Speaker: George Armistead

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." -  Karen Blixen

Perhaps the most romantic and least familiar group of birds in the world, the seabirds are truly awe-inspiring. Storm-Petrels, Petrels, Shearwaters & Albatrosses live miraculous lives that are impossible to fathom. Many feed at night on squid, hence the title here, which has evolved as a tribute among seabirders to their favorite group of birds. For birders, these birds are often hard to access, and difficult to achieve a familiarity with, but only the coldest and least curious would fail to marvel at their dynamism. We'll examine their lives and habits, the nature of pelagic birding, and explore the myths and legends that relate to sea-faring folks, birders or otherwise.

George Armistead, a birder since the age of nine years old, has a long history in connecting people with nature through guided trips and expedition travel. Leading field trips since his teenage years, he began guiding tours professionally in 2002. After 20 years of developing and guiding tours to countries across all seven continents, he formed Hillstar Nature with the goal of bringing together a team who can provide fulfilling and authentic wildlife experiences. George has authored two books on birds including Better Birding: Tips, Tools, and Concepts for the Field (2015, Princeton University Press) and The ABA Field Guide to the Birds of Pennsylvania (2016, Scott & Nix, Inc.). He received a masters degree in environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and is an associate at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, where he spent seven years helping to curate the photographic and specimen collections. Today he lectures on birds, co-hosts Lifelist: A Birding Podcast, is a board member of the American Birding Association, and guides tours across the globe. When not traveling George enjoys birding at home, is an avid fan of Philadelphia sports, and loves spending time with his wife Kristin and their golden retriever.