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.
Come out and give our field trips a try!
Upcoming Field Trips
Saturday, March 7, 8:30-noon. Field Trip: Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge, Leaders: Sarah Shippen & Gene Miliczky, Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge hosts thousands of waterfowl as they stop over on their way north each spring. February and March are the best months to see these birds in abundance and in their breeding plumage. Bald eagles, various raptors, sparrows, shorebirds and often a Great Horned Owl, frequent the Refuge during spring migration. Participants need to sign up for this event and space is limited. This field trip will mostly involve driving and using scopes to view birds, but there will be a short walk at the Refuge Headquarters. For further details and to sign up, email Sarah Shippen, ses1440@outlook.com.
Saturday, March 14, 9:00-11:00am. Field Trip: Second Saturday Bird Walk, Poppoff Trail. Leaders: Sandra Hulteen and Bill Drenguis. Meet in the parking lot of the north-most roundabout on Valley Mall Boulevard at 9:00 AM. 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 a diversity of species of birds during this walk. Dress warmly and be prepared for mud on some parts of the trail. Contact Sarah at ses1440@outlook.com with questions. No need to sign up in advance.
Past Field Trip
Field Trip Report – Saturday, February 8: Second Saturday Bird Walk, Popoff Trail Although sunny and calm when we headed up from Lower Valley, we were surprised to see dense fog at Union Gap and along the Yakima River. Visibility was less than 50’ as we met at the group at the Poppoff Trail parking lot. Eight members of YVAS and two guests (one, 2-years old!) headed out to see what we could see (if anything). Although it was quite challenging to spot birds in the mist, it was lively with bird calls. Yellow-rumped warblers were active at the trailhead (including one Myrtle race spotted by Sandra Hulteen) and all along the trail. At the first pond we heard and then saw a Belted Kingfisher; Wood Ducks swam along the opposite shore and Canada Geese and a Great Blue Heron flew overhead. North of the pond we spotted two thrushes simultaneously, a Hermit Thrust and a Varied Thrush in the tall brush. Dark-eyed Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows were feeding on the ground. There were Common Mergansers and
Common Goldeneye feeding in the Yakima River. On Billy’s Pond, we saw American Wigeon, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, Gadwall, and Green-winged Teal. Black-capped Chickadees and Juncos, Sharp-shinned Hawk. The fog lifted as we headed back and we caught a glimpse of a Sharp-shinned Hawk in the trees. Despite the weather, we saw 29 species total and all agreed, “Not a bad day!” for the first Saturday Bird Walk of the year. For the complete checklist of species, see the Trip Report at https://ebird.org/tripreport/479304
Hermit Thrush, photo: Sarah Shippen
Sharp-shinned Hawk, photo: Sarah Shippen
Black-headed Grosbeak, photo: Sarah Shippen
Yellow-breasted Chat, photo: Sarah Shippen
Black-crowned Night Heron and Wood Duck. 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.
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