MWBA members Sue Powell and Matt Lee will present some of their photographs from a birding tour of Chile they took in November 2025. Stretching nearly 2,700 miles along the west coast of South America, Chile occupies a narrow belt of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. Its northern tip extends into the tropics, but there’s no rainforest here. Instead, it’s part of the world’s driest desert, the Atacama.

At the southern end of Chile is Tierra del Fuego, which lies only 600 miles from Antarctica and has a climate similar to that of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. A variety of ecosystems and landscapes exist between these extreme points.

Over 500 species of birds have been recorded in Chile. A dozen are endemic to the country, and many others have ranges restricted to Chile and its Andean neighbors. Offshore, the nutrient-rich Humboldt Current supports abundant aquatic life, including a diversity of seabirds and marine mammals. On land, foxes, armadillos, vicuñas, guanacos, and other intriguing mammals provide additional photographic opportunities, as do Chile’s scenic volcanoes, high-altitude lakes, and the majestic spires of Torres del Paine National Park.

Sue designed and maintains the MWBA website and hosts the Member Slide Show in December. She also works at regenerating Corvallis wetlands with the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition’s Water Action Team. Matt is the chairman of the Bluebird Trail and a co-chair of the Corvallis Christmas Bird Count.

How to See the Monthly Presentations

Currently the 2026 Monthly Meetings will be in-person only, and the Zoom option will be available it a volunteer agrees to run the show. Presentations are open to the public and free, although space may be limited. Presentations will be held in the Corvallis Community Center Chandler Ballroom starting at 6:30 pm for the social gathering, followed by a short business meeting at 7:00 pm. The presentation may start as early as 7:15 pm, and it lasts about an hour. If there is a Zoom recording, the link to the recording will be posted on the MWBA website (see Past Presentations below).
Contact audubon.corvallis@gmail.com for information.

2025-2026 Speaker Schedule

In-person and Zoom. Recording added on the Friday after the meeting.

If you would like to suggest a speaker for MWBA’s monthly presentations, please contact Mai Kiigemagi at Information@mwbirdalliance.org

May 21 – Sue Powell and Matt Lee: “Chile: From Altiplano to Tierra del Fuego”

April 2026

Bill Ripple’s presentation highlighted his recent research in three areas. He described how he learned that reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park resulted in increased alder and willow growth. Next he detailed how he moved into climate change and how making changes in cattle feed lots on federal land decrease soaring CO₂ levels. Finally, he described how “rewilding,” such as reintroducing wolves and beavers in areas where they had been removed can work to rebalance entire ecosystems. Zoom recording

March 2026

Paul Engelmeyer described several coastal Oregon issues, including protecting forage fish, which are the prey base for seabirds, the unique habitat of the ESA listed Marbled Murrelet, and the current status of Oregon’s five marine reserves. Paul has managed the Ten Mile Creek Sanctuary (located near Yachats) for the Oregon Bird Alliance (formerly Portland Audubon), and he served on Oregon’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council, which developed the system of marine protected areas. No Zoom recording.

February 2026

Jarod Jebousek, wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will introduce the new Willamette Valley Conservation Area established in 2024. In 2017, a study of lands managed for sensitive wildlife in the valley determined that more grassland, oak, and riparian habitat were needed. In 2023, the final Land Protection Plan was published. This effort will create a network of smaller parcels that benefit priority conservation values within the socioeconomic landscape of the valley. No Zoom recording.

January 2026

Jesse Ott talked about the local Jackson-Frazier Wetlands, a Benton County park located in northeast Corvallis. A long-term restoration project was completed in 2021, establishing 50 acres of wetlands. This is a significant increase in the native wetland plant and animal diversity.
No Zoom recording.

December 2025

Seven MWBA members shared their favorite photos from diverse places. Tom Heath presented birds and flowers; Bill Proebsting surprised us with butterflies, dragonflies, and bees; Jim Tomasek captured native Hawaiian and other beauties; Carolyn Peterson showed Icelandic birds and scenery; Moti Abramovich enjoyed yard and field birds; Ray Drapek had moody photos from Hesthavn, Julia Corbett shared diverse birds, and Sue Powell presented a splash video.
No Zoom recording

November 2025

Luke Stuntz described the results of a three-year research project at OSU about the predatory behavior of river otters on seabirds. The study took place at at several seabird colonies that nest on Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Hundreds of thousands of nesting Leach’s Storm-Petrels in southern Oregon share the coastline with a diversity of terrestrial carnivores.
No Zoom recording

October 2025

Ben Sonnenberg gave a spirited introduction to a long-term study about the foraging behavior Mountain Chickadees. These birds gather and hide thousands of seeds every fall and winter. They rely on advanced memory to relocate them – called spatial memory. Their complex brain has developed to enable them to find their caches of seeds and thus survive the intense cold weather of mountain their habitats. Zoom recording

September 2025

Harry Fuller, a passionate Oregon birder, tour guide, and natural history author, delighted the audience with photos of some of the 390 bird species in Harney County. His most recent book, Birding Harney County, provides details about where and when to find year-round and migrant bird species and other information about Oregon’s largest county. Link to Zoom recording,   Blog link

May 2025

Northern Saw-whet Owls (NSWOs) are difficult to study because they are small, nocturnal, and reclusive. Jayshaun will discuss why it is crucial to study them in order to understand broader ecological trends. Because the owls are important for a diverse and healthy ecosystem, population shifts of NSWOs can reflect habitat quality and the impacts of climate change. Link to Zoom recording

April 2025

Mark presented information about why he studies Black-backed Woodpeckers, how they select breeding sites from local to landscape scales, and how fire impacts their habitat. He is studying both forests of south-central Oregon that were subjected to wildfire and also green conifer forests. The results are important for land managers to maximize the conservation value of burned and green forests. Link to Zoom recording

March 2025

Roy Lowe took members on a visual birding trip to Colombia, from near sea level to the Andes. Roy’s presentation featured a myriad of colorful images of many of the awesome birds he encountered from imposing Mountain Toucans, to brilliant tanagers, scintillating hummingbirds, secretive antpittas, and the bizarre but beautiful Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Link to Zoom Recording