Iris missouriensis at Admiralty Inlet Preserve. Photo Credit: Jim Zimay

May 13: BINN visited Admiralty Inlet Preserve on a cool gray day. We planned a hybrid excursion to accommodate birders who are having trouble walking. Halfway around the meadow, two birders set up their folding chairs while the others continued on the trail toward an ancient windswept Douglas Fir. 
The highlight for the seated birders was listening to Orange-crowned Warblers warbling.

Cinnamon Teal photo by Mary Jo Adams

At the always satisfying Deer Lagoon back at the end of April we identified nearly 50 species, including Ospreys and Caspian Terns who have arrived, and the most glorious Cinnamon Teals hanging with about eight other types of ducks all mingling together!  A Savannah Sparrow posed for a long time for good looks.  Everyone is sporting their very best breeding plumage, and busy! 

Great time of the year to see the park! A nice mild spring day with broken clouds provided soft light for our walk. The six of us met up with State Park AmeriCorps Interpretive Naturalist Lyla Biddle.

Newer members of the Whidbey Audubon Society Bird Specimen Collection team were treated to a late April behind-the-scenes visit to the Puget Sound Museum of Natural History, located at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The museum contains more than 28,000 bird specimens, including extinct species such as the Passenger Pigeon and parts of birds. Ellie Olpin (Education and Outreach Director) and Gary Shugart (Collections Manager) displayed specimens, shared archiving methods, and described feather structure research to Patricia Duarte and Linda Rhodes. Patricia learned useful techniques for preparing and displaying skeletons, a special interest for her.

The Basic Bird Photography classes in April and early May were a great success. The single-session introductory class was offered on three separate days at no cost as a “members only” benefit to WAS members. I enjoyed helping others with their photography skills and camera frustrations. Bird photography is hard. With only two hours, it was a challenge to pack as much information in so little time. Working with each group was a lot of fun and it was encouraging to see a student’s “light bulb” go off.

Inappropriate lighting can also be harmful to birds who migrate here to nest and to our year-round resident birds. When confused by lighting, birds waste valuable time and energy when avoiding or trying to understand the situation. Making small changes in lighting around your own home or workplace can produce big benefits for your local birds.

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is seeking volunteers to join this long-running community science program.

Volunteers take part in seven coordinated surveys at coastal sites, conducted once per month on the first Saturday from October through April.

Photo by John Strung, Long-tailed Duck.

Linda Rhodes was elected as the next Vice President at the May 14 Annual Membership Meeting. The board is looking for other cabinet and committee members, including the Conservation, Education and Program committees.

Birding in Neighborhoods North (BIN North) outings are on the second Wednesday of the month. We meet at 9 am in the parking area of the trip’s location. To be added to — or removed from — the monthly outing reminders, email Nancy Luenn

Early Spring is still loaded with duck sightings at Deer Lagoon (everything but Wigeons!) - Ring-necks, Buffleheads, scaup, goldeneyes, Mallards, Pintails, and geese, Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers, and everyone is stunning in their new seasonal plumage.

Birding in Neighborhoods South (BIN South) meets every other Thursday morning. Contact Cathi Bower.

Seven people came to the Freeland County Park Small Sit on a damp Saturday, April 11, to enjoy a variety of fauna including both birds and sea mammals! Two children in attendance looked at the wildlife and played on the playground.

The rain subsided just after the beginning of the Sit and conveniently stayed away until just before the Sit ended, giving us humid conditions but good lighting for viewing out on the water.

Karen Posner, long-time Whidbey Audubon Society (WAS) member and resident of Greenbank, took over as editor for Shorelines during production of the April 2026 edition. We talked to her about her role as editor and learned a bit about her background.