“BirdFest registrations continue to pour in,” says event coordinator Vanessa Fuller with a big smile. But, she quickly adds that openings are still available for most field trips and activities planned for the 11th annual Olympic BirdFest, April 4-6, and for the guided birding and wildlife cruise in the San Juan Islands, April 6-8.

The festival offers nearly two dozen guided trips, workshops, classes, tours and a gala banquet with silent auction and raffle.

Registration is through the BirdFest website, www.olympicbirdfest.org, which gives the complete catalogue of activities and events along with availability and prices.

The website also shows an array of auction items that will be displayed and available for early purchase starting Wednesday, April 2, at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 West Hendrickson Road, in Sequim.

Final bidding and the raffle drawing will take place at the BirdFest banquet, catered by Kokopelli Grill, Saturday, April 5.

Raffle tickets for the 8×42 Vortex Viper HD Binoculars valued at $689 are $5 each at the River Center.

Proceeds from the raffle and BirdFest activities help support the center’s educational programs.

“Our field trips are designed to accommodate birders at all levels,” says expert birder and trip organizer Bob Boekelheide. He added that three hours of birding at John Wayne Marina, Dungeness Spit or Three Crabs may be more enjoyable and productive for a beginning birder or someone with limited stamina than some of the longer trips.

To learn more about the Olympic BirdFest, log onto www.olympicbirdfest.org or call the Dungeness River Audubon Center at 681-4076.

Read a full feature about BirdFest in the April 2 edition of the Sequim Gazette.