A Birder's Guide to Washington

Few states show more dramatic contrasts in their environment than Washington. Elevations range from sea level to over 14,000 feet. Precipitation varies from 200+ inches annually on the Olympic Peninsula, which nurtures a temperate rain forest and mountaintop glaciers, to a mere six inches in parts of the Columbia River Basin where near-desert conditions prevail. The primary reason for these contrasts is the Cascade Mountains, which run from north to south the entire length of the state. Pacific storms slam into western Washington for much of the year. The wet side is often cloudy and enjoys moderate temperatures throughout all seasons. East of the Cascades, Washington's dry side has a rain shadow climate. Summers are hot and winters are cold; clear skies are the norm. Between these extremes, an array of aquatic and terrestrial communities supports a remarkable diversity of bird species. Typical of the wet side are Blackfooted Albatross, Trumpeter Swan, Black Turnstone, Mew Gull, and Rhinoceros Auklet. The dry side is home to Spruce Grouse, Flammulated Owl, White-headed Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpie, and Brewer's Sparrow. This revised version of A Birder's Guide to Washington brings current the 2003 first edition and, in the process, adds a number of new destinations while eliminating a few that are no longer worthwhile. The Guide details hundreds of birding routes and sites in the state together with year-round access instructions and birding advice. Over 220 maps pinpoint the most productive destinations in the field and offer regional overviews to help with trip planning. An annotated checklist of 510 species recorded in the state through 2014 gives information about status and habitat associations; the seasonal abundance and regional occurrence bar graphs will assist birders in locating regularly occurring species.