february 2006 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

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The RThe RThe RThe RThe RedpolledpolledpolledpolledpollNewsletter of the Arctic Audubon Society, Fairbanks, Alaska

Vol. 28 Issue No. 4 February 2006

Mission of Arctic Audubon:

Earth has unparalleled natural

diversity, productivity, and

beauty, and provides for life.

Recognizing the full value of nature, we work to protect

Alaskan ecosystems by

encouraging research,

education, and management

that will contribute to

appreciation and good

stewardship of this natural

heritage. We also strive to

conduct our own lives in

harmony with nature.

The Arctic Audubon Society

publishes The Redpoll for its

members monthly fall

through spring. National

Audubon Society (NAS) dues

are $35; new members are

$20. NAS membership

includes local chapter dues.

Chapter only membership is

$10 and includes the

newsletter.

Inside…

Alaska Watchlist ............... 5

Audubon Summer Travel... 3

Audubon’s Centennial ....... 4

Christmas Bird Count ........3

Great Backyard Bird Count 6

President’s Message ......... 2

Small Grants Program ....... 2

Audubon-Riedel Nature Reserve Field Trip

Come tour the Audubon-Riedel Nature Reserve

property near 5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road

on Saturday, February 18. Meet at Creamer’s FieldFarmhouse parking lot at 10:00 a.m. to carpool.

Bring a lunch/snack, binoculars, and snowshoes/

cross-country skis if you have them. Dress

warmly! The hike/ski will last 2-3 hours. We’ll

look for birds and animal tracks. Directions will

be provided.

Contact Tom Green for more information at

452-6370 (home), 474-1559 (work), or email at

[email protected].

Bhutan is a tiny country in the Himalayas. Most

people are hardly aware of its existence, let alone

of its outstanding wildlife, culture and landscape.

Though small, the country extends from a couple hun-dred feet above sea level to more than 24,000 feet. It

contains every habitat from tropical forest to icy peaks.

A few facts:

• There is only one paved road stretching from one

end of the country to the other, and it is a single lane;

• 90% of the population live more than a one hour

walk from the nearest road of any kind;

• 60% of the country’s forests are protected by law;

• Bhutan is the last Himalayan kingdom;

• independent tourists are not permitted.This unique country has a rich cultural tradition little

affected by the western world and is a dream landscape

for a photographer. In October 2005, David Shaw had

the opportunity to spend two weeks traveling and trek-

king in this unique country.

Bhutan: Backcountry to Birdsslide presentation and lecture by David Shaw

Monday, February 13, 7:00 pm

Noel Wien Library Auditorium

A breeze rustles a monk’s

robe. Photos by David Shaw

Alpenglow on Jhomolhari



2 The Redpoll February 2006

A Request for Proposals…

Arctic Audubon SocietyOffers Small Grants

Arctic Audubon Society’s Small Grants Program

funds conservation related projects that supportour mission to protect Alaskan ecosystems by encour-

aging research, education, and management that will

contribute to appreciation and good stewardship of

our natural heritage.

In 2006, Arctic Audubon will consider applications

for grants of $500 to $2,000. Partial funding may be

offered to successful applicants. Projects should en-

hance the understanding and conservation of Alaska’s

organisms and/or ecosystems. Projects dedicated to

increasing public awareness and knowledge of con-servation issues will also be considered. High school

and middle school students and organizations are

encouraged to apply.

Applicants should submit a cover letter introduc-

ing themselves, a single page description of the

project, a budget, and a timeline for completion. Suc-

cessful recipients will be expected to submit a report

of outcomes and be willing to give a short presenta-

tion on the project (if requested).

Applications are due March 15, 2006. For infor-mation about Arctic Audubon Society, please visit

our website at www.arcticaudubon.org. Please direct

questions and submit all materials to: Arctic Audu-

bon Society, Small Grants Program, PO Box 82098,

Fairbanks AK 99708 or via email to

[email protected].

Arctic Audubon Society is a nonprofit conserva-

tion organization based in Fairbanks, Alaska. As a

chapter of the National Audubon Society, Arctic

Audubon’s region encompasses the area north of the

Alaska Range, including the North Slope and the

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

President’s Messageby Gail Mayo, Arctic Audubon Board President

December and January are busy months for

Arctic Audubon. We deliberate and decide how

we can share our Birdathon money to further our

goals. We gave $1000 to Audubon Alaska, especiallyfor their unremitting efforts for the Arctic Refuge and

the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, as well as

other efforts on behalf of a better world. We gave

$350 to the Sheep Creek Wild Bird Center where bird

rehabilitation efforts can quickly run up a sizeable

feed bill. The Wild Bird Center makes an outstand-

ing educational contribution to our community. We

gave a $250 scholarship to Camp Habitat for 2006

and a $190 scholarship to Alaska Bird Observatory’s

Bird Camp. We will also continue to support ABOthrough a net sponsorship and supporting membership.

Some of our share of Birdathon earnings will go

to our Small Grants Program generously helped by

gifts from June Weinstock, Ron and Mary Teel, and

Link Olson. Thank you all.

Information about the 2006 Small Grants Program

and a request for proposals is published in the adja-

cent article. Please help us publicize this opportunity

and encourage young environmental researchers and

activists to apply.

Birdathon 2006 will be on our agenda next month

as well as upcoming spring events. Care to join us?

Our board meetings are fun and not too long or fre-

quent. Our next Board meeting is Monday, February

20, 5:30 pm in room 300 of the Natural Science

Facility at UAF. Call one of the Board members listed

on the back page for more information.

Our thanks to retiring Board members Amy Turner

and David Shaw. Amy served many years as Presi-

dent and Vice President, and David represented our

Chapter on a variety of conservation issues. We’regrateful that they continue to be active Arctic Audu-

bon members!

Arctic Audubon Society’s Small Grants Program is funded by money raised

through the annual Farthest North Birdathon and individual donations. We

invite individuals and businesses to support and expand our Small Grants Pro-

gram by making tax-deductible donations.

Checks should be made payable to Arctic Audubon Society Small Grants Pro-

gram and sent to Arctic Audubon Society, PO Box 82098, Fairbanks, AK 99708.



February 2006 The Redpoll 3

Christmas Bird Countby Gail Mayo

New Year’s eve proved to be an ideal day for the

45th Fairbanks Christmas Bird Count. Eighty-

two eager birders spent from one to just over seven

hours combing their count circles for 5,432 birds.Twenty-one loyal feeder watchers tallied 478 addi-

tional birds using their feeders. The Chena Ridge

area counters found 18 species, more than half of the

32 species seen. Many field parties found 5 or 6 spe-

cies; a few parties found 8 or 9. Sharp-eye recogni-

tion to Tim Walker and Jim and Nancy DeWitt for

seeing 10 species and to the energetic team of Luke

DeCicco, Nicholas Hajdukovich, and Quinn Evenson

for finding 13 species.

Christmas Bird Count heroes are all the field par-ties who go out every year and cover their area con-

sistently, even if they don’t feel as if they saw many

birds. This is what contributes to the long-term value

of our count and all the other counts in North America.

Be sure to check the web site www.audubon.org/

birds/cbc for count results and interesting compari-

sons. Better yet, sit down with our Redpoll centerfold

and make your own observations about the value of

our count. You can also access our Christmas count

data on the Arctic Audubon website,

www.arcticaudubon.org, and coming soon on the

Alaska Bird Observatory web site.

This year’s count includes a nice spread of spe-

cies. The Great Grey Owl added during count week

topped off high numbers of owls. Perhaps we should

thank the high numbers of voles for this! Grey Jay,

Magpie and Raven numbers were all relatively high.

The Black-capped Chickadee high was especially evi-

dent on Chena Ridge. The low numbers of Pine Gros-

beak and White-winged Crossbills is likely a reflec-

tion of the low spruce cone crop this year. As for the

redpolls… they were some places, there were more

than in 2003, and look out, more will be on the way

no doubt.

Many thanks to the area coordinators who do great

work getting folks motivated, organized and out each

year—Brian Lawhead, Tom Green, Carol McIntyre,

Laurel Devaney and Ken Russell, Lori Quakenbush,

Mark Ross, Amy Turner, and Jamie Marschner.

Audubon Alaska announces two exceptional

opportunities for Alaska travel in Summer 2006.

Camp Denali: June 5-8; June 9-11

Audubon Alaska’s Executive Director, Dr. StanSenner, is the featured Special Emphasis Series ex-

pert on Bird Migration and Conservation during two

early-June sessions at Camp Denali. Field trips led

by Stan will focus on observation and identification

of breeding birds in forest, tundra, and wetland habi-

tats. Evening presentations will include the natural

history and ecology of Denali’s bird life and conser-

vation in Alaska.

Camp Denali is located in a spectacular setting at

the heart of Denali National Park and Preserve.

The base price is $1275/person for 3 nights;

$1,700/person for 4 nights (not including 10% dis-

count for Audubon guests). Reservations for the

Camp Denali trip may be made directly through Camp

Denali by calling (907) 683-2290. Visit Camp

Denali’s website at www.campdenali.com.

McNeil River Bears, August 25-30*In August, Audubon Alaska’s Senior Scientist, Dr.

John Schoen, will lead an exclusive group of six

guests to the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary.During mid-summer months, scores of bears gather

at McNeil River falls to feed on salmon. In late Au-

gust, the peak salmon runs will be over, but many

bears are seen, often at close range. As the last group

of the season—and the only group to be on site at

this time—we’ll have exclusive access to the best

viewing areas. In the company of John and two other

naturalist-experts, you’ll watch bears up close and

have the chance to see a variety of birds and other

wildlife, as well as spectacular scenery.The base price is $3,500/person for five nights*

and includes round-trip transportation by float plane

between Homer, Alaska and McNeil River, tent ac-

commodations and all meals at McNeil, guided out-

ings, and permit fees. For reservations, contact Derek

Stonorov of Alaska Bear Quest, LLC, at (907) 235-

8273, or [email protected]. When you make your

reservation, be sure to mention Audubon.

*dates and pricing based on current tidal projections and pre-

vious years’ price; minor adjustments may need to be made.

Summer Travel Adventures



4 The Redpoll February 2006

Audubon Centennialby Frank Keim

This article was originally published in 2005.

Before the year 2005 fades into the sunset I must

wish my favorite organization, the National

Audubon Society, a Happy Centennial Birthday.It seems I’ve been a part of Audubon from the time

I could watch birds fly, since my father became a mem-

ber shortly after World War II. Why he did this, to

escape the horrible memories of the War, the mun-

dane travails of city life, or simply because he loved

to be out in nature with fellow birders, who knows?

No matter, his love of birds influenced me greatly.

And when I hitchhiked to Alaska in 1961, I watched

birds all the way. I’ve since become a fairly serious

birder and am always excited whenever I see a newbird species or some different bird behavior.

To better appreciate this organization that’s been a

part of my own life for so long, here’s some history:

During the 19th century, the industrial age had caused

untold destruction of forests and wildlife in the na-

tion. The Bison had almost disappeared, passenger

pigeons were becoming extinct, and it seemed the

trade in fashionable women’s hats would soon take

plumed birds like the Great Egret in the same direc-

tion. Although in 1886 a big game hunter and editor

of Forest and Stream magazine, George Bird Grinnell,

had tried unsuccessfully to stop the unrestrained

slaughter of these beautiful birds, it was finally the

women’s movement of the 1890’s that began to

change this situation.

After reading a description of the bloody hunts at

the egret rookeries in Florida, a Boston society

woman, Mrs. Augustus Hemenway, took action and,

with other prominent women and men, formed the

Massachusetts Audubon Society, naming it after the

famous bird artist, John James Audubon. The idea

spread like wildfire and soon there were similar clubs

in other states from coast to coast.

In 1900, these state clubs pressured the U.S. Con-

gress to pass the Lacey Act, which outlawed the in-

terstate shipment of wild birds. The Act put the first

nails in the coffin of the New York millinery trade. It

was watershed federal conservation legislation, and

led the way in the protection of our fast disappearing

wildlife.

In 1903, after the Florida Audubon Society per-

suaded the state legislature to outlaw plume hunting

in Florida, President Theodore Roosevelt, an avid birdenthusiast, declared Pelican Island in Florida to be

the first national bird reserve, thus launching the

nation’s wildlife refuge system. Florida Audubon

hired an ex-plume hunter, Guy Bradley, as a game

warden to help protect wading bird colonies on this

reserve. He and two subsequent Audubon wardens

were murdered in the performance of their duties.

In 1905, the state clubs incorporated to become

the National Association of Audubon Societies. With

this, the modern conservation movement was givenadded impetus, and the national club spearheaded the

passage of many of our emblematic early conserva-

tion laws.

Fast forward to the 1930’s when Roger Tory

Peterson who had just finished writing his popular

North American bird guide was hired as Audubon’s

first education director. A few years later the organi-

zation was officially renamed as the National Audu-

bon Society and assigned its famous Great Egret logo.

Fast forward again to 1977, when the National Au-

dubon Society established its first office in Alaska.

They hired Dave Cline as its director. This was a time

when the Alaska “D-2” battle was being fought, and

Dave threw himself into the fight with gusto. Since

he had been a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service water-

fowl biologist, he also had great expertise to add to

the fray. And it paid off. In the passage of the

ANILCA, among the public lands to be included in

the Act were millions of acres of new wildlife ref-

uges where tens of millions of birds nested. One of

these refuges was the Arctic National Wildlife Ref-

uge, which is now under siege by the same Congress

that established it in the first place.

The national organization depends for its vitality

on its local chapters. Our Fairbanks Arctic Audubon

chapter is one of six others statewide and 500 na-

tionwide. One of our most popular winter activities

is the annual Christmas bird count. In 2004, our chap-

ter counted more than 12,000 birds and 25 different

species. continued next page



February 2006 The Redpoll 5

Audubon’s Centennialcontinued from page six

Stan Senner, Audubon’s present Alaska director,

sums up what Audubon means to us Alaskans:

“Audubon’s 100-year history proves this is no fly-

by-night organization. We are as committed today as

we were 100 years ago to protecting birds and other

wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of present

and future generations.”

Audubon’s Alaska

Watchlist Highlights

Birds in Trouble

Audubon Alaska has released its “AlaskaWatchlist” of declining and vulnerable bird spe-

cies in Alaska. The 2005 list highlights 52 species

(or subspecies) of birds found in Alaska or the sur-

rounding marine waters that are currently in trouble

or that may have problems in the future due to small

population sizes or restricted ranges.

According to Stan Senner, executive director of

Audubon Alaska, “The Alaska Watchlist is an early

warning system to alert us to birds that are in trouble

while there is still time to do something about it.We hope that the Watchlist will be used by govern-

ment agencies, industry, land owners and others to

set priorities for bird research, management and con-

servation.”

The Watchlist was first released in 2002 with 37

species. The 2005 list includes 17 new birds added

since 2002. Two species were removed from the list,

making a new total of 52. Audubon Alaska’s direc-

tor of bird conservation, Dr. Iain Stenhouse, ex-

plained, “The 2005 Alaska Watchlist represents thevery best information we could find on the status and

trends of bird populations around the state. The list

is based on what we found in the scientific literature,

reports by government agencies, and our discussions

with ornithological experts across the state.”

Birds from every part of Alaska appear on the

Watchlist. However, 32% of all Watchlist species

are found in western Alaska (Seward Peninsula south

to the Alaska Peninsula). The next most heavily rep-

resented region is coastal south-central and south-east Alaska (20%).

The Watchlist is available at

Audubon Alaska’s website

http://www.audubon.org/chap-

ter/ak/ak/index.htm. For more

information, contact Dr. Iain

Stenhouse at 907-276-7034 or

[email protected].

Great Backyard BirdCount February 17–20

Be part of the ninth annual Great Backyard Bird

Count February 17–20, a national citizen science

project hosted by the National Audubon Society and

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

“This project has become a major source of scien-

tific information about North American bird popula-

tions,” said Dr. John Fitzpatrick, director of the

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Before your count, go to www.birdsource.org/gbbc

for easy-to-follow instructions and local checklists.

Take part on one, two, three, or four days for 15 min-

utes or more each day.

Count the birds in your yard, at your feeder, or fa-

vorite birding area. For each kind of bird, write downthe highest number of individuals you see at any one

time during your count.

Report your results online. Complete an online

checklist at www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

View the results. Lists and maps are continually up-

dated throughout the count.

Campaign TrainingFebruary 25-26

Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska Conservation Voters offers campaign train-

ing for candidates, campaign managers, and vol-

unteers on February 25-26 in Anchorage. Trainers,

Tom and Liz from Conservation Strategies, will help

prepare the next generation of pro-conservation

candidates.

Space is limited. For more information, contact

Caitlin at (907) 258-6175 or [email protected].



Arctic Audubon SocietyPO Box 82098Fairbanks, AK 99708www.arcticaudubon.org

Nonprofit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 181Fairbanks AK

Upcoming Events--Mark Your Calendar Birding Hotline(907) 451-9213

Updated by Laurel Devaney & Ken Russell

Report interesting bird sightings;learn what others have spotted.

also at

www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/realbirds/index.html

National Audubon SocietyNew Member Form

❒ Introductory rate, $20

❒ Two Year membership, $30

❒ Student or Senior rate $15Membership includes both National Audubon and the

local chapter, Arctic Audubon. You will receive National

Audubon’s magazine, Audubon, and Arctic Audubon’s

newsletter, The Redpoll.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

____________________________________________

City State Zip

❒❒❒❒❒ I do not want the Audubon Society to share my name

with other organizations.

Amount enclosed: $______ (Make check payable to

National Audubon Society)

Send to: Arctic Audubon Society

PO Box 82098 A52

Fairbanks, AK 99708 7XCH

❒ Chapter Only Membership, $10For membership in Arctic Audubon Society only, check

box and make check payable to Arctic Audubon.

Bhutan: Backcountry to Birds, Monday,

February 13, 7:00 pm, Noel Wien LibraryDavid Shaw will describe his travels in Bhutan.

Great Backyard Bird Count, February 17-20

Participate in citizen science. Details on p. 7.

Field Trip to Audubon-Riedel Nature Reserve,

Saturday, February 18, 10:00 am.

See page one for details.

Arctic Audubon Board Meeting, Monday, Feb. 20,

5:30 pm, Rm 300 Natural Science Facility, UAF

All members are welcome at Board meetings.

The Yukon River, its People and ConservationIssues, Monday, March 13, 7:00 pm

Presentation by GIS specialist Laura Phillips of the

Yukon River Inter-tribal Watershed Council.

Arctic Audubon Board of Directorsemail address: [email protected]

President: Gail MayoVice President: Open

Secretary: Ann WoodTreasurer: Gail Mayo

Education: Megan PhillipsConservation: Kristi Bailey

Hospitality: Brook GamblePrograms: OpenPublicity: Open

Newsletter: Mary ZalarMembership: Mary Zalar

Field Trips: Tom GreenBirdathon: Sherry LewisWeb Site: Jim Logan

Alaska Audubon Board: Frank Keim

february 2006 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

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