Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge holds a special place in many birders' and naturalists' hearts. Each year, volunteers put together a weekend full of field trips, concerts, and more. Keep an eye on their website www.ridgefieldfriends.org for details and schedule as they evolve.
Meet Sam Merrill at 7:30 at the Woodard Bay Conservation Area. From Olympia: take Boston Harbor Road north, then right on Woodard Bay Road, crossing Libby Road. There is a small parking area on the left just before crossing the bridge over Woodard Bay (Discover Pass required here); or drive across the bridge and up ... Read more
Come join us for an evening with Sally Vogel, birder, author, artist, and photographer. Tonight Sally will talk about her adventures in Brazil. “A dual interest in art and photography has led me to specialize in design in nature. I was the advent of the digital darkroom which allowed me to combine these two passions ... Read more
Sandhill Cranes will be our “target” species, along with Great Egrets and herons, geese and other waterfowl. These “big birds” should be plentiful at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Woodland bottoms, and Vancouver lowlands. Other interesting but long-shot specialties include Red-Shouldered Hawk, American White Pelican, White-Breasted Nuthatch, and Lesser Goldfinch. Late-migrating shorebirds, warblers and other passerines ... Read more
Meet at Millersylvania State Park at 7:30 a.m.. Park in first lot on the left when you enter at the main gate. Discover Pass required. Breakfast at the River's Edge Restaurant at the Tumwater Valley Golf Club (4611 Tumwater Valley Dr SE, Olympia, WA 98501) . Want to get a head start on your weekend? Join us for Birding and Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. ... Read more
Waterfowl season has arrived in the South Sound! Familiar, numerous, and easy to spot, it's easy to take ducks, geese, swans, et al. for granted. Come develop a deeper appreciation of these birds' unique characteristics, their important roles in the ecosystem, and a bit about their evolutionary history. We won't focus on identification, but rather, ... Read more
Want to learn how to identify birds when you cannot view their coloration or hear their calls? There are ways to know birds by their shape, size, and location. On November 15th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Capitol Museum Coach House, Scott Mills, retired ornithologist, will once again teach this popular class, "Birding by ... Read more
Meet at Mud Bay Park and Ride at 7:30 and breakfast at the Shipwreck Restaurant after birding. Want to get a head start on your weekend? Join us for Birding and Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month, except July and August. Bird with us, then enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant. Beginning birders are ... Read more
In 2016 Jerry Broadus and Clarice Clark joined a birdbanding project in Borneo with long-time friend and (for several years) Morse Audubon Preserve bander, Suzanne Tomassi, who is running a 10-year study and banding project in the Danum Valley in northern Borneo, an unforgettable and remote area with perhaps the oldest rainforest in the world. ... Read more
In winter, Capitol Lake and its surroundings are always rich in waterfowl, especially a wide variety of ducks, often with some unusual species to make the experience special. This walk is oriented toward helping people with less experience in birding as they learn to identify different categories of birds. Dress warmly and come join us. ... Read more
This year’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC)—held annually between December 14 and January 5—will be on Sunday December 17 in the Olympia area. According to the National Audubon Society it is the “nation’s longest- running citizen science bird project,” now in its 117th year. Beginning on Christmas day 1900, it was proposed as an alternative to ... Read more
Meet at Capitol Lake's Marathon Park at 8:00 a.m. and breakfast at a downtown restaurant after birding. Want to get a head start on your weekend? Join us for Birding and Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (Jan. and Feb. at 8:00 a.m.) on the first Saturday of each month, except July and August. Bird with us, then enjoy breakfast at a ... Read more
Humans are a species not confined to an ecological niche. Instead our population has grown to an impossible level and we serve an economic system that destroys the only place we have to live. We will examine this situation and ask how it can be ended. Come join us for an evening with Burt Guttman, ... Read more
Birding 101, a beginner birding class, will be offered for 5 consecutive Saturdays 9-11am from January 13th to February 10th, 2018 at the Visitor Center at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Scott Mills, a retired Biology professor and professional ornithologist, will be the instructor. The class will introduce birding with an emphasis on developing identification skills. ... Read more
Meet at Nisqually Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center parking lot (100 Brown Farm Road NE, Olympia, WA 98516) at 8:00 a.m. ( $3.00 fee for 4 adults or Federal Park Pass required; children under 16 free). Breakfast at Panera Bread at Hawks Prairie after birding. Want to get a head start on your weekend? Join us for Birding and Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (Jan. and ... Read more
Come join us for an evening with Bonnie Block. Bonnie is a self taught wildlife photographer residing in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle, Wa. Since retiring in 2009 Bonnie has been able to devote herself to combining her love of photography and art with her lifelong passion for animals and the natural world. Photographing the ... Read more
The 2018 Winter Wings Festival boasts many new activities as well as tried and true hits. See their website www.winterwingsfest.org for all of the details and registration and contact information.
Conserved in 2014 by Capitol Land Trust, Bayshore Preserve on Oakland Bay is a diverse tract of land with a diverse history, boasting salt-water frontage, 27 acres of salt marsh, extensive meadow, Johns Creek and riparian zone, and some big mature Douglas Firs and Oregon White Oak trees, unusual in this area. Consequently, the area ... Read more
The ducks and other water birds that decorate Capitol Lake so beautifully in winter will still be there in February, and we can all brighten the season by enjoying them on a walk around the lake and nearby areas. And who knows what rarities might appear? As usual, this walk is oriented toward helping less ... Read more
The North Puget Sound is a wonderful place to watch birds of all kinds and the Port Susan Snow Goose and Birding Festival is a celebration of our unique opportunity to enjoy wildlife. The festival typically offers several classes about wildlife and tours of favorite places to watch the birds that winter here. Winter residents ... Read more
