ERIC WAGNER
THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2026
Social time at 6:30 pm, Program at 7 pm
Temple Beth Hatfiloh
201 8th Ave SE, Olympia
Or join us through Zoom. Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/F-ZRGC2hTHuYxiRmgdNj6g
Join us to learn what the fates of seabirds reveal about the changing ocean and our shared futures with Eric Wagner, a staff writer with the Puget Sound Institute at University of Washington, Tacoma.
Every spring, thousands of Rhinoceros Auklets return to Destruction Island off Washington’s coast, where they dig burrows, lay eggs, and raise their chicks. Small, gray, and adorned with a curious horn on their bill, these funny-looking birds have become an unlikely but vitally important indicator of the health of oceans and the Pacific ecosystem as a whole.
In this talk, Eric Wagner will discuss Rhinoceros Auklets and other seabirds featured in his latest book, Seabirds as Sentinels. Learn how Wagner joins a team of scientists who have been tracking the lives of these birds to gauge the effects of climate change in the region. The North Pacific—sometimes called the Blue Serengeti—is one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, supporting salmon, whales, seals, and countless other species, including people. Yet its waters are changing in unprecedented ways. Mass die-offs of birds, hordes of jellyfish blanketing beaches, and the sudden appearance of tropical species all point to an ocean in flux.
There are two ways to enjoy this program. You can come to Temple Beth Hatfiloh (201 8th Ave. SE, Olympia) to watch the speaker live and enjoy the company of others OR you can register above to watch from home via Zoom.
Zoom will start at 7 pm and those coming to the Temple can arrive for social time at 6:30 pm.
