Regretfully, we need to postpone our first spring bird walk due to increased COVID-19. We apologize. Stay tuned... we will try to make it happen when it is safe to gather in large groups.

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Cortes Island Museum and naturalist George Sirk invite all bird enthusiasts to join us for BIRDING 101!

We are planning on three sessions of BIRDING:

• Saturday, April 16 – meet at the Museum at 9 a.m.
• Saturday, May 7 – our usual Spring Bird Count, more details to come
• June – mid June, exact date and meeting location TBA

Our first outing, April 16, will start at the Museum, 9 a.m., and will last around 2 hours. We will amble towards Manson’s dock, check the lagoon, walk to the waterfall via the beach and return through Hague Lake’s sandy beach, walk on Austin Road, and back to the Museum.

If we’re lucky, this will be a good opportunity to catch the last of the wintering seabirds, many in breeding plumage, such as grebes, who are just gorgeous and are here only 2–3 weeks in their full regalia. Many, but not all, of our land birds will be here singing on territory. (Our summer residents are all here by June.)

The walk will focus on the calls and songs of these fabulous, varied, summer residents. It’ll be a good time to ease into the multitude of songs before the bulk of the birds arrive.

Bring binoculars, a snack, and be prepared to listen to the BEST in the WEST! Remember, Birding is CRUNCHY!

Birds of Cortes and Mitlenatch Islands books, written by George Sirk, Christian Gronau and Fred Zwickel, will be available for a small fee of $5 – all proceeds will go to the Museum.

A small donation to the Museum will be gratefully appreciated.