Apr 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

8/8/2019 Apr 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

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The Corvid Crier ~ April 2009 1

Eastside Audubon Society Vol 28, No 3 April 2009

The Mission of the Eastside

Audubon Society is to protect,

preserve and enhance natural

ecosystems and our communities

for the benefit of birds, other

wildlife and people.

HIGHLIGHTS INSIDE:

Focus on the Board 2

Volunteer Spotlight 3

Volunteer Recognition 4

Plant Sale 4

Schedule of Spring Events 5

Field Trips 6 7

Bird of the Month 8

Birdathon 9

Gardening With Native Plants 9

Intl. Migratory Bird Day atMarymoor Park 9

Birds of Concern 10

Class: Wild Edible Plants of

Spring 11

Kids Night at EAS 11

Great Blue Heron Event 12

Marymoor Park Birdloop 13

Directions to Eastside AudubonNorthlake Unitarian Universalist Church,308 4th Ave. S. (corner of 4th Ave. S. andState). Take I-405 exit 18 (NE 85th, Kirk-land). Drive west on Central Way to 3rd St.(stoplight). Turn left (south) on 3 rd St. andfollow it as it bears left and changes nameto State St. Turn left on 4 th Ave S.

TAKE THE BUS! Routes 540, 230 and255 serve State Street in Kirkland.

The Owl and The Woodpecker:Encounters with North America's Most Iconic BirdsThursday, April 23, 7:00 pmNorthlake Unitarian Universalist Church (EAS Headquarters)

JJJJoin award-winning photographer PaulBannick on a visual journey of 11 key

North American habitats through theneeds of specific owl and woodpecker

species. This stunning photographicstudy will be accompanied by field sto-ries and rich natural history derived fromthousands of hours in the field. His talkwill look at the way owls and woodpeck-ers define and enrich their habitat andhow their life-histories are intertwined.

Paul Bannick is an award winning pho-tographer whose work has appeared inAudubon magazine, Sunsetmagazine,Pacific Northwestmagazine, theNationalWildlife Federation Guide to North

American Birds and in many other books,magazines, parks, refuges and otherplaces in North America and Europe.

Paul works full time for ConservationNorthwest, an environmental organiza-tion dedicated to protecting and connect-ing wild areas from the Pacific Coast tothe Canadian Rockies.

We lead off the evening with a specialBirdathon presentation at 7:00, followedby brief chapter announcements and then

refreshments and socializing. Comeearly for the Activity Fair and treat your-selves to pictures of our fun and reward-ing activities. Check out our new Bir-dathon display.

Pauls presentation starts at 7:50; his newbook, The Owl and The Woodpecker,will be available for sale before his pres-entation. Editor-at-Large,Audubon

Magazine, raves about the book: "What aglorious book! Paul Bannick's photo-graphs reveal the startling beauty andcomplex survival strategies of the owland the woodpecker, North America's

most charismaticand crucialcavity-nesting birds. These are images to savoragain and again."

Please join us Thursday, April 23 forPaul Bannicks beautiful and stimulatingpresentation. The presentation is free andopen to the public. Invite a friend or any-one who wants to learn about NorthAmericas most iconic birds.

The Corvid Crier


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Focus on the Board: Birding OpportunitiesBy Brian H. Bell, Birding Chair

President Cindy Balbuena (425) [email protected]

Vice President OpenSecretary Carmen Almodovar (425) 643-5922

[email protected] Ellen Homan (425) 836-5838

[email protected] Director Jan McGruder (425) 822-8580

[email protected]

At large board member Helen LaBouy (425) [email protected]

At large board member Margaret Lie (425) [email protected]

At large board member Tricia Kishel (206) [email protected]

Birding Brian Bell (425) [email protected]

Adult Education Open

Bird Photography Tim Boyer (425) [email protected]

Field Trips Hugh Jennings (425) [email protected]

Native Plant Walks Sunny Walter (425) [email protected]

Nature Walks Christopher Chapman (425) [email protected]

Special Events OpenBird Questions? MaryFrances Mathis (425) 803-3026

Conservation Andrew McCormick (425) [email protected]

Advocacy OpenCitizen Science Tim McGruder (425) 822-8580Conservation Andrew McCormick (425) 637-0892

[email protected]

Marymoor Park Jim Rettig (425) [email protected]

Education Mary Britton-Simmons (360) [email protected]

Programs Sunny Walter (425) [email protected]

Youth Education Mary Britton-Simmons (360) [email protected]

Library Betsy Law (206) [email protected]

Communication Patrick Kelley (206) [email protected]

Historian Bob Gershmel (425) [email protected]

Newsletter Tom Grismer (206) 720-9892newsletter@eastsideaudubon

Publicity Tracey Cummings (425)[email protected]

Webmaster Liz Copeland (425) [email protected]

Financial Development OpenBirdathon OpenGift Wrap OpenMerchandising OpenMembership Sunny Walter (425) 271-1346

[email protected] Claudia Welch (425) 827/2548Volunteer Coordinator Rahul Gupta [email protected]

308 4th Avenue S. (Corner 4th Ave. S. and State)

Committee Chairs/Board (board positions underlined)

Executive Officers

Eastside Audubon Society(425) 576-8805 www.eastsideaudubon.org

Most of you are famil-iar with EastsideAudubons birdingfield trips. These arethe opportunities thatyou have to go into the

field with an experi-enced leader to see ourregular resident spe-cies as well as thosethat are moving thru inmigration. Our tripsvary from local ones to places like Marymoor, and theregular monthly trip with Mary Frances Mathis to Jua-nita Bay Park\; to more regional locations such as theSnoqualmie Valley, or Discovery Park; or to more dis-tant sites like Whidbey Island, Port Townsend or GraysHarbor. Occasionally we go really far afield for a

long weekend to the Okanogan. These trips are alwayspopular and well attended, and we welcome you all onthem. We are always looking for people who are inter-ested in becoming leaders - going along as a co-leaderis a good way to get started. To join the fun, pleasecontact me, or Hugh Jennings.

Other birding opportunities may not be as obvious. Oneneat way is to participate in one of our Bird Surveys.Eastside Audubon (working with the ConservationCommittee) conducts Bird Surveys in a wide variety ofhabitats, to gain knowledge to help us in our conserva-tion efforts, and to provide information to enquiring

organizations and agencies. These surveys are con-ducted on a regular basis over a replicable route, keep-ing records of the species seen, their numbers, and thehabitat in which they are seen. Notable behaviors arenoted. To find out what surveys are currently beingconducted contact the Conservation Committee, orHugh Jennings.

Another less obvious opportunity is our Adult BirdingClasses. These classes provide the interested birderwith both beginning and advanced identification tech-niques to increase their knowledge and skill. Whether a

class covers a specific set of birds, or is more general,most include at least one field trip for the class partici-pants to use their new skills. We are looking for an en-thusiastic volunteer who is willing to act as the chair ofthis committee. For more information, please contactme.

See you out Birding!


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The Corvid Crier, Vol 28, NO 3Publication Date: April 1, 2009.Published by: Eastside Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 3115, Kirkland, WA 98083-3115

The Corvid Crier is published monthly by the EastsideAudubon Society except that there are no issues inJanuary or August.

Deadline for material submission is the first Wednesdayof the month preceding publication. Send material byemail to:

[email protected]: EAS Newsletter

or by mail to:Eastside Audubon Society

Attn: Tom GrismerP. O. Box 3115, Kirkland, WA 98083-3115

Eastside Audubon Office/Audubon CenterThe office is downstairs at NorthlakeUnitarian Universalist Church inKirkland, 308 4th Avenue S. (Corner4th Ave. S. and State). Directions: I-405 exit 18 (N. E. 85th-Kirkland). Gowest on Central Way to the light on 3rd

St. Go left on 3rd St. Follow this street(it bears left and changes name to StateSt.) Then turn left on 4th Ave. S.

(425) [email protected]

Hours: Mon, Tues, Fri 9:00am - 1:00pm

April Meetings

Apr 1 (Weds) 4:006:00 pmWeb CommitteeMeets first Wednesday each monthin EAS Office. All interested partiesare invited. Questions? Email [email protected]

Apr 9 (Thurs) 7:00 pmPhoto GroupMeets in large room upstairs fromEAS Office. Questions? Email TimBoyer at [email protected]

Apr 14 (Tues) 7:00 pmYouth Education CommitteeMeets in the EAS Office.All inter-ested parties are invited. Questions?Email [email protected]

Apr 23 (Thurs) 6:30 pm

Monthly Membership MeetingSee page 1.

Volunteer Spotlight on:

Are you ever curious about a past Audu-bon event? Thanks to our historian, BobGershmel, you can probably find infor-mation and even a photo about the event.

Bobs life started on a farm in the coldercountry of Palmer, Alaska. He went toschool from first to twelfth grade in Wa-silla, 38 miles from Anchorage. Afterhigh school, he decided to join the Navy.During his 28 years and 4 months in theservice, he served on three aircraft carri-ers around Vietnam and became a CPO(Chief Petty Officer). Bob also marriedand had a son and two daughters. Whenhe decided to leave the military, he re-tired in Montlake Terrace. He then tookon a job as public safety officer for Al-

derwood Mall.

How does a war veteran get into birding?In 2001, Bob decided to volunteer as apark ranger at Juanita Bay Park. He nowleads tours the first Sunday of eachmonth and at other times for schools.Bob said, I enjoy sharing informationwith young people. One day, he spokewith our members, Jim and Nancy Rob-erts, and decided to try Audubon. Hisfavorite birds are the bald eagle and theosprey. Why these two? I like the com-

petition between the two birds, he said,and, in flight, they are beautiful.

In January, 2008, Bob answered the callfor volunteers and became our historian.He collects stories from newspapers andreceives articles people send him. He

also writes articles and uses his hobby ofphotography to record the differentAudubon functions he attends. He haswritten stories about Birdathon teams,and recently, about the Audubon spon-sored watch, led by Hugh Jennings, ofBlue Herons in Kenmore. Bob said, Ilike working with people, the camarade-rie and social aspect. And, Im alwayslearning to identify more birds.

If you would like to look at the historian

book for information or enjoyment, it iskept in the Eastside Audubon office. Bobsays, Im just carrying on the tradition.Thank you Bob for doing so for all of us!

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;Close to the sun in lonely lands,Ringd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;He watches from his mountain walls,And like a thunderbolt he falls.

The EagleBy Alfred, Lord Tennyson


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Thank You to Our VolunteersOn the Environment Lobby Day held inmid February, several of our volunteerstraveled down to Olympia and joined thestates leading conservation groups andhundreds of citizen lobbyists to influenceelected legislators to push for the passageof the Environmental Priorities Coali-tions legislative package we are ex-

tremely grateful to Cindy Balbuena,Sunny Walter, Christy Anderson, JimRettig, Maureen Sunn, Diane Whitman,Jim McRoberts and Carmen Almo-dovar for taking time out to campaignand extend their support for tackling someof the most important environmental is-sues afflicting our planet, a theme that isvery closely aligned with our overall mis-sion statement.

But saving our planet alone wasnt

enough for Tim McGruder, to whom weare truly thankful for his involvement withthe City of Redmond Community Devel-opment Guide and Bear Creek planning,in addition to his fundraising efforts andcontributions on Environmental LobbyDay.

Last, but certainly not the least, specialthanks to our field trip leaders Brian Bell,Hugh Jennings, Joyce Meyer, MikeWest, Bill Schmidt, Sharon Aagaardand Stan Wood as well as to our valuedmembers of the Education CommitteeJim Hall, Shirlee Hall, Margaret Snell,Margaret Lee and Jill Keeney for theirdedication and consistent hard work overthe past few months. Thank you, thankyou, thank you!

If weve missed anyone thank you! You

know who you are and by your own gen-erous commitment, you set a wonderfulexample and demonstrate the power ofindividuals to effect significant change inour communities. We greatly appreciateyour time, generosity and leadership andwe know that you are our most passionatepromoters.

We cannot thank you enough for yourinvaluable contributions as a volun-teer. Our goals require sincere and com-mitted volunteers and we are grateful forthe energy, enthusiasm, and dedicationyou bring to your role as an EastsideAudubon volunteer. Would you like tovolunteer for EAS? Check out the websitefor current needs.

Rahul Gupta, Volunteer Coordinator

Dr. Kerri W. Scarbrough, Optometrist

17320 135th Ave. N.E. ? Woodinville

(425) 398-1862

See the birds better!

Mark the date! Our spring plant sale is setfor Saturday, May 2, 2009 from 10 am to2:00 pm This year the sale is at a newlocation: Kirkland Childrens School,5311 - 108th Avenue N.E. in Kirkland.All proceeds go directly to EastsideAudubon.

We will offer a wide variety of native andornamental plants that attract birds, but-terflies and hummingbirds. Come early -pick out the plants that best suit your

landscaping - and help wildlife at the

same time!

Plant experts will be on hand to answeryour native plant questions, and help youmake your yard more wildlife-friendly.

Visit the new andimproved Eastside

Audubon website at:

www.eastsideaudubon.org

Plant Sale May 2, 2009


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Board Retreat: The board met to review2008 goals and set goals for 2009.

Eastside Audubon accomplishments in2008: Board president Cindy Balbuenaasked the board to note chapter accom-plishments in 2008. These included:

New name and new branding for ourchapter

Website update to reflect these changesand to improve access to information

Coordination with Seattle Audubon totransfer members living on the Eastsideto Eastside Audubon

Marymoor BirdLoop Festival and part-

nerships from the festival

Save Our Swifts partnership with Seat-tle Audubon and Pilchuck Audubon

New sectors for the Christmas BirdCount

Statistical data online

Two global warming workshops

Participation in ACOW and Lobby Day

Education Committee presentations to

over 700 children

Eight camp scholarships

Eight program nights

Eight native plant walks

Over 40 field trips

12 Marymoor work parties

Conservation tables at program nights

Activity fairs and new displays for pro-gram meetings

Office renovation.

Focus on Fundraising: Treasurer EllenHoman noted that in 2008 our expensesexceeded income by over $17,000. Be-

cause of this shortfall and declining in-come, the board decided that fundraisingwill be a major priority for the chapter.Initially, efforts will be directed at ex-panding Birdathon, not only in the num-ber of teams and member participation butalso by increasing the variety of field tripsand events. A committee will develop afundraising plan with specific dollar goalsand strategies for 2009/2010.

Increase Membership: The board de-cided that the chapter will work to in-crease membership by: 1) recruiting newmembers from the new territories addedfrom Seattle Audubon; 2) reaching newmembers via social networking forumssuch as Facebook; 3) improving publicawareness of Eastside Audubon throughlocal events such as Earth Day and Inter-national Migratory Bird Day, and 4) en-hancing existing relationships with localcorporations such as Microsoft.

Increase Corporate Partnerships: Theboard discussed the possible benefits of

corporate partnerships, the kinds of com-panies we might partner with, andwhether the relationship would be ongo-ing or event specific. After much discus-sion the board designated a committee toformalize policies for corporate partner-ships.

Carmen Almodovar, Secretary

Board Notes for February 2009

SSSSpring is a busy time for our Chapter.Well be participating in some greatevents around the Eastside and hopeyoull join us. Stop by our booth and sayhi and enjoy the activities going on thatday.

You can learn more about any of these

events on our website:www.eastsideaudubon.org

April 18 Earth Day at Issaquah Farm-ers Market 9 am to 3 pm at thePickering Barn, 1730 Tenth AvenueNW in Issaquah;

April 25 Hobby Fair at IssaquahFarmers Market - 9 am to 3 pm at thePickering Barn, 1730 Tenth Avenue NWin Issaquah;

April 25 Spring Garden Fair 9 am to

3:30 pm at Redmond City Hall Campus,15670 NE 85th Street, Redmond. This isour fifth year at this event. Its always agreat day about gardening and yard care,with many resources to answer all yourquestions, and great talks by local gardenwriters. You can learn more at www/

springgardenfair.com/May 2 Plant Sale 10 am to 2 pm atKirkland Childrens School, 5311 - 108thAvenue N.E., Kirkland. This is our thirdyear of holding a spring plant sale. OurChair, Krista Rave-Perkins had locatedthe common native plants, as well assome gems to add to your garden. Alsonote our new location in south Kirkland.Well have experts on hand to answer allyour questions.

May 5 Gardening With Native Plants

lecture 7 am to 9 pm at Northlake Uni-tarian Universalist Church, 308 FourthAvenue S., Kirkland. The first week inMay is Native Plant Appreciation Week,and in partnership with Washington Na-tive Plant Society we are pleased to bringthis lecture by Marcia Rivers-Smith.

May 9 International Migratory EarthDay Festival 2 pm to 5 pm at Mary-moor Park. This is a smaller version ofour Marymoor Festival held last August.Well have bird walks, native plant walk,kids activities, and family bird walk, andscopes for close-up viewing of the Ospreynest.

May 9 Washington Native Plant Soci-ety Plant Sale 10 am to 4 pm at theBellevue Botanical Garden, 12001 MainStreet in Bellevue.

Spring Has Sprung

Green Kirkland Earth Day Event at Juanita Bay Park, Saturday, April 25Join the effort to restore native habitatat Juanita Bay Park by participating inthis event on Saturday, April 25th.

Wear work clothes and gloves anddress for the weather. Also bring wa-ter bottle, and if you have them, prun-ing shears/clippers, lopping shears and

shovels.

To volunteer, contact Sharon Rodmanat 425-587-3305 or [email protected]


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Sharon Aagaard 425-271-0143 to register.

Apr 18 (Sat) 7:00 am Camano Island/StanwoodPrepare for a full day of birding and explore Camano Island'sshoreline, salt-water marshes, grasslands, and forest habitats for

seabirds, raptors, and songbirds. Specific areas include IversonSpit, Livingston Bay, a county park, a Preserve, Utsalady andEnglish Boom. Bring a lunch and meet before 7 am at southend of Kingsgate P&R to carpool. Passenger cost/person$14.00. Mike West and Joyce Meyer 425-868-7986.

Apr 18 (Sat) 9:00 am Watershed ParkA 2-hour nature walk in this Kirkland park takes place the 3rdSaturday of each month at 9:00 AM. Nature walks enter thepark off NE 45th Street, north of the railroad tracks on 108thAvenue NE, east of 108th Avenue NE. Watershed park has morethan 70 acres of mostly upland second growth forest; there issome riparian habitat. Several plant and bird species can beseen in the park. Bus stop nearby on 108 th, near 45th. Limited

street parking. Jan Johnson 425-814-5923

Apr 21 (Tues) 5:45 am Grays HarborWe will hit a number of locations in the Grays Harbor arealooking for returning shorebirds. Potential locations mightinclude Ocean Shores, Westport, James River, Bottle Beach,Midway Beach, and Tokeland. We will keep our eyes out for allmanner of other birds also. Bring a lunch and meet at 5:45 amat the Newport Hills P&R (exit 9 on I-405) to carpool. Earlymeeting is essential in order to be a locations for the best tide.Dress for most any kind of weather. Passenger cost/person$31.00. Limited to 11 people in three cars. Call Brian H. Bell425-485-8058 to save a spot.

Apr 21 (Tues) **8:00** to noonJuanita Bay Park Bird WalkA relaxed walk in the Park, seeing what birds are in the area.Meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 9:00. Bringbinoculars and meet in parking lot. No registration required.MaryFrances Mathis 425-803-3026

April 25 (Sat) 7:00 am Dry Creek Waterfowl**Birdathon Joint Trip** with Seattle Audubon Limit: 9Here's a unique opportunity to see eiders, Smews, Long-tailedDucks, Harlequin Ducks, Red-breasted Geese, and more veryup close and personal. Cameras welcome. Arnold Schouten isone of the few successful breeders of sea ducks. Spend time inthe fascinating ecosystem he has created near Port Angeles, a

true labor of love. After, we'll bird our way back to the ferry.Scopes a plus for coastal stops. Return early evening. Meet by7:00 am at Ravenna P&R. Carpool cost: $45.00, plus ferry tobe shared by all riders. Leaders: MaryFrances Mathis (425-803-3026), Megan Lyden (425-603-1548). Please bring $25cash or a check made out to Eastside Audubon forBirdathon donation.

(Continued on page 7)

Apr 3 (Fri) **8:00** to noon Marymoor ParkJoin us for a morning walk along the nature trail, seeing whatbirds are in the area. Meets the 1st Friday of each month at9:00. Bring binoculars and meet at the SW corner of the DogArea parking lot (Parking Lot D). No registration is required.To reach Marymoor Park, take SR 520 east from Seattle to theWest Lake Sammamish Parkway exit and follow the signs.The entrance to the park is one block south of the exit. Turnright at third stop sign, to Dog Area parking lot. Parking is $1.

Apr 4 (Sat) 9:00 to noonMarymoor Park Habitat RestorationJoin us in restoring native habitat at the Marymoor Park

interpretive area on the 1st Saturday of every month. Dress forthe weather and bring clippers, gloves, snacks and water.Meet at Meadow Kiosk in Parking Lot G. Free parking passesare provided. Jim Rettig 425-402-1833

Apr 7 (Tues) 6:00 am to 6:00 pmRobinson Canyon Birding HikeWe'll hike 6 to 7 miles while birdwatching in RobinsonCanyon (near Ellensburg). I've birded this Canyon in themonths of May and September, but haven't yet in April, so I'mcurious to see and hear what's there. We should seewoodpeckers, quail, grouse, raptors, chickadees, kinglets, andnuthatches, and perhaps some early migrants. The trail isrocky, uneven and narrow and there will likely be a streamcrossing or two, so definitely bring hiking poles for balance ifyou have them (if not, we can share mine). Also, appropriatehiking shoes are a must. Pack a lunch, snacks andliquids. Bring spotting scopes if you have them. Meet before6:00 am at the Issaquah Tibbetts P&R (NOT the new, multi-level P&R lot just finished last year). Directions: I-90 East toIssaquah, exit 15, turn right off the ramp, head south to thecorner of SR 900 and Newport Way and take a left there at thelight, and then the next right into Tibbetts lot. Passenger cost/person $26.00. Limited to 7 participants in two cars. Call

FIELD TRIPSParents and children over 8 are welcome on all trips. **FRS Radio owners, please consider bringing them on trips.**See www.eastsideaudubon.org/events/ for the latest information and for reports of last months field trips.

Meeting Places for Field Trips:

Kingsgate Park and Ride: I-405 exit 20B northbound or20 southbound, N. E. 124th St. Go west to light at 116thAve. N. E., then right (north) a few blocks to P&R lot (on

the left). Meet in the S.E. corner. 1300 116th Way NE,Kingsgate.

Newport Hills Park and Ride: I-405, exit 9. 5115 113thPL NE, Newport Hills.

South Kirkland Park and Ride:108th Ave. NE justnorth of hwy 520 and Northup Way. 10610 NE 38th Pl.

Tibbetts Park and Ride:Take exit 15 from I-90, turnright (south) and go past the new multistoryIssaquah Park & Ride to the 3rd traffic light. Turnleft (east) on Newport Way NW, go one block andturn right (south) into the Park & Ride. Meet at thewest end of the parking lot (away from the entrance)to carpool. 1675 Newport Way NW, Issaquah


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Apr 26 (Sun) 9:30 am to 1:00 pmNative Plant Walk: Madrona WoodsJoin plant specialist Ella Elman from Seattle Urban Nature(SUN) to explore restoration and daylighting projects along theLake Washington shoreline. We will explore Madrona Woodswhere community members have engaged in a 10-yearrestoration. Their recent stream daylighting project has createda nearshore estuary and has allowed the stream once again to

flow into the lake. We will tour the park and look at theshoreline, riparian and upland restoration efforts. We will thencarpool to Colman Park where we will see restoration projectsinstalled by the Starflower Foundation from 1997-2006. Wewill tour the shoreline and upland portions of the park, as wellas the frog pond.

Meet at 9:30 at Wilburton P&R at I-405 and SE 8 th to carpool.Bring snacks, water, walking shoes, and raingear. Option to goout for lunch afterward. Please [email protected] to register so we know you arecoming.

April 27 (Mon) 9:00 to noonBirding the Hot Spots of King County

Monthly field trip on fourthMonday of each month towherever the birds are. Meet before 9:00 am at north end of theNewport Hills Park-N-Ride (I-405, exit 9) and plan to be backby noon. Passenger cost/person $2.00. Hugh Jennings 425-746-6351

May 5 (Tues) 6:00 am to 6:00 pm

Umtanum Canyon Birding Hike **Birdathon Trip**We'll hike 6 to 7 miles while birdwatching the UmtanumCanyon trail, located in Yakima Canyon (between Ellensburg

and Yakima). This trail offers a great opportunity to see birds ofthe sage and riparian habitats. We should have an opportunity tosee and hear many nesting birds, and it's highly likely we'll spotsome raptors as well. The trail is rocky but fairly even goingand not considered difficult. Wear hiking shoes, bring a lunch,& snacks. It may be a warm day of hiking so definitely bring anample amount of liquids. Bring spotting scopes if you havethem. Meet before 6:00 am at the Issaquah Tibbetts P&R(NOT the new, multi-level P&R lot just finished last

year). Directions: I-90 East to Issaquah, exit 15, turn right offthe ramp, head south to the corner of SR 900 and Newport Wayand take a left at the light there, and then the next right intoTibbetts lot. Please bring cash or a check for donation of $35.00to Eastside Audubon (EAS) for Birdathon. There will be anadditional passenger cost/person of$28.00 as a share ofcarpool costs. Limited to 7 participants in two cars. CallSharon Aagaard 425-271-0143 to register.

May 31 (Sun) 11:00-5:00Brunch, Birds and Champagne:**Birdathon Trip** Limit of 8Start your day with brunch at a home on a ridge overlooking theSnoqualmie Valley and the Cascade Range. Then join JohnTubbs, Master Birder and nature photographer

(www.tubbsphoto.com), on a birding trip in the Valley. Later inthe afternoon, celebrate the birds you have seen with horsdoeuvres and wine, featuring Drappier Grande Sendree 1999Champagne from an eco-friendly French vineyard. In the moodfor more birding? Venture out from the sunroom and walk 16acres of trails. Hosted by Carmen Almodavar, Margaret Lie, andMary Britton-Simmons. Donation of $125.00 to EAS. Call Maryat 360-794-7163 to sign up and get directions.

(Continued from page 6)

For over three decades Audubon families

have been camping over Memorial Dayweekend at the Wenas Creek Camp-ground.

Officially named the Hazel Wolf WenasCreek Bird Sanctuary, its located SW ofEllensburg, in an Important Bird Areaand has been assured of protectivestatus. The free, primitive campgroundalong the north fork of Wenas Creek hasexceptional opportunities for birding,botanizing and enjoying spring in the east-

ern foothills of the Cascades.

There are wonderful field trips scheduled,and there will be an old-fashioned camp-fire in our new approved firepit deviceeach evening. We do singing, story tell-ing and recapping the sightings of the day.

Please visit Webmaster Michael Hobbsbeautiful Wenas Website to see HazelWolfs familiar smiling face and get lotsof downloadable information about ourcampout: www.wenasaudubon.org.There's a bird checklist, wildflower check-

list, outline of field trips and program,

directions to the campground, and lots ofphotos.

For people who dont do websites, con-tact me and Ill send you printed informa-tion. Bring friends, family, and join us atWenas Memorial Day Weekend for asmany days as you want to stay - May 23-26, 2009!

See you there, Helen Engle,[email protected], 253-564-3112.

You are invited to the WENAS Campout, May 22-25, 2009

Everyday Products are Filled with ToxinsThe February 25th issue of the SeattlePI had an article by Amy Goodman, thehost of TV /radio news hour "DemocracyNow", and Denis Moynihan, entitled"The toxins you're wearing". The U.S.cosmetic industry is largely unregulated,and Mark Schapiro - an investigative jour-nalist - published a book "Exposed: the

Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Prod-ucts....".

Schapiro states that he knows what mate-rial is in cosmetics because the EuropeanUnion has worked to remove toxic ingre-dients from the market and the Unionkeeps records. Our country's chemicaland manufacturing industries have fought

regulation, while Europe has achievedstrict regulations against the most harmfultoxins. With tough regulations neededhere, Shapiro's effort will help greatly.

Will you consider writing to your con-gress representative? See the Seattle PIlink to the complete article: alternet.org/columnists/story/128912 Bev Jennings


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The cattail marsh is home for the Marsh

Wren. This bird prefers dense cover somuch that it will stay down even when itis singing. A birders patience can berewarded however, when a Marsh Wrenhops up a cattail stem and offers a clearview of itself. The marsh is a competi-tive ecosystem and a good nesting areacan be heavily populated with theselively birds. Marsh Wrens are avid sing-ers and their scratchy bubbling and trill-ing song can be heard day and night dur-ing nesting season. They have a verycomplex vocalization repertoire and

some western males are known to haveover 100 song types (Sibley).

The great variety in their songs may bedue to their polygynous and productivemating system. Males are very zealous inbuilding families and defending them.They will mate with 2 to 3 females andeach is able to raise two broods per year.The males will also build a number offalse nests for each female. The birdsdefense includes poking holes in theeggs of other birds (Kroodsma).

The Marsh Wren was formerly known asthe Long-billed Marsh Wren and sharesthe genus cistothorus, rock rose leaper,from the Greekkisthos, the rock rose,and thouros, leaping, with the SedgeWren Cistothorus platensis, formerly theShort-billed Marsh Wren of easternNorth America. The species namepalus-tris is from the Latinpaluster, meaningmarshland. Wren is from the Anglo-Saxon wreanna (Holloway).

The sexes are similar and have an overallreddish-brown color. The crown is

darker brown and is set off by a dullwhite supercilium stripe. On the back isa black triangle with conspicuous whitestripes. The tail is often flipped and gen-erally proportional in length to its bodyin contrast to the tail of Bewicks Wrenwhich is quite long. They will eat a widevariety of insects and glean along cattailsfor aphids, spiders and beetles foragingprimarily in the afternoon when it iswarmer and insects are more active(Kaufmann).

The football shaped nests made of grassand rushes are conspicuously attached tocattails. Typically 4 to 5 pale brown eggswith dark brown spots will hatch inabout two weeks. The young leave thenest in another two weeks. Marsh Wrensin the west have adapted to nesting evenin small cattail marshes such as thosefound on golf courses and in re-createdmarshes. Eastern birds tend to avoid

these smaller marshes and because of theloss of wetland habitat their populationsare suffering to the degree that the bird isconsidered threatened in several states(Kroodsma).

Marsh Wrens in the southern UnitedStates migrate variably and older birdsmay overwinter on or near their nestingarea. Generally those in the north will

migrate longer distances. Marsh Wrenswill be arriving in our local westernWashington marshes in late March andApril.

You can hear and see the Marsh Wren atthe Macauley Library: http://macaulaylibrary.org/video/flashPlayer.do?id=51027

(Photo credit: Mike Hamilton. Refer-ences available upon request at [email protected] )

BIRDOFTHE MONTH Andrew McCormick

Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

Length 5 inWingspan 6 inWeight 0.39 oz, 11 gAOU Band code MAWR

Bushtitting

Skittering, nibbling, gleaning

Upside-downing

Right-side-upping

Zipping off

-Andrew McCormick


9/13


Birdathon: Birding for a Good CauseOur springtime has all the flowers pop-ping and all the birds singing. And it hasserved as a reminder that the best part ofspring will soon be here BIR-DATHON!!

Eastside Audubon depends on this, ourbiggest fundraiser, for a large part of our

budget every year. All the activities weoffer throughout the whole year dependon this annual May event.

How does it work? There are several waysyou can participate.

Sponsor a BIRDATHON team, or indi-vidual on a teamAs a sponsor, you can make a contributionto the team, or even more fun, pledge acertain amount of money for each speciesa team sees during their 24-hour BIR-DATHON period. If your team goes fur-ther afield than others, they will probablysee more species. When you pledge a per-species amount, the team works that muchharder to see more species! It is reallymotivating.

Take a BIRDATHON Special FieldTrip.Several Eastside Audubon volunteers willbe leading field trips to various locationsaround the Puget Sound area. Unlike ourusual free field trips, we are asking par-ticipants to make a donation to BIR-DATHON to come along. Heres a chance

to bird and make an important contribu-tion at the same time!

There are several Birdathon trips listed

on pages 6 and 7. Look for

**Birdathon** in the heading of the field

trip descriptions.

Form a BIRDATHON team of yourown!You can do it! You dont need to be anexpert to to be a good BIRDATHONer.You can sit in an easy chair and watchyour birdfeeders if you want. The key to a

good BIRDATHON individual or team isto collect pledges for the birds you see onyour chosen day, no matter where youchoose to see those birds. ELWAS willprovide everything you need, and need to

know. And you may be in the running forone of our sought after BIRDATHONtrophies!

What does BIRDATHON make possible?

Membership meeting speakers

Bringing the fun and science of birds

to elementary classrooms

Scholarships for college students

studying environmental issues

Helping teachers bring bird-related

projects to their students

Maintaining our facilities and staff

Everything we do!!

BIRDATHON is a fun way to further theEastside Audubon mission.

For more information, contact JanMcGruder at 425-576-8805 or [email protected].

Join Us for International Migratory Bird Day At Marymoor ParkOn May 9 well be celebrating Interna-tional Migratory Bird Day at MarymoorPark. Well have bird walks, native plantwalk, displays, kids activities, a familybird walk, and scopes for close-up view-

ing of the active Osprey nest.

When: Saturday, May 9 from 2 pm to 5pm

Where: Marymoor Park, Parking Lot G

Full Schedule of Events:

Kids Activities: 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Bird Walks: 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm

Family Walk: 4:00 pm

Native Plant Walk: 3:30 pm

Bird Scopes: 2 pm to 5 pm

Come celebrate the miracle of bird migra-tion and learn about the hundreds of miles

some birds travel just to mate and nestevery year. This is also a great opportu-nity to see all the work our volunteershave been doing 2 new kiosks, the areasrestored from blackberries and Scots

broom to native plants, the new interpre-tive signs and the new boardwalk exten-sion.

In recognition ofNative Plant Apprecia-tion Week, Eastside Audubon and theWashington Native Plant Society will co-sponsor a free presentation on using na-

tive plants in your garden.Marcia Rivers-Smith, a Native PlantSteward and active WNPS board member,will be speaking in Kirkland on TuesdayMay 5th about gardening with nativeplants. What exactly are native plants,why use them, and which ones are best touse? Come discover the beauty and eco-logical benefits of a garden filled withPacific Northwest plants. The presenta-

tion will be fully illustrated in color withphotos of native plant materials. Marciahas many years of experience in nativeplant stewardship, habitat restoration and

educational presentations.The free program will begin at 7:00 PM atthe Northlake Unitarian UniversalistChurch in Kirkland, 308 4th Avenue South(corner of 4th Ave S and State St.).

Native Plant Appreciation Week(NPAW) will be observed May 3-9,2009. NPAW is a celebration of Wash-ingtons diverse flora inhabiting a widerange of habitats, from alpine slopes to

ocean beaches. NPAW inspires citizensthrough activities and events to learn moreabout native plant species and how to pro-tect them. The public can participate in

activities from talks, walks, hikes, gardentours, and visits to our natural areas toactive involvement in habitat restorationprojects. People can also learn how ournative plant ecosystems provide suitablehabitat for birds, fish and other animalsand protect water quality. Check out otheractivities for your enjoyment on theWNPS website under Whats New at:www.wnps.org

Gardening With Native Plants Lecture


10/13


State Endangered Federal StatusSeriously threatened with extinction

American White Pelican NoneBrown Pelican EndangeredSandhill Crane NoneSnowy Plover ThreatenedSpotted Owl* ThreatenedStreaked Horned Lark CandidateUpland Sandpiper None

State ThreatenedLikely to become endangered

Ferruginous Hawk ConcernedMarbled Murrelet ThreatenedSage Grouse CandidateSharp-tailed Grouse Concerned

State SensitiveVulnerable or declining

Bald Eagle* ConcernedCommon Loon* NonePeregrine Falcon* Concerned

State CandidateTo be reviewed by WDFW

Black-backed Woodpecker NoneBrandts Cormorant None

Burrowing Owl ConcernedCassins Auklet ConcernedCommon Murre NoneFlammulated Owl NoneGolden Eagle NoneLewis' Woodpecker NoneLoggerhead Shrike ConcernedMerlin* NoneNorthern Goshawk ConcernedOregon Vesper Sparrow ConcernedPileated Woodpecker* NonePurple Martin* NoneSage Thrasher NoneSage Sparrow NoneShort-tailed Albatross Endangered

Slender-billed White Breasted Nuthatch ConcernedTufted Puffin ConcernedVaux's Swift* NoneWestern Grebe* NoneWhite-headed Woodpecker NoneYellow-billed Cuckoo Candidate

You can visit the WDFW at www.wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/diversty/soc/defintn.htm. Also listed are amphibians, butterflies and moths, mammals,and reptiles.

We know that many bird species are notdoing well these days. But, do you knowwhich species are most in need of help inWashington? The Washington Depart-ment of Fish and Wildlife tracks data onbird populations in our state and has de-veloped four categories of concern forbirds and other species of wildlife. Beloware the four categories and the list of birds

for each one.

The Conservation Committee is develop-ing a plan of action to monitor these andother birds by conducting bird surveys,monitoring land use issues, and focusingon conservation in the corridor from LakeWashington to the Cascades. Very soon

we will be asking for volunteers to help

with these projects. Currently we have anactive campaign to preserve the VauxsSwift roosting site in the chimney at theWagner Elementary School in Monroe,WA.

Birds marked with an * are in the EastsideAudubon Society geographical area. Each

birds federal status is also listed.

Birds of Concern in Washington State by Andrew McCormick, Conservation Committee Chair


11/13


Have you ever wondered which plants are

edible and which are poisonous? Heres

your chance to learn the common edible

plants in our area, and how to avoid the

poisonous ones. This walk is for hikers,

walkers, and chefs who want to increase

their culinary options.

The emphasis in spring is salad greens

and some of the plants well taste are

Candyflower, Cleavers, Cress, Daisies,

Red dead-nettle, Curly dock, fern fiddle-

heads, sedges, Mustard, Sheep sorrel,

Sow-thistle and Vetch.

Class: Saturday, May 2, 2:00 to 4:00 pm

Held at Mercer Slough Nature Park Park.Meet at the southeast corner of the South

Bellevue Park & Ride lot (2700 Bellevue

Way SE).

Cost: $25 for members. $40 for nonmem-bers

Limit: 12 participants

Register: Call the EAS office to register:425-576-8805

Wild Edible Plants of Spring with Arthur Lee Jacobson,author ofWild Plants of Greater Seattle

Childrens Night at Eastside AudubonLarry Schwitters amazed kids and adultswith his presentation on the wide diversityof birds around the world. Each of us anx-iously awaited his next question. What isthe ugliest bird in the world? The bestdancer? The biggest? The most beautiful?

The fastest flyer? Throughout the presen-tation, Larrys photos and narrative kepthis audience enthralled. He closed withpictures of Passenger Pigeons and a soberreminder to conserve our bird species bycaring for the earth.

Afterwards the Education Committee in-vited children downstairs to the hall wherethey had juice and cookies before the art

project. Kids had a great time makingaccordion books with bird pictures, treas-ures they proudly displayed to their par-ents. Our mounts watched over them asthey worked so they were also introducedto a Red-tailed Hawk, a Barn Owl, a Spot-

ted Towhee and of course, the StellersJay. We knew the evening was a successwhen a seven-year-old boy told his fatherhe was going to make another book athome and when his father promised tobring him on the family bird walk at ourInternational Migratory Day celebration atMarymoor Park on May 9.

Spring is a busy season for the EducationCommittee. At present we have 17 re-quests and are looking for volunteers tohelp with our outreach to children. Couldyou lead a short bird walk? Help in abooth at a science fair? Assist a presenter

in a classroom? Give a presentation toyouth? If so, please contact me: [email protected]. We are looking forvolunteers to give their time just one-twotimes a year. Please help us to reach morechildren and tell them about the wondrousworld of birds.


12/13


The Great Blue Heron viewing eventwas a huge success, undoubtedlyhelped by the sunny day. This is thesixth year that we have participated inthe heron viewing. This event is ajoint effort of the Eastside Audubon,Kenmore Library, Northshore Senior

Center and the Northshore Fire De-partment. 85 people showed up for theheron viewing, including a number of

home-schooled children.

Eastside Audubon had about six spot-ting scopes set up on views of the her-ons. EAS members present for theviewing were Bob Gershmel, Marga-ret Lie, Mark Crawford, Sharon Aa-gaard, Melinda Bronsdon, OllieOliver, Linda Phillips, Hugh & BevJennings. Sunny Walter came with theprojector and laptop computer which

were setup at the Fire Departmentfor Mike West's PowerPoint programon the Great Blue Heron. In lieu ofMike West, who was birding in Mo-rocco, Hugh gave the program to anaudience of 77 adults and children thatfilled the room The library set up a

table with books about birding andalso provided tea, coffee and cookiesfor everyone to enjoy.

Great Blue Heron Viewing on March 6, 2009


13/13


In February and March, many faithfuland eager volunteers helped to getgoing the project to construct theBirdLoops boardwalk extension. InFebruary we laid the groundwork andpoured the first footing. On March 7,eleven of us worked between snow-

storms and built the first 32 of 104feet of the extension. We plan to dothe same at the April 4 work party.Also in April, we intend to plant ourfinal native plants for the season. Youare invited to join in the activities.Work crews meet the first Saturday of

every month at Marymoor Park, theMeadow Kiosk, SE corner of ParkingLot G, April 4. We have a lot of funand build lasting friendships as well asboardwalk extensions! Come join us.

The Boardwalk Extension is Under Construction!

Apr 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

Documents

Transcript of Apr 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society