The North Cascades Institute invites attendees to board the 65-foot vessel at Squalicum Harbor on a bird-watching excursion at 8:30 a.m. on May 10. The excursion, Spring Birding on the Snow Goose, will explore Bellingham Bay, Lummi Island and the surrounding waters.
“It's a unique perspective. Getting out on the water, seeing it from a boat instead of from shore. It's a new way to see new birds that usually you can only see through a telescope,” said Lindsey McBride, one of the North Cascades Institute organizers for the event.
The trip will be guided by Amanda Colbert, an educator and naturalist and the Snow Goose will be captained by Dan Liden. The class tuition fee is $215. Scholarships are available for students and eligible community members to make the North Cascades Institute classes available to a wider audience.
Participants should expect to see surf scoters and other waterfowl in Bellingham Bay. Leaving Bellingham Bay, there will be certain types of gulls and cormorants, and in deeper open waters, there may be loons and some auklet species. Common murres, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots and other little diving ducks may be visible, Colbert said. There is also the possibility of seals, sea lions and orca sightings in the area.
“The best way to learn birds is to spend time watching birds with somebody who knows them,” said John Bower, a professor for the Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University.
The classes are friendly to all levels of birders, and registration is available on the North Cascades Institute's website.
“You don't need to have birding knowledge. You don't need to know anything about the Salish Sea. We love it when people who are just curious or interested come,” McBride said.
The Snow Goose was built in 1973 in Ketchikan, Alaska as a private yacht. After a few ownership changes, it was bought by Bert Weber and his wife, who turned it into a charter boat.
They ran the boat for about 12 years and started the Marine Science Education program with local middle school students where they invited about 800 students a year to board the boat and learn about marine science.
The Snow Goose in July 2024, in Endicott Arm, Alaska. The Snow Goose was built in 1973 in Ketchikan, Alaska. // Photo courtesy of Dan Liden
Dan Liden bought the Snow Goose in 2006. He is continuing the Marine Science Education program and has expanded it, allowing 1,400 students a year.
“The only reason I do this is to show people what's in their backyard and let people appreciate where they live. So they have a sense of place,” Liden said. “I like the bird trip because you get people that are like-minded, and they just really appreciate nature and what the Snow Goose does.”
Research indicates birdwatching can have a positive influence on one's sense of well-being. A study from North Carolina State University examining the impacts of 30-minute birdwatching sessions on college campuses identified a causal relationship between bird-watching, reduced psychological distress and increased well-being.
“When I'm bird-watching, I feel like my brain can't focus on anything else. It's almost this way to quiet everything else: my to-do list, my day-to-day conversations or just chores — you name it,” Colbert said. “It's something that helps me slow down, reset everything. I feel a lot less on edge.”
The North Cascades Institute's mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Along with the Spring Birding on the Snow Goose, they have other upcoming events, including Snake Count in the Methow Valley, San Juan Islands Exploration on the Orion and more.
Those interested can find the North Cascades Institute's upcoming events on their calendar.
“Bird-watching is like a lifetime gift. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter where you travel to. It's always there for you,” said Bower.
Claire Mayne (she/her) is a city life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year at Western majoring in public relations and minoring in philosophy. When she’s not working on a story, she likes baking, listening to audiobooks and enjoying the outdoors with friends. You can reach her at clairemayne.thefront@gmail.com.
