Monday, May 11^th, 2026, and optional May 12^th, 2026.

Join Barbara Petersen for a fundraising field trip to Eastern Washington!
Collect sponsors and raise Birdathon money to help our Rainier Audubon chapter cover the cost of bringing live bird presentations such as John the Falconer or Craig Moran to our annual Nature Festival and monthly Program Nights.

Two options this year for Barbara’s Birdathon field trip. Either ride with Barbara on Mon May 11 and be prepared to stay overnight in George, Moses Lake or Othello. We’ll drive home Tuesday, May 12, with a possible stop for lunch. (We’ll make hotel reservations in advance.) OR, ride with others and turn around at dusk, or whenever you like, on Monday to head back to our side of the Pass to the Renton Park & Ride.

Gather your own Birdathon sponsors before going on this field trip, OR sponsor Barbara by pledging 25 cents per species found on the trip or any donation amount. All funds will be used to help with costs of bringing live bird presentations to our chapter events. The very popular John the Falconer has been invited to the 2026 Rainier Audubon Nature Festival at Flaming Geyser State Park again this June.

We’ll bird locations on Snoqualmie Pass, in Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Vantage, Frenchman’s Coulee, and near Wanapum Dam. With a goal of 75 species, we’ll look for Mountain and Western Bluebird, Mountain Chickadee, Say’s Phoebe, White-throated Swift, Pygmy and White-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-headed Blackbird, raptors, songbirds, waterfowl, and lovely scenery.

Meet at 7:00AM on Monday, May 11^th at South Renton Park & Ride, 205 S 7th St, just north of Grady Way and Renton Village Shopping Center, to form carpools if participating on Monday May 11^th only. Special plans will be needed to ride with Barbara and avoid leaving cars at the Park & Ride overnight. Bring binoculars, scopes, cameras, layered clothing for varying weather conditions, lunch, snacks, beverages, sunscreen.

Email Barbara (bpbatfan@aol.com)for info about the overnight option.