Birders’ Night: Marina Richie will introduce us to her new book – Feathered Forest: Aloft with Birds in Ancient Trees

Marina Richie will give a photo-filled tour of her new book, featuring birds as guides to a life-filled, vertical world of old-growth forests.  Set mostly in Oregon, Feathered Forest  weaves in memoir, as well as places and people familiar to birders of the Bend area. From Varied Thrushes in the understory to Great Gray Owls in the midstory and Vaux’s Swifts in the overstory, birds lead to what they need to thrive in a warming world. Feel the coolness of climate refugia on a hot day when entering a wild grove. “Messy” forests filled with dead and downed trees, multiple layers, ages, and species are vital for their survival. Her presentation will include ways birders can help protect threatened forests. Marina will have books for purchase ($30) and will be signing before and after the program.

 

Bio: Marina Richie is an award-winning nature writer. Her newest book is  Feathered Forest: Aloft with Birds in Ancient Trees (September, 2026). Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher won the 2024 John Burroughs Medal, a National Outdoor Book Award (gold), and a Foreword Indies award. Educated at the University of Montana (MA, Journalism) and the University of Oregon (BA, Biology), she has led conservation initiatives as a communications director, authored two children’s nature books (Bird Feats of Montana and Bug Feats of Montana) under a prior name, penned award-winning wayside exhibits, and now dedicates her time to writing books, poetry, and advocating for wildlands and wildlife. See her website at www.marinarichie.com. 

The program begins at 6 p.m., but please come early to enjoy good food and conversation and a few beverages. There is typically a nice group there by 5:00pm or so.  Seating is first come, first serve. Birders’ Night programs are free and open to the public. Please note that parking can sometimes be a bit tight so you might want to budget some extra time getting to the event.

And Worthy Brewing offers a nice Happy Hour Menu from 3-5pm (note that it recently changed to end at 5pm rather than 6pm).  Even if you miss their happy hour, their regular menu is still solid and not unreasonable.  See here for their food and beverage menus: https://worthybrewing.com/pub

If you can’t make it to this Birders’ Night, there are other events in Bend where Marina will be talking about and reading from her new book.  For each event, the bookstore will have the book for sale and Marina will be signing books.  Or maybe you want to go to more than one event!  See below.

Tuesday, September 8th, 5:30 pm Feathered Forest book launch

https://dudleysbookshopcafe.com/events/5861420260908

Thursday, October 22nd, Paulina Springs Bookstore (to be part of a Sisters Book Festival–details forthcoming)

https://www.marinarichie.com/event/paulina-springs-books/

Thursday, October 29th, Roundabout Books

https://roundaboutbookshop.com/event/2026-10-29/feathered-forest-aloft-birds-ancient-trees-marina-richie