Birding is everywhere around Stanwood and Camano Island. The Snow Geese will soon be leaving for the Arctic. They have been in the Stanwood area fields for a few months now.
Join us Saturday in February 28, 2026 9 – 4 pm to learn more about this spectacular migration as well other local birding activities. There will be speakers, bus tours, displays, vendors, art, and children’s activities (including bird costume selfies) in the Main Hall of the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center in Stanwood, Washington. 27130 102nd Ave NW
Check in at the ramp entrance or the front door.
$10.00 entrance fee plus additional $10.00 for lunch (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.) (cash preferred)
Children are free; sorry no dogs since there are live birds in the building.
Soup and sandwich lunch available ~ from Noon – 1 pm ( additional $10.00)
Tickets are needed for the bus tours and will be collected by the drivers. They are free but request them when checking in, there is a limited supply.
Pick up tickets when you pay for the entrance. Please dress for the weather.
There will be 12 bus tours (one hour) with guides touring Leque Island and Florence Island
- The buses will have space for 11-12 people each; Buses leave at
9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 12 noon, 1 pm and 2 pm. (there are two buses)
Fir Island in Skagit County near the Skagit Bay Estuary Unit: Two special two hour bus tours leaving to tour at 9 :30 a.m. and one leaving at NOON.
SPEAKERS
Programs are located Upstairs at the Floyd (3rd floor); An elevator is available
10:00 a.m. – Living with Bald Eagles by Pat Holmes
Pat Holmes tells stories about our local Stanwood and Camano eagles and provides education regarding these awesome creatures. She has been monitoring State Park Bald Eagles since 2014. The State Park rangers taught her a lot about eagles and got her started in presenting her stories and photos to the campers at the parks. She continues to study all about eagles and spends hours under specific nests throughout the active season. She is a self taught photographer and storyteller.
11:30 a.m. – All About Owls by Brian Zinke
Cultures all around the world have revered owls for millennia, and to this day owls continue to have an allure that keeps us in awe. In Washington, we are fortunate to have 15 species of owl sharing our landscapes with us. Come learn which species we have, their fascinating ecologies, and what makes owls so unique in the bird world. Brian Zinke is the Executive Director of the Pilchuck Audubon Society, which serves Snohomish County and Camano Island.
1:00 p.m. – Washington’s White Birds of Winter – Swans and Snow Geese by Martha Jordan
Martha Jordan, well-known swan biologist, will present a program regarding the changing landscape that our swans and snow geese now face in migration and on their wintering grounds. You will learn about their life history, biology, and what influences their distribution across our state and the flyway. She will shed some light on the problems and controversies these birds face on their wintering grounds and what is needed to ensure their future. There is a special emphasis for Washington east of the Cascades. Martha Jordan has a B.S. degree in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University and a career active in both field work and education related to both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans throughout the region. She is currently the Executive Director of Northwest Swan Conservation Association, a regional non-profit. The focus is on our native swans and their habitats throughout the northwest region.
2:30 p.m. – Lights Out for Birds: How Reducing Nighttime Light Saves Migratory Species by Brian Zinke
Each year, millions of birds migrate across our region under the cover of darkness. But increasing levels of artificial light at night are disorienting these travelers, drawing them into cities where they face fatal collisions with buildings, windows, and other structures.
Join us for an illuminating presentation on the Lights Out initiative, a growing effort to reduce light pollution during peak migration. In this presentation, we’ll explore why birds are vulnerable to nighttime light, examples of successful Lights Out programs, and practical steps we can take here in western Washington to help our birds navigate the night skies safely.
Festival Headquarters
Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center
27130 102nd Ave NW, Stanwood, WA
360.629.6110
www.sahs-fncc.org
PARKING:
Please park in parking area behind the Floyd or in city parking east of the Food Bank or in the Stanwood Elementary School parking lot (two blocks north)
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS!
Camano Island Chamber of Commerce, City of Stanwood, Discover Stanwood Camano, Northwest Swan Conservation Assn., Pilchuck Audubon Society, Skagit Audubon, Snow Goose Transit, Sound Water Stewards, Friends of Camano Island Parks (FOCIP), Stanwood Camano Arts Advisory Commission (SCAAC) and the Stanwood Area Historical Society
Artwork for the poster by Holly Stafford, https://www.hollysimages.com/
Poster for printing 7″x 10″
Poster for printing 11″ x 17″ 17mb
This festival began in 2006 and after missing several years, returned last year in 2024. It has always had a contest to select a local artist to design artwork for the poster.
See the artists selected over the years at Snow Goose Festival Collection.
Questions? Please email Judy Fernandes fnccmanager@sahs-fncc.org
