Mindful Birding Missive: 10 March 2026
Dear Birders,
It was very quiet at the library compared to last week, so the five of us walked to the overflow parking and quickly ran into a mixed flock of small songbirds. Chestnut-backed Chickadees dominated, dangling from branches, foraging in lichens. Tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglets (our smallest bird next to hummingbirds) foraged in the depths of roses, but eventually moved up into the alders where we admired their olive-green roundness. Brown Creeper crept and spiraled round limbs, using their curved bill to reach into crevices. Song Sparrow sang atop the rose hedge. Downy Woodpecker called from the apple tree by the playground and we spotted his red spot and noted his tiny bill (compared to his larger cousin, Hairy Woodpecker). An unseen Purple Finch sang from conifers.
 
Moving along through the condos, we spotted a Red-breasted Nuthatch yanking away at the top of a fir, turning his head this way and that, revealing his black & white stripes. Adult & immature White-crowned Sparrows foraged side by side beneath a dense shrub, making it easy to see their differences, and the same with male and female American Robins in the parking area. To top it all off, an adult Bald Eagle flew over us as we returned to the library.
 
The next walks will be on April 7 & 21. Outings are limited to 6 people for a quality experience, so please sign up early at the library or by emailing Beth@LopezLibrary.org
 
Thanks for birding with me!
Beth

Recommended Resources
Cornell Lab's All About Birds

An amazing free resource from Cornell University. A field guide online plus articles, Live Cams, Courses, and more. Look up each bird we saw to see multiple photos of each species, including male/female/immature, perched/flying images, as well as food, nesting, behavior, and conservation information.

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Jon L. Dunn
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America
by Jon L. Dunn

National Geographic's iconic, best-selling guide for birders and birding enthusiasts of all levels includes unique subspecies maps never before seen in a field guide; extensive migration information overlaid on species maps; field-mark labels on all artwork; text updates with new species; reorganization reflecting taxonomic changes in the bird community; organization, readability, and increased page count.
Peterson field guide to birds of western North America / : Includes Birds of Hawaii
by Roger Tory Peterson

"A new edition of the best-selling field guide, with 25 all-new plates covering the birds of Hawaii"
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America
by David Allen Sibley

Now completely revised and updated, the authoritative guide to over 700 birds of the American West from renowned birder, illustrator, and New York Times bestselling author David Sibley Compact and comprehensive, this guide features 715 bird species, plus regional populations, found west of the Rocky Mountains. Entries include stunningly accurate illustrations--more than 5,046 in total--with descriptive captions pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry also includes the most current information concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. This improved edition includes: - Updated habitat, description, behavior, and conservation text for each species account and all family pages.- New and revised illustrations of species and regional forms.- New design featuring species accounts in columns, allowing for better comparison and more illustrations and text.- Current taxonomic order and up-to-date common names.- All maps revised to reflect the most current range information.- More species and rarities included. The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America contains more than 652 updated maps drawn from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent, and shows winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges.
Sibley's Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast
by David Allen Sibley

53 waterbirds commonly found in the region; migratory birds and year-round residents; shorebirds, gulls and terns; wading birds; ducks. Waterproof, accordion-style.

 
Sibley's Backyard Birds of the Pacific Northwest
by David Allen Sibley

69 land birds commonly found in the region; migratory species and year-round residents; songbirds, hawks, woodpeckers and more. Waterproof, accordion-style.
 
A Guide to Birds of San Juan Island by Monika Wieland
A Guide to Birds of San Juan Island
by Monika Wieland

San Juan Island is a diverse place made up of a wide variety of habitats: shorelines, farmlands, forests, and prairies. As a result, over 300 bird species have been documented here. Whether a budding nature enthusiast, an advanced birder, or somewhere in between, A Guide to Birds of San Juan Island will give you details about all of the birds that can be seen here and where to find them. Part species guide and part site guide, Monika Wieland's book will help residents and visitors alike discover more about the bird life of San Juan Island.

Most of the birds in this guide are also on Lopez Island. This is a great reference (not a field identification guide) for specific information about birds in the islands.
Birding in the San Juan Islands
by Mark G. Lewis & Fred A. Sharpe

Places to bird and the birds of the islands. A bit out of date, but still a valuable resource. Out of print; keep an eye out for used copies.
Birding in the San Juan Islands by Mark G. Lewis & Fred A. Sharpe

Lopez Island Library
2225 Fisherman Bay Rd
Lopez Island, Washington 98261
360-468-2265
www.lopezlibrary.org