35 Years of Birds and the Birding Community of Washington
This year the 2024 Washington Ornithological Society Annual Conference highlights 35 years of fulfilling its original mission. That mission, in the words of the first WOS newsletter in November of 1988, is ”…to increase our knowledge of birds of Washington and to enhance communication among all persons interested in those birds.” We are truly grateful for the vision of the founding members of WOS to bring all of us together. Please join in Long Beach this spring and enjoy the company of fellow birders. Some you have known for years and some you hope to know for years to come. Sound intriguing?
The conference will be held April 25-28, 2024, in Long Beach, WA. The field trips and evening events will be held out of the Chautauqua Resort and Conference Center on the Long Beach Peninsula against the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The Planning Team (Dave Kreft, Maureen Traxler, Jody Hess, and Pat Welle) have put together a slate of field trips on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We will also be having evening events on Friday and Saturday.
We have contracted with Tim Shelmerdine and Oregon Pelagic Tours to offer two pelagic trips out of nearby Ilwaco. Participants will work directly with Oregon Pelagic Tours to make their own reservations and payment. Reservations will be on a first-come, first-served basis. We are looking to have 16 slots open on each trip. (See the Field Trips page for more information.)
Friday evening we will enjoy heavy appetizers (meat, vegetarian and gluten-free), a no host bar, and a round of the “Stump the Experts” bird quiz featuring Dennis Paulson and Shep Thorp.
Saturday evening will feature a dinner and the no host bar, with our keynote speaker, Gerrit Vyn. His talk will be on The Global Life of Shorebirds. Each fall, shorebirds around the world depart arctic breeding grounds, where they have performed elaborate courtship displays and raised the next generation and migrate vast distances to wintering areas as far south as Tierra del Fuego and New Zealand. Their migrations include the longest known non-stop flights of any birds on earth. Along their migration routes, they use critical wetland stopover habitats where they rest and feed to fuel their movements. In this presentation, Gerrit will provide an intimate view into the lives, ecology, and conservation of some of the most remarkable and imperiled birds on earth.
The Chautauqua Resort and Conference Center will be the central hub of the conference. Conference registration, events, and field trip departures will be based out of the conference center. We encourage you to also explore the surrounding Long Beach community and its many shops and restaurants. The Long beach Peninsula, Willapa Bay and the mouth of the Columbia River are unparalleled natural wonders in our state. We hope you take full advantage of your stay at the conference to explore this unique corner of the world.
Again, welcome to Long beach, and the WOS Board and I hope you have a wonderful time!
Good Birding, Everyone!
Dave Kreft, WOS President