Join the Estuarium for a walk around downtown as we eye the sky for the various birds that call South Sound home!

 

During spring and early summer, we will walk the Olympia Port Peninsula, starting at the LOTT wetlands to hear the songs of Red-winged blackbirds and watch Mallards take a sunny afternoon nap. Don’t forget your binoculars as we head along East Bay to spot Purple Martins flying in and out of nest boxes foraging for their chicks. Then, stroll over to catch a glimpse of the Ospreys using the nesting platforms at Swantown Marina. Finally, we will round out the tour looking for shorebirds near Percival Landing and talk about the impacts humans have on local urban bird habitat.

 

During late summer and early fall, we will walk to Heritage Park and the 5th Avenue Dam, stopping along the way to observe how birds have adapted to live in urban areas. Stroll along Capital Lake to listen for the unique calls of Killdeer and watch the feeding behaviors of dabbling Mallards versus diving Buffleheads. Keep an eye in the sky at the 5th Avenue Dam for soaring Osprey, or under the 4th Avenue Bridge for roosting Pigeons. Have your binoculars ready for the boardwalk as we look for Belted Kingfisher and Great Blue Herons hunting along West Bay. Before heading back, we will stop at Percival landing to talk about how Olympia’s estuaries have changed and the effect it has had on bird populations.

 

No birding experience required! The walk will be 2 hours and cover approximately 2 miles, so don’t forget your comfy walking shoes. Please bring your own binoculars, however we do have a few to spare. The Bird Walk tour also includes a tour of our Estuarium facility.

 

The Estuarium’s Urban Birding Walking tours are a recurring event that will take place on the 4th Sundays of every other month February – October.

 

 

Photo Credit: Dennis Plank