Birdathon 2025

CATHI BOWER, KATHY OBERSINNER AND PATTY CHEEK

Although team members have come and gone, Cathi and Kathy have been Whidbey’s Shore Thing since we began together in 2017 (along with our ringer Darwin Wile, that first year) when we spied the first Yellow-headed Blackbird to be seen during an Island Birdathon.

Our Birdathon sightings high-count has so far been 110 for the day, so pledge to team Shore Thing by number of species, if you dare! We do strive for the Coveted Golden Binoculars Award, but more importantly, we’re after that Bronze Owl, the award for the team who has inspired the greatest giving to this Whidbey Audubon event!

Victorious or not, a day’s fun adventure is a Shore Thing!

FRANCES WOOD, ANN CASEY, MARILYNN STRAYER AND LINDA BAINBRIDGE

Once again, the Wild Women of Whidbey (WWW) Birdathon Team will participate in the WAS Birdathon Fund Raiser. Our team of Frances Wood, Ann Casey, Marilynn Strayer and Linda Bainbridge will gather and head out over hill and dale in search of as many bird species as we can find, employing our sharp eyes, our keen ears, our trusted binocs and scopes and leaving no habitat area uncovered.

The WWW is one of the charter member teams in the Whidbey Audubon Birdathon fund raiser. In past years, WWW has been in the top three teams and just a species or two away from winning the coveted Golden Binoculars Award. This year we will be trying our best to surpass our previous team records.

We appreciate your support and donations and will do our very best to represent you in our efforts to help Whidbey Audubon Society achieve it's mission and goals. THANK YOU.

GO WWW!!!!!!

JANET HALL, SARAH SCHMIDT, ANN LINNEA, DYANNE SHELDON AND LIBBY HAYWARD

The Wingin’ It team has been participating in Birdathon since 2003, which makes 2025 our 23nd year! We usually find around 110 species of birds. We love sharing a full day of birding while raising money to support Whidbey Audubon Society. Once we won the Golden Binocular Award and four times we've earned the Bronze Owl Bank for raising the most money through the Birdathon.

Wingin’ It is led by Janet Hall and Sarah Schmidt, joined this year by Ann Linnea, Dyanne Sheldon and Libby Hayward. We are grateful for your donations which further the work of Whidbey Audubon Society and our Scholarship Program.

LOUIE SHELLENBERGER, PATRICIA DUARTE AND JANET JERNIGAN

No Egrets! is participating in 2025 with team members Louie Shellenberger, Patricia Duarte and Janet Jernigan. We're the newest Birdathon team and are made up of intermediate birders. What we lack in expertise, we compensate with ambition, enthusiasm and snacks.

SANDY SHIELDS, MARTHA ELLIS AND STEVE ELLIS

The Coupevillains have participated in all but last year's birdathon, winning The Coveted Golden Binoculars several times over the years. We not only strive to see as many bird species as possible but also list every butterfly, mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish and native flowering plant we come across. It is 1 BIG Bioblitz that celebrates Whidbey Island's glorious springs!

The Coupevillains shall be retiring from the field this year, making this our swan song.

STEVE ELLIS, MARTHA ELLIS AND MADRONE RUGGIERO

Madrone Ruggiero finally joins their birding mentors Steve and Martha Ellis for a Birdathon! This will be my second time doing the birdathon and first time doing a motorized birdathon/big day so I am hoping to bring some youthful ears to compliment the knowledge and experience of team leaders Steve and Martha. Steve and Martha taught me many things over the years during field trips and many Christmas Bird Counts and I always enjoyed their detailed reports of the Coupevillians Birdathon adventures. As I returned to Whidbey I finally asked them if I could join them on a Birdathon. The Ellis's are also having one last hurrah as the Coupevillians so they may be the only folks in Whidbey Audubon Society to do two birdathons.

Please support Raven for More in honor of the Ellis's decades of work educating many people, both young and old, about the wonders of Whidbey's wildlife and habitats, and inspiring myself and others to get outside to see what flora and fauna they can find.