Field Trip and Event Reports

Birding & Breakfast, December 6, 2025 By Bruce Jacobs Trip leaders were Bruce Jacobs and Jean Spinazola. On a quiet, overcast December day, nine of us enjoyed a pleasant field trip at Pioneer Park in Tumwater. This is a very popular urban park, just south of Olympia off of Henderson Avenue, with playing fields, picnic areas, and trails for dog-walking, jogging, and enjoying nature. It is also...

Kathleen Snyder This summary is the best I can surmise with the data I have.  Only two of our seven prairies had monitoring situations where the nest box was opened and the contents examined during nesting.  Two prairies had boxes that were cleaned out at the end of the season and the contents evaluated. Three prairies had monitors who visited regularly and took notes on what was observed;...

By Jacob Barringer 11/1/2025 8:00am – 9:30am birding, ~10:00-11:00 breakfast Capitol Lake, north pool Fully Overcast Fluctuating between light and heavy rain 9 participants Species seen: Mallard Canada Goose Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Ring-necked Duck Bufflehead American Wigeon Canvasback American Coot Pie-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Short-billed Gull Western...

PODCAST WITH KIM ADELSON ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIPARIAN ZONES FOR BIRDS The August episode of the Thurston Conservation District podcast featured Kim Adelson, our Vice-president and Education Chair, talking about the birds and vegetation that are found in riparian areas.  Kim does a marvelous job of spelling out how important this habitat is and how it should be protected.  She also talks...

SOUTH SOUND BIRD ALLIANCE BOARD RETREAT At the end of August, the SSBA Board of Directors met for its annual full day retreat.  Meeting at the lovely home of Board member Sheila Rodriguez, the group reviewed their progress on Strategic Plan goals (which can be seen on our website under “About”>“Operating Documents”) and made plans for the coming year. Also attending the meeting were Deb...

On a late Friday afternoon in July the DEIB Committee members and Thurston County Specialized Recreation staff and participants met at the Interpretive Park along Capitol Lake. We gathered for a Feathered Friends Friday celebration. The weather was perfect, and numerous ducks and other birds joined us down by the dock, in the trees and foraging along the paths. We from SSBA had all things bird with...

Conservation News and Events: 6/21/2025 – Sherman Creek Legacy Forest Walk by Betsy Norton SSBA co-sponsored 2 Legacy Forest Walks with the Washington Legacy Forest Defense Coalition (WLFDC) in June/July.  I was fortunate to go on the 1st, and Laurie Gneiding went on the 2nd one to represent SSBA.  The Conservation Committee has been partnering with local groups advocating for legacy/mature/complex...

Thank you to all those who both dropped off items to sell at our sale and the many of you who worked the day of the sale. We couldn’t have done it without you. We made $750.00 which covers the cost of some budgeted items this year.  Even though the weather might have reduced the number of “shoppers”, plenty of folks came by and supported our efforts by purchasing almost all of the donated items....

Summary of LGBT Evening Bird Walk at Nisqually Refuge Sally Nole This year was the 6th year of this event. The Refuge has experienced staffing and budget cuts this year. They were not able to advertise this event, so weren’t able to let the public know this walk was being held 1 week earlier than in previous years. We still had an enthusiastic crowd of about 40 participants and 12 guides, including...

May Outreach Events Summary May is an incredibly busy time for outreach.  Folks are ready to be outdoors and enjoying nature.  Here are some of the events in which South Sound Bird Alliance participated.  Big thanks go to our volunteers, especially Stevie Morris, Outreach Chair, for helping spread the word about birds, birding and our organization. Event...