The Latest in Pigeon Guillemot News!
By Ellen Nelson, At-Large WAS Board Member and Liaison to the Salish Sea Guillemot Network
Recent sightings of Pigeon Guillemots remind us that preparation for the 2026 breeding survey begins in mid-March. A big part of that is recruiting volunteers and assigning them to the 23 colonies on our shorelines. If you’re not one of the surveyors returning for the new season, it’s a great time to consider spending time on a beach, jetty or wharf surveying these engaging birds.
Photo credit: Lac Pope
Hot off the press: New book about Pigeon Guillemots
The upcoming publication in late March of Maria Mudd Ruth’s latest book, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet, brings insights into Pigeon Guillemots. Bridging the gap between field guide and memoir, Maria asks us to slow down, look closely and reconnect with the wild places and creatures. Maria has been a community scientist and pigeon guillemot surveyor since 2013. She’s also the author of Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet and A Sideways Look at Clouds.
Maria will be speaking at our May program meeting.