Vancouver Audubon Field Trip – Larch Mountain 6/8/2023
Leader: Randy Hill (re_hill@q.com) call or text to 360-975-2573.Trip travel type expectations: Pace: 1-3 Terrain: some C, more D (uphill!) 1.5-3 miles walkingTarget species are higher elevation (above 2000’) forest songbirds including warblers and flycatchers, woodpeckers, owls, grouse. And expansive views. Itinerary: Meet to leave by 06:30 in Hockinson at the Fire District 3 eastside…
May Newsletter/FT notification
Spring has finally arrived! We are all going to have a bit of shock to the system with the sudden appearance of warm weather and sunshine! The May newsletter is now available on the website! VAS supporters should receive an email with the newsletter as well. We hope you can join us for the May…
April Newsletter is available
Happy Spring! The April edition of the Columbia Flyway is available, you can view it here. You may also find it posted on the website under Learn>Newsletter from the main menu of vancouveraudubon.org. Jean put together an informative newsletter–be sure to check out the notice about the changes being made in preparation for a transition…
October newsletter is available!
Happy Autumn! Your copy of October’s Columbia Flyway is here! We have the First-of-Month Bird Walk coming up this Saturday at Frenchman’s Bar Regional Park. There are also activities scheduled this weekend at Ridgefield NWR for BirdFest and at Steigerwald NWR for the reopening this Saturday. There will be a trip to Woodland Bottoms on…
Save the Date – Give to VAS on Sept 22!
Give More 24! brings together our entire region for 24 hours of generosity. By giving at the same time, and boosting donations through match dollars and nonprofit prizes, your giving is amplified to your chosen non-profits. This year, we are fundraising to support the creation of a Young Birders Club for youth between the ages…
Upcoming VAS Activities
Happy summer! Due to a scheduling conflict, I have to adjust the First-of-Month Bird Walk dates for both August and September. August’s Bird Walk will be held out at Steigerwald Lake NWR on Wednesday, August 3rd. I hope you can join us! This will give us an opportunity to enjoy the refuge together before it…
April Newsletter is Available
Happy Spring! The April Columbia Flyway is here! You can click the image to view the entire newsletter. If you didn’t receive a copy in you email inbox, contact us. We have the First-of-Month Bird Walk coming up this Friday at Shillapoo Wildlife Area and Randy has some great field trips scheduled for April 6th and…
February Newsletter is Available
The February 2022 Columbia Flyway has been emailed out and is also available for viewing here. If you didn’t receive a copy in you email inbox, contact us.
VAS Pelagic Trip Report – August 26, 2021
A full contingent of birders from as far away as Florida and Pennsylvania, as well as our group from the Vancouver Audubon Society, boarded the Monte Carlo for a Westport Seabirds pelagic trip early Thursday morning. We hoped for cooperative weather so we could get great views of the myriad wildlife that inhabits the offshore…
Lights Out: Providing Safe Passage for Nocturnal Migrants
Every year, billions of birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall, the majority of them flying at night, navigating with the night sky. However, as they pass over big cities on their way, they can become disoriented by bright artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or…
City of Vancouver Puts Six-Month Hold on New Bulk Fossil Fuel Facilities
The construction of any new large-scale fossil fuel infrastructure businesses in the city of Vancouver has been halted, at least temporarily. That decision was preceded by nearly two hours of public testimony, during which only one citizen spoke out in opposition to the temporary ban. Vancouver Audubon Society submitted written comments and verbal testimony in…
Migratory Bird Protection Act
We’re in a bird crisis: Three billion birds have disappeared in North America since 1970. Two out of three birds are threatened by climate change. Earlier this year, a federal rule dramatically weakened the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), our nation’s most important bird protection law. The weakened law no longer holds companies liable for…
Protect America’s Seabirds and the Forage Fish They Rely On
Threatened by the effects of climate change, overfishing, and habitat loss, seabird populations around the world have declined by 70 percent since 1950. Seabirds rely on small, schooling fish known as forage fish to eat and to feed their chicks. However, marine forage fish are not protected by federal fisheries management, leaving them vulnerable to…
Staying Vigilant for Vancouver Lake
Vancouver Lake and its associated lowlands are a vital regional asset for migratory birds and other wildlife. It is a major wintering area for waterfowl, with as many as 200,000 birds recorded here at one time. The area hosts the largest number of Sandhill Cranes west of the Cascade Mountains at Cranes Landing. The National…
Birds at the Washington Legislature
The first-ever remote legislative session has begun in Olympia. The virtual nature of this year’s legislative session presents an unparalleled opportunity for everyone to engage with our state lawmakers without traveling to Olympia. Audubon Washington’s top two climate priorities for the 2021 legislative session are passing a Clean Fuel Standard and updating the state’s Growth…
Washington Denies Kalama Fracked Gas-to-Methanol Refinery
The Washington Department of Ecology denied permits for a proposal to build the world’s largest fracked gas-to-methanol refinery along the shores of the Columbia River in Kalama on January 19, 2021. Citing significant negative impacts on our climate and Washington’s shorelines, the Department of Ecology denied a key permit required to build and operate the…
Audubon Virtual Advocacy Day is December 9
We want our legislators to the start the 2021 Legislative session with Audubon’s bird-friendly priorities in mind. Since we won’t be able to meet with our legislators in person, we will be meeting over Zoom. If you live in the 49th Legislative District, join us for our Virtual Advocacy Day with Senator Annette Cleveland and Representative…
Goldendale Pumped Storage Project Threatens Wildlife & Cultural Resources
Rye Development wants to build a massive pumped storage hydroelectric project along the Columbia River in Klickitat County near the John Day Dam. The Goldendale Energy Storage Hydroelectric Project would be the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Rye’s plan would excavate two reservoirs: the hilltop reservoir would span 60 acres and the…
Oppose the Massive Fracked Gas Refinery at Kalama
Comment Period extended to Oct 9 The fracked gas industry wants to build the world’s largest fracked gas-to-methanol refinery in Kalama. The proposed refinery would consume a staggering amount of fracked gas, more than all of Washington’s gas-fired power plants combined. The project would convert the fracked gas to methanol, which would be shipped overseas to…
Federal Judge Rules Administration’s Bird-Killing Policy is Illegal
After Victory, Our Work Is Not Yet Done In a major victory for the National Audubon Society and other conservation groups, a federal judge has overturned the Trump administration’s unprecedented attack on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), and restored its longstanding protections for birds. The court ruled that the MBTA does protect birds from…
March 2020 Newsletter is available
The March 2020 Columbia Flyway has been sent out and is also available for viewing on the website. If you did not receive your copy in your inbox, contact the membership chair or editor.
Vancouver Audubon 