Breakfast with the Birds. There may be no combination of words that can bring more joy, and we intend on basking in the pleasures of both. For birders in the Pacific Northwest, April is the start of a promising new year. Warming temperatures, lengthening days, and flowering plants signal the return of colorful, musical, migratory birds, such as Rufous Hummingbirds and Orange-crowned Warblers. Having quietly spent the winter in the forests of IslandWood, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Hermit Thrushes can be heard singing their melodic songs. They say the ‘early bird catches the worm,’ but the early birder sees the most birds! Springtime on our trails is worth setting that alarm for!
Starting off the day right, IslandWood style, your ticket price includes a fresh selection of bagels, spreads, coffee, tea & juice, lox, vegetarian proteins and breakfast wraps to fuel us for the morning ahead on the trails. Yum!
We can dine together indoors in our beautiful Dining Hall, or outside on the picnic tables if the mornings are warmer.
Bellies full, and binoculars in hand, we’ll hit the trails and visit wetland habitat intently looking and listening for as many species as we can identify. IslandWood’s 250-acre wood boasts several unique ecosystems including a freshwater pond, cattail marsh, sphagnum bog, a ravine, and deep conifer forests that boast several species of woodpeckers!
THINGS TO KNOW
- This event is primarily held outdoors on the trails, with the exception of optional dine-in for breakfast.
- Due to the content and pace of this program, we are listing the suggested age of participation as 10 years and up. We encourage youth birders to join us, if they are able, but the language, pace and tone will be primarily for an adult class.
- Please remember our campus policy is ‘no dogs unless they are a service animal.’
- BYOB = Bring Your Own Binoculars if you’ve got ’em. We will have some to lend as well.
- Have a favorite field guide to the birds of WA? Bring that too! We’ll also have guide books and resources to share.
IslandWood docent and top-notch birder, Mark Salvadalena, will be our guide. Mark has been volunteering at IslandWood for over 6 years and is well-known in this community for his ornithological skills, as well as a gentle and compassionate interpretive style. Whether you’re a new birder, or a seasoned one, our instructors are eager to share their tricks and tips for bird identification, including birding by silhoutte, ear, and ecological connections in our temperate rainforest habitat.
In addition to teaching at IslandWood, Mark is an active recreation instructor with Bainbridge Island Parks and former NPS ranger. He has led bird walks for the National Park Service, New York City Parks, and Birds Connect Seattle. Coincidentally, Mark’s favorite meal of the day is breakfast.
