Audubon Washington and the Seward Park Audubon Center hosted a celebration of migratory birds as part of the World Migratory Bird Day effort to bring awareness to the importance of, and challenges birds face. This year’s theme, “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities,” highlighted the importance of coexisting with birds by creating environments that support them, whether in cities, towns, or neighborhoods. 

We began the afternoon with Audubon staff and volunteers meeting park-goers on the park’s forested trails to tell the stories of the resident owls and woodpeckers. Educational stations provided up-close and hands-on opportunities to learn about these two old-growth forest denizens. We helped neophyte birders unravel some of the mysteries of these iconic bird species, revealing how woodpeckers ply their craft of creating holes in trees and drawing sap, why owls are such tremendous nighttime hunters, and how they digest their prey. 

Later, in a special presentation at the open-air Seward Park Amphitheater, Rebecca Heisman, an award-winning science writer and author of 'Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration,' shared surprising stories from the history of bird migration research and discussed why understanding migration is so crucial for bird conservation. With passion and whimsy, Rebecca shared how odd circumstances and inspired wisdom opened avenues to applying existing technology to provide a better understanding of bird migration. She went further to include the creation of specialized devices to pinpoint the locations of birds on their remarkable journeys. Despite a few passing showers overhead, Heisman captivated the audience with fascinating stories about the science and history of bird migration and stressed the importance of understanding migration to protect bird populations.  

 It was a joy to connect with families, nature lovers, and birdwatchers to celebrate the wonder of spring migration and inspire a deeper appreciation for birds as they make their annual journey north. Keep an eye on opportunities to join us for future events here.