Monday, April 22nd is Earth Day, the 54th annual celebration of our planet and all of its rich and varied life. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastics. Here in Corvallis, as usual, we have a packed week of events, including nature walks, webinars, talks, and even a family-friendly parade.
Our local event calendar for the week is especially rich in bird content, with a talk from Corvallis Audubon and a webinar on bird-friendly gardening. And right on time, spring bird migrations into our area continue to heat up, with five new species for the year seen this week in Benton County and three in Linn.
Speaking of birds, Chintimini Wildlife Center reminds bird lovers to clean their bird feeders regularly. Check out their Facebook post on an infected bird who came in this week, and how you can help protect birds from getting sick at your feeders.
Thursday: Audubon eBird Talk
If you like to watch and take note of birds in your yard, neighborhood, park or elsewhere, the free app eBird can take your birding skill and enjoyment to the next level. A product of years of research at Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology, eBird now contains over 100 million observations of birds, and with all that data, they’ve been able to make incredibly detailed maps and inspire new scientific discoveries. The app has become one of, if not the single, largest volunteer science project in history.
This Thursday, the monthly speaker series at Corvallis Audubon continues with a talk all about eBird and how to take the greatest advantage of all of its features. Nikki Cross will discuss the app, its use, and its recent contributions to science. The talk starts on Thursday, April 18 at 7:30 pm, at the Chandler Ballroom at the Corvallis Community Center. Click here for more information.
Friday and All Week: Mushroom Movie at the Darkside
In 2019, the documentary film Fantastic Fungi released worldwide, bringing audiences a look at mushrooms and other fungi like they had never seen before. This Earth Week, the film returns to the big screen at the Darkside Theater, newly remastered, as part of a nationwide 5-year anniversary tour.
Fantastic Fungi is set to run from this Friday, April 19th to next Thursday, the 25th. Check the Darkside’s website for showtimes.
Saturday: Planet Palooza Fair and Parade
A family friendly Corvallis Earth Day tradition continues this Saturday, with the Planet Palooza animal parade. First, check out the indoor solutions fair to see new and exciting ways to help heal and protect our local, regional and global environment. Then, as a community, march to celebrate the Earth and our fellow species.
The solutions fair kicks off at 2 pm this Saturday, April 20, at the Corvallis Community Center at Chintimini Park. The parade follows at 5 pm around the park. Animal costumes and masks are encouraged, but whether you dress up or not, everyone is welcome.
Sunday: Botany Walk
Whether you march on Saturday or not, you can add another short, easy walk to your weekend with a plant-focused tour of McDonald Research Forest. The Native Plant Society of Oregon’s Corvallis chapter will be leading a quarter-mile hike through the Sulfur Springs area of the forest to look at the seasonal wildflowers popping up along the trail.
The hike starts at the parking lot for Baker Creek Trail, at 1 pm this Sunday, April 21. Bring water and dress appropriately for unpredictable spring weather. Click here for more information.
Monday: Lost Creek Tour
Since 2008, the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition and the Sierra Club’s Marys Peak Group have run nature tours on Earth Day. This year’s edition highlights both the damage that we have done to our shared resources and the ways we can repair and restore them. The organizers will lead a walk to see and discuss a creek that was buried for over 100 years, but that has now been restored to an open, free-flowing stream.
The tour starts at 2 pm on Monday, April 22. Registration is required. For more details, click here.
Wednesday: Gardening with Birds
After a full week of environmental events around town, here’s your chance to sit back at home and plan your next step in living more harmoniously with our planet. If you have a garden, whether it’s a few pots on your porch or a yard full of raised beds, you can help feed and shelter wildlife as well as growing food and flowers for yourself. Next Wednesday, April 24, OSU Extension Master Gardeners are putting on a webinar called “Ten Proven Ideas for a Bird Friendly Garden”. The webinar runs from noon to 1 pm on Zoom. To register, click here.
By Ian Rose