Please note: While many festival events are free and welcome “walk-in” participants, others require pre-registration and fees may apply. See the detailed schedule for all activities and registration information.

The 2025 Wings Over Water Northwest Birding will take place on March 14, 15, 16 with field trips, birding and wildlife cruises; an all-day birding expo on Saturday with expert speakers, wildlife presentations, live raptor presentations, kids’ activities and more to enhance your outdoor experience and love of birding.

The Festival has been a vibrant event for over 20 years thanks to our financial sponsors and donors which are vital to the festival taking place. We appreciate your donations to ensure the festival’s future success.

—————————————————

Since 2003, the Wings Over Water Birding Festival  has taken place each spring in Blaine, Washington to celebrate the incredible variety of migratory birds that flock to the coastal waters of Drayton Harbor, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo Bay at the northwest corner of Washington State. This major stopover on the Pacific Flyway between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, BC is designated as an Important Birding Area (IBA) and is the anchor for the North Cascades Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail.

*The Festival was cancelled in 2020 and in 2021 took place virtually due to Covid 19.

“The rich tapestry of birdlife in this area attracts birdwatchers from all over the country to experience a variety of birds close at hand.”
-Joe Meche, Avid Birder, Writer and Photographer

Festival Location

The festival will take place at various locations in the Blaine, Semiahmoo Spit and Birch Bay areas, all within a short 10-20 minute driving distance from the Festival headquarters located this year at the Blaine Community Center Pavilion, as noted in the festival map and schedule. Check back to see the event schedule for details about all of the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday events and their locations.

Schedule

Registration

Our Mission

Wings Over Water Northwest is an all volunteer, non profit, tax-exempt organization. Our mission is to promote conservation, education and stewardship of the birds and their habitat in the Pacific Northwest as well as encourage ecotourism to support the economy. Wings Over Water, Northwest Birding Festival is one of the ways we provide education, while also providing the opportunity to bring significant economic benefits to this rich and pristine area. Donations to help support our missions and Festival are most welcome!

History

The Washington Brant Foundation, along with North Cascades Audubon and the City of Blaine, held the first Washington Brant Festival in Blaine and Birch Bay in 2003 because of concerns about the continuous decline in waterfowl populations due to habitat loss. The festival changed its name in 2005 to Wings Over Water Northwest to include the large number of marine bird species that migrate here during spring migration. Due to the festival’s success, we became a 501c3 tax exempt organization in 2008 and continue to celebrate our annual festival every March.

Who Attends?

People who want to experience a wide variety of waterfowl close at hand. Hundreds attend the festival from the Puget Sound region, Lower Mainland, British Columbia. as well as from around the country.

The Future

Our vision for the festival is to continue to provide opportunities for education and enjoyment of birds in their natural habitat, preserving this valuable asset for future generations.

Day by Day Summary (March 14 – 16, 2025)

The 2025 festival begins in the morning of Friday, March 14th. Take a Charter Bus Guided Birding Trip to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island, B.C.  Visit some of the birding sites in Bellingham or Skagit County on your own or take a guided birding field trip at Semiahmoo at 1:30 in the afternoon. Join us in the evening for our Featured Artist and Opening Reception to enjoy a catered dinner and meet this year’s featured artist, Forrest Chel, and hear an inspiring presentation by Amy Eberling, Founder and Director of the Salish Sea School.

On Saturday, March 15th, experience a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities for all ages and birding interests! Start the day with an off-shore birding adventure in Boundary Bay and Semiahmoo Bay aboard the Salish Express. For those who aren’t early birds, there will also be a second trip aboard the Salish Express in the afternoon. There will be an all-day birding expo at the Blaine Community Center Pavilion with live raptor presentations, wildlife exhibits, art and craft vendors, kids’ activities, and expert wildlife speaker presentations throughout the day. Take part in guided birding field trips to explore the abundance of bird species in the area. Saturday will culminate with a keynote presentation by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, award winning author, naturalist, and ecophilosopher. Lyanda’s keynote will offer insights from her rich experiences, blending scientific understanding with literary elegance, urging us to reflect on our relationship with the wild, urban nature, and the wisdom inherent in both. Following the presentation, Lyanda’s books will be available for purchase and signing. We encourage attendees to visit our local cafes and restaurants in Blaine and Birch Bay for dinner on Saturday night!

For additional information about local restaurants as well as lodging and area activities, for Blaine information please visit blainebythesea.com or call (360) 332-4544 or for Birch Bay information, visit birchbaywa.org or call (360) 371-5004.

Sunday’s (March 16th) activities begin with a catered Birding Breakfast and presentation.  Chris Templeton will present Chickadee Chatter: From the ABC’s to the Dee-Dee-Dee’s. Chris will share from his research of these adorable, feisty birds, how their iconic chick-a-dee call conveys sophisticated information that is used by chickadees and many other bird species. After the presentation, there will also be guided field trips in the in the morning and afternoon. Blaine Birch Bay Parks and Rec Dist 2, Friends of Birch Bay Library will be providing hot drinks and story times. Wild Whatcom will have hands-on kid’s activities and family nature walks at the BP Heron Center in Birch Bay State Park from 1:00-2:30 pm.

Please continue to check our website for 2025 Festival details and schedule updates.