The Birds of Whidbey Class
About our class
Since 1998, the Whidbey Audubon Society has offered a course titled “The Birds of Whidbey” to our community. Taught by expert birders who are eager and skilled in sharing their knowledge and passion, students get both in-classroom and field trip opportunities to gain an understanding of the many birds who reside or migrate through Whidbey. While birds are the focus, students also learn about the complex environments of Whidbey and how to support or expand bird-friendly habitat.
The Birds of Whidbey Class is a 9-month program that covers all the birds most commonly found on Whidbey. Classes meet twice/month (first and third Thursday’s, in the evening), September through May. Classes starting in an even numbered year meet in Coupeville, those starting in an odd-numbered year meet in the Freeland area. The program also includes at least one field-trip per month held on Saturdays.
There is currently a long wait list for this class, and you must be on the Wait List prior to being able to register for the class. If you’re signing up for more than one person, you must enter the information for each individual. See below for more information about the class; if you have further questions, please contact The Birds of Whidbey Class.
Class of 2018-2019
The class alternates each year between Coupeville or Freeland. Running twice a month from September through May on a space-limited basis, students build their own learning community. The class is usually a mix of novices—many new to the area—as well as more experienced birders. Not uncommonly, students will be returning to take the class a second time. But this is way more than a classroom experience: There are regular field trips, led by course instructors, in which you learn to identify birds in their natural habitats and better understand their behavior. Virtually all students agree that the field trips are a vital dimension of their learning.
Bird populations world wide—and on Whidbey—are in decline. Graduates of our class become leaders and advocates for conservation locally, nationally and globally. From designing backyard habitat, to partnering with other nonprofits, to lobbying for federal legislation and conservation funding, Birds of Whidbey alumni are invested in a better future for the web of life, within which birds are key players.