Welcome to New Quail Editor, Karen Irmscher

We look forward to working with Karen and appreciate the skills and talents she brings to creating The Quail newsletter for our members to enjoy! —Maeve

My editing career started with the junior high newspaper in the eighth grade. I then went on to edit my high school newspaper. After taking time to raise three children, earn a BA in English and an MA in education, and work as a teacher and bookkeeper, I returned to school at LCC where I rediscovered my love of journalism and edited the LCC Torch. I earned a BA in journalism at the UO. For four years I wrote for the Tri-County News, West Lane News, Oregon Coast Magazine, and Springfield News before becoming a part-time teacher at LCC for 19 years. I’ve been recovering from that for about 5 years now and am eager to refresh my skills and more deeply immerse myself in the world of birding. My interest in birds was sparked about 13 years ago when a friend arranged a group birding trip to the Malheur Field Station. I was 60 then. That’s also the year I began to hula. Since I’ve continued with both, I will probably always be less than expert at either pursuit. Other interests include Hawaii, ukulele, reading novels and nonfiction, travel, family, swimming, walking, hiking, dogs, kayaking, and on and on. I’ve lived in the same house in the River Road area for 40 years, and now share it with my husband, Buck Mueller, and our two dogs. —Karen