Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival

Plan to attend the next festival: May 1 - 3, 2026.

2026 Shorebird and Nature Festival

Marketplace

Best Viewing Times

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Friday Keynote Speaker:
    Robert Steelquist

The Sandhill Cranes of the Washington Coast, presents an intimate look at the smallest population of sandhill cranes of the Pacific Flyway—the so-called “Canadian” or “coastal” sandhill cranes. With both close observation and an expansive geographic
scope, the presentation documents the geophylogeny, range, diet, physical characteristics, and draws from recent genetic studies on these birds.

Photographer and writer Robert Steelquist shares his close encounters with the coastal cranes breeding in remote islands of British Columbia and Alaska, and wintering habitats in California and the Lower Columbia River. He shares his belief that the relationship between humans and cranes—shaped over thousands of years—is at a critical turning point due to climate change and habitat loss.

Robert Steelquist is a writer, photographer, and educator based on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. He is author of 13 books of Pacific Northwest natural history. His most recent book is The Northwest Coastal Explorer (Timber Press, 2016).
His presentation, The Sandhill Cranes of the Washington Coast, represents over six years’ effort, traveling to the extreme ends of these birds’ migratory ranges, encountering them in spring and fall migrations and in their southern wintering and northern summer breeding ranges. In the process, he’s taken over 6,000 images, capturing Pacific Flyway sandhill cranes in nearly all aspects of their life history.

Mr. Steelquist spent his career serving in state and federal environment organizations including the US National Park Service, NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and has served on boards of directors of numerous nonprofit conservation organizations. He holds a Master of Environmental Studies degree from The Evergreen State College

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Major Speaker: John Prucich
(John the Falconer)

John Prucich:
The Falconer is owned and operated by John Prucich. John spoke at our 2025 Festival and is back by popular demand. John's professional and personal background is anchored in the field of birds. A dual BS/BA degree in Biology with an emphasis in ornithology from The Evergreen State College. As well as a
previous professional background working with zoo birds of prey with Woodland Park Zoo, and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Personally, John has been an active licensed falconer since 2010 and is a master falconer with an eagle endorsement in Washington State. He holds a federal raptor propagation permit as well. He is an avid birder and his favorite species is the American Dipper. Mr. Prucich started "The Falconer" in 2015
out of his love of falconry, raptors, conservation, and his desire to share that love with the public through education.

Festival Registration for 2026 - is now open

Registration Form is Here

Registration is online and will require the use of a credit card to complete.
The registration site may ask for an outside donation for the use of the vendor's services. This donation does not go towards our festival and there is no requirement to make a donation to purchase tickets. You may change the amount they suggest to whatever you may wish to donate.

There is a line for donating specifically to Grays Harbor Audubon Society, the local sponsors of the festival.

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Saturday Dinner Speaker:
   Allison Anholt
   

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Major Speaker: Dave Slater

Mr Slater will present a session:  “Legs, Bills and Behavior: Cracking the Shorebird Code”

Shorebirds can look like a blur of brown at first—but no experience is needed to start making sense of them. In this fun, easygoing class, we’ll learn how leg length, bill shape, and feeding style help identify common shorebirds. After the class session, a bus will take students to an outstanding shorebirding site nearby for a guided field trip with Dave and help from others.

Dave Slater has worked as a marine biologist, radiobiologist,
environmental chemist and project manager. He has taught biology courses at two universities and program management courses domestically and internationally. His masters degree is in zoology and he is a Project Management Professional (PMP).
Dave enjoys spending time with his wife Yvonne, serving as a community youth leader and learning about birds