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News and Events
December 2023
The Dungeness River Nature Center 's mission is to inspire understanding, respect,
and stewardship of our natural and cultural resources.
1943 West Hendrickson Road, Sequim, WA
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Binoculars on top of Audubon Magazine—Photo by Luke Franke/Audubon. | |
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Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society
Backyard Birding
Understanding Birding Optics
With Christie Lassen, Wild Birds Unlimited, Gardiner
and Jim Ullrich, Swarovski Optik, Pacific Northwest
Sat., Dec. 2
10 a.m.–noon
Rainshadow Hall
Suggested Donation: $5
At the request of attendees, Backyard Birding has added this new topic to the program series lineup. Learn from two local experts, Christie and Jim, about the latest in optical technologies that provide “up close and personal” views of your feathered friends in your backyard, fields, and shorelines.
They'll discuss technical parameters such as lens diameter, magnification power, and other specifications that determine cost-benefit considerations when making purchasing decisions. They'll also explain the various uses of binoculars and spotting scopes in differing light and weather conditions.
Additionally, they'll touch on the topic of “digiscoping”— techniques for adapting a digital camera lens (such a cell phone camera) into a telephoto device for capturing images of birds at a distance.
We invite you to join us in learning how to increase your birding enjoyment—and you may find some ideas for your holiday gift giving!
Learn more here
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Nature Art for Kids - Holiday Edition!
Sat., Dec. 2
1 - 3 p.m.
$5 per child, Ages 3+
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The River Center will offer wooden nature-themed ornaments for children to paint: snowflakes, trees, flowers, mushrooms, bees, snails, and more.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to "art" alongside their children, at no extra cost. There will be traditional acrylic paint and paint pens to use. It's a fun opportunity for kiddos to make decorations or gifts, and be sure to check out the holiday lights on the bridge afterward.
Please register in person at the front desk the day of the class. The program itself will take place inside the Cedar Hat Classroom.
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See two films on indigenous food preparation and cooking
at our Friday afternoon matinee, ending just in time for the Holiday lights to come on
Hurricane Coffee at the River will be open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. with special holiday drinks such as pumpkin spice lattes and toasted marshmallow hot chocolate
Seasoned with Spirit:
Bounty of the River's Edge
and Return of the Buffalo
Fri., Dec. 8
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
$5 per person
Registration required, please click here
Seasoned with Spirit: Bounty of the River's Edge
Native American chef Loretta Barret Oden travels to the Yurok Reservation on the banks of the Klamath River on California's Pacific Coast where they harvest salmon, shellfish, seaweed, acorns and edible wild greens. She learns how to prepare alderwood-smoked salmon, dried surf fish and eels, and sturgeon egg bread.
Seasoned with Spirit Return of the Buffalo
Native American chef Loretta Barrett Oden travels to the buffalo range of Fred Dubray on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota to learn about the movement among tribes to bring the buffalo back to the Great Plains in order to promote cultural enhancement, spiritual revitalization, ecological restoration and economic development.
Oden learns how to make traditional recipes including sun-dried bison with chokecherries, chokecherry soup, and grilled bison tenderloin with a sage-chokecherry jus.
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The River Center's film series is a collaboration with the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Library.
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Wintertide Festival of Lights
Port Angeles Fine Arts Center
Sat., Dec. 9
Rain or Shine, 4:30-8PM
The River Center is hosting a glow-in-the-dark salmon painting station at the 3rd annual Wintertide Festival of Lights. (Tickets and entrance fee required). There will be blacklights at our painting station and a fun craft for kids. If you attend, be sure to drop by and say hi.
Enjoy food and drink vendors, lighted art illuminating the forest paths, a community lantern walk, and a fire performance down in the meadow by returning performers Fractal Phase. First time and returning attendees alike will find plenty to do and see with new light art and activity stations.
Tickets are required for the festival.
Register here
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Mallard males on the pond. Photo by Bob Boekelheide. | |
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Pre-Christmas Bird Count field trip
Carrie Blake Park and John Wayne Marina
With Bob Boekelheide & Marie Grad
Sun., Dec. 10
8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Free
Number of participants: 20
Registration required. Signed liability release form required
Meeting Place: Meet at parking strip on south edge of Carrie Blake Park soccer fields at 8:30 a.m. After a couple of hours at Carrie Blake Park, we will travel to John Wayne Marina to view birds in Sequim Bay.
Features: Prepare for the Christmas Bird Count. Identify winter ducks, gulls, and sparrows. Learn how to count big flocks of wigeons and mallards.
Special Requirements: Watch the weather – it could be cold, windy, rainy, and/or snowy. Accessible to all, including wheelchairs and walkers.
Further information, if needed: Contact Bob Boekelheide at bboek@olympus.net.
Register here
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Above: San Juan Island prairie. Left: Allie Taylor
Learning Our Landscape
nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm̕
Connections to the
San Juan Islands
with Allie Taylor, Jamestown Tribal
Historic Preservation Officer
Dec. 14
3 p.m. Online
The San Juan Islands fall within the traditional-use area of many federally recognized tribes, Canadian First Nations, and non-federally recognized tribes.
In this presentation we will review anthropologic, ethnographic, linguistic, and historic references that document the connection between the nəxʷsƛ̕ay̕əm̕ (S’Klallam/Klallam) people and the San Juan Islands.
https://library.jamestowntribe.org/home/ProgramsEvents or
Join with Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81505777609 Meeting ID: 815 0577 7609
For more information:
360-681-4632 or library@jamestowntribe.org
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Bird counting on the Olympic Discovery Trail, photo by Bob Boekelheide | |
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Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count
Mon., Dec. 18
The Sequim-Dungeness Christmas Bird Count, our annual mid-December tally of birds in the Sequim-Dungeness area, occurs this year on Monday, Dec. 18. We have one of the richest bird areas in the Pacific Northwest, holding the record for the most species seen in Washington during the statewide Christmas Bird Count with 154 species in 2015.
Christmas Bird Counts cover 15-mile diameter circles. The center of our circle lies northeast of downtown Sequim, so it stretches north to Dungeness Spit, south to the Olympic foothills, west to MacDonald Creek, east to Diamond Point and Protection Island, and includes Sequim, Gardiner, Blyn, Dungeness, and Carlsborg.
We split our circle up into about 30-35 separate areas, each covered by a different party. You can also count your backyards or neighborhoods, particularly if you have a bird feeder.
Christmas Bird Counts need many participants, hopefully all familiar with local birds. We really need "feeder watchers," in which you count the birds at your feeder or stroll around your neighborhood during the day.
No matter where you count, you must keep close track of your times and mileages, to make comparisons with other counts and other years.
To prepare, or if you are not familiar with local birds, please join bird walks beginning at the Dungeness River Nature Center parking lot on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. You can also learn more on Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society field trips, in addition to looking at birds as much as possible this fall.
If you wish to participate in the Count contact Bob Boekelheide at bboek@olympus.net
Learn more about other Christmas Bird Count locations on the North Olympic Peninsula here
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Above, Ken Wiersema with his spotting scope, photo by Bob Boekelheide. | |
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The Port Angeles Christmas Bird Count is Dec. 30. To learn more and to participate contact Barb Blackie (blackieb@olypen.com).
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Now in the River Center gift store!
The Rescue of Eddie & Elliott
Plushy eaglets with book and backpack
Give the most unique gift ever....The Rescue of Eddie & Elliott is based on the true story of baby bald eagles, just a few weeks old, discovered alongside a busy road in rural Sequim, huddled together, and quite helpless.
A true account of how a dog and a community came to their rescue, told from the perspective of Elliott, is about the great fall from their nest of sticks at the top of a towering spruce tree and the effort to get them back under the wings of their parents.
This gift set includes large plush-soft eaglets to hold and a book to read aloud to a child, or to anyone, full of fun facts about eagles, and what to do if you find a young bird on the ground. A lightweight nylon camo backpack holds birds and book.
Photos and story by local photographer Keith Ross.
Only $65 plus tax
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Eddie & Elliot
Jigsaw Puzzle
18" x 24.5"
672 Pieces
$20 plus tax
All gift shop sales help fund River Center nature education!
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A local cub scout troop poses after a "mystery skull" program | |
Did you know the River Center offers personalized programs for youth and homeschool groups?
The Dungeness River Nature Center is happy to provide a variety of tours and educational programs for small, private groups. We offer lessons that embrace curiosity, encourage observation, and empower children to become stewards of the environment.
Our educators will work with you to tailor a program to fit the special interests of your group. We can lead guided walks, nature games and crafts, as well as lessons in birds, skulls, salmon, native plants, nature journaling, and more!
If you're interested, contact Education Manager Montana Napier for group rates. You can send an email with the details of your request to Montana@DungenessRiverCenter.org
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Hurricane Coffee at the River
December hours
Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.
Open 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays now until Dec. 28
Pumpkin and Eggnog Lattes, Hot Chocolate with Toasted Marshmallow
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Espresso drinks with or without flavors, Chai Tea Lattes, London Fogs, and Hot Tea
Closed Sundays and Mondays,
Christmas Day, and Dec. 26 and 27
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River Center Gift Shop Stocked for Holiday Shoppers
Just in time for the holidays, the gift shop will have a variety of additional items: Ceramic Travel Mugs with authentic indigenous artwork (these come with a keepsake box, perfect for gifting). Also look for holiday-themed mugs with the River Center logo, Native Northwest bath toys, and a variety of wildlife plush toys for the little ones. These are offered for a limited time only.
Give them books they'll love from Bookshop, the River Center's
online bookstore. A very large percentage of the cover price goes directly to River Center Nature education.
Click here to see the complete online book catalogue
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The River Center is open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays noon - 5 p.m.
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Questions? Call the River Center at 360-681-4076
https://dungenessrivercenter.org
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