march 2007 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

8/8/2019 March 2007 Redpoll Newsletter Arctic Audubon Society

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Marathon Migrants: Shorebirdsof Alaska’s North Slope

presentation by Audrey Taylor

Monday, March 12, 7:00 pm

Noel Wien Library Auditorium

he North Slope o Alaska teems with bird lie in the short Arctic summer, and manyo these visitors are shorebirds that migrate here rom ar-ung corners o the world.

Tis presentation will illuminate some o the ascinating natural history characteristics o

Arctic-breeding shorebirds and describe some recent developments in our understanding o their unique biology and ecology. You’ll also learn why an Alaskan shorebird biologist

would go to China in January!Audrey aylor spent many summersduring her ormative years on the coast o Maine, but moved to Alaska to study heravorite coastal species (shorebirds) in2003. She has an undergraduate degreein Natural Resources rom Cornell Uni-

versity and an MS in Wildlie Biology

rom Colorado State University. She iscurrently working on a PhD in shorebirdecology at UAF.

Audrey aylor holding a Red-necked Phalarope

Audubon Field Trips for the Spring Season

March 24 Owl listening eld trip. Meet at the Farmhouse at Creamer’s Field at 8 pmto listen to recorded owl calls and then carpool to hopeul listening sites.A map o locations or listening will be available. Dress appropriately to bestanding outside or up to 20 minutes at each stop. For more inormation,

contact om Green at 452-6370 or [email protected].

May 5 Waterowl eld trip. Meet at Creamer’s Reuge back by the big barns at 9 am.Bring binoculars, a snack, and rubber boots i you have them.

May 12 Shorebird eld trip. Meet at Creamer’s Reuge back by the big barns at 9 am.Bring binoculars, a snack, and rubber boots i you have them.

May 19 Birding by ear. Check or time and location in next month’s Redpoll.

May 23 Birdathon walk with Sherry Lewis, 7 to 9 pm. Meet at Creamer’s Reugeback by the big barns. Minimum $5 donation to participate.

May 26 Birdathon Walk with Gail Mayo, 9 to 11 am. Meet at the west end o west

ridge, UAF campus. Minimum $5 donation to participate.

A handful of peeps!

The Redpoll Newsletter of the Arctic Audubon Society, Fairbanks, Alaska

Vol. 29 Issue No. 5 March 2007

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…

Calendar ........................ 4

Chena Flats Greenbelt .... 3

Electronic Recycling ........ 2

Legislative Fly-In ............ 3

Membership form ........... 4

Small Grants Deadline .... 2

Spring Bird Festivals ....... 2

Tanana Lakes Update ..... 3



Page The Redpoll March 007

Electronic RecyclingSaturdays, April 21st and 28th

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Interior Alaska Green Star, along with several supporting groups, is plan-

ning the second annual Electronic Recycling event to be held in Fairbanks.Last year’s e-recycle event was held on one Saturday in April at the aku parking lot on the UAF campus, targeting the general public. Tis year the plan is to expand to two events on consecutive Saturdays in April and targetsmall businesses and non-prots along with the general public. Te rst willbe on April 21st at the UAF aku parking lot; the second will be the ollow-ing Saturday, April 28th, at the Lathrop High School parking lot.

elevisions, computers and monitors, laptops, keyboards, mice, modems,external drives, scanners, printers, copy machines, VCRs, DVD players,stereos, radios, phones, ax machines, camcorders, electric typewriters, mi-crowave ovens, coeemakers will be accepted. Fees or recycling range rom

$5 to $25. Visit the website, iagreenstar.org, or more inormation.Volunteers needed !!!

Tese events will require a variety o volunteer helpers to make them asuccess and run smoothly. We will need people to greet and process arrivals,note inventory and label pallets, a couple o certied orklif drivers, and o course some strong olks to unload and then stack PCs and other electron-ics. Te event will run rom 10 am to 4 pm with each day divided into two

volunteer shifs o about 3.5 hours.I you or your organization is interested in helping, please contact Eva

Rothman at [email protected] or (907) 452-4152.

Alaska Spring Birding Festivals

Fairbanks Spring Migration CelebrationSaturday, April 28th, Noon–4:00 pm

Activities or all ages at three locations: Creamer’s FieldMigratory Waterowl Reuge, Alaska Bird Observatory,Alaska Public Lands Inormation Center.

Copper River Delta Shorebird FestivalMay 3-6, 2007 in Cordova, Alaska

Many activities, workshops and community events are oered throughoutthe estival. More inormation is available online at www.cordovachamber.com or by contacting the Cordova Chamber o Commerce at 907-424-7260or [email protected].

Kachemak Bay Shorebird FestivalMay 10-13, 2007 in Homer Alaska

Tis year’s estival will be a weekend o celebration, education and explora-tion or birders o all ages and abilities. Te estival program and registrationinormation is available at www.homeralaska.org.

© Ken Whitten

Arctic Audubon

Offers Small Grants

Arctic Audubon Society’sSmall Grants Program undsconservation related projects thatsupport our mission to protectAlaskan ecosystems by encour-aging research, education, andmanagement that will contributeto appreciation and good steward-ship o our natural heritage.

In 2007, Arctic Audubon willconsider applications or smallgrants o up to $2,000. Partialunding may be oered to suc-cessul applicants. Projects shouldenhance the understanding andconservation o Alaska’s organ-isms and/or ecosystems. Projectsdedicated to increasing publicawareness and knowledge o con-servation issues will also be con-sidered. High school and middle

school students and organizationsare encouraged to apply.

Applicants should submit acover letter introducing them-selves, a single page descriptiono the project, a budget, and atimeline or completion. Suc-cessul recipients will be expectedto submit a report o outcomesand be willing to give a short

presentation on the project (i

requested).Applications are due March

15, 2007. For inormation aboutArctic Audubon Society, please

visit our website at www.arcti-caudubon.org. Please direct ques-tions and submit all materials [email protected].



March 007 The Redpoll Page

A Redpoll NoteBy Gail Mayo

Aew weeks ago a riendmentioned being out

wandering in the woods at

night when a small bird ew up rom underher eet. Tis set us to wondering whatspecies it might have been. It did seem agood strategy, and we spooled through theother birds we know o that do use snowas insulation. We wondered, could it havebeen a Redpoll?

A short visit to Te Birds of North Amer-ica conrmed this guess. Several authorshave reported observations including Red-

polls entering the snow to eed. Te Red-

poll “makes a roosting chamber in snow. Itdrops rom a tree into the snow making atunnel 27 to 40 cm. long to a chamber 6 to11 cm. below the snow surace, breaking theroo to depart.” You can access Te Birdsof North America online at

http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/

Legislative Fly-InMarch 11-13, Juneau

Fly-In is an opportunity to develop your activist skills, meet with legisla-

tors, and build up knowledge on how tomake your voice heard at the capitol andin any campaign! Te Fly-In is intended tobe one part learning, one part practicing,and one part hands-on experience in ourstate capitol or anyone who is–or aspiresto be–a conservation activist or advocate.Anyone interested in learning more about

conservation issues and how to make a di-erence is welcome to apply.Te Legislative Fly-In is sponsored by

the Alaska Conservation Alliance, a state- wide coalition o conservation groups andbusinesses. For more inormation or toobtain an application, contact SuzanneBostrom by email at [email protected] or call 907-463-3366. Space is limited,

applications should be submitted as soon as possible.

New Greenbelt Project ConservesOpen Space in West FairbanksBy Sally Andersen, Chena Flats Greenbelt Project Coordinator

he Chena Flats Greenbelt Project has announced that a total o 177 acres o wetlands along the base o Chena Ridge have been

purchased as the rst parcels o a proposed greenbelt. Te proposedgreenbelt would stretch rom the intersection o Chena Pump andChena Ridge Roads, along the base o the ridge south, all the way tothe anana River. Te goal o the resident-driven Greenbelt Projectis to establish a corridor o open space or the purposes o recreation,

water conservation, and wildlie habitat.Te properties include some o the best and largest remaining ex-

amples o open water and sedge meadow wetlands in the immediateFairbanks area and provide habitat or moose, swans, cranes, lynx,and other wildlie. Dog mushers, skiers, and snow machiners use thisarea as well.

Surveys or waterbirds and songbirds were conducted in the spring and summer o 2006. Eight waterbird and 24 songbird species wereobserved during the surveys, including Rusty Blackbird, Bohemian

Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Varied Trush.Te Chena Flats Greenbelt Project is a collaborative eort involv-

ing Fairbanks residents, landowners within the proposed greenbelt,and support rom the Interior Alaska Land rust. Funds or the rsttwo purchases were provided by private donations rom area residents,Te Conservation Fund, a grant rom the North American WetlandsConservation Council, and a trails grant rom the Alaska Division

o Parks and Outdoor Recreation.For more inormation or to volunteer, visit the Project’s websiteat www.chenaats.org.

Tanana Lakes Recreation Area Update

On February 13th, the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB)hosted a public meeting to present updated inormation about

plans or the anana Lakes Recreation Area, a 750-acre multiuse parksouth o the City o Fairbanks along the anana River. FNSB andUSKH representatives involved with the project were available to

answer questions and explain the maps and inormation displayed. A proposal may be presented to the Borough Assembly in late April.

Te project is a long-range, multi-phased eort, with gravel extrac-tion activities and park development spanning the course o 15-20

years or more. In October 2006, the FNSB contracted with USKHInc., an Alaska-based architecture, engineering, surveying, and plan-ning rm, to prepare a Master Plan or the anana Lakes RecreationArea.

Visit the FNSB website or to view maps and project updates: www.co.Fairbanks.ak.us/ParksandRecreation/OngoingProjects/

©Ken Whitten



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

Nonproft Org. US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 181Fairbanks AK

Upcoming Events—Mark Your Calendar Marathon Migrants: Shorebirds of Alaska’s North Slope,Monday, March 12, 7:00 pm, Noel Wien Library

Audrey aylor’s presentation on our Arctic birds.

Arctic Audubon Board meeting, Tursday, March 29,5:30 pm, Rm 300 Natural Science Facility, UAF

Arctic Audubon Program, Monday, April 9, 7:00 pm,Noel Wien Library Auditorium.

ricia Wurtz’s presentation on invasive plants.

Electronic Recycling, Saturdays April 21 and 28,10 am –4 pm. Details on page two.

Spring Migration Celebration, Saturday, April 28,Noon–4:00 pm. Activities at three locations.

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.

National Audubon Society

New Member Form q Introductory rate, $20

q wo Year Membership, $30

q Student or Senior rate, $15

Membership includes both National Audubon and thelocal chapter, Arctic Audubon. You will receive NationalAudubon’s magazine, Audubon, and Arctic Audubon’snewsletter, Te Redpoll.Name: _________________________________

Address: _______________________________

_______________________________________City State Zip

Amount enclosed: $______ (make check payable toNational Audubon Society)

Send to: Arctic Audubon Society A52PO Box 82098 7XCH Fairbanks, AK 99708

q Chapter Only Membership, $10

For membership in Arctic Audubon only, check the boxand make check payable to Arctic Audubon Society.

Arctic Audubon Board of Directorsemail address: [email protected]

President: Gail Mayo Vice President: Open

Secretary: Openreasurer: Gail Mayo

Education: OpenConservation: Kristi Bailey

Hospitality: Brook Gamble)Programs: Lauren AttanasPublicity: Open

Newsletter: Mary ZalarMembership: Mary Zalar

Field rips: om GreenBirdathon: Sherry Lewis)

Web Site: Jim Logan Alaska Audubon Board: Frank Keim

march 2007 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

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