Seattle Audubon will be offering the following classes in December and
January. Please sign up through the Nature Shop if you're interested
-- 206 523-4483. It's open Monday - Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Bald Eagles and Salmon of the Upper Skagit River
With Libby Mills, Skagit River Naturalist for The Nature Conservancy of
Washington

Each year hundreds of Bald Eagles return to the Skagit River watershed
from their nesting grounds. In early December the chum salmon run
peaks. These wild fish are the foundation of the eagle concentration.
We will begin the day visiting eagle foraging areas where these
magnificent birds feed on spawned out salmon. We'll look at why the
Skagit is such a magnet for five species of wild salmon. Midday we'll
take a break indoors for a slide show illustrating the annual life
cycle in these migratory northern birds, a day in the life of a
wintering eagle, and some factors in their continued conservation. In
the afternoon we will be back in the field, visiting favored perching
locations and ending with a visit to a night roost.

Class: Saturday, December 6, 9:30 AM to about 5:00 PM in Rockport, WA.
Rockport is off Hwy 20, approximately a 2 hour drive from Seattle.
Location: To carpool, meet at Ravenna P & R at 7:00 AM. Class will
begin promptly at 9:30 AM in Rockport at Howard Miller Steelhead Park.
Directions available when you sign up.
Cost: $30 members, $45 non-members
Limit: 15

Raptor Identification & Appreciation
With Jim Flynn, Master Birder

Join us for three evenings and a field trip that will cover the ID and
basic biology of Washington's 20 regular and rare raptor species. This
class should be of interest to intermediate and beginning birders
alike. The class sessions will cover ID, feeding behaviors, breeding
biology, and more. The field trip will give us a chance to take the
identification concepts afield and to observe and discuss raptor
behavior.

Class: Tuesday, January 13, Thursday, January 15 and Thursday, January
22, 7:00?9:30 PM
Location: Center for Urban Horticulture, Douglas Classroom
Full Day Field Trip: Saturday, February 7 or Sunday February 8th to
Skagit and Samish flats. Sign-up for the field trip will occur on the
first night of class. There may be only one field trip, depending upon
the number of students.
Cost: $75 members, $90 non-members
Limit: 25

Ornithology for the Birder Series: How Do Birds Sing and Why?
With George Bentley, Ph.D., Department of Zoology, University of
Washington

Do you ever wonder why some birds sing and others just call? Would you
like to know how songbirds produce such melodious tunes? What about
the dawn chorus? Sexual attraction? Aggression? No, it's not a
Shakespearean tragedy, just the day-to-day life of songbirds. Come and
learn about the anatomy and physiology of birdsong, from specialized
organs to highly evolved brains. Find out how song can cause hormones
to surge. This class will present an overview of the "hows? and the
?whys? of vocal communication in birds, with an emphasis on what
classic and cutting-edge research has taught us.

Class: Tuesdays, January 20 and 27, 7:00?9:00PM
Location: Center for Urban Horticulure, Douglas Classroom
Cost: $30 members, $45 nonmembers
Limit: 40

The Swans of Washington?s Winter
With Martha Jordan, Wildlife Biologist
Have you wondered about those big white swans and wanted to know more
about them? Come and learn about our native swans, Trumpeter Swan and
Tundra Swan. Learn about the natural history and conservation issues
affecting swans, including an update on the lead poisoning die-off.
Having trouble with swan identification? You will get a lot of info
here. Come learn the facts, myths and legends of the swans of
Washington's winter. Following the Thursday classroom lecture, a Sunday
field trip will give you practice in identifying these birds.

Class: Thursday, January 29, 7:00?9:00 PM
Location: Center for Urban Horticulture, Douglas Classroom
Field Trip: Sunday, February 1, 9:00 AM. Meeting place to be determined
at lecture.
Cost: $60 members, $85 non-members
Limit: 25

Vicki King
Seattle, WA
vicki at kingdesign.net
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