Buzz: Outdoors News Briefs for Winter 2014
Birders Flock to 12th Annual WOW Birding Festival
Blaine, Wash.
Photo at right: Juvenile Western Sandpipers from the coast of Alaska above the Arctic Circle rest at high tide on the Blaine Marina rock breakwater in Drayton Harbor, Blaine, Wash. Photo by Eric Ellingson
Each year, migratory birds flock through the Pacific Flyway, resting (and posing for photos) in Semiahmoo, Birch Bay and Drayton Harbor near Blaine, Wash.
Northwest bird enthusiasts also flock to the area to celebrate their feathered friends during the annual Wings Over Water (WOW) birding festival. This year marks the 12th year of the event, which will take place March 14–16.
There will be indoor and outdoor activities for all ages—including plenty of bird-viewing opportunities. Participants can sit in on raptor presentations by Sardis Raptor Center, learn about “Gardening for Birds” from master gardener Sue Taylor, and hear all about “Winter Birds of the Salish Sea” from Joe Meche of the North Cascades Audubon. There will also be art and wildlife exhibits and kids’ activities like building birdhouses.
Admission to the event is free. An extra $5 pays for a guided fieldtrip to explore Semiahmoo Spit and to learn about birds and geology. For the same price, hop aboard the Plover Ferry to explore bird habitats in Drayton Harbor.
For more information, go to www.blainechamber.com/wow
Book Buzz
Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy
By Bret Contreras
Skip the free weights and leave the fitness machines behind. You really can get an effective strength workout using your own bodyweight as your main source of resistance.
Body Weight Strength Training Anatomy by trainer Bret Contreras includes detailed notes and illustrations of 156 bodyweight exercises, as well as tips to help you plan the best fitness routine to meet your goals.
Published by Human Kinetics, this book is sure to keep strength-training routines fresh no matter where you work out. Learn more at: www.humankinetics.com
Pink-clad snowshoers add color and fun to the 2010 Tubb’s Romp to Stomp. Photo by Carolyn Price
Stomp out Breast Cancer with Tubbs Feb. 8
Skykomish, Wash.
Pink-clad snowshoers add color and fun to the 2010 Tubb’s Romp to Stomp. Photo by Carolyn Price
The 2014 Tubb’s Romp to Stomp snowshoeing event to benefit the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation is scheduled from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Feb. 8 at Stevens Pass Nordic Center.
The annual Romp to Stomp includes 3k and 5k snowshoe walks, a 3k snowshoe race and a Lil Romper Dash for youth ages 12 and under. Tubbs will let you demo snowshoes for free (first come, first serve) on the day of the event. Just head over to the Tubbs Demo Tent after check-in. OutdoorsNW has enjoyed a special partnership with Tubb’s Romp to Stomp in recent years, and its staffers are delighted to provide Regional Platinum sponsorship this year. Be sure to stop by the OutdoorsNW booth to sign up to win special prizes!
Register: www.tubbsromptostomp.com/wa
Event Details
What: Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer
When: Feb. 8, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Where: Stevens Pass Nordic Center, Summit Stevens Pass, US Hwy. 2, Skykomish, WA 98288
Fees:
Adult registration: $45 through Feb. 6; $50 on event day
Lil Rompers registration: $30 through Feb. 6; $35 on event day
