The Washington Ornithological Society was chartered in 1988 to increase knowledge of the birds of Washington and to enhance communication among all persons interested in those birds.
Board Member Kim Thorburn reports on damage to grouse habitat from recent wildfires and prospects for recovery. Jason Fidorra explains why invasive annual grasses have made the sagebrush steppe ecosystem so vulnerable to fires, which are more devastating and more frequent. Andy McCormick discusses the recent change of name for what formerly was McCown’s Longspur and the American Ornithological Society’s new policy on bird names. Tom Bancroft takes us along on his trip to Long Swamp in the wilds of Okanogan County. See these articles and more at Current Newsletter
The voting period for the annual WOS election has closed. More than 120 WOS members cast votes, electing Jennifer Kauffman as the new WOS President and adopting a proposed change to WOS bylaws. Congratulations Jennifer! The newly elected officers and board members began their terms October 1, 2020. Full results are available on the WOS Election Information page.
Jacob and Faye
Jacob Miller, a 15-year-old Mason County birder, will receive the Patrick Sullivan Young Birder award for 2020. Miller is a frequent participant on the twice-monthly Theler Wetlands walk co-led by WOS Board Member Faye McAdams Hands and John Riegsecker. When Hands announced the honor on the Thursday September 10 walk, “all participants cheered,” she reports. “We are always very happy to have Jacob’s young ears, eyes, and brain along!” Diane Yorgason-Quinn says, “We would have been several species and many individual birds short without him! He’s amazing. Plus he mastered eBirding a long time ago!”
The annual conference jointly organized by the Washington Ornithological Society and Oregon Birding Association will be postponed because of Coronavirus pandemic, the WOS/OBA planning group has announced. The conference, originally scheduled for September 10-14, 2020, will likely be rescheduled for early to mid-September 2021 at the same location, said OBA President Nagi Aboulenein and WOS President Eric Dudley in a joint statement. See their full statement at: Current Year Conference.
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!
