April 11, 2024 The Mystery of Owls with Isabelle Edwards
Unfortunately the speaker misunderstood the date and the program was cancelled. Have you ever been curious about owls? Learn more about these mysterious nocturnal birds at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11th. We will be doing a deep dive into owl photography and life history with Izzy Edwards. Follow along as Izzy shares her experiences of how she began her photographic/naturalist journey and what led her to become immersed in the world of owls. The program is preceded by a short meeting to nominate Board President and Vice President. The elections are at the May 9 meeting. Register to see online or come to the Coupeville Recreation Hall.
Isabelle (Izzy) Edwards is a 21-year-old nature photographer based in Longbranch/Alki, Washington. Izzy has been passionate about wildlife her whole life and she is especially drawn to owls. She has devoted the past 6 years to locating, observing and photo-documenting owls and has become an accomplished owl photographer. She has participated in various field conservation opportunities including the Global Owl Project's Burrowing Owl project in northern Oregon. She teaches about the life history of owls at schools and organizations throughout the
March 14, 2024 Shining a Light on Moths with David Droppers
There is so much more to moths than you realize, a world more! Not only are they far more important pollinators than people realize, but they're also key to getting more birds in your yard. How?! David will explain that by becoming a moth-er, and catering to the night-shift pollinators in your gardens, you'll also be setting the dinner plate for your birds. And those moths - oh what a world of wonders they hold, so complimentary to birds, and indeed wholly unique. You'll never think of a moth the same way again.
David’s bio: David Droppers has been teaching courses on topics from birds to butterflies to trees to microorganisms for a variety of groups, including college biology courses and non-profit environmental groups. He has put his expertise to work for the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, University of Washington, and Woodland Park Zoo, among many others. He is ecstatic about sharing his passion for the natural world with others who wish to learn. His enthusiasm is said to be contagious!
A video recording of the program is available here. The audio in the recording is corrected at the 4’13” point.
February 8, 2024 Measuring the Heartbeat of the Planet through Birds
"It’s easy to feel hopeless these days. Our planet is on the edge, nearer than ever to the point of no return. Bird populations are crashing, as ecosystems around the world suffer from climate change, habitat loss and myriad forms of anthropogenic deterioration,” says Brian Sullivan, who will be describing ecosystem tools anyone can use to monitor bird populations and behavior.
Sullivan is the digital publications lead for Information Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. His team creates these apps to engage a global community of birders to generate the best most actionable science from the data and get these data into the hands of decision-makers around the world — all in a collective effort to ‘bend the curve’ for birds, biodiversity and humanity.
He urges, "Learn how you are making a difference in this battle, or how you could. Together, we can measure the heartbeat of our planet through birds.”
A video recording of the program is available here.
January 11, 2024 — Washington's 12 Woodpecker Species with Jeff Kozma
Did you know Washington has 12 species of woodpeckers? Jeff Kozma, Timber, Fish and Wildlife (TFW) Wildlife Biologist with the Yakama Nation reviews key plumage and vocal characteristics needed to identify all 12 of Washingtons' breeding woodpecker species. Kozma will also discuss habitat and behavioral differences between the species to further aid in identification. The program is virtual.
Kozma has been studying the ecology of White-headed Woodpeckers and other cavity-nesting birds in managed forests since 2003. He is the lead author of the Birds of the World account for the White-headed Woodpecker. He also reviews timber sales on the ceded lands of the Yakama Nation to help protect habitat important to state and federally listed wildlife.
To enjoy the program recording, see it here on YouTube.
November 9, 2023 – Between the Tides: Whidbey’s Birding Gem — Deer Lagoon Preserve
Deer Lagoon is a state recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) with at least 211 different bird species having been documented at the lagoon. Washington State Fish and Wildlife has concluded Deer Lagoon is the single most important site on Whidbey Island for use by waterfowl, year around. The lagoon is a critical resting and feeding site for migrating shorebirds in the spring and fall. It has been labeled the most important wetlands in Island County and for this reason alone deserves the highest levels of protection.
Carlos Andersen shares images and stories to illustrate his love and passion for birds and the natural environment at Deer Lagoon Preserve. He is a Whidbey Audubon Society member, field trip leader and former Conservation Committee member. He has dedicated his life to environmental protection and preservation. You can often find him down at Deer Lagoon, looking through his scope or binoculars at the incredible diversity of life that lives at or passes through. Andersen led a field trip to Deer Lagoon the following day, November 10.
To get involved in protecting Deer Lagoon see the Deer Lagoon page.
A recording of his presentation is here.
October 12, 2023 – Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue
Program cancelled due to fog in the Strait preventing ferry passage.
September 14, 2023 – Life on the Rocks with Steve and Martha Ellis
Whidbey’s rocky and sandy shorelines attract a variety of specialized shorebirds. This diverse group ranges from the robust Whimbrel and Black Oystercatcher to the diminutive Black Turnstone and Rock Sandpiper. Many other birds visit the rocks but only a handful can thrive here.
Each of these species has its own adaptations and behaviors for surviving in this harsh environment. Much can be learned from the shape of the bill: Turnstone – flat, pointed and slightly upturned; Oystercatcher – stout, long and straight; Whimbrel – long and downcurved. They all feed among the rocks, but from different shelves in Nature’s supermarket.
Highlights of the program include courtship and nesting, flight patterns, and population trends. You’ll learn the best times and locations for viewing these fascinating birds on Whidbey Island.
Coupeville Recreation Hall.
June 8, 2023 — Celebrating Birds and Birding
Celebrating Birds and Birders
The last general membership meeting of Whidbey Audubon Society's 2022-2023 season is a celebration all who keep aloft its work. This is an in person meeting only and starts at 7 p.m. at the Coupeville Recreation Center at 901 Northwest Alexander Street in Coupeville. We’ll be congratulating new officers and thanking the outgoing ones. The President’s Award will be presented to the most outstanding member of this past year. All are urged to share bird sightings, photos, anecdotes and games. The Bronze Owl Bank will be awarded to the Birdathon team who inspired the greatest monetary donations in May. This is an opportunity to socialize, share and learn about a new plan for growing volunteers, query some of Whidbey Audubon experts of various birding fields, talk about this past year, summer plans and what’s up for next season.
Refreshments are provided. Bring your photos to share — printed or on a flash drive for screen sharing. A book exchange will be available. The new batch of Whidbey Audubon Society ball caps will be available for a $30 donation.
The public is welcome. The next meeting of the 2023–2024 season will be on September 14
April 13, 2023 - Seabirds, Citizen Science and Saving the World with Julia Parrish of COASST
in 2009, thousands of surf scoters washed ashore along the outer coast of Washington. In 2014, tens of thousands of Cassin’s auklets littered beaches from Haida Gwaii in British Columbia south to Newport, Oregon. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of common murres were found from California north to the Gulf of Alaska. And in 2016, thousands of rhinoceros auklets died in the Salish Sea. Is this normal? Join Dr. Julia Parrish to learn more about seabird patterns and COASST (Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team) — the largest beached bird monitoring program in the world.
This free hybrid program is hosted by the Whidbey Audubon Society on Thursday, April 13 at the Coupeville Recreation Hall, 901 Northwest Alexander Street.
March 9, 2023 – Glorious Gulls with Connie Sidles
When many people — including a lot of birders! — see a gull flying by, they shrug and say, "Oh, there goes another gull." They don't see the glory of these silvery inhabitants of sea and shore. Gulls are wondrous birds: smart survivors in a world much changed by humans; graceful flyers that fill our skies; raucous communicators full of secrets. If you're curious about their lives, come here master birder Connie Sidles explore the wild nature of gulls. You'll never shrug them off again.
The video of this program is available here.
February 9, 2023 – Listen to Her Sing with Nathan Pieplow
Only male birds sing, right? Wrong! In fact, this widespread notion has a lot more to do with human cultural and geographic biases than it has to do with nature. Whidbey Audubon Society presents Nathan Pieplow, who will explore the often-overlooked songs of female birds. The program is virtual via Zoom on Thursday, February 9. Pieplow shares audio recordings of pair duets of meadowlarks and blackbirds, the musical songs of female cardinals and orioles and the distinctive song of the female Canyon Wren, among others. He’ll discuss such questions such as: in which species do females actually sing more often than males? How does one know when they’re listening to a female Blue Jay? And where did this crazy idea come from, that only male birds sing?
Nathan Pieplow is the author of the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds, published in two volumes, one for Eastern and one for Western North America. An avid bird sound recordist and videographer, he is the author of the bird sound blog Earbirding.com, a board member of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, an author of the "Colorado Birding Trail" and former editor of the journal Colorado Birds. He teaches writing and rhetoric at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
The video of this program is available here.
January 12, 2023 - The Most Overlooked Birds in North America: Females with Joanna Wu
Female birds are typically drabber and more inconspicuous than males, leading over time to an unconscious bias towards male birds in birdwatching, photography and even in general ornithological knowledge. Whidbey Audubon Society is hosting researcher Joanna Wu for its monthly program meeting on Thursday, January 14. Wu explores the history of male bird focus, female vocalizations, conservation implications of overlooking female birds and female bird identification tips.
Joanna Wu is a PhD student studying female birds in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Los Angeles. She previously worked at National Audubon Society and is a member of the Galbatross Project, a group of birders, scientists, writers and conservationists who are passionate about spreading awareness about female birds.
The video recording is here.
November 10, 2022 Program: A Dead Tree's Excellent Adventure with Ken Bevis
What happens when a tree dies in the forest? Washington State Stewardship Biologist Ken Bevis presented a program on the value of dead wood in the forest to the Whidbey Audubon Society on Thursday, November 10, online.
Bevis will track the changes in the dead tree, from fresh dead, to hard snag, to soft snag, to down log and all of the life that follows in the decaying wood. The important ecological role of dead trees is explored, particularly by way of habitat use by the many species. In fact, almost 40 percent of forest wildlife are somehow dependent and tied to dead wood for their survival. Suggestions for management are to be included.
October 13, 2022 Program–What Is a Raptor Anyways? with Tom Bancroft
"Birders love to look for raptors, and we often talk about these birds. But what are they? Hawks, eagles and falcons for sure, but what about owls? Some say “vertebrate” eaters with talons, but does that eliminate kites that eat a lot of insects? What about shrikes which seem like ferocious hunters? Lots to think about. Fascinating, too, is how these birds evolved. Recent genetic work shows that falcons are not very closely related to hawks, eagles and kites. It turns out that the closest relatives of falcons are parrots and passerines rather than those other “raptors.” Then, what do we do with vultures?”
September 8. 2022 Program: White Swans of Winter with Martha Jordan
Martha Jordan, well-known swan biologist, will present a program on the native swans in the Pacific Northwest, Trumpeter and Tundra. She talks about their life history, biology and some swan identification tips. She will give updates on eastern Washington swans and how Washington’s west and east sides are connected for swans, not only in Washington but along the entire flyway. Learn about the connection between swans and snow geese and their management connections. Jordan will shed some light on the problems and controversies these birds face on their wintering grounds and what is needed to insure their future. Get updated on the swan lead poisoning problem, winter habitat issues, avian influenza and more. Attenders will leave with resources to help identify swans in the field. Learn how to help Get the Lead Out of both shooting and fishing sporting activities. This is vital to the welfare of swans and all waterbirds. Click here to view the recording
June 9, 2022 Program — Homewaters by David B. Williams
A free ZOOM presentation by David B. Williams, based on his book, Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, Williams will focus on the long story of the Sound, tracing human history from the earliest records more than 12,500 years ago to present. Along the way, he’ll discuss Native people, the arrival of explorers and settlers and how the various inhabitants adapted to place. He will also weave in stories of the natural world, covering often overlooked species such as Olympia oysters, rockfish, geoduck, kelp and herring, as well as salmon and orca. Williams is an author, naturalist, and tour guide whose new book is a deep exploration of the stories of this beautiful waterway. He is also the author of the award-winning book, Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Topography, as well as Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City and Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology. Williams is a Curatorial Associate at the Burke Museum. Follow him on Twitter @geologywriter.
May 12, 2022 - The Aerialists: one tough way to make a living with Steve and Martha Ellis
Rescheduled from April 14, same great topic by our intrepid presenters, Steve and Martha Ellis, who have prepared this description: All bird species in our area have the ability to fly, and many of them make contact with their food from the air. Of the 232 species on Whidbey Audubon’s checklist, however, less than 10 percent feed almost exclusively on flying prey. These are the aerialists: swallows, swifts, nighthawk, flycatchers, accipiters and falcons. There’s a simple reason why seed eating species such as sparrows are so numerous: their food can’t escape. And while we rightfully marvel at a Red-tailed Hawk dropping on a vole, try catching an evasive insect traveling six inches above the ground while you’re flying 25 to 45 miles per hour. Or attempt to single out a bird in flight from a twisting flock of 500 Dunlin. The slightest miscalculation will result in serious harm.
Presenters are longtime Coupeville residents Steve and Martha Ellis. Steve is a past president of Whidbey Audubon Society and Martha is a member of the Washington Native Plant Society. Together they have been leading field trips and giving talks on a wide range of natural history topics for more than 30 years.
A video recording of the recording is available here.
April 14, 2022 — The Aerialists: One tough way to make a living.
Presenters Steve and Martha Ellis are ill and this program will be rescheduled.
They will explain that all bird species in our area have the ability to fly, and many of them make contact with their food from the air. Of the 232 species on Whidbey Audubon’s checklist, however, less than 10 percent feed almost exclusively on flying prey. These are the aerialists: swallows, swifts, nighthawk, flycatchers, accipiters and falcons. There’s a simple reason why seed eating species such as sparrows are so numerous: their food can’t escape. And while we rightfully marvel at a Red-tailed Hawk dropping on a vole, try catching an evasive insect traveling six inches above the ground while you’re flying 25 to 45 miles per hour. Or attempt to single out a bird in flight from a twisting flock of 500 Dunlin. The slightest miscalculation will result in serious harm. The aerialists are some of the most overlooked and underappreciated bird species. Each has its unique adaptations and habits that allow them to exploit food sources unavailable to other birds. Each also faces daunting challenges.
The Ellis’s are longtime Coupeville residents, Steve is a past president of Whidbey Audubon Society and Martha is a member of the Washington Native Plant Society. Together they have been leading field trips and giving talks on a wide range of natural history topics for more than 30 years.
March 10, 2022 – Rooted: Connecting to the Earth with Lyanda Lynn Haupt
This was the first hybrid meeting with 26 people in person at the Bayview Cash Store and others on Zoom. The did not project well.
Haupt’s writing is at the forefront of the movement to connect people with nature and wilderness in their everyday lives. She states, "We live in a time when cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: that life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature and they affect this whole in return. In a time of ecological crisis, this talk explores practices for living with meaning on our beloved, imperiled earth.”
Haupt is an Audubon master birder. She has created and directed educational programs for Seattle Audubon, worked in raptor rehabilitation in Vermont and been a seabird researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the remote tropical Pacific. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications such as Orion, Discover, Utne, LA Times Literary Supplement, Wild Earth and others.
Books that she has written include Mozart’s Starling, The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild, Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness, Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent and Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds. Her highly personal new book, Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirt, invites us to live with the earth in ways that are both simple and profound. She lives in Seattle with her husband and daughter and a mixed backyard chicken flock.
February 10. 2022, Of Puffins and Petrels with Peter Hodum, Ph.D.
Although Washington is blessed with a rich community of breeding and wintering seabirds, relatively little is known about the ecology and conservation status of many of the species, particularly the burrow-nesters. This relative lack of knowledge extends to iconic species such as the Tufted Puffin, a species listed as Endangered by Washington State. Moving between islands, seascapes and species of the waters of Washington, Peter J. Hodum, Ph.D., shares stories about a collaborative research program focused on improving our understanding of the ecology and conservation status of species such as the Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros Auklet, Cassin’s Auklet and Leach’s and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels.
Hodum is a professor in the Biology Department and the Environmental Policy and Decision-Making Program at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington and the Chile Program Director for Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, a conservation nonprofit organization. His research focuses primarily on the conservation and ecology of threatened seabirds and island ecosystems in Chile and Washington State. His work also has a strong focus on community-based conservation, including how communities can be more effectively and authentically involved in conservation.
A video recording of this program is available here.
January 13, 2022, The Superlative Laysan Albatross with Hob Osterlund
Everything about Laysan Albatross is superlative: they fly unbelievable distances, live longer than any other wild bird and are iconically devoted to their chicks. They spend about 90 percent of their lives airborne and most of that time is solitary. Since all species of albatross nest on remote islands, however, it can be difficult to see them in person. The Hawaiian Island of Kaua`i is an exception to that rule and is the only place in the world where albatross nest within a goodsized community of humans. Laysans likely nested there for millions of years but disappeared when people arrived about a thousand years ago. In the 1970s a few birds, likely from Midway Atoll, began visiting Kaua`i again. In 1979 the first chick fledged from its shores in perhaps a millennium. Since then, the population has grown gradually and has given observers a chance to learn more about the brief amount of time they spend on terra firma.
Osterlund spent her career as an advanced practical nurse in the acute care hospital setting. During those years she was the principal investigator for the Comedy in Chemotherapy Study. She also performed a comedy character, Ivy Push, RN, for national audiences. She now devotes herself full time to the well-being of Hawaii’s native birds, with a special focus on the Laysan Albatross. She wrote Holy Mōlī: Albatross and Other Ancestors (Oregon State University Press, 2016, 4th printing), produced of a short documentary called Kalama‘s Journey, www.albatrosskauai.org, and a bird guide for Kaua`i.
A video recording of this program is available here.
November 11, 2021 program: Bird Flight: Photographs, Stories and Science
As any birder knows who has tried to photograph a bird in flight, it is not an easy task. Whidbey Audubon Society’s November 11 meeting features photographer Peter Cavanagh who presents some of the flight photographs that appear in his recent book, 100 Flying Birds: Photographing the Mechanics of Flight. He will recount stories behind the shots, the locations and anecdotes about the birds and their behavior. He will also focus on illuminating the mechanics of bird flight.
Cavanagh is a resident of Lopez Island, Washington who travels around the world to photograph birds in flight. He was raised and educated in the United Kingdom and had a long career in academia (Penn State, the Cleveland Clinic, University of Washington) studying the mechanics of human movement on earth and during spaceflight. His interest in bird flight photography and flight mechanics developed naturally from his professional background and insights into aerodynamics gained during completion of an instrument rating as a private pilot. His images have been included three times in the Audubon magazine’s “Top 100 Bird Photographs of the Year” by the Audubon Society. His book, 100 Flying Birds: Photographing the Mechanics of Flight, is due to be released by publisher Firefly Books this fall 2021. Learn more about Peter Cavanagh on his website, and follow him on Instagram: @petercavanaghbirds.
A video of this program is available here.
October 14 and 21, 2021 - Birdscaping with Carolyn Wilcox in 2 Parts
Birds and other wildlife need four components in order to survive: food, water, shelter and a place to raise their young. Whidbey Audubon Society invited naturalist and educator Carolyn Wilcox to describe both how and why it’s important to provide these elements at its Thursday October 14 free program meeting at 7 p.m. Wilcox had so much to say, she continued her presentation, virtually on Thursday, October 21 at 7 p.m. Her presentation may be especially useful to community groups applying for Whidbey Audubon Society’s Habitat Grant, due Ocfober 31.
Wilcox merged her passions for hands-on education, natural history and outdoor exploration by starting ExperienceOlympic based in Port Angeles. She is the owner, hiking guide, birding guide and naturalist of the organization. Check it out here: experienceolympic.com.
A recording of Part 1 is available here. Part 2 is available here.
Sept 9, 2021 - Nature's Best Hope
Douglas Tallamy, PhD, an entomologist at the University of Delaware, discusses the importance of native plants for birds. He focuses on content of his latest book, "Nature’s Best Hope: a New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard".
When considering birds or pollinators in personal yards, most people have likely selected plants to provide berries or seeds for birds, or flowers to support insect pollinators.
But what about the food the songbirds need to raise their young? The most important food source for most of backyard birds is caterpillars. Nestlings of one pair of chickadees may consume between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge, all foraged within a 150-foot radius of the nest. We may not have breeding birds if we don’t have enough caterpillars.
Tallamy details how individual homeowners and landscapers can help reverse birds’ decline, one yard at a time. He says, “It is not the presence of nonnative plants that destroys food webs. It is the absence of native plants.”
A version of the presentation is available here.
June 10, 2021 The Evolution of a Birder
At some point every dedicated bird watcher reaches a place when he or she realizes that birding is not a passing fancy but is now a part of one’s core being. Once that juncture has been reached, a person starts thinking about how to get more out of the birding experience. Presenter George Armistead of Rockjumper Worldwide Birding Adventures explores areas in which a birder can grow both in skill and enjoyment, while also considering where one can make a real impact within the community and in what can be known about birds.
Phenology: the Study of the Seasons
May 13, 2021 program presented via Zoom by Erin Posthumus, from the National Phenology Network, about how data can be used to anticipate and prepare for climate change. Phenology is the study of the seasons — when plants leaf out and bloom, birds migrate and insects emerge. These life cycles are a critical part of nearly every ecological relationship. As temperatures warm and precipitation patterns change, phenology of many species is advancing and not always at the same rate. Migratory birds in particular face mismatches in timing between breeding periods and food resources, with cascading impacts on their ecosystems. In this presentation Posthumus describes at what is known about the challenges birds are facing, how they are coping and what can be done to help document the changes in phenology happening around us.
Erin Posthumus is the Outreach Coordinator and Liaison to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the National Phenology Network, a science initiative that aims to collect, store and share information on plant and animal seasonal activity.
To see the recorded program click here.
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Western Washington
April 8, 2021 – Dragonflies are often called “birdwatchers’ insects,” as they are large, colorful and active during the day, unlike so many other insects, and they exhibit complex behaviors, some of which are comparable to those of birds. Dennis Paulson describes common species of this group in western Washington. Where do they live? When might you see them? What is especially interesting about them?Paulson has been studying dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) since he chose them as a subject for his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Miami in 1966. He has lived in Washington for 53 years and has studied the Odonata of the state during that entire time, as well as studying and photographing them all over the world. Meeting presented via Zoom. To see the recorded program click here.
Do Crows Have Language? with Douglas Wacker
March 11, 2021 – Do crows have a language like humans? That’s what University of Washington Professor Douglas Wacker wants to know. Crows fascinate humans because they appear to share some human characteristics. They’re smart, often social and make a variety of vocalizations. In this talk, Wacker explores some past work on crow vocal communication, as well as some more recent research being conducted with undergraduates at the University of Washington Bothell where he is an assistant professor of animal behavior. He’ll discuss what some of those caws might mean and address the question of whether crows have something akin to language. He has studied a local communal roost of over16,000 American Crows on the Bothell campus since 2012. The presentation was via Zoom.
Malheur—Where the birds are plentiful and the people are not
February 11, 2021 – a photographic journey through space and time in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by Dan Streiffert of the Rainier Audubon Society. Three migration routes converge in the Malheur area, making it one of the most important feeding and resting locations on the Pacific Flyway. Thousands of Northern Pintails, Snow and Ross’s Geese, American Wigeons, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers and Canvasbacks rest and refuel here on their long migrations. Hundreds of Sandhill Cranes and Trumpeter Swans add to this spectacle, which is in full swing from mid-March to mid-April. To see the recorded program click here.
Hummingbirds: Masters of the Air
January 14, 2021 Connie Sidles presents her observations and studies about the hummingbirds she’s studied from the Montlake Fill on the University of Washington campus. She says, “With their ability to hover in place, fly upside-down or backwards and cross seas without stopping, hummingbirds seem immune to the ordinary laws of physics. Their jewel-tone feathers flash in the sun brighter than rubies or emeralds. Their wings flap faster than the eye can see. Their courtship flights defy gravity. These tiny dynamos of the avian world both fascinate and flummox us.
Westport Seabirds: A Day Offshore
November 12, 2020 presenter Bill Tweit gives an overview of what to expecton a Westport Seabirds pelagic boat trip and some tips on how to prepare. Pelagic birds live their lives on the open water, only coming ashore to breed. Learn some basic information about the marine ecosystem that supports bird life offshore. To see the recorded program click here.
Insects versus Birds
October 8, 2020 program featured entomologist Joseph Sheldon and the amazing relationship between birds and their insect prey. The bizarre appearance of many insects can only be explained by considering their role and effectiveness in avoiding bird predators. This virtual presentation examined that story and an overview of the various strategies utilized by insects to avoid bird predation. To see the recorded program click here.
The Snowy Owl and the Great Gray Owl
September 10, 2020, award-winning author and photographer Paul Bannick presented an intimate visual exploration of the life histories of the Snowy Owl and the Great Gray Owl. Through dozens of never-before-published images of these great birds, also known as arctic owl and the great gray ghost, Bannick describes how they survive, breed and live alongside other wildlife on the Arctic tundra, the Western mountains and in wintering areas farther south.
For the Love of Birds: Preventing Window Strikes
February 13, 2020, scientific researchers have estimated that between 365 million to 1 billion birds die from window collisions in the United States each year. Avian conservationist Kim Nelson discussed the effectiveness, aesthetics, affordability and feasibility of various window treatments used in collision prevention as well as focus on collision monitoring programs in North America.
Seattle’s Adaptable Urban Cooper’s Hawks
January 9, 2020, Ed Deal from the Urban Raptor Conservancy provided insights into these common but elusive raptors by covering the their breeding season and more with photos and videos. Twenty-five years ago Cooper’s hawks began colonizing urban and suburban landscapes throughout the US, evolving a tolerance for living in proximity to humans.
Where Do They Go from Here?
November 14, 2019, Connie Sidles of Seattle Audubon Society presented the latest research and information on bird migration. She addressed questions such as where do birds go in the fall to get away from the Pacific Northwest winter? How do they know when to go? How do they find their way? What motivates them? What do they face on their long journeys? GPS sensors help scientists learn about bird migration.
Why Is the Northern Spotted Owl Endangered?
October 10, 2019, natural resource scientist Joseph B. Buchanan presented background on the ecology of the Northern Spotted Owls. He provided an update on status of the species, conservation challenges and research and management actions that address those challenges. Buchanan is with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife where he has worked for 28 years. For 32 years, he has been involved in research, conservation and management relating to Spotted Owls in Washington.
What in the World are Goatsuckers?
September 12, 2019, insect ecologist Joseph Sheldon, Ph.D. told about the intriguing class of birds known as Goatsuckers. The local species is the Common Nighthawk which feeds on insects and uses echolocation to navigate.
Puget Sound Energy's Avian Protection Program
June 13, 2019, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Melvin Walters, manager of the avian protection program, addressed how the utility company protects birds from injury on power lines. PSE’s newest avian protection program brochure and other information was on display at the meeting. A major goal of Whidbey Audubon Society’s 2019 Powerful Partnership with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) was to educate the public about PSE’s continued commitment to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act through its Avian Protection Program.
Birding Whidbey Island with Craig and Joy Johnson
May 9, 2019, graphic designer, artist Craig Johnson and writer Joy Kosola Johnson presented their film which covers 21 on-island locations, showing dozens of interesting bird behaviors and featuring over 125 different bird species. This inspiring one-hour film tours Possession Beach to Deception Pass State Park, illustrating Whidbey Island’s remarkable biodiversity.
Do Birds of a Feather Flock Together? Stories from Puget Sound Seabird Surveys
April 11, 2019, Jennifer Lang, Conservation Science Coordinator with Seattle Audubon, described how over 200 dedicated citizen scientists braving the Pacific Northwest winter, we can answer this question and more by looking at data collected for the Puget Sound Seabird Survey. The program was originally scheduled doe February 14, but bad weather forced its cancellation.
Where Do Birds Molt their Feathers?
March 14, 2019, Sievert Rohwer, Emeritus Curator and Professor, University of Washington, described the evolution of molt-migrations with conservation insights from studies of molt-migrants in northwest Mexico.
Wildlife of South Georgia Island
January 10, 2019, local veterinarian Dave Parent illustrated the birds and wildlife he encountered during his circumnavigation of South Georgia Island with a bit of the Falklands, Chile and Argentina.
The Mysterious Marbled Murrelet
November 8, 2018, Maria Mudd Ruth, author of Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet, described how this species fits at the center of ongoing controversy about the conservation of Pacific Coast coastal forests. In her illustrated talk, she highlighted the bizarre breeding behavior of the murrelet, the 185-year-long search for its elusive nest, and the impact of the 1974 discovery of its nest on forest management and information on the murrelets in Washington and around Whidbey Island.
Avian Evolution: How Birds Got to Be Birds
October 11, 2018, nature author and student of paleontology, Constance Sidles, told about exciting new fossils of extraordinary detail being found in northeast China, dating back to the time when dinosaurs began to evolve into birds. First public program of the season.