Tuesday, March 10, 7 p.m., Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall
— from Jean Lyle, The SeaDoc Society —
Dr. Rob Butler, president of the Pacific WildLife Foundation, will speak on shorebirds at the next Marine Science Lecture. Butler, an internationally renowned ornithologist, is recognized for his distinguished work at the Canadian Wildlife Service and for his many publications on seabirds and estuarine, salt marsh, and coastal ecosystems. He is a 2015 recipient of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Murray A. Newman Award for Significant Achievement in Aquatic Conservation.
On March 10th, Butler will talk about shorebirds and the effect that predators like peregrine falcons have on how shorebirds use habitat. The Salish Sea is one of the most important sites for shorebirds that migrate along the Pacific Flyway. Each spring and fall shorebirds like tiny 25-gram Western sandpipers make journeys to and from summer breeding areas to wintering sites in Central and South America. The success of these long-distance trips depends on the birds consuming huge amounts of food at various key stop over sites, including many in the Salish Sea. The complex relationship between the number of predators like falcons and the availability of ample food decide where birds can stop to refuel and where they cannot.
Come hear about how these birds make spectacular journeys through our backyard. As always, the talk is free and treats will be provided by YMCA Camp Orkila.
The 2014-15 Marine Science Lecture Series is designed to inspire the general public and to highlight the amazing fish and wildlife of our region. Lectures are free.
The Lecture Series is presented by program partners The SeaDoc Society and YMCA Camp Orkila. It has been made possible through generous sponsorship by Tom Averna (Deer Harbor Charters), Barbara Brown, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Glenn Prestwich and Barbara Bentley, Audrey and Dean Stupke, West Sound Marina, WWW Foundation (Bryce and Sue Rhodes), and Martha Wyckoff in honor of Lee Rolfe. For more information visit seadocsociety.org/events
