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About Oregon Coast today. (Lincoln City, OR) 2005-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 10, 2020)
lively Land a hand at Oregon Coast Aquarium Oregon Coast Aquarium is offering the chance to start 2020 on a positive note by volunteering to speak on behalf of Oregon’s marine animals and their environments. The aquarium will hold its New Volunteer Information Session and tour this Saturday, Jan. 11, starting at 10 am. Anyone interested in joining the aquarium’s dedicated interpreter volunteer team is encouraged to attend. “The connection that volunteers develop with the aquarium’s animals, staff, fellow volunteers and guests continues to be the energy that brings us all together as a close-knit community,” said Volunteer Services Manager Beth Hawkyard. Interpreter volunteers are an integral part of the aquarium’s mission. Collectively connecting with more than 400,000 visitors each year, these volunteers ensure that visitors leave the aquarium with a better understanding of, and appreciation for, Oregon’s coastal and marine environments. In order to make sure they are full prepared, volunteers undergo a five-weekend crash course on the coastal and marine fauna of Oregon, husbandry practices Volunteer and veteran Dr. John Buckhouse supervises the touch pools and interpretive strategies. The upcoming course starts on February 1. “I felt well-prepared by my classroom training,” said volunteer Ronda Hipshman. “It was very comprehensive and well organized with wonderful materials and group activities.” Upon graduation, volunteers spend a few hours each week speaking on behalf of Oregon’s marine animals and their environments to aquarium visitors. As well as regular doses of cute animals, volunteer benefits include free aquarium membership; reciprocal membership to 11 other museums and attractions in the Portland metro area; invitations to exclusive lectures and continuing education programs at the aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center; and a behind-the-scenes look at a marine science exhibition facility that is consistently ranked among the 10 best in the USA. For more information, go to aquarium.org or contact the aquarium’s Volunteer Services Department at volunteer@ aquarium.org. Online applications are available at ocaq. news/2EMqPlv. Floating some wet-weather options As winter weather tightens its grip on the Oregon Coast, the Yaquina Birders & Naturalists group is offering an opportunity to connect with wildlife without getting your feet wet. On Thursday, Jan. 16, local artist Ram Papish will present “Drawing on Nature: Connecting People and Wildlife Through Art,” an exploration of coastal conservation through paintings, illustrations and sculptures. Papish will explore the process of creating the colorful new interpretive signs that are appearing at state parks and other public lands along the coast. He will show how illustrations can help provide insights to coastal nature that are difficult to express in photographs or written word. A professional bird enthusiast, Papish combines his education in fine art with his experiences working as a field biologist to create artistic and accurate wildlife images. For more than 20 field seasons, Papish studied birds and other wildlife all over the United States and the Neotropics. His illustrations appear in many other books and publications, including the “Handbook of Oregon Birds,” “Northwest Birds in Winter” and “Oregon Birds.” The Jan. 16 talk will start at 7 pm at the OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd, Newport. And for those undeterred by a little liquid sunshine, Yaquina Birders & Naturalists will welcome guests on a guided bird walk at Waldport’s Eckman Lake on Saturday, Jan. 14 • oregoncoastTODAY.com • facebook.com/oregoncoasttoday • January 10, 2020 Surf Scoters 18. Roy Lowe will lead this field trip, which begins in Alsea Bay, a wintering area for grebes, loons, great blue herons and a variety of ducks. The group will then travel east to the 50-acre Eckman Lake. This freshwater lake harbors hundreds of ducks in late winter including mallard, Northern pintail, American wigeon, wood duck, green-winged teal and ring-necked duck. The two-hour walk will start at 9 am at the Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center, NW Maple Street, Waldport. For more information, call 541-961-1307.
