Habitat Tour and Fundraiser!!
Image by Kathy Stetz
On September 25, Whidbey Audubon is offering a tour of four special private Whidbey Island habitats. This is a fundraiser that will allow us to again offer grants to Island non-profits to improve, expand or create wildlife habitats.
The four sites are diverse and include a suburban yard near Bush Point with native plants and an elaborate rainwater catchment system, an actively and sustainably managed forest near Ken's Korner, a large property at the headwaters of Glendale Creek protected with a conservation easement, and a ten acre parcel in the Maxwelton Valley that contains fields, forests, wetlands and edges that support birds and wildlife of all sorts. The owners of the properties will welcome tour members, show property highlights, provide information about the native plants, birds and animals there, and answer questions. Lists of plants and birds found at each site will be provided by email. Each property visit will take about an hour.
IMPORTANT INFO:
The tour will consist of four groups of five people. Each group will be scheduled to visit a site at a set time for an hour, with half an hour to move between sites. There will be a lot of walking, some rough ground and hills, and the tour will be rain or shine, so dress for the weather. There are no dogs permitted on the tour, and there are no restrooms available at the sites Restrooms can be found at Ken’s Korner, Bayview Corner, Bush Point boat launch, and South Whidbey State Park. You must visit each site at the time you are assigned, so please be prompt and be willing to follow the schedule you will receive.
The tour will begin at 9am. The visits will be at 9, 10:30, 12:30, and 2pm. There will be an hour between 11:30 and 12:30 for lunch. Registration is limited to 20 Whidbey Audubon members and guests, with a suggested donation of $20 per person. All hosts are vaccinated and we ask that all participants be fully vaccinated. Depending on host preferences and/or conditions at the time of the tour, please bring a mask and be willing to wear it if asked.
Register here.
Space is very limited; sign up early! Once registered, you will receive directions, addresses, your site visit schedule, and other information via email a few days before the tour.
Banner image by John Lee.