Barn Swallow adult and juveniles—Photo: Shari McCollough/Audubon Photography Awards

OPAS Backyard Birding: “Retrospective on Birding”
Presented by Ken Wiersema
Saturday, June 6, 2026 10:00 a.m. to noon
Rainshadow Hall, Dungeness River Nature Center
Suggested donation: $5

Ken Wiersema on CBC team Jan 2009—Photo: Bob Boekelheide

In 1969, Ken’s wife asked him to build a uniquely designed bird feeder for her kitchen window—an engineering challenge he simply had to accept. That small project launched a 57‑year adventure in learning about birds, leading him across the United States and as far afield as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and parts of Europe.

Since that first feeder, Ken has designed an array of feeders and nest boxes, worked at bird banding and migration sites, and taught classes for new birders. He currently serves as the Education Chair for OPAS and helps develop bird programs for the Dungeness River Nature Center.

Ken has organized and presented Backyard Birding (BYB) programs for OPAS since 2012, and will be turning over the leadership of BYB after this June. As his “swan song,” he’ll offer a richly illustrated program—cartoons included—highlighting the bird projects he’s been part of since moving to Sequim in 1994.

Please bring your local bird questions and observations, and join us in welcoming the birds of the Olympic Peninsula as we head into the summer of 2026.

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 the over 340 Audubon members in our local chapter, or to renew an expired membership.