After a year’s hiatus in newsletter publication during the search for a new editor, the 204th issue of WOSNews has arrived. The new editor is Alexander Sowers. The 26-page newsletter he produced features a detailed account of the Big Day of four young birders that ended with a new state record. Also to be found is news of next year’s Annual Conference; a remembrance of WOS’s founding president, Fred Bird; a description of the Bank Swallow project of the latest recipient of the Patrick Sullivan Young Birder Award; a story about a slew of extraordinary shorebird sightings this fall at the Cedar River Mouth; Bob Boekelheide’s account of his surprise find of the state’s first Yellow-green Vireo; Connie Sidles’ history of the Union Bay Natural Area; and RJ Baltierra’s recounting of his exploration of the birds of Whitman County. To read the newsletter, go here.

The Washington Bird Records Committee (WBRC) considered submissions of sightings in the state at its regular fall meeting, adding a new species to the state list. The checklist grew from 528 to 529 species because of a taxonomic update made by the American Birding Association’s Checklist Committee. The ABA split Herring Gull into American Herring Gull and Vega Gull. WBRC assigned all but four of the state’s Herring Gull sightings to American Herring Gull and assigned the remaining four to Vega Gull, a new species for the state. In other WBRC news, Bill Tweit has rotated off the committee; replacing him will be Bill Shelmerdine. For more details about the WBRC’s fall meeting go to the WBRC’s Fall 2025 Meetings Results page.

The September 2025 WOS election saw Raphael Fennimore, elected to a second term on the WOS board. Raphael is a a Protected Species Observer (PSO) and Lead PSO, monitoring for endangered and federally protected species. Also elected as board members were Kim Thorburn and Toby Ross. More than 10 years ago, Kim served as WOS treasurer and for two terms as a director. She is a retired public health physician. Toby Ross is new to the WOS board. He comes to WOS after serving for eight years as Science Manager for Seattle Audubon (now Birds Connect Seattle). These three directors will join Directors Laurie Ness and Maureen Traxler, both elected to two-year terms last year, to fill out the five-member board. For more details about the new board members and about the election results, see the 2025 WOS Election page.

WOS President Dave Kreft is pleased to announce that ALEX SOWERS has been selected as the new WOS Newsletter Editor. Alex is a student at Washington State University and a key member of the Birding at WSU student club. The group can be followed on Instagram at Birding at WSU. . Alex will be putting together a fall edition with more information about the direction he will be heading with content (and a little about him so you can get to know him). He has some exciting ideas to reinvigorate this timely publication. Alex can be reached by email at editor@wos.org. You can contact him with your ideas about articles and important birding happenings. Drop him a note and say “Hi!” and welcome him aboard!

Go to WOS’s Monthly Meetings page for information on our fabulous monthly meeting programs. WOS members who live outside the Seattle area (or are on the road) can still attend using a computer, tablet or phone. It’s easy!

Our monthly meetings are being held via Zoom (no in-person attendance). They are open to all, as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos