Pigeon Guillemots—Photo: Dee Renee Ericks

COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROJECTS

Climate Watch Survey/Western Bluebird Study

The OPAS Western Bluebird Program started in 2016 to collect data on the nesting habits of the Western Bluebird in the OPAS chapter area of Clallam County. In the same year, National Audubon released the Audubon Birds and Climate Change Report that highlighted the risks that climate change poses to birds across North America. Read the Climate Watch Report posted on September 1, 2026.

Pigeon Guillemot Survey

The Salish Sea Guillemot Network monitoring program began with the Whidbey Audubon Society some years ago. It has grown into a region-wide program with over 200 volunteers. Clallam County's efforts are sponsored and managed by the County's Marine Resources Committee (MRC). About 25 Clallam volunteers monitor 15 nesting sites. OPAS members are active in the volunteer ranks.    

Puget Sound Seabird Survey

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a long-running community science program established in 2007 and coordinated by the Puget Sound Bird Observatory. The program trains and supports volunteer birdwatchers in collecting valuable data on wintering seabirds throughout the southern Salish Sea. Volunteers needed for the October 2026 start of the survey!

Seabirds and Marine Mammals of the Protection Island Aquatic Reserve

Results of Boat Surveys conducted 2016 to 2021
Report submitted 2026

The Protection Island Aquatic Reserve (PIAR), established by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in 2010, encompasses almost 24,000 acres of state-owned aquatic lands in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Protection Island. It extends from the shorelines of the Miller and Quimper Peninsulas to several miles offshore in the eastern Strait. The waters of the PIAR provide a rich ecosystem that supports not only the birds that nest on Protection Island, but also a wide variety of migrant species that flock to the eastern Strait each year. Click on the link below to learn more and read the report.

Purple Martin Nest Box Project

Since 1998 the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society has dedicated work and resources to a project that provides safe and species-specific nesting cavities for Purple Martins to help them nest and reproduce successfully and remain a part of our state’s vibrant array of birds. Read and view the latest news and videos of the OPAS Purple Martin (PUMA) Nest Box Project.

Three Crabs Bird Study 2014 - 2018

The Three Crabs Restoration Project, led by North Olympic Salmon Coalition and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, sought to increase salmonid use of the Meadowbrook Creek estuary by removing the old Three Crabs restaurant, rerouting Three Crabs Road, and enlarging tidal flow within Meadowbrook Creek. It also provided an opportunity for OPAS to see how birds responded to habitat changes created by the project. 

Trumpeter/Tundra Swan Study