Subject: [Tweeters] Upcoming Seattle Audubon Classes
Date: Oct 6 09:40:10 2006
From: Vicki King - vkbirder at gmail.com


Seattle Audubon is offering classes for a wide variety of interests and
skill levels in the next several months. If you would like to register,
please contact The Nature Shop, Monday through Saturday, from 10 AM to 5 PM
at 206 523-4483.

Is Your Bird "Watching" Challenging?
with David Drummond, Wildlife Research Biologist

Learn to overcome your visual limitations and bird with confidence using an
array of holistic methods. We will cultivate our listening abilities,
download macro and micro-habitat usage, observe form and ecological function
in action and discover behavioral traits. We'll also enjoy flight patterns,
study seasonality, range maps, known occurrence records and share our own
insights toward a better understanding of our regional avifauna. So, "don't
worry, be happy" again out in Nature with these incredible lifeforms that
add so much beauty to our lives! This will be your reentry to "birding" and
you'll be glad you did. We'll spend part of the day in the classroom and
part of the day taking a local field trip. Please bring lunch as well as
binoculars if you use them.

Class and Field Trip: Saturday, October 14, 9 AM - 3 PM
Location: Issaccson Classroom, CUH*
Member Cost: $35
Non-Member Cost: $50
Limit: 24


Seattle's Crows
with John Withey, Ph.D., UW wildlife scientist

This class is a chance to learn more about crows and their population
growth in the Seattle area. We'll start with a slide show to talk about the
natural history of crows and results from our ongoing research on crow
populations, including how West Nile virus has affected crows and
other songbirds. We'll take a walk around campus (up to 3
miles round-trip) to see what some of our banded crows are up to,
discuss how you can help our research, and share crow stories.

Class: Saturday, October 21, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Location: Douglas Classroom, Center for Urban Horticulture
Cost: $30 members $45 non-members
Limit: 18


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. You've been saying that
you want to take a gull ID class, so now's your chance! Two classroom
sessions will cover identification of adults of all the gulls 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 (8:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.) field trip
to visit several local gull hotspots.

Class: Mondays, October 30 and November 6, 7-9 PM
Location: Douglas Classroom, CUH*
Field Trip: Saturday or Sunday, November 11 or 12. Instuctor will lead
field trip both days; participants will sign up for one of these days at the
first class. Note: if class enrollment is 13 or less, the field trip will be
on Saturday, November 11.
Member Cost: Class with field trip $65. Class only $50.
Non-Member Cost: Class with field trip $80. Class only $65.
Limit: 26 for class and field trip. 14 additional seats for class only.
(See the last entry for Mike's Immature Gulls Class in January/February.)

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:

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

Weather depending, the workshop will include 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, and all those questions
you've been wanting to ask!

Class: Saturday, November 4, 9 AM to 3 PM
Location: Douglas Classroom, CUH*
Member Cost: $35
Non-Member Cost: $50
Limit: 35

Evolution and Classification of Birds
with Alan Knue
Ever ask yourself? Is the Northwestern Crow really a species? Why is the
Red-shafted Flicker now called Northern Flicker? What is a scientific name?
This course will cover the basics of bird evolution 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.
Class: Monday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 15, 7 ? 9 PM
Location: Douglas Classroom, CUH*
Cost: $40 members, $55 nonmembers.
Limit:20


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 (8:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.) field
trip to visit several local gull hotspots.

Class: Mondays, January 29 and February 5, 7-9 p.m.
Location: Douglas Classroom, CUH*
Field Trip: Saturday or Sunday, February 10 or 11. Instuctor will lead
field trip both days; participants will sign up for one of these days at the
first class. Note: if class enrollment is 13 or less, the field trip will be
on Saturday, February 10.
Member Cost: Class with field trip $65. Class only $50.
Non-Member Cost: Class with field trip $80. Class only $65.
Limit: 26 for class and field trip. 14 additional seats for class only.

Vicki King, Seattle
vkbirder at gmail.com