Subject: [Tweeters] Upcoming Seattle Audubon Classes
Date: Sep 22 21:18:19 2005
From: Vicki King - vkbirder at gmail.com


Please contact the Seattle Audubon Nature Shop at 206 523-4483 between
10 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Saturday if you would like to sign
up for any one of these fine classes:

Waterbirds of the Northwest
with Brian Bell, SAS Master Birder

Do you want to improve your birding skills in both locating and
identifying the Waterbirds we see during some of our most exciting
birding time every fall and winter? Then this course is for you! We
will learn about loons, grebes, cormorants, geese, ducks, and alcids,
as well as other species that utilize the Puget Sound and our
waterways as their wintering grounds. The course will consist of four
classroom sessions using slides and recordings to help you learn the
identifying characteristics and vocalizations of these interesting
birds. The classroom sessions will be followed by one full day field
trip.

Class: Fridays, October 14, 21, and 28 and November 4, 7-9 PM.
Location: CUH, Douglas Classroom
Field Trip: Saturday, November 5 or Sunday, November 6. Select one
field trip when you register for the class.
Cost: $140 members, $155 nonmembers for lectures and field trip. $100
members, $115 nonmembers for lectures only.
Limit: 25 for lectures and field trip. 5 additional spots for lectures only.


Gulls of Washington, Part 1: Adults
with Michael Donahue

Gulls are one of the most challenging groups of birds to identify.
Fourteen species of gulls are found annually in Washington, so it's
time to practice your gull identification skills!

Two classroom sessions will cover identification of adults of all the
gull species that regularly occur in Washington, from the ubiquitous
Glaucous-winged and enigmatic Thayer's, to the elegant Heermann's and
Sabine's. There may even be a rarity or two thrown in.

There will be a half day (8 AM to 1 PM) field trip to visit several
local gull hotspots.

Gulls of Washington, Part 2, will be offered in January 2006 and will
cover the immature plumages you've been dreading!

Class: Wednesdays, October 19 and 26, 7-9 PM
Location: Douglass Classroom, Center for Urban Horticulture
Field Trip: Saturday, October 29 or Sunday, October 30. Sign up for
one field trip at the first class. Instructor will lead the field trip
both days. Note: If class enrollment is 13 or less, the field trip
will be on Saturday, October 29.
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.


A Robin is a Thrush is a Turdus: Speciation and Classification of Birds
for the Birder
with Alan Knue

Ever ask yourself? Is there such a thing as a Northwestern Crow? Why
is the Red-shafted Flicker now called Northern Flicker? What is a
scientific name? This course will cover the basics of bird speciation
and classification. We will discuss what a bird species is, how we
classify them, and how bird habitats and distributions contribute to
our knowledge of bird speciation. An optional field trip to Discovery
Park will highlight higher bird classification groups (families and
orders) and speciation in the Pacific Northwest.
Class: Tuesday, October 25 and Thursday, October 27, 7-9 PM
Location: CUH, Douglas Classroom
Field Trip: Saturday, October 29. Meet at 8 AM in the South Parking
Lot at Discovery Park. Field trip may be rescheduled in the event of
bad weather.
Cost: $50 members, $65 nonmembers for lectures and field trip. $40
members, $55 nonmembers for lectures only.
Limit: 15 for lectures and field trip. 10 additional spots for lectures only.


Birding 101: Getting Started Workshop

Do you find yourself noticing the birds around you? Would you like to
learn more about how they live and how to identify them? If so, then
sign up for this one-day workshop which is designed to help you take
your interest to a new level. Instructors are expert birders from
Seattle Audubon who are eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm
about Washington birds. During the morning and afternoon sessions you
will learn:

Birds commonly found in western Washington and how to recognize them
How to look at an unfamiliar bird to increase your chances of identifying it
Practical tips on what to look for in field guides and binoculars
A variety of ways to build your birding skills
How to attract birds to your yard

Over the lunch hour, we'll go on a mini-field trip to the Montlake
Fill (on CUH grounds near the classroom) so you can practice
identifying the many beautiful birds that winter here. Bring a sack
lunch, warm clothing/raingear suitable for the weather, binoculars,
and all those questions you've been wanting to ask!

Class: Saturday, November 12, 9 AM to 3 PM
Location: CUH, Douglas Classroom
Cost: $35
Limit: 35

Landscape Geology and History of the Seattle Area
With Arthur Campbell, M.S. geologist and local land use planner

Geologic forces and human activities have shaped the landscape in the
Seattle area. The development of Seattle into a major urban area over
the past century has been accompanied by especially dramatic changes
to our region, and today's landscape in the Seattle area is
dramatically different than the landscape at the end of the nineteenth
century. Hills have been leveled; rivers have been moved; the edges
of rivers, lakes, and coasts have been "hardened", and low-lying
wetlands and intertidal areas have been filled. This class will
describe the geology of the Seattle area, the major landscape changes
that have occurred in the past century, and our continuing adaptations
to the geologic forces that shape our region.

In a non-technical manner, this class will focus on geology and
history, along with a bit of engineering. The class will be geared
toward those who may not have much knowledge of geology, but have an
appreciation of landscapes, an interest in their formation, and a
willingness to ask questions.

The lecture will provide background for the following weekend's field
trip and will include a discussion of general geologic topics using
aspects of Seattle's geology as examples. In two different day-trips
out of Seattle, we will visit locations in and surrounding the city.
Details about the field trip will be discussed at the lecture.

Lecture: Tuesday, December 6, 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Douglas Classroom,
Center for Urban Horticulture
Two-day field trip: Saturday ? Sunday, December 10 and 11
Cost of the lecture only: $35 members, $50 non-members
Cost of the lecture and two-day field trip: $45 members and $60 non-members
Limit: 30 for the lecture and 20 for the field trip

Vicki King
Seattle
vkbirder at gmail.com