Olympic BirdFest, April 10 – 13, offers a major birding event in the wild and untamed Olympic Peninsula, hosted at the new facility of the Dungeness River Nature Center. The North Olympic Peninsula comprises a strip of coastlines and forests between the million-acre Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The steep rise of the mountains allows birders to sample coastal, riparian, forested and montane habitats in close proximity. The Dungeness River Watershed, for example, drops from 7800 feet to the sea in only 32 miles. The central location of the Dungeness River Nature Center puts all these habitats within reach of birders.
Participants can choose to visit Neah Bay near the northwesternmost point of the continental United States in the territory of the Makah Tribe, or to walk the longest natural sand spit in the nation at Dungeness Spit, now under management by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The Elwha River, freed in 2014 by the largest dam removal project in the United States, offers riparian birding. Other field trips will explore Sequim Bay, Port Angeles Harbor, Dungeness Bay, Ediz Hook and wooded areas and fields.
The April dates of Olympic BirdFest allow birders to catch wintering birds such as harlequin and long-tailed ducks, along with spring migrants such as the rufous hummingbirds that arrive in this area with the blooming of red-flowering currants in early April.
All proceeds from BirdFest support the Dungeness River Nature Center, helping to fund environmental education programs that connect people of all ages to the Peninsula’s ecosystems. Field trip leaders and speakers donate their time and expertise advance the River Center’s mission to inspire understanding, respect, and stewardship of the natural and cultural resources of the region.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the diverse ecosystems of the Dungeness River Watershed, we invite you to enjoy the birds and landscapes of the North Olympic Peninsula with us! In addition to the field trips, birders may participate in presentations, workshops and a banquet (with great food, a speaker and a raffle of birding-centric items).
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, house posts, masks, and signage) at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center and their Seven Cedars Resort properties will also be offered. For more information about the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, see https://library.jamestowntribe.org/home where you can also find pre-recorded presentations by tribal elders and leaders on the Tribe’s culture and history.
The Olympic BirdFest is a partnership of the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, Dungeness River Nature Center and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. Proceeds from this festival help support the educational programs of the Dungeness River Nature Center. For more information, call 360-681-4076, or email: info@olympicbirdfest.org.
