ENHS Nature Trails December 2001 Article 1

This month's speaker: Dan Gleason

Dan's deep interest in natural history and his special passion for birds goes far beyond a few journal entries and a long list; he knows and understands the science of birds through the biology lab as well as the field glasses, and it's our good fortune that he can share this knowledge on levels that both intrigue his fellow biologists as well as pique the interest of the casual birder. Heres' a little insight into Dan Gleason, ornithologist.

We're you INTERESTED IN NATURE AS A CHILD?
I don't remember a time when I wasn't fascinated with some aspect of nature whether it was watching a beetle crawling up a tree or seastars in a tide pool.

PARENTAL INFLUENCES?
I was born and grew up here in Eugene. Our family frequently took trips on a Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes we went to the coast and walked along the beach or scrambled over the rocks at the base of the headlands. Other days it may have been a lake or waterfall that was our destination. Many days were spent fishing with my dad. Sometimes we did more hiking and looking than actually fishing. Wherever we went I was encouraged to be curious about everything around me. I was also taught to have respect for all living things and the environment we share.

ANY NATURE HOBBIES?
I was in third grade when I got my first camera. The film was all black-and-white but I didn't care. Now I could bring back photos of anywhere I went. As time went on, my cameras and photography skill improved. Today, photographing the natural world is still a favorite pastime. Taking photos of birds is a special interest (and a definite challenge) but all things in nature may be subjects for my lens. A more specialized type of photography that I enjoy is stereophotography or 3-D imagery. (Remember your old ViewMaster reels?) Close, stationary subjects such as flowers, mosses and mushrooms are well-suited for this medium.

MEMORABLE TRAVELS?
This past summer's trip to Colorado is one of many memorable travels. Nothing exotic or especially unique, but memorable, especially because of the events at one campground. My wife Barbara and I spent a couple of days at a campground in the mountains of Colorado. We filled our hummingbird feeder and hung it in a tree near the picnic table. Within 20 minutes we had our first visitor, a Broad-tailed Hummingbird. By the end of the hour, there were at least four hummingbirds at the feeder. Later that afternoon as many as 12 hummers were buzzing around the feeder awaiting their turn to feed. Unlike our Rufous and Anna's Hummingbirds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are not particularly aggressive and all would remain around our single feeder. In fact, I could stand next to the feeder and they showed little fear. I held out my hand. Soon a hummingbird folded its wings and rested on my hand while drinking at the feeder. Others continued to feed at the other available ports on the feeder or hovered within inches of my face awaiting a chance to feed. Holding a wild but calm, feeding hummingbird, while others hover within inches, is indeed memorable.

WHO INFLUENCED YOU TO STUDY BIOLOGY?
No single person is responsible for my desire to study biology. My interest in nature was always very strong, and by the time I entered junior high school, I already knew that the life sciences were my favorite area of study.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YOUR AREA OF SPECIALIZATION?
My grandmother was somewhat interested in birds and I remember looking at her bird books when I was quite young. Birds were just one area of nature that I found interesting but didn't know much about. It was not until I was an undergraduate that I went out with others who knew birds. Some of these friends not only knew the names of the birds, they even knew their calls. I thought, "How can you really tell the difference?" I continued going on birding trips and soon found that I too could sometimes tell the difference. I was hooked and have never stopped birding since that time. Now, the more I learn about birds, the more questions I have. There is always something new to discover but it is also very rewarding to show others the joys and complexities of the birds and their relationships to the world we live in. Each summer I get the chance to do just that as I teach the Field Ornithology course here in the Biology Department at the University of Oregon.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL US FRIDAY NIGHT?
This month, I have the opportunity to talk about birds once again. When I agreed to do this program some months ago, I hadn't decided what my focus was going to be. Later, I saw the title listed as "Birds of the Pacific Northwest." It sounds like a good title but perhaps a bit broad; so I decided to take you on a trip through the seasons by examining the lives of many of our local birds. I will talk about the habits and needs of a variety of many northwest birds and how these habits and needs change throughout the seasons. Why do you see chickadees and nuthatches at your feeder during the winter but seldom during the summer? Did you know that the breeding season for some of our birds is in the middle of winter and not in the spring? I will tell you which ones Friday night in a program well-illustrated by photos from my collection of slides.

Currently Dan heads up the biology teaching lab at the University of Oregon and often gives class instruction on many aspects of bird biology including functional morphology. Dan's an active member in Lane County Audubon Society and frequently leads bird walks and teaches classes for the community in different aspects of birding and bird biology.

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