Olympic BirdFest

The North Olympic Peninsula, a strip of coastlines and forests between million-acre Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de ****, is widely known as a great place for bird watching.

The April dates of Olympic BirdFest are timed to overlap wintering birds such as Harlequin and Long tailed ducks, songbirds, and seabirds with spring migration. Rufous hummingbirds arrive in this area from Mexico with the blooming of wild red-flowering currants in early April.

Field trips are planned for Sequim Bay, Port Angeles Harbor, Dungeness Bay, Ediz Hook, Dungeness Spit and the Elwha River, as well as trips through wooded areas and fields to view songbirds.

Two cruises around Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge are available on Sunday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

In addition to the field trips, birders may participate in presentations, workshops and a banquet with a speaker and raffle.

Sequim is the ancestral home of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (a partner of the non-profit Dungeness River Nature Center). Their Tribal headquarters are at the head of Sequim Bay at Blyn. A tour explaining traditional Northwest Coast totemic art (totem poles, masks, and signage) at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center and their Seven Cedars Resort properties will also be offered.

Schedule of Events:

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Birding Sequim Bay and John Wayne Marina - Trip 1 & 2

Sequim Bay, one of the great, protected embayments of the North Olympic Peninsula, attracts a wonderful variety of shorebirds, alcids, gulls, and waterfowl. The bay provides great opportunities to see Rhinoceros Auklets and Marbled Murrelets. Possible Ducks include Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Hooded Mergansers, Surf and White-winged Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks.

Location: North boat ramp at John Wayne Marina, 2577 W Sequim Bay Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $30.00

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Birding Three Crabs and Dungeness Bay - Trip 1

Trip Leader: Gary Bullock

Dungeness Bay is a spectacular estuary at the mouth of the Dungeness River, one of the prime birding areas of the North Olympic Peninsula. Deemed an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, it is rich in birdlife throughout the year. Waterfowl gather here by the thousands, including Brant, who feed on eelgrass during migration and in winter. At the right tide, shorebirds include Plovers, Dowitchers, Yellowlegs, several Sandpipers, Whimbrels, and Godwits feeding in easy view, along with Eagles and Falcons.

Location: Dungeness Landing County Park, 298 Oyster House Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $30.00

8:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Birding Dungeness Spit and Adjacent Forests - Trip 1

Trips leader: Dow Lambert

The longest natural sand spit in the United States, Dungeness Spit juts over five miles into the Strait of Juan de ****. Part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, the Spit offers viewing of birds in the Strait with those of an inshore bay. We will walk through forested uplands to find song birds, then emerge onto viewing sites to scope inshore and offshore waters for loons, grebes, sea ducks, auklets, murrelets, and more. We’ll descend a paved trail onto the Spit and walk a sandy portion of the shoreline. Later we’ll walk several trails in the Dungeness Recreation Area to see birds of upland rain shadow habitats, mixing thickets of forest with open grasslands and marshes. Where else can you see Black Scoters and Red-throated Loons in the same morning as Northern Harriers and Golden-crowned Sparrows? The trip includes walking approximately 2 miles over both paved and graveled trails.

Location: Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge parking lot, 554 Voice of America Rd W, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $30.00

9:30 AM - 4:30 PM: Bays & Coasts of the Olympic Peninsula - Trip 1

Trip Leader: Bob Boekelheide

Winter resident and migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors are the focus of this all day field trip. Guided by Bob Boekelheide, the group will explore the very best coastal birding between Sequim Bay and the Elwha River. Dress in layers, be prepared for possible rain, bring lunch, snacks, and extra water for this all-day adventure.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $95.00

Note: Trips involve walking on sandy/uneven terrain.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Drawing Bird Feathers with Robert Amaral

Instructors: Shirley Anderson & Robert Amaral

Explore the anatomy of feathers and learn to illustrate different varieties of feathers with biology teacher Shirley Anderson and artist Robert Amaral. All skill levels are welcome. Participants will bring their own materials recommended by Robert Amaral as follows:

Class Materials List:

Participants will need to bring all of their own materials. The River Center will not be able to provide materials.

You will need materials for color application- these materials may include:

Watercolor paints, (along with brushes, watercolor paper, etc.), Watercolor Pencils, Gouache paint, Prismacolor pencils, crayons, pastels, etc. Bring what you are comfortable using for color. In addition, bring the following:

Pencils: HB, 2B, 2H
Pencil Sharpener
Eraser
Sketchbook or Paper: The size should be at least 9” x 12” or larger. The watercolor paper should be smooth grained (Hot Press), not rough or textured. The paper you bring should be able to handle watercolor paint (or wet media). You can bring toned papers (Canson) or any papers you like working with.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center - Cedar Hat Classroom, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $40.00

Class size limit: 14

If you have questions about the materials or the class, Robert can be reached at: riverranch@earthlink.net.

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Swallows - Aerial Acrobats of the North Olympic Peninsula

On our Olympic Peninsula the annual arrival of Tree and Violet Green Swallows in early March, proclaim that spring is near. As spring blossoms, an increasing array of swallow species and numbers populate our region. These charismatic, acrobatic, small song birds fill our spring and summers skies, feeding on insects and thrilling us with their hectic pace and chattering flight. Of the ten species of swallows that migrate to the continental United States, we see six in our region. Our program will focus on our local swallows and be richly illustrated with photographs of the species that are these acrobats of our spring and summer sky. We’ll discuss swallow identification, nesting, breeding, diet, and migration timing. Join us to hear the captivating songs of the Purple Martin and calls of the Barn Swallow. Program includes a short stroll to see the swallows that nest in Railroad Bridge Park. Program will be led by Ken Wiersema, President of Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, and a volunteer instructor in our Center for over 20 years.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center – Rainshadow Hall, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $20.00

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Bird Drawing Class with Robert Amaral

Enhance your enjoyment of birds by drawing them! Join artist/instructor Robert Amaral in this workshop where he will focus on such fundamentals as seeing the bird’s basic shapes, progressing from simple to complex forms, relating proportions and capturing the posture of our birds. There will be drawing demonstrations and you will draw birds from the Dungeness River Nature Center’s extensive collection of mounts. All skill levels are welcome.

Participants will bring their own materials recommended by Robert Amaral as follows:

Class Materials List:

The following is a list of the materials we will be using:

Pencils: One each of these - HB, 2B, 4B.
Pencil Sharpener
Erasers: Kneaded eraser and Magic Rub eraser
Sketch Book: The size should be 9” x 12” or larger. The paper should be smooth grained, not rough or textured. Newsprint pads are NOT suitable for final drawings, but are suitable for initial sketching.
We will be using simple materials, but if you have favorite drawing materials – papers, pencils, etc. – you are welcome to bring them!

Suggested Materials: Prismacolor pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolor paints, crayons, pastels, etc.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center - Cedar Hat Classroom, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $40.00

Class size limit: 14

If you have questions about the materials or the class, Robert can be reached at: riverranch@earthlink.net.

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Salmon, Eagles, Coast Salish Culture - Northwest Coast Icons

Pacific Northwest ecosystems and Coast Salish indigenous culture have been shaped by extraordinary relationships with Pacific Salmon. So much is dependent on these river born, ocean travelers. Birds including Bald Eagles, Herons, Kingfishers, and even Pacific Wrens, as well as most wildlife, insects, and even plants and trees benefit from the nutrients that salmon bring upstream when spawning and dying in the river’s shallows. Learn about Pacific Salmon including their life cycle from tiny egg to 30-lb adults, current status in the Dungeness watershed, river and estuary restoration efforts, and why it matters. Taught by Dungeness River Center Director, Powell Jones.

Location: Dungeness Hatchery and Surrounding Area, 1261 Fish Hatchery Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $30.00

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Understanding Birding Optics

Learn from two local experts, Christie and Jim, about the latest in optical technologies that provide “up close and personal” views of the feathered friends in our backyards, fields, and shorelines. They will discuss technical parameters such as lens diameter, magnification power, and other specifications that determine cost-benefit considerations when making purchasing decisions. They will explain the various uses of binoculars and spotting scopes in differing light and weather conditions. Additionally, they will touch on the topic of “digiscoping”— techniques for adapting a digital camera lens (such a cell phone camera) into a telephoto device for capturing images of birds at a distance and by special request they will include a segment on “Optics Tips and Tricks” to make your optical experience optimum! Vortex, Swarovski & Kowa Optics will be on hand to demonstrate and purchase after the session.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center - Rainshadow Hall, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $20.00

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Owls of the Olympic Peninsula

Presenter: Powell Jones

Masters of the Night

This is a seminar style presentation on the owls that call the Pacific Northwest home and how they are adapted to be masters of the night. Led by the Dungeness River Nature Center Director Powell Jones, this program will explore the lives of these fantastic creatures with an emphasis on understanding the unique and amazing adaptations that they utilize to survive in a competitive environment.

Location: Dungeness River Nature Center - Rainshadow Hall, 1943 W Hendrickson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.

Price: $20.00