Live and Learn Lecture Series at Frontera Audubon

Frontera Audubon is bringing a Live & Learn lecture series to the mid-valley this fall and winter. Every other Tuesday there will be a presentation at 6 pm in the Visitors' Center open to the public.

Kicking off our February lectures is Steve Norris & Sue Keefer.
Following Darwin’s Footsteps: Wildlife Watching and Birding the Galapagos

After a career running children's summer camps, then living aboard a sailboat & working for Vermont State Parks, Sue Keefer and Steve Norris have spent winters volunteering at Estero Llano Grande State Park and summers helping out at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Maine, trying to keep invasive plants at bay, and leading bird, butterfly, tide-pool, history & photography programs. In the winter of 2017-18, Sue and Steve acted on a long-standing bucket list item. Their love of Ecuador compelled them to visit to the Galapagos Islands - the "Showcase of Evolution."

Their original plan for a "non-bird-centric" trip soon fell apart as they realized that, although the Galapagos have "only" 178 species of birds, the 29 resident and 22 endemic species are a fascinating study. From the breathtaking nesting colony of Waved Albatross to the inquisitive endemic Mockingbirds, bird life in the Galapagos is quite a treat. Close-up observation and study of Darwin Finches is a real-life exercise in the what's, why's, and how's of evolution! The non-flying fauna is equally interesting with large colonies of sea lions, marine and land iguanas and, of course, giant tortoises. It became readily apparent why the Galapagos are a unique and invaluable natural resource worthy of intense protection.

Darwin’s two month stay in the Galapagos in 1835 led to a new biology based on a unifying theory of evolution. Sue and Steve's say their stay on the islands left them feeling rather inadequate in their own "naturalist" skills! Darwin, like most early naturalists, left the island with many sketches and specimens to study; Sue & Steve brought away many photographs and memories of unique living things they observed. We know you will get caught up in the fun and entertaining style of these enthusiastic laidback educators as they share their observations of the animals, plants, and environment that make the Galapagos special.

Enjoy re-living their adventures with them at
Frontera Audubon Nature Center on Tuesday February 5, 2019


Next in the Live & Learn Lecture Series:
Tuesday, February 12th |
Joe Vidales: El Sal Del Rey Presentation