Montlake Fill Master Birder Book Reading And Signing On Sunday At Center For Urban Horticulture

Friends of Yesler Swamp is having a book reading with local nature writer Connie Sidles,  from her book Second Nature: Tales from the Montlake Fill, on Sunday from 2 - 3pm at the Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 N.E. 41st Street).  This is a free event, and holiday cookies will be served.

In her second book, on the birds of the Union Bay Natural Area, Connie reveals the natural area’s secrets and shares insights on coping with the stresses of modern life.

Her first book, In My Nature, contains 32 essays covering four seasons of the year describing vividly Connie's experiences and thoughts at the Montlake Fill and the relationship between wild nature and human nature.

Connie has been going to the Unvion Bay Natural Area every morning for more than 20 years. She is a Master Birder, serves on the board of the Seattle Audubon Society, and is a member of the steering committee of Friends of Yesler Swamp.

Yesler Swamp is part of the 75-acre Union Bay Natural Area (aka Montlake Fill),which many birdwatchers consider one of the best bird watching sites in Seattle.  For more than 40 years a garbage dump, the natural area was restored beginning in the 1970s.  Today the area has ponds, meadows and woodlands that attract over 250 species of birds and is considered one of the best bird watching sites in Seattle.

Connie says of her book it is "the culmination of all my best craftsmanship in writing and color printing both. It has 32 essays about the intersection of human nature and wild nature at the Montlake Fill, my favorite place on Earth; and it has nearly 90 photographs from some of the best bird photographers in the region. The photos are simply stunning, and I can only hope my readers will think the essays are worthy."

Connie also maintains a kiosk which she updates regularly about the birds and wildlike,including a bird alert, running total of birds seen in the year and a story and picture about what the birds are up to at the Montlake Fill.

This information can also be found in Connie's interesting blog which contains beautiful pictures of the many types of birds at the Fill and lively essays, many written from the perspective of a particular bird.

Connie is also doing a second book reading co-hosted by Seattle Audubon Society and UW Botanic Gardens next Thursday, December 15th,  at the Center for Urban Horticulture.  To purchase Second Nature, go here.