07/08/2026
July Events: Fort Flagler State Park
7/17: Lecture: A Closer Look at Pigeon Guillemots @ 9:00am
Location: WWII Theater, Fort Flagler State Park
Registration: https://friendsoffortflagler.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F47317%2Fstorefront%2F221031
7/18: Watching Pigeon Guillemots in Action @ 8:00am
Location: Fort Flagler State Park, Lower Campground by Fish Washing Station/Boat Ramp
Registration: https://friendsoffortflagler.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F47342%2Fstorefront%2F221123
7/17: Lecture: A Closer Look at Pigeon Guillemots @ 9:00am
In this colorful slide presentation, local ecologist Dr. Brenda Johnson will introduce the Pigeon Guillemot—a striking black-and-white seabird of Puget Sound—and explain why our rocky shores and sandy bluffs are critical during the guillemot nesting season. Participants will learn how guillemots depend on our nearshore ecosystem, and which tools scientists and citizen volunteers use to understand whether colonies are thriving.
Topics will include: What is a Pigeon Guillemot? Why do we study them? What is unique about guillemot ecology? Where, how, and why do guillemots use coastal bluffs? What can guillemot behavior tell us about the marine food web and climate change?
The goal of this talk is to prepare participants for the following day’s field walk so they will know exactly what to watch for and how to observe without disturbing the nesting birds.
7/18: Beach Walk & Talk: Watching Pigeon Guillemots in Action @ 8:00am
Join us for a guided walk-and-talk below towering coastal bluffs at Fort Flagler State Park, where Pigeon Guillemots have long nested in cryptic burrows. This easy, short beach walk offers a special opportunity to observe these seabirds during the breeding season in their natural habitat. From the beach, participants will see adult guillemots swimming and actively delivering fish to chicks tucked safely into rocky headland crevices. Through binoculars and spotting scopes, Dr. Johnson and volunteers will help interpret what you’re seeing—pointing out feeding behavior, nesting locations, and signs of successful chick rearing. Photo: curtesy of Hillary Smith.
The walk will move at a relaxed pace and is suitable for most abilities. We will meet at the Fort Flagler Lower Campground fish-washing station, then proceed a short distance along the beach. This field experience is designed to bring the science from the July 17 presentation to life, offering a memorable, up-close look at one of Puget Sound’s most fascinating coastal birds. Some binoculars will be available for use, but if you have your own please bring them.
Fort Flagler State Park, Lower Campground by Fish Washing Station/Boat Ramp
About the Presenter: Retired ecologist Dr. Brenda Johnson is a Marrowstone Island resident and a long-time volunteer with the Salish Sea Guillemot Network. She also serves on the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee and Northwest Straits Commission. Her work supports ongoing efforts to understand seabird nesting success, nearshore forage fish availability, and the health of Puget Sound’s coastal ecosystems—especially in areas where guillemots rely on rocky crevices and bluff habitats to raise their young.
