Mar 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

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The Corvid Crier ~ March 2009 1

Eastside Audubon Society Vol 28, No 2 — March 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

EAS Office Hours

and Directions — 3

Volunteer Spotlight — 3

Volunteer Recognition — 4

Board Notes — 5

Book Review — 5

Field Trips — 6

Bird of the Month — 7

Spring Class — 8

Get Ready for Birdathon — 8

Bylaws Revisions — 9

EAS Education at Juanita Bay — 10

Marymoor Park Birdloop — 11

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.

Wolves in Washington State: Are We Ready?Thursday, March 26, 7:00 pm — New Format!

Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church (EAS Headquarters)

WWWWe will begin our evening with a tributeto Amy McQuade and a video compiled

by Bob Gerschmel. Amy was one of our found-ing members and served on the Board of Direc-tors for nearly 25 years - a great leader andinspiration. Amy passed away in February,2008.

We then welcome wildlife biologist, GaryWiles, and his presentation on wolves in Wash-ington State. Yes, gray wolves have migratedfrom Canada to the Okanogan and we want tolearn more about them. Gary will discuss thebiology of wolves and enlighten us about someof the common myths about this majestic ani-mal. He will also discuss the past and currentpopulation status of wolves in Washington andshow pictures of the recent wolf sightings.

In our state wolves are currently protected, butwe are thinking ahead and we are ready! Garywill discuss ongoing efforts by the WashingtonDepartment of Fish and Wildlife to prepare thestate’s new conservation and management planfor wolves. He will also have some things wecan do to help this plan become law and willanswer questions at the break.

Gary earned a Masters degree in Wildlife Biol-ogy from Purdue University, served in thePeace Corps in Thailand, and worked on Guamas biologist for nearly 20 years, where he stud-ied flying foxes and other endangered species.He joined the Washington Department of Fishand Wildlife in 2003, where he works as anendangered species biologist at the Olympia

headquarters - mainly with killer whales, Wash-ington ground squirrels, and wolves.

At 7:40, after the first half of Gary’s presenta-tion, we will have our chapter announcementsand break for refreshments, socializing and theever-popular Activity Fair. We will have somenew conservation tables and lots of pictures of people having a good time participating in East-side Audubon activities. This is a great time toshow your guests what we do, introduce themto other members, and answer any questions

they might have about our chapter.

During the second half of our program, we willhear about a thriving, highly visible (and more

controversial) population of wolves: the popu-lar Yellowstone wolves of the Northern Rock-ies region. We will find out how wolves havebenefitted natural plant and animal communi-ties in the park. We will learn about what hap-pened to wolves in Wyoming, Idaho and Mon-tana when their Endangered Species Act protec-tion was removed and what is being done toprevent this from happening again. We willfinish our program with a 15 minute excerptfrom “In the Valley of Wolves,” the heart-wrenching story of how the Druid wolf pack was driven from Lamar Valley and how theyrebuilt their clan and returned to claim their

home again.

Please join us Thursday, March 26, for Gary’senlightening presentation on wolves. The pro-gram starts promptly at 7:00. You are welcometo come early and enjoy the Activity Fair.

The presentation is free and open to the public.Invite a friend or anyone who wants to knowmore about wolves.

Directions to Eastside Audubon are at the lowerleft corner of this page.

The Corvid Crier




In 1995 the National Audubon Societyadopted a strategic plan to develop a “cultureof conservation and an environmental ethic.”There are, “Three essential elements of ourcore strategy: (1) Focus on the conservationof birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, (2)engage people in environmental action, and

(3) build capacity as a decentralized organi-zation and grassroots network.” Eastside Audubon has aunique and important place in this strategy.

Eastside Audubon has recently expanded the geographicalarea of the chapter to encompass land and water from theshore of Lake Washington to the western slopes of the Cas-cades. This corridor includes habitats that support a largenumber of the bird species in your field guide to western birds.

A VisionAs environmentalists we can foresee a world where humanbeings share the earth with other forms of life. Where land andwater are maintained in their natural state and the naturalworld enriches our lives and that of our children. Our task is to

do our part in an evolving worldwide conservation strategy.Successful StrategiesAfter nearly 4o years of conservation work we know severalstrategies that have been successful. Eastside Audubon has apreliminary plan to promote activities tied to each of thesestrategies.

Protecting and restoring bird habitat.

• Continue our Marymoor Park Bird Loop and RestorationProject.

• Support restoration of degraded habitat to expand suitablebreeding, migratory resting, and wintering areas for birds.

• Work with landowners in the Snoqualmie Valley andother areas to schedule mowing of fields to dovetail with

the migratory and breeding patterns of birds.Monitoring bird populations.

• Monitor land use and development to preserve existinghabitat in urban, suburban and rural areas.

• Conduct bird censuses in National Audubon ImportantBird Areas and areas we deem locally important.

• Support Project Feederwatch and the Great BackyardBird Count and home feeding of birds year-round to helpbirds survive winters and young birds grow in breedingseason.

Native planting and natural pest control

• Encourage our communities and individual home ownersto avoid pesticides and herbicides.

• Encourage use of native plants when landscaping to in-crease available habitat for birds.

I am excited about joining the board. I have been watchingbirds as a hobby for nearly 40 years and I’m still learningabout their lives and their habitats. I believe that we are nur-tured by the natural world and we have a responsibility to pre-serve it. The Audubon message of conservation has reachedyou and the Conservation Committee wants your ideas andenergy to spread it.

Focus on the Board: A Vision for Conservation By Andrew McCormick

President Cindy Balbuena (425) [email protected]

Vice President Open Secretary 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) 485-8058 [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) 822-8580 Conservation Andrew McCormick (425) 637-0892

[email protected]

Marymoor Park Jim Rettig (425) 402-1833 [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 Open Birdathon OpenGift Wrap Open Merchandising 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




The Corvid Crier, Vol 28, NO 2Publication Date: March 1, 2009.Published by: EastsideAudubon SocietyP.O. Box 3115, Kirkland, WA 98083-3115

The Corvid Crier is published monthly by the Eastside Audubon 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 Grismer P. 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

March Meetings

Mar 4 (Weds) 4:00—6:00 pmWeb CommitteeMeets first Wednesday each monthin EAS Office. All interested partiesare invited. Questions? Email [email protected]

Mar 10 (Tues) 7:00 pmYouth Education CommitteeMeets in the EAS Office. All inter-ested parties are invited. Questions?Email [email protected]

Mar 12 (Thurs) 7:00 pmPhoto GroupMeets in large room upstairs fromEAS Office. Questions? Email TimBoyer at [email protected]

Mar 26 (Thurs) 6:30 pm

Monthly Membership MeetingSee page 1.

Meet Margaret Lie, a current Boardmember. You would never guess themigration she took to join Eastside

Audubon.

She was born in Hobart, Tasmania,and entered the Medical School at theUniversity of Melbourne, Victoria.Following graduation, residency andmarriage, she and her husband movedto Rochester, Minnesota. Margaretcompleted a residency in Rehabilita-tion Medicine at the Mayo Clinic,and joined the staff in 1980. Marga-ret's interests centered on rehabilita-

tion of patients with neurological dis-orders, and also helped to develop acancer rehabilitation program. Shewas actively involved with the resi-dency program as well as the MayoMedical School, serving on manycommittees.

The family moved to Davis, NorthernCalifornia in 1992 and Margaret con-tinued to work part time at Mayo andretired in 1996. A year after her hus-band's passing Margaret joined a

fledgling U.C. Davis sponsored Bird-ing Group and worked with theleader in visiting and planning bird-ing sites throughout Northern Cali-fornia. In addition, joining the YoloCounty Audubon Chapter offeredmany new opportunities, includingworking with their youth educationprogram. Margaret also served on theBoard of two non-profit organiza-tions providing services to the frailelderly and mental health clients.

While visiting her son and family in2004, in Bothell, her son asked,"Mom, if Penny (Margaret's daugh-ter) moved to Seattle, how longwould it take you to decide tomove?" "Oh, 30 seconds" Margaretanswered.

While settling into her new home

Margaret visited the ELWAS officeoffering to volunteer. Jan McGruder

introduced her to Mary Britton-Simmons, chair of the Youth Educa-tion Committee and so began a verystimulating and fun experience. Mar-garet said "I love being involved withan interesting and hard workinggroup of people." Margaret hasserved on the Board as a Member-at-Large, and was previously Member-ship Chair.

What about her favorite birding ex-perience? Several years ago, in May,she traveled with Elder Hostel to seemigratory songbirds in the Bass Is-lands in Lake Erie. "Helping with abird banding program was a mesmer-izing experience as these tiny birdswere released to continue their jour-ney."

Wow, what a life. Thank you, Marga-ret, for all you have done and are do-ing. We love having you in Audubon.

Volunteer Spotlight on:

Margaret Lie




Thank You to Our VolunteersWe’re proud to announce the addition of three new volunteers to the Chapter. Andy McCormick has joined the Boardas the Conservation Chair. Already Andywrites the Bird of the Month column andhas frequently helped out at MarymoorPark. We’re pleased to have Andy on theBoard and look forward to his leadership.

Rahul Gupta has offered to be our newVolunteer Coordinator. You’ll see Rahularound on Program Nights and hear fromhim often via our “opportunities” emails.Let’s make him feel welcome by volun-teering often!

Karin Olefsky (and son, John) is our newProgram Meeting Greeter. Say “hello” asyou come through the door on ProgramNight.

Program Night is a great opportunity forvolunteers to help out, and we can always

use more hands. For January’s dinner andprogram night we’d like to thank CindyBalbuena, Helen LaBouy, Tricia Kishel,Margaret Lie, Jim and Nancy Roberts,Sunny Walter, Claudia Welch, the Photo Group f or their wonderful presen-tations and all those who helped out in thekitchen and those who set the room back

in order.

Thanks to all who helped out at Mary-moor in February. Thanks to these folkswe got the bolts inserted for the ShelteringForest interpretive sign and the holesdrilled for the Rich Marsh sign, finishedplanting in the Meadow, repaired thedamaged kiosk, sanded the pavers, andstacked the lumber that had been floatingin the flood waters. We accomplishedeverything we set out to do! ShawnBohgard, Glenn Eades, Ella Elman,Bob Gershmel, Karen Greytek, Marvin

Hoekstra, Ellen Homan, Andy McCor-mick, Tim McGruder, Sharon Rodman,Fan Tsao, and Sunny Walter.

If we’ve missed anyone – Thank You!You know who you are and by your owngenerous commitment, you set a wonder-ful example and demonstrate the power of

individuals to effect significantchange. We greatly appreciate your gen-erosity and your leadership and we knowthat you are our most passionate promot-ers.

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 website

for current needs.

Dr. Kerri W. Scarbrough, Optometrist

17320 135th Ave. N.E. ? Woodinville

(425) 398-1862

See the birds better!

Welcome to the following new membersof the Eastside Audubon. We hope to seeyou soon at a Program Meeting or FieldTrip. Call or visit our office if you have

any questions. Our friendly volunteersare more than happy to help you.

Donna Hoffman Betsy Law

Linne Pullar Barbara Reisinger

Welcome!

Mark the date! Our spring plant sale is setfor Saturday, May 2, 2009 from 10 a.m. to2:00 p.m. This year the sale is at a newlocation: Kirkland Children’s School, 5311 - 108th Avenue N.E. in Kirkland.All proceeds go directly to Eastside Audu-bon.

We will offer a wide variety of native andornamental plants that attract birds, butter-

flies and hummingbirds. Come early -pick out the plants that best suit your land-scaping - and help wildlife at the sametime!

Knowledgeable volunteers will be onhand to answer your gardening questions,and help you make your yard more wild-life-friendly.

Plant Sale – May 2, 2009




Eastside Audubon Territory Expands: Eastside Audubon will more than doublethe territory it covers with the addition of Eastside areas previously part of SeattleAudubon. These include zip codes in Me-dina, Sammamish, Duvall, Snoqualmie,Carnation, Issaquah, and North Bend.

Audubon members from these areas willbe added to our chapter in the next severalmonths.

International Migratory Bird Day: Theboard discussed holding an event at Mary-moor Park on May 9, 2009 to celebratemigratory birds, their annual migration,and the importance of conserving thisphenomenon. Plans include bird walksand information booths on migratoryroutes and Eastside Audubon’s conserva-tion efforts.

“On the Wing” Swift Movie: Plans areunderway to host “On the Wing,” a movieabout Oregon’s Chapman Swifts, whichroost each fall in the chimney of a Port-land elementary school. Jim Rettig willtalk about the Monroe Vaux’s Swifts andthe Save Our Swifts project. The date,time, and location for this event are being

finalized.

Conservation Chair: Andy McCormick is our new Conservation Chair, replacingco-chairs Tim McGruder and Jim Rettig.Tim will continue helping the Conserva-tion Committee, and Jim will continueworking on the Marymoor project and theSave Our Swifts program.

Nonmember Guest Fees for FieldTrips: The board voted to rescind non-member guest fees for field trips.

Chapter Contributions to RestrictedFunds: For 2009, the board voted to dis-continue giving $500 in chapter funds toeach of Eastside Audubon’s restrictedscholarship/grants.

Save Our Swifts: Jim Rettig reported thatSave Our Swifts is asking the state legis-

lature for a grant to help save the brick chimney at Frank Wagner ElementarySchool. Hans Dunshee is supporting therequest.

Board Retreat: Board members will par-ticipate in a retreat to review goals from2008 and to make plans for 2009. Keyissues will be corporate partnerships,fundraising, and membership.

— Carmen Almodovar, Secretary

Board Notes for January 2009

This is not a book I would normally pick up, at least not when anyone could seeme. After all, I have a reputation to up-hold as a serious reader! I admit I enjoyedMarley and Me, even while being ex-tremely grateful it was not my dog. But“Wesley” was given to me and so I satdown to check it out. What a funny, mov-ing and amazing read! And now available

in the EAS library.Stacey O’Brien worked in the barn owlresearch lab at California Institute of Technology. She took a four-day old un-releasable owl home with her to raise andstudy. Both she and the researchers at thelab saw it as an opportunity to intimatelystudy the habits of a barn owl. She namedhim Wesley, and her tales of trying to

replace an owl mother include having tobuy and feed the owl many, many mice.She estimates 20,000 in his lifetime!

She gives vivid descriptions of his growthboth physically and behaviorally over thenineteen years they were together. She is abiologist, after all, and it shows. But she isalso a good story teller. You will learn alot about owl behavior!

When he molts, he fills her bedroom withfeathers “like living in a snow globe.” Heloves bathing in water even though barnowls in the wild never willingly get intowater. She and the owl communicate witheach other verbally, as well as with bodylanguage. Most movingly, she describescommunication between them that is al-most telepathic. Eventually, Wesley de-

cides Stacey is not his mother, but hismate, with nest building, courting andother activities which you will have toread the book to learn!

Both Stacey and Wesley go through life-threatening crises and she saved her owl,but the owl saved her, as well. As is thecase with many animals, and particularlywith birds, I think, they have more intelli-

gence and fuller emotional lives than wegive them credit for.

This is indeed a love story, one that mayincrease our own compassion for the be-ings around us. For everyone who hasloved an animal deeply, this book willresonate.

— Christy Anderson

Book Review — Wesley the Owl, The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O’Brien

Grab your binoculars and join the Olym-pic BirdFest 2009 celebration at the Dun-geness River Audubon Center, April 3-5,2009.

The stage is set…quiet bays and estuaries,sandy beaches, a five-mile-long sand spit,and a protected island bird sanctuary onthe Strait of Juan de Fuca; wetlands, tidepools, rainforests, and lush river valleys.

The players are ready … Marbled Mur-relets, Rhinoceros Auklets, HarlequinDucks, Black Oystercatchers, PeregrineFalcons, and Pygmy owls will be sportingtheir finest spring plumage for this cele-bration. Enjoy guided birding trips, boattours; and a traditional salmon bake at theJamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center.

Also this year! Follow your BirdFest

weekend with a three-day, two night bird-ing cruise of the spectacular San JuanIslands on April 5-7, 2009. Visit San Juanand Sucia Islands, and more. Stay at thehistoric Roche Harbor Resort. Get pro-gram information and registration formsonline at: http://www.olympicbirdfest.org.

Or contact us by phone, at 360-681-4076,

E-mail us at [email protected]

Olympic BirdFest 2009 — Sequim, WA




405, exit 12) to carpool. Passenger cost/person is $12.00 +share in ferry cost.Hugh Jennings 425-746-6351

Mar 15 (Sun) 1:30 to 5:00 PM

Hazel Wolf Wetland Preserve, SammamishJoin us for a leisurely stroll through a pristine wetland-basedwildlife refuge (2 mile loop, relatively flat) with naturalist JanJohnson. The preserve includes several wetland and foresthabitats, which support a wide array of beautiful, sensitiveplants. Pileated woodpeckers, cedar waxwings, humming birds,and robins also make their homes in the preserve.

After passing through a heavily forested area with lovely ferns,we drop down to the wetland's eastern shore where we expect tosee ducks and Canada geese and frogs. We will stop at thepond to look for grebes and ducks and then loop back throughthe woods. We will be on boardwalks part of the time, but bringwaterproof boots for the muddy part of the trail. Bring your

native plant guides, bird books, binoculars, snacks, beverages,and raingear.

Meet before 1:30 PM at the Tibbetts Park & Ride inIssaquah Cost $2/person. If you have questions, please

contact Jan Johnson, 425-814-5923 or [email protected].

Mar 17 (Tues) 9:00 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

Mar 21 (Sat) 9:00 AM – Watershed Park

A 2-hour nature walk in this Kirkland park takes place the3rd

Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM. Nature walks enter thepark off NE 45th Street, north of the railroad tracks on 108th Avenue 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. Limitedstreet parking. Jan Johnson 425-814-5923

Mar 23 (Mon) 9:00 AM to noon Birding the Hot Spots of King CountyMonthly field trip on fourth Monday of each month towherever the birds are. Meet before 9:00 AM at north end of the Newport Hills Park-N-Ride (I-405, exit 9) and plan to be

back by noon. Passenger cost/person $2.00. Hugh Jennings425-746-6351 Mar 24 (Tues) - 6:30 AM — Vantage to Ellensburg We’ll start early to get to the Sage-Shrub Steppe east of Ellensburg early. We'll work this over for sage birds and thengo down to Vantage to explore the Columbia River area forwater birds and early migrating passerines. We’ll work our wayback toward Ellensburg in the afternoon. Meet at Tibbetts P&Rat 6:30 AM to carpool. We should be back by early evening.Passenger cost/person $28. Brian H. Bell 425-485-8058.

Mar 6 (Fri) – 9:00 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.

Mar 6 (Fri) 11:00 AM — Kenmore P&R and LibraryEastside Audubon members will have spotting scopesavailable at 11:00 AM for the public to watch the Great Blue

Heron colony at the north end of Kenmore P&R (Bothell Wayand 73rd Ave. NE). There will be a slide presentation aboutthe herons and other birds at the nearby Fire Station aboutnoon. This event will be published in the Kenmore SeniorCenter newsletter. EAS members are invited to come andbring a scope, if you have one. Hugh Jennings 425-746-6351

Mar 7 (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

Mar 14 (Sat) 7:00 AMSouthworth to Theler WetlandsWe will take the Fauntleroy ferry to Southworth and bird ourway to the Theler Wetlands. These include fresh and saltwater marshes, forested uplands, and estuarine habitats.Prepare to walk about 2-1/2 miles. We will return by way of Tacoma. It can be cool and wet so dress accordingly. 150 birdspecies have been seen in this area. Bring a lunch. Meetbefore 7:00 AM at north end of the Wilburton Park-N-Ride (I-

FIELD TRIPS Parents 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 month‘s 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




Common Goldeneyes are very fast fliers.They have been clocked at speeds over30 mph (Eadie et al). The “Whistler” asit is commonly known, has wing beats sorapid they make a metallic whistlingsound during flight. Frank Chapman(1939) called it “wing music.” The spe-cies name clangula is from the Latinclangor , meaning noise. The bird sharesthe genus bucephala, “bull headed” fromthe Greek bous, bull, and kephale, head,with the Barrow’s Goldeneye andBufflehead. The heads of these three

ducks were thought to resemble the headof the American buffalo from which theBufflehead gets its name (Holloway).Goldeneye refers to the bird’s brightyellow iris.

The Common Goldeneye has a roundwhite spot at the base of the bill, wherethe Barrow’s has a crescent-shaped spot.The Common has much more white inthe secondary flight feathers and on thewater looks very white along the side.The Barrow’s wing is mostly black withwhite spots. In flight the Common has

large white wing patches on the seconda-ries. The head of the Common is muchmore pointed than that of the Barrow’s.The female is gray with a dark brownhead and a short, yellow-tipped bill.

Common Goldeneyes are diving ducksand prefer clear water. They visit Wash-ington in winter beginning in Octoberand head back to Alaska and Canada inMarch and April. Pair bonds are formedin the wintering areas and as spring ar-rives the bird’s animated courtship be-havior is on display. The spirited dance

on the water includes lots of head-up,

head swings, and wing and leg stretch-ing. The “head throw” of the male is themost spectacular move as he arches hishead all the way back toward his rumpwith his bill in the air. Then he thrustshis head straight up and vocalizes whilekicking water out with his feet.

The birds nest in cavities of either coni-fer or deciduous trees in the northernboreal forest. In a pinch the northern-

most birds may use rock cavities. Aclutch of 7-10 olive-green or blue-greeneggs are laid in the nest which is formedfrom wood chips covered with down.At times two females may share a nestdepositing up to 30 eggs (Harrison).Incubation lasts about a month and theyoung leave the nest about a day or twoafter hatching. They can fly in about twomonths.

Common Goldeneye populations arestable. They have done well where nestboxes are provided and on acidic lakes

where there are few fish, which are their

main competitor for invertebrates. Thisis an ironic result of the otherwise nega-tive effects of acid rain. Goldeneyes arethought to be an important bioindicatorspecies to monitor the environmentalchanges in the boreal lakes, a poorlyunderstood and under-researched region(Eadie, et al).

You can see the courting behavior at theMacauley Library:

http://animalbehaviorarchive.org/ assetSearch.do?method=searchCQL&query=%22common%22+and+%22goldeneye%22&resubmit=true&firstRecord=10&maximumRecords=9&sortKeys=digitized,ascending=false%20audioqual,ascending=false%20videoqual,ascending=false&view=list

(Photo credit: Gary Luhm. Referencesavailable upon request at [email protected] )

BIRD OF THE MONTH — Andrew McCormick

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Length 18.5 inWingspan 26 inWeight 1.9 lbAOU Band code COGO

She Says When

Red-tail male sits

Down-branch from lady,

Needing her nod to sidle up.

-Andrew McCormick




Spring Class: Birds and Plants of the Shrub-Steppe

Eastside Audubon is pleased tooffer the following class this

spring: The Birds and Plants of theShrub-steppe

-- With Andy Stepniewski, au-thor of Birds of Yakima County

This class will introduce you to theplant and bird communities of theshrub-steppe ecosystem in the Co-lumbia Basin of eastern Washing-ton. Andy will impart much in theway of botanical tidbits as these

relate to birds and will emphasizethe relationships between suchbirds as Horned Larks, Sage Spar-rows, Sage Thrashers, Brewer'sSparrows, Sage Grouse, and Ves-per Sparrows and the preferred

habitats of each within this uniquemosaic of plant communities. Hewill also touch on conservationissues. Two leaders will conductthe day-long field trip to the Co-lumbia Basin where we will look for the birds amidst spectacularwildflowers.

Class: Friday, April 17, 7 - 9 pm,at Northlake Unitarian UniversalistChurch, our regular meeting spot.See directions on page 1.

Field Trip: Saturday, April 18,6:30 am - 7:30 pm

Cost: $80 for members. $95 for

nonmembers

Limit: 20 participants. Contact the office: 425-576-8805to register.

Not only is Birdathon is our big-gest fund-raising event of the year,it’s also a lot of fun. May, Bir-dathon month, will be here soon,so now’s the time to start thinkingabout how you’d like to partici-pate. Begin by recruiting Start nowto recruit team members for a Bir-dathon outing. What could be bet-ter than a day out with friends enjoying the birds and raising moneyfor EAS at the same time! We canprovide you with a leader’s packetwith all the tools you’ll need tohave a successful team event. Willyour team be the winner of thenext Birdathon award for mostbirds seen, most money raised, or“greenest” Birdathon trip? Or will

you be the winner of the prize formost money raised - either as a oldhand at Birdathon, or as a Rookie.

March is also the perfect month toprepare your Birdathon sponsorletter, or email, and build your tar-get list of sponsors. Collectingpledges for Birdathon is easier toget than you may think. You canfind sample letters and everything

you need to get started our websitewww.eastsidaudubon.org.

The money we receive helps ourchapter to “keep the birds singing”and allows us to continue our work in the areas of conversation, educa-tion, and birding, all of which aremore important now than ever!

Need more information? Call theoffice at 425-576-8805 or [email protected].

Get Ready for Birdathon!

Drum roll please! Eastside Audu-bon is excited to announce that wewill be presenting "On the Wing"this spring. "On the Wing" is amovie made right here in the Pa-cific Northwest about Vaux swiftsmigrating north and south in spring

and fall. This movie has been play-ing to sold out crowds and we'reexcited to bring it to the Eastside.In addition to enjoying the film,you'll also be able to learn moreabout our Monroe swifts and anopportunity to see them in person

at the height of spring migration.You won't want to miss this fun,family event. Keep your eyespeeled for more information innext month's newsletter and on thewebsite.

Coming Soon!




In order to reflect our new chaptername and our new, expanded terri-tory, the Board has voted to adoptchanges to our Bylaws, and at theMarch Program Meeting, the mem-bership will have a chance to vote.

There are big and small changes inthe new Bylaws. Some of them aremeant to clarify the Bylaws, andsome of the amendments are bigchanges for the Chapter.

One of the major changes is thatwe will change our organizationalname from “East Lake WashingtonAudubon Society” to “Eastside

Audubon”. This change was votedon by the whole membership lastspring, and passed by an over-whelming majority. This change isreflected in Article I of the Bylaws.

Below is a synopsis of the amend-ments. You may read the completeamended Bylaws on our website.

In Article V, Section 1, we have

added the following language:The Board of Directors is re-sponsible for overall policy anddirection of the Chapter. The

Board shall delegate responsi-bility for day-to-day operationsto the Chapter’s Executive Di-rector and committees. EachBoard director shall have onevote and such voting may not

be done by proxy. Fifty percent(50%) of the members of theBoard of Directors shall consti-tute a quorum.

We have also changed the abilityof the Board to add members asneeded, so that the Board shall be“no fewer than 10 and no morethan 20 members” and “Any posi-tion on the Board of Directors may

be held jointly by two persons,each of whom will be a votingmember of the Board.” We havealso noted in the Bylaws thatBoard members receive no com-pensation for their work, other thanreimbursement for reasonable ex-penses.

In Article V, Section 7, we haveadded the following language:

A director may be removedwhen sufficient cause exists forsuch removal, as determined bythree-fourths vote of the re-

maining directors.

In Article XIV, Section 1, we havechanged the method for Bylawsamendmentsfrom this original text:

Any proposed amend-ments to these Bylaws shall

be submitted in writing at aregular meeting of the chapter.Such proposed amendmentsmust be signed by four (4)members, and shall be read ormade available in writing at themeeting.

To this new text:

These Bylaws may be amendedwhen necessary by a two-thirdsmajority of the Board of Direc-tors.

Please check out the full text onour website and come prepared tovote at the March Program Meet-ing.

Bylaws Revisions




Birding with Environmental and Adventure School Students

The Education Committee’s day with stu-dents at the Environmental and AdventureSchool (EAS), a middle/junior highschool in the Lake Washington SchoolDistrict, began the morning of January 14in their classroom. Shirlee and Jim Hallshowed slides of Juanita Bay and talkedabout the importance of wetlands to oureco-system and especially to birds. Jim’sphotos and Shirlee’s narrative brought thestudents into the park they were to visitlater in the day. Cattails swayed in thewind, beavers built their dam, and SongSparrows trilled from nearby branches.The morning presentation excited studentsabout their trip to Juanita Bay Park.

Dense fog greeted them at the park. Inspite of the weather, however, the dayproved to be a good one for birding. Onthe causeway with Jim and Shirlee, stu-dents encountered Downey Woodpeckers,a Killdeer, Wood Ducks, Hooded Mer-gansers and a Red-tailed Hawk. Ernie

joined the group and pointed out the bea-vers’ winter food storage area and a largelodge with new stick additions. MargaretLie and I took students to the viewingareas where they were amazed at the widevariety of birds, such as Green-wingedTeals, 100+ American Coots, a BeltedKingfisher, Red-winged Blackbirds, Dou-ble-crested Cormorants and flying high

overhead, a Bald Eagle. Their teacherJohn Hamilton declared the day a successand invited us to spend more time with hisstudents in June.

Students were impressed that their teacherand the other founders of EAS receivedEastside Audubon’s Environmentalists of the Year Award. We were impressed bythe intelligence and cooperation of thestudents and are looking forward to work-ing with them in June.

— Mary Britton-Simmons,Education Chair

Environmental and Adventure School students join Eastside Audubon at Juanita Bay

Prophecy

Beneath Mt. Olympus we holdthe rain forest within us.Spruce wind and cedar windexchange stories of our ancestors.

Swathed in mist, we are the nurse log

cushioned with club moss and lichen—a fallen spruce, this Sitka giantfrom which Thunderbird flew.

Seeds sleep within the stumpwhere Steller’s Jay, prophet of the woods,signals in ascending keythe appearance of stars.

Mary Kollar 2008




The Audubon BirdLoop is Flying High!

We are moving forward folks! At theFebruary 7 work party, we finishedplanting in the East Meadow, installednew plexiglass in the Meadow Kiosk,sanded the pavers, stacked the lumberthat had floated in the flood waters,and prepared the footings for the last

two interpretive signs. A week later,at another work party on February 14(can you believe we worked even onValentine’s Day?), we installed thelast two interpretive signs, preparedthe staging area for the building of theboardwalk extension, and cut some

timbers to length and began drillingholes for hardware. We’ll be at itagain on February 28 to work againon the extension. Our next regularlyscheduled work party is on March 7, 9AM to noon, when we will undoubt-edly plant more native plants and con-

tinue the work on constructing theboardwalk extension. Come out andhelp us as we come close to the goalsset three years ago! It is exciting tosee it all coming together. If you havequestions, contact me. Be a part of the action.

Special thanks to all who worked onthe cool and frosty days of February:Glenn Eades, Bob Gershmel, AndyMcCormick, Fan Tsao, Sharon Rod-man, Ellen Homan, Tim McGruder,Marvin Hoekstra, Shawn Bohgard,Karen Greytar, Sunny Walter, Ella

Elman, Hugh & Bev Jennings, RobertLake.

— Jim Rettig, Project Manager

Busy EAS Volunteers erecting interpretive signs and cleaning up the boardwalk at Marymoor Park.

Mar 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

Documents

Transcript of Mar 2009 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society