future projects we want to work on, future outings we would like to do together, family, sports - heck, maybe a list of things we don't discuss would be shorter!

Alan of course has been busy co-authoring the Dayhike series books for The Mountaineers, and has been chomping at the bit for spring to arrive so he can hit the trails again. In the meantime, we'll probably try to do some desert hikes in the coming months. I wonder if Alan knows anything about hiking over there? Hmmmm...

(photo by our good friend Kim Brown)

2009 Calendars

Over the past several years I have enjoyed contributing to various calendars. It's always fun to walk in the store and see your own work on display, and a special feeling to know your work is appreciated enough to be invited into someone's home or office.

Well, this last year marked the first year of producing my very own wall calendars - Wild West & Reflections. Both of these calendars offer a collection of my images from all over the Western U.S. and Canada. What a fun project!

These calendars have been distributed widely in both retail and online stores such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books, sporting goods stores, etc.

Now that we are nearing March, most retailers are closing these out and deals are to be had! Unfortunately, availability is no longer guaranteed.

The good news is that we still have a few calendars left! You may view and purchase calendars at a reduced price of $7.00 plus S&H (Reg. price $12.99) by visiting our web site.

Supplies are limited to stock on hand, so once they are gone, they are gone. These calendars are wrapped, but I can peel away a small corner and sign them upon request - let me know!

New Business Card

You know it has been a slow week when I write about my new business cards! Actually, I thought it would be a great opportunity to plug ADG Printing in Lynnwood, WA. They have been my business card and postcard source now for many years. Their quality and competitive pricing keeps me coming back!

This particular image was taken just last fall (yes, fall) on a backpacking trip to High Divide in Olympic National Park with my good friend David Crowe. It was a strange year in the Pacific Northwest. The flower show was quite late and lasted into the emergence of fall colors. I actually have a photograph of a single glacier lily (one of the first flowers to bloom in the high country) next to a red huckleberry plant!

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The Nisqually River Delta forms one of the largest remaining estuaries in Washington. While most estuaries have been filled, dredged or developed, Nisqually River's has been set aside for wildlife, receiving official protection in 1974 as the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Here the freshwater of the Nisqually meets with the saltwater of the Puget Sound, supporting a web of sea life. In fact, the refuge hosts more than 200 bird species, from song birds to waterfowl to raptors. River otters, seals and sea lions are also common to see.

The refuge offers over 7 miles of trails to walk, including the 5.5 mile Brown Farm Dike Trail. This loop trail is a must!

I visited this refuge for the first time last weekend, having no idea what to expect. I had a strange emotional sense about it as it would offer completion for me; the final piece to the puzzle if you will. You see, I have hiked and backpacked along this river. In fact, I have stood on top of the 14,111' summit of its source on several occasions (even by the glacier of its name). Experiencing this river from its icy beginnings down to flower-filled alpine and sub-alpine meadows thru rich forests of old-growth and now to the end of its journey at the Nisqually Delta just seemed like one of life's special moments. To experience it in all its splendor is something I don't think a lot of people are privileged to do. That's unfortunate.

I would like to tell you how glorious the weather was on this day, with the warmth of the sun's rays being cast down upon me and reflected off the still waters nearby. Ah, but that wasn't to be. If you can imagine cloudy skies somewhere above the thickly entrenched fog and temperatures just above freezing, your imagination might paint a little more accurate picture for you!

The boardwalk leading out to the barns was quite iced up and dangerous to walk on. Each step was precarious. I exited first chance I got, retreating to solid ground and trusted footing. I visited the two eagles nested by the barn, then worked my way over to the Brown Farm Dike Trail. Now this was nice walking! It was also peaceful and offered more solitude than expected. It was along this section I watched a couple of Great Blue Herons across the water and laughed at a river otter who seemed to be trying to get my attention!

Just past the Nisqually Overlook, I ran into the fellow you see to the left. I have many more pictures of him. MANY more. He was only 30' above the trail and was oblivious to all walking under him. Ok, I saw three people walk under him...

I continued on to McAllister Creek where I met a group from the Audabon Society. They were quite tickled, having watched two Pine Grosbeaks shortly before my arrival. I was fortunate to see these beautiful birds as well; an uncommon visitor to these parts.

I wrapped up my visit with a venture to the visitor center to chat with some of the staff and pick up a new sweatshirt - hey, it was cold out!

Birds at Coulon Beach

Coulon Beach and the mouth of the Cedar River are fun places to view many bird species. But one must also widen the choice to include one of the major King County trails in the area:

The Cedar River Trail extends 17.3 miles from the City of Renton through Maple Valley and to the border of the Cedar River watershed. It passes through excellent bird and wildlife habitat. Eagles, hawks, herons, mallards, deer, elk, coyotes - you name it! It's a pleasant walk or bicycle ride. My hope is that someday soon the efforts to connect the Soos Creek Trail (of which I live near) to the Cedar River Trail will reach fruition, giving the recreationist even more options.

The Cedar River enters Lake Washington near Coulon Beach, which offers even more opportunities for birding. Herons can be spotted in large numbers here (55 on Jan 31, 2009), as can Mallards and various types of ducks and geese. The best viewing point is near the bridge accessing the Nature Island bird sanctuary. The island has benches for sitting and relaxing while absorbing the views, as well as two separate observation points.

Please respect the wildlife and the enjoyment of others by staying on the established viewing path.

Kent Ponds

The Green River Natural Resource Area, or Kent Ponds, is a 304 acre multi-use refuge in Kent, Washington. It's a former sewage lagoon system that has been successfully converted into a stormwater detention and enhanced wetland facility. It can be approached from 64th Ave near the Kent Animal Shelter, or better yet, from Russell Road along the Green River near Van Doren's Landing Park.

The Kent Ponds are home to a diverse wildlife habitat, including Bald Eagle, Perrigrines, Kestrels, hawks, herons, ducks and shorebirds. Coyotes sometimes make an appearance too. Three separate towers allow for viewing across the entire area. Each tower is approached via a separate trail.

Early mornings are an excellent time to visit. Last weekend herons seemed to be the main attraction, with 4-5 witnessed on the fence near the paved trail and wandering around in the tall grass near the middle tower. Happy birding!

Oak Creek Wildlife Area

The Oak Creek Wildlife Area is located just outside of Naches, Washington near (and at) the junction with SR 410 and SR 12. For California Bighorn Sheep and Rocky Mountain Elk, this is one of the best wildlife viewing points in our state. Add in the many Bald Eagles and other visitors to the area, and it is an experience that can't be missed!





I have visited the Oak Creek Wildlife Area many times now, and each visit has been a different experience. Be it snow vs. sunshine, the turnout of the different herds, or the number of eagles feeding on the carcases of deceased animals.

The best way to visit the area from the Seattle area is to drive I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass to Wenatchee, turn south on I-82 and follow it to Yakima, then follow the signs for SR 410 to Naches.

I recommend beginning your day by visiting the big horn sheep (they are first to get fed). At the intersection of SR 410 and SR 12, turn right and follow the narrow road about a 1/2 mile to a well signed parking lot on the left. If you get there early, it is fun to watch the big horn sheep make their way down the hillsides from far above! Take your time here and enjoy watching the sheep interact with one another - especially if rams are present.


Next it's time to visit the elk back at the junction. As you approach the junction, look up. You will likely see the hillside dotted with elk waiting for the feed truck to arrive. Park on the southeast side of the junction, carefully cross the road and walk up the short embankment to the fence. The herd will be waiting for you! This herd numbered about 500 just a couple of weeks ago, and proved much more skittish than the herd at park headquarters.

Drive another 1/2 mile up SR 12 and you will arrive at park headquarters. This is where the big herd can be viewed, and many of the elk will likely already be lounging in the field near the parking lot. This herd numbered over 800 just a couple of weeks ago.

First stop should be the visitor center, to both warm up and sign up for one of the free truck tours offered. The staff here are very friendly and knowledgeable, with many stories to share. Please be sure and leave a donation to help support their efforts. Restrooms can be found on the opposite side of the building.


The truck tours take you out into the middle of the herd where they park, allowing guests time to photograph and observe the elk at much closer range. The trucks are associated with food and are accepted by the elk. People however, are not. During one tour a little girl dropped her hat on the ground. The guide waited until she felt most people were done, then asked permission from them to retrieve the hat. We soon learned why. As soon as she set foot on the ground, the elk panicked and ran away!

For more images, visit my Oak Creek, Elk, and Big Horn Sheep galleries.