ABC met on July 23rd for our 2nd annual book discussion. This year we read “The Thing with Feathers” by Noah Strycker, as suggested by Jerry Broadus last year. The discussion was conducted ably by Kay Pullen, and everyone who wanted to got a chance to give their opinions. Every chapter was touched upon.

A highlight was the presence of Bruce LaBar, who gave a report of birding in Colombia with Noah earlier this summer as part of Noah’s Big Global Year, an attempt to reach 5000 world species in one year. Bruce reported that Noah, still in his 20s, has the brains and stamina to make anything work, and those following Noah’s Big Year blog are certainly believers. Bruce also said Noah has a kind of “magic” to make the right birds appear for him.

A/V included 2 short internet videos, including:

For the second chapter, “Spontaneous Order,” we watched the original video of the huge starling flocks in Ireland doing their aerial displays. See it here:

For the chapter, “Beat Generation,” check out Snowball’s video at:

The discussion was mostly celebratory with a few nods towards maybe too much anthropomorphism from Ken and Ed. Most people had a favorite chapter or observation.

Noah is maintaining a blog in connection with his Big Year and will eventually do a book on it as well. The blog is at: http://www.audubon.org/features/birding-without-borders

If you have a suggestion about a compelling book about birds for next summer, let Kay know at kaypullen@me.com.

We had a few minutes left, so the discussion shifted towards discussion of the movie shown at the Grand Cinema this week to which many of us went, “Emptying the Skies,” concerning the ongoing slaughter of songbirds in Europe as they migrate across the Mediterranean. It was educational, but shocking even to those who knew about it.

Here’s part of the group discussing the book including Bruce Labar (front left) and moderator Kay Pullen (white blouse 3rd from right). Click to enlarge.

On July 21, 2015, ABC and TAS members were invited to a special showing at the Grand Cinema of EMPTYING THE SKIES, a film spearheaded by award-winning author Jonathan Franzen and based on his essay. This documentary gave us a close-up-and-personal view of the unbelievable massacre of songbirds attempting to cross the Mediterranean by humans on their twice-yearly migrations. These tiny birds are eaten, but are not needed as food. Many of these species have had alarming downturns in their numbers outside of the millions being trapped by these poachers, who prefer not to know or believe they have an impact. In some areas, the Mafia is behind the poaching since cooking and serving something illegal makes it pricier and more of a luxury, with money to be made.

The film zeroed in on several of the anti-poaching activists who risk their lives to release trapped birds right under the poachers’ noses. The film does briefly mention that other less threatening means are also being employed against the slaughter. But seeing these men at work shows what drives them and gives us a close-up look at the birds themselves either dying or being saved by them, making it personal for us as well as for them.

The activities depicted took place in Cyprus, Italy, and France, but it is more widespread than just those countries. In the after-show discussion led by Art Wang, Art mentioned that since the Arab Spring unrest, Egypt has emerged as one of the worse as it has been left without its previous framework.

Art led a spirited discussion afterwards until we were invited to leave. Thanks for the research, Art!

For those wanting to know more:

Info on and reaction to the film: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/emptying-the-skies-movies-114.php

The CABS group highlighted in the film: http://www.komitee.de/en/homepage

Lots of other reactions on the internet to the slaughter including this from Prince Charles: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2586928/Stop-barbaric-slaughter-British-songbirds-Prince-Charles-demands-private-letter-head-Army-base-Cyprus.html

Art Wang (right) leads spirited after-show discussion on 7/21/15. Click to enlarge.

Mark your calendars for Sept. 21, 2015 (a Monday) at 6:45 at the UPlace library for a presentation on the recovery of the Steller’s Eider!

Tasha Di Marzio is employed by the Alaska Sea Life Center (Seward, AK) and the Dept of Fish & Wildlife Alaska. She has been working in partnership with both places. She has recently been out on the Yukon Delta with DFW working on this project. She has worked on this species’ recovery for 11 years.

Some of you might have heard of her work, as she is the daughter of ABC’er Shelley Parker.

Tasha will also have some photographs you’ve never seen before!

Dennis Paulson Lecture, Thursday, August 6, 6:45 – 8:45pm, at UPS

Join the ABC Club and top nationally recognized birder Dennis Paulson presenting:BIRDS OF THE WIND – THE LIVES AND TIMES OF NORTHWEST SHOREBIRDS.

This photo-illustrated lecture will treat the natural history of Pacific Northwest shorebirds, discussing in depth their foraging, migration, and breeding. Learn why shorebirds are even more interesting than you thought! Dennis Paulson has studied these far-flying birds for years and has written two books about them.

Dennis Paulson, retired a decade ago from being Director of the Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound (UPS), has been a professional biologist and naturalist all of his adult life. He began studying natural history as a boy and is a world expert on dragonflies. He is the author of nine books, including Shorebirds of North America and Shorebirds of the Pacific Northwest, and 90 scientific papers on birds and dragonflies. He is the primary instructor for the Master Birder program run by Seattle Audubon and occasionally by Tahoma Audubon.

This is a fundraiser benefitting the Slater Museum of Natural History at UPS$20.00

Lecture Location: Thompson Hall on the University of Puget Sound Campus. Park in the parking lot at N 14th and N. Union. Thompson Hall is on the north end of the lot. Room number will be posted on the front door.

Please contact Diane Yorgason-Quinn avosetta@hotmail.com to reserve your place in the class.

FYI, Shep Dear WOS, I would like to have the following information posted on the research page of the WOS website. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Gary Wiles Bank Swallows in Western Washington We are conducting an inventory of Bank Swallow breeding colonies in western Washington. We’re seeking information on the locations of colonies (as exact as possible so that we can visit the sites), dates visited, and numbers of burrows that you may have counted for 2015 and past years. Thus far, almost all known colonies have been reported in the counties flanking the western Cascades, thus we’re especially interested in learning about sites present in Wahkiakum, Pacific, Grays Harbor, Mason, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam, Island, and San Juan counties. Please send your colony records to Gary Wiles. — Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742