Dear MaryFrances,

Would you be willing to lead or co-lead a field trip for the 2012 Master Birder course in the fall of 2012?

Student evaluations of the 2011 MB course suggested increasing the number of field trips during the 2012 course, and indicated an interest in participating in field trips ? both local and farther afield ? that were led by past MB graduates. Many of the MB students found field trips supplementing those led by Dennis Paulson to be useful in expanding their knowledge of birds and their habitats in Washington.

The Seattle Audubon Society committee helping to manage the 2012 Master Birder course is currently developing the fall calendar for the2012 MB class, and your name was suggested as an MB graduate who might be willing to lead a trip for MB students that would augment the calendar of several trips that will be led by Dennis Paulson.

We are also hoping to provide one or two trips during the summer, before the MB class begins, as a means of building friendships and knowledge among the new MB class. In addition, we are hoping to provide 2012 MB students with optional trips during each semester of the course.

Here are the weekends for which I'm hoping to line up an experienced leader for the MB group:

July 14/15
July 21/22
Aug 11/12
Aug 18/19
Nov. 10-11
Dec. 1-2

Administration of these trips will be managed by the MB committee; trip leaders will also have the option of additional 2011 MB graduates as co-leaders or assistants on the trip. Phyllis Moss might be available to help with your trip. During the 2011 MB class, supplemental trips averaged around 6-8 engaged and congenial participants.

The 2012 MB class will be selected in the coming week, and we hope to put together a syllabus and class calendar for them before the end of the month. If you are interested in helping with a local or out-of-town trip for one of the open weekends, I'd appreciate a note from you. We will also look for leaders for supplemental trips for the spring semester, so you may hear from me again!

I'm hoping that you might be interested in taking the MB class on your Kittitas trip, or perhaps to another route of your choosing.

Best,

Jim Owens
2012 MB Committee

Jim Owens | Senior Program Officer
The Brainerd Foundation
phone 206.448.0676 | fax 206.448.7222
email jimo at brainerd.org<mailto:jimo at brainerd.org> | web www.brainerd.org<http://www.brainerd.org/>
office 1601 2nd Avenue | Suite 610 | Seattle, WA 98101