Flock to the Delta 2: Birdwatching and More Along the Lower Skagit
Event Details
- When
- Feb 27, 2021 from 08:00 AM to 04:00 PM
- Where
- Lower Skagit Valley
- Instructor
- Class Tuition
- $110.00
- Tuition Includes
- Instruction in birdwatching techniques, introduction to many wintering species, and facilitated activities to appreciate the larger context of birdwatching.
- Add it to your calendar
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Winter in the Skagit Delta is a season of excellent opportunities for observing bird life. Birder's World calls it "one of the nation's best winter birding destinations," and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says, "You don't have to be a bird expert to enjoy what should be considered one of this state's premier winter tourist destinations: the Skagit Valley."
Of course, the Big White Birds are here — Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans, the largest waterfowl in North America — down from their breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada.
Other excellent sighting possibilities include dueling Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers swooping and arcing over the marshes, Bald Eagles floating high overhead, shorebirds like Dunlin, and ducks like American Widgeon, Green-winged Teals and Northern Pintail rounding out an entertaining host of winged celebrities.
In this rendition of one of our favorite Winter courses, Brendan McGarry — graduate of WWU's Masters of Environmental Education program and former resident at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center — will lead our group in developing our bird identification skills. He'll help us find life hot spots in the Lower Skagit and then tips for understanding what birds we find there. He will also facilitate activities and discussions relevant to birdwatching such as land use, history, and the modern context of birding.
By the end of the day, you’ll have gained strategies for identifying local birds so you can continue to explore the Skagit’s wild bounty on your own and with friends and family.
In accordance with the Institute's COVID-19 safety protocols, our group will split in two quintets at times, with one quintet led by knowledgeable Institute staff. We will rotate trip leaders to ensure that everyone gets to spend time with Brendan.
Participants will need a Discovery Pass.
Photos top to bottom: Snow Geese, Brendan McGarry; Trumpeter Swans, Jeff Brennan; Bald Eagle, Eric Ellingson; Northern Pintails, Jeff Brennan; Instructor Brendan McGarry; Song Sparrow, Kiley Barbero