Maria Mudd Ruth presents ‘The Bird with Flaming Red Feet’

Third Place Books welcomes author, community scientist, and guillemot groupie Maria Mudd Ruth to our Lake Forest Park store for a conversation about her new book The Bird with Flaming Red Feet: Seasons with an Uncommonly Common Seabird: a profile of both the guillemot pigeon and the vibrant network of citizen scientists who care for and study this vibrant bird.

This event is co-sponsored by the North Cascades Institute, a nonprofit conservation organization working to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Learn more at ncascades.org.

Tickets are free. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite’s troubleshooting FAQ here.

Tickets:

This event is free to attend. Registration is required in advance.

About The Bird with Flaming Red Feet. . .

“This is a treat for bird lovers.” — Publishers Weekly

The Bird with Flaming Red Feet is a lively and heartfelt natural history of the Pigeon Guillemot, a charismatic seabird with a surprising story to tell. Found along the coast around the North Pacific and from Alaska to Southern California, this talkative and often-overlooked bird plays an outsized role in the health of marine ecosystem–earning its status as an “indicator species,” especially for Washington’s Puget Sound.

Author and longtime volunteer surveyor Maria Mudd Ruth weaves together science, field observation, and community storytelling in this engaging exploration of one bird’s life. Drawing from over a decade of beachside study, she dives deep into the guillemot’s behaviors, quirky traits, and ecological relationships. Along the way, readers meet the passionate citizen scientists who have built a unique community around caring for and studying this vibrant bird.

Bridging the gap between field guide and memoir, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet invites readers to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the wild places–and creatures–just outside their door. It’s a joyful call to observation, stewardship, and a deeper understanding of our coastal world.

Maria Mudd Ruth is the author of more than a dozen books on natural history topics for general audiences, young readers, and accidental naturalists, including the critically acclaimed Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet and A Sideways Look at Clouds. Ruth lives in Olympia, Washington. She has been a community scientist and guillemot groupie since 2013. To learn more, visit mariaruthbooks.net.

About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle’s Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events