KCA Washington Birding Trip

We're sorry, but this trip is completely booked!

Join us for an exciting trip to the Pacific Northwest, where we will bird our way around Washington!

From seabirds to woodpeckers, this trip will feature a variety of habitats including mountains (both sides of the Cascades), rainforest, coast, an evening of owling with a local guide, and a pelagic trip. And, the scenery will be fantastic. We may even spot some whales and seals!

This trip runs May 9 – May 17, 2020. Participants will need to arrive in Seattle in time to depart no later than 2 p.m. on May 9.

Cost

$1,832 per person. This is based on seven rooms, but if everyone shares a room the cost will go down.

The cost includes all transportation once you are in Seattle, lodging, entrance fees, an evening of owling with a local guide, and a pelagic trip. Some lodging will include a free breakfast, otherwise meals are at your own expense. We’ll chip in to buy lunch/snack supplies and top them up as needed so we can eat in the field and not waste time looking for restaurants.

Itinerary

Saturday, May 9

Arrive in Seattle. We will pick you up at the airport by 2 pm.

Drive over the Cascade Mountains to Leavenworth in Chelan County, about a 2.5-hour drive.

Leavenworth is on the eastern (read drier) side of the Cascades. As such, it has different habitats and we will try for some birds we won’t get on the wetter, western side. Leavenworth is known as the Alps of Washington. The scenery is beautiful and the town itself has a Bavarian feel. Expect German food for dinner… We’ll spend two nights here.

Overnight: Obertal Inn, Leavenworth. Breakfast included.
 

Sunday, May 10

Early breakfast and then we will bird a variety of sites in Chelan County.

Some of the species we will try to see include: White-Headed Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Lewis’s Woodpecker, California Quail, Dusky Grouse, Chukar, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Cinnamon Teal, Bewick’s Wren, Ash-Throated Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Cassin’s Finch, Red Crossbill, Mountain Chickadee, Lazuli Bunting, Brewer’s Sparrow.

Overnight: Obertal Inn, Leavenworth. Breakfast included.

Monday, May 11

We will have a busy day today, including morning birding in the Leavenworth area. We will bird until lunchtime and then drive back over the mountains to Lynnwood, where we will spend the night.

But before we go to bed, we will have an evening of owling with a local guide. Western Screech, Barred, and Northern Saw-Whet Owls are all possible, and if we are really lucky, Northern Pygmy Owl!

Some of the birds we hope to see in the morning include: Ruffed Grouse, Canada Jay, Red-Naped Sapsucker, Dusky Flycatcher, Black-Headed Grosbeak, MacGillvray’s Warbler, Calliope Hummingbird, Pygmy Nuthatch, Western Tanager, Bushtit, Black-Billed Magpie, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Bluebird

Overnight: La Quinta Inn, Lynwood. Breakfast included. Indoor pool and hot tub.
 

Tuesday, May 12

Early morning birding along the shore. After a couple of hours birding around Puget Sound, we will aim to catch the 11 or 12:00 ferry to Kingston and then drive on to Sequim.

Sequim is on the Olympic Peninsula and close to Olympic National Park. We’ll spend two nights here. After we check-in to our hotel, we’ll visit some local hot spots, if time allows, hoping to find: Band-Tailed Pigeon, Red-Breasted Sapsucker, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Violet Green Swallow, Pacific Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler.

Overnight: Quality Inn & Suites, Sequim. Breakfast included. Indoor pool/hot tub.

Wednesday, May 13

Today we will have a full day of birding the coast at Dungeness NWR. Dungeness is one of the world’s longest sand spits and shelters a bay rich in marine life. The refuge is recognized as an “Important Bird Area” by the National Audubon Society.

Some of the birds we hope to find: Harlequin Duck, Black Scoter, Pigeon Guillemot, Rhinocerous Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Glaucous-Winged Gull, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Red-Necked Grebe, Hutton’s Vireo, Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, Long-Tailed Duck, Townsend’s Warbler.

Additional sites in the area as time allows.

Overnight: Sequim, Quality Inn & Suites. Breakfast included. Indoor pool and hot tub.

Thursday, May 14

Today we’ll explore Olympic National Park. One of the most primeval parts of the lower 48 states, the park covers nearly a million acres—95 percent of that designated wilderness. While the typical image of the park is of rain forest, the park also includes alpine highlands, tranquil lakeshores, and a wild Pacific coastline. We’ll bird a variety of habitats looking for: American Dipper, Sooty Grouse, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Golden Crowned Sparrow, Cassin’s Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Vaux’s Swift.

Overnight: Dew Drop Inn, Forks. If you’ve read or heard of the Twilight series, then you know this is where the author based the series. Optional vampire watching in the evening!
 

Friday, May 15

Today we’ll drive along the wild Pacific coast to Westport. We’ll bird along the way at a variety of spots. Possible birds include: Red Throated Loon, Hutton’s Vireo, Western Gull, Western Grebe, Black Oystercatcher, Red-Necked Phalarope.

We’ll spend two nights in Westport at The Islander Motel.

Saturday, May 16

Pelagic trip with Westport Seabirds

Target birds: Surf Scoter, Wandering Tattler, Surfbird, Black-Footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Pink-Footed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Fork-Tailed Storm Petrel, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Red-Necked Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Ancient Murrelet, Cassin’s Auklet, Black-Legged Kittiwake, Sabine’s Gull, California Gull.

Rarities are a definite possibility!

Other wildlife: Humpback Whale, Gray Whale, Harbor Porpoise, Dall’s Porpoise, Pacific White-Sided Dolphin, Harbor Seal, Northern Fur Seal, Elephant Seal, California Sea Lion, Stellar’s Sea Lion.

Overnight: Islander Motel.

Sunday. May 17

Our last day. We’ll attempt to find anything we’ve missed and try for some new species including: Hermit Warbler and California Scrub Jay. We’ll bird our way back to the Seattle area and enjoy a farewell dinner.

Overnight: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Sea-Tac. Breakfast included. Free airport shuttle.