Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival

Plan to attend the next festival: April 30 - May 2, 2027.

2026 Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival
Schedule of Events (please watch for changes)

Date	High Tide	Best Viewing Times
Friday, May 1	2:16 p.m.	11:16 a.m. - 5:16 p.m.
Saturday, May 2	2:57 p.m.	11:57 a.m. – 5:57 p.m.
Sunday, May 3	3:38 p.m.	12:38 p.m. – 6:38 p.m.

Birds you may see on Ocean Shores-North Shore Fieldtrip

Whole schedule of Festival Program

Shuttle buses are available between Hoquiam Middle School (200 Spencer St., Hoquiam) and the beginning of the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday (9am to 4:30pm) and Sunday (9:00am to 4:00pm).
The ride takes approximately 15 minutes.

Birds you may see on Tokeland-Grayland-Westport-Bottle Beach Fieldtrips

Lunch

If you are taking a field trip, you may be wondering about lunch. Grizzly Den will bring sack lunches to your bus in the morning for those who order with Grizzly Den in advance. See menu link below. Be sure to specify which day you want it delivered. Phone numbers are on menu.

Grizzly Den Menu & phone number

The FREE classes listed below are first come, first served. Seating is limited. These are not listed on the online registration form.

Friday, 1 May 2026
11:16 am - 5:16 pm          Best Shorebird Viewing at Grays Harbor NWR (high tide @ 2:16 pm)

7am - 3 pm                        Festival Information and Registration at Grays Harbor NWR on Airport Way

7:30 am - 3:30 pm            Guided Tour: Southern Estuary, stopping at Tokeland, Westport,
                                            and Bottle Beach, Guided by Bruce LaBar & Marcus Roening
                                            Advance Registration Required, $50

8 am - 3 pm                      Field Trip to Ocean Shores $40 Rob Chrisler, Ken Brown

9 am - 1 pm                      Aberdeen High School Student tour of contaminated sites and birdwatching

4 pm - 6:30 pm                Festival Information and Registration at Hoquiam Middle School

6:30 - 7:30 pm                  Complimentary Dessert Social hosted by GH Audubon Society,                
                                           Hoquiam High School Cafeteria

7:30 pm - 9 pm                 Keynote Speaker: Robert Steelquist, Hoquiam High School Student Center,
                                            (adjacent to cafeteria and dessert social), $20 (See registration form)

Saturday, 2 May 2026
11:57 am - 5:57 pm         Best Shorebird Viewing at Grays Harbor NWR (high tide @ 2:57 pm)

7:30 am - 5 pm                 Festival Information and Registration at Hoquiam Middle School

9 am - 4:30 pm                Free Shuttles between Hoquiam Middle School and Grays Harbor NWR

9am - 5 pm                      Birding Marketplace with Vendors and Exhibitors

9 am - 5 pm                      Nature Fun Fair

10 am - 11 am                  The three Godwits of Tokeland and Westport, Allison Anholt, WDFW Biologist

10:30 am - 2:30 pm          Half-day Field Trip to Bottle Beach and Westport Winery, Leaders: Mason
                                            Obriant, Shep Thorp, Leaves from Hoquiam Middle School                                  
                                            New This Year! Don't want to give a full day to a trip? This trip will will take
                                            you to Bottle Beach, one of our major stops on our longer Westport Tokeland
                                            trip, where you will be met by our park ranger and guide. After your guided
                                            walk and bird viewing the bus will stop at the award winning Westport Winery
                                            for a tasting. The winery also boosts a restaurant, a mermaid museum and
                                            extensive gardens to explore.

11 am - 12 pm                  How to report pollution, free, Lee First, Twin Harbors Waterkeeper

11 am - 12 pm                  Salmonberry Band plays in Marketplace

12 pm - 1 pm                    (Beginner Class) Legs, Bill and Behavior: Cracking the Shorebird Code
                                                               by David Slater, Hoquiam Middle School (arrive early to ensure
                                           seating)

1:30 pm - 4 pm                 Guided Walk: Shorebirds for Beginners - David Slater, Free
                                           Meet at Sandpiper Trail. Bring scopes and binoculars

1:30 pm - 4 pm                 Van tour of contaminated sites with Twin Harbor Waterkeepers, Free

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm           LIVE BIRDS! with John Prucich, "the Falconer"
                                          Hoquiam Middle School gymnasium, Free

Saturday Fundraiser Dinner & Speaker

5:30 – 7 pm      Social Mixer (No host bar) & Tentative Silent Auction
                           Grays Harbor Historical Seaport
                           500 N Custer St, Aberdeen.
                           No-host bar

7 - 9 pm             Festival Fundraising Dinner
                           & Speaker: Allison Anholt: Assessing shorebird distribution and abundance in
                                                                          Grays Harbor/Willapa Bays
                           Catered by Kit’s Catering
                           Grays Harbor Historical Seaport
                           500 N Custer St, Aberdeen
                           Advance Registration Required, $45

8 - 9 pm             Guest speaker only
                           Grays Harbor Historical Seaport
                           500 N Custer St, Aberdeen.
                           Fee: $20 at the door or by advance registration

Sunday, 3 May 2026
12:38 pm - 6:38 pm             Best Shorebird Viewing at Grays Harbor NWR (high tide @ 3:38 pm)

8 am - 4 pm                         Information and Registration at Hoquiam Middle School

8 am - 3 pm                         Field Trip to Tokeland, Grayland, and Westport $50 Bruce LaBar,
                                              Marcus Roening

8 am - 3 pm                         Field Trip to Ocean Shores $40 Mary O'Neil, GH Audubon Society

9 am - 4 pm                        Free Shuttles between Hoquiam Middle School and Grays Harbor NWR

9 am - 4 pm                       Nature Fun Fair Activities and crafts, vendors, exhibitors,
                                            speakers, information, Hoquiam Middle School gymnasium, Free

9 am - 12 pm                 Van tour of contaminated sites with Twin Harbor Waterkeepers, Free

9:30 am - 11:30 am         LIVE BIRDS! with John Prucich, "the Falconer"
                                          Hoquiam Middle School gymnasium, Free

10 - 11 am                        Fish traps and Archaeology in Grays Harbor, Free, Randall Schalk, retired       
                                           archaeologist

11 am - 12 pm                 Changes Over Time at Grays Harbor NWR, Marian Bailey, retired USFWS

11 am - 4 pm                   Mudflat Meals at Nature Fun Fair

12 pm - 1 pm                   Presentation: Shorebirds for Beginners Free Teal Waterstrat
              
1:30 pm - 4 pm                Guided Walk: Shorebird Identification Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge.
                                          Meet at Sandpiper Trail. Bring scopes and binoculars, if you have them.
                                          Guide: Teal Waterstrat, Free

1 pm - 2 pm                     Poster Contest Awards Ceremony Presenter: Cheyenne Autin,
                                          Shorebird Education Program Hoquiam Middle School gymnasium, Free

2 pm - 3 pm                     Pellet plant talk

4 pm                                 Event ends. Save the dates for next year: April 30 - May 2, 2027

A shuttle bus is available between Hoquiam Middle School (200 Spencer St., Hoquiam) and the beginning of the Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Saturday 9 am - 4:30 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm. The ride takes approximately 15 minutes. (Suggested donation $1 per ride)