November-December 2006 Sandpiper Newsletter Grays Harbor Audubon Society

8/8/2019 November-December 2006 Sandpiper Newsletter Grays Harbor Audubon Society

1/9

Annual Membership MeetingElection of Officers and Board

Sunday, December 3, 20061:30 PM 3 PM

Dan Varland, Dead Wood TalesGrays Harbor PUD Community Room

2720 Sumner Avenue, Aberdeen

from his neck to his rump he is buffy with broader dark brownstreaks. His blackish wings havebuffy colored edges and his outerwings and the base of his outertail is yellow, varying from palerto brighter yellow. Females andmales are very similar, the malehaving more yellow.

The Pine Siskin is the most fre-

quently encountered member ofthe irruptive winter finches. Theybreed primarily in open conifer-ous forests in the northern partsof North America from Alaskathrough all of Canada to New-foundland and south to northern New England. They are irregu-larly common to abundant intheir breeding areasperhapsabundant one year and absent thenext in a particular location. They

are also irregular migrants, stag-ing major irruptions into the cen-tral areas of North America as farsouth as central Florida.Their abundance depends on the

availability of their food source.Their year-round range extendsfrom Alaska through the Rockiesto northern Arizona. These irreg-ular and irruptive patterns make itdifficult to assess their populationtrends.

Pine Siskins prefer a diet of the

seeds of conifers and alders aswell as a wide variety of weedseeds. They also feed on in-sects, spiders, tree buds and ten-der young vegetable and flowershoots.

heir courtships begin in Janu-ary or February while they arestill in their winter flocks. Their

The

Sandpiper

November/December 2006

Dead wood talesmagine a forest where all the

trees are fully dressed out intheir green leaves and needlesand vibrantly alive. As you lookaround there are no fallen trees ordecaying branches on the ground,no snags sticking up high in thedistance.Now picture a forest with toppledtrees left where they fell, hollowsin the sides of dying older treesand snags poking up out of theforest canopy. This is a forest in allstages of birth and decay. Whichforest will produce the most diver-sity of wildlife?f you said the second forest

youd be right! Since much of the

wildlife in our forests are cavity-dependent, dead and dying treesare essential to maintain a rich biodiversity. Managed foreststypically contain fewer of thesecomponents, primarily because ofshorter harvest rotations and safetyissues centered on snag retentionduring logging operations.

At our Membership Meeting

on Sunday, December 3rd, DanVarland, Wildlife Biologist forRayonier for more that 13 years,will present a program on theimportance of dead and decayingwood to forest biodiversity. Dansresearch has focused on address-ing the habitat needs of forestwildlife, especially threatened and

endangered species, in the man-aged forest environment.Dan received Rayoniers highest

award, the Quality Award, for hisrole in developing an effectivemethod to screen Rayonier forest-land for Marbled Murrelet habitat.Dan has both Bachelor and Masterof Science degrees as well as aPh.D. in Animal Ecology.

Continued on page 4

by Jan McMillanEvery fall, on a day I might least

expect, I look out my kitchenwindow and there at my hangingtube feeder sits my favorite back-yard birdthe pine siskin, peck-

ing away at his favorite feederfood, niger and hulled sunflowerseeds. I am always so amazed athow tiny and delicate this little 5inch long fellow is.

This gregarious little bird hasa pale, thin, pointed bill, thin-ner than other finches. His head,throat and nape are a buffy colorstreaked with darker brown and

Winter rang

BirdStarPine Si


2/9

The Presidents Perch

Keeping an eye on Bowerman

BasinBy Jan McMillan

I know by now youve all readabout the latest discussions ofthe possible closing of Bower-man Field in order to attractnew industry to the area. I thinkit would be good to begin tothink about how all of this couldimpact the thousands and thou-sands of shorebirds that residethere year round or stop to feedand rest on their way to their farnorth breeding grounds.

HistoryIn the 1970s Evergreen College

graduate student Steve Herman,now a retired Evergreen CollegeProfessor, and other graduatestudents, naturalists, and con-cerned citizens, recognized theimportance of Bowerman Basinas essential habitat for migratoryshorebirds. They conducted re-

search to document the numberof birds and bird species as wellas the importance of BowermanBasin as prime shorebird andbird of prey habitat. Their workled to the establishment of theGrays Harbor National Wild-life Refuge in the early 80s.As their successors, we have tocarry forward that commitmentof protection.

Current Status

For the last several years theRefuge and Bowerman Basinhave become an important partof life on the Harbor. Hundredsof area school children comethrough each year to see theshorebirds and learn about theirhabitat and what threats theyface here on the coast from de-velopment, pollution and inva-

age 2

sive species like spartina.The Refuge is the Star At-

traction of the annual GraysHarbor Shorebird Festival, heldeach year during the peak of thespring migration. Bus loads oftourists and local citizens walk

the boardwalk with their binocu-lars and scopes to view the birdsas they feed in the basin. Thebirds co-exist with the airport atits current level of activity.

Recently a group of local of-ficials and state and federal leg-islators have begun to explorethe possibility of establishing aNature Center at the Refuge tocreate a more accessible year-round Refuge program for thelocal community and tourists.

Important Bird Area (IBA)Bowerman Basin has been des-ignated as an IBA for Washing-ton State. The IBA program hastwo goals: (1) to identify thesites most essential for long-term conservation of birds and(2) to take action to ensure theconservation of these sites. AnIBA site provides essential hab-itat for one or more species of

birds. Potential IBA sites arerigorously evaluated and se-lected based on standard bio-logical criteria and expert orni-thologists review. BowermanBasin is a Category 1 IBA, onethat is a site for endangered orthreatened species, or species ofspecial concern to WashingtonState.

What You Can Do to Help Pro-tect Bowerman Basin and the

Grays Harbor National Wild-life RefugeThere is much you can do. Stay alert and read about thediscussions that are taking placeat the higher decision makinglevels of our local and state gov-ernmen Let your local and federal of-ficials know that protecting the

birds at Bowerman Basin andenhancing the Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge areimportant to you. Insist thathey make it a priority in their

decision making. Attend any future hearings

elated to airport expansion orelocation or Bowerman Basin

area development. Provide oralor written testimony. Write letters to the Editor of

he Daily World, North Coast News, South Beach Bulletin,Chinook Observer and otherewspapers and publications

about your concerns. Talk to your neighbors, fam-ily and friends about why pro-ection of Bowerman Basin is

important.Bowerman Basin and the

Grays Harbor National Wildlifeare a vital part of life in Grays

arbor, contributing to tour-ism, our childrens education,our economic health, our iden-ity as a community and our

quality of life. Lets all make acommitment to protect Bower-

an Basin, the Refuge and thehousands of birds that depend

on them.

HAS Mission The mission of the GraysHarbor Audubon Societyis to seek a sustainable bal-ance between human activ-

ity and the needs of the en-vironment; and to promoteenjoyment of birds and thenatural world


3/9page 3

The Chehalis RiverDiscovery Trail

By Janine GatesThe City of Centralia has a

new nature trail for the pub-lic to use and enjoy. Dedicatedon September 23, the Cheha-lis River Discovery Trail nearGrand Mound is the result of a

three year partnership betweenlocal and state government andenvironmental activists.Janet Strong, president of the

Chehalis River Basin LandTrust, passionately thanked acrowd of about 75 trail support-ers and volunteers, acknowl-edging them for their efforts.The Land Trust is a non-profitorganization dedicated to theconservation, protection and

restoration of ecologically sen-sitive lands in the Chehalis Riv-er Basin.Strong has been involved with

the land trust since its foundingin 1994, starting their office outof her home in McCleary, sixmiles from the Chehalis River.She and the Land Trust haveworked on the trail project forthree years.StellaJoe Straebler of Centraliacame to the dedication because

this shows what citizens, withcooperation from city officialsand the community, can accom-plish. Straebler, active with theFriends of Seminary Hill Natu-ral Area for 25 years, and friendLynn Williams walked the newtrail after the dedication.Attesting to the high level of

cooperation between local ac-tivists and government, brief

speeches by Centralia Mayorim Browning, State Represen-

tative Gary Alexander, Jenni-fer Kelly of U.S. Congressman

rian Bairds office, and othersapplauded the groups effortsin making the trail a reality. A

ribbon cutting ceremony at thetrails entrance concluded theremarks.

Project funding and involve-ment came from several agen-cies including the U.S. Fish and

ildlife Service, the Washing-ton Salmon Recovery Funding

oard of the Interagency Com-mittee for Outdoor Recreation,and the Washington State De-partment of Ecology.

Twenty four markers along

the trail correspond with a self-guided tour booklet, available tothe public at the trail head. Sev-eral benches will soon be placedalong the trail, allowing closeup views of the Chehalis Riverand wildlife.As part of the groups efforts,

over 7,000 native trees andshrubs have been planted alonga one mile portion of the Cheha-lis River. The restoration plant-

ings will protect salmon andwildlife in and near the river.Over 600 students, ranging from

th graders to Centralia Collegestudents have participated withthe plantings. Many of thosestudents were in attendance atthe dedication.I wanted to see how the trees

planted were doing, saidChristina Bubnick, 16, a juniorat Rochester High School. Bub-nick came out to the trail about

three or four years ago to par-ticipate.Kathy Jacobson, Chehalis Ba-

sin Education Consortium Co-ordinator for Education School

istrict #113, has been workingwith the Chehalis Land Trustfor six years. She and Rochester

iddle School teacher Martinoodruff work with students,

involving them with the trail

as part of the Project Scienceclass. They have been bringingstudents to the trail for severalyears. Students are rewardedfor their work with a field study,which is an opportunity for stu-dents to come out and reflect

on their experiences and recordtheir wildlife observations.The flat, one and a half mile

trail is made of dirt, compactgravel and sand. It borders ac-tive agricultural fields on oneside, and follows the ChehalisRiver in two directions, makingit a three mile hike round trip.Diverse eco-systems includingthe newly planted riparian zone,a coniferous forest of Douglas

continued on page 4

AnnouncingGHAS annual Christmasbird countSaturday, December 23, 2006

To participate in this impor-

tant national/international birdcount, contact Bob Morse, GraysHarbor Bird Count Coordinatorat (360) 943-8600.You will be assigned to a team

and spend the day counting birdsat one of several locations in thecounty. You dont have to be anexpert birder. All you need is awillingness to help count. Dresswarmly, bring your rain gear andplenty of water. Your group will bird in the morning, break for

lunch and then conclude yourday with a supper meeting of allthe teams to tally up your countsand hear the results. Its fun andit helps us track our bird popula-tions from year to year.

The East County bird count atSatsop will be held Tuesday De-cember 26th.


4/9

page 4

Pine Siskins continued frompage 1nests are in evergreen trees, andare shallow, saucer shaped and

heavily insulated with twigs,roots, grasses, leaves, fur, li-chen, hair etc. The female sitson her eggs almost continuouslyfor about 13 days, leaving onlyfor brief periods. The usually 1to 5 eggs are greenish blue with brown speckles. They nest inloose colonies and flock togeth-er to forage.

embership meetingElection of board members

The nominating committeeembers, Ann Haarer, Dianna

oore and Gary Utter are busyin November putting together aslate of officers and board mem-bers for the December 3rd An-

ual Members Meeting. Theyill present a single slate butembers can nominate other

candidates from the floor. Theonly requirement is that you gethe permission of the person be-

ing nominated.The board meets 5 times a year.

hey make decisions about thedirection of the chapter, setchapter policy, monitor and ap-prove all financial decisions andgenerally guide the work of thechapter. Board members also

ork closely with the Conser-ation Committee of Washing-on Audubon on key local and

statewide conservation issues.We hope you will attend theembers meeting in December

and participate in the election

process.

unday, December 3, 2006 1:30-3:00 PM PUD Building Com-

unity Room 2720 Sumnervenue, Aberdeenarking and Entrance in theear

Photo by Janine Gates

Firs and cedar, a maple grove,and black cottonwoods sup-

ports habitat for wildlife includ-ing salmon, birds, beaver, otter,coyotes, deer, and a resident pairof bald eagles.The Chehalis River Basin Landrust has experienced success

with other projects in its 12 yearhistory. Across the river fromthe Discovery Trail around trailmarker 9 is a half-mile long ma-ture black cottonwood stand,reputed to be the largest such

grove left along the ChehalisRiver. It is protected under aconservation easement betweenthe private landowner and theLand Trust.A conservation easement is a

legally binding agreement be-tween a landowner and a conser-vation group or agency, restrict-ing certain land uses in order to protect the conservation valuesof a property. As an incentive, aconservation easement general-

ly offers a landowner significanttax benefits.The Chehalis River Discoveryrail, located off Old Highway

99 near the Centralia Waste-water Treatment Plant, will beopen Monday through Saturdayduring daylight hours. Motor-ized vehicles, horses, bikes, and jogging are not allowed. Dogs

Chehalis Trail continued frompage 3

are discouraged, however, ifone chooses to bring them, theymust be on a leash at all times,and their waste must be pickedup.

For specific directions or moreinformation about the ChehalisRiver Basin Land Trust, contact(360) 807-0764 or www.cheha-lislandtrust.org. Janine Gates, a resident of Olym-

pia, likes to attend local events, walk

around town, talk to people, and write.

She also just started her photography

business. Please contact her through

her website at www.janinegatespho-

tography.com.

Some tips for attracting Pineiskins to your yard: Dont cut down your tall

eeds but leave them to go toseed. Include niger seed and shelledor whole sunflower seeds in

your tube bird feeders.You canalso put sunflower seeds in yourground feeders. Dont forget to include a bird bath or two in your yard and

eep the water fresh. Im told they like suetespe-cially insect suet.

photo by George Jameson


5/9

page 5

Making wind energycompatible with birdsand wildlife: avoiding thesalmon-dams controversy

By Tim Cullinanand Nina Carter

In recent years the development

of industrial-scale wind energyfacilities has accelerated rapidlyin the Northwest and throughoutthe country. Since 1980, advanc-es in technology have resultedin a ten-fold decrease in the costof producing wind energy. Con-sequently, wind generated ener-gy is now economically viable,even in the Northwest where itmust compete with subsidizedhydropower. Currently, wind

power contributes enough en-ergy to heat 1.6 million Ameri-can homes. At current rates ofgrowth, that number could reach2.3 million by 2006 and 6.3 mil-lion by 2010. In California, therecent adoption of a RenewableEnergy Portfolio, requiring anincreasing percentage of powerfrom alternative energy, is driv-ing state and federal agencies toadopt guidelines to site wind fa-cilities. In Washington, there are

currently six major wind gen-eration facilities under develop-ment. Other coastal and plainsstates are targeted for more windfacilities to meet a growing de-mand for alternative energy.With the rise in development of

wind power, there is increasingconcern among conservation-ists about cumulative impacts

on birds and wildlife. WhileAudubon and other conserva-tionists strongly support wind power as a cleaner and moresustainable alternative to fossilfuels, research has shown thatwind turbines can reduce the

quality of habitat for ground-nesting birds, can impact mi-grating birds and fragment habi-tat for other wildlife. Monitoringof wind power facilities revealsthat birds and bats are vulner-able to collisions with turbineblades and towers.

At the moment, siting wind fa-cilities to avoid cumulative im-pacts to bird populations is notcoordinated at a state, regional orfederal scale. At the locale scale,

pre-construction assessments ofrisks to birds are passed on asfew as three months of monitor-ing. Audubon supports two-yearstudies of local bird populationsto adequately assess migrat-ing populations, which varythroughout the year. State andfederal agencies have publishedvoluntary siting guidelines, butdo not provide adequate toolsto allow the industry to make

sound siting decisions.The wind industry is current-ly seeking the expertise of or-nithologists and conservationgroups like Audubon to assistthem in developing siting poli-cies that limit negative impactsto birds and other wildlife. De-veloping sound policies earlyon will allow industry investorsto avoid costly negotiations andmitigation in the future and en-able the industry to be sustain-

able into the future. We haveall witnessed the lengthy andexpensive restoration work forsalmon due to dam constructionin the Pacific Northwest. Letsnot repeat the mistakes of thepast. We should plan ahead forwind power and make it a trulysustainable, bird and wildlifefriendly source of energy.

Audubon Washingtons goalis to assist the wind power in-dustry to make sound sitingdecisions, avoid constructiondelays or expensive mitigationmeasures, while at the sametime conserve bird populations

and the habitats they depend on.In 2005, Audubon Washington began working with Washing-ton State and several federalagencies to improve the plan-ning frame-work for siting wind power facilities, with the goalof reducing both the local andcumulative risks to bird popula-tions in Washington State. Weattended national, state and localmeeting to negotiate guidelinesor site-specific projects (Nation-

al Wind Coordinating Council;Wildlife Working Group sub-committee; Washington StateFish and Wildlife; county proj-ects). Audubon worked with theGeographic Information System(GIS) Laboratory at the Uni-versity of Washington to cre-ate (GIS) maps to analyze siteswhere high potential for winddevelopment and high risk tobirds may occur.

Now our goals are to: Conserve resident and migra-tory bird populations and theirhabitats Improve the scientific meth-ods used to assess the risks ofand develop mitigation for windenergy facilities. Improve state and federalsiting guidelines to avoid ordecrease impact on birds andwildlife. Encourage construction of

wind energy facilities in areaswhere there is a low risk of im-pacts on birds.

If residents in Washington wantto help make our wind farmssafe for bird and wildlife, thenthey should support AudubonWashingtons work as we advo-cate better siting guidelines atstate and federal levels.


6/9

page 6

ottle Beach project pre-sentation on January 7th

For the last year members ofGrays Harbor Audubon havebeen working with Washington

tate Parks and other stakehold-

ers on the development of Bottleeach. The new plan calls forandicapped access features, a

parking lot, a new trail throughhe park and bird blinds for ob-

serving shorebird as well asother park birds. On Januaryth, Parks staff will present the

proposed new plan to the Graysarbor Audubon board of direc-

ors. The presentation will beat 1:00 pm, before the regular board meeting. Members are

elcome to come for the parkspresentation portion of the meet-ing at 1 pm. Its an opportunityo see what the features of theew park will be and provide

last minute input.

Whats so bad aboutEnglish Ivy(hedera helix)?

Gardeners and homeownersin the Pacific Northwest haveplanted English ivy for years asan attractive, low-maintenancealternative to lawns; it is ever-green, relatively pest-free, cold-

hardy, fast-growing, and re-quires little care. It also does notlike to stay contained. When ivyspreads beyond its intended bor-ders within an urban landscape,as it inevitably does, it causestremendous damage to all threezones of a plant communitythe forest floor, the shrub layerand the canopy.

In the under-story, it formsa thick evergreen mat which

quickly smothers and kills otherplants and shrubs. This tangledmat is not used by our nativewildlife. If there is a tree nearby,it then begins to climb.

Interestingly, ivy only reachesmaturity and goes to seed afterit has grown up a vertical sur-face, a fact that may be the driv-ing force behind its vigorousclimbing habitat. As a climbingvine, it engulfs and kills the treebranches one by one as it wraps

around them and continues onup, blocking light from reach-ing the trees leaves. The tree it-self is steadily weakened by thechoked, dying branches and bythe sheer weight of the vines itis now carrying. The estimatedweight of ivy removed from onetree in Olympic National Parkwas 2100 lbs.

There are no biological controlscurrently available for Englishivy.

If you have ivy in your yard,make sure it stays contained. Ifyou dont have ivy, dont plant

any.Reprinted with thanks from the Heron

Herald

How long does a birdlive?

Generally, the larger a bird is,

the longer its life expectancy.Small birds, such as migratorysongbirds, appear to live aslittle as two years, on the aver-age. They could live longer for instance, one Black-cappedChickadee is known to havelived 10 years and an AmericanGoldfinch 7 years, but life in theout-of-doors for a little bird isdangerous and unpredictable,and most of their lives are cut

short. Predators, disease, acci-dents, migration stress, starva-tion, habitat loss, and huntingare among the hazards. Biggerbirds seem to live longer. Manywaterfowl have survived as longas 30 years, and gulls and alba-trosses have been recorded at 30to 40 years of age.

Reprinted with thanks from the Heron

Herald.

Tribal leaders remind us

hatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth.

e do not weave the web ofife-we are merely a strand in it.

hatever we do to the web, weo to ourselves.

Chief Seattle

Only when the last tree has diednd the last river been poisonednd the last fish been caught wille realize we cant eat money.

Cree Indian Wisdom

almon recovery begins andnds with the Big H - habitat.

Billy Frank Jr.

hoto by Mac Knight,


7/9page 7

GHAS Board of Directors

Rose DuBois 532-4067 [email protected]

Ann Haarer 268-1004 [email protected]

Steve Hallstrom 273-9280 [email protected]

Theressa Julius 537-4386 [email protected]

Arnie Martin 612-0437 [email protected] McMillan 268-1004 [email protected]

Dianna Moore 289-5048 [email protected]

Linda Orgel 648-2476 [email protected]

Renee Prine 268-0485

Dean Schwickerath 495-3101 [email protected]

Diane Schwickerath 495-3101 [email protected]

Janet Strong 495-3950 [email protected]

Gary Utter 269-0157 [email protected]

Chapter Officers

President Jan McMillan, 268-1004

[email protected] President Janet Strong, 495-3950

[email protected]

Treasurer Diane Schwickerath 495-3101

[email protected]

Secretary Dianna Moore, 289-5048

[email protected]

Committee Chairs

Newsletter R.D. Grunbaum, 648-2476

[email protected]

Membership/Hospitality Ann Haarer, 268-1004

[email protected]

Conservation Dean Schwickerath, 495-3101

[email protected]

Education Janet Strong, 495-3950

[email protected]

Field Trips vacant

Programs Jan McMillan, 268-1004

[email protected]

Publicity Jan McMillan, 268-1004

[email protected]

Other Audubon Contacts

GHAS voice mail (800) 303-8498State Audubon (360) 786-8020

National Audubon (212) 979-3000

GHAS Website http://www.ghas.org

Are you interested in re-ceiving The Sandpiperon-line? Send us your emailaddress and we can forwardthe latest issue the momentit is ready to publish or visithttp://ghas.org to view thenewsletter as a color pdffile.

Save the Datefor the 2007 Grays HarborShorebird FestivalFriday through Sunday,April 27th through 29th

Highlights include

A Friday Night KeyNote SpeakerField Trips to Westport,

okeland, Bottle Beach,Ocean Shores and more! rips to the RefugeBoardwalk to see BirdsSaturday Night Ban-quet and AuctionWorkshops, LecturesVendors

We will need lots of vol-unteers. Contact Jan Mc-

Millan at (360) 258-1004if you would like to help atnext years festival.


8/9

Please Fill Out and Mail Back

ANNUAL GRAYS HARBOR AUDUBON

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

If you would like to join Grays Harbor Audubon Society (GHAS), please fill out the form below,make check payable to Grays Harbor Audubon Society and return it with your check to:

Grays Harbor Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 470

Montesano, WA 98563

Chapter Memberships include a subscription to The Sandpipernewsletter. All Chapter Member-ships above the Sandpiper category provide financial support to our Chapter. The Grays HarborAudubon Society is totally self-supporting.

Name _________________________________________________ Date ____________

Address _________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State/Zip

Phone Number _____________________ E-Mail ______________________________

Heron $25.00

Pelican $50.00

Falcon $75.00

agle $100.00

SandpiperSubscription Only $15(Fixed or limited income membership orSandpipernewsletter only)

am renewing my membership am a new member

To join National Audubon or renew your National Audubon Membership, call 1-800-274-4201.

If your newsletter is stamped withLast Issue-Please Renew, be sure to fill out the MembershipForm above and send it in to keep your membership active and keep receiving the newsletter!Thanks!

page 8


9/9

MembershipMeetingGraysHarborPUDCommunityRoom

Sunday,December3,20061:30-3:00PM

Newmembers

andchildren

welcome.

News&Editoriasendmaterialsto

P.O.Box1044Westport,98595-1044 oremailto

rdolearycreek.comCopydeadlineJanuary5th

InsidethisIssuDeadwoodtales1Birdstar1PresidentsPerch2 DiscoveryTrail3

ChristmasCount3Trailcontinued4Birdstarcontinued4MembershipMeeting4WindEnergy5EnglishIvy6Birdlifespan6BottleBeach6Board&Officers7MemberApplication8

The SandpiperP.O. Box 470

Montesano,WA 98563

Non Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAID

lympia, WAPermit # 359

November-December 2006 Sandpiper Newsletter Grays Harbor Audubon Society

Documents

Transcript of November-December 2006 Sandpiper Newsletter Grays Harbor Audubon Society