Seattle Naturalists’ Event Roundup: May 18th-May 24th
More tidepooling is back this week with super low tides (an epic low tide of -4ft this Monday, May 18th). Go out and explore with the Seattle Aquarium or the Environmental Science Center to learn more about what you’re seeing on the beaches. SmartPints! at Burke-Gilman Brewery is having a talk about the Mount St. Helens eruption and ecological recovery surround that disaster. If you have some mushrooms to identify connect with the Puget Sound Mycological Society at the Center for Urban Horticulture building on Monday too. There’s so many cool activities happening through out the week, see more of them below.
As always, check event pages for updates, cancellations, registration, or gear requirements before heading out. Be mindful stewards of the land. Leave no trace, respect wildlife, and care for shared spaces.
Low tide in West Seattle
Monday, May 18
When Mount St. Helens Blew Its Top: After the Blast — The Ecological Recovery of Mount St. Helens
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Organization: Smarty Pints! @ Burke-Gilman Brewing
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.burkegilmanbrewing.com/smarty-pints
PSMS Hildegard Hendrickson Public ID Clinic
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Organization: Puget Sound Mycological Society
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.psms.org/
Tuesday, May 19
Birding: Leavenworth
Time: 6:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Organization: Pilchuck Audubon Society
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/calendar
Coffee Chat! (Seattle)
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Organization: Puget Soundkeeper
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://pugetsoundkeeper.org/events/
Winged Wonders: A Celebration of Birds and Conservation — Art Exhibit (Seattle)
Time: Open May 5 – May 30, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Seahurst Beach Naturalists
Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Organization: Environmental Science Center
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.envsciencecenter.org/event-details/seahurst-beach-naturalists-1
Beach Naturalist: Des Moines Beach
Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Organization: Seattle Aquarium
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleaquarium.org/explore-the-aquarium/programs/beach-naturalist/
Beach Naturalist: Golden Gardens
Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Organization: Seattle Aquarium
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleaquarium.org/explore-the-aquarium/programs/beach-naturalist/
Beach Naturalist: Olympic Sculpture Park / Pocket Beach
Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Organization: Seattle Aquarium
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleaquarium.org/explore-the-aquarium/programs/beach-naturalist/
Puget Sound Express Bird Watching and Puffin Cruise
Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle & Puget Sound Express
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Adventure for Change | National Geographic Live
Time: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Organization: Seattle Symphony
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattlesymphony.org/en/benaroyahall/bh-calendar/2025-2026/25-nat-geo-6
Wednesday, May 20
Neighborhood Bird Outing: Green Lake (Seattle)
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Guided Nature Walk | Spring Migration
Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Organization: Seward Park Audubon Center
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.audubon.org/events?view_type=row&location=Seward%20Park%20Audubon%20Center
Kayak Cleanup – Lake Union (Seattle)
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Organization: Puget Soundkeeper
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://pugetsoundkeeper.org/events/
Knowledge Bites: Introducing the Resilient Salmon Initiative
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Organization: Long Live the Kings
Cost: Free
Format: Online
Link: https://lltk.org/events/
Birds of Seattle Lunch and Learn
Time: 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Gardening with Edible & Medicinal Native Plants
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Organization: University of Washington Botanic Gardens
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/events/
Membership Meetup (Bellevue)
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Organization: Seattle Astronomical Society
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleastro.org/events
Thursday, May 21
Photo Walk at Juanita Bay Park (Kirkland)
Time: 7:20 AM – 9:30 AM
Organization: Eastside Audubon
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar?view=calendar&month=05-2026
Birding Vacation: Methow Valley
Time: Thursday, May 21 – Sunday, May 24
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Creative Resistance / Open Arts Night (Seattle)
Time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Organization: The Heron’s Nest
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.theheronsnest.org/events
Molt Search Training: Port Townsend
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Organization: Washington Sea Grant
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://wsg.washington.edu/?post_type=tribe_events&eventDisplay=month
Everett Public Library Presentation: Beyond Birdwatching — Observing Birds by Sound
Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Organization: Pilchuck Audubon
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.pilchuckaudubon.org/calendar
Urban Naturalist with Adrian Wolf — “Listening to Birds to Heal Forests”
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Organization: Seward Park Audubon Center
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.audubon.org/events?view_type=row&location=Seward%20Park%20Audubon%20Center
Guardians of Life: Indigenous Science, Indigenous Wisdom, and Restoring the Planet with Kiliii Yüyan
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Organization: Wild Salmon Center
Cost: Free
Format: Online
Link: https://www.wildsalmon.org/events.html
BIRD UNIVERSITY Online Class Series: Birds of the Central Puget Lowlands
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: $
Format: Online
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
NextGen Wingspan Game Night @ Old Stove Ship Canal
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Flycatchers Class — Online Session
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Organization: Eastside Audubon
Cost: $
Format: Online
Link: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar?view=calendar&month=05-2026
Meadowbrook Pond Nature Walk
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Organization: Beavers Northwest
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://beaversnw.org/events
Friday, May 22
Spring Skills of a Naturalist: Wild Edibles
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: IslandWood
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://islandwood.org/events/
Watch ’em Bloom (Seattle)
Time: 10:30 AM
Organization: Washington Native Plant Society – Central Puget Sound
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.wnps.org/central-puget-sound
Nature: Mindfulness Walk (Seattle)
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: Seattle Parks and Recreation
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/seattle/activity/search/detail/85745?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true
Saturday, May 23
Flycatchers Class — Field Trip
Time: 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: Eastside Audubon
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar?view=calendar&month=05-2026
Neighborhood Bird Outing: Marymoor Park (Dog Friendly)
Time: 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Neighborhood Bird Outing: Union Bay Natural Area
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Field Trip: BIPOC Birding and Lunch at Kubota Garden
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Guided Nature Walk | Spring Migration
Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Organization: Seward Park Audubon Center
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.audubon.org/events?view_type=row&location=Seward%20Park%20Audubon%20Center
Seward Park Community Restoration Day
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Organization: ECOSS
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://ecoss.org/events/
Lakewood Playground Star Party (Seattle)
Time: 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Organization: Seattle Astronomical Society
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleastro.org/events
Bonney Lake Stargazing
Time: 8:30 PM – 11:30 PM
Organization: Seattle Astronomical Society
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.seattleastro.org/events
Sunday, May 24
Online Class Series + Field Trips: In the Field Birding by Ear for Beginners
Time: 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Birdathon Field Trip: Nisqually Photography Friendly Field Trip
Time: 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: Eastside Audubon
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar?view=calendar&month=05-2026
Birdathon Bird Outing: Duck Bay and Marsh Island at the Arboretum
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Organization: Eastside Audubon
Cost: $
Format: In-person
Link: https://www.eastsideaudubon.org/calendar?view=calendar&month=05-2026
Neighborhood Bird Outing: LGBTQIA+ Birders at Union Bay Natural Area (Young Adults Under 40)
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Organization: Birds Connect Seattle
Cost: Free
Format: In-person
Link: https://birdsconnectsea.org/calendar/
Yellow-faced bumblebee (Bombus vonsneskii) on a lupine