<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Hey Tweeters,</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">It has been years since I posted. but I need to join those prasing Hal for his work. I met Hal soon after I migrated to Seattle from
Boston in 1996. He became a major inspiration and mentor throughout the
years that followed. He is a true giant in the Washington birding
community. His many achievements were noted by others. These contributions include but are not limited
to having done so much for Birds Connect Seattle (formerly Seattle Audubon),
authoring the excellent guide to birding Washington, leading field trips, and
serving in countless ways to further birding in the Pacific Northwest. Not
bad for a guy whose professional expertise is in Art History! He mentored
me in so many ways that allowed me to speed up my learning process regarding
the avifauna of the state that I can't list them all. Co-authoring several Northwest bird guides
with Hal was truly one of the pinnacles of my professional career. Jane neglected to mention the one that we are most proud of - Birds of the Pacific Northwest. Thanks
Hal. Your retirement from Tweeters is well-deserved!</span></b><span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">tom aversa</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">Unity, Maine</span></b></p></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Oct 8, 2024 at 5:44 PM Jane Hadley via Tweeters <<a href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu">tweeters@u.washington.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><u></u>
<div>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Dear Tweeters: Hal Opperman's contribution
to birding in Washington State is staggering. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Here's an incomplete list: Member of the
Seattle Audubon Society Board for six years 1996-2002; prime
mover in creation of Seattle Audubon’s Science<br>
Committee; leader of team that produced the marvelous online
BirdWeb (<a href="https://www.birdweb.org/" target="_blank">https://www.birdweb.org/</a>); major mover and recruiter in
the four-county Breeding Bird Atlas, its surveys and eventual
publication and placement online; re-organizer of the Seattle
Audubon Christmas Bird Count; </font><font face="KacstOne">field
trip leader.</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">ALSO, pre-Internet, </font><font face="KacstOne">the first administrator of the invaluable Bird
Box for six years from 1995 to 2001 (a phone system for
reporting notable sightings, available 24/7 to anyone who
called);</font><font face="KacstOne"> co-owner and manager for
three decades of the Tweeters mailing list; </font><font face="KacstOne">charter member of the Washington Ornithological
Society (WOS); WOS treasurer; editor of five issues of WOS's
scholarly journal Washington Birds.</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">ALSO, </font><font face="KacstOne">editor
of and major contributor to A Birder's Guide to Washington
(2003), the state's main bird-finding guide (636 pages); key
advisor and contributor to the second edition of A Birder's
Guide to Washington (2015); co-author of three small field
guides aimed at beginning birders (Birds of the Puget Sound
Region, Birds of the Willamette Valley Region, and Birds of
Southwestern British Columbia), all of them best sellers that
have had several reprintings.</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Overall, it is a truly remarkable record of
achievement and service. Thank you, Hal! <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Hal received WOS's Zella M. Schultz
Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and was given a standing
ovation at the WOS Conference at which it was presented.</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Jane Hadley and Randy Robinson</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne">Seattle, Washington<br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="KacstOne"><br>
</font></p>
</div>
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</blockquote></div>