Several species of animals spend time in our neck of the Pacific Northwest woods as part of their annual migration. In winter you will find Snow Geese, Trumpeter and Tundra Swans and Bald Eagles. Spring brings Gray Whales, Sandhill Cranes and Osprey, and Salmon spawn in the fall.
Snow Geese
(October-March) The winner of the longest distance migrated goes to the 50,000 Snow Geese who travel to the Skagit Valley from Wrangel Island in northern Siberia. Some birds have been recorded flying three days non-stop to come to the fields where they will feast through the winter on the leftovers in the plowed fields.
Look for a snowy blanket of white birds with black wing tips (they weigh about 6 or 7 pounds) that are eating their way across the cornfields or wetlands. Among them, you might see a dark form with a white head—a color variant called the “Blue Goose.” Snow Geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent.
(October-April) Each winter thousands of trumpeter and tundra swans migrate to the open fields of Skagit Valley where they find natural feeding and roosting grounds. Farmers in the area grow crops like potatoes and corn, and after harvesting, they leave the fields for the birds of winter to feast until they are ready to head back to the Canadian Arctic and Alaska in early spring.
Trumpeter Swans are the biggest native waterfowl in the area with an 8-foot wing span (males can be up to 10-foot wing span) and the weigh about 25 pounds. Their counterparts in the valley, the Tundra Swan is about half that size.
Learn more about these magnificent birds, and the difference between the two, visit https://birdsofwinter.org/
Photo by Pete Freund Photography
Bald Eagles
(November-January) Starting as early as November and lasting through January, the rivers and waterways of the Pacific Northwest see an influx of bald eagles, that migrate south from Alaska and Canada, in search of open water where they can feast on salmon.
This is not the only time of year when you can see eagles on the Cascade Loop. Resident breeding pairs build nests early in the year and then lay eggs and raise their young and may live in the area for many years. However, during the peak of migration in some years you can see hundreds of birds along the Skagit River, Snohomish River and the coastline of Washington state, in salmon spawning streams and waterfowl wintering areas.
Learn more about bald eagles and where you can see them on the Cascade Loop on our Bald Eagle blog.
Photo by Pete Freund Photography
Sandhill Cranes
(February-April) Sandhill Cranes are one of the oldest species of bird on earth - fossils that have been found were dated over two million years old and some scientists think they could be up to six million years old.
Each year, starting about February, thousands of lesser sandhill cranes migrate north from the warm climates of California and Mexico through Washington on their way to breeding grounds in Southern Alaska. Peak numbers of birds are seen in early April. On their way south in the fall, migrants have a shorter stay, usually only month, from mid-September to mid-October.
Sandhill Cranes often mate for life and return to the same nesting territories year after year. Their courtship includes an amazing dancing ritual that begins with a bow, and includes calls and leaps – anyone fortunate enough to witness this display will not soon forget it.
Learn more about seeing these birds in the Methow Valley.
Photo by Pete Freund Photography
Gray Whales
(March-June) Gray whales pass through the waters around Puget Sound twice each year as they travel more than 10,000 miles from Alaska to Mexico.
They will feed along Washington’s coast starting in early spring, offering plenty of opportunity for viewing, especially at Langley, where they can sometimes be seen 20 feet away! They feed on ghost shrimp that live in the sandy sea floor of the waters surrounding Everett and south Whidbey Island. Learn more about the Langley Whale Center.
A small group of gray whales known as the "Sounders" return year after year and our local enthusiasts can identify individuals by their different markings and scars
(April-September) We start to see Ospreys on the Cascade Loop in April, when they come north and begin nest building, often in specially built nesting poles erected for the purpose by local utility departments. These poles offer sites for the birds and helps eliminate building nest on power poles. Osprey are almost exclusively fish-eaters, and their manner of hunting is worth watching, as they soar over the water and then dive up to 3 feet to catch a meal. Adult birds weigh about 4 pounds, and have a wing-span of 6-7 feet. They can live up to 25 years and often
The female spends the most time sitting on the eggs, which typically hatch the end of May. If you can spend time watching, you will see the male bring fish to the nest. Osprey pairs will stay together for their lifetime.
(August-November) Salmon of the Pacific Northwest return to the stream where they were 'born' because they instinctively know it is a good place to spawn. Scientists believe that salmon navigate by using the earth’s magnetic field like a compass. When they find the river they came from, they use their sense of smell to find their way back to their home stream. They use their memory of the smells built when they migrated to the ocean as a young fish. Spawning occurs late August through November. For an amazing opportunity to experience the importance of salmon in the region, plan to attend the Sky Valley's Return of the Salmon Festival (typically the last Saturday in September) at Osprey Park in Sultan. The event in 2025 will be held September 27th.
A unique part of the migration is when the Pinks (humpback salmon) run, which happens every other year (on odd years). This year will be a run year, and there's almost nothing as amazing as watching the width of a river roll with these 8 pound, 20-inch fish.
Because so much of the Cascade Loop highway(s) follow major rivers in the regions, there are many great places to view salmon during the fall. Read our blog Salmon Viewing Locations.
