Long-tailed Ducks - Photo by Bob Boekelheide

At our June 19 meeting and presentation, Bob Boekelheide describes and shares videos of how water birds pursue prey below the surface, using their wings and/or feet for propulsion. Local diving birds include loons, grebes, murres, guillemots, auklets, cormorants, and diving ducks. Some go all the way to the bottom to capture prey like mollusks and crustaceans, whereas others capture fish and other organisms in the middle of the water column. How do they do it? How deep can they go? How do their bodies cope with the physiological changes as they head into the abyss and then return to the surface? Bob provides you with answers to these questions and more.

The OPAS Harlequin and Conservation Awards were also presented this evening. Learn who were recognized for these special awards and their contributions.