Swainson’s Thrush — Photo: Mick Thompson

OPAS Backyard Birding: “Bird Migration Stories”
Presented by Bob Boekelheide
Saturday, May 2, 2026 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Rainshadow Hall, Dungeness River Nature Center
Suggested donation: $5

Bob Boekelheide

Every bird migration is unique. The ones that amaze us most are the birds that fly thousands of miles every year between nesting, molting, and wintering locations. Several of these species, such as Olive-sided Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, and Violet-green Swallow, return to Railroad Bridge Park and Clallam County every year, some to nest and some just passing through.

A number of these birds qualify as “Neotropical migrants,” because they spend part of their non-breeding period in tropical habitats from Mexico to South America, then return to our neck of the woods for nesting. Using data from local citizen science projects, as well as on-line resources about bird migration, Bob Boekelheide will highlight several local case-studies, giving a close-up look at the birds' annual cycles and migration pathways. We might even take a walk in Railroad Bridge Park to find newly-arrived neotropical migrants in action.

Please join us for this fun, new program and perspective on local bird migration, and welcome Bob as our premier local birding expert. Come and experience the knowledge we’ve gained from Bob’s comprehensive tabulation of birds that return to Railroad Bridge Park each spring. He’s compiled and analyzed this site-specific data since 2001.

Admission to Backyard Birding programs is free. However, we suggest you consider a donation of $5.00 per person to support our ongoing education and bird conservation programs. We’ll also ask you to join over 300 Audubon members in our community or to renew an expired membership.