With the New Year now upon us, the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua planning committee met to review and confirm presenters for the 8^th annual festival. I left the meeting so excited, I just had to write on the Mono-logue!

Hold onto your binoculars, because I think we have outdone ourselves again. We are thrilled to announce that our keynote speaker this year will be Rosalie Winard. Rosalie is a photographer, naturalist, and conservationist of everything birds, especially wetland species. Her new book Wild Birds of the American Wetlands photographically chronicles more than ten years of traveling and visiting wetland habitats of the United States. Her unique style of photography combines a grainy black and white infrared exposure with the artistic play of natural light highlights. Her work has a Zen-like quality that complements her subject matter and for me, places the act of looking through her book firmly in the category of the sacred.

The Chautauqua is always an eclectic blend of new and returning presenters. We pride ourselves on our slogan, “Not Your Ordinary Bird Festival.” Several Mono Lake Committee staff met Rosalie at the International Society for Salt Lake Research at the Great Salt Lake in May 2008 and were immediately captivated by her work so it seemed only natural to extend an invitation.

Terry Tempest Williams calls Rosalie’s work “the transparency of grace” and reminds us “all life is intertwined.” Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. remarks that the book “is a poetic reminder of how ancient and essential the wetlands and waterways are to our communities.” For me, whose life work has become the protection and restoration of Mono Lake-a critical migratory bird area-Rosalie’s images and words are a daily inspiration and personal call for continued conservation.

On behalf of all the organizing partners of the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua we hope you’ll plan to join us this June to see and hear about Rosalie’s work, walk with expert birders through all the different and unique habitats of the Mono Basin, and be with our family of Mono Lake friends for another great Chautauqua weekend!

The Eighth Annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is June 19-21, 2009

Registration opens April 15, 2009

This entry was posted on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 11:21 am and is filed under Birds, Mono Lake Committee News, News, Photos, Staff Musings. You can view No Responses on this post or leave your own response if you log in.