Field Trips
Let’s Go Birding!
YVAS field trips are an excellent way to meet other YVAS members, improve your birding skills, and get to know local hotspots and hiking trails. We have field trips appropriate to people of all birding abilities and are led by knowledgable YVAS members.
For new birders and families, the Second Saturday Bird Walks are a great way to get started: these walks are always in the Yakima area, short (around 2 hours), over easy trails (1-2 miles) and on Saturday mornings for working people and families.
Please come out and give our field trips a try!
Upcoming Field Trips
Saturday, April 5, morning. Yakima Training Center. Leader: Scott Downes This field trip is full.
Scott Downes will lead a group to join a Yakima Training Center biologist for a morning visit to the YTC on Saturday April 5th. We will look for shrubsteppe songbirds such as Sage Thrasher, Sagebrush Sparrow and Loggerhead Shrike. We may have an opportunity to observe rare birds such as Greater Sage Grouse or Burrowing Owl; that will be determined closer to the fieldtrip date. Scopes will be on hand if you don’t have one yourself. We will meet early morning and conclude before lunch. Exact meeting time will be announced to participants a couple of weeks in advance. Dress warmly; it can be chilly in the morning. Participants need to send driver’s license or passport information and their date of birth to Scott, downess@charter.net, by March 5th so that the YTC can prescreen us. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please note that in your sign-up info and send Scott your passport information sooner, as there is extra screening time for non-citizens. Carpooling is required. If you plan on driving, make sure your vehicle has good tires and bring insurance information and proof of registration for your vehicle.
Greater Sage Grouse, photo: George Vlahakis
Second Saturday Bird Walk, April 12, 9:00 -11:00 am. Popoff Trail, Leaders Kathy and Joe Howell.
Meet in the Greenway parking lot at the north-most roundabout on Valley Mall Boulevard at 9:00 am. Click here for map. No need to sign up in advance. This monthly event is suitable for all ages and birding abilities. Participants may join for the entire two hours or for as long as they are comfortable.
Explore this local hotspot with us—you will be amazed at how many species over-winter here! The Helen Jewett and Poppoff trails have a variety of habitats and we can expect to see diverse species of birds during this walk. Dress warmly and be prepared for mud on some parts of the trail.
Yakima Valley Audubon Society birders on the Popoff Trail,
photo: Sarah Shippen
Sunnyside Wildlife Area, Saturday, April 26, 2025. 8:00 am – noon, Leader: Kerry Turley
We’ll head to this state wildlife area south of Sunnyside to walk around the flooded “rice fields.” In the ponds and marshes, we should see a nice selection of ducks such as the beautiful Cinnamon Teal. Various migrating shorebirds will be moving through, too and the very showy Black-necked Stilt may be here in good numbers. Other marsh birds such as Virginia Rail and Sora might be lurking in the cattails. Swallows of various species should have arrived, flitting low over the water hawking insects.
We’ll walk 1.5-2 miles on a dike track encircling the ponds on the lookout for other birds like Marsh Wren, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Great Egret. Raptors should be about, too. Expect to be homeward bound by about noon or so. Contact Kerry, kdturley@gmail.com, to sign up.
What To Bring: Binoculars, scope, camera, dress for the weather and bring footgear you don’t mind getting a little muddy.
Cinnamon Teal, photo: Bill Marson
Sora, photo: Brad Roszell
Field Trip Information
As trips and leaders are arranged we will add them to the website. Trips may be added with short notice so check often. Trips may be canceled at any time due to bad weather, too few participants, or the lack of a leader. Contact the leader for more information and to reserve a spot.
Field trips are free and are open to anyone. You don’t have to be an Audubon member to participate. Our leaders are club volunteers and are not compensated. If you carpool with somebody, it is common courtesy to compensate the driver for your share of gas and vehicle use. You are also responsible for any park entry fees, camping fees, or motel bills. To enhance the birding experience we need to limit the number of participants on our trips. The number allowed for each trip will be posted. Call or email early to reserve your place on a trip. And, call ASAP if you are not able to make the trip so the leader can offer your spot to someone on the wait list.
Field trips range from a few hours to all day long. Please arrive at the meet up location a bit early. Start time is the time we leave form the meet up location.
What to Bring
Participants need to provide their own binoculars*, food and drink, appropriate footwear and clothing for changing weather, and transportation, unless you find somebody with whom to carpool. Drivers bring your Discover Pass and any other pass you may have.
*A limited number of high quality binoculars are available for use during field trips. Please let the trip leader know in advance if you need binoculars.
Skill Level
We provide a variety of trips that accommodate many birding skill levels. Birders of all levels are welcome on all trips. However, please bear in mind that some beginners may get frustrated or bored on trips designed for advanced birders, where much of the birding is done by ear and the pace is very fast. Some advanced birders might find the trips geared toward beginning birders too basic and slow-paced. The skill level for each trip will be posted.
Families, Children and Dogs
Dogs are disruptive to the birding experience. Therefore, we do not allow any dogs on our trips. While we very much want families to participate, very young children are not appropriate for our field trips. When in doubt about the appropriateness of bringing your child, ask the leader before the trip so you can make plans for child care. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult.
Lazui Bunting, photo: Jacque Brown
Nashville Warbler, photo: Karen Zook
Yellow-breasted Chat, photo: Sarah Shippen
Evening Grosbeak, photo: Joshua Pelta Heller
Barn Swallow, photo: Tim Kuhn
Common Nighthawk, photo: Soo Goh Baus