(Hover over photos for description and photographer)
Welcome to the Mid-Willamette Bird Alliance!
(previously 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?
Volunteers Needed for Bird Ally X Botulism Response Team – to help treat birds that have Avian Botulism at the Lower Klamath NWR, Klamath Falls Press Release, Volunteer
Community Events
MWBA Events – all programs are free (except where indicated) and open to the public.
* Oct 17 – Ann Eissinger: “Great Blue Herons” at 7:30 pm, Corvallis Community Center Chandler Ballroom INFO
* Nov 9 – Second Saturday Field Trip 8 am – noon. Meet at Willamette Park Shelter. Free, registration required. Link
* Nov 21 – Richard Rich: “Sage-grouse and Raven Interactions” Silent Auction of 5 bird paintings by Roger Tory Peterson and others, including Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Snowy Egrets, Chickadees, and Parrots INFO
* Dec 17 – Christmas Bird Count Contact Bev Clark, INFO
* Dec 19 – Member Slide Show – submit photos by Dec. 12 INFO
Hesthavn
* Trails – open dawn to dusk every day
* Work Party TBA Contact
Other Events
* Nov 1 from 10 am-4 pm, Volunteer Training for Beached Birds, Hatfield MSC, Newport. RSVP by 10/27/24. INFO, POSTER
* Nov 2 from 11 am-5 pm, COASST training for Lincoln City beaches. INFO
* Conservation Volunteer Opportunities Calendar
Monthly Speakers
“Great Blue Herons of the Salish Sea”
Ann Eissinger Oct 17, 2024
Retired biologist Ann Eissinger will present an overview (everything you want to know) of Great Blue Herons, including life history, habitat, status, monitoring, and conservation efforts. Ann spent over 30 years studying the birds in Washington before she retired from Nahkeeta Northwest Wildlife Services of Bow, Washington. She continues to volunteer as a science advisor for heron projects in NW Washington.
Meetings will be held in the *Alder Room* at the Corvallis Community Center for October, November, January, and February. Meet and greet 6:30 pm, business meeting 7:00 pm, and the presentation could start as early as 7:20 pm. If accessing via via Zoom, please tune in by 7:15. Contact for information. Open to the general public and free!
September Zoom recording (Albatrosses)
Volunteers Needed to Patrol for Beached Birds
Can you manage a trip to a Newport beach once a month to collect data about marine bird carcasses? If so, Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) needs your help! They are conducting a training session in Newport, OR on Nov. 1 from 10 am – 4pm (Lincoln City on Nov. 2). Information collected will be used to create a baseline pattern of bird mortality on North Pacific beaches.
The hands-on workshop will demonstrate the correct monitoring procedures for collecting data, as well as identifying bird species, Participants will be able to practice their new skills on seabird species common to the North Pacific. The Newport COASST training will be held in the library at Hatfield Marine Science Center.
Please RSVP by Oct. 27. 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.
The 2024 Multi-day field trips will be led by experienced birders driving rented vans. Signup sheets are available at monthly meetings starting in January 2024, or click here Contact
See Field Trips for registration and more information.
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 Workshops
The Kalapuyans are a Native American ethnic group. Their traditional homelands were in the Willamette, Elk Creek, and Calapooya Creek watersheds of Western Oregon (Link). Recent workshops explored local Kalapuya history and ecology with stories, games, and uses of native plants and animals. It also included an exploration into fire management practices and restoration following fire.
Education Program
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. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, our plans for the coming year are limited, so check here for updates.
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.
Current Issue
The Chat Newsletter and Archives