Speakers

  • Ocean Beach: Fog, Fauna, Flora

    In this talk, Eddy Rubin delves into the human and natural forces—biological and physical—that have shaped San Francisco’s western shoreline. Through a blend of scientific analysis and personal narrative, he explores the interactions of members of this vibrant coastal ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the birds of Ocean Beach.

    About Our Speaker

    Eddy Rubin is a Berkeley scientist and longtime Ocean Beach enthusiast who, in addition to contributing to the Human Genome Project, has spent decades walking, surfing, and foraging along San Francisco’s western edge. He is the author of Ocean Beach: Fog, Fauna, and Flora, which explores the unique ecology of this sandy Pacific shoreline. His work reflects both a deep love for this coastal habitat and a passion for making science accessible to the public.

    Date: Thursday, August 21 (7pm)

    Location: In-person at the David Brower Center (2150 Allston Way Berkeley, CA) and online via Zoom

    Register to attend speaker series in-person here.

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87367265546?pwd=aDANKzzKy1IZ0RcYO5PD8bmMuH8hGR.1

    Passcode:261212…

  • Avifauna of Hawaii: Birds on the Brink 

    Hawaii is tragically known as the endangered species capital of the world and the archipelago is home to approximately one third of all endangered species in the United States. We will introduce you to Hawaii’s rare endemic birds, from petrels to honeycreepers, share the threats they face, and highlight the conservation initiatives in place to help save them from the brink of extinction. 

    About Our Speaker

    As a tremendous lover of birds and wildlife, Mandy Talpas has dedicated her life to avian conservation. After working in the field with birds in northeastern United States, the remote forests of southeastern Peru, and the islands of Hawaii, she launched Hawaii Bird Tours. She is honored to support Hawaii’s people, culture, land, and wildlife conservation efforts through ecotourism, as Hawaii’s only bird tour operator.

    Date: Thursday, September 18 (7pm)

    Location: Online via Zoom

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84537864022?pwd=ChAnB8cHWE2iWaGbqTq5CGPZyEd3cc.1

    Passcode: 206218

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  • The Winged Heroes of the Night – Bats

    Bats consume large quantities of insects each night. Learn about these fascinating flying mammals and meet live native ambassador bats.

    About Our Speaker

    Mary Jean (Corky) Quirk is the founder of NorCal Bats, an organization that provides care for injured bats and educational programs for libraries, school, nature programs, fairs and other events throughout the region. Corky has been working intensely with native bats since 2004 and has educated thousands of people. She works with injured and orphaned bats, returning them to the wild and keeps a captive colony of non-releasable bats for use in education. She is permitted through the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and the USDA. Corky also is responsible for maintaining www.norcalbats.org She is also an experienced environmental educator who got her start with Camp Fire Boys and Girls.  She has an undergraduate degree in natural resource planning and interpretation from Humboldt State University.   She teaches three days a week at Yolo Basin Foundation, a wetland education program in the Sacramento Valley, in addition to her work with bats.

    Date: Thursday, October 16 (7pm)

    Location: Online via Zoom

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86441286536?pwd=BGDmOr9REVbTmRfnNwCmNqZ4wgiGgf.1

    Passcode:173735…

  • Long-billed Curlew

    Learn about the biology of these charismatic birds, the largest North American shorebird: their habitats, nesting requirements and migratory journey. Learn how satellite technology is uncovering some of their mysteries and is connecting communities from the mountains of Idaho to coastal California.

    About Our Speaker

    Heather Hayes is a research biologist and the Community Science Coordinator for the Intermountain Bird Observatory (IBO) in Boise, Idaho. In addition to the Long-billed Curlew Satellite Tracking program, Heather has worked on the 8-state Western Asio flammeus
    Landscape Study (WAfLS) community science program for Short-eared Owls, and the IBO’s Hummingbird Monitoring Program.
    Heather loves integrating her fieldwork with education, not only in the K-12 classroom but also in Hunter’s Education.

    Date: Thursday. July 24 (7pm)

    Location: Online via Zoom

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83897582723?pwd=1Nc6IbOGx1PXlnVqAVBJKSUS9DFL7l.1…

  • Nest Building: Creating Lasting (Birding) Community

    Chelsea will be sharing her thoughts and perspectives on “Nest Building”. No, not bird nests per say, but rather the spaces we build to create a lasting community with our fellow birders.

    About Our Speaker

    Chelsea Connor is the co-founder of Black Birders Week, a 2024 GGBA Birding for Everyone Fellow, and an MS candidate at SFSU.

    Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025 (7pm)

    Location: Online via Zoom

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86714178233?pwd=l4bsUnQAmdRESjJ25qdNzI2aXZp4St.1

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