Olympic Birdfest

Set on Washington State’s North Olympic Peninsula, between the million-acre Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this region is renowned for its rich birdlife and diverse habitats, making it one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier birding destinations.

Olympic BirdFest takes place each April, timed perfectly to capture the overlap of wintering birds and spring migration. Species such as Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks, seabirds, and winter songbirds are still present, while spring arrivals like Rufous Hummingbirds return from Mexico alongside the blooming red-flowering currants.

Expert-led field trips explore some of the region’s most iconic birding locations, including Sequim Bay, Port Angeles Harbor, Dungeness Bay, Ediz Hook, Dungeness Spit, and the Elwha River. Additional outings venture through forests, fields, and prairies to seek out a variety of songbirds. Beyond the field trips, BirdFest offers engaging presentations, workshops, and a Saturday night banquet featuring a special guest speaker and raffle. 

See the BirdFest 2025 recap video here

Sequim is the ancestral home of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe (a partner of the non-profit Dungeness River Nature Center). Their Tribal headquarters are at the head of Sequim Bay at Blyn. A tour explaining traditional Northwest Coast totemic art (totem poles, house posts, masks, and signage) at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center and their Seven Cedars Resort properties will also be offered. For more information about the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, see https://library.jamestowntribe.org/home where you can also find pre-recorded presentations by tribal elders and leaders on the Tribe’s culture and history.

Olympic BirdFest is the Dungeness River Nature Center’s largest annual fundraiser brought to you in partnership by the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. This event supports hands on environmental education that inspires the next generation of bird lovers.

Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and dessert at the Dungeness River Nature Center’s Rainshadow Hall, sponsored by Kokopelli Grill. The buffet includes salmon, a vegetarian pasta option, seasonal sides, salad, rolls with butter, and chocolate mousse, followed by an engaging keynote presentation to close out Saturday night at Olympic BirdFest.

This event always sells out so register early to save your seat. Limited to 100.

2026 Saturday Night Banquet Speaker: Maria Mudd Ruth, award winning author of the book The Bird with Flaming Red Feet

Join us for an entertaining evening with Maria Mudd Ruth and the Pigeon Guillemots – the Pacific Coast seabirds at the center of her new book, the Bird with Flaming Red Feet. 

For more than a decade, Maria has been studying these often overlooked birds and brings a new story to tell about these lively, charismatic seabirds—inviting us to reconnect with the natural world in new ways, help the birds outside our doors, and have fun along the way.