KAS Monthly Program -
Live Speaker - Hybrid - Attend in person or via Zoom

Thursday, October 8, 2026

The Bird with the Flaming Red Feet: Stories of the Pigeon Guillemot

Join us for our October General Meeting as we welcome author and naturalist Maria Mudd Ruth! While many know Maria for her work on the elusive Marbled Murrelet, she is returning to share insights on her second favorite alcid: the wildly charismatic Pigeon Guillemot.

Maria’s latest presentation draws from her book, The Bird with the Flaming Red Feet (Mountaineers Books). Her story of the Pigeon Guillemot is shaped by more than a decade of hands-on fieldwork as a volunteer with the Salish Sea Guillemot Network. The network organizes over 250 community scientists—including many dedicated volunteers right here on Bainbridge Island—to monitor guillemots at their breeding colonies across Puget Sound.

Maria will share the joy of "one-bird birding," the vital role community science plays in tracking marine ecosystem health, and how a shared love for a single seabird can build a vibrant, conservation-minded community.

About the Speaker

Maria Mudd Ruth is an acclaimed Pacific Northwest author based in Olympia, Washington. She specializes in natural history literature that bridges rigorous science, environmental history, and personal narrative.

• Key Works: Author of Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet—a celebrated account of the elusive, old-growth-nesting seabird—and A Sideways Look at Clouds.

• Community & Advocacy: Beyond her writing, Maria is an active volunteer surveyor and community organizer who has dedicated over 10 years to monitoring Salish Sea seabird populations.

• Publisher: Her books are published by Mountaineers Books, a leader in conservation and outdoor literature.