Birders with a keen interest in the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands won’t want to miss an upcoming presentation by a recent visitor.

David Parent, a “semi-retired” veterinarian on South Whidbey, plans to speak about his two weeks on the archipelago during a Whidbey Audubon Society event on Oct. 10 at the Coupeville Recreation Hall. Doors open at 7 p.m. for socializing and refreshments, with the program beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Earlier this year, Parent crossed off one of the items on his bucket list with his travel to the Galapagos Islands.

“I like to go places where there’s lots of wildlife, but I wasn’t prepared to be blown away by so much wildlife, and so easy to see,” he said. “It’s incredible, it’s an amazingly rich environment.”

At one point, a mockingbird landed right on top of his head. The wildlife is tame and accustomed to people.

Parent, who retired from Useless Bay Animal Clinic in 2021 but still fills in when needed and cares for wild raptors, enjoyed seeing all types of birds, from penguins to flightless cormorants to frigatebirds.

“Some birds are endemic to the Galapagos, which means they’re found nowhere else,” Parent said.

Though they couldn’t go to some of the islands because of an outbreak of avian influenza, it was still a wonderful experience he won’t forget anytime soon.

Parent’s interest in the natural world goes back to his early days as a toddler, when his older sister recalls he would pick up insects and bees without getting stung. He has participated in wildlife research in Olympic National Park, Alaska and Madagascar.

For more information on the event, visit whidbeyaudubonsociety.org.

Photo provided A magnificent frigatebird displays his bright red gular pouch.

Photo provided Penguins can also be found on the Galapagos Islands.