BirdNote Field Trip - Sunday, June 28th, 2009 - TRIP REPORT

Adam Sedgley, BirdNote Marketing and Outreach Director,
welcoming listeners to Discovery Park

A cool June morning welcomed 70+ BirdNote listeners to Discovery Park to participate in the 10^th BirdNote field trip. Even with early morning drizzle and gray skies, those who came were rewarded with a cool dry start and beautiful blue skies by the end of the field trip.

With eight expert birdwatchers from Seattle Audubon, participants were easily split up into small groups of varying ability, including one group that did the full 3-mile-loop and another group with impaired mobility that piled into a Seattle Parks van driven by Park Naturalist, Penny Rose.  Three educational outreach specialists were on-hand to guide families through “What’s That Bird?”, a children’s scavenger hunt that uses carved, wooden, life-like birds.

Almost all participants were beginning birdwatchers, not Audubon members, and had learned of the trip by hearing one of numerous mentions on KPLU. A handful of participants had received word of the field trip via other channels, including email alerts, word-of-mouth, a sign posted at the Visitor’s center, and a Facebook invite. About eight participants had never been to Discovery Park before.

“What a great experience. I learned a lot … The highlight was sighting four Barred Owls -- two adults and two juveniles. What a gorgeous park, I hadn't been there in years and was reminded what a treasure it is”  -- Cheers, Rosemary

Once again, this field trip helped BirdNote pursue its goal of giving our listeners the opportunity to interact with other listeners and engage with their local Audubon chapters to enjoy bird-watching.

 

Rece, an enthusiastic participant of  "What's That Bird?"	"What's That Bird?" American Goldfinch

"What's That Bird?" is an innovative activity which was developed by environmental educators from  North Central Audubon, and is fun for all ages!

 

Who: Seattle Audubon and BirdNote

What: Birdwatching for beginners and others
         What's That Bird? -- a bird-search activity for kids and parents

Where: Discovery Park Visitors Center, Seattle (description of park and directions)

When: Sunday, June 28th, 9am - 12pm  

 

BIRD LIST (56 species!)
Double-crested Cormorant
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Caspian Tern
Rock Pigeon
Barred Owl
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Willow Flycatcher (h)
Pacific-Slope Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick’s Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Swainson’s Thrush (h)
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler (h)
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch