With the Backyard Wildlife Festival and Seattle Southside's other watchable wildlife attractions including the Black River Riparian Forest and the Green River Natural Resources Area, the second Saturday in May is the perfect time to experience the great outdoors and wildlife in Seattle Southside. But during any time of year, you can explore the great outdoors with the following activities.

Brimming with wildlife-friendly activities, “green living” takes main stage as the Backyard Wildlife Festival aims to inspire people to welcome wildlife into their backyards, gardens and communities. Festival mainstays like the arts and crafts marketplace, Procession of the Species Costume Parade and Certified Backyard Habitat Garden Tour will continue to delight attendees. In addition, Indie Rock Band “Bird Show of North America” and the Guided Bird Tour with Rainier Audubon Society’s Carol Shulz are back by popular demand.

The best way for humans to appreciate and take part in understanding how wildlife habitats thrive is to visit them! At 1 p.m. festival-goers can take part in the self-guided tour of local gardens certified as backyard wildlife habitats. The Festival’s information booth will provide garden maps so people can experience firsthand the benefits of wildlife gardens that successfully attract, protect, and preserve wildlife.

One garden on the tour that is open all-year round is the Macadam Winter Garden. The garden blooms with a variety of plants, trees and shrubs that demonstrate their color and beauty only in the winter months, but is a sight to see during all of the seasons!

The Black River Riparian Forest will delight avid birdwatchers and even surprise others. This area is home to the region's largest great blue heron colony as well as a couple of bald eagles. Currently, 117 herons are nesting there, which is a breathtaking site. Bring the binoculars!

To round off your trip, a visit to the Green River Natural Resources Area is an enhanced wetland facility on 304 acres. With adjacent Public Park and trail system, the site is one of the largest man-made, multi-use wildlife refuges in the United States. The site provides habitat to 165 birds and 53 mammal species. Binoculars are also a must!

And with advance notice you can schedule whale watching tours by charter boat or kayak not far from Seattle Southside!We are also within an hours drive of Northwest Trek where you can get close to more than 170 North American animals – moose, grizzly, owls, eagles and much more.   Explore this 600+ acre wildlife park by riding comfortable trams and walking forested trails.