Birdability Week is coming in October again this year! Birdability is an organization that sponsors and advocates for accessibility in birding for people with many different forms of disability and ability.
This year you can participate in accessible friendly birding events sponsored by Eastside Audubon. We are offering two accessible and inclusive birding field trips. One at Tolt-MacDonald Park in Carnation on Saturday, October 17at the other at Lake Samamish State Park in Issaquah on Saturday, October 24. See the Eastside Audubon calendar at www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar for more details on these events. A short description of the two field trips can be seen below.
Birdability Website Events
You can also participate directly with Birdability via their website. They are offering seven online events. More details about the schedule below can be found at https://www.birdability.org/birdability-week
Monday, October 19 at 7:00 PM ET — Finding Balance: Self-Care in Birding
Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 PM ET — Birding While d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Wednesday, October 21 at 3:00 PM ET — Inclusive Nature Panel
Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 PM ET — Birding at the Intersections
Friday, October 23 at 7:00 PM ET — Birding with Energy-Limiting Conditions
Saturday, October 24 at 4:00 PM ET — Birds and Brains: A Keynote Conversation About Traumatic Brain Injury and Healing with Birds
Sunday, October 25 at 4:00 PM ET — Closing Social and Offbeat Photo/Video Contest Winners Announced
Eastside Audubon Field Trips
Please, join us for as many of the Birdability events during the week of October 19 to 25. This weeklong programming will support our commitment to make birding accessible to everybody. We will continue our ongoing effort to make the birding field trips and outings accessible to everyone who wants to go birding.
Tolt MacDonald Park, Carnation, Saturday, October 17, 7:45 to 10:45 a.m.
This regular monthly event is held on the third Saturday of the month. Tolt-MacDonald Park is one of the most accessible parks in east King County. Participants will follow the approximately one-mile out-and-back asphalt trail that passes a field, shrubs, and a marsh on the way to the Tolt River Bridge. For those who choose a shorter route a circular road in the campground area is an alternative trail. Tolt-MacDonald Park is a good location for Song and Savannah Sparrows, Steller’s Jays, Red-tailed Hawk, Mallard, Gadwall, Great Blue Heron, and American Dipper.
Lake Sammamish State Park, Saturday, October 24, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
This state park has excellent accessibility features and a large parking area. The trails are paved asphalt or wooden boardwalks, and visibility is good along the lakeshore and wooded areas. Wintering Mallards, Gadwall, and American Wigeon join Ring-billed and California Gulls along the lakeshore. Western Grebes and American Coots may be on the lake, and Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Red-breasted Nuthatches will be around. Wintering Golden-crowned Sparrows and Fox Sparrows should be arriving.
Anyone can participate in any of the Birdability events.