Audubon Washington

10/13/2026

10/10/2026

We have a winner! The official Bird of Bellingham is….

The Great Blue Heron!

These spectacular birds are a common sight around Bellingham, and well known for their large rookeries at Post Point and Little Squalicum Park.

Although known for hunting alone, the Great Blue Herons are populous enough in this area that it is far from unusual to see a line of herons along beaches. With their stately looks, wide wingspan, and prehistoric calls, they are birds you are not likely to forget.

Great Blue Herons ambush their prey, standing stock still before striking lightning quick. Their adapted neck vertebrae act as a hinge, letting their neck snap out milliseconds. They have even been known to try a hunting method known as “canopy feeding.” By spreading out their wings to create a shaded canopy, their prey come right to them. And their prey is quite varied, with the species going for nearly anything within striking distance, from frogs to fish to small birds.

Thank you to everyone who voted for the new Bird of Bellingham and participated in Bellingham Bird Week!

📷Natalie Taylor

North Cascades Audubon Society; City of Bellingham, Washington - Government

10/10/2026

Chirp, Chirp, it's me, the Swainson's Thrush, your Bird of the Year, celebrating World Migratory Bird Day!

For migratory birds like me, the transition from summer to winter brings a time of change as we begin flying south to our wintering grounds. Along the Pacific Flyway, birds travel thousands of miles along the West Coast and through Washington, stopping at wetlands, shorelines, and other habitats to rest and refuel along the way.

Please join me in celebrating these remarkable feats on World Migratory Bird Day. What migratory birds are you seeing in your neighborhood?

10/09/2026

🔸Action Alert!🔸Protect State Park from Golf Course Development

Westport Light State Park needs your help. The park is home to a rare and critical wetland system that supports at least 166 bird species and is the site of a proposed development to turn it into a golf course.

Beyond the direct and immediate threat to birds from this proposal, developing this state park would set a risky precedent that our public and conserved lands can be developed at the expense of wildlife, habitat, and other ecosystem functions.

👉 Take action by telling the Parks Commission to vote NO on the Westport Golf Links development proposal.
📆 The public comment period closes on October 15 at 5 p.m.
🔗 Visit: https://act.audubon.org/a/westportlight

📸 Rufous Hummingbird, Seaview, Washington State. Credit: Jace Stenersen/Audubon Photography Awards

10/08/2026

It’s !

Join the National Audubon Society and bird lovers across the country to make a plan and get vote ready. Your vote shapes the future!

Take the pledge at https://act.audubon.org/a/ibirdivote.

10/07/2026

Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with Bellingham Bird Week!

We are excited to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, a global celebration of the birds that connect communities and ecosystems across the world, on Saturday, October 10.

To help mark the occasion, we are hosting a special keynote presentation on Friday, October 9 at 6pm, by Dr. Jill Deppe, Senior Director of Audubon’s Migratory Bird Initiative, about migratory birds and how to better understand and protect them. We hope you can join us!

🔸Keynote: Why Birds Matter: Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day
🔸Friday, October 9, at 6:00pm
🔸Bellingham Cruise Terminal Dome Room, 355 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA
🔸Free and open to the public; no registration required.

Learn more and see the full schedule of events for Bellingham Bird Week:
https://www.northcascadesaudubon.org/bellingham-bird-week

North Cascades Audubon Society, City of Bellingham, Washington - Government

10/06/2026

Bellingham Bird Week: Special Documentary Screening of Lights Out Texas (October 8 at 7 PM)

Each spring and fall, billions of birds migrate across the US, navigating at night using stars, Earth’s magnetic field, and other natural cues. Artificial light at night can disorient them, drawing birds into a danger zone near buildings where they’re at risk of deadly collisions with glass.

The Lights Out Texas documentary explores how researchers, conservation organizations, government agencies, and private-sector partners are working to reduce the effects of light pollution on migratory birds.

Dr. Trina Bayard, Audubon Washington’s Director of Bird Conservation, will lead a panel discussion following the film focusing on how all of us can help protect the millions of birds migrating through Washington at night.

🔸Documentary Screening: Lights Out Texas
🔸Thursday, October 8, at 7:00pm
🔸 Whatcom Museum, Old City Hall Rotunda Room, 121 Prospect Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
🔸 Free admission; Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lights-out-texas-documentary-with-panel-discussion-tickets-2001036011577?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn more and see the full schedule of events for Bellingham Bird Week:
https://www.northcascadesaudubon.org/bellingham-bird-week

North Cascades Audubon Society, City of Bellingham, Washington - Government

10/06/2026

🔸Action Alert!🔸The Clean Water Act is under threat, and we’re asking you to take action!

A proposed federal rule would decrease the number and type of waterways that receive protection under the Clean Water Act, putting birds, the environment, and public health at risk.

✅Send a public comment to support keeping wetlands and streams protected under the Clean Water Act, so they continue to serve their critically important role for birds and habitat.
🔗https://act.audubon.org/a/wotus-2026
👉The deadline to comment is this Friday, October 9.

A proposed rule would put wetlands and streams at much greater risk of destruction and pollution. The deadline to take action is October 9.

10/03/2026

As fall migration reaches its peak, KUOW Public Radio recently spoke with Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society volunteer Patty Giffin about Lights Out, Washington and how reducing artificial light at night protects migrating birds.

Washington sits on the Pacific Flyway, a major migration route stretching from Alaska to Patagonia. For birds traveling thousands of miles, artificial light can disorient them and increase the risk of collisions with buildings and other structures.

There are simple things we can all do to protect migrating (and resident) birds at night:
🔸Use light only if it is necessary
🔸Direct light so it falls only where it is needed
🔸Light should be no brighter than necessary
🔸Use light only during times when needed
🔸Use warmer-colored lights (under 3,000 Kelvins)

More resources:
🔸Take the Pledge to go Lights Out: https://www.audubon.org/washington/projects/lights-out-washington
🔸Read the KUOW story: https://www.kuow.org/animals/2026-09-18/fall-bird-migration-nears-its-peak-turning-lights-out-can-help

Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society, DarkSky International

10/02/2026

Bellingham Bird Week starts next week! From October 5–11, North Cascades Audubon Society and Audubon Washington will host a full week of free events for the community in celebration of the important role Bellingham and Whatcom County play in the journey of millions of migratory birds and the everyday lives of resident birds.

There’s something planned for everyone, from bird walks and family story times to author talks, documentary screenings, bird drawing, trivia, biking and birding, and more!

Highlights include:
🔸A keynote presentation on why birds matter with Dr. Jill Deppe of Audubon’s Migratory Bird Initiative.
🔸A special screening of Lights Out Texas with an expert panel led by Audubon Washington’s Director of Bird Conservation, Dr. Trina Bayard.
🔸A talk with New York Times-best-selling author and naturalist Lyanda Lynn Haupt.
🔸A Coast Salish art and birds presentation with local artist Jason LaClair.

All events are free, though some require registration. Learn more and see the full schedule of events: https://www.northcascadesaudubon.org/bellingham-bird-week

North Cascades Audubon Society, City of Bellingham, Washington - Government