Thursday, October 1, 2026
Surely, you’ve noticed all the signs of spring: daffodils are blooming, and some flowering cherry trees are showing color, and the highest branches of alders are reddening. Plants are responding to a warmer than typical winter by starting their spring growth spurt early. But what about the birds?
Birds do something different. Both the resident and migratory species change from their winter habits to spring preparation for breeding based on day length, not temperature, so warmer weather doesn’t affect them so much. This makes adaptive sense. For example, many of the waterfowl species that winter here will migrate to breed in the wetlands of interior North America. If, in response to our warm weather, they flew there now they would be greeted by a frozen landscape.
A rufous hummingbird male now arriving for the spring.
Liam Hutcheson | For The JOLT News
There are, however, some early migration exceptions. One is the rufous hummingbird. This species winters in in Central Mexico, which is an amazing migration distance for this tiny bird. Males initiate their return migration in early February, and some are arriving in Thurston County right now. You may find one or more attending your hummingbird feeder any day now.
Another early migrant to our county is the western bluebird. They are now visiting their prairie habitat areas, like the Mima Mounds Natural Area, staking out breeding territories. They nest in cavities and thus a territory with a bluebird box is especially in demand.
A western bluebird male — a colorful prairie bird.
Liam Hutcheson | For The JOLT News
Back east, the earliest arriving American robin is reputed to be the “first bird of spring;” but here they are a common yard bird year-round. That’s why, when settlers arrived from the east, they switched this denomination from the robin to our early-arriving western bluebird. They called it the “blue robin” of spring. Unfortunately, western bluebird numbers declined severely in the mid-20th century and this name has now all but died out.
Several swallow species are also early migrants, at least this year. There have been multiple eBird reports of tree, violet-green, and barn swallows from all around western Washington. These birds are not yet at their breeding sites; rather, they are larking about in small to medium-sized flocks, moving frequently to take advantage of food sources.
A pair of tree swallows.
Liam Hutcheson | For The JOLT News
But what are those swallows eating? They exclusively feed on flying insects that they catch on the wing. Warmish temperatures may result in more flying insects breaking their hibernation cycle now and thus rewarding these early swallow migrants.
The black phoebe is a relatively rare flycatching species in our area. This winter sightings of them are being reported frequently. Perhaps they are benefitting from the warmer winters also. You can easily identify this 6-inch bird by its contrasting sooty-gray overall color and white belly. It likes to sit on a prominent perch, periodically flying out to catch prey, often returning to the same perch.
Earlier this year in Thurston’s Birds, I briefly mentioned federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps for sale at our Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Duck stamps are an important source of funding for bird habitat protection and, therefore, are of interest to non-hunting bird enthusiasts. Readers asked for more information about them.
All U.S. waterfowl hunters 16 years or older must have a current signed Federal Duck Stamp to hunt legally. That’s why people tend to associate them only with hunting. The current cost for the federal stamp is $25 and they’re for sale at most U.S. Post Offices, wildlife refuges and a wide variety of outdoor and sporting goods stores.
Many non-hunters buy duck stamps, either for stamp collecting or because the proceeds are used for conservation projects. If you want to start a collection, the best place is the USPS webstore; it sells not only current the duck stamp but also stamps from earlier years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also sponsors a Junior Duck Stamp Program. This is an education initiative, begun in 1989, that teaches students about wildlife biology and conservation. It encourages K-12 youth to create waterfowl art and enter their creations in a national contest. On occasion this art has been on display at our Nisqually refuge.
The national “Best of Show” for each year becomes the stamp design for the next year’s Junior Duck Stamp. These stamps are for collecting, not hunting. They are sold for $5, with 100% of the proceeds supporting the program.
There is a website, that contains much more information about these worthy federal wetlands’ conservation and enhancement programs.
The most significant reason for purchasing a duck stamp is that over 98% of the money raised from the sale of duck stamps goes directly to help acquire wetlands and conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Here in Thurston County that includes additions to our Nisqually Refuge, including its newer Black Lake Unit.
George Walter is environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department; he also has a 45+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com
Bird photos for this column are provided by Liam Hutcheson, an 18-year-old Olympia area birder and avid photographer.
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