Welcome to the Mid-Willamette Bird Alliance
Where birds and wildlife count
MWBA (previously Audubon Society of Corvallis) is headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon and welcomes members and visitors from the mid-Willamette Valley and beyond. We host speakers, lead half-day birding walks to local areas, guide multi-day field trips to regional birding areas, present education programs to all ages, and support conservation of birds, other native wildlife, and natural habitats.
What’s Happening?
MWBA/ASC Events – All programs are free (except where indicated) and open to the public.
- Dec 9: Family Fun Night – CCC
- Dec 13: Second Saturday Field Trip, meet at Willamette Park shelter 8 am. INFO |Registration
- Dec 16: Christmas Bird Count — Corvallis INFO. Countdown potluck Contact
- Dec 18: Annual Member Photo/Video Show
- Jan 4: Albany/Airlie CBC Contact
- Jan 31: Willamette Valley Bird Symposium
- Late March: Rogue River Field Trip. Contact
Hesthavn Nature Center and Trails
- Dec 10: Work Party 10 – 1:30 pm, weeding & digging blackberries. Bring sturdy gloves, snack, and refillable water bottle. Contact
- Trails open dawn to dusk every day.
Community Events
- Conservation Volunteer Opportunities: Calendar
- Podcast: Recent cougar sightings in Corvallis — “Bad reputation: Oregon cougars are not the killers some believe”
“Annual Member Photo Show” – Dec. 18 7:15 pm
Select your memorable photos for the MWBA/ASC member slide show! Last year, six members regaled the audience with armchair tours of places or things they enjoy. The deadline for submission is Dec. 12. Contact Sue Powell
Members and non-members are welcome to attend the meeting in person at the C3 Chandler Ballroom on NW Tyler Ave. in Corvallis. The social gathering starts at 6:30, business meeting at 7:00 pm, and the slide show presentation starts as early as 7:20 pm and lasts about an hour. Tune in to the Zoom meeting at 7:15.
Learn More:Monthly Speakers November Zoom
Bluebird 2025 Nesting Results: It’s good news!
The 2025 nesting season for Western Bluebirds in the Willamette Valley ended in late August. In the nest boxes monitored by Bluebird Trail volunteers in Benton and Linn counties, the first bluebird egg was laid around April 4, and the last chick fledged around August 24.
The 2025 season was much better than last year’s, as nearly all measures of nesting activity were higher. The only exception was the average number of eggs per nest, which held steady at 5.1. That’s good news.
Birding Field Trips
Second Saturday (half-day) field trips to local birding areas are led by Duncan Evered and Caryn Stoess from September through June. Contact for info
The 2025 Multi-day field trips will be led by experienced birders driving rented vans. Signup sheets are available at monthly meetings starting in January 2025. Contact
See Field Trips for registration and more information.
Birding & Resources
Our region is a prime place to find, watch, draw, and photograph many species of birds. Half-day field trips to local areas and multi-day trips to regional birding areas are led by ASC guides. New birders and anyone else interested are invited to participate.
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Conservation
ASC participates in grassroots conservation by providing information about pending actions on national and state environmental laws. Locally, ASC partners to conserve habitats, provide access on trails, and restore native plants. Conservation of Western Bluebirds and Streaked Horned Larks are also major ASC initiatives.
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Education
Check the website for the 2025 dates and activities. The Nature Center is open for special events. Education volunteers offer activities such as making bird masks, leading guided walks, introducing Elsie Elzroth (“The Bluebird Lady”), who began a nest box program to increase Western Bluebirds in Benton and Linn counties, and more!
Visit the museum room to see taxidermied birds common to our area. Explore the feather and bone case, play nature games, and learn about birds — how feathers work, why beak length and shape matter, and measure your wingspan!
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Bluebird Trail
The ASC Bluebird Trail Committee promotes conservation of the Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) and other native cavity-nesters through field work, scientific studies, and education. Bluebird boxes have been placed in ideal habitats and are monitored throughout the breeding season. Results are reported to several organizations.
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Hesthavn Grounds & Nature Center
Hesthavn Nature Center began as a barn and now includes a museum with taxidermied birds, Bluebird Trail and other exhibits, and a classroom. The grounds feature trails, bird feeders, and a native plant garden. Open daily from dawn to dusk. Meadow restoration is part of the long-term habitat restoration goal. Admission is free!
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Join Us!
New to the area? Meet people who love nature! Volunteer, share your passion, or support restoration. Become an ASC member to help continue our important work. You can also donate time or funds — all contributions are tax-deductible and support local education and conservation.
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Partners
ASC welcomes partnerships with other agencies and organizations. Together we provide equal opportunities for all children to experience nature through games, art, and hands-on learning. Partnerships combine funding, staff, and resources to achieve conservation and education goals.
Links – Education, Conservation
Our Newsletter
Each issue of The Chat includes information about monthly speakers, education, conservation, Hesthavn Nature Center, field trips, bird sightings, board meetings, and more. Ten issues are published annually from September through June. Archived newsletters are available as PDFs from April 2003 to the present.