“Birding,” as it is known today has become a popular hobby of many, both old and young. Brian “Fox” Ellis is Internationally renowned storyteller, author, and naturalist. He will portray Ornithologist Robert Ridgeway, focusing on the science and history of bird-watching and the Audubon Society.
This presentation is hosted by the Volunteer Millers and is scheduled for Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The program will take place in the Windmill Cultural Center at 111 Tenth Avenue in Fulton, IL, (across the street from the authentic Dutch windmill.)
Robert Ridgway (July 2, 1850 – March 25, 1929) was an American Ornithologist specializing in systematics. He was appointed in 1880 by Spencer Fullerton Baird, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to be the first full-time curator of birds at the United States National Museum. He held that title until his death. Ridgway was an outstanding descriptive taxonomist, capping his life work with The Birds of North and Middle America. He was unmatched in the number of North American bird species that he described for science. As technical illustrator, Ridgway used his own paintings and outline drawings to complement his writing. Ornithologists continue to cite Ridgway’s color studies and books.
Besides acknowledging how this intense interest of “birding” has evolved, Ellis clearly displays his appreciation for the natural world. He is an excellent presenter and always entertaining.
Monthly programming is available and partially funded by grants from the D. S. Flikkema Foundation through F.A.C.E.
The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served following the Ellis’s presentation. The facility is accessible to persons with disabilities.
For more information, check Facebook pages VisitFulton, de Immigrant Windmill, or call 563-249-6115.