Kitsap Audubon Field Trips

John Finkbeiner (360) 895-0374

Intrepid Kitsap Audubon birders on a field trip

Call if you have suggestions for a field trip and/or if you would like to lead one.

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Trip Guidelines

The following are guidelines designed to make these trips enjoyable for everyone (note new guidelines marked in green).

1. Trips are limited to 12 participants unless otherwise specified. 

2. Children 12 and under are welcome only on designated family
   trips or with permission of the trip leader.

3. Call the leader as soon as possible to reserve a spot and get details.

4. If the weather is questionable, or you must cancel, call the leader the morning of the trip.

5. Dress for the weather. Please refrain from wearing white or bright colored clothing.

6. Bring binoculars, cash for ride-sharing (see below) and remember a lunch for all day trips. 

7. Visitors are always welcome!

Field Trip Transportation -  Car-pooling is desirable to reduce costs and limit the parking space required. Passengers are asked to share expenses with the driver. A contribution of $5 for shorter trips and $10 for overnight trips is suggested, with any Ferry fares being divided equally between the driver and passengers.

Input from members on any aspect of field trips is welcomed.
See some special advice on Field Trips from Pete Dunne! ~ Click Here

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UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS

Eastern Washington Field Trip: the Coulee Corridor from Othello
to Dry Falls - Tuesday, May 20th, returning on Thursday, May 22nd.
The first day of birding will be along the I-90 corridor and Lower Crab
Creek to Othello. The second day we will go through the Columbia
NWR and the Pot Holes Wildlife Area to Ephrata. The third day we will
go north to Dry Falls and home over Stevens Pass. If you are interested
please contact Fay Linger 360-297-3855 for details.

 

16th Annual Wildlife Education Fair at Wild Birds Unlimited in
Gig Harbor, May 10th 9am-4pm, call 1-800-851-2575 for details and
Wild Critters attending.
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Thursday, June 5th. Leader: John
Finkbeiner (360) 895-0374). This is one of region’s premier birding
areas, with mixed habitats: riparian, open fields, wetlands and ponds.
Level walking along dike roads and boardwalks. Summer passerines,
warblers, raptors and waterfowl. A long morning, so bring a snack.
We will lunch across the road in the early afternoon. Meet at 8:30 a.m.
at the Interpretive Center at Nisqually NWR (fee or Golden Age Pass
required).

Protection Island birdwatching cruise aboard the Glacier Spirit
with George Gerdts, Sunday, June 22. The cruise leaves the Port
Townsend marina at 10 a.m. and returns about 2 p.m. Protection Island
is a 400-acre National Wildlife Refuge at the entrance of Discovery
Bay. More than 70% of the marine birds that nest in Puget Sound
breed on Protection Island. That includes an estimated 4300 pairs of
Glaucous-winged Gulls, 22,000 pairs of Rhinoceros Auklets, thousands
of Pigeon Guillemots, Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorants and a
few pairs of Black Oystercatchers. On of the main attractions is the
nesting colony of 1- to 20 pairs of Tufted Puffins. Harbor Seals and
Elephant Seals are often hauled out on the beach. Coffee and snacks
will be provided, but bring your own lunch and dress in appropriate
layers. The strait can be very cool, even in June. The cost is $75 per
person. Call 206-842-8138 or email Geopandion@aol.com. Make
checks payable to Pandion Nature Tours. Send to P.O. Box 4687,
RoRolling Bay WA 98061.

Great Peninsula Future Festival, August 2-3 in historic Port
Gamble. This outdoor sustainability festival will feature family
entertainment, live music, hand-made crafts, healthy food and dynamic
displays of the greenest products, concepts and services available.

 

Birding Festivals

13th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, May 2-4, 2008 in
Hoquiam, Washington.

6th annual Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, May 16-18, 2008.

Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds is changing from May to
September 12-14, 2008.
 

For links to each of these festivals, see “Washington Wildlife and
Birding Festivals” at http://wa.audubon.org

Field Trip Chair

John Finkbeiner

(360) 895-0374

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 "THE TRIP REPORT"

 Information on previously held field trips -  "A preview of trips to come!"

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, March 8-–
Leaders: Hans and Dawn Hansen. Kitsap Audubon has been visiting Padilla Bay and the Skagit Flats annually for the past four years. Every trip has had its special highlights. We’ve seen a Gyrfalcon in a field and another in a tree, Snowy Owls on washed up logs on the flats and waves and waves of Snow Geese, virtually uncountable. The highlights of this year’s trip included a nesting Great Horned Owl at the Wylie Slough on Fir Island, at least six Rough-legged Hawks in the Samish Flats a Eurasian Green-winged Teal with a group of Green-winged Teal and Dowitchers. Last year we had an overwhelming number of Snow Geese and few swans. This year we saw only two skeins of Snow Geese flying overhead, but few on the ground. However, the Swans were everywhere, from Conway to Edison. Our final tally was
52 species, ten participants and a delightful celebration and lunch at the Rhododendren Café. The weather was sunny except for a brief shower just before we began viewing. It was shirtsleeve weather in March.

 

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