Washington Ornithological Society: Monthly Meetings
WOS Programs are free and open to all. They are held the first Monday of each month at the Center for Urban Horticulture on the University of Washington campus, 3501 NE 41st St. in Seattle (directions below). Doors open at 7:00 PM and the program begins at 7:30 PM. For more information about meetings, contact Mike McKinstry.
May 5, 2008: Pterodroma Petrals - Juan Fernandez Islands, Chile
Jo Smith
The Juan Fernandez Islands are a remote, oceanic archipelago, 670 km offshore from Valparaiso, Chile. The Juan Fernandez Petrel (Pterodroma externa) is one of two endemic seabirds on the archipelago, with the entire global population of one million pairs breeding on Alejandro Selkirk. In this talk, Ms. Smith will describe the foraging ecology of this species and present a photographic essay to highlight this beautiful archipelago and discuss some of the past and present conservation concerns facing the endemic fauna. Ms. Smith is a PhD candidate at the University of Washington, studying the foraging ecology and patterns of habitat use in breeding birds. She has studied seabirds and island ecosystems since 1997, with research spanning from the breeding biology of nesting seabirds to rare or unusual plant communities and the role of introduced species on islands. She currently serves on a recovery team in Canada to conserve seabird populations in the North Pacific.
June 2, 2008: Members' Photo Night
Bring your favorite slides to share with others. We will have both an old-fashioned slide projector and a digital projector. Digital photos may be brought on CD or flash.
October 6, 2008: The
Status of Western Grebes in Washington
Dr. Joe Gaydos
The Western Grebe population has declined 95% over the last decade. Dr. Gaydos will discuss what we know about the causes behind this decline, where we need more information, and where we can start with restoration. Dr. Gaydos obtained his veterinary medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a PhD at the University of Georgia, where he served as wildlife disease diagnostician in the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study program, gaining extensive knowledge and experience in wildlife health. He has recently been hired by the Marine Ecosystem Health Program, which coordinates research projects to assess, restore, and enhance the health of wildlife populations and habitat along the Pacific Coast. From a base of operations in the San Juan Islands, Dr. Gaydos will help the program achieve its mission of restoring ecosystem and wildlife health to the inner coastal waters of Washington and British Columbia, and will serve as a scientific resource available to individuals and organizations seeking vital information on ecosystem and wildlife health issues.
Directions: From I-5, take SR 520 East. Take the Montlake Blvd. NE exit and turn north towards the University of Washington campus. Stay in right lane and go north on Montlake Blvd. over the bridge and past the stadium. The road will curve to the right around the Montlake Fill and merge with NE 45th St. You will quickly approach a five-way intersection. At the intersection, turn right onto Mary Gates Memorial Drive. The Center for Urban Horticulture is two long blocks down on the right. There is plenty of free parking at the facility. We use the main meeting room, the backside of which faces the road. Bus numbers 25, 65, and 75 all stop at NE 45th and Mary Gates Memorial Drive.
Map: For a map, click here.
Washington Ornithological Society. PO Box 31783. Seattle WA. 98103-1783.
Email us: information@wos.org
Photo of Western Grebe above by Tom Munson