ABOUT PSBO
Sound Science
Scientific Information
Informed Public
A group of bird banders hatched the idea during long volunteer hours banding birds at monitoring sites. Founded in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) organization, PSBO united existing projects, teams, and trainers dedicated to bird research in the Puget Sound.
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Our vision grew to encompass an organization that identifies gaps in our knowledge about local birds, mobilizes and trains people to collect data to address the gaps, and provides the results both to the general public and to land managers.
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We envision an organization that can bridge the space between the resource management and monitoring efforts of the state government, the research efforts of our academic institutions, the public outreach of our Audubon Societies, and a motivated birding public. This concept evolved into our motto, "Sound science. Scientific information". Informed public.
OUR
TEAM
The PSBO Board of Directors
Christine Southwick
PRESIDENT
Chris began banding birds in 2003, and she has been teaching banding classes since 2016. As one of the founding members of PSBO she has watched PSBO expand from a bird banding organization into an organization with additional focuses on several types of bird surveys in which our vision is to provide state officials and scientists with quality data from our surveys.
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Since 1994, Chris’ yards have been registered as Wildlife Habitat Sanctuaries. She has planted native berry plants and trees which provide food for birds in every season, and liquid water all seasons.
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She keeps the habitats under her control organic and lets the birds and beneficial bugs eat all the pests they need, resulting in an arrangement that makes both humans and visiting wildlife happy.
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Chris is a respected member of several conservation groups, has planted hundreds of trees, and continues to pull endless mounds of ivy.
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She served for eight years as an appointed member of the City of Shoreline Parks and Tree Board, including serving two years as the chair.
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With a degree in chemistry, and working for years in electronics, she has a high regard for accuracy and the scientific method. Trained as a journalist while in the United States Marine Corps, she has been writing the “For the Birds” column in the Shoreline Area News for many years.
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Many of Chris's former students remember her as a demanding and compassionate teacher who continues to actively participate in PSBO's bander development program.
Donald Norman has a background in environmental toxicology and wildlife ecology that is based on strong empirical approaches using monitoring methods. Don brings a strong background in wildlife conservation in the Pacific Northwest, an understanding of Critical Area Ordinances and Washington’s Growth Management Act, and a familiarity with development mediation issues. He has worked on numerous bird projects relating to the management of priority species identified by Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and is involved in many wildlife and mitigation projects in the urban zone.
As an active member of numerous conservation organizations, he has excellent working relationships with the conservation community. He is also involved in restoration projects, is a licensed Master Bander and owns his own native-plant nursery.
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Don has operated a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship bird-banding station since 1996 in the Fort Lewis area and has operated a Breeding Bird Survey route since 1993 on the outer coast. Don frequently teaches Breeding Bird Survey classes and Bander classes. Don is one of the creators and founding members of PSBO.
Cindy Easterson has served on the Board of Puget Sound Bird Observatory since 2010 filling the roles of both Secretary and Treasurer.
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She is an advocate for engaging community scientists in projects to support the documentation and assessment of local bird populations and wildlife habitat. Cindy manages Puget Sound Bird Observatory’s Wintering Fox Sparrow Habitat Study and co-manages the Secretive Wetland Bird Monitoring project. Her experience includes conducting Breeding Bird Surveys, participation in Washington Audubon’s Sagebrush Songbird Survey project, monitoring and support for Vaux’s Swifts, shorebird surveys for the Puget Sound Shorebird Count, and serving as an area lead for Pilchuck Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count.
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She has supported bird banding efforts with PSBO’s Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) station at Morse Reserve and provided training assistance and skill development at workshops for bird identification, bander training and a variety of bird survey methods. Cindy has a passion for birds and finds gratification in studying their behaviors, habits and needs. In addition, she takes great delight in sharing her interest with others and mentoring community scientists.
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Cindy holds an integrated Bachelor of Arts and Science Degree with a focus on Wetland Science from the University of Washington. She has received HAZWOPER training for Oiled Wildlife Care and completed Washington State Department of Ecology training for Wetland Rating Systems and for Grass, Sedge and Rush Identification for Western WA Puget Lowland Habitats.
Glenn Johnson
BOARD MEMBER
While enjoying birds and nature growing up in Oregon, Glenn Johnson began actively studying ornithology under Dr. Steven Herman while studying at the Evergreen State College in Olympia.
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Since then, he has monitored and banded birds throughout 11 states in the western U.S. and Mexico, helped establish the Klamath Bird Observatory (becoming its first employee when it became a 501c3), earned a Master of Science from the University of Arizona studying the effect of beavers on desert riparian vegetation and bird communities, and helped develop educational programs for diverse communities.
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He is a master bird bander and certified by the North American Banding Council at the bander and trainer levels.
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Glenn is a biologist and project manager with Harris Environmental Group, where his work largely focuses on monitoring marine mammals and marbled murrelets in the Salish Sea/Puget Sound. He is actively working on several other natural resource projects.
Scott Markowitz
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
Scott Markowitz is an avid birder, researcher, educator, and scientist who has developed a strong passion for all things feathered. From studying the process of molt in Passerines to looking at large scale conservation and habitat restoration, Scott is a true bird nerd.
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Falling into birding accidentally over 30 years ago, Scott started perusing field guides and chasing new birds and rarities over hill and dale. Since then, he has birded all over North, Central, and South America, Europe, Asia, the Mid and North Pacific, the North Atlantic, and Africa.
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Scott’s current passion is research. He started banding birds in England where he earned his ringing license from the British Trust for Ornithology. There he contributed research on Sand Martins (Bank Swallows), Gulls, Eurasian Coot, and other waterfowl, and the effects of vegetation management on migrant Acrocephalus warblers.
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Scott currently holds a master bird banding license.
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Since returning to the USA, Scott’s new projects involve developing processes to better age and sex Melospiza Melodia morphna, Thryomanes bewickii, Pipilo maculatus, and Certhia americana in hand, using feather wear and morphology, so that bird banders can more accurately age birds in hand. Scott also is working on ways to quantify colors seen in feather wear and soft part development in songbirds using an experimental photo process. He recently has developed an interest in Song Sparrow dispersal from the nest and habitat retention and redistrobution, based on song acquisition.
Scott is coordinating PSBO’s MAPs banding projects at Morse and Glacial Heritage, and is building a tiered training program for developing new banders in the our region.
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Yukari Yoshioka
SECRETARY
Yukari’s academic background in animal science and experience in the tech industry for the last decade brings a unique blend of experience and expertise to the board. With a solid background in program and project management, business operations, and process optimizations, Yukari is dedicated to advancing the organization's internal processes and project management practices.
As a novice bird bander, Yukari is enthusiastic about expanding her knowledge in the field and supporting fellow beginners. Additionally, she is passionate about driving greater awareness and community engagement for wildlife conservation.
In her free time, Yukari enjoys birding, gardening, nature journaling, and hiking with her husband and two golden retrievers.