Register for the Audubon Council of Washington (ACOW) 2026!
Join us in Bellingham for all or part of the weekend of October 9-11 and meet fellow Audubon leaders from across the state!
Register here
Washington Projects

ACOW 2026- Flight Plan: A Stopover

Our Goals
October 9-11, 2026, join Audubon chapter leaders, volunteers, staff, and partners for the Audubon Council of Washington (ACOW) in Bellingham.
What We’re Doing
This year marks an important milestone: we're halfway through Audubon's Flight Plan, our ambitious strategic plan for birds and the places they need. ACOW 2026 is an opportunity to pause, reflect on what we've accomplished together, and focus on where we go next.
Agenda
View the three-day agenda for registered participants.
Agenda

Schedule at a Glance

October 5–11 | Bellingham Bird Week

Hosted by North Cascades Audubon Society, Bird Week will feature bird walks, community events, educational programs, and celebrations across the city. Bellingham Bird Week is designed to welcome both longtime birders and people who are just discovering birds and conservation. Check out the Bellingham Bird Week agenda for activities throughout the week, including:

Oct 8 at 7PM: Lights Out Documentary and Panel
Whatcom Museum, Old City Hall Rotunda Room, 121 Prospect Street, Bellingham, WA. Join for a special documentary screening followed by an expert panel. Discussion will focus on how we can reduce or control light emissions and other measures that result in building collisions.  What can be done in Bellingham? In Whatcom County? At your own home?

October 9 | WSACC Meeting & Public Keynote

2:00PM The Washington State Audubon Conservation Council (WSACC) will meet to discuss statewide conservation priorities and advocacy efforts.
5:30PM The public is invited to hear the proclamation of Bellingham's official City Bird!

6:00PM Why Birds Matter: Celebrating Migratory Bird Day
Bellingham Cruise Terminal Dome Room, 355 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA. This public keynote celebrates World Migratory Bird Day with Dr. Jill Deppe, Audubon senior director of the Migratory Bird Initiative. Through the story of bird migration, we'll explore why birds matter, the challenges they face, and how local communities can make a difference. 

October 10 | ACOW 2026

For registered participants. The Saturday program will feature collaborative discussions, strategic breakout sessions, chapter recognition, and opportunities to shape the future of Audubon's conservation work in Washington. Register today!

Flight Plan: A Stopover
As Audubon reaches the midpoint of its strategic plan Flight Plan, join Kim Brand, Audubon managing director for community building, for a look at what we've done, and what's next. We'll explore how chapters across Washington are advancing Audubon's strategic goals, and how each of us can help carry Flight Plan forward.

October 11 | Field Trips

For registered participants. Explore the birds, habitats, and conservation stories of northwest Washington through a variety of optional field trips hosted by local experts and partners.

Drayton Harbor/Semiahmoo is the only designated Important Bird Area in Whatcom County. The sheltered nature of Drayton Harbor, with its proximity to food sources both within the Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay, make it a major wintering and migration staging area for aquatic birds. The extensive intertidal mudflats and shallow waters provide foraging habitat for large numbers of shorebirds and dabbling ducks. Expect to see gulls, cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles, a few loons and grebes, ducks and other waterfowl, hopefully a few shorebirds, as well as songbirds. Sign up for the Drayton Harbor/Semiahmoo Field Trip.

Fir Island Farm (Hayton) and Wylie Slough are two of Skagit Audubon members' favorite birding locations. On Fir Island near Conway, two units of Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Skagit Wildlife Area offer excellent birding near the mouth of the Skagit River. In addition to supporting young salmon, restored tidal wetlands at Fir Island Farms (aka Hayton) and Wylie Slough host a variety of migrating and wintering shorebirds and waterfowl. Mid-October isn’t peak season, but possibilities include Western and least sandpipers, dowitchers, yellowlegs and killdeer; black-bellied and semipalmated plover; perhaps pectoral, spotted or semipalmated sandpiper; and, with luck, rarities like red knot or golden plover. Sign up for the Fir Island Farm and Wylie Slough Field Trip.

Why Bellingham?

Situated along the Pacific Flyway and surrounded by exceptional birding opportunities, Bellingham is an ideal place to gather and reflect on our shared conservation mission. From shorelines and estuaries to forests and farmland, the region showcases the habitats and landscapes that make Washington a critical place for birds.

Join Us

Whether you're a chapter leader, volunteer, partner organization, supporter, or community member, we invite you to:

  1. Visit for the free, public Bellingham Bird Week, Oct 5-11
  2.  Register for WSACC and ACOW 2026, Oct 9-10

  3. Sign up for a field trip using links above, Oct 11