(Hover over photos for description and photographer)
Welcome to the Audubon Society of Corvallis!
Where birds and wildlife count
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?
Please take the Audubon Society of Corvallis Renaming Survey – 5 minutes
^ Events – All programs are free (except for multi-day field trips) and open to the public.
Christmas Bird Count 2023
* Dec 19 – Corvallis CBC, Bird feeder counters needed! Contact INFO
* Dec 31 – Airlie/Albany CBC Contact INFO
Monthly Speakers
Dec 21 – Annual Member Photo/ Video Show
Jan 18 – Alan Contreras: “A History of Oregon Ornithology”
Feb. 15 – Dana Ross: “Threatened and Endangered Butterflies”
ASC Field Trip
* Second Saturday Field Trip – Jan 13, meet at 8 am Willamette Park shelter Register, Info
* Second Saturday Field Trip – Feb 10, meet at 8 am Willamette Park shelter
Hesthavn
Work Parties
* Dec 8 (Friday) 8 – 11 am, barn and yard tasks
Contact
Nature Center
Open periodically, but trails are open dawn to dusk everyday.
Other
* Dec 16 – Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center (CMLC) Winter Fête – crafts, food, dancing Info
* thru Dec 16 – Tamale sale fundraiser for CMLC. Link
* Dec 18 – #:00 pm: Webinar: Audubon’s Role in Protecting Saline Lakes of the Intermountain West Register
* Jan 1 North Olympic Bird Fest registration (festival Apr 11-14) Info
* Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center winter bread sale fundraiser. Link
* Conservation Volunteer Calendar – monthly opportunities. info
* Benton Soil and Water Conservation District – Winter Plant Sale More info
Monthly Speakers
ASC Members’ Favorite Photos and Videos
December 21, 2023
Don’t be shy – select your favorite nature photos and/or videos to share with the group at the Dec. 21 meeting. Any interesting, beautiful, or fun photos or short videos of birds, other animals, plants, nature scenes, etc. are welcome. Time limit is 5 minutes. Entries must be received by Dec. 14. More info
Link to November presentation (missing first 10 minutes) Author recommended book link
The monthly meetings will be held in the large Chandler Ballroom at the Corvallis Community Center, and they are open to the general public. Meet and greet starts at 6:30 pm, the business meeting at 7:00 pm, and the presentation at 7:30 pm. Note: The program may begin early if the business meeting is short. For those accessing the meeting via Zoom, please check in by 7:15 to avoid missing the beginning.
Contact audubon.corvallis@gmail.com for information.
View 2023-2024 Monthly Speakers Link
Bluebird Nesting Data 2023: Fewer nests but…
The nesting season for Western Bluebirds in the Willamette Valley began around April 15 and ended on September 10. Bluebird Trail chair Matt Lee noted that the number of nesting attempts was lower than the average from 2009-2022. There were fewer nesting attempts per box, which could be due to competition with other birds, lack of food, or weather. However, when bluebirds laid eggs in our monitored boxes this year, those nests were about as successful as the nests built during the preceding 14 years.
Western Bluebirds usually take about a week to build the nest once the box is selected. The female lays one per day for a total of four to six eggs. She starts incubating after the last egg is laid, so all of the embryos begin developing at the same time. Hatching happens on the 13th day of incubation. Approximately 19–22 days after hatching, the young fly away (fledge) with one or both parents. More info Bluebird Lady story
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. Please see Field Trips for registration and more information.
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 Info
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.
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.
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