Birding 101: Getting Started Birding With Seattle-Area Kids
Photo:
Ducks at Redmond's Marymoor Park. Credit: Mike Hamilton
Seattle- and Eastside-area birding spots
Ready to venture beyond your yard? Head to a bird-rich park.
Marymoor Park is King County’s largest and most-visited park, and it has diverse habitats for bird viewing. Birds reliably flock to three habitat features — water, tree canopy and a food source — and Marymoor has acres of all three.
The best areas for birds in Marymoor are along the Sammamish River and in the Community Garden. Wander the bird-named loop trails that lead to the river, and look for hawks, belted kingfishers, waterfowl and songbirds. Grab a bird list for the park and keep your eyes aloft and ears pricked. Marymoor also has an open environment, ideal for seeing birds. Apply the same birding principles to any park near you.
Try the Seward Park peninsula in south Seattle for waterfowl on the lake and barred owl sightings in the wooded interior.
Golden Gardens in northwest Seattle is ideal for seeing seabirds just offshore, and belted kingfishers and great blue herons in the pond at the north end of the park. A combination of landscapes within a single park will give you the most bird-sighting potential.
Up next: the Skagit Valley
