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.