We had special guests this month. The enthusiastic and totally awesome Cub Scouts Pack 425 joined us to build fantastic mulch “doughnuts” around native plants. It was a lot of fun working with them. They have great teamwork skills and ask fantastic questions, including “What is mulch made out of?” and “Is this an invasive species?”  

Spring and summer are always busy times for the Youth Education Committee (YEC), and this year is no exception. Our calendars are filled with classroom presentations, outreach events and walks to find and identify birds at Juanita Bay Park.

The birds have been arriving in Washington after their spring migrations, singing and ready to nest. They’re ready for Birdathon, are you? Join us to help the birds.

A number of cities around the world have made climate action plans but have struggled to make significant impact on their emissions. People for Climate Action, along with other environmental groups, has organized a presentation on May 11 by climate planner Susan Anderson. Join us!

There are bird surveys being conducted in Washington and they are recruiting volunteers to help count birds. Most of these surveys provide training and encourage new birders to join.

Part of what I love about volunteering at Marymoor Park every month is getting to see the changes through the seasons. It’s beautiful right now because some of those plants like the Indian plum (or osoberry), Oregon grape, and flowering currant, are blooming. And many birds have also started to nest.

Tyvek plastic is used for manufacturing mailing envelopes that are not recyclable in our area. If you receive an item in a Tyvek envelope, maybe some medicine or a book you've sent for, save the envelopes. When you’ve collected many, just seal the large envelope with tape or a few staples and address it to our nearest Tyvek Recycling Center.

May is my favorite month of the year because as trees show their fresh green leaves, flowers bloom, and birds sing their utmost each morning, everything seems new, bright and hopeful.  

On March 30th, about 75 bird, art and music lovers celebrated how birds inspire us and especially our creativity! We raised $6,050 from this first-time event (woohoo!) which will benefit our conservation, education, and advocacy programs.

Check out Eastside Audubon’s latest Book Club picks for 2019!

Eastside Audubon’s board members provide diverse voices and wide-ranging experiences that guide us to protecting, preserving and enhancing our natural ecosystems and communities for the benefit of birds, other wildlife and people. Their leadership is essential as we look to the future and the increasing threat of climate change. Please welcome our new partners in environmental protection!