Monthly Programs
Banner photo by Jann Ledbetter
Next General Meeting Program: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Our monthly programs feature a guest speaker presenting a subject of interest to those who love birds. We have nine programs a year, with no program in July, August and December, on the second Thursday of the month, and they are free and open to the public. Drop by and enjoy the company as we all learn something new from our featured guest. See our Calendar or Events List for upcoming programs.
Above: Black-billed Mountain Toucan putting on the breaks.
Photo by Peter Cavanagh taken in Columbia.
Left: Peter Cavanagh in the field.
Peter Cavanagh is a scientist, author, and bird photographer who lives in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. He is drawn to the study of bird flight by his experiences as an instrument-rated private pilot, his professional training in anatomy and biomechanics, and his passion for nature and the outdoors.
His images have been featured in the Audubon Society’s Top 100 Bird Photographs of the Year. He is the author of 100 FLYING BIRDS: Photographing the Mechanics of Flight and HOW BIRDS FLY: The Science and Art of Avian Flight. He has traveled widely to photograph birds on every continent, most recently to India and Bhutan.
His work can be found at www.petercavanagh.us and on Instagram @petercavanaghbirds
General Program Meeting:
How Birds Fly: the Science and Art of Avian Flight
Thursday, October 9 at 7 p.m.
Nordic Hall, 63 Jacobs Road, Coupeville
Join bird photographer and biomechanist Peter Cavanagh as he explores the intriguing world of avian flight in his talk, How Birds Fly: The Science and Art of Avian Flight which is also the title of his latest book. Discover the reasons behind bird flight, the evolution of dinosaur limbs into bird wings, and the origins of the first flying birds. Peter will also delve into the enigmatic mechanics of flapping flight, and give insights into how birds take off, land, migrate and perform aerodynamic feats that surpass those of airplanes.
The public is welcome to this free event. Doors open at 7 p.m. for socializing. There is a brief meeting at 7:15 and the program begins at 7:30.
Volunteers are needed to bring sweet or savory snacks and help set up the room. Please go to the Whidbey Audubon website volunteer page. In the left-hand column, fill in your name and contact information, select the box “Events, Field Trips and Tabling” and describe what you can bring or do in the comment section. Then click on “Submit.” Thank you.
The next general membership meeting is November 13 at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Freeland, Arctic Visitors with Ed Dominguez.
