Maria Mudd Ruth in conversation with Lyanda Lynn Haupt

The Bird with Flaming Red Feet is a lively and heartfelt natural history of the Pigeon Guillemot, a charismatic seabird with a surprising story to tell. Found along the coast around the North Pacific and from Alaska to Southern California, this talkative and often-overlooked bird plays an outsized role in the health of marine ecosystem--earning its status as an "indicator species," especially for Washington’s Puget Sound.

Author and longtime volunteer surveyor Maria Mudd Ruth weaves together science, field observation, and community storytelling in this engaging exploration of one bird’s life. Drawing from over a decade of beachside study, she dives deep into the guillemot’s behaviors, quirky traits, and ecological relationships. Along the way, readers meet the passionate citizen scientists who have built a unique community around caring for and studying this vibrant bird.

Bridging the gap between field guide and memoir, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet invites readers to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the wild places--and creatures--just outside their door. It’s a joyful call to observation, stewardship, and a deeper understanding of our coastal world.

Maria Mudd Ruth has written more than a dozen books on natural history topics, including volumes on butterflies, beetles, snakes, rain forests, deserts, and oceans. Her work has appeared in publications produced by the National Geographic Society, where she worked as a researcher and editor for seven years. She grew up in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to Southern California in pursuit of the marbled murrelet. In 2006, Maria moved with her family to Olympia, Washington. Learn more at her website www.mariaruthbooks.net

Maria will be in conversation with:

Lyanda Lynn Haupt is an author, naturalist, and ecophilosopher, whose work is acclaimed for combining scientific knowledge with literary, poetic prose. Her books include Crow Planet, Mozart’s Starling, and Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit. She is a winner of the Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award, the Nautilus Book Award, a finalist for the Orion Book Award, and a two-time winter of the Washington State Book Award. She lives in Bellingham, surrounded by trees.

North Cascades Institute envisions healthy Northwest ecosystems where all communities and species thrive. Our mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Since 1986, we have helped connect people, nature and community through the hands-on study of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest.

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