Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
Start planning to attend the next festival: April 25 - 27, 2025
Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
2024 Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
Field Trips & Guided Walks
|
Friday, May 3 Tokeland/Grayland/Westport SOLD OUT 7:30 am – 3:30 pm (Westport High Tide @ 7:10 a.m.) Departs from Refuge HQ, 1000 Airport Way, Hoquiam, WA Leader: Bruce LaBar This field trip will take you to the best shorebird viewing areas along the coast! Target birds are 22 species of shorebirds including Snowy Plover, Willet, and Long-billed Curlew. Good numbers of waterfowl and other water species will be encountered along the way. “Streaked” Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs will also be sought after at Midway Beach Road. There will be some walking but most of the day will involve short visits to key areas in search of shorebirds. Bring a lunch and dress appropriately! Ocean Shores Field Trip SOLD OUT 8:30 am – 3:30 pm (Point Brown High Tide @ 7:26am) Departs from Refuge HQ, 1000 Airport Way, Hoquiam, WA Leaders: Whittier Johnson and Rob Chrisler This beautiful coastal resort town hosts some of the best birding spots on the West Coast with more species per location than anywhere else in the state of Washington. The tour will visit a variety of habitats and upwards of 60 species may be found. Highlights on this trip include: Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Sanderling, Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, and Rock Sandpiper. Easy Walking. Bring a lunch and dress appropriately! Beginner Bird Walk at Bottle Beach State Park Cost: Free 8:30 am – 10:30 pm Meet at Bottle Beach State Park, 33 Ocosta Third St., Aberdeen, WA Leader: Lisa Whalen, Washington State Parks Come explore Bottle Beach State Park with a park ranger. During this walk you will learn the basics of bird watching, as well as the fascinating natural and human history of the park. Length of walk: 1.5 miles. Ages 5 and up. Not ADA. No pets, please. Saturday, May 4 All Saturday and Sunday field trips depart from Hoquiam Middle School, 200 N. Spencer St: turn right off Emerson Ave. on the west side of Emerson Elementary. Shorebird Identification Basics 8:30am – 9:30am Session at Hoquiam Middle School Presenter: Teal Waterstrat Shorebird identification can be tricky. With the help of experienced birders, you will become familiar with the more common shorebirds so you can identify them in the field. You are encouraged to follow up this program and join Teal Waterstrat on the “Shorebirds for Beginners” guided walk on the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor NWR, scheduled after this presentation. Ocean Shores Field Trip SOLD OUT 8:30 am – 3:30 pm Departs from Hoquiam Middle School, 200 Spencer St. Leaders: David Linn and Dianna Moore This beautiful coastal resort town hosts some of the best birding spots on the West Coast with more species per location than anywhere else in the state of Washington. The tour will visit a variety of habitats and upwards of 60 species may be found. Highlights on this trip include: Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Sanderling, Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, and Rock Sandpiper. Easy Walking. Bring a lunch and dress appropriately! Habitats and Birds of the Refuge: A Guided Walk with Spanish Interpretation 9:00am – 11:30am Session at Hoquiam Middle School Leader: TBD Spanish Language Interpreter: Jessenia Lopez, Twin Harbors Waterkeeper New to the festival is a Spanish language guided walk to the prime shorebird viewing area along the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. Knowledgeable guides and Spanish language interpreters will share information about the refuge, wildlife, and plants of interest along the trail, and share distinguishing characteristics and interesting traits to identify shorebirds. This is an easy, level, 3/4 mile walk. Binoculars will be provided for registered participants. Los Medios Ambientes y Las Aves del Refugio: Una Caminata Guiada con Interpretación en Español 9:00 AM a 11:30 AM Sesión en Hoquiam Middle School Intérprete del Idioma Español: Jessenia Lopez, Twin Harbors Waterkeeper Algo nuevo para el festival es una caminata guiada en español a la zona privilegiada para la observación de las aves playeras. Guías expertos e intérpretes del idioma español compartirán información acerca del refugio, la vida salvaje, y las plantas de interés a lo largo del sendero, y compartirán características distinguidas y rasgos interesantes para identificar las aves playeras. Ésta es una caminata fácil y nivelada de 3⁄4 de milla. Se proporcionarán binoculares a los participantes registrados. Shorebirds for Beginners Guided Walk SOLD OUT 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (High Tide @ 10:43am) Meet at the beginning of the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor NWR Leader: Teal Waterstrat and Jennifer Lang The shuttle bus from Hoquiam Middle School will take you to the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor NWR where you will walk 3/4 mile on a boardwalk to the prime shorebird viewing area at the tip of Bowerman Peninsula. As the shorebirds gather on the mudflats, you can learn to distinguish a Western Sandpiper from a Dunlin. Other possible birds include: Least Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, Red Knot and Peregrine Falcon. We see other wildlife too, like weasels! Sunday, May 5 Tokeland/Grayland/Westport Cost: $50 8:00 am – 3:00 pm (Westport High Tide @ 9:29am) (Meet at Hoquiam Middle School, 200 Spencer St., Hoquiam, WA) Leader: Bruce LaBar This field trip will take you to the best shorebird viewing areas along the coast! Target birds are 22 species of shorebirds including Snowy Plover, Willet, and Long-billed Curlew. Good numbers of waterfowl and other water species will be encountered along the way. “Streaked” Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs will also be sought after at Midway Beach Road. There will be some walking but most of the day will involve short visits to key areas in search of shorebirds. Bring a lunch and dress appropriately! Walk with Dennis Paulson Cost: $15 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Jessinia Lopez will provide Spanish interpretation on this walk. Intérprete del Idioma Español: Jessenia Lopez, Twin Harbors Waterkeeper Departs from the Hoquiam Middle School, 200 Spencer St Leader: Denis Paulson Our featured speaker Dennis Paulson will be leading this morning walk out on to the refuge. Take a walk with our guest expert and see what new insights you may learn. Meeting Place: Departs from the Hoquiam Middle School, 200 Spencer St. A bus will take you to the Sandpiper Trail at the Grays Harbor NWR where you will walk 1/2 mile on a boardwalk to the prime shorebird viewing area at the tip of Bowerman Peninsula. |
Box Lunches can be ordered from The Grizzly Den for field trips by calling their phone number on the menu. Must be ordered in advance and picked up at the food truck near the middle school. Beverages are available and sold separately. Click here for menu. |