lease welcome Lisa Remlinger and Heath Packardfrom the Audubon State Office in Olympia, to our

November Program. Lisa and Heath will discuss whatAudubon's priorities will be for the 2007 legislative

session, and will be ready to answerany questions our members mayhave about the Audubon organiza-tion, its goals, programs, direction,and vision for the future, as well asclarify the relationship of chapterslike Rainier to the state and nationaloffices.

Lisa Remlinger is the state office'sChapter and Government Relations

Coordinator. In September 2004, Lisa began volunteering with Audubon’s policyoffice in Olympia. She helped design and produce the Bird’s Eye View legislativenewsletter, and assisted with the annual legislative reception on Lobby Day. Oneyear later, she joined the staff. She continues in her role with the policy teamand has also added the tasks of organizing grassroots advocacy efforts.

Heath Grant Packard is the state office's Policy Director. Heath joined AudubonWashington in the spring of 2001, and now splits his time between threeprogram areas: conservation policy, Important Bird Area conservation, and envi-ronmental education advocacy. He keeps elected officials, chapters, andconservation activists informed on issues, coordinates the advocacy efforts ofAudubon in Washington, and serves as a board member with the EnvironmentalEducation Association of Washington.

Please join us as we welcome Lisa and Heath. Before and after the meeting,Rainier's semi-annual Brown Bag Raffle will be held (see page 6). This is agreat time to pick up a few Christmas or other holiday gifts while helping outRainier Audubon. Doors open at 6:30. Refreshments and conversation availablebefore, during, and following the program.

the

Vol 25 No.9R a i n i e r A u d u b o n S o c i e t y • N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 6

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Rainier Audubon Presents:

Lisa Remlinger and Heath Packardfrom the State Audubon Office

Free and open to the public

Rainier Audubon’sNovember Program

Monday, November 20th, 2006,at 7:00 PM

(doors open at 6:30)

Federal WayUnited Methodist Church

(directions on page 2)

Field Trips on Page 4!

oin Rainier Audubon's27th annual

Christmas Bird Countheld this year on Sunday,December 17, 2006. We willspend the day in teams counting birds in oursection of south King County. All levels ofbirding expertise are needed. There will be aleader for each area who knows the "bestspots," but the more eyes and ears the better.If you prefer, you may count birds in you ownyard as a "feeder watcher." The information wegather becomes part of a national databaseused for conservation and research purposes.

After a fun, full day of birding, we will gatherat Coco's in Federal Way for dinner and to com-pile the results of our observations. Pleasejoin us in this rewarding project. Call NancyStreiffert (253) 852-8394 or emailNancy_Streiffert@hotmail.com. Also, see ourposter at monthly meetings.

J

2006 Christmas Bird CountBy Nancy Streiffert

Rainier Audubon Society is theWashington State

South King County Chapterof the National Audubon Society.

The Heron Herald is published by Rainier

Audubon Society 9 times a year.

Final deadline for material submission is the18th of the month preceding publication.Informative articles may be reproduced withcredit given to the author and Rainier AudubonSociety. However, all creative content is subjectto copyright (as indicated on appropriate pages)and may not be reproduced without permissionfrom the author. Please also send in any photosor artwork you would like considered for inclu-sion.

E-mail material to:

autumn207@comcast.net

cc: hhartist@wildblue.net

Editor: Nancy Hertzel

Layout Artist: Rebecca Westby

Calendar

THURSDAY MORNINGSBird Walks at NisquallySee page 4 for details

NOVEMBER 12, SUNDAYRAS Field Trip: White-tailed Kites inthe FallSee Page 4 for details

NOVEMBER 20, MONDAYRAS Program* and Brown BagRaffleSee page 1 for details

NOVEMBER 25, SATURDAYRAS Field Trip: Olympia AreaBirdingSee Page 4 for details

DECEMBER 2, SATURDAYRAS Field Trip: Alki PointSee page 4 for details

DECEMBER 9, SATURDAYRAS Field Trip: Kittitas CountyBirding in WinterSee page 4 for details

http://www.rainieraudubon.org/

achel Carson's 1962 book,Silent Spring, exposed thehazards of the pesticide DDT,

questioned humanity's faith in tech-nological progress, and helped set thestage for the environmental move-ment.

DDT was the most powerful pesti-cide the world had ever known.Unlikemost pesticides, whose effectivenessis limited to destroying one or twotypes of insects, DDT was capable ofkilling hundreds of different kinds atonce. Developed in 1939, it first dis-tinguished itself during World War II,clearing South Pacific islands ofmalaria-causing insects for U.S.troops, while in Europe being used asan effective de-lousing powder. Itsinventor was awarded the Nobel Prize.

When DDT became available forcivilian use in 1945, there were only afew people who expressed secondthoughts about this new miracle com-pound. One was nature writer EdwinWay Teale, who warned, "A spray asindiscriminate as DDT can upset theeconomy of nature as much as a rev-olution upsets social economy. Ninetypercent of all insects are good, and ifthey are killed, things go out of kilterright away." Another was RachelCarson, who wrote to the Reader'sDigest to propose an article about aseries of tests on DDT being con-ducted not far from where she lived inMaryland. The magazine rejected theidea.

Thirteen years later, in 1958,Carson's interest in writing about thedangers of DDT was rekindled whenshe received a letter from a friend inMassachusetts bemoaning the largebird kills which had occurred on CapeCod as the result of DDT sprayings.Having already amassed a large quan-tity of research on the subject, Carsondecided to go ahead and tackle theDDT issue in a book.

Silent Spring took Carson four yearsto complete. It meticulously describedhow DDT entered the food chain andaccumulated in the fatty tissues ofanimals, including human beings, andcaused cancer and genetic damage. Asingle application on a crop, shewrote, killed insects for weeks andmonths, and not only the targetedinsects but countless more, andremained toxic in the environmenteven after it was diluted by rainwater.Carson concluded that DDT and otherpesticides had irrevocably harmedbirds and animals and had contami-nated the entire world food supply.

First serialized in The New Yorker inJune 1962, the book alarmed readersacross America and, not surprisingly,brought a howl of indignation fromthe chemical industry. "If man were tofaithfully follow the teachings of MissCarson," complained an executive ofthe American Cyanamid Company,

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*Please note: Our programs will be held in anew location this year:

Federal Way United Methodist Church29645 - 51st Ave. So.Federal Way

DIRECTIONS:Coming from the west: Take 320th St. head-ing east, past SeaTac Mall (now called TheCommons). Cross I-5 and keep going eastdown towards Peasley Canyon Rd. At the firstlight after Military Rd. (321st St.), turn left.Stay on 321st St. as it winds up and aroundand becomes 51st Ave. So. The church will beon your left at 296th.

Coming from the east: Take Peasley CanyonRd. going west towards Federal Way. At thelight at 321st St, take a right. Stay on 321stSt. as it winds up and around and becomes51st Ave. So. The church will be on your leftat 296th.

One Person Making a Difference: Rachel Carson

cont’d on page 7

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Audubon Adventures Classroom Materialsfor Elementary School Teachers

f you haven’t signed up yet for the 2006-2007 AudubonAdventures Resource Kit, it isn’t too late. This award-winning

program is aligned to the national standards for science and languagearts, and easily fits into the curriculum for third through sixth grades.The program is a complete, year-long resource on birds, bees, andbats for one teacher and 32 students. Materials include a 64-pageteaching guide full of lesson plans, hands-on activities, duplicatingmasters, on-line resources, and much more! Plus, each student willreceive four newspaper publications on the topics.

The cost for each kit is $46.00 ($38.50 plus $7.50 shipping/han-dling), but Rainier Audubon has scholarships available. For moreinformation, please contact our Education Co-chairs: Annette andRoss Tabor at (253) 927-3208 or rarailfan@aol.com or visitwww.rainieraudubon.org.

■ HERE’S WHAT CLASSES RECEIVE

• Audubon Adventures Nature NewsTabloid, 4 editions, 32 copies of eachedition• One classroom resource manual• Endangered habitat poster• Guide for healthy schoolyard• Official certificate of participation

■ FREE BONUS

• One year subscription to Audubonmagazine• Affiliation with local Audubon chapters• Local field trip opportunities• Free access to Audubon’s bird andwildlife information helpline

■ HOW TO ORDER

Please contact Annette and Ross Taborat (253) 927-3208 or by email atrarailfan@aol.com or visit our website:www.rainieraudubon.org

I

■ HERE’S WHAT CLASSES RECEIVE

• Audubon Adventrues Nature NewsTabloid,4 editions, 32 copies of each edition• One classroom resource manual• Endangered habitat poster• Guide for healthy schoolyard• Official certificate of participation

■ FREE BONUS

• One year subscrioption to Audubonmagazine• Affiliation with local Audubon chapters• Local field triop opportunities• Free access to Audubon’s bird andwildlifeinformation helpline

Field Trips By Carol Schulz

White-tailed Kites in the Fall

Sunday, November 127:15 AM to 6:00 PMLeader: Roger OrnessWhite-tailed Kites are not known tomigrate, but the dispersal of the youngand the possibility of late nesting pairscan be found in fall. Our trip will take usthrough several valleys where kites nestedin the past. Our main target bird will be afresh-plumaged juvenile. We also shouldsee good numbers of other raptors. Thistrip is limited to seven people and twovehicles, so sign up early to secure a spot.

BRING: Scopes, binos, lunch, and snacks.Be prepared for a long drive, and a longday, returning to Fife at 6 PM.

MEET: At the Poodle Dog Restaurant inFife at 7:15 AM. Depart promptly at 7:30.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-5 to exit 137 in Fife.Turn right, and travel through the inter-section to the Poodle Dog Restaurant.Meet at the Fife Square sign.

SIGN-UP: Call or email Roger Orness,(253) 922-7516, r.orness@comcast.net.

Olympia Area BirdingSaturday, November 259:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Leader: Carol Schulz

Fall is the perfect time to visit Olympiaand its shorelines. Our state's capitaloffers a variety of waterbirds and smallbirds right in the center of town. Thisweekend trip after Thanksgiving featuressome walks to wear off the calories andsee some good birds, too. Some folks callthis our "Diet Trip!" We will walk abouttwo miles. Our first stop will be on theway -- we'll stop at the Nisqually VisitorCenter, where we will walk out to the TwinBarns in search of hawks and ducks. Thenwe will travel to downtown Olympia tovisit some favorite saltwater viewpointsand walk a portion of the Capitol LakeTrail. We will be looking for diving ducks,grebes, loons, and other birds. Views ofthe Capitol can be beautiful from the lake.

BRING: Warm clothes, lunch (turkeysandwiches?), hot drinks, snacks andwater. Scopes are welcome. Bring a cam-era.

MEET: 9:00 AM at the Hwy. 512 Park &Ride in Tacoma.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-5 south throughTacoma to exit 127 (the Hwy. 512 exit).Turn right and immediately get into theleft lane. Turn left onto So. Tacoma Way.Travel 1/2 block south, and turn left intothe P&R. Meet near McDonalds.

SIGN-UP: Call or email Carol Schulz,(206) 824-7618, linusq@att.net.

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Weekly Bird Walks at NisquallyThursdays 8:15 AM to 12:30 PMLeader: Phil KelleyJoin Phil on his weekly bird walks as hecounts the birds at Nisqually NationalWildlife Refuge. The group walks out toMacAllister Creek and back to the visitorcenter, then takes the boardwalk/trail loopout past the Twin Barns to the Ring Dike,coming back along the Nisqually RiverTrail. It is a distance of about four miles.

BRING: Good walking shoes or boots,raingear, water, snacks, and $3 entry feeunless you have a pass. Scopes are wel-come.

MEET: At the parking lot just past theNisqually NWR visitor center.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-5 south from Tacomaand exit to Nisqually NWR at exit 114.Take a right at the light.

SIGN-UP: Call or email Phil Kelley to con-firm details, (360) 459-1499,scrubjay323@aol.com.

Alki PointSaturday, December 28:00 AM to Early Afternoon

Leader: Jim TooleyDecember is a favorite time to visit thepaved trails and beaches of Alki Point inSeattle. We hope to see waterfowl,seabirds, Harlequin Ducks, and shorebirds.The Bald Eagles at Salty's may be workingon their nest. Views of Seattle can bevery nice, and a restaurant stop at Spud'sis a tradition. (Sometimes we observebirds out of the restaurant windows.)

BRING: Lunch (or some money to buylunch), water or hot drinks, and snacks.Wear warm, waterproof clothes. Walkingwill be minimal, and some folks may wantto bird from inside their cars. Scopes arewelcome.

MEET: 8:00 AM at the Kent-DesMoinesPark & Ride located on Military Rd. off ofKent-DesMoines Rd.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-5 to exit 149 andturn east toward Kent on Kent-DesMoinesRd. Go 1/2 block. Turn left onto MilitaryRd. P&R is on the left.

SIGN-UP: Call or email Jim Tooley, (253)854-3070, actjct@aol.com.

Kittitas County Birding in WinterSaturday, December 9, 6:30 AM to Evening

Leader: Charlie WrightCo-leader: Roger Orness

Come enjoy a day of winter-season birding in central Washington. We will venture overSnoqualmie Pass and visit areas including Swauk Prairie and South Cle Elum along our route.Large numbers of raptors including Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons are seen winter-ing in the open, snow-covered fields of Kittitas. Proceeding east, we will reach the ColumbiaRiver at Vantage, where waterfowl are sometimes present in vast numbers. Some targetspecies will include unusual loons, ducks, American White Pelicans, and possible rare gulls.Chukar are occasionally seen in the basalt outcroppings here. Bring many layers of clothingfor cold weather conditions, and a lunch. Space is limited.

MEET: At 6:30AM behind Denny's at Auburn Way So. (Hwy. 164) & Hwy. 18 in Auburn.

SIGN-UP: Contact Charlie at (253) 862-0520 or c.wright7@comcast.net. Email preferred.

Seen & Heard By Charlie Wright

Hello birders! Theweather is turning, andthe birding's picking upin the valley. Fall is themost productive season

for rare birds, and this season it did notdisappoint. The two most startling birdsthis year were a Green-tailed Towhee inKent, and a Costa's Hummingbird onthe Foothills Trail near South Prairie.Keep on birding and reporting!

Twenty-five Cackling Geese and 18Greater White-fronted Geese were atBoeing Ponds 10/1 (KA). Two EurasianWigeons were at Kent Ponds 10/14. AGreen Heron was at Riverview Marsh10/14. The last Osprey was seen 10/7.Most surprising was a female Costa'sHummingbird observed with twoAnna'sHummingbirdsnear SouthPrairie 9/30(CW). A verylate RufousHummingbirdwas reportedfrom BonneyLake 10/18(VB). Two lateCommonNighthawkswere north ofOrting 9/28 (Twtrs). Thirty-two Long-billed Dowitchers and a GreaterYellowlegs were at Riverview Marsh10/13 (CW), and 21 dowitchers werethere 10/16 (CS).

A Western Scrub-Jay was in Sumner9/20 (MB/MFM). Seven WesternBluebirds were seen near Bonney Lake10/6; eleven bluebirds were seenflying over South Prairie 10/13. Yetanother Western Bluebird was at KentPonds 10/14 (CW). The first VariedThrush in the lowlands was at KentPonds 9/22 (LB). The first NorthernShrike was at Boeing Ponds 10/1 (KA),and another was at Kent Ponds 10/14.

A high count of 910 Violet-greenSwallows was recorded along FoothillsTrail 9/24 (CW). At least 100 Black-throated Gray Warblers were seen onthe Foothills Trail 9/20 (MB/MFM). AGreen-tailed Towhee popped up atBoeing Ponds 10/2 (GH), furnishingthe second county record. A White-throated Sparrow was noted in a Kent

yard 9/30 (LB). A Slate-colored race Dark-eyedJunco was at Bonney Lake10/9 (VB). Pine Siskinsfinally arrived in moderatenumbers, with a fewlarger flocks here andthere, such as 60 atFoothills Trail 10/13 (CW).

Observers: KA-Kathy Andrich; LB-Linda Bartlett; TB-Thais Bock;VB-Vicki Biltz; MB-Marv Breece; GH-Gene Hunn; MFM-MaryFrancesMathis; RO-Roger Orness; CSc-CarolSchulz; DS-Dan Streiffert; CWr-CharlieWright; Twtrs-Tweeters; m.obs-manyobservers.

Going Birding?Report your sightings to Charlie

at (253) 862-0520 or emailc.wright7@comcast.net.

E-mail is preferred.

5

Boeing Ponds (Kent): From I-5, take exit 152onto Orillia Rd. Go east on Orillia; Orillia willbecome So. 212th St. Turn left at the light atSo. 59th Pl. and go half a mile. Just past theBoeing Kent Space Center, you will see the firstof the ponds. Park anywhere you can and viewthe ponds. From there, continue on 59th abouttwo blocks to a blocked-off road on the right.Park there and view birds in the water below.Walk to the other ponds on 62nd Ave So. (2005Thomas Guide: King 685, F-5)

Kent Ponds (Green River Natural Resource Area)—This area is bounded generally by the GreenRiver to the west, So. 212th St. to the north,64th Ave. to the east, and the Puget Powerpedestrian/bike trail to the south. Two publicgates allow pedestrian access to the site alongRussell Road, and another may be accessed byfoot or bicycle, along the south bike path.(2005 Thomas Guide: King 685, F-5)

204th St. —Small road between Orillia andFrager Roads, just north of 212th.

McMillin, Orting, and Buckley trailheads —TakeHwy. 410 east to the Orting/Sumner exit (Route162). Turn right towards Orting. The McMillintrailhead will be on the right just after thebridge. The Orting trailhead is two miles furtheron the right, located in Orting City Park. For theBuckley trailhead: Take Hwy. 410 to the ParkAvenue exit and turn right (east). Turn at thefirst left onto North River Ave. Go straight tothe National Guard parking.

Des Moines Beach Park —22030 Cliff AvenueSouth in Des Moines

Nolte State Park —Located north of the townof Enumclaw, Wash., at the western edge of theCascade Mountains. From east of Enumclaw: OnSR 410, turn north on 284th Ave., S.E., (look forsign) and continue approximately seven miles topark entrance.

Flaming Geyser State Park —From SR 18: Takethe Auburn-Black Diamond Rd. exit. Travel eastto Green Valley Rd. Turn right (southeast).Continue on Green Valley Rd. about nine milesto park entrance.

Smith Bros. Dairy Farms in Kent valley —27441- 68th Avenue So, Kent.

South Prairie (town). Take Hwy 410 to BonneyLake and take a right on South Prairie Rd. Afterfour miles, turn right onto Pioneer Way (Hwy.162) into Puyallup. Just across the bridge isSouth Prairie.

Foothills Trail —Follow directions to SouthPrairie (above). Trailhead for the Foothills Trailis in South Prairie just after Rainier Avenue.

Birding LocationsMentioned in Seen & Heard

COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRD©RICHARD WAGNER

CACKLING GOOSE ©JELGER HERDER

ainier members Mark andAdele Freeland have volun-teered with Friends of the

Hylebos for the past 20 years. Theyhave served on the board manytimes and given thousands of hoursof volunteer work in just aboutevery aspect of the Friends' pro-grams. This year, the Friendshonored Mark and Adele with theprestigious Ilene and FrancisMarckx Wetlands StewardshipAward, presented to them at theannual Ruby Dance dinner. Theaward is named after the founders of Friends of the Hylebos. Mark and Adelealso volunteer their time and energy with Rainier Audubon; Mark is our com-piler for the Christmas Bird Count and also, jointly with Dale Meland, maintainsPurple Martin boxes in the Hylebos waterway. Adele will be in charge of theBrown Bag Raffle we are having at our November program. We are indeed luckyto have Mark and Adele in our community, giving of their time and energy tohelp preserve our wildlife and environment.

Mark and Adele Freeland Honored

R25 Most Common Feeder Birds

Seen in Our Region

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Black-capped Chickadee

Pine Siskin

American Robin

Northern Flicker

Steller's Jay

Rufous-sided Towhee

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Song Sparrow

Red-breasted Nuthatch

European Starling

House Sparrow

American Crow

Downy Woodpecker

Varied Thrush

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Fox Sparrow

Bushtit

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Red-winged Blackbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Hairy Woodpecker

Golden-crowned Sparrow

DARK-EYED JUNCO©DAN STREIFFERT

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MARK AND ADELE FREELAND RECEIVE THEIR AWARD

Brown Bag Raffle at Our November Program Night

e are happy to announce that at ourNovember program (Monday,

November 20th at 7:00 PM), we will be having aBrown Bag Raffle. There will be a huge display ofwonderful nature-related gifts and goodies (andsome not nature-related - last year, we noticed atempting and delicious-looking chocolate basket aswell as several original watercolor paintings). Comeearly and browse the items available. These are not garage-sale quality

items! You can purchase as manytickets as you wish, just $1 each.Write your name on a ticket anddrop it into the brown bag next tothe item you want. At the end of theevening, we will draw one ticket outof each bag and the winner gets totake the item home. It may seemearly now, but by November 20th,we'll all be thinking about gifts forthe upcoming holiday season. Hopeto see you there!

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ith the warmth of a Juneday and soft breezes

brushing through deciduous trees inmy backyard, the lack of birdsong inmid-morning seemed strange. But thiswas the height of the nesting seasonand many birds were patiently sittingon eggs while already a few youngbirds were out and about, exploringnew and unknown territory.

Enjoying the serenity of the quietmorning, I was suddenly startled byhearing a repetitive and unfamiliarsong coming from somewhere in thedense bushes and trees far back onmy property. I was pretty sure it wasa warbler, but in typical warblerfashion, the bird never stoppedmoving while constantly singing —and I hadn't a clue as to its identity.Warblers can be notoriously difficult

"we would return to the Dark Ages,and the insects and diseases andvermin would once again inherit theearth." Monsanto published and dis-tributed 5,000 copies of a brochureparodying Silent Spring entitled "TheDesolate Year," relating the devastationand inconvenience of a world wherefamine, disease, and insects ranamuck because chemical pesticideshad been banned. Some of the attackswere more personal, questioningCarson's integrity and even her sanity.

Her careful preparation, however,had paid off. Anticipating the reactionof the chemical industry, she hadcompiled Silent Spring as one would alawyer's brief, with no fewer than 55pages of notes and a list of expertswho had read and approved the man-uscript. Many eminent scientists roseto her defense, and when PresidentJohn F. Kennedy ordered thePresident's Science AdvisoryCommittee to examine the issues thebook raised, its report thoroughly vin-dicated both Silent Spring and itsauthor. As a result, DDT came undermuch closer government supervisionand was eventually banned. Thepublic debate moved quickly fromwhether pesticides were dangerous towhich pesticides were dangerous, andthe burden of proof shifted from theopponents of unrestrained pesticideuse to the chemicals' manufacturers.

The most important legacy of SilentSpring, though, was a new publicawareness that nature was vulnerableto human intervention. Rachel Carsonhad made a radical proposal: that, attimes, technological progress is sofundamentally at odds with naturalprocesses that it must be curtailed.Conservation had never raised muchbroad public interest, for few peoplereally worried about the disappear-

to glimpse as they flit and sing andkeep on the move through the leafing-out of new deciduous growth.

And so it was with my futile efforts,trying for that one defining glimpse asthe warbler continued to sing andmove through the trees and bushes.Finally the unknown bird disappearedand my one chance for identifying anew warbler (not to mention a new"yard bird") was lost — or so Ithought.

Later in the day, while againenjoying the patio, much to my sur-prise, the rapid singing, flittingmystery bird was heard again. Thistime, it seemed to be moving a bitcloser. With binoculars in hand, Imoved as stealthily as possibletowards the Oregon Ash tree wherethe warbler was; and then I caught, ateye level, a two-second look at astunning American Redstart in fullbreeding plumage. Unmistakable withits all-black head, neck, and back,and brilliant orange wing and tail pat-terns.

American Redstarts can be locatedin the far northeastern corner of thestate, but are quite unusual in westernWashington. Finding one in suburbiain my Federal Way backyard wasreally exciting — and amazing too.

An Unexpected Visitor BY THAIS BOCKRachel Carlson…CONT’D FROM PAGE 2

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ance of wilderness. But the threatsCarson had outlined — the contami-nation of the food chain, cancer,genetic damage, the deaths of entirespecies — were too frightening toignore. For the first time, the need toregulate industry in order to protectthe environment became widelyaccepted, and environmentalism wasborn.

From Natural Resources DefenseCouncil

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Think globally.

Act locally.

AMERICAN REDSTART ©LARRY BOND

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To find the universal elements enough; to find the air

and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning

walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at

night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in

spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life.

~John Burroughs

fter 10 years of volun-teering their time and

talents to Rainier, Hazel andBob Dickinson are movingaway. Rainier's Octoberprogram began with a bigthank you to Hazel and Bob.Last year, Hazel was instru-mental in the work to protect25 pristine acres along PugetSound in Federal Way frombeing sold to a housing con-tractor. She wrote letters,attended city council meet-ings, led field trips, anddeveloped a Power Pointprogram; and in the end, the land waspreserved when the City of FederalWay agreed to purchase and protectthe land. Hazel also was Rainier's firstBackyard Habitat Program Chair. Inthis role, she organized our BackyardHabitat Contest and tours, and led theprogram as it evolved and changed

Thank You and Goodbye to Hazel and Bob

A

over the years. She developed twowonderful slide shows for Rainier, oneon how to attract wildlife and birds toone's backyard, and the other onlandscaping with native plants. Shehas presented these programs at WildBird Stores and gardening clubsaround our geographic area, and also

at some of Rainier's monthlymeetings. Audiences all agreeHazel is a wonderful speaker,knowledgeable, well-spoken,and friendly. Rainier Audubonthanks Hazel and Bob for theiryears of valuable work andunforgettable contributions onbehalf of the environment andwildlife of south King County.

DEB RUSSELL PRESENTS A THANK YOU CAKE TO HAZELAND BOB (L-R: DEB, HAZEL, ADELE FREELAND, AND BOB)

It's a fine late September morning andthe spider webs in the tall grass are cov-ered with dewdrops, backlit by the morn-ing sun. The grasshoppers will be singingtheir "farewell to summer" songs when thesun gets a little higher. With binocularsaround my neck, I set off around the yard,searching for fall migrants. I am happy tosee the mourning dove is still here.She'sperched now in the bare branches on thetop of one of the alders, and has been inthe yard for a couple days. It's really coolto glance out my office window and seeher walking along the wood chip path infront of the house.

In the top of the neighbor's tall cedars isa large flock of Cedar Waxwings. Therobins and juncos are streaming in fromsomewhere — there seems to be no endof them — arriving for winter. These paler-chested robins are coming down from thenorth. Our bright-chested ones are movingsouth.

Overhead the jays are paddling their waywith their distinctive flap-flap-glide motion— bills stuffed with nuts, searching forgood places to cache them for the winter.

Under the large cottonwood tree, whereI am standing now, Golden-crownedSparrows are singing, and there is a White-crowned Sparrow in the underbrush withthem. A Bewick's Wren scolds near by.What fun to have several of these cheekylittle guys regularly in the yard now thatthe native plants have filled in and becomethickets.

Among the chickadees in the cotton-wood, there is a Golden-crowned Kingletworking his way from leaf to leaf. His crownis so BRIGHT! Moving on down the drive-way, I see a Townsend's Warbler in a cedartree. What a beauty. Are there other war-blers here this morning? Several days ago,we heard the Varied Thrush, but I don'thear him today.

When I reach the L-shaped corner of theneighbor's drive, I get comfortable, leaningback against the fence to check out thechit-chit-chit I'm hearing from the willowsand cottonwoods around the pond. Theleaves are turning yellow and some aredropping. There must be a dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers in that group of cotton-woods! Eventually, as I watch them, they

cont’d on page 9

Musings of a Backyard BirderBY LINDA BARTLETT

n September 25, 2006, a newset of credible sightings of the

Ivory-billed Woodpecker was reportedfrom the panhandle of Florida. GeoffHill, an ornithologist from Alabama’sAuburn University, islead author of a paperpublished in AvianC o n s e r v a t i o n &Ecology that presentsevidence of a popula-tion of Ivory-billedWoodpeckers in aremote river basinalong the Chocta-whatchee River nearthe town of Bruce, inthe Florida panhandle.(The scientists will notreveal the exact loca-tion for fear ofdisturbing the birds.)Hill and his teampresent acoustic evi-dence and documented sightings, justas Cornell’s team did in April 2005when they announced ivory-bill sight-ings in Arkansas. What they don’thave, however, is the smoking gun — aphotograph or video of the bird.

9

O

cont’d on page 10

cross over the driveway one by one, andare working over the alders and hazelnutbushes on our side. Now there's a Ruby-crowned Kinglet flitting around in thehazelnut bush.

With the sun at my back, I feel good -grateful to be alive, happy to be standingin this pleasant spot, witnessing newarrivals that signal a change of weatherand season. We've finally had a good rainthat was much needed. In spite of one ofthe driest summers I can remember, thenative plants have done well. I'm glad nowthat my yard contains a good variety ofthem, which are attracting fall migrantsand will sustain many birds through thecoming months. I just love to strollaround the yard these beautiful fall morn-ings and observe who's doing what onwhich plant!

As I continue along the driveway towardsmy neighbor's yard, I observe that hisalder, willow, cottonwoods, hazelnuts, andelderberries are missing. "Weeds, brushand trash trees," unfortunately, is the waymost people still seem to regard thesespecies. His yard, with its many statelyevergreens, is neat and nice to look at butoh so quiet and still compared to minewith the lively kinglets, warblers, sparrows,finches, wrens, woodpeckers, etc, all busyeating, singing, and chasing each otheraround in our brush.

Recently I've noticed the House Finchesseem to be fond of green pyracanthaberries — they are consuming them justoutside my bedroom window. And twoPurple Finches were eating the red honey-suckle berries the other morning. In thevariegated elderberry, a junco perched ona large cluster of the small black berries,eating one after another. The evergreenhuckleberry has Song Sparrows andGolden-crowned Sparrows eating its fruitnow. Indeed this is a season to be thankful- for the bounty of our own gardens andfor the many fruits, berries, nuts, andinsects out there being used by the birdsand wildlife.

A New Ivory-Bill Sighting By Rachel Dickinson, National Audubon Society.

Even so, says John Fitzpatrick, thedirector of Cornell’s Laboratory ofOrnithology, which has led the ivory-bill search for the past two years,“The news coming out of Florida is

very encouraging andis getting everyonepsyched about thisnew search season.One thing this isdoing is broadeningthe focus to searchthe whole range ofthe bird.”

Hill and researchassistants Tyler Hicksand Brian Rolek werekayaking a section ofthe ChoctawhatcheeRiver in May 2005when Rolek spottedan ivory-bill in flightand then Hill heard a

double-knock. They then noted verylarge cavities in trees (more than fiveinches high and four inches wide—toobig for Pileated Woodpeckers) andbark scaling on recently dead trees—a

ig commemorative stamps (U.S.Postal Service) such as Disney

figures, Constellations, Latin dancers,Olympic Games, Marian Anderson, HenryFonda, 50's Sports Cars, Moss Hart, and manyothers, can be sent to England's Royal Society for theProtection of Birds, who will sell them to stamp collectors andput the proceeds towards saving threatened land and openspaces, and creating reserves for birds and other wildlife.Both old and new issue commemorative stamps are welcome. If youreceive a letter in the mail which has one of these stamps on the envelope, care-fully cut a one-inch or larger border around the stamp and mail it to:Thais Bock, 29620 - 10th Pl. So., Federal Way WA 98003. Thank you!

Save Your Stamps, Save the Birds!BY THAIS BOCK

B

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET ©DAN STREIFFERT

Musings…cont’d fr pg 8

10

Answers to Quizzical Owl: 1. Temminck's Stint, 2. skein, 3. Chukar, Ring-necked Pheasant, 4. A supercilia is the eyeline on a bird., 5. Limpkin�

1. Named after a Dutch aristocrat and zoologist, what rare shorebird was

discovered at Ocean Shores in November 2005?

2. A flock of geese flying overhead is called a _________.

3. Name at least two gallinaceous birds in our state.

4. A supercilia is the ___________ on a bird.

5. Snails are the favorite food of this bird of southeastern marshes.

ANSWERS ARE UPSIDE DOWN BELOW

by Thais Bock

characteristic ivory-bill feeding tech-nique. Their discovery prompted ayear-long search. Hill invited DanielMennill, an orni-thologist at Ontario’sUniversity of Windsor, to join him.Mennill, an expert in bio-acoustics,erected seven listening stations in thearea where the ivory-bill sightingswere occurring.

From May 2005 to April 2006, theAuburn–Windsor search team docu-mented 14 sightings, identified morethan 300 sounds that are strikinglysimilar to those associated withknown ivory-bill and campephilus(including kent calls and double-knocks), monitored 20 cavities that fitwithin the ivory-bill’s size range, andnoted numerous examples of barkscaling. “Tantalizing seems to be anoverused word these days, but theobservations and data from Florida,as well as from Arkansas, are trulytantalizing,” says Jerome Jackson, anornithologist from Florida Gulf CoastUniversity and author of In Search ofthe Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. “Amongthe promising evidence are recordingsof double-knock raps, apparentlybeing given by two birds in responseto one another, and kent vocaliza-tions.”

“Using sound-analysis software toscan the recordings from the swamp,for the first few weeks we only iso-

In a fund-raising effort aimed at pre-serving Ivory-billed Woodpecker habitat,Larry Chandler has painted an image ofthe ivory-bill to be used as a commemo-rative stamp. The stamps are about 1-3/4 by 2 inches, a little larger than apostage stamp. Money raised from thestamp will go to the Big WoodsConservation Partnership, formed toprotect the Cache River bottoms wherethe bird lives. (This coalition includesthe Cornell Lab of Ornithology, theArkasnas Game and Fish Foundation, andthe Nature Conservancy.)

The stamp can be purchased on theinternet (http://www.ivory-bill-wood-pecker.com) or by telephone (877-522-7376).The program will help the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by providing fundingfor public education, habitat acquisition,and research expenses. Please purchaseIvory-bill Woodpecker ConservationStamps or the accompanying limited edi-tion print to help protect this magnifi-cent bird. You'll be proud to display thisbeautiful stamp print in your home oroffice as a symbol of your contribution.

lated sounds of branches breakingand gunshots firing,” says Mennill.“But by the middle of January we hada breakthrough. My students startingisolating double-knocks that soundedjust like the double knocks I’ve heardfrom pale-billed woodpeckers in CostaRica. We knew we were on to some-thing big.” There are no knownhistorical recordings of double-knocksmade by ivory-bills, so researchersuse other campephilus species, likepale-billed woodpeckers, whichalso make double-knocks, for com-parison.

Geoff Hill calls his first seasonsearching for ivory-bills along theChoctawhatchee River a successbecause “we repeatedly relocatedbirds, made many sound record-ings, and found abundant evidenceof the birds’ presence.” But he alsocalls that first season a “dismalfailure” because of his team’s failureto obtain a clear picture of an ivorybill. This winter, his team will useremote-imaging cameras borrowedfrom Cornell. “Our only goal for thiscoming winter and spring is to getthat elusive clear image,” Hill adds.“Everything else—enumerating thepopulation, assessing the habitat use,making management plan—beginsafter we prove that the birds exist.”

Ivory-billed Woodpecker…cont’d from page 9

11

Rainier Audubon SocietyRainier Audubon Society is the Washington State South King County Chapter ofthe National Audubon Society. Our mission is to conserve and restore naturalecosystems, and to protect birds and other wildlife for the benefit of humanity

and biological diversity in South King County and the world we live in.

1. What Audubon subjectarea(s) are you interested in?Rank in order, with 1 being themost interesting:

___ Local birds and birding in general ___ Birds, specific (i.e. seabirds,birds of wetlands, warblers,endangered birds, etc.)____ Creating wildlife habitat inyour backyard___ Information about PacificNorthwest native plants___ Local animal life___ Conservation and environ-mental issues___ Wildlife of other countries___ Photographing birds___ Egg and nest identification___ Other________________________________________________________

2. What do you like or dislikeabout the Heron Herald newslet-ter? How can we improve it?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How do you think we canimprove Rainier Audubon as anorganization that is responsiveto the needs of our community?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you!

Please mail your completed sur-vey to:

Rainier Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 778Auburn, WA 98071

Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rainieraudubon.orgChapter Voice Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 939-6411 President Nancy Hertzel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 255-1808

E-mail: autumn207@comcast.netVice President Steve Feldman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 802-5211

E-mail: StillWaterStable@aol.comBoard Members Steve Feldman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 802-5211

E-mail: StillWaterStable@aol.comNancy Hertzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 255-1808E-mail: autumn207@comcast.netBernedine Lund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 839-3729E-mail: philandbernedine2002@yahoo.comDale Meland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 946-1637 E-mail: dmeland@hotmail.comTricia MacLaren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 802-0304E-mail: t.maclaren@att.netDebra Russell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 271-0682E-mail: debrarussell94@comcast.netAnnette Tabor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253)-927-3208E-mail: rarailfan@aol.comJim Tooley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 854-3070E-mail: ACTJCT@aol.com

Backyard Habitat Projects Carol Stoner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 854-3207E-mail: stonefam@gte.net

Christmas Bird Count Nancy Streiffert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 852-8394E-mail: nancy_streiffert@hotmail.comCharlie Wright and Mark Freeland (compilers)

Conservation Bruce Harpham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 874-9792E-mail: brucelaura@msn.com

Education Ross and Annette Tabor . . . . . . . . . . . . (253)-927-3208E-mail: rarailfan@aol.com

Field Trips Carol Schulz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 824-7618E-mail: linusq@worldnet.att.net

Heron Herald, Editor Nancy Hertzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 255-1808E-mail: autumn207@comcast.net

Heron Herald, Layout Rebecca Westby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 951-5427E-mail: hhartist@earthlink.net

Historian Thais Bock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 839-2044E-mail: tbock29@concentric.net

Hospitality Bernedine Lund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 839-3729E-mail: philandbernedine2002@yahoo.com

Librarian Carol Stoner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 854-3207E-mail: stonefam@gte.net

Mailing Crew Linda Bartlett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 631-1959E-mail: llbart@scn.org

Membership Merlin Wiese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 833-3907E-mail: MWiese7783@aol.com

Nestbox Coordinator Merlin Wiese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 833-3907E-mail: MWiese7783@aol.com

Programs Dale Meland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 946-1637E-mail: dmeland@hotmail.com

Publicity Stacy Colombel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 433-8222E-mail: sacolombel@zipcon.com

Administrative Asst. Amy Flanigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 826-0003E-mail: johnamyflanigan@yahoo.com

Shadow Lake Bog Max & Erin Prinsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 432-9965E-mail: max.prinsen@comcast.net

Sightings Charlie Wright . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 862-0520E-mail: c.wright7@comcast.net

Treasurer Jim Tooley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 854-3070E-mail: ACTJCT@aol.com

Web Editor Nancy Hertzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 255-1808State Audubon Office Nina Carter

E-mail: ncarter@audubon.org. . . . . . . . (206) 652-2444 National Audubon Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 979-3000NAS Membership Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-274-4201

Rainier Audubon 2006-2007 Member Survey

2007 Entertainment Booksare now available

This year’s Entertainment Book isloaded with hundreds of two-fers,and up to 50% savings on dining,shopping, travel, movies, sportsand more. And to make it evenbetter, a portion of the purchaseprice stays right here in ourchapter, funding important pro-grams. Both “Greater Seattle”and “South Sound” books areonly $30 each! Books can bepicked-up or requested bycontacting:

Bruce Harpham, Ph: (253) 874-9792email: brucelaura@msn.com

orPick-Up at the Sept/Oct/Nov Rainier Audubon

Membership Meetings

The Entertainment book makes a great gift!DON’T MISS OUT – GET YOUR BOOKS TODAY!

Immediate opportunities existfor buyers and sellers!

The

Rainier Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 778Auburn, WA 98071

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage PaidKent, WA 98031Permit No. 441

TIME VALUE MATERIAL

Address Service Requested

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

12 The Heron HeraldNovember 2006

Inside Your November 2006 Issue

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2

Field Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4

Seen & Heard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5

Quizzical Owl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10

Name ......................................................................................................................

Address..................................................................................................................

City.............................................................................St..........Zip.........................

Phone......................................................................................................................

Email ........................................................................................................................

Referred by..........................................................................................................

Deer Creek Wild Animal Rehab9004 Vernon Rd, Everett,WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 334-8171

PAWS Wildlife Center15305 - 44th Ave.West, Lynnwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 787-2500

Sarvey Wildlife Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 435-4817

FOR AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS VISIT OUR CHAPTER WEB SITE

AT http://www.rainieraudubon.org/rehab.htm

Bats Northwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 256-0406Dept. of Fish and Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 775-1311Falcon Research Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (360) 757-1911King Conservation District…… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (425) 277-5581 x120

or fax . . . (425) 277-5588Rare Bird Alert - Western Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 281-9172Washington Native Plant Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 527-3210Wolf Haven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 448-9653

Audubon Member sh ip Subscr ipt ion Form

Rainier Audubon Society (RAS) Membership ...............................................$15

A one-year membership in Rainier Audubon Society includes nine issuesof the Heron Herald newsletter ; participation in all our field trips andactivities; and fun monthly membership meetings. Plus, we’ll add you toour email listserv, so you’ll get all the latest information online. (Makechecks payable to Rainier Audubon.)

To join RAS or renew, mail this application withyour payment to:

RAINIER AUDUBON SOCIETYP.O. Box 778Auburn,WA 98071

Y16 7XCH

NEED HELP FOR INJURED WILDLIFE? OTHER RESOURCES

✁

The newsletter is also available online.Check it out at our website: www.rainieraudubon.org

To join National Audubon, please visit their website at www.audubon.org