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Queer Flockers

@queer_flockers

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📍Portland, Oregon
A monthly event for queer folks to learn and experience birding and socialize. All are welcome!

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thanks to everyone who made it out to swift watch this year! it's always such a great gift to watch this incredible display together. let's continue to appreciate, respect and protect vaux's swifts and their habitats!

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Thanks for expressing concerns for the safety of the swifts. We wanted to create a post instead of having something buried in the comment section. Please refer to BAO's website for the swift FAQ which offers plenty of ideas and tips for caring supporting our beloved Vaux's Swifts. They also post past years results and you might find another viewing location works better for you.

[image description:
slide 1: a text-based graphic of a vaux's swift close up in the upper right hand corner, and a group of vaux's swifts descending into a chimney in the lower left hand corner. text reads: "fbc.pdx and queer flockers. swift watch september 12, 2026. Hi, everyone! Here's a post acknowledging and addressing community concerns.

slide 2: We agree with community sentiment regarding protecting the roosting Vaux’s Swifts and love how much support people have expressed for them in the comments of the event post. We approached this event well-intentioned and were given permission by the church to host our event in their space as we did two years ago, and we believe that we will be successful again in being respectful guests as the company we keep and invite in are delightfully amazing.

slide 3: As two of the collection of niche local birding groups, our primary aim is to share our love of nature with marginalized and underrepresented communities to encourage the same deep appreciation for future generations. The hope is to create opportunities serving as “on-ramps” to nature and conservation, and wouldn’t host the event if we felt like our presence would be harmful.

slide 4: Our conversation with BAO’s Metro Area Biologist and Staff Naturalist have confirmed that there is not an ask to stay home, but for everyone to be conscious of minimizing our impact on the neighborhoods where the swifts are roosting.

We have used our due diligence to the best of our knowledge to regard the swifts and community space and with the blessing of our buddies at BAO, and we look forward to sharing the space with you all to enjoy one of the spectacles that makes Portland magical.

Swift FAQ: https://birdallianceoregon.org/go-outside/swift-watch/swift-watch-faqs/

end description.]

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If you haven't been keeping up with the Vaux's Swifts behaviors over the last couple of years, you might be surprised to know that Chapman Elementary isn't the largest roost anymore. Instead, they seem to have split into smaller groups and scattered to various locations. Please come out and join us this year at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral located at 3131 NE Glisan St.

NO ALCOHOL will be permitted on the church campus. Dress for the weather and consider packing a picnic for yourself. The church was kind enough to allow us to use the space again and asked that we use street parking only if arriving by vehicle as they have an event ending at 6pm. Consider carpooling or using public transit.

Accessibility notes: There is a ramp entrance to the parking lot, which leads to the plaza from here: 45.5271512, -122.6325019

Trimet: Bus 19, Stop at Glisan & 32nd (Stop ID: 2109)

[image description:
1. a text-based graphic of a vaux's swift close up in the upper right hand corner, and a group of vaux's swifts descending into a chimney in the lower left hand corner. text reads: "fbc.pdx and queer flockers. swift watch september 12 @ 6:15 pm. meet at holy trinity greek orthodox cathedral 3131 NE glisan st. on the stone plaza. pack a picnic! no alcohol permitted on campus. street parking only. please be respectful of the space and pack out whatever you packed in.

2. a screenshot of an overhead map of the holy trinity greek orthodox cathedral with a purple circle indicating the meeting location on the south west portion of the property.
end description.]

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Whatever you look like, whoever is in your family, however you identify, and whomever you love, the outdoors is for you. Diversity is key to a healthy ecosystem and to an effective movement. We strive to help ensure the people doing the work reflect what society and nature really look like: diverse. Make sure to follow the orgs listed in the post, and drop anyone else we missed in the comments!
Bonus: If you read the whole caption, let us know your favorite queer ecology fact

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Here are our May programs, including our yearly Mother's Day Show and Sale! 🌺

We are officially in our busy season with most of our rhododendrons in bloom. The current bloom status of our rhodies can be checked on our website, under the ‘visit’ tab, you’ll see ‘Spring Bloom Tracker'.

Check the Event Calendar in our bio to learn more!

#mothersday #csrgpdx #springgarden #rhododendronsforsale

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CBC 2025! thanks to all who made it out to count birds and contribute to the largest community science project in history!

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It's that time of year again! Join @fbc.pdx and @queer_flockers for an evening picnic-style hang as we watch thousands of Vaux's Swifts spiral into the chimney at Abernathy Elementary. This event is open to everyone. New birders, those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC folks are especially encouraged.

The swifts have been coming to pit stops in Portland for decades during fall migration to rest as they make their way to Central America for the winter. Will a Cooper's Hawk hankering for a bedtime snack find them at this new location? Boo or cheer if they do–#teamswift or #teamhawk? We won't judge.

—>>>Meet at the BASKETBALL COURTS at 6 PM (on Elliot Ave, see map). Look for the pride flag and Queer Flockers sign!

—>>>NO ALCOHOL is allowed on the school grounds where we'll be gathering, but we will invite folks to grab drinks at Lucky Lab (915 SE Hawthorne) after all the swifts are tucked in. Please feel free to bring non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Smoking on the grounds is also a no-no.

We'll be chillin on blankets and have plenty to share, but you're welcome to bring your own or lawn chairs. As always, we will have binoculars to share, too, and a scope set up on the chimney for folks to look through.

We'll educate you all about the swifts–who they are and what they're up to! This is a very laid back event. Bring your non-birder friends. Secretly convert them into bird lovers. It's the queer agenda.

Hope to see you there!

/// Transit Info ////

On street parking is limited. Please be kind to the neighbors!

Bike racks are located at the elementary school entrance on Orange Ave. Niketown bikes and ramps are located on Elliot St near Division.

Trimet buses #10 and #FX2 stop at SE Division & 12th(eastbound)/11th(westbound), just a couple minutes mosey from Abernathy Elementary. Stop ID 1375 & 14244.

/// Accessibility Info ///

Mobility Info: Sloped curb cuts exist at the crosswalk in front of the entrance of the school and on the corner of 12th/Elliot Ave & Division, Elliot Ave & Birch St, Birch St & Orange Ave. Wheelchair friendly entrances to the courts exist in two spots on the Elliot Ave side of the school.

Sensory info: see comments below

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🌈 Happy Pride Month 🌈
This summer, WEBS is partnering with Queer Flockers to host a Coastal Birding Extravaganza for queer folks to learn, bird, and be in community! We will explore the tidal flats of Tillamook Bay, the sandy beach of Bayocean Spit, and the dramatic cliffs of Cape Meares.

Space is limited! We’ve got 10 spots for our Portland-based Flockers and 10 spots for folks in Tillamook County.

Visit www.netartsbaywebs.org/events to register and see our lineup of summer events!

*Registration opens today, June 17th, at 5pm*

#pridemonth #oregoncoast #birding #netartsbaywebs

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Calling all QUEER birders! Dig up your ugliest christmas sweater & strap in for a full day of birding! For the 2nd year in a row, FBC PDX & Queer Flockers are going wing2wing to see who can log the most species in the time honored citizen science tradition known as the Christmas Bird Count. FBC and QF are each putting together a team of queer birders who are ready to bird their butts off all day. We are looking for 8-10 birders to join each team. If that’s you, please register by midnight Dec 11th (link in bios--to join the FBC team, follow the link in the FBC IG bio / to join the QF team, follow the link in the QF bio).

You don't need to stay for the entire duration, but we are looking for people willing to commit to participating at least half the day. Afterwards, we will celebrate with a potluck for all CBC participants provided by Friends of Tualatin River NWR when we roll in from our long day of birding, around 3:30 or 4pm.

To participate, you do not need to be an expert birder by any means, but ideally you are somewhat comfortable identifying common birds in the Portland area. We will have advanced birders on the team, so the hope is that with a group, we will have many eyes and ears open for birds that we can collectively ID. This is a great opportunity for novice birders to learn and sharpen their ID skills!

/////

Accessibility Information
Teams should plan on walking about 5-6 miles during this survey. Mainly mown paths (not formal trails). Participants will not be asked to move through brush, navigate difficult terrain, swim around in the wetlands, etc. However, these paths and areas do not meet ADA requirements for accessibility. Each team will be responsible for surveying 2-3 units, and these units can all be accessed by car and are all within a 15 minute drive of one another. Optional carpools between the units will be arranged within teams.

If you have additional accessibility related questions please do not hesitate to comment below or shoot us a dm.

Other Logistics
Coffee and snacks will be provided by Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge in the morning. If you need a pair of binoculars, we've got several pairs available to loan.

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still here still queer 😘

PS. 48+ events on our community cal this week!

Join the email list to get the full Portland event list 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹 to your inbox, every Wednesday.

Links in bio for:
➡️ email signup
➡️ event calendar
➡️ form to submit events
➡️ support & sponsorships 💕

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🚨‼️NEW LOCATION‼️🚨
The swifts have moved, so we will follow! Please join us at the new location:

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral
3131 NE Glisan St

We will gather on the stone plaza in front of the church.

NO ALCOHOL will be permitted on the church campus. Pack a picnic and we will grab drinks at Migration Brewing afterwards (2828 NE Glisan St).

Street parking will still be limited!

Accessibility notes: There is a ramp entrance to the parking lot, which leads to the plaza from here: 45.5271512, -122.6325019

Trimet: Bus 19, Stop at Glisan & 32nd (Stop ID: 2109)

[image description:

1. a flyer for the swift watch event with a text banner layered across the image with pink and orange gradient that reads "update".

2. a text-based graphic of a vaux's swift close up in the upper right hand corner, and a group of vaux's swifts descending into a chimney in the lower left hand corner. text reads: "fbc.pdx and queer flockers. swift watch september 21 @ 6 pm. meet at holy trinity greek orthodox cathedral 3131 NE glisan st. on the stone plaza. pack a picnic! no alcohol permitted on campus, but we'll grab drinks afterwards at migration brewing / 2828 NE glisan"

3. a screenshot of a map of the holy trinity greek orthodox cathedral with a purple circle indicating the meeting location on the south west portion of the property.

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