[Here's a version of Vicki King's post but with
paragraph breaks -- hope it's helpful. - Marc]

Seattle Audubon is offering a wonderful array of
classes in the next several months, something for
every level of interest. If you would like to
sign up for a class, please contact the Nature
Shop, Monday through Saturday, between 10 am and
5 pm, at 206 523-4483. The list of classes through mid March follows.

Gulls of Washington, Part 2: Immatures with
Michael Donahue This class is intended for
birders who have taken other gull classes and are
already comfortable (or at least close!) to
identifying adults. It's time to tackle those
immatures! Two classroom sessions will cover
identification of immature plumages of the gulls
that regularly winter in the Puget Sound region.
There will be a half day (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) field
trip to visit several local gull hotspots. Class:
Tuesdays, January 17 and 24, 7-9 p.m. Location:
Douglas Classroom, CUH Field Trip: Saturday,
January 28 or Sunday, January 29. Sign up for one
of these field trips at the first class.
Instructor will lead field trip both days. Note:
if class enrollment is 13 or less, the field trip
will be on Saturday, January 28. Cost: $60
members, $75 nonmembers for lectures and field
trip. $40 members, $55 nonmembers for lectures
only. Limit: 26 for lectures and field trip. 14
additional spots for lectures only.

Birds of the Puget Sound Area A Four Week Field
Course for Birders with Brian Bell Learn by
doing! In this four-part course you will learn
basic principles, etiquette, field guides,
equipment and identification techniques for
successful birding and practice them in the
field. Good for experienced and beginning
birders. Early spring is a great time to bird in
Seattle and Puget Sound with some wintering birds
still present and early returning migrants. Come
join us for all four sessions of this class, or
for individual sessions, and have fun. Session 1:
Class meets at the SAS Nature Center followed by
a field trip to the Montlake Fill (Union Bay
Natural Area). Session 2: Field trip to Discovery
Park. Session 3: Field trip to Spencer Island.
Session 4: Field trip to be determined.
Class/field trips: Sundays, January 22, 29 and
February 5, and 12, 8:00 AM - noon. Cost: Four
session class $50 members, $65 non-members, or
per single session $15 members, 20 non-members
(limited to 15 participants per session)

Raptors of Western Washington with Jim Flynn
Have you struggled to put a name to the hawk that
visits your yard or the one you always see on
your way to work? Using slides and information
sheets on ID, habitat, migration and nesting
habits, we will learn about 17 western Washington
diurnal raptors ? hawks, eagles, accipiters and
falcons. Extensive handouts and references will
allow you to keep learning even after the class
sessions end. During the field trip to Skagit
County we will practice ID and discuss feeding
and other behaviors while seeking out a wide
assortment of species. Classes: Wednesdays,
January 18 and 25, 7:00-9:00 PM Location: CUH,
Douglas Classroom Field Trip: Saturday, February
4 or Sunday, February 5, 7AM to 6PM. Sign up for
one trip at the first class. Note: If class
enrollment is 13 or fewer, the field trip will be
on Saturday, February 4. Carpooling mandatory.
Cost: Lectures and field trip $65 SAS members,
$80 nonmembers. Lectures only $40 members; $55
nonmembers. Limit: 24 for lectures and field
trip. 15 additional spots for lectures only.

Learn your Loons & Grebes with David Drummond,
Research Wildlife Biologist These graceful marine
birds, swimmers and divers of the winter
saltwater, pose interesting field ID challenges.
Their bioecology is equally intriguing to
explore. Join us for an in-depth look into life
histories of loons and grebes via handouts,
discussion, and images, as well as a fun cruising
field trip through Deception Pass and around
Fidalgo Island. Sign up for just the lecture,
just the boat trip, or both. Class: Friday,
February 10, 7:00-9:30 PM Location: CUH, Douglas
Classroom Cost: $25 members, $40 nonmembers for
lecture. $50 for boat trip. Boat trip: Saturday,
February 11, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Meet in La
Conner at 10:00 AM. Sign up for the boat trip
separately through Viking Star at (360) 466-2639
or 888-207-2333. Limit: 25 for lecture. 40 for boat trip.

Dabbling Ducks with David Drummond, Research
Wildlife Biologist Here is an opportunity for
beginner to intermediate level birders to
strengthen their dabbling duck spotting and
identification skills. We will explore aspects of
their biology and ecology in the classroom and
out in the field. The family Anatidae is a
diverse and intriguing group. In this class, we
will focus on wintering dabbling ducks on
freshwater. Join us for an in-depth look! Please
bring lunch and binoculars and plan to carpool to
local spots. Class and Field Trip: Saturday,
March 4, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM Location: CUH, Douglas
Classroom Cost: $35 members, $50 nonmembers Limit: 25

Diving Ducks with David Drummond, Research
Wildlife Biologist This class offers new to
seasoned birders an opportunity to build
confidence with diving duck locating and accurate
identification to age and gender classes. Fun
factoids of their fascinating life history will
be shared in images, literature, and interactive
discussions in class and on the field trip. Our
target group is diving ducks wintering on marine
waters. Don't miss this colorful cast of
northwest cool characters! Please bring lunch and
binoculars and plan to carpool to local spots.
Class and Field Trip: Saturday, March 11, 9:00
AM-3:00 PM Location: CUH, Douglas Classroom
Cost: $35 members, $50 nonmembers Limit: 25

Blackbirds of the Americas. Gordon Orions,
blackbird researcher and Professor Emeritus of
Biology at the University of Washington The 95
species of American Blackbirds (Family Icteridae)
range from southern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.
They live in most kinds of environments, and
among them they have most forms of social
organization found in the entire avian world.
Consequently they have been used by many
investigators to test hypotheses about such
topics as social organization, mating systems,
brood parasitism, habitat selection, and foraging
behavior. Only seven species breed in Washington
State, but they have been favorite subjects for
research. This class will provide an overview of
this remarkable family of birds and describe the
contributions to knowledge generated by field
studies of their behavior. Class: Thursday, March
16, 7:00-9:00 PM Location: CUH, Douglas Classroom
Cost: $25 members, $40 nonmembers Limit: 35 Vicki
King, Seattle vkbirder at gmail.com