Episode 7: Interview –– Our Extraordinary Bird Lady

Forever Curious: An Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Podcast

Master birder and nature author Constance Sidles has (no exaggeration) an encyclopedic knowledge of birds. She’s written for 65 different publications and is the CEO and Founder of Constancy Press, and she can answer questions about the ascending or descending call of the Swainson’s thrush at a moment’s notice and off the top of her head.

Connie has taught many classes for the University of Washington’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), and she shares that expertise with students and with us, in this fascinating conversation.

Oddly enough, Connie initially disliked birds thoroughly (a story that needs to be heard to be believed), but a bird feeder gifted to her started her lifelong love for and fascination with the birds of Seattle and beyond. The whole family embraced birding, and it quickly became a family obsession.

This led to writing books and to nearly daily trips to an area called the Montlake Fill which was particularly good for birding. It was initially a landfill that closed in 1971 when it was returned to the University of WA. It’s a really interesting and unexpected discussion about a path that can take four minutes (for runners) or four hours (for birders).

We hope you’ll take a listen to this conversation, then check out her books on Constancy Press (constancypress.com). Find out more about the OLLI program (and hear more episodes of Forever Curious) at our UW website: www.osher.uw.edu.