ARLINGTON — A former teacher in Arlington and a long-time birder, Virginia Clark wants young people to become interested in birds.

Clark has been birding for more than 20 years and is an active member of the Pilchuck Audubon Society. Along with being one of two main trip leaders for PAS, she is also the meeting hostess and is expected to bring cookies with coffee to each monthly meeting.

“I am famous for my chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal,” she admitted.

Clark and fellow trip leader Art Wait lead birding trips every Tuesday throughout the year, unless it’s snowing, Clark said.

During January this year, she took groups of birders to Camano Island on one Tuesday; the next week she went to Boundary Bay, Serpentine Fen and Blackie Spit, in British Columbia; and on the third Tuesday she went to Deception Pass, with stops at Campbell Lake, Rosario Beach and Cranberry Lake. Finally, the last Tuesday of the month she went to one of her favorite places, Fir Island.

“I really like Skagit Flats and Fir Island,” Clark said, adding they experienced some interesting sightings during the month.

“In B.C. we found a long-billed curlew that shouldn’t have been there,” she said.

On the trip to Deception Pass they documented 60 species, including a red-throated loon.

“It wasn’t the common loon,” she said. “It was just wonderful, very exciting.”

Clark also participated in the Christmas Bird Count in December, when she saw a whimbrel near Portage Creek, where it shouldn’t have been.

“It’s a saltwater shorebird. I don’t know what he was doing in Arlington.” She thought maybe the bird had been blown inland by the big winds at that time.

“I am sure he wasn’t happy about it,” Clark said, adding she sympathized with the dislocated bird.

They missed only one Tuesday last year, in December, due to snow, Clark said.

The birders travel from Snohomish County north, to Sequim and Port Townsend to B.C. and even to Eastern Washington, when there is some reason to go.

“Our goal is to write down everything we see,” Clark said, noting they document everything from the lowly crow to the bald eagle.

Clark retired from teaching in 1992, but then taught as a substitute for almost 10 more years.

“I really retired in 2000. If we get young people started birding, and if they watch and love the birds, then they will care about the environment,” Clark said. That’s why she will be spending her Saturday this week at the Eagle Festival in Arlington. Her display will be inside the City Council Chambers where the Sarvey Wildlife Center will present it’s live bird show and eagle expert Libby Mills will speak about eagles and other birds with information on their history, anatomy and physiology of eagles as well as their habitat and conservation.

For information about Pilchuck Audubon Society and its conservation and birding programs, visit the Web site at www.pilchuckaudubon.org.

Eagle Festival Feb. 7

Arlington’s second annual Eagle Festival is a partnership among the city of Arlington, the Stillaguamish Tribe, The Nature Conservancy, the Arlington Arts Council and the Downtown Arlington Business Association.

The festival includes information about eagles in the City Council Chambers; a ribbon cutting for the new Eagle Trail along the Stillaguamish River west of Haller Park; guided interpretive tours of the Nature Conservancy Estuary on the lower Stillaguamish River at Boe Road where eagles are known to hang out in large numbers; a Wildlife Art Show with eagle photographs presented by the Arlington Arts Council across the street from City Hall; wagon rides and chainsaw carver in action in the Mason’s Parking Lot in the 400 block of North Olympic Avenue, provided by the Downtown Arlington Business Association.

“This is an opportunity to experience a day of nature and honor the bald eagle,” said the city’s recreation manager Sarah Hegge.

“We started small last year and hoped the event would grow,” said Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission chair Virginia Hatch, who helped organize the event.

“This year we have added the art show across the street and are excited to celebrate the opening of the new Eagle Trail as an added attraction in city parks.”