Penelope Kipps
Christmas Bird Count – December 20, 2025

Every December, thousands of volunteers across North America head outdoors to count birds — helping scientists understand how our feathered neighbors are doing. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) isn’t just a fun birding day — it’s the oldest and largest citizen science project in the world, and it depends entirely on volunteers like you.

Christmas Bird Count – December 20, 2025
Penelope Kipps
Eastside Audubon Grants and Scholarships

Eastside Audubon is now accepting applications for two funding opportunities supporting local conservation and education efforts.

Eastside Audubon Grants and Scholarships
Penelope Kipps
Puget Sound Seabird Survey

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey is looking for birders in King County to join this established Community Science program.

Puget Sound Seabird Survey
Penelope Kipps
March: Emerging Bird Song

In the quiet of the woods the bubbling song of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet erupted, and the high trill of the Brown Creeper signaled its presence. The hormonal drive to breed had birds singing regardless of the weather.

March: Emerging Bird Song
Penelope Kipps
November’s Green Tip of the Month: Embrace ...

As we head into winter, consider leaving your leaves and twigs in the yard. My pollinator garden might look tired, but every time I step outside, I see birds nibbling on seeds or resting in the brush. There’s so much life hidden in there that we often overlook!

November’s Green Tip of the Month: Embrace Nature’s Mulch!

Habitat Restoration in the Marymoor Park Bird Loop Natural Area – October Update

Habitat Restoration in the Marymoor Park Bird Loop Natural Area – October Update

It’s been awhile since the last news from Marymoor, so here is what we’ve been up to for the last few months. Fall is here and we are back in the meadow and oak savannah. The Scotch broom sweep went surprisingly quick – I think volunteers did a thorough job this past spring. The small weed wrenches seem to work well for pulling out the roots. Seeds are viable for over 30 years, so we will need to stay on top of any new sprouts.

President’s Letter: What Can I Do to Slow Climate Change?

You may have seen the new climate report released by National Audubon. It’s titled “Survival by Degrees: 389 Species on the Brink,” and it shows that as global temperatures rise, weather patterns shift, and vital habitats dwindle and disappear, more than 64% of bird species across the country are vulnerable to extinction. It illustrates why we need to take action now to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. If you haven’t seen it yet, I encourage you to explore the report at climate.audubon.org. Seeing the report, my reaction was to…

Little Masters Club Meets Migration

Little Masters Club Meets Migration

Little Masters Club is a non-profit group that seeks to help “children discover their potential and develop the skills to be successful adults.” The focus is on parents and children learning together and creating community with others who speak Chinese. This was evident during the two days that volunteers from the Youth Education Committee (YEC) spent with them.

Time to Think About the Christmas Bird Count - December 14

This year’s Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December 14. This will bethe 120th year of the CBC, which is sponsored by the National Audubon Society. It will be the 36th year for Eastside Audubon’s count. Count Day is always a special day when chapter members work together as a unit with teams of 3-6 people covering 14 sections of a 15-mile diameter circle in our service area. All the birds seen or heard that day will be tallied and entered into the huge National Audubon database for the combined U.S. CBC.

A Call to Action: Protect Birds and Their Habitat

A Call to Action: Protect Birds and Their Habitat

By now most readers will have heard of the study published by the Science Journal in October, which reports a loss of 3 billion birds, resulting in a reduction of 29% since the 1970s level of bird abundance in the United States and Canada. The study, a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Bird Conservancy, reports an astounding loss of bird life on our continent.