Hover over photos for description and photographer
Welcome to the Mid-Willamette Bird Alliance!
(also known as Audubon Society of Corvallis)
Where birds and wildlife count
MWBA (previously ASC) is headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon and welcomes members and visitors from the mid-Willamette Valley and beyond. We host speakers, lead half-day birding walks to local areas, guide multi-day field trips to regional birding areas, present education programs to all ages, and support conservation of birds, other native wildlife, and natural habitats.
What’s Happening?
Hearing dates for Benton County landfill expansion application:
- Tuesday, April 29, 6-9 pm, Staff report, applicant presentation, public testimony if time permits
- Thursday, May 1, 6-9 pm: Start or continue public testimony
- Tuesday, May 6, 6-9 pm: Continue public testimony if needed
- Tuesday, Jun 17, 6-9 pm: Benton County Planning Division deliberation & decision
**Apr 15, 4 – 6 pm at C3 – Workshop to help prepare written testimony, due Apr 21 by 5 pm. Submit here Contact
MWBA/ASC Events – all programs are free (except where indicated) and open to the public.
* March 1-31- Winter Wildlife Field Days. INFO
* Apr 12 – Second Saturday Field Trip 8 am – noon. Meet at Willamette Park Shelter. Register
* Apr 17 – Month speaker: Mark Kerstens – “Black-backed Woodpeckers”
* Apr 25 – 27: Field Trip to Rogue Valley INFO/Sign up
* May 5-9, Hesthavn Open House, 12 – 2 pm, Nature Center tours, wildflower walks Contact
* May 10 – Second Saturday Field Trip 8 am – noon. Meet at Willamette Park Shelter. Register
* May 15 – Monthly speaker: Jayshaun Talbert – ”Northern Saw-Whet Owls: Population Shifts during Fall Migration?”
* May 17 – 20: Field Trip to Malheur NWR INFO/Sign up
* Jun 13 – 15: Field Trip to Summer Lake INFO/Sign up
* Jul 17 – 21: Field Trip to Wallowa Mtns. INFO/Sign up
* Jul 31 – Aug 3: Field Trip to Steens Mtn. INFO/Sign up
* Mid Sep TBA: Field Trip to South Coast INFO/Sign up
Hesthavn
* Trails – open dawn to dusk every day
* Work Party TBA Contact
Community Events
* Conservation Volunteer Opportunities Calendar
“Black-backed Woodpeckers: Breed in burned AND green forests?”
Mark Kerstens, April 17, 2025
Black-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) were thought to rely only on burned forests for breeding. However, recent studies have found that they may also breed in unburned forests in the western portion of their range. Mark will present information from his current study to understand how Black-backed Woodpeckers select breeding habitat at landscape scales within green forests of south-central Oregon. The results are important for land managers to maximize the conservation value of burned and green forests.
Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting in person at the Alder Room on NW Tyler Ave. in Corvallis. The social gathering starts at 6:30, business meeting at 7:00 pm, then the Raffle, and the slide show presentation starts as early as 7:20 pm and lasts about an hour. Tune in to the Zoom meeting at 7:15.
March guest speaker Zoom link
Monthly Speaker Info
Natural Areas Celebration Week!
May 4 – 10
Natural resource partners throughout the region join together during this week to highlight their projects and to celebrate the incredible resources in our backyard in the mid-Valley. All events are free and open to the public. Enjoy walks, talks, open houses, local food and drinks, and more, you are sure to have a great time!
Mid-Valley Bird Alliance education volunteers will host an Open House at Hesthavn from May 5-9 from noon – 2 pm, and a Birding Field Trip for all levels at Willamette Park, on May 10. More INFO
Birding Field Trips
Second Saturday (half-day) field trips to local birding areas are led by Duncan Evered and Caryn Stoess from September through June. INFO
The 2025 Multi-day field trips will be led by experienced birders driving rented vans. Signup sheets are available at monthly meetings starting in January 2025, or click here Contact
See Field Trips for registration and more information.
* Mar 14-16: Klamath Basin, * Jul 17-21 Wallowa Mtns.
* Apr 25-27: Rogue Valley, * Jul 31-Aug 3, Steens Mtn.
* May 17-20: Malheur NWR * Mid-Sep TBA: South Coast
* Jun13-15, Summer Lake
Birding & Resources
Our region is a prime place to find, watch, draw, and photograph many species of birds. Half-day field trips to local areas and multi-day trips to regional birding areas are led by ASC guides. New birders and anyone else interested are invited to participate. Find more information about ASC Birding at the links below.
Birding Field Trips Resources
Conservation
ASC participates in grassroot conservation by providing information about pending actions on national and state environmental laws. Locally, ASC has joined partners to conserve habitats, provide access on trails, and restore native plants. Conservation of Western Bluebirds and Streaked Horned Larks are other major initiatives for ASC.
For more information, click: Audubon in the News or Conservation/Protection or Priorities
Education – Owls!
Kids – make your own owl mask and learn about the owls in our neighborhood. The MWBA Education Team will be participating in the Family Fun Night on March 2 from 5 – 7 pm at the Corvallis Community Center (2601 NW Tyler Ave, Corvallis). The theme is Nocturnal Nights, and the Ed Team will present taxidermied owls, an educational activity, and they will help you make your own owl mask. Other partner activities include a match game about night creatures, gym games, crafts, and the Indoor Park’s room of toys! Flyer (Spanish) More INFO
The Education Team has connected people to nature for the past 30 years. Events are often held at Hesthavn, our small Nature Center on Oak Creek Road, which is open for special events.
Education Program
Bluebird Trail
The ASC Bluebird Trail committee was created to promote the conservation of the Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) and other native cavity-nesters through field work, scientific studies, and education. A series of bluebird boxes have been placed in ideal habitat for the birds. Volunteers monitor the nesting success throughout the breeding season, and results are reported to several organizations.
Hesthavn Grounds & Nature Center
Hesthavn Nature Center started life as a barn, and now it offers a museum with taxidermied birds, Bluebird Trail and other exhibits, and a classroom. It will be open to the public for special events. The grounds include trails, bird feeders, and a native plant garden and are open are open from dawn to dusk everyday. Meadow restoration is one step in the long-term goal of restoring all habitats. Admission is free!
Join Us!
New to the area? Meet people who also like nature! Would you like to volunteer to share your passion or contribute to restoration? Become a member of ASC and help us continue our important work. You can also donate time or dollars to ASC. We also appreciate your tax-deductible contributions to our local education and conservation efforts.
Membership Volunteer Donate
Partners
ASC welcomes partnerships with other agencies and organizations. Together we provide equal opportunities for all children, allowing them to experience nature through games, art, and activities that enhance both classroom and special-event learning. Other partnerships pool funding, staff, and other resources to accomplish conservation and other education goals.
Education Conservation
Our Newsletter
Each issue of The Chat contains information about monthly speakers and their presentation. Also included is the latest news about education, conservation, Hesthavn Nature Center, field trips, bird sightings, Board meetings, calendar items, and more. Ten issues are produced by our volunteers each year, from September through June. Archived newsletters are available in PDF format from April 2003 to the present.
March 2025 Issue
The Chat Newsletter and Archives