Check Out Birdathon and Two Nearby Audubon Birding Walks This Week-End

Seattle Audubon's 26th Annual Birdathon, "the world's largest birding competition" is going on right now and you and your family can join in the fun now.

To get involved count as many birds as you can in a single day until May 31st and then record them on Birdathon Online! where you can design your personal Birdathon website, collect pledges, and more.

Birdathon is a uniquely Audubon rite of spring that involves having fun, counting birds and enjoying our local environment. It’s challenging, exhilarating and addictive!! Birdathoners simply raise pledges from friends, family, and colleagues in support of birds and the environment, the website says.

Kids under 12 get a special prize for participating.

And if you've never been birding before, you can give it a try this week-end for two neighborhood bird walks, one starting in Wedgwood on Saturday and the other in Magnuson on Sunday.
 
The Saturday birding neighborhood walk will start at the Audubon Nature shop located at 8050 35th Avenue where Matt Mega, Conservation Director,will show pictures, bird skins and there will be a chanceto look at Seattle Audubon’s hidden nest box cam. Then the trip will go outside to hit some of the neighborhood hot spots. The tour will focus on basic bird identification and their habitat needs. Contact Matt at 206-523-8243 x 38. Donation is $15.
 
And on Sunday, Sam Woods will lead the Bike and Bird Magnuson Park to the Arboretum starting at 9am and meeting at the  boat launch at Magnuson Park.  You'll check out some of Seattle's best birding hot spots - Magnuson Park, Montlake Fill, Foster Island, and the Arboretum all on bicycle. The route is about 4.5 miles each wayand is pretty flat. The tour ends at 3pm. Donation $15.

For a complete list of Birdathon Field Trips go here. 

Also you don't have to be a member of the Audubon Society to participate in the Birdathon, though they do welcome your membership. And if you raise $30 or more you are eligible for a one-year complimentary membership. Sponsors who donate $30 or more are also eligible for membership.