American Dipper—Photo: Dow Lambert
“Through the Seasons: Elwha River—End of Winter” field trip
Coleaders: Ben Hannah & Kathy McCoy
Date and time: Saturday, March 14, 2026 - 11 a.m.—2 p.m.
Limit: 15 participants—Registration required (see below)
Free to attend
Meeting Place: Meet at the Madison Falls parking area next to the Elwha River.
Directions from Port Angeles: Head west on Highway 101 from Port Angeles. Turn left onto Olympic Hot Springs Road before you reach the Elwha River bridge. Continue about 2.2 miles to the gravel parking area on the left, shortly after you enter Olympic National Park.
This will be the first of four planned trips this year to the Elwha Valley, one in each season. We’ll begin at the Madison Falls parking lot and check the river for American Dippers, Common Mergansers, Canada Geese, and any other species using the riparian zone. We’ll also explore the bigleaf maple grove just across the parking lot for woodpeckers and songbirds.
From there, we’ll walk about one mile south along Olympic Hot Springs Road to its current terminus, where the roadway washed out during a 2017 flood and has remained closed to vehicles ever since. This closure offers a rare chance to stroll a normally busy park road in near‑total peace, with the river beside us for much of the way. Along the route we’ll pass through a variety of habitats, including riparian and deciduous forests, conifer stands, and open fields.
This area is under‑birded throughout the year, especially in winter, so eBird data is limited. Even so, we have a good chance of encountering the usual suspects for the north Olympic Peninsula. In recent years, Northern Pygmy‑Owls have also been reported here, which would be a welcome surprise. Although it’s a bit early for spring migration, there’s always the possibility of an early Turkey Vulture, Violet‑green Swallow, or even a Rufous Hummingbird—though I wouldn’t count on those just yet. We’ll also keep an eye out for any warblers overwintering in the valley, such as Orange‑crowned or Yellow‑rumped. If it’s flycatchers or a wider variety of warblers you’re after, you’ll want to join us again in June.
Beyond birds, we may encounter squirrels, chipmunks, and black‑tailed deer, and there is even a resident herd of Roosevelt elk that is occasionally seen in the valley.
What to bring: Binoculars (and any other optics you like) and weather‑appropriate clothing. Conditions may be rainy—or, less likely, snowy. Although we’ll be out not long after sunrise, the bottom of the valley is typically several degrees cooler than town. Ice is also possible on both the road and the trail.
New! The OPAS field trip liability form will now be included in the Eventbrite registration. It will require a check mark that you have read and agree to the liability form language before registration continues. This will free up your time and the field trip leader’s time to collect signatures.
Further information: contact Ben Hannah at OlympicTransplant@gmail.com.