Bird of the Month: The brant

A small goose, brants congregate near the water line. Birch Bay and Drayton Harbor often is a landing area for these birds. It is the farthest north nesting goose, and in migration may fly as high as several thousand feet. The Washington Brant Foundation, along with North Cascades Audubon Society and the City of Blaine, held the first Washington Brant Festival in Blaine and Birch Bay in 2003. The festival changed its name in 2005 to Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival to include the large number of marine bird species that migrate here during spring. This year's festival is March 14-16. For more information, visit wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com.