Location: Carlton Plaza, 3800 Walnut Avenue, Fremont 94538

Presenter: Hans Peeters

It was mostly nutmeg that lured the first Europeans (and before them, Arabs) to Indonesia 500 years ago, but today one of the big draws (besides orangutans) is the incredible birdlife on these enchanted islands. The dazzling variety of brilliantly colored kingfishers on Sulawesi is matched by a riot of parrots on nearby Halmahera; brilliant sunbirds vie for attention with elegant bee-eaters and gaudy trogons, and the raptors have some surprises. The pigeon family surely finds its colorful pinnacle in Indonesia. And starlings. Yes, starlings! And why did we keep seeing birds we last spotted in far-off Australia? Mammals gravitate toward the unusual here as well, and the bugs and plants are definitely worth a look. A naturalist’s paradise.

Hans Peeters has entertained Ohlone Audubon members over the years with talks on Thailand, Australia, India, and other topics, but his new favorite part of the world is Indonesia, where he has spent a month each summer for the past three years. He taught college biology, zoology, and ecology for 37 years and is a raptor biologist, an award-winning painter of wildlife and author of books including Raptors of California, Owls of California and the West, and Mammals of California (all published by University of California Press).

Directions:

From I-880
Take I-880 to the Mowry Ave exit, then Mowry east (inland) to Fremont Blvd. Turn right on Fremont Blvd., then left on Walnut Avenue
Carlton Plaza is on Walnut between Fremont Blvd. and Paseo Padre Pkwy.

From Mission Blvd.
Turn onto Walnut Avenue and Carlton Plaza will be on the left, between Paso Padre and Fremont Blvd.