Pilchuck Audubon Society is a grass-roots environmental organization representing Snohomish County and Camano Island, Washington, whose mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems focusing on birds and other wildlife.
A Naturalist on the Katmai Peninsula of Alaska
November 14, 2024
7:00-8:30pm
Attend in-person:
Snohomish PUD Building, 2320 California Street, Everett, WA 98201
Or attend online: Zoom registration
Guest Speaker: Thomas Bancroft
The Katmai Peninsula lies west of Anchorage, across Cook Inlet. This rugged country has massive mountains, endless tundra plains, and numerous lakes, creeks, and rivers. The wilds here still support all the animals that were present when Europeans came to North America. The vastness, the bears, the salmon, and the glaciers will leave you in awe.
Explore two national parks with me. Each park is gigantic, bigger than Connecticut, bigger than Washington State’s King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties combined. Bears roam freely, sockeyes migrate up the rivers to spawning grounds, and numerous bird species nest. Active volcanos and geologic faults show that the mountains continue to grow, and the landscape is shaped by glaciers that wrap their tops and valleys. We will look for bears, follow sockeye on their migration, and explore the geology of the mountains. Vignettes from my time there, Beyond the Wonder: An Ecologist’s View of Wild Alaska, will feed your reverence for this treasure.
Standing within a baseball throw of a feeding grizzly is humbling, especially when the bear doesn’t even acknowledge my existence. In lazy zigzags, flying a dozen miles down a massive glacier while thinking about North America’s formation, the Pleistocene, and the Little Ice Age creates a different sense of time, one that appreciates the age of this planet and our small period here. The birds that raise their young on the Katmai come from all over. Some stay all year in Alaska, others head south to North America, and some to South America, the Pacific Islands, and even Asia. Salmon fry spend a year in these waters before heading to the North Pacific for three or four. The community is truly global. Although remote, this wild country faces many threats, and maintaining populations of birds, mammals, and fish isn’t guaranteed. This presentation will give you a better sense of the country and its treasures, a feeling of astonishment, and ideas on how to help.
Join us for a presentation at the Library!
November 20 - Christmas Bird Count with Pilchuck Audubon Society
4:00pm, online through Sno-Isle Libraries
Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, or CBC for short, began on Christmas Day in 1900 as an alternative to the tradition at the time: a Christmas bird hunt. Instead of shooting them, enthusiasts began trying to count as many birds as possible. Fast forward 124 years later, we have an incredible dataset that scientists use to assess the health and trends of bird populations, and the nation's longest running community science project.
And here’s the best part: you can help us! Participating in the CBC is an excellent way for you to make a real contribution to bird conservation right where you live. Come learn more about the CBC and how you can sign up to help this year!
Registration is required to receive a reminder email with the Zoom link 24 hours before the event begins. If you register less than 24 hours before the event, your confirmation email will include the Zoom link.
December 5 - Christmas Bird Count: the Nation’s Longest-Running Community Science Project
5:30pm at Everett Public Library, Main Branch
Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, or CBC for short, began on Christmas Day in 1900 as an alternative to the tradition at the time: a Christmas bird hunt. Instead of shooting them, enthusiasts began trying to count as many birds as possible. Fast forward 124 years later, we have an incredible dataset that scientists use to assess the health and trends of bird populations.
And here’s the best part: you can help us! Participating in the CBC is an excellent way for you to make a real contribution to bird conservation right where you live. Come learn more about the CBC and how you can sign up to help this year!
Larry Schwitters Receives National Audubon’s William Dutcher Award
Last fall, our very own Larry Schwitters was awarded the National Audubon Society's William Dutcher Award at the national convention in Colorado. At our April monthly program we were honored to present the award to him.
The William Dutcher Award recognizes outstanding Audubon volunteers who exemplify the standard established by William Dutcher, the first chairman of the National Association of Audubon Societies in 1905.
Larry coordinates the monitoring of Vaux’s Swift roosts across the Pacific Flyway, an effort known as Vaux’s Happening. His efforts to conserve this species not just locally in Washington, but all along the west coast is truly admirable. We are incredibly grateful for and proud of the work he does, and could not think of a more deserving person for this prestigious award.
Read more about Larry's contributions and the award:
Brian Zinke (left) presents Larry Schwitters (right) with the William Dutcher Award.
Upcoming Classes
Red-shouldered Hawk by Mick Thompson
The Raptors Among Us
Online class: November 12, 19, 26 & December 3
Get Involved
Whether you’re volunteering to lead field trips, participating in community science bird surveys, writing content for our blog and newsletter, teaching an education program, or taking a shift at an outreach event, you are a vital part of the Pilchuck Audubon community.
Every person and every contribution matters. Anyone can be a difference maker. Join our flock and help us protect our local birds, their habitats, and our communities.
From the Blog
Upcoming Events
![Christmas Bird Count with Pilchuck Audubon [online]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e26548136a3b75d3852e239/1700241218498-F0S1E04P7WPDAACDK9VM/CBC_social+graphics_FB+IG.jpg)
Shop & Earn Donations
For each eligible purchase you make at the companies below, a portion of the sales will be donated to Pilchuck Audubon Society.
Our organization earned a 2022 Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar! Learn more about our organization’s impact through our nonprofit profile.
Cover Photo: Vaux’s Swifts at the Monroe chimney by Olivia Vanni/The Daily Herald