community in Washington
Honey bee forage in Birch Bay, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: clover and wildflowers (nearest 2.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); blueberries (nearest 3.0 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Birch Bay?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, maples, willows)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Birch Bay, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Clover and wildflowers: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Blueberries: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi E, blooms early Apr – early May
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Birch Bay
Mostly: Open water; North Pacific Lowland Riparian Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.04 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Blueberries: insecticides used on about 91% of acres in Washington (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Birch Bay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 98th | 73rd | 51st |
| Washington | 74th | 78th | 29th | 46th |
| Puget Lowland | 16th | 15th | 29th | 81st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Birch Bay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blaine 4 mi · Custer 5 mi · Ferndale 9 mi · Marietta-Alderwood 13 mi · Lynden 13 mi · Point Roberts 15 mi
All towns in Washington · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Birch Bay (48.9234, -122.7453); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.