ASC Monthly Speakers
March Speaker
“A History of Oregon Ornithology”
Alan Contreras
March 21, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Alan L. Contreras will present an unboring program based on his recent book, A History of Oregon Ornithology: From Territorial Days to the Rise of Birding (2022), and will bring copies to sell. The program will cover the development of knowledge of Oregon birds from the Lewis and Clark expedition through the 1950s, then will focus on the development of birding as a hobby, pelagic trips, eBird, and other modern delights.
Alan is a fourth-generation Oregonian and a graduate of the University of Oregon and its law school. He is retired from a career on the fringes of higher education. He previously served on the boards of the Friends of Malheur and Malheur Field Station and currently serves on the McKenzie River Trust board. He has published eight books as author, editor, or co-editor with Oregon State University Press, plus several books with other publishers. Recent OSUP titles include Collected Poems of Ada Hastings Hedges (co-editor), Edge of Awe: Experiences of the Malheur-Steens Country (editor), and Afield: Forty Years of Birding the American West.
2023-2024 Speaker Schedule
Hybrid in-person and Zoom meetings
Mar. 21 – Alan Contreras “History of Oregon Ornithology”
Apr 18 – Nikki Cross: “eBird.org: Targeting and Tracking Birds with Citizen Science”
May 16 – Carina Kusaka: “Tufted Puffins”
If you would like to suggest a speaker for ASC’s 2024-2025 monthly presentations, please contact Mai Kiigemagi at audubon.corvallis@gmail.com.
How to See the Monthly Presentations
The 2023 – 2024 Monthly Meetings will be both in-person and available on Zoom. Unless noted, they will be held in the Corvallis Community Center Chandler Ballroom on NW Tyler Ave. in Corvallis. At 6:30 pm is the social gathering, followed by a business meeting at 7:00 pm, the program begins at 7:30 pm and lasts about an hour. For those who are viewing the presentation only via Zoom, you may tune in at 7:30.
The in-person meetings will also be available on Zoom to ASC members who provided their email address with their membership dues. They will receive an invitation and instructions the day before the webinar. Members may view the presentation on their computers or phones at home. A few days following the meeting, the link to the recording will be posted on the ASC website (see Past Presentations below).
Past Video Presentations
To view recorded presentations from December 2022 to May 2023, click on the links below. Some presentations were not able to be archived. Contact
February 2024
Native grasslands in Oregon have have disappeared, leaving only rare patches for butterflies that depend on them. Dana Ross presented an overview of Benton County butterflies, natural history of our local rare species, and other species in Oregon. Link to recording (note that sound is missing for about 10 minutes)
December 2023
Six ASC members regaled the audience with armchair tours of places or things that they enjoy. Tom Heath led off with gorgeous birds photos from around Oregon, Richard Hoyer reminisced about his raptor experiences in Alaska and Canada in 1959-1960, and Mark Baldwin braved Idaho and Utah to film prairie chickens and grebes with babies. Steve Cook, who lives next door to Hesthavn, amused and amazed the audience with many no-name cacti he grows at home, Sue Powell sneaked peeks of big cats, lots of crocodiles, even a tapir in part one of a Brazil trip, and co-traveler Bev Clark batted last with a few dozen dramatic birds.
Zoom recording is not available.
November 2023
Stewart Janes’ November discussed how feathers grow, different shapes are produced, patterns such as stripes and bars are embedded into the growing feather, and colors are incorporated. Birds even more special than you may already know!
Link to recording Recommended reading
October 2023
Dave Kollen has been studying the natural history of bumble bees, which are critical pollinators of wild and agricultural plants. Discover how we can play a role in pollinator conservation, both in general and in our own landscapes and communities.
Link to recording
September 2023
Aaron Groth presented information about using controlled burns to prevent catastrophic wildfires and restore habitats and species that have been degraded. Public concerns must be addressed so people understand the purpose and benefits of the using fire. Link to recording
Follow-up information: FNR Extension In the Woods Podcast with David Lewis and Amanda Rau. Link to podcast
Broad overview of cultural burning the PNW: Link to journal article
May 2023
Dr. Bob Beschta discussed “trophic cascades.” If a top predator is hunted to extinction, what happens to their prey species, and in turn, how do population changes in those prey species affect their forage species? Issues have included how bison affect ecosystem recover and how eradicating large carnivores affect aspen trees. Link to recording
April 2023
Don Boucher and Lisa Milbank converted the lawn on their quarter-acre suburban lot to a garden for both edible and native plants. In April’s presentation, they described the process of making the yard inviting to nesting birds, pollinating insects, and more, and discussed easy ways to add more species richness to any yard. Link to recording
March 2023
Join Marina Richie for a deep dive into the world of North America’s secretive, jay-sized angler, the subject of her award-winning 2022 book, Halcyon Journey, In Search of the Belted Kingfisher. America’s secretive, jay-sized angler, the subject of her award-winning 2022 book, Halcyon Journey, In Search of the Belted Kingfisher. Link to recording
February 2023
Fred Ramsey shared photos and stories of Mongolia trips made by ASC members Fred Ramsey and Jim Faulkner. Ostensibly these were fishing trips for the world’s largest salmonid, but there was a heavy emphasis on Mongolia’s birds. Link to recording
January 2023
Local artist Ram Papish specializes in design and illustration of interpretive panels. His presentation explored education and conservation through his paintings, illustrations, and sculptures. Link to recording