may 2007 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

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

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Farthest North Birdathon: May 12June 10

Celebrate Spring and support the Arctic Audubon Society and the Alaska Bird Observatory by joining local birders or this years Farthest North Birdathon. Tis is ArctiAudubons one and only undraising eort each year, and your participation supports ou

programs. You can participate by: gathering pledges and doing your own Birdathon, calling any Arctic Audubon board member to pledge support, make a pledge to the Youth Birdathon eam, join a guided Birdathon with Dr. Susan Sharbaugh on May 19 starting at Cream

ers Field, with Sherry Lewis on May 23 at Creamers Field, or with Gail Mayo onMay 26 at Smith Lake.Birdathon inormation was published in the April issue oTe Redpoll. You can also picup inormation at Creamers Field Farmhouse Visitor Center, at the Alaska Bird Observatory, or at www.alaskabird.org. Te potluck ally Rally & Awards Ceremony will be helSunday, July 15, 4 pm, at the Alaska Bird Observatory.

Mark your calendar for the

Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival

S

andhill Cranes have just arrived in Fairbanks but beore the next issue o our newsletterwe will be celebrating the next turn o their season with the Sandhill Crane Festiva

marking the beginning o their all migration. Save the weekend o August 24, 25, and 2to enjoy the spectacle at Creamers Field Migratory Waterowl Reuge in Fairbanks. Cranbiologist and conservation activist George Archibald will be the keynote guest and speakeAs many as 2,500 Sandhill cranes will be in attendance. Join them!

I you would enjoy helping with the estival in any o many small ways, rom making luscious dessert to guiding a nature walk, call Gail Mayo (479-2954) or Friends o CreamerField (452-5162).

Whats Happening at Creamers Field?

On Monday, May 21 at 7 pm at the Noel Wien Library, there will be a program abou

Whats Happening at Creamers this Summer. Te program includes a short slidshow and inormation about Creamers Field and its history, events or the summer, an

volunteer opportunities. Mark your calendar or the ollowing events: Te 2nd AnnualDesign Alaska Wild Arts Walk, is Saturday, June 2, Noon5 pm. Guided Nature Walks, held June 1September 1, are scheduled at 10 am Monda

through Friday and 7 pm on Wednesdays. Volunteers interested in leading these naturwalks should come to the May 21 meeting at the Library.

Saturday Mornings With an Artist, 10 amNoon, begin June 1. A Summer Solstice Walk will be held Saturday, June 23 at 10 am. On June 21, Friends o Creamers Field will have a booth at the Midnight Sun Festiva

in downtown Fairbanks.

The RedpollNewsletter of the Arctic Audubon Society, Fairbanks, Alaska

Vol. 29 Issue No. 7 May 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

AK Bird Conference ........ 2

Goose Arrival Dates ........ 3

Kanuti Refuge Plan ......... 2

Guided Nature Walks ...... 2

Magpie Project ............... 3

Small Grants Awarded .... 2

Thank Yous .................... 2


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Page The Redpoll May 007

Thank You!Arctic Audubon would liketo thank all o the olks that

presented programs duringthe past year. Our thanks

and applause to Barry White-hill, om Paragi, Frank Keim,A u d r e y a y l o r , N e e sha

Wendling, and rish Wurtz.Tanks to Nancy DeWitt

or her assistance in producingthe April newsletter.

Interior Hiking &Birding Map

For over a year, Frank Keim hasbeen busy assembling a hikingand birding guide map orInterior Alaska. He has walkedmany miles to accurately assessthe areas trails, access, andcharacter. Te map is now inthe design stage with CompassRose Cartography and PuttsArtistry and Design. It shouldbe available by mid-summer.

he map is a project o theArctic Audubon Society.

Alaska BirdConference

he 12th Biennial AlaskaBird Conerence wil l behosted by the Alaska BirdObservatory in FairbanksMarch 47, 2008. Sugges-tions or special sessions,associated meetings, and

vendors are now being ac-c e p te d . D e ta i l s w i l l b e

posted on ABOs website, www.alaskabird.org, as theybecome available. For urtherinormation contact AnneRuggles at [email protected].

Guiding Kanuti Refuge into the Future

he Kanuti National Wildlie Reuge invites public review o its revisedComprehensive Conservation Plan. Te reuge conducted public scop-ing meetings in 2004, including a presentation to Arctic Audubon by thenActing Reuge Manager Merry Maxwell. Te reuge has just completed a

public review dra o the Plan that outlines proposed goals, objectives, and

management alternatives or the next 15 years.Te dra Plan is available orpublic comment through July 15, 2007.

Tis is the rst management plan revision to be released or any o the eightAlaska reuges north o the Alaska Range. It is important or the public (thatis YOU!) to review long range plans. Tis is your chance to be proactive.

Te ull plan will be available on-line by mid-May at http://alaska.ws.gov/nwr/planning/ccp.htm. o obtain a copy o the plan, a plan summary,or CD, contact the planning team leader:

Peter WikoU.S. Fish and Wildlie Service1011 E. udor Rd.

Anchorage, AK 99503(907) 786-3837email: [email protected]

I you would like to discuss the plan beore commenting, please contactReuge Manager Mike Spindler in the Fairbanks ofce at (907) 456-0329.Public meetings are planned in May and June.

Small Grants Awarded

Arctic Audubon awarded two small grants this spring. One supportscontinuation o the Arctic Warbler study at angle Lakes by AlaskaBird Observatory sta and volunteers. Te second grant will enable UAFgraduate student Kristin DeGroot to describe and compare the physiologicalcondition o Lesser Scaup during migration, breeding, and nesting cycles.Kristin is seekingvolunteer feld assistants who would enjoy spending upto a week during June at Long Lake in the Yukon Flats National WildlieReuge. I you are interested, contact Mark Bertram at 456-0446 or by emailat [email protected].

Guided Nature Walks for Tourists?

he March-April 2007 issue oAudubon magazine included a special

advertising section about Alaska (page 34). Te paragraphs about theInterior mention that Arctic Audubon Society is a good resource or learningabout Alaskas birds and habitat. Jade Frank with the Fairbanks Conventionand Visitors Bureau states, Tey [Arctic Audubon] put together numerousnature walks and classes in birding by ear or spotting particular types obirds. Tey oer guided nature walks, too, which people really like.

Te Audubon Board would like to explore the possibility o oeringguides or visitors who prearrange via our web site. We would like to hearrom members who would like to participate. Tis could be a pleasantdiversion rom all the other must do summer projects. I you are interested,

please email us at [email protected].


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Page The Redpoll May 007

Have you seen any Black-billed Magpies?he Alaska Bird Observatory (ABO) has initiated a citizen science project to gather inorma-tion on the impact o our changing climate on Black-billed Magpieslarge, boldly patternedsongbirds that are members o the corvid amily (ravens, jays, and crows). Nothing about magpiesis subtle, which makes them an ideal species or a citizen-science eort.

Tey are a relatively large black and white bird with a long tail. Magpies are loud, vocal, and social. Teir nests are large, domed stick structures, usually placed in sturdy

shrubs or trees. Nests are sometimes re-used or new nests are built ontop o old nests.

No other bird in Alaska looks like or builds a nest similar to Black-billed Magpies.

Northern areas o the state that were previously inhospitable due to a short growing seasonand extreme low winter temperatures may now be within the Black-billed Magpies range due toa moderating climate. In the past ve years, the number o observations o Black-billed Magpiesin the Fairbanks area has increased dramatically. ABO would like to support this anecdotalevidence with a more rigorous accounting o these observations.

Sightings in all seasons are important but we are especially interested in evidence o breed-ing, such as young birds, adults carrying ood in the spring and summer, and nests. o report asighting, make note o the number o birds, location, date, time o day, and a short descriptiono their behavior. Call in this inormation at 451-7159 or email it to [email protected]. Youcan also report your sightings on our Black-billed Magpie Sighting Datasheet available on ABOs

website at www.alaskabird.org.

y = -0.3572x + 19.345

R2

= 0.5054

0

5

10

15

20

25

1975.0 1985.0 1995.0 2005.0

Year

DateinApril

Data: ADF&G

Analysis: LR MA

16 1976

19 1977

16 1978

14 1979

16 1980

17 1981

22 1982

19 1983

16 1984

16 1985

17 1986

18 1987

14 1988

16 1989

9 1990

15 1991

15 1992

14 1993

9 1994

13 1995

9 1996

6 1997

5 1998

12 1999

10 2000

11 2001

18 2002

9 2003

3 2004

6 2005

6 2006

13 2007

Date

inApril Year

Canada Goose Migration First Arrival DateCreamers Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska


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

Nonproft Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 181Fairbanks AK

Upcoming EventsMark Your CalendarFarthest North Birdathon, May 12June 10

ally Rally Potluck & Awards, July 15, 4 pm

Birding By Ear Field Trip, Saturday, May 19, 9 am

Meet at Creamers Field or guided walk with DaveShaw; or inormation, call 452-6370.

Whats Happening at Creamers Field, May 21, 7 pm

Public program at Noel Wien Libray; details on p. 1Kanuti Reuge Public Comments due July 15

Public review o revised Comprehensive Conserva-tion Plan to guide reuge or next 15 years.

Sandhill Crane Festival, August 2426, 2007 Keynote speaker is George Archibald. Full schedule

o events will be available in mid-July.

Arctic Audubon Board of Directorsemail address: [email protected]

President: Gail Mayo (479-2954)Vice President: Open

Secretary: Openreasurer: Gail Mayo (479-29540

Education: OpenConservation: Kristi McLean (479-4874)

Hospitality: Brook Gamble (456-3775)Programs: Lauren Attanas (474-9736)Publicity: Open

Newsletter: Mary Zalar (479-4547)Membership: Mary Zalar (479-4547)

Field rips: om Green (452-6370)Birdathon: Sherry Lewis (479-0848)

Web Site: Jim LoganAlaska Audubon Board: Frank Keim (451-9308)

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 NationalAudubons magazine, Audubon, and Arctic Audubonsnewsletter, Te Redpoll.

Name: _________________________________

Address: _______________________________

_______________________________________City State Zip

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

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

q Chapter Only Membership, $10

For membership in Arctic Audubon only, check the box

and make check payable to Arctic Audubon Society.

may 2007 redpoll newsletter arctic audubon society

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