the hooter - kittitas audubon$1,000 is the top cash prize among ten that will be awarded, in...
TRANSCRIPT
Future Programs (mark your calendar!)
No Membership Meeting in December ~ see page 8 for Christmas Bird Count info!!!
Membership Meeting - Thursday, November 21st @ 7:00 PM
“Mackenzie River Adventure” presented by Tom & Renee Cottrell
at Hal Holmes Center ~ 201 N Ruby St. ~ Ellensburg, WA
On June 21st of this year, Tom and Renee left
for a 6-week trip alone down the Mackenzie
River in the Northwest Territories in northern
Canada. It was a trip of extremes; the
Mackenzie River begins at the western edge of
Great Slave Lake, the deepest lake in North
America and the 10th largest in the world. Af-
ter more than a thousand miles, the Mackenzie
finally flows into the Arctic Ocean through the
huge delta where some 215 bird species have
been catalogued. Beginning on the southern
shore of Great Slave Lake, they traveled north
down the Mackenzie River which is the 2nd
longest river system in N. America and the
13th longest river in the world (the Columbia is
the 51st longest). The weather was also extreme; during one 39-hour period, the rain never stopped
and the winds gusted over 40 miles per hour. The river flows almost entirely through wilderness, with
the few towns and villages receiving supplies largely by a river barge that travels the river on an in-
termittent basis. Many animals were encountered, from caribou to hungry bears, beaver to lynx,
along with vast numbers of birds. Their presentation will describe their trip, the logistics and difficul-
ties, as well as the beauty of the land and river. Their trip ended when they paddled into Inuvik at
1:30 AM with the sun dipping to its lowest point for the day.
Renee is a 4th grade teacher at Mount Stuart Elementary where she has taught since 2001. Tom
works at CWU as a plant ecologist and is currently the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences.
Both Renee and Tom are avid backpackers, hikers, and now canoeists. In the summer of 2012, they
paddled a 450-mile section of the Yukon River in Canada.
The Hooter Kittitas Audubon November 2013
All Audubon meetings, held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Hal Holmes Center next to the Library, September through May (except December), are open to the public. Please come and meet with us. A brief business session precedes the program. Stay afterwards for juice, treats, and conversation.
Many thanks to the Ellensburg Public Library for sponsoring our meetings here!
Page 2 The Hooter
I missed the board meeting
because I was on a trip to
India but I’m really glad I
made it back for the mem-
bership meeting. What a ter-
rific program, Jeb! Maria Mudd Ruth helped us solve the
mystery of where the Marbled Murrelets nest.
Birding in India was a huge surprise. I wasn’t on a birding
trip so I had to see what I could see where and when I
could see it. And I am happy to report there were birds
everywhere. And colorful ones. And noisy ones. If only I
had had a guide, I could have identified a lot more of
them.
My first clue to the rich avifauna came from the introduc-
tion in Birds of India, my field guide. It said: “The enlight-
ened and benevolent attitudes towards wildlife of Hindu-
ism and Buddhism have undoubtedly helped to conserve
the rich natural heritage of the Indian Subcontinent that
still remains today.”
I won’t bore you with my bird list but here are a few high-
lights. First I was able to see some of our common birds
in their native habitat. The most abundant bird I saw was
the good ol’ Rock Pigeon. They were in all the cities and
those kindly people feed them in public parks. There were
also House Sparrows in the cities but not in the numbers
we have them. The niche of our Mourning Dove was occu-
pied by the Eurasian Collared Dove, which seems to be in
the process of taking over in North America. And if you
have been to Hawaii, you would recognize the introduced
Common Mynah Birds, which are native to India.
The most common crow is the House Crow which resem-
bles ours except it has a handsome grey vest. It is joined
in the work of scavenging by a host of Black Kites. These
beautiful raptors have adapted to city life and soar in ket-
tles everywhere and eat anything, dead or alive. My best
picture of the Taj Mahal (it’s impossible to take a bad one
there) has a kite in it.
We did go on a safari in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (a
National Park). We didn’t see any tigers but the bird life
was spectacular. Lots of greens, blues, and other brilliant
colors. If any of you plan a trip to India, contact me. You
can borrow my field guide!
I look forward to the November program. I heard the
Cottrell’s program at the Science Week event at CWU a
year ago. It is very entertaining and informative. Since
Tom is a plant ecologist, we should get some insight into
the habitat that is so important for birds and other wildlife.
Jim Briggs, President
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Send in your stories & photos!
The Hooter is the newsletter of
Kittitas Audubon, published
monthly except for July.
~~~~~~~
Submissions from members &
other readers are most wel-
come and encouraged! The editor reserves the right to edit
for space, grammar, and/or suit-
ability. Email text and/or photos to
[email protected] or snail mail
to Jan Demorest, Hooter Editor,
712 E 2nd Ave, Ellensburg, WA
98926. Submissions need to be in
by the 20th of the preceding month.
KAS BOARD MEMBERS President – Jim Briggs 933-2231 Vice President – VACANT Secretary – Diane Bullock 968-3175 Treasurer – Sharon Lumsden 968-3889 Conservation – Beau Fairchild 435-602-2767 Education – Judy Hallisey 674-6858 Field Trips – Steve Moore 933-1179 *Newsletter – Jan Demorest 933-1179 *Historian – Gloria Lindstrom 925-1807 Programs – Jeb Baldi 933-1558 Publicity – Gerry Sorenson 968-4857 Wildlife Habitat – Joe Meuchel 933-3011 *Bluebird boxes – Jan Demorest 933-1179 Past President — Gloria Baldi 933-1158
Membership – Tuck Forsythe 925-2356
*Christmas Bird Count – Phil Mattocks 962-2191 Social/Greeter – Kay Forsythe 925-2356 *NON-VOTING POSITIONS
KAS Board Meetings are held at 4:30
PM on the 1st Thursday of each
month on the third floor of the CWU
Science Bldg, Room 301 (above the
elephant desk). These meetings are
open to the public and all Audubon
members; please come and join in the
discussions. Meetings adjourn by 6:00
or 6:30, after which we all go out for a
sociable dinner ~ NO business discus-
sion allowed!
First Saturday BirdWalk on October 5th was attended by five members: Tom, Diane, Tuck, Norm,
and Gerry. We had 3 guests present. The temperature was just into the 40’s, the skies clear, and no
wind. A beautiful fall day.
The road into the park
was closed to car traf-
fic because of the Ma-
nastash Metric bike
tour (they came
through the highway
underpass, down the
park access road, and
turned west to the
Umptanum). We
probably saw 60-70
cyclists.
The only raptor we
saw was a Northern
Harrier. At the Reecer
Creek project overlook
we saw: Spotted
Sandpipers, a Wilson’s
Snipe, and Killdeers. The last 4 bikers we saw stopped to see what we had found (Re: the picture). A
total of only 16 species were counted. (low species count might have been due to all the bicycle traffic
especially along the road…)
~ Gerry S.
Field Trip Reports Page 3 The Hooter
photo by Diane Bullock
A perfect October First Saturday at
Rinehart Park
October Hummer!
From Sharon &
Scott Lumsden
on October
22nd: “Sorry I
don't have any
photos, but
had a lone
hummingbird
fly through yesterday at mid-
day. Fortunately we still have
some red salvia flowers in
pots. The nectar feeders came in
a couple of weeks ago, as I
normally don't have any hummers
after mid-September.”
“In contemplating the exceeding beauty of the earth . . . [we] have found calmness and
courage. For there is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds; in the
ebb and flow of the tides; in the folded buds ready for spring. There is something infinitely
healing in these repeated refrains of nature . . .”
~ Rachel Carson
***BOOK SALE***BOOK SALE ***
****BOOK SALE****
AT THE NOVEMBER 21st MEETING
DO WE HAVE BOOKS!! FIVE BOXES OF NEW AND
GENTLY-USED BOOKS: GENERAL BIRD BOOKS,
NATURAL HISTORY, EXPLORATION OF THE
NORTHWEST, THE COLUMBIA RIVER, BIOGRAPHIES
OF BIRD RELATED-INDIVIDUALS, NATURAL
RESOURCE CONCERNS….A WIDE VARIETY OF
FASCINATING TOPICS.
***SALE IS BY DONATION***NO LIMIT***
Think: CHRISTMAS GIFTS or WINTER READING!
A huge thank you to MARIANNE GORDON and CRAIG
JOHNSON for their generous gift of these books!!
Share the View - An International Photo Con-
test
October 15 to December 1, 2013
Grand Prize: $1,000
How often can you turn $10 into $1,000 with just
one beautiful image? Enter "Share the View", the
Audubon Society of Greater Denver's international
nature photography contest, for a chance to do so.
$1,000 is the top cash prize among ten that will be
awarded, in addition to recognition for the top 250
images selected by our experienced panel of judges.
Enter as many images as you'd like for an entry fee
of $10 per image, or 6 for $50. Not only is there a
chance to win some big bucks, but images placing in
the top 250 will appear on the contest website during
2014 and receive a Certificate of Merit. One of the
top 250 will be featured per day on the home page
and all will be accompanied by the photographer's
name, contact information and website link (if requested).
FOR MORE INFO: See last year's winners and register now on the Share the View website or on the
Share the View Facebook page to receive email updates and contest tips. You will also find contest
rules, answers to frequently asked questions, and short biographies about contest judges.
Page 4 Hooter News and weather
Northern Cardinal in flight © 2012 Sharon Draker
Thanksgiving Day Bird Count ~ Get the turkey
in the oven, then sit down and count the birds in
your backyard!
November 22nd, Thursday, for one hour—any hour of
your choosing! You may sit in the comfort of your house,
or a special spot outdoors. Choose a center spot and expand
it to a 15-foot circle which extends upward to form a
cylinder. Count all birds that enter that area, but count the
same bird only once. If a group enters several times, use
the highest count for that species. To record your results,
use the form enclosed in this month’s Hooter, then send to
the address printed on the form.
The Thanksgiving Bird Count was begun in the east in
1966 but did not have a western coordinator until 1992---so
this is the West’s 21st anniversary. Last year 418 count
reports from eleven western states were received. The Dark
-eyed Junco rated tops for the fourth year out of five in several respects; it was most numerous
(2,045), seen by the more than 50% of counters (59.1%), and was the only species seen in ten
states (missed only in Nevada). The other species in the top ten in descending numbers were
House Sparrow, House Finch, California Quail, Black-capped Chickadee, Mourning Dove,
American Goldfinch, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, White-crowned Sparrow, and Pine Siskin.
Conservation & more Page 5 The Hooter
CONSERVATION ISSUE:
Naneum Ridge to the Columbia River
Two Washington State Public Agencies, The Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and Washington State Department of Fish and
Wildlife (WDFW), manage most of the land to the north and east of
Ellensburg, all in Kittitas County. Presently they are working on a
recreation management plan hoping to achieve sustainable recreation
opportunities for the next 10 to 15 years. Currently public input is
being received on two preliminary recreation management options.
Some information can be found at [email protected] .
If you have a special feeling about activities in any of the Naneum-
Colockum areas, take a minute to send your comment to the email
addresses below. This is your public land.
Is the green dot road system working for access? Should there be
more roads? Less roads? Connecting roads? Which roads need
improvement? More hiking trails? Horse trails? Camping areas? All
terrain vehicle (ATV) access to more areas, or in more seasons?
What about the elk and wildlife in winter? Are there hill-sides or
streams affected by water run-off at certain times of year? Should a
shooting range be constructed? Where should hunting areas be
diversified? Should there be no improvement in some areas with
only access by foot or horse, or less human impact completely? More
roads closed? More restrictions on ATV’s? What effect will roads,
snow machines, motor-cross racing, trails, campgrounds have on
birds, elk, and other wildlife? Who will enforce all the activities?
Dana Leavitt and a copy to: Mike Livingston
[email protected] [email protected]
Recreation Planner
360-902-1606
Report from Marianne’s backyard ~ October
One of the very first things I did after the big move
was to put up bird feeders. I have my 3-ft thistle
feeder and an assortment of others that hold black oil
sunflower.
It didn't take long. Within a day a chickadee found
the sunflower seed. Grab quick, dash away. One more
day for the goldfinches. Regulars now are these two,
plus House Finches, House Sparrows, and Dark-eyed
Juncos. My feeder count won' t be as great as in the
Taneum but it’s a much smaller space. Yard birds (a
different list from feeder count) also include
crows. Well, if I were doing it now,
I'd have them on the feeder count
because they have raided my walnut
tree. Nothing at all like the depredations of a family of
Steller Jays and a very industrious Douglas Squirrel.
I have received offers of plants but decided to let
those wait until spring. In the meantime, we have
gotten as far as the first layer (cardboard) of mulch
on the new flowerbed with some grass clippings. Lots
of leaves will follow. We'll wet it down then let it all
stew until spring. ~ Marianne Gordon
A Fungi-kind of Day in Woods ~ 10-27-13
Pete Lake Trail near Cooper Lake Campground - beautiful woods, and no rain! ~ Jan & Steve
Page 6 Hooter This & That…
KEEN is turning "Sweet 16"
It has been 15 years since KEEN was incorpo-
rated. The organization has gone through some
ups and downs over the years and, like any
teenager, has had its share of disappointments.
But moving into the Sweet 16th Year, KEEN is on
the edge of a huge upswing.
How incredible it has been to see this organiza-
tion go from dreaming about having a nature
center from which to share the love and knowl-
edge of our region to the reality of an Interpre-
tive Center now within sight. It is really going to
happen! “I’m still having a hard time believing
it…” says Jill Scheffer, KEEN Chairperson, “but
every day the needed steps are taken, in close
partnership with Kittitas County and the Kittitas
County Chamber of Commerce, to move closer
to construction and completion.”
The Center Core Team will start meeting next
week on a regular basis to discuss design, func-
tionality, legal agreements, grant funding, furni-
ture, paint, styles, etc and to choose the archi-
tect/engineer team that will construct the build-
ing. If you are interested in engaging with the
Core Team, please contact Jill Scheffer right
away at [email protected] and join in the
fun.
There are many other committees that are now
ramping up – many ways for you to engage with
KEEN in work on the Interpretive Center, the
Scenic Byway project, and running the flagship
events GISS and e3 Winter Fair. Take a look at
the volunteer opportunities listed on the website!
Volunteer and help KEEN celebrate turning
Sweet 16! www.kittitasee.net
Adapted from KEEN email update by Jill Scheffer, KEEN Chairperson
The mission of
Kittitas Audubon is to develop an
appreciation of nature through
education and conservation, with
a focus on birds.
TWO MORE BLUE RIBBONS ~ Blue Ribbons were
presented at the October meeting to volunteers
who have spent many hours doing tasks that
have enhanced KAS, and therefore, have helped
birds. Kittitas Audubon says “Thank You” to:
Jan Demorest and Steve Moore………..We all
know that Jan is the Hooter editor and Steve
arranges all field trips for KAS, both of which involve
many hours. However, Jan and Steve each received a
Blue Ribbon for their dedication as Citizen Scientists. They
erected, repaired, and for several years have monitored
numerous Bluebird Trails totaling more than 150 bird
nestboxes throughout Kittitas County. Visiting the trails to
collect data from each box, i.e., numbers of eggs, hatched
nestlings, fledglings, predation, species of bird using each
box year to year, whether there is a second clutch, plus
noting boxes never used………all is data collected 3-5 times
each year during the nesting season. An enormous
commitment of time! (To give you an idea of time, Jeb and I
monitor a trail of 21 boxes which Steve originally set out. It
takes us 5 hours from the time we leave home until we
return, which we do four times each spring/summer.
Multiply our 20 hours by the number of boxes Jan and Steve
monitor and you can better understand the time dedicated.)
~ Gloria Baldi
Note from Jan: Steve and I really appreciate the Baldis
taking on this trail. Anyone else interested in volunteering?
Contact Steve or me please!
Thanks to renewing members!
Addie Graaff, Alice Yee, Don Wooldridge, Janet Fulton Perkins & Dr. Raymond ”Dave” Perkins
Page 7 Hooter
Darling Bird Studios, ©2007 UNA
Membership & other news!
BECOME A KITTITAS AUDUBON MEMBER!! (Or renew your membership)
Receive The Hooter ~ help support education and conservation activities and projects!
Two options are available:
OPTION 1: Membership in National Audubon includes a subscription to the magazine, Audubon, membership in the local chapter (KAS), and KAS monthly newsletter, THE HOOTER
____ Join as a new National Audubon member $20 (includes KAS membership)
____ Renew a National Audubon membership $35
Make check payable to: National Audubon Society Include this form and mail to: Membership Data Center, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
Name ___________________________ Address __________________________________________
City _____________________________ State, ZIP _________________________________________
Chapter Code COZY220Z
OPTION 2: Membership in only the local chapter, KAS, includes the monthly newsletter, THE HOOTER
____ Join the local Kittitas Audubon Society (KAS) chapter $20
____ Renew your KAS membership $20
____ Make a donation to KAS $______ (amount)
Make check payable to KAS and mail to: KAS, P.O. Box 1443, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Name ____________________________________ Phone __________________________________
Address __________________________________ Cell _____________________________________
City _____________________________________ Email ____________________________________
State, ZIP _________________________________ Would you like to receive The Hooter electronically?
May we print your name in The Hooter as a new, Yes ____ No, prefer paper edition ____
renewing, or donating member? Yes ___ No ____
Kittitas Audubon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational society.
All memberships and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Membership forms are also available on our Web site: Kittitasaudubon.org.
For membership information contact Membership Chair, Tuck Forsythe ~ [email protected]
Check out BirdKitt!! Get the latest news on bird sightings in Kittitas County from our very own regional “BirdKitt”, an online “listserve” for all persons inter-ested in bird sightings in Kittitas County. You can post your own sightings and sign on to have new postings sent directly to your email address.
If you are not already signed up, here’s how to do it: send an email
to [email protected] . Reply to the first email about Bird-kitt that you receive from “yahoogroups”. To unsubscribe: send email to birdkitt- [email protected] . If you have difficulty, contact Chris Caviezel [email protected]
This is a great resource for finding places
to look for birds in the valley.
GET “THE
HOOTER” ONLINE
Save paper, printing,
postage. If you would
prefer to receive the
electronic version,
send your name, mailing address, &
email address to:
At the beginning of each month,
we’ll send you an email with a quick
link to the new Hooter.
Upcoming KAS Field Trips
THANKS TO KITTITAS COUNTY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING KAS!
Inland Internet, Roslyn, donates Internet service for our Website: http://www.kittitasaudubon.org
Old Mill Country Store, Ellensburg ~ Provides a discount on bird seed to KAS members
and prints our county bird lists. Get your bird seed here!
Kittitas Audubon
P.O. Box 1443
Ellensburg WA 98926
November
2nd, Saturday ~ First Saturday BirdWalk,
Rinehart Park. Leaves have turned, and the
first Bald Eagles are arriving. Juncos are back in
the woods after a summer absence, and creepers
and wrens could be active. 2-3 hour walk (before
you have to go home and rake leaves.) Meet at
the Irene Rinehart riverside parking lot off of Um-
tanum Rd at 8 AM. Jeb and Gloria Baldi lead;
933-1558 for info.
28th ~ Thursday ~ Thanksgiving Day Bird
Count. Count for one hour anytime during the
day. See Page 4 for details.
December
7th, Saturday ~ First Saturday BirdWalk ~
Rinehart Park. Waterfowl are settling in on the
ponds. Bring scopes, and we’ll look for Hooded
Mergansers and Wilson’s Snipes trying to stay
warm and fed. Meet at the Irene Rinehart river-
side parking lot off of Umptanum Rd at 8 AM.
Gloria and Jeb Baldi lead; 933-1558 for info.
16th ~ Monday ~ 2013 Cle Elum Christmas
Bird Count: Michael Hobbs facilitates this
count; call 425-301-1032 or email
mailto:[email protected] to partici-
pate. The count is described at site http://
www.marymoor.org/CECBC/
CleElumCBCCircle.htm .
December 14th, Saturday ~ Ellensburg’s 35th
Christmas Bird Count and potluck. Help count
every bird in our 15-mile circle. More details will
appear in the December Hooter, but if you have
never before participated and would like to—
or if you have participated and cannot do it
this year, please call Gloria Baldi at 933-
1558 or Phil Mattocks at 962-2191.
The Hooter - November 2013 The Newsletter of Kittitas Audubon - http://www.kittitasaudubon.org
Thanksgiving (window watch) Bird Count.
Counter's name and mailing address:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
__________________________, Zip _____________
Location of Count ____________________________
____________________________________________
Date: ______________, Temp. __________
Time: Begin _________, End ___________
Weather ____________________________________
Habitat type _________________________________
Feeders / baths (Types) ________________________
___________________________________________
Feeders / baths (Number) _______________________
Procedures for Count: Select a circular area on the ground (may
include water area), 15 feet in diameter, to include feeders, bird baths,
shrubs, etc., as you wish. Imagine the circle extending upward as a
cylinder. Count the numbers of individual birds of each species which
come into this circle (or cylinder) during exactly ONE HOUR. Try to
judge as best you can the actual number of individuals which are
making visits to the Circle, or which fly through the imaginary
cylinder. Try NOT to count the same individual bird over and over
again. Please print clearly the number for each species in the In Circle
column. If you wish to report any, seen outside the Circle, list them in
the "Outside" column.
Pick any ONE-HOUR period during the day --and make the count
on Thanksgiving Day! Please send your count results (even if you see
no birds at all) to:
Dr. John G. Hewston
Natural Resources Building
Humboldt State University
Arcata, CA 95521
Record your observations on the field form below.
Species Seen
In Circle
Outside
California Quail
Rock Dove (Domestic Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Woodpecker, (list)
Steller's Jay
Blue Jay
Scrub Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted (Rufous-S) Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Evening Grosbeak
House Sparrow
Other species: