FESTIVAL OVERVIEW 2010

FRIDAY, April 9, 2010
8 am - 4 pm ~ Registration: pick up registration materials at the Dungeness River Audubon Center (2151 Hendrickson Rd., Sequim, WA)
All day ~ Displays and silent auction items at "Bird Central"
1 pm - 4 pm ~ Afternoon field trips
7 pm - 8:30 pm ~ "Live Raptors!" Evening presentation by the NW Raptor Center at the Sequim Middle School Cafeteria (601 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, WA)

SATURDAY, April 10, 2010
6 am - 7:30 am ~ Dawn chorus on the Dungeness River
7 am - 4 pm ~ Registration: pick up registration materials at the Dungeness River Audubon Center
8:30 am - 11:30 am ~ Morning field trips (meeting locations and maps will be given to participants with registration)
8:30 am - 3:30 pm ~ All-day field trips
All Morning ~ Displays and silent auction items at "Bird Central"
11:30 am - 1 pm ~ Lunch break (on your own)
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm ~ Photography workshop
1 pm - 4 pm ~ Afternoon field trips
All Afternoon ~ Displays at "Bird Central"
5 pm - 6:30 pm ~ Visit gift shop, carving shed, and Silent Auction at Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal facilities before banquet
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm ~ Silent Auction and Banquet at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Center. Featured Speaker: Dr. John Marzluff, "In the Company of Crows and Ravens".
9 pm – 12:30 am ~ Owl Prowl

SUNDAY, April 11, 2010
6 am - 7:30 am ~ Dawn chorus on the Dungeness River
7:30 am - 12:30 pm ~ Registration: pick up registration materials at the Dungeness River Audubon Center
9:00 am ~ Departure from John Wayne Marina for San Juan Islands cruise (optional: register separately at www.olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org)
9:30 am - 12:30 pm ~ Protection Island boat trip from John Wayne Marina
9:30 am - 12:00 pm ~ Endangered waterfowl breeding sanctuary
11:00 am - 12:00 pm ~ Northwest Raptor Center Tour
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ~ Northwest Raptor Center Tour
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm ~ Protection Island boat trip from John Wayne Marina

SPECIAL EVENTS

Live Raptor Presentation
The Northwest Raptor Center rehabilitates injured birds and mammals, particularly eagles, hawks, and owls. Come see some of these birds of prey and hear about the ingenious methods used by the Raptor Center to bring these majestic animals back to health. Jaye Moore, Director of the Center, will give this free presentation at the Sequim Middle School Cafeteria (301 W. Hendrickson Rd., Sequim, WA).

Elwha Dams Removal Project
One of the most ambitious in the United Sates, the Elwha Dams removal project will restore 45 miles of pristine salmon spawning habitat. Join us on Saturday, April 10, for a tour of these fascinating sites and hear from an expert how this feat of engineering will be accomplished.

Nature Photography Workshop
In a four-hour session designed for both beginning and advanced photographers, award-winning wildlife photographers Ken and Mary Campbell will teach ways to improve your nature photography. Learn how to use camera functions and lens options to improve composition and exposure and consistently take quality images. Ken and Mary will analyze up to four images (in print or electronic form) for each participant. The workshop includes both classroom and field time. A portion of the proceeds of the workshop will be donated to the Northwest Raptor Center. Registration is limited to 10, so please register early.

Endangered Waterfowl Breeding Sanctuary
Directed by Arnold Schouten, this licensed facility near Port Angeles raises beautiful waterfowl, many of which are used for research programs or are sent to zoos. The facility maintains and raises 13 species of ducks commonly known as sea ducks, which are rarely seen in captivity. These sea ducks spend most of their lives in salt water, coming to fresh water and landing only during the breeding season. The sea duck group includes some of the most spectacular and highly specialized of all waterfowl — Harlequins; Long-tailed Ducks; and Spectacled, King, and Pacific Eiders. How do you raise these awesome birds? Very carefully! Come see the special techniques at work, and have an intimate experience with these birds.

Silent Auction
Wonderful, nature-related items ... items for birders, award-winning bird portraits, private guided trips, bird-related arts and crafts, gift baskets, and items from our Dungeness River Audubon Center gift shop will be offered in a silent auction. Items will be on display first at the Dungeness River Audubon Center starting April 5. Final bidding will occur at the Salmon Banquet Saturday night, April 10, at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Center. Winning bidders who do not attend the banquet will be contacted.

Saturday Night Salmon Banquet
You’ll watch your salmon being baked in the tradition of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe with the beauty of a Sequim Bay sunset on the horizon. Locally grown, organic foods from the Sequim - Dungeness Valley complement the salmon. Before the banquet, enjoy the native art gallery, carving shed, and make your bids for the treasures of the silent auction. Note that the Tribal Center is a non-alcoholic campus.

About Our Featured Banquet Speaker - Dr. John Marzluff
John Marzluff is Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington. His graduate (Northern Arizona University) and initial post-doctoral (University of Vermont) research focused on the social behavior and ecology of jays and ravens. He was especially interested in communication, social organization, and foraging behavior (e.g., The Pinyon Jay, 1992, Academic Press). His current research brings this behavioral approach to pressing conservation issues including raptor management, management of pest species, and assessment of nest predation. His recent book, In the Company of Crows and Ravens (with Tony Angell, 2005 Yale U. Press) blends biology, conservation, and anthropology to suggest that human and crow cultures have co-evolved. This book won the 2006 Washington State Book Award for general nonfiction. He has led studies on the effects of military training on falcons and eagles in southwestern Idaho, the effects of timber harvest, recreation, and forest fragmentation on Goshawks and Marbled Murrelets in western Washington and Oregon, conservation strategies for Pacific Island crows, and the effects of urbanization on songbirds in the Seattle area. Dr. Marzluff has authored over 100 scientific papers on various aspects of bird behavior and wildlife management. He is currently leader of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Recovery Team for the critically endangered Mariana Crow, a member of the Washington Biodiversity Council, and a Fellow of the American Ornithologist's Union.

Protection Island Boat Trip
This 3-hour boat trip aboard the MV Olympas will cruise out of the John Wayne Marina in Sequim and around Protection Island, which is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge. Marine birds and mammals will be the targets of this trip, and we should see Rhinoceros Auklet, Long-tailed Duck, Loon, Cormorant, Gulls, Common Murre, Harbor Seal, and possibly an Elephant Seal or Sea Lion. The Olympas is an enclosed, comfortable boat (although the best wildlife viewing is done out in the weather), and snacks and beverages are available for a small price. This trip is limited to 30 persons and will probably sell out rapidly, so get your reservations early.

San Juan Islands Cruise
Join us for a three-day, two-night birding cruise of the spectacular San Juan Archipelago. We will depart from John Wayne Marina in Sequim, WA, at 9 AM on Sunday morning, April 11. Whale watching, porpoises, seals, and a myriad of sea birds await us. We will rest overnight at historic Roche Harbor Resort, visit such ports of call as Friday Harbor and Sucia Island (a state wildlife preserve), and cruise through Deception Pass on our way home. Don’t miss it! Details may be found at the OPAS website, www.olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org.

Descriptions and prices of ALL the field trips and events are listed in the Schedule of Events Booklet. Expect sunny weather, but be prepared for wind or spring showers. Wear good footwear, layered clothing, and bring a hat, rain jacket, gloves, water and snacks for all the walks. Binoculars and a camera always make the trips more enjoyable. No pets please.