The continental United States has only one rain forest. It stretches along the spectacular Oregon and Washington State coastline. The evergreens reach two hundred feet into the skies, often disappearing in the low-lying clouds. The Pacific and Puget Sound shoulder up to a rocky coastline with scattered bits of sandy beach. The cold, wave-churned waters are rich in critters from plankton to Orcas. And here the seabirds pull out onto huge floating logs carried down from the forest just uphill from the water’s edge.
Last year PIB had two winter birding trips to the Northwest Coast for those wintering birds down from the Arctic. Here are a few of the photos taken by birders on those trips. Take a look, because we are once again offering this great photo safari into the great American Northwest:
TOP TO BOTTOM:
Northern Shrike at Nisqually NWR, Washington. Photo by Ms Jennifer Hyypio.
Harlequins off the shore of Whidbey Island. Photo by Steve Murray.
Pelagic Cormorant and Glaucous-winged Gull pole sitting. Photo by Ms J. Hyypio.
Gang of Bald Eagles patrolling the edge of a marsh at Nisqually. Photo by Ms Hyypio.
Red-throated Loon in Hood Canal. By Mr. Murray.
Rhino Auklet over Puget Sound. By Steve Murray.
Surfbird along Oregon Coast. You’ll wait a long time before this species shows up in Colorado. Photo by Steve Murray.
Partnership for International Birding 