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January 2018 Book Selection

Jefferson Land Trust Natural History Society book club will discuss One Square Inch of Silence by Gordon Hempton on Monday, January 22, 2018.  We will meet at the Pink House next to the Port Townsend Carnegie Library from 3:30-5:00.

Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton warns us that natural silence is the fastest-disappearing resource in the U.S.  His book recounts his road trip across the country in a 1964 VW bus, recording and measuring natural sounds from one side of the country to the other.    He talks with people he meets along the way about the role of quiet in their lives.  His destination is Washington, D.C. where he meets with federal officials to talk about the need for natural silence preservation.

The “one square inch of silence” is an actual place, located in one of America’s last naturally quiet places, in the Hoh River area of Olympic National Park.

Winter Nature Photography at Anderson Lake

On December 6, 2017, we brought our cameras to an outing at Anderson Lake, and explored nature photography with the Natural History Society.

We joined photographers Stephen Cunliffe and Wendy Feltham to observe and capture the beauty of winter.

As prize-winning nature photographer Stephen Cunliffe explains, “photography is all about seeing and visualizing, then catching what  you visualize.”

We gathered at a rendezvous point before going to the lake where Stephen shared suggestions and challenges of nature photography.  Then we all attempted to capture some images.

Afterwards, anyone interested in sharing their favorite photos from the morning gathered
at Farm’s Reach Café.

Photographers of all levels were invited, with any camera or smartphone. Due to very limited parking in winter, we met nearby to carpool.

Chris at JLTnatural@saveland.org arranged carpools and provided details.

Fall Walk in Cappy’s Trails

Everyone was invited to join the Natural History Society for a fall walk on Cappy’s Trails. There is a special magic in the woods as the weather turns and the days grow shorter. Plants and wildlife respond to the shift in seasons and prepare for the winter ahead.  We looked for signs of fall that can we observed in the forests and wetlands around Cappy’s Trails.

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On November 6, 2017, Ken Wilson and Caroline Robertson led a leisurely stroll through the woods to observe signs of autumn on the Quimper Peninsula.

We dressed comfortably for a slow walk in fall weather, and brought our field guides. The autumn rains brought a variety of mushrooms that we identified and learned about.

Janell at JLTnatural@saveland.org was the contact for location and details.

 

Nov./Dec. 2017 Book Selection

The Jefferson Land Trust Natural History Society book club will meet on Monday, December 4, 2017 — a combined meeting for the months of November and December.  We will meet at the Pink House, next to the Carnegie Library in Port Townsend, from 3:30-5:00.

The book selection for the last meeting of 2017 is Shadows of Our Ancestors: Readings in the History of Klallam-White Relations, edited by Jerry Gorsline.

This book is a collection of readings on the diverse experiences of the S’Klallam tribe in their interactions with Europeans on the Olympic Peninsula. It goes into detail about their way of life before European contact, the first known European sighting of the S’Klallams, the Treaty of 1855, and other later interactions between the Europeans who settled in the area the S’Klallams had inhabited for generations. The readings are drawn from oral testimony, letters, journals and the research of anthropologists and historians.

Fall birds of Admiralty Inlet

On October 17, 2017, wenjoined the Natural History Society to discover the seabirds of Admiralty Inlet.

Preeminent bird biologist and delightful teacher Bob Boekelheide led our outing and emphasized the ecology and behavior of the local seabirds we observed.

He discussed how our location in Port Townsend relates to the birds’ annual cycles, why they’re here, what they’re doing, where they’ve come from, and where they’re going.

We surveyed the birds we found roosting at Point Hudson and swimming and feeding offshore. We then drove into Fort Worden to check for birds offshore from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center pier. We ended up at Point Wilson, also scoping offshore.

We brought binoculars and scopes, snacks and drinks, and a Discovery Pass to park in Fort Worden. Ken at JLTnatural@saveland.org was the contact for location and meeting time.