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, March 1: McNary National Wildlife Refuge, Leader Bill Drenguis.
It’s getting warm and I can not contain myself, so we are going to McNary National Wildlife Refuge earlier than originally planned. McNary is just on the other side of the Tri-cities, but is a very easy trip. The draw is the waterfowl that gather there before they continue their migration. Most of the ducks will be in breeding plumage (think pretty and easy to see) and right now there are reports of 1500+ flocks of Snow Geese.
Dress warmly, bring binoculars and spotting scopes, snacks and lunch. We will be home around 4pm. Restrooms are frequent, clean and COLD. Carpooling is encouraged but if you only want to stay a shorter time. there is plenty of safe parking at all the stops.
Participants must contact Bill Drenguis to sign up and get the meeting location and start time. 509 731 8632 or bdrenguis@gmail.com
Saturday, March 8: Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge, 9 am – noon. Leaders: Sarah Shippen and Gene Miliczky
Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge hosts thousands of waterfowl as they stop over on their way north. February and March are the best months to see these birds in abundance and in their breeding plumage. Bald eagles, various raptors, shrikes, songbirds, nesting Great Horned Owl, and shore birds also frequent the refuge during spring migration. Participation will be limited to 6 vehicles, so please sign up to ensure participation.
Bring binoculars, scope, camera, warm and wind-proof clothing, hot beverage and snacks. For further details and to sign up, email Sarah Shippen, ses1440@outlook.com.
Saturday, April 5, morning. Yakima Training Center. Leader: Scott Downes
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. The trip is limited to the first 15 signups. 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.
Tundra Swans at Old Goldendale Road, Toppenish NWR, photo: Sarah Shippen
Greater Sage Grouse. Photo: George Vlahakis
Lazui Bunting, photo: Jacque Brown
Nashville Warbler, photo: Karen Zook
Yellow-breasted Chat, photo: Sarah Shippen
Field trip to the Columbia River at the Walla Walla River Delta, photo: Sarah Shippen
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.
Evening Grosbeak, photo: Joshua Pelta Heller
Barn Swallow, photo: Tim Kuhn
Common Nighthawk, photo: Soo Goh Baus