Birding at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Natl. Wildlife Refuge

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregat......More

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregate in great numbers here.  A mix of habitats – mixed woodland, riparian, and open meadow – hosts native birds year-round and hosts nesting migratory songbirds and others in the spring and summer. Wednesday morning bird walks, sponsored by the refuge, attract a diverse group including birders with expertise at all levels.  You may stay with the group as long or as short a time as you please. All paths in the refuge are level, either boardwalk or graveled.  The longest path, the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk, out towards the mouth of McAllister Creek, is four miles round-trip.  There are restrooms at the Visitor Center.  Admission costs $3.00 or is free with an appropriate pass for national lands or with a Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge pass.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA, 98516, United States

Field Trip to Edmond Marsh

FIELD TRIP TO EDMOND MARSH THURSDAY   MAY 8TH 8 AM – NOON It’s spring – time to listen and look for our migrant birds.  Edmond Marsh in Dupont has a variety of habitats that appeal to our arriving visitors.  Join us on a level, wide gravel path that circles Edmond Marsh......More

FIELD TRIP TO EDMOND MARSH THURSDAY   MAY 8TH 8 AM – NOON It’s spring – time to listen and look for our migrant birds.  Edmond Marsh in Dupont has a variety of habitats that appeal to our arriving visitors.  Join us on a level, wide gravel path that circles Edmond Marsh with a side jaunt to a small lake. Last May our group found 43 species including five species of warblers. Leaders:  Gary Wiles and Kathleen Snyder Address:  1000 Davis Place, Dupont (Cowlitz Tribal building). Park at the far end. Facilities:  There are no restrooms on this 3.5-mile walk. Bring:  Dress for the weather, bring optics, water/snacks as desired Questions?  Contact Kathleen at  [email protected]   Photo credit: Common Yellowthroat by Mick Thompson.

Edmond Marsh, DuPont, 1000 Davis Place, DuPont, WA

Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest

Join KEEN (Kittitas Environmental Education Network) in May for the 26th GISS & Bird Fest to discover the natural beauty of Central Washington State! The Yakima River Canyon is an Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA) with some of the highest densities of passerines and bir......More

Join KEEN (Kittitas Environmental Education Network) in May for the 26th GISS & Bird Fest to discover the natural beauty of Central Washington State! The Yakima River Canyon is an Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA) with some of the highest densities of passerines and birds of prey in the state. The event starts Friday with an evening social gathering, Saturday is filled with expert guided field trips with birding, geology, snakes and reptiles, fish and river bugs, history, and more. Educational booths are set up with free educational materials and live animals, where we highlight affinity environmental and natural resource groups from around the state. Saturday evening brings a keynote speaker with a shrub-steppe focused theme. Sunday includes self-guided field trips and additional guided field trips into the shrub-steppe. Some events have fees associated. The extensive cliffs, shrub-steppe, and riparian cottonwood forests provide a rich mixture of habitats. Particularly important are the immense basalt cliffs and talus slopes interspersed with shrub-steppe vegetation, which support a diverse assemblage of birds associated with this habitat, including White-throated Swift, Cliff Swallow, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, and 21 species of raptors. Ten of these raptor species breed in and around the canyon, including two pairs of Golden Eagles and five pairs of Prairie Falcons. The cliffs and shrub-steppe habitat also support dense populations of Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, and Great Horned Owls. Up to 20 Bald Eagles winter along the river, subsisting primarily on whitefish. The riparian habitats along the river and its tributaries support a high diversity and abundance of bird species, including Lazuli Bunting, Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Say’s Phoebe, Williamson’s Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Waxing, Northern Spotted Owl, and American Pelican.

Helen McCabe State Park, 23942-24398 Canyon Road, Ellensburg, WA, 98926, United States

Prairie Appreciation Day Bird Walk

Prairie Appreciation Day Bird Walk Saturday, May 10th at 7:30 AM This is an opportunity to see prairie birds at Glacial Heritage, a preserve which is normally closed to the public. The prairie habitat hosts raptors, meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, bluebirds and other mi......More

Prairie Appreciation Day Bird Walk Saturday, May 10th at 7:30 AM This is an opportunity to see prairie birds at Glacial Heritage, a preserve which is normally closed to the public. The prairie habitat hosts raptors, meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, bluebirds and other migrant birds. The oak woodland should have flycatchers, House Wrens and other colorful birds such as Black-headed Grosbeaks and Western Tanagers. We should also see other resident birds. Mid-May is the height of blooming for prairie plants with camas turning the prairie blue. We will meet at the parking area (see directions below) at 7:30 AM. The walk runs to around 10 AM. The walk is 2-3 miles through prairie and oak riparian woodland on gravel roads and dirt trails. You don’t need to sign up in advance, though we will ask you to sign in when you get there. South Sound Bird Alliance will have a bird booth with information and attractions for kids, as well as another station with spotting scopes and binoculars in honor of World Migratory Bird Day (also May 10th), that operates after 10 AM. Prairie Appreciation Day is celebrated by the Friends of Puget Prairies at the Glacial Heritage Preserve, a South Sound prairie managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management. Flyers about Prairie Appreciation Day will also be available onsite in Spanish this year. You can find more details at the following website: http://www.prairieappreciationday.org/ Directions to Glacial Heritage Preserve From I-5: Take I-5 to Exit 95 (Littlerock/Maytown) and head West on Maytown Road toward the town of Littlerock.Follow Maytown Road until you reach the stop sign at Littlerock Elementary. Continue straight onto 128th Ave. SW and continue straight until the ‘T’ at Mima/Waddel Creek rd.At the ‘T’ take a left and follow Mima Road SW for 2.7 miles.You will see a tractor precaution sign followed shortly by a gravel road and brown sign marking Glacial Heritage Preserve on the left.Take a left onto the unmarked gravel road.Follow the road around the corner, through the white gate, and to the parking area on the right.  Photo credit: Western Bluebird over Camas, by Rachel Hudson.

Glacial Heritage Preserve, 15044 Miima Rd SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, United States

Prairie Appreciation Day at Glacial Heritage Preserve

Of the 150,000 acres of prairies originally in this area, there are less than 15,000 remaining, most in poor condition.  As more and more people and warehouses move into the area there is continuing pressure to develop them.  Come join us in celebrating this unique ecos......More

Of the 150,000 acres of prairies originally in this area, there are less than 15,000 remaining, most in poor condition.  As more and more people and warehouses move into the area there is continuing pressure to develop them.  Come join us in celebrating this unique ecosystem and learn what you can do to help save it!  Glacial Heritage is the best prairie off JBLM, so come out and enjoy it.As always, we need lots of VOLUNTEERS to help pull this off.  No special knowledge or skills are necessary.  Please contact [email protected] leave your pets at home.  This is not an appropriate event for them.  Scatter Creek is a wonderful alternative prairie to take your dog for a great on-leash experience and some nice prairies.Handicapped Accessibility:  Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve includes a paved 1/2 mile ADA accessible interpretive trail.  Discover passes are required.You’re welcome to bring a picnic lunch to the event. Alternatively, we anticipate having the Hungarian Kitchen Food Truck available at Glacial Heritage again this year. Plan on bringing your own food and refreshments to any of the alternate locations.We are accepting donations to the Thurston County Food Bank.  No glass please.

Glacial Heritage Preserve, 15044 Miima Rd SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, United States

Next Book for SSBA Book Club

The Birds That Audubon Missed, by Kenn Kaufman  After going on a journey through all of human history in Ten Birds That Changed the World, we will now settle in a single period of America’s recent history, in The Birds That Audubon Missed, where John James Audubon, Alex......More

The Birds That Audubon Missed, by Kenn Kaufman  After going on a journey through all of human history in Ten Birds That Changed the World, we will now settle in a single period of America’s recent history, in The Birds That Audubon Missed, where John James Audubon, Alexander Wilson, Charles Bonaparte, John Townsend, and other men competed against each other to find all the birds possible in this land in the early 1800’s. From the publisher: “Raging ambition. Towering egos. Competition under a veneer of courtesy. Heroic effort combined with plagiarism, theft, exaggeration, and fraud. This was the state of bird study in eastern North America during the early 1800s, as a handful of intrepid men raced to find the last few birds that were still unknown to science. …Despite this intense competition, a few species—including some surprisingly common songbirds, hawks, sandpipers, and more—managed to evade discovery for years. Here, renowned bird expert and artist Kenn Kaufman explores this period in history from a new angle, by considering the birds these people discovered and, especially, the ones they missed. Kaufman has created portraits of the birds that Audubon never saw, attempting to paint them in that artist’s own stunning style, showing how our understanding of birds continues to gain clarity, even as some mysteries persist from Audubon’s time until ours.”   Our meeting will be Tuesday, May 13th at 6:00 PM via Zoom. The link to the meeting will be sent via email to participants, along with some discussion questions about the book, closer to that time. If you would like to be on the mailing list for the Book Club, please contact Rachel Hudson at [email protected] .

Birding at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Natl. Wildlife Refuge

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregat......More

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregate in great numbers here.  A mix of habitats – mixed woodland, riparian, and open meadow – hosts native birds year-round and hosts nesting migratory songbirds and others in the spring and summer. Wednesday morning bird walks, sponsored by the refuge, attract a diverse group including birders with expertise at all levels.  You may stay with the group as long or as short a time as you please. All paths in the refuge are level, either boardwalk or graveled.  The longest path, the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk, out towards the mouth of McAllister Creek, is four miles round-trip.  There are restrooms at the Visitor Center.  Admission costs $3.00 or is free with an appropriate pass for national lands or with a Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge pass.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA, 98516, United States

Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest

The annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest promotes conservation through educational and recreational activities about birds, wildlife, and their environments. Come bird with us, discovering the natural beauty and wonders of North Central Washington! Celebrate the return o......More

The annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest promotes conservation through educational and recreational activities about birds, wildlife, and their environments. Come bird with us, discovering the natural beauty and wonders of North Central Washington! Celebrate the return of migratory birds in the midst of peak wildflower season. Enjoy the excitement of birding field trips and workshops. Take part in speaker events, music, visual arts, picnics, and activities for all ages and abilities. All of this is happening in beautiful Leavenworth, WA and throughout the Wenatchee River Valley. Bird Fest happens in association with World Migratory Bird Day. Bird Fest contributes a list of all birds seen during the festival to eBird, the world’s largest biodiversity-related community science project. Registration will open mid-March.

Bird Fest Central-Wenatchee River Institute at Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth, WA, United States

Ladd Marsh Bird Festival

The Annual Ladd Marsh Bird Festival is held at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area located about 7 miles south of La Grande, Oregon. The wildlife area, normally closed to visitors during nesting season, will be open all weekend, providi......More

The Annual Ladd Marsh Bird Festival is held at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area located about 7 miles south of La Grande, Oregon. The wildlife area, normally closed to visitors during nesting season, will be open all weekend, providing increased opportunities to see an abundance of ducks, geese, raptors, passerines, and shorebirds. During past festivals, upwards of 150 species of birds have been seen over the weekend. The festival is scheduled at the height of spring migration and nesting in the Grande Ronde. Few, if any, places in Union County have a more diverse bird population than can be found at the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area. Over 200 species of birds either visit or live permanently at Ladd Marsh. Possible birds to see on the field trips include Great Grey Owl, woodpeckers, and other forest birds, warblers, shorebirds, and more. While many birders prefer to explore the area on their own, several birding stations will be staffed by local birders on Saturday to assist novice birders in finding and identifying birds. Also included in the event are an evening social and field trips to some of the best birding places in Union County. Partners in presenting the Bird Festival include Friends of Ladd Marsh, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and others.

Ladd Marsh, Oregon, La Grande, OR, United States

Wings Over Whidbey Bird Festival

Join us for the third year of our annual festival, Wings over Whidbey Bird Festival, Saturday, May 17, 2025. This year it will be a full one-day all ages community bird and nature festival with a well-rounded variety of fun to include educational and informational prese......More

Join us for the third year of our annual festival, Wings over Whidbey Bird Festival, Saturday, May 17, 2025. This year it will be a full one-day all ages community bird and nature festival with a well-rounded variety of fun to include educational and informational presentations. We have some exciting presenters lined up. Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue will be returning. Caitlyn Toroman, local master falconer, will be doing a presentation on falconry and raptor conservation and Sarah Schmidt will be doing a presentation on bats. We expect about a dozen Washington affiliate nonprofit organizations who will have booths that focus on birds, nature, conservation, and climate change. There will also be local artists whose work involves birds and the natural world. The Whidbey Audubon Society’s own bird specimen library will have a collection of preserved birds for visitors to look at closely and touch. No one will go hungry as there will also be local concessionaires at food booths. The festival is a FREE event.  It will be held at the Pacific Rim Institute (PRI) amongst the forest and prairie vistas of central Whidbey Island. There will be plenty of free parking and handicap parking available.  Note that the terrain will be mostly gravel/dirt and uneven in some places.

Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, 180 Parker Road, Coupeville, WA, United States

Field Trip to Inspiring Kids Preserve

Saturday, May 178:30 am – 11:30 amInspiring Kids Preserve (Johnson Point Rd NE), Olympia*Driving directions sent upon registration Join Capitol Land Trust and South Sound Bird Alliance on a bird outing to Inspiring Kids Preserve! Inspiring Kids Preserve is a 108-acre na......More

Saturday, May 178:30 am – 11:30 amInspiring Kids Preserve (Johnson Point Rd NE), Olympia*Driving directions sent upon registration Join Capitol Land Trust and South Sound Bird Alliance on a bird outing to Inspiring Kids Preserve! Inspiring Kids Preserve is a 108-acre nature preserve conserved by Capitol Land Trust on the eastern shore of Henderson Inlet. Although not yet open to the public, this preserve protects a wide variety of habitat like Puget Sound shoreline, saltmarsh, freshwater wetlands, and mixed forest. It is also the site of outdoor education initiatives and environmental restoration projects. This will be a beginner-friendly outing. We will be looking and listening for spring migrants along a two-mile portion of the trail. This event is limited to 30 participants because of parking availability. Please carpool if you are comfortable and able to do so. Cell phone service is limited. Trip leaders: Sarah Crosten, Ken Brown, Jennifer DeSelle-Milam Registration: Please register with Sarah Crosten at [email protected] Trail information: The trails are a mixture of dirt, grass, and gravel and are uneven in spots. The birding route will likely travel up/down a trail with some incline/decline. A portion of the trail could be soggy/muddy. The trails are not wheelchair accessible. Please wear weather appropriate clothing for a slow pace, sturdy, closed-toed shoes and bring water and a snack. Bring your favorite birding tools (binoculars, scopes, camera, field guide, etc.) Merlin Bird ID is a great phone app for identifying birds in the field. https://capitollandtrust.org/bird-outing-ikp2/ Photo credit: Swainson’s Thrush, by Rachel Hudson.

South Sound Climate Convention

South Sound Bird Alliance (formerly Black Hills Audubon) is a sponsor of the 2025 South Sound Climate Action Convention, which is being organized by the Thurston Climate Action Team (TCAT).  The Convention will be held at Evergreen College on May 17 and will focus on ac......More

South Sound Bird Alliance (formerly Black Hills Audubon) is a sponsor of the 2025 South Sound Climate Action Convention, which is being organized by the Thurston Climate Action Team (TCAT).  The Convention will be held at Evergreen College on May 17 and will focus on achieving the goals of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan. For more information, click HERE. Photo credit: Planet Earth from DSCOVR Satellite, by NASA. Public Domain.

Wolf Haven Prairie Celebration

Click here for more information.

Wolf Haven, 3111 Offut Lake Road Southeast, Tenino, WA, United States

Lacy Fun Fair

For more information, click HERE.

Field Trip to Taidnapam Park

Field Trip to Taidnapam Park   Date: Sunday, May 18th Time: Meet at 7:00 AM for carpool, arrive at Taidnapam around 8:30 AM, leave park after lunch (around noon or so). Trip Leader: Rachel Hudson Registration: This trip is limited to 8 total participants in 2 cars. To m......More

Field Trip to Taidnapam Park   Date: Sunday, May 18th Time: Meet at 7:00 AM for carpool, arrive at Taidnapam around 8:30 AM, leave park after lunch (around noon or so). Trip Leader: Rachel Hudson Registration: This trip is limited to 8 total participants in 2 cars. To make a reservation, please contact Rachel Hudson at [email protected] . About: Explore Taidnapam Park, a beautiful gem of stunning scenery, unique forest flowers, and fun birds in East Lewis County! Managed by Tacoma Power, this popular campground and park is nestled at the western base of the mountains, on the east end of Riffe Lake, about 10 miles east of Morton. We will take a very slow-paced, leisurely stroll along several of the park’s short, easy-to-walk out-and-back trails, covering roughly 2 miles or less, and eat a picnic lunch afterward. Enjoy special views of swallows as they soar below us on the pedestrian bridge over the water, listen for singing warblers, take in the stunning landscape, learn about Native American practices there, and keep your eyes peeled for orchids and other forest flowers! We will also make one stop shortly before the park entrance to check for potentially interesting birds in a large valley field. We will watch for some of the area’s notable birds, including Ring-necked Pheasant, Violet-green and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, MacGillivray’s Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Northern Harriers, Spotted Sandpipers, a variety of woodpeckers, and many other forest, lakeside, and grassland species. Sometimes birds such as Townsend’s Solitaires, Western Kingbirds, and Northern Pygmy-Owls make an appearance here. Meeting Place Location: We will meet at 7:00 AM at the Airport Road Park and Ride in Centralia (12 Airport Road, Centralia, WA 98531). It takes just over one hour to get to Taidnapam from Centralia. We will divide into 2 groups of 4 in 2 cars. Directions to Meeting Place: From Olympia, take I-5 South toward Centralia, and take Exit 82 for Mellen Street. When the exit splits into 4 lanes, stay in the 2nd of the 4 lanes, on your left. Keep straight through the intersection, and follow signs for Mellen Street. The road will split into an on-ramp back onto I-5 and a right lane for Mellen Street stay in the right lane. Then, follow the signs for Cooks Hill Road, the right lane at the next intersection. After turning right, the Park and Ride will be the first turn on your left, with the entrance also on your left. From south of Centralia: take I-5 North toward Centralia, and take Exit 81 for Mellen Street. Keep straight through the first intersection, and at the next intersection, turn left. When you turn, stay in the far right lane to go straight through the intersection below/just past the freeway. After going straight through that intersection, the Park and Ride will be the first turn on your left, with the entrance also on your left. Bring: Layers of clothing (mountain weather is often freezing in the morning, but hot after midday), binoculars, cameras, and any other birding/hiking gear you enjoy using. Pack a lunch so we can eat at the park before heading home, hopefully at a free picnic table. If you wish to bring a folding chair, feel free. Trail Conditions: Very level, often narrow trails, some pavement, and some gravel or dirt. If the area receives heavy rainfall before the trip, expect some mud or shallow puddles. Occasionally, tree branches will get blown down onto the trail, so we may need to step over them. Restrooms: There is a full restroom, sinks and all, where we will be parking in Taidnapam Park.     Photo credit: View from the Pedestrian Bridge at Taidnapam Park, by Rachel Hudson.

Lacey Fun Fair

For more information, click HERE.

Birds and Brew

BIRDS AND BREW MONDAY       MAY 19TH          4:30 – 6:00ish EQUAL LATIN RESTAURANT & BAR 2752 PACIFIC AVE SE OLYMPIA   Birds and Brew is a social time for folks to gather and talk about birds and birding.  This is open to South Sound Bird Alliance members and non-membe......More

BIRDS AND BREW MONDAY       MAY 19TH          4:30 – 6:00ish EQUAL LATIN RESTAURANT & BAR 2752 PACIFIC AVE SE OLYMPIA   Birds and Brew is a social time for folks to gather and talk about birds and birding.  This is open to South Sound Bird Alliance members and non-members alike.  Although it starts at 4:30 pm, it is a drop-in anytime event.  The topic for this meeting is “Describe your best birding day ever”. Our regular hosts are Craig and Vicki Merkel. Questions can go to Craig at [email protected]. Photo by Vicki Merkel

Equal Latin Restaurant & Bar, 2752 PACIFIC AVE SE, Olympia, WA, 98501, United States

Birding at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Natl. Wildlife Refuge

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregat......More

In all seasons of the year, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has something to see.  We are lucky to have this treasured preserve in Thurston County.  An important stop on the Pacific migratory route north and south, waterfowl stop and may congregate in great numbers here.  A mix of habitats – mixed woodland, riparian, and open meadow – hosts native birds year-round and hosts nesting migratory songbirds and others in the spring and summer. Wednesday morning bird walks, sponsored by the refuge, attract a diverse group including birders with expertise at all levels.  You may stay with the group as long or as short a time as you please. All paths in the refuge are level, either boardwalk or graveled.  The longest path, the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk, out towards the mouth of McAllister Creek, is four miles round-trip.  There are restrooms at the Visitor Center.  Admission costs $3.00 or is free with an appropriate pass for national lands or with a Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge pass.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA, 98516, United States