Newsletter Editor Alexander Sowers has produced another exciting WOS newsletter. Read about the new WOS leadership and decisions they’ve made since coming aboard. We get a progress update on the impressive project to create artificial nesting habitat for declining Bank Swallows in the Kennewick area. And major progress there is, thanks to Rowan Young-McMurchie (the most recent recipient of the Patrick Sullivan Young Birder Fund Award), five volunteers and WOS Board member and project mentor Laurie Ness. Charlie Wright reports on the highlights of Christmas Bird Counts at the state’s remotest count circle since it was officially established in Neah Bay in 2016. Blair Bernson relates the stories behind his photographs of three very special birds among the 100,000 to 200,000 bird photos he’s taken since the advent of digital photography. From Mr. Rarity, Liam Hutcheson, we hear about a genuine bird identification challenge he encountered in Brady Loop, Grays Harbor County, and the rewards of birdwatching persistence. Andy Stepniewski takes us on a winter Okanogan tour and Ryan Merrill reports on notable sightings during the August – November 2024 period. Check out the latest WOSNews: Issue #205..

WOS members, get ready for the 2026 annual conference, which will be held May 14-17, 2026 in Lewiston, Idaho! Starting immediately, you can book hotel rooms at a special conference rate in this gorgeous area, where the where the Clearwater River joins the Snake River! Registration for the conference opens April 4, 2026. Half- and full-day field trips are expected to be available in three states. Keynote address at the Saturday evening banquet focuses on the White-tailed Ptarmigan. For more information go to the conference web page. And keep checking back for new details as they develop!

The board of the Washington Ornithological Society has appointed Dr. Thomas Bancroft to fill a vacancy in the president position after the president elected by the membership in October resigned for personal reasons.

Tom is a writer and conservationist based in Seattle. He earned both his Ph.D. and M.A. in biology, specializing in ornithology, from the University of South Florida. From 1975 to 1997, Bancroft served as a research biologist focused on avian studies and bird conservation. Between 1997 and 2012, he held leadership positions at The Wilderness Society and National Audubon Society.

The WOS board has also appointed Dr. Jon Isacoff, professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences at Gonzaga University, as vice president. Jon served on the WOS board more than a decade ago and was also the chair of the Patrick Sullivan Young Birder Fund committee at one time.

Here in Washington State, Dr. Bancroft has contributed to numerous boards and advisory groups, including the Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board, the Northwest Straits Commission advisory board, Audubon Washington, WOS, and the Mountaineers.

Presently, Tom dedicates his efforts to writing about nature and sharing his passion for the natural world through presentations, educational outreach, and field excursions. His first book, “Beyond the Wonder: An Ecologist’s View of Wild Alaska,” was published in 2024. His forthcoming work, “Marvelous Wings: Reflections on Birds of the Pacific Northwest,” will be released in May. His photography has appeared in publications including Audubon, Birding, American Birds, and Mountaineer Magazine, as well as in exhibits at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Burke Museum.

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.

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