Monthly Programs
Monterey Audubon's monthly presentations occur at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History on Forest Avenue in Pacific Grove and occur on the second Tuesday of every month. Doors open for refreshments and socializing at 7:00 PM. The program begins at 7:30 PM. Monterey Audubon's Board Meetings are also open to the general MAS membership and begin at 5:30 PM, before the presentation. Agendas, supporting materials as well as past minutes are available upon request.
December meeting:
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
7:30 PM
Migration on Manitou with Alison Világ,
Point Pinos Seawatch Counter and Storyteller
On a Tuesday night in late April 2024, Alison Világ’s friend Tim Baerwald, a fellow migration counter, asked if she’d be able to meet him Thursday morning at a remote Upper Peninsula boat launch 8 hours away. She said yes: the boat would be taking them to Manitou Island—5 miles off the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula—and Manitou Island is an incredible concentration point for migrating birds. But Manitou’s migration is little-studied: the island, situated in a particularly treacherous sweep of Lake Superior, is uninhabited; its only accommodation is a decommissioned lighthouse built in the 1860s. Tim was particularly interested in banding hawks and owls, which had never been done on Manitou. Alison will be sharing what she and Tim learned about raptor migration on Manitou—and will share, too, the general experience of witnessing avian movement from a remote island.
Alison is a singular voice in our birding community, and nobody describes witnessing spectacles of nature like she does. Check out the daily blog on our website to read a sample of her short Seawatch reports or follow her on Instagram @boreal_vagabond.
Note: Alison was one of our most popular presenters last year, and we can expect a crowd. Arrive early (doors open at 7PM) to get good seat.
Indoor Events COVID-19 Protocols:
For the health and safety of our members and board, MAS will be implementing the following COVID-19 regulations for all in-person meetings and programs:
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We ask that all participants be fully vaccinated to attend in person.
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Masks are recommended but not required.
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If you have any symptoms of illness, however mild, please do not attend. If you have been recently exposed to someone with COVID, please also do not attend.
Past Presentations
To watch previously recorded presentations, head to the MAS YouTube channel.
Previous recorded presentations include:
NOVEMBER 14, 2023 - Bird of Passage with Alison Világ - In 2021, Alison was embarking on a Big Year–of sorts. Rather than amassing a lengthy list, she was more interested in celebrating birds for their essence and focusing on vulnerable species and the places vital to them. Check out her website at www.passagemigrant.com.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 - How Spatial Science Saves Birds and Their Habitats with Keilani Bonis-Ericksen, Audubon California
JULY 11, 2023 - Observing and Conserving the Seabirds that Rely on California’s Central Coast with Dan Robinette, Point Blue Conservation Science
JUNE 13, 2023 - Birds of the World with Brian Sullivan, Cornell Lab of Ornithology