Field Trips
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 one a try!
Tundra Swans at Old Goldendale Road, Toppenish NWR, photo: Sarah Shippen
Field Trip Schedule
Saturday, April 27, morning
Yakima Training Center, Leader: Scott Downes. Trip is full.
Saturday, May 4, morning
Second Saturday Bird Walk- Uptanum Creek Canyon Trail. Leaders Sarah Shippen and Gene Miliczky, ses1440@outlook.com
Saturday, June 1, all day
White Pass Highway. Woodpeckers & songbirds. Leaders: Andy & Ellen Stepniewski, contact steppie@nwinfo.net
Saturday, June 8, morning
Field Trip Information
Saturday, April 27, 2024. Yakima Training Center, morning. Leader: Scott Downes. This trip is full.
Scott will lead a group to join a YTC biologist on for a morning visit to the Yakima Training Center. 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, but that will be determined closer to the field trip date. The trip is limited to the first 15 signups. Scopes will be on hand if you don’t have one yourself. Meeting time will be announced to participants a couple weeks beforehand, but we will meet early morning and will conclude before lunch. Expect to dress in warm clothes as it can be chilly in the morning. For this trip, participants will need to send driver’s license or passport information and their date of birth. You need to provide that information to Scott, downess@charter.net, by March 15th so that the YTC can prescreen us. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please note that in your sign-up info and get Scott your information sooner, as there is extra screening time for non-citizens and passport information will be required. Carpooling will be required to minimize the number of vehicles entering the Training Center. If you plan on driving, make sure your vehicle has good tires and bring insurance information and proof of registration for your vehicle.
Saturday, May 4, 2024. Umtanum Creek Canyon Bird Walk, 9-11 AM. Leaders: Sarah Shippen and Gene Miliczky.
No advanced sign-up required. For questions contact ses1440@outlook.com Parking pass required, see options below.
Umtanum Creek Canyon trail is alive with warblers, kinglets and other songbirds in May. We will look for Yellow, Nashville, Yellow-rumped, and Orange-crowned warblers which are all common this time of year. Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Bushtits, Bullock’s Oriole, Black-headed Grossbeak and Lazuli Buntings are also often observed on this trail in May. Swallows and Prairie Falcons soar overhead and there may be Mergansers and other waterfowl on the Yakima River. During Spring migration, this trail is one of the richest birding spots in our region.
We will meet in the Umtanum Creek Recreation Site parking lot, cross the bridge, and head up the trail following the creek. The trail can be rough in places, please wear appropriate footwear (and bring hiking poles if that provides you more stability).
What to bring: binoculars, water, insect repellent, sunscreen, sun hat, and hiking po
Directions: Take exit 26 WA 821 N from I-82 and go 16 miles north into the Yakima Canyon, on Highway 821. Umtanum Creek Recreation Site is on the left. A parking pass is required for this trip : you may purchase a $5.00 Federal BLM day pass, an annual $25 BLM pass at Red’s Fly Shop, or use an annual National Park or Golden Eagle pass.
Nashville Warbler, photo: Karen Zook
Lazui Bunting, photo: Jacque Brown
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