Pilchuck Audubon Society is a grass-roots environmental organization serving Snohomish County and Camano Island, Washington, whose mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems focusing on birds and other wildlife.
Birdathon is back!
May 1 - 31, 2025
Join us for our most exciting fundraiser of the year!
Birdathon is a uniquely Audubon way to support our mission and help protect our birds.
Our Birdathon has two components:
Friendly birding competition
In this hallmark activity of our Birdathon, teams compete in a friendly birding competition to see who can spot the most bird species and raise the most money while doing it.
Similar to a walk-a-thon, participants collect pledges from family, friends, work colleagues, and others who want to support local wildlife conservation. But instead of getting a pledge of $1.00 per mile walked, participants ask for a pledge for each bird species seen by a person or team. Teams can also ask for pledges of flat amounts (i.e., $25).
Participants can rack up species counts and pledges for the entire month of May.
Photography contest
Our contest focuses on the incredible birds of Washington state. We are lucky to have so many talented photographers in our state, and our contest provides opportunities for both young and elder to showcase their photography in our youth and adult categories.
Puget Sound Bird Fest
May 31 & June 1, 2025
700 Main Street, Edmonds, WA
Celebrate the 21st annual festival with speakers, field activities, exhibits, and more!
We are pleased to be co-hosting this wonderful festival with the City of Edmonds once again this year!
The 2025 event will kick off Saturday morning with guided bird walks followed by a full day of activities at the Frances Anderson Center. Guests can visit nearly 30 booths staffed by representatives from regional conservation organizations, artists, scientists, and vendors, or visit the Plaza Room for presentations by local experts.
Featured presenters this year include local conservationists and authors Thomas Bancroft and Dennis Paulson, who will be speaking about the joy of birds and the spectacle of migration. Additional presentations will include an introduction to birding and a review of 41 years of data from the Edmonds Christmas Bird Count.
Families with young children can start their day Saturday by enjoying a special Family Storytime at the Edmonds Library. They’ll be celebrating the 2025 festival theme, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers," sharing stories, songs and movement followed by a bird-themed craft. Family fun continues all day with hands-on exploration in the Bird Fest Kids Room next door at the Frances Anderson Center.
Sunday Bird Fest activities are field-based and include guided nature walks at parks in and around Edmonds, a native plant sale, and a Sunday boat cruise with Puget Sound Express.
Volunteer Training: Tabling & Outreach Events
April 26, 10:00-11:00am
Ocean Research College Academy (1205 Craftsman Way #203, Everett, WA 98201)
Outreach events are a great way for our organization to connect with new people in our communities about birds and conservation. These connections can lead to increased membership, new volunteers, and relationships that allow us to further pursue our mission. Types of events we like to attend include festivals, school science fairs, farmer’s markets, etc.
Right now, we’re limited on how many events we can participate in due to capacity, and we’re hoping you can help us change that!
Join us for an introductory training to tabling and outreach events, including:
How to set up the table at an event
How our tabling activities are run (i.e., crafts and games)
How to accept donations and payments for items we sell
How to submit your volunteer hours
General information about the organization and our programs
This training will be helpful for first time volunteers or those looking for a refresher.
We hope to make this a fun, interactive training to ensure you get the most out of it.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Please register to attend so we know how many people to expect
Pileated Woodpecker by Guy Fleischer, taken during the Edmonds CBC
The Results Are In!
See the results of this year’s Christmas Bird Count!
Larry Schwitters Receives National Audubon’s William Dutcher Award
Last fall, our very own Larry Schwitters was awarded the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award at the national convention in Colorado. At our April monthly program we were honored to present the award to him.
The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905.
Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux’s Swift roosts across the Pacific Flyway, an effort known as Vaux’s Happening. His efforts to conserve this species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious award.
Read more about Larry's contributions and the award:
Brian Zinke (left) presents Larry Schwitters (right) with the William Dutcher Award.
Get Involved
Whether you’re volunteering to lead field trips, participating in community science bird surveys, writing content for our blog and newsletter, teaching an education program, or taking a shift at an outreach event, you are a vital part of the Pilchuck Audubon community.
Every person and every contribution matters. Anyone can be a difference maker. Join our flock and help us protect our local birds, their habitats, and our communities.
Upcoming Events
Shop & Earn Donations
For each eligible purchase you make at the companies below, a portion of the sales will be donated to Pilchuck Audubon Society.
Cover Photo: Black Turnstone by Mick Thompson