Reserve a Program

Bird Days of Summer

In-Person Watercolor Painting with Ronna:

Pacific Northwest Trip: Newport to Florence

This three-day coastal adventure will meet all of your birding and exploration desires! Join Stefan in searching for the imperiled Western Snowy Plover, White-tailed Kite, Wrentit, and much more.

Pacific Northwest Trip: Skagit Valley Birding

Have you experienced the sights and sounds of tens of thousands of Snow Geese settling into their daily feeding grounds? The rich environment of Skagit Valley includes a variety of habitats including open water, shoreline, tidal mudflats and marshes, forested uplands, and agricultural land. These habitats provide excellent opportunities to see over-wintering geese, swans and ducks, as well as a variety of raptors such as Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and Short-eared Owl.

San Diego and the Imperial Valley

Visit the “birdiest county in the U.S.” with Bird Alliance of Oregon to search for desert specialties and enjoy large numbers of wintering songbirds, shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl in southern California’s subtropical Mediterranean climate.

Scenic Arizona: A Birdy Winter Escape

World-class birding, spectacular scenery, and sunshine in February? Join Stefan and Randy for a February escape to the birders’ paradise of southern Arizona. From the exciting specialty species to the always-pleasing regulars such as Vermilion Flycatcher and Mountain Plover, this trip will delight any level of birdwatcher.

The Best of Panama

Join Dan and Candace as we explore an exciting diversity of regions and habitats, seeking some of the most beautiful birds in Central America. Located at the intersection of North and South America, Panama is a volcanic isthmus that rose from the sea a mere 3 million years ago to form what is nicknamed the Monkey’s Bridge. This geologic link allowed the exchange overland of mammals, birds and plants, and contributed to Panama’s incredible biological diversity. Over 1000 bird species have been seen in this tropical paradise slightly smaller than the state of South Carolina. Please join us for this wild and wonderful adventure!

Audubon Birding Day: Owls by Day in Walla Walla

Explore the unique habitat along the Columbia River and adjacent to the Blue Mountains on this self-catering winter trip to search for owls by day in the Walla Walla area.

Whooping Cranes, Butterflies, & Specialties of South Texas

The Rio Grande Valley in December offers Whooping Crane encounters and a unique combination of wintering shorebirds and warblers and year-round highlights like the Green Jay and Plain Chachalaca. We’ll be on the look out for a few possible rarities like Roadside Hawk, Golden-crowned Warbler, and Crimson-collared Grosbeak, that stop over in this season, and we’ll get to know the abundance of butterflies that visit the Valley as well. If you haven't done any butterflying, it’s time to start! This trip will be a lovely escape from the start of Oregon’s rainy season. 170+ birds species are possible!

Explore Guanacaste, Costa Rica

This November, join Dan and Candace on a brand-new birding adventure in Costa Rica! Guanacaste is the northwesternmost province in Costa Rica, home to dry tropical forest and bordered on the east by a series of protected National Parks along the slopes of several active volcanoes. We’ll visit both, and throw in some mangroves, to boot! This itinerary allows us to drive a little less and walk a little more in this unique and underbirded region.

Pacific Northwest Trip: Birding the Olympic Peninsula

Embark on an exhilarating adventure with us as we journey through the captivating landscapes of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where every moment is filled with anticipation and awe-inspiring vistas! Prepare to be enchanted by the spellbinding beauty of the high Olympics and the snow-capped peaks of the Northern Cascades, painting a breathtaking backdrop to our expedition.  

What sets this trip apart is the opportunity to witness a plethora of rare species, from the majestic loons to the charismatic alcids (murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets), all within the serene and sheltered waters of the bays along the Strait. Here, amidst the tranquil embrace of nature, sightings are not just common; they're extraordinary, offering unparalleled views unlike anywhere else along the rugged coasts of Oregon and Washington.

Pacific Northwest Trip: Oregon’s Wild Southern Coast

Oregon’s southern Coast features miles of rugged coastline, spectacular wildlife, smaller crowds, and the best fall coastal weather. Join us as we explore from Coos Bay to Brookings in search of alcids, seabirds, raptors, and more.

Beginning Birding and Sauvie Island Exploration

Join Greg Baker and Ricky Allen for Saturday morning explorations at one of Oregon’s most accessible Important Bird Areas, Sauvie Island Wildlife Area.  

This class series is perfect for those interested in developing and sharpening their birding skills under a variety of field conditions with expert birders. Explore different habitats on the island, learn bird calls, and search for waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors

Pacific Northwest Trip: Raptor Migration at Green Ridge

Green Ridge is Oregon’s unsung raptor migration hotspot, with comparable numbers of raptors to the more well-known Bonney Butte, but easier access and more accessible local birding. Join Brodie Cass Talbott for a self-catering tour of peak raptor migration at Green Ridge. We will augment an afternoon of raptor counting with birding around the Sisters and Black Butte area.

Ice Age Floods

Travel the path of the great Ice Age Floods from Missoula to Portland on this popular geology, birding, and wildlife tour. Our journey begins in western Montana, where a great lake once covered 3,000 square miles of land, before bursting through a massive ice dam and carving many of the geologic wonders we marvel at today. From the giant ripples of Camas Prairie to the astonishing channeled scablands of eastern Washington, the dizzying Grand Coulee and the awesome Columbia River Gorge, this tour keeps you in the flow throughout.

Birding Day:

California Condors and Coastal Migration

Join us to search for North America’s largest bird, the endangered California Condor, in the wild! The central California coast and inland areas offer excellent opportunities to see these majestic birds and a wide variety of other species.

Pacific Northwest Trip: Grays Harbor Shorebirds

Early September is the perfect time to enjoy shorebird migration. Join Bird Alliance of Oregon and explore the West Coast birding hotspot of Grays Harbor! From Marbled Godwit flocks in Westport to Sooty Shearwater on the horizon, this trip will excite any birdwatcher and ocean lover.

Field Trip:

Summer Camp: SWIFTS HS Birding Club, Grades 9-12

Get ready to spread your wings on an epic 4-day birding trip! We're hitting up the coolest spots, from the beach to the peaks, tagging along with our expert educators who are self-proclaimed bird nerds. In this camp, we're on a mission to track down Oregon's coolest birds – the usual suspects and the sneaky ones too!  
Whether you're a total bird newbie or a seasoned pro, we're excited to welcome anyone who's pumped to level up their bird knowledge, skills, and connect with your peers! If you're eager to learn more about birds and their habitats and want to flock together with some bird-loving pals then this is YOUR club!

Forest Therapy at Bird Alliance of Oregon Sanctuary

Join Andrea Kreiner, a certified nature and forest therapy guide, for a slow and mindful sensory journey to connect with nature at the Portland Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary.

Digital Class

Bird Journals for Beginners and Continuing Journalers!

Get started or continue with your bird journal, using drawing, simple watercolor, and writing. We use specimens and photos to practice. You will try simple ways to learn to see in new ways, then draw, write, and use watercolors, and develop your pages. No art experience needed, just enthusiasm and a few tools! Register for each class separately.

SWIFTS Nature Camp Aftercare

Register for Afterecare! Please select the Monday of the Week(s) of Aftercare you would like to enroll your camper in. Then, select the option for the number of days of aftercare you need for each week.  

To better accommodate parents’ busy schedules, our full-day camps have a start time window between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. and a pick-up window of 3:00/3:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Camp will run between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. and 1/1:15 p.m. on Fridays. An aftercare fee of $25 will be charged for any child picked up after 3:15 p.m. (M-Th) and 1:15 p.m. (Fridays).  

As part of our commitment to support working families, we’re happy to host Aftercare again this summer. Campers can continue their camp day with even more nature play!

Summer Camp: Outdoor Naturalists, Grades 6-8

Summer Camp: Nature Explorers, Grades 3-5

Summer Camp: Wilderness Scouts, Grades 2-3

Creature Creators:

Forest Friends

The Warbler Tour! Magee Marsh & Michigan

Enjoy up to 36 species of brilliantly colorful warblers along the famous boardwalk of Magee Marsh. We’ll delight in watching up to 150 species as the marshes come alive with birds. Then we’ll head to northern Michigan to find the incredible and rare Kirtland’s Warbler to conclude this memorable Midwest adventure.