It started with a search for an uncommon bird at Union Bay Natural Area. Located behind the University of Washington, my search took me by the Conibear Shellhouse. There, I sorted through multiple Yellow-rumped Warblers flitting through the trees, hoping to find a Say’s Phoebe.
Just then, a woman walked briskly out of the Conibear Shellhouse with her morning coffee and a roll. “What are you looking for?” she asked.
“A Say’s Phoebe,” I replied, “Right now I am only seeing Yellow-rumped Warblers.” She asked me to show her the warblers, which I did, and she expressed an interest in birds and wildlife. Then she shared stories about animals that had entered the boathouse, including River Otters. This prompted me to ask “Are you a rower?”
She responded to my ignorant question gracefully. “Actually, I’m the head coach of the UW Women’s rowing team.” At that moment, I felt dumbfounded and starstruck. UW’s storied rowing teams – both men and women – had won Olympic medals and numerous championships since the turn of the century. The famous book and movie “Boys in the Boat” featured the UW men’s surprise win of an Olympic Gold medal in 1936. We shook hands and introduced ourselves. I had just met Yasmin Farooq, head coach of the elite Husky women’s rowing team, former coach of the Stanford women’s rowing team, and an Olympic coxswain.
We chatted about birds and wildlife in the area for a while, and then “Yaz,” as she likes to be called, invited me to accompany one of the rowing practices in her coaching boat. I eagerly accepted this offer. A few weeks later, I arrived at Conibear on a cool overcast morning at 6:45 AM.
Yaz greeted me, then met with the team before practice got underway. I waited on a wooden bench watching Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons fly by. Suddenly, dozens of tall, strong women in gold jackets filed out of Conibear carrying long white-tipped oars. They hoisted eight rowing shells onto their shoulders, placed them in the water and 68 of them along with 8 coxswains (one per shell) boarded and shoved-off into the choppy waters of Lake Washington.
Two coaching “launches” (boats) pulled up and I got into one with Yaz and her assistant. We motored off to meet the rowers positioned for practice races up and down the Montlake Cut – a channel between Lake Washington and Lake Union. 
Yaz spoke through a bullhorn to queue up the boats and start the race. She followed closely behind, offering tips and encouragement, like: “Drive with your legs!” and “Paddle with a hollow core!”
The rowing was a thing of beauty. Each crew rowed in unison, “catching” their oar blades simultaneously in the water, pulling them smoothly yet powerfully through it, then rotating them so they came up flat at the end of their strokes. They reached impressive speeds, which Yaz said were about 15 mph, but seemed faster. The race continued for about a mile under picturesque Montlake Bridge, past the historical array of motivational painted signs for rowers. One said “Welcome to the Best Setting!” Seeing Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains in our wake, and the Olympic Mountains framed by the graceful arch of the Montlake Bridge ahead, I had to agree.
I watched the crews row by with a combination of admiration and envy. They rowed this stretch at a full-out racing pace not once, but four times. Each time they rowed west (twice), they had to face headwinds and waves. It was an extraordinary workout. The coaches seemed pleased with their effort and their competitive spirit. As they were rowing their fourth and final race against the increasing wind and waves, Yaz yelled words of encouragement: “This is what you live for; this is what you love!”
On the way back, Yaz asked me if there were any unusual birds along the way. Actually, there were: the Caspian Terns I tallied along with 19 other species. When we returned to the docks, Yaz and Gordon, the assistant coach, expressed their interest in birds. I offered to take them on a bird walk at Union Bay Natural Area, adjacent to Conibear.
This was a memorable, inspiring experience. It illustrated the human potential to craft boats, paddle them with power, grace, and teamwork, and to do so in a place that included wild birds as spectators. I felt honored and privileged to partake in it.
Birds by the Boats
Lake Washington–Union Bay, King, Washington, US
Apr 24, 2024 7:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Birding from coaches launch while accompanying UW rowing team at practice
19 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose 5
Gadwall 2
Mallard 5
Ring-necked Duck 2
Lesser Scaup 2
Bufflehead 2
Glaucous-winged Gull 6
Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 2
Caspian Tern 3
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 3
Bald Eagle 4
Northern Flicker 1
American Crow 6
Tree Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 30
American Robin 2
Song Sparrow 1
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
