Sept 2008 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

8/8/2019 Sept 2008 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

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The Corvid Crier ~ September 2008 1

Eastside Audubon Society Vol 27, No 7 September 2008

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:

Presidents Message:

The Green Fog 2

EAS Office Hours

and Directions 3

Board Notes 3

Volunteer Opportunities 3

Marymoor BirdFest a Spectacular

Success 4

Summer Camp Report 7

New Fall Birding Class! 8

Climate Change Common

Sense 8

Bird of the Month 9

Field Trips 10-11

Directions to EAS HQ

Northlake 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 3rdSt. (stoplight). Turn left (south) on 3 rd St.and follow it as it bears left and changesname to State St. Turn left on 4th Ave S.

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

Bird Watching by KayakThursday, September 25 at 7:00 pm (after the social hour)Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church(EAS Headquarters)If you're looking for alternate, low-impact way to see birds, a great way tosee them is on the water by kayak. Headfor a local (or not-so-local) birding hotspot, like the Montlake Fill or MarymoorPark, hop in a kayak at a suitable put-in,and see birds up close like you've neverseen them before.

Gary left his engineering job in 1998 topursue outdoor and nature photographyfull-time. His unique imagery stems froma relentless exploration of the waterplanet by sea kayak, which is his taxi, histoolbox, sometimes even his tripod. Garyis an avid birder, especially by kayak. Hewrote "Birding by Kayak" articles for SeaKayaker and Washington Birder, pre-

sented "Birding by Kayak" seminars tolocal Audubon groups, sea kayak clubsand symposiums and has taught Bird

Photography. His bird credits includeR.W.Morse's bird books, National Wild-life, Canoe&Kayak and a recent Audubonendangered species campaign that fea-tured his Kittlitz's Murrelet.

Please join us Thursday, September 25,for Garys superb photographs of PacificNorthwest birds and habitat. Come at6:30 for the social hour. Enjoy a briefmonthly meeting and refreshments from7:00 to 7:45, followed by Garys excel-lent presentation

The social hour, meeting, and presenta-tion are free and open to the public.Invite a friend or anyone who is inter-ested in birding by kayak or superb birdphotography.

Directions to EAS HQ, are on the lower leftcorner of this page.


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President Christy Anderson (425) [email protected]

Vice President Cindy Balbuena (425) [email protected]

Secretary Carmen Almodovar (425) [email protected]

Treasurer Ellen Homan (425) [email protected]

Executive Director Jan McGruder (425) [email protected]

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

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

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

Birding Brian Bell (425) [email protected]

Adult Education Open

Bird Photography Tim Boyer (425) [email protected]

Field Trips Hugh Jennings (425) [email protected]

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

Nature Walks Christopher Chapman (425) [email protected]

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

Conservation Tim McGruder (425) [email protected]

Advocacy OpenCitizen Science Tim McGruder (425) 822-8580Conservation Tim McGruder (425) 822-8580

[email protected]

Marymoor Park Jim Rettig (425) [email protected]

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

Programs Sunny Walter (425) [email protected]

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

Library Carolyn Kishel (425) 746-1817

Communication Patrick Kelley (206) [email protected]

Historian Bob Gershmel (425) [email protected]

Newsletter Tom Grismer (206) [email protected]

Publicity Tracey Cummings (425)788-4663

[email protected] Nancy Nicklas (425) 869-7827

[email protected] Development OpenBirdathon Christy Anderson (425) 747-4196Gift Wrap OpenMerchandising Cindy Balbuena (425) 643-4074

[email protected] Sunny Walter (425) 271-1346

[email protected] Claudia Welch (425) 827/2548Volunteer Coordinator Tricia Kishel (206) 948-3922

[email protected]

308 4th Avenue S. (Corner 4th Ave. S. and State)P.O. Box 3115, Kirkland, WA 98083-3115

Committee Chairs/Board (board positions underlined)

Executive Officers

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

Never have I seen a marketing trendhit faster and so pervasively than rightnow when everything seems to begoing green. Sellers of products of allkinds have realized that people arentonly interested in the lowest price. Thegreen credentials of a product are alsoimportant to more people every day.

Of course, once marketers realized this, the rush was on totout the environmental sensibilities of whatever product wasbeing sold. Many manufacturers changed the way theymade or distributed products to have less of an impact.Many didnt, but found a way they could claim that theiritem was environmentally friendly. Local. Organic. Recy-clable. Natural. Green. Eco-friendly. Low carbon footprint.The often ill-defined terms could fill this entire column.

How do you cut through the fog and figure out the truth? Agood place to start might be to think about what is impor-tant to you. What is on your own personal priority list? And

how far are you willing to go? Making a difference is madeup of a whole series of small and not so small steps we canall take. Doing the easy stuff first may get you started ona path where you are willing to make a bigger commitment.

I heard someone say once that too many people are kiddingthemselves by driving to the grocery store in a big SUV andthen thinking that paper or plastic is a meaningful deci-sion. Some choices really do matter more than others.

The Seattle Times recently ran an article by Tom Watson,King Countys project manager for Recycling and Environ-mental Services, outlining some ways to figure out if aproduct is really green or just a product of green-

washing. Before you buy something supposedly eco-friendly, ask yourself questions like these:

Is it less wasteful or toxic than a product I use regularly?Buying additional products may not be a good choice.

Do I really need it?Consuming/using any product, green or not, impacts

our environment more than not using it at all.

Can I change my lifestyle or habits instead of buying aproduct?

Maybe a hybrid vehicle is not in the cards, but perhaps

you could take the bus one or two times a week.

Will the product make a behavioral change easier for me?A pair of really good walking shoes might be a reason-able purchase if it encourages you to walk instead of

driving, even if the shoes are not made from recycled

materials.

You can probably think of more.

We cant buy our way to a greener world. In these times ofeconomic worries, thats even more the case. But makinginformed choices that fit with our own personal values andthe larger global picture can only help the process along.

The Green FogBy Christy Anderson, EAS President


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The Corvid Crier, Vol 27, NO 7Publication Date: September 1, 2008.Published by: EastsideAudubon SocietyP.O. Box 3115, Kirkland, WA 98083-3115

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

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

[email protected]: EAS Newsletter

or by mail to:Eastside Audubon Society

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

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

(425) 576-8805 [email protected]

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

September Meetings

Sept 3 (Weds) 6:00 pmWeb CommitteeMeets first Wednesday each month inEAS Office. All interested parties areinvited. Questions? Email Nancy Nick-las at [email protected]

Sept 9 (Tues) 7:00 pm

Youth Education CommitteeMeets in the EAS Office.All interestedparties are invited. Questions?Email [email protected]

Sept 11 (Thurs) 7:00 pmPhoto GroupMeets in large room upstairs from EASOffice. Questions? Email Tim Boyer [email protected]

Sept 25 (Thurs) 7:00 pmMonthly Membership MeetingSee page 1.

Welcome to the following new membersof Eastside Audubon:

Deb Choat, Kareem & CindyChoudhry, Karen Griffiths, JosephineMarpert, Sean Parks, Arn & KathySlettebak, Sheila Sowecke, KarenWear

We hope to see you soon at a Member-ship Meeting or Field Trip. Call or visitour office if you have any questions. Ourfriendly volunteers are more than happyto help you.

Welcome to our New Members

Web Site: Work continues on the updateof our web site with its new look andnew logo. A recently added feature willbe highlights of books of interest.

Monroe Swifts: The board approved adonation of $1,000 to the Sanctuary Fundfor saving the Vauxs Swifts and theirhabitat. During their annual migration,the Vauxs Swifts roost in the chimney ofFrank Wagner Elementary school in theMonroe School District. EAS, SAS, and

Pilchuk Audubon are working with theschool district and other organizations to

educate people about the Vauxs Swifts.

Initiative I985: The board passed a mo-tion to oppose I985, an initiative spon-sored by Tim Eyman that dictates thatany revenue gained from tolls go only toincreasing roads as a means of reducingtraffic congestion.

ACOW: The next meeting of the Audu-bon Chapters of Washington (ACOW)will be held in Long Beach, WA, the

weekend of October 11, 2008.

Board Notes for July

Whether you want to be in front of acrowd, or work behind the scene, weneed you! With your help and expertise,and a little of your time, we can growthe Chapter and do even more in ourcommunity - more classroom presenta-tions, habitat improvement, advocacy,education, and birding. Some of our

volunteer opportunities are:Volunteer Coordinator Work withour 200+ volunteers who do all the littlethings that make our Chapter run. Werelooking for someone who is outgoingand likes working with people. One ofyour duties will be to get to know ourmembers and volunteers, as well as wel-come new volunteers. (10 hours/mo)

Program Chair Recruit/schedulespeakers for monthly programs, draftpublicity for our publicity team, arrangespeaker payment, direct volunteers in

the set up/tear down of Program Meet-ing props, make sure Hospitality Chairhas everything necessary, and arrangefor Greeter to assist visitors (6 hrs/mo).

Events Coordinator Work with vari-ous organizations andChapter volun-teers for outreach events at various ven-ues on the Eastside, and organize dis-play and materials for each event. Theseevents are our biggest outreach opportu-

nities to get the word out about EastsideAudubon. (4 hours a month)

Office Assistance Work with Jan andHelen in the office on small jobs thatneed attention. You can work as much,or as little, and as often as you want!

Librarian Maintain the library of

books, videos and DVDs. Youll beresponsible for preparing new books forthe library (cataloging and covering), aswell as ensuring that all books are re-turned in a timely manner. (5 hrs/mo).

Program Meeting Greeter Set up thenametags and supplies before each pro-gram meeting, and greet guests andmembers as they come in. (1.5 hrs/mo).

Bird List Organizer Using field triprecords, create bird lists for the websiteBirding Hot Spots

We will work with each volunteer, andgive them as much training and supportas they need to be successful. You mayread a thorough description for eachopportunity on our website, or contactJan McGruder at (425) 822-8580 [email protected] for further details.

If you believe Eastside Audubon is acause worthy of your time, give a littleof yourself. The birds will thank you!

Volunteer Opportunities


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BirdFest celebrated a milestone inour chapters biggest ever project,the BirdLoop Nature Trail inMarymoor Park. On August 2nd,close to 200 visitors took part inbird, native plant and dragonfly

walks and many more enjoyed thebooths, kids activities, and music.Thirty-three people signed up tofind out more about our Get Out-doors activities; and 17 joined ourchapter. BirdFest marked twoyears into the $100,000 Commu-nity Partnership Grant from KingCounty. Its been a lot of work,

and a party was in order!

It was standing room only for the

Opening Ceremonies with ChristyAnderson, Eastside Audubon Soci-ety President; Jim Rettig, projectmanager; and Michael Hobbs ofFriends of Marymoor speaking be-fore Ron Sims, King County Ex-ecutive, came to the stage with hisinspiring words. The ribbon wascut for the trail by Ron, Christy,

and a heap of kids.

Walks began at the meadow kiosk,a recycled bus shelter. It features atrail map, brochures and postersshowing the most common birds,wildlife and native plants with im-ages donated by members of the

EAS Photography Group.

It was thrilling to see people mak-ing the trek through the meadow tothe lake platform either on theguided walks or just exploring on

their own. Bird walks were filledto overflowing and more leadershad to be added. Brian Bell, Mi-chael Hobbs, and Hugh Jenningsmade this a real treat for our visi-tors. Ella Elman led a walk to seeall our new plantings (and theempty spaces where invasiveplants have been removed). Larry

Engles took a group to the lakeplatform to see the dragonflies anewly-discovered feature of ourBirdLoop trail. Craig Weaverhelped get people organized for the

walks.

The EAS Education tent teemedwith eager kids (and adults) mak-ing bird buttons, having their facespainted, learning about birds, andgetting their Passports stamped.Mary Britton-Simmons, JillKeeney, Margaret Lie, Shirley andJim Hall, Bev Jennings, ToraRoksvog, Sharon Pagel, and two ofour camp scholarship students, Ye-sain and Dakota, made this a fun

and educational experience for thekids.

Eager visitors filled the EAS Chap-ter tent. Hugh Jennings and TriciaKishel talked about Field Trips andNature Walks, Caren Park andLarry Engles promoted PhotoTrips. Melinda Bronsdon answeredquestions about our Native PlantWalks. Finally, Jim and Nancy

Roberts, Glenn Eades, ThereseEby, Jerry Rettig, Patricia Clarke,and Andy McCormick were onhand to tell everyone about theMarymoor Work Parties.

Tim McGruder and Jim Rettig re-cruited several people for chapterconservation projects. JanMcGruder, Eva Weaver, and HelenLaBouy added new members tochapter rolls. Mary Holt, festival

chair, and Peter Holt organized theset-up and takedown, aided bymany of the above volunteers plusBarbara Dietrich. Marlene Meyer,Carolyn Kishel, Christy Anderson,Linda Pearson roamed the festivalgrounds meeting and greeting visi-tors. Sunny Walter organized thechapter tent and was our official

photographer.

Washington Department of Fishand Wildlife, King County Parks,Pilchuck Audubon Society, Wash-ington Native Plant Society,League of Women Voters, Earth

Ministry, Cascade Bicycle Club,and Nature Vision welcomed folksto their displays, as did festivalsponsors, REI and PCC NaturalMarkets. Clark, Raymond & Co.was also a sponsor.

Brian Bell, Ollie Oliver, and HughJennings set up scopes on the festi-val green and introduced newcom-ers to close up views of birds.

Nearby, people lounged on thegrass listening to the music ofTinkers Dram and eating GrandOpening cake.

Planning was done by our veryprofessional volunteer festivalteam: Mary Holt (chair), JillKenney, Andy McCormack, Mar-garet Lie, Sunny Walter, TriciaKishel, Cindy Balbuena, GlennEades, Brian Bell, Helen LeBouy,

Jan McGruder, Michael Hobbs,and Patrick Kelley, who was in-strumental in obtaining effectiveand widespread publicity. Bigthanks to all the volunteers. Youcame through with a winner!

Sunny Walter

Marymoor BirdFest a Spectacular Success


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BirdFest Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The Crowd Has Arrived at BirdFest


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Thousands of birds depend on the politi-cally contested Arctic National WildlifeRefuge (ANWR) for survival: over 190bird species from across six continentsand from all 50 of the United States mi-grate there each year. Powerful images byaward-winning photographers tell the in-ternational story of migratory birds in the

Burke Museum's new environmental pho-tography exhibitArctic Wings: Miracle ofMigration, opening Sept. 13, 2008.

Featuring the photography of Subhankeer

Banerjee, Paul Bannick, Michio Hoshino,Arthur Morris, Hugh Rose, Mark Wilson,and Brad Winn,Arctic Wings presents 30large-format color photographs that cap-ture global bird biodiversity abundantlyrepresented in the ANWR ecosystem, asthe preferred migratory destination forbirds world-wide.

See the website www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/events for informationabout special opening day events on Sep-tember 13. Opening day includes exhibit

tours led by Paul Bannick, renowned localbird photographer. All day, the Burkelobby will be alive with the sounds ofArctic birds, thanks to audio naturalistMartyn Stewart.

Arctic Wings: Miracle of Migration: September 13 December 31, 2008

Interested in fish? Good with people?Sign up to be a volunteer naturalist onthe Cedar River this fall. Naturalists willreceive training from fish and watershedexperts in September and October. Thenthey'll spend three weekend days alongthe river, talking to the public about thespawning salmon and the natural and hu-

man history of the Cedar River Water-

shed. Sponsors of the program, now enter-ing its eleventh year, include the City ofSeattle, City of Renton, Forum for LakeWashington/Cedar/Sammamish Water-shed, Friends of the Cedar River Wa-tershed, King Conservation District,and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Contact Charlotte Spang at (206) 245-

0143, or email her at natural-

[email protected], to get an applicationor to find out more information. Or visitwww.cedarriver.org

Become a Volunteer Cedar River Naturalist This Fall


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Plan a getaway on the scenic WashingtonCoast and join us for fall ACOW 2008October 10th, 11th and 12th. The confer-ence will be held at the Chautauqua

Lodge located on the beautiful shorelineof Long Beach Washington. Enjoy relax-ing accommodations, beach access and anenticing array of educational activities,meetings and speeches outlining the heartof Audubons mission in WashingtonState.

The three-day conference will begin witha light day Friday, allowing you time toabsorb the surroundings, explore the sand

dunes and bike or walk for miles on theDiscovery Trail following the beach. Fri-day evening will include an EducationMeeting followed by a reception and eve-

ning of festivities.On Saturday, your choice of field outingswill bring you onto the beach and into thesand to witness the local ecology andhabitat of shore birds. In the afternoon, aConservation Meeting will be held at thelodge incorporating regional discussionsof habitat preservation and restoration.Saturday evening, join your colleagues inan indulgent Surf and Turf dinner and

banquet, followed by presentations fromvarious individuals representing local,state and federal state agencies.

Audubon Washington board members will

meet Sunday morning before dispersing totheir separate corners of the state.

Discovery Coast Audubon invites you totheir region of the Pacific Coast to findthat Birding at the Beach is Better! formore information and to download a reg-istration form go to http://www.discoverycoastaudubon.com.

Fall Aububon Council of Washington (ACOW): Birding at the Beach is Better!

Campers Rave about Their Experiences

Thanks to your generosity, EastsideAudubon sent eight low-income studentsto environmental camps this summer.These lucky middle-school students at-tended either day or overnight camps. Thereviews are in, and everyone had an awe-some timewhether backpacking in the

Olympic National Forest, floating the We-natchee River, building a volcano or ex-ploring a tide pool. Members of the Edu-cation Committee drove campers and so

heard firsthand about their amazing ex-periences. Every day was a new adventurefor our campers. Their memories will lasta lifetime.

In return for the scholarship, campers willwrite an article for the newsletter, speak ata membership meeting or volunteer to

help the Education Committee at an event.In fact, some of you may have seen camp-ers helping out at our Marymoor celebra-

tion. In the future, look for news fromother students as they give back to East-side Audubon for its generosity.

Special thanks to REI for the generousdonation of over $800.00 worth of equip-ment. We now have a cache of items toloan to campers each year.

-- Mary Britton-Simmons, EducationChair

Campers at Pacific Science Center Camp


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Please join a Friday September 12 Day ofCaring at Kirklands Watershed Park. Wewelcome individuals, businesses and

school groups who can take time on aFriday for community service hours tohelp restore the forest--either all day, ormorning, or afternoon.

Date/Time:Friday September 12 from9 am until 3 pm (or any part thereof)

Activities: Removal of invasive plantspecies and planting native plants

Place: Watershed Park(4530 112th Ave.NE, Kirkland).Note: were meeting nearthe 112

thAve NE entrance to the park.

Bring: Sturdy shoes or boots, workgloves, water bottle, layered clothing(dress for the weather), and clippers, lop-pers, shovel, and rake if you have them.

Refreshments and lunch will be providedby the Watershed Company, an environ-mental consulting business in the sameneighborhood as Watershed Park.

Please let Sharon Rodman know([email protected]) if you areplanning to participate and if you are

bringing a group of people. Minors shouldbe accompanied by an adult or bring anote of permission from a parent/guardian.

Please see http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/parks/Green_Kirkland_Partnership.htm andwww.greenkirkland.org for information.

Green Kirkland Event

BIRDS OF THE PUGET SOUND AREA-- a 4-week field course for birders.Learn by doing! In this four-part courseyou will learn about basic principles, eti-quette, field guides, equipment, and iden-tification techniques for successful birdingand practice them in the field. Good forbeginning and experienced birders, andpeople new to the area.

Fall is a great time to bird in Seattle andPuget Sound with the return of our winter-ing birds. Come join us for all four ses-sions of this class, and have fun. Eachsession will introduce a different topic.

Instructor:Brian Bell, Master Birder,

Author, Guide

Class Dates, Times and Locations:

Session 1: Saturday, Oct. 25. Meet at8:00 am at Juanita Bay Park (Kirkland)parking lot. Presentation: Basic Principlesand how to choose binoculars and scopes.

Field trip: Juanita Bay, over by noon.

Session 2: Saturday, Nov. 1. Meet at8:00 am at Discovery Park InterpretiveCenter. Presentation: Field guides, birdpublications and CDs.

Field trip: Discovery Park, over by noon.

Session 3: Saturday, Nov. 8. Meet at7:30 am at Marymoor Park, Off-LeashDog Area parking lot. Presentation: Iden-tification techniques.

Field trip: Marymoor Park, over by noon.

Session 4: Saturday, Nov. 15. Meet at8:00 am at Kingsgate Park and Ride. Pres-

entation: Birding ethics and etiquette.Field trip: Location to be determined based on availability of species of interest.

Series Cost: $75 EAS members, $90non-members.

Limit: 15 participants

When: September 9th, 6:30-9:00 pm(doors open at 6:00 pm)

Where: South Bellevue Community

Center, 14509 SE Newport Way, Bellevue

Cost: $10 - Register by calling EastsideAudubon at 425-576-8805

Join Eastside Audubon and Seattle Audu-bon to learn about local impacts of cli-mate change to habitat in the Northwest,

and what you can do.

Presenters:

Keynote: State Representative DebEddy, Vice Chair of the Technology, En-ergy and Communications Committee,and also a member of the TransportationCommittee

Dr. Jonathan Harrington (author of

The Climate Diet: How You Can Cut Car-

bon, Cut Costs & Save the Planetand

more at www.climatediet.com) will showstep by step how you can reduce yourcarbon footprint easily and save money.

Brid Nowlan, Washington Invasive Spe-cies Coalition/Audubon Washington(www.invasivespeciescoalition.org), willpresent latest information on the impact tonorthwest forests and Puget Sound.

Refreshments will be served. Space islimited, so reserve your spot today!

Climate Change Common Sense

Dr. Kerri W. Scarbrough, Optometrist

17320 135th Ave. N.E. ? Woodinville

(425) 398-1862

See the birds better!


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The Western Sandpiper is part of thegenus Calidris from the Greekkalidriswhich was used by Aristotle for a speck-led waterbird. Mauri is from ErnestMauri (1791-1836) an Italian botanistand a friend of Charles Bonaparte (1803-1857), who named this bird for him.They co-authored a book on Italianfauna. The bird is the western counter-part to the Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusilla and the common namedesignates this location. Like the Semi-palmated the Western also has partiallywebbed feet. Piper is from the Latin

pipare, to chirp (Holloway, 2003). Thissandpiper is one of a large group ofsmall shore birds commonly called peepsor stints.

The Western Sandpiper does not nest inWashington but is an abundant migrantin spring and fall. The fall migrationbegins in late June and goes throughSeptember with some wintering birdsseen along the southwest coast of Wash-ington. Identification of the peeps canbe difficult and the overall gray colora-tion in the fall does not make it any eas-ier to tell them apart. The Westerns billis moderately thick with a slight droop atthe end, but not as much droop as thelarger Dunlin Calidris alpina. TheSemipalmated has a shorter, straighterbill and since it is less likely to be foundalong the west coast in the fall and win-ter the odds favor seeing the Western.The Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla isthe smallest of the four and has yellow-ish-greenish legs. In fall the overallsize, bill and legs are the best field marksto tell these peeps apart. In breeding

plumage the Western has a rufous crown,

ear patch and scapulars. The Semipal-mated has no rufous coloration but isbrown and black instead. The LeastSandpiper is the brownest of the threewith brown on the breast as well.

These adventurous birds breed in agravel scrape in the western Alaska arc-tic tundra. Three to four brownish eggswith dark brown spots are incubated byboth parents for 21 days. The chicks willwalk from the nest shortly after hatchingand fly in about 17-21 days. Often thefemale will leave the nest just before orafter the birds hatch and the male will beresponsible for caring for the young.The birds generally feed on insects, crus-taceans and marine worms (Kaufman,1996). Recent research has found thatthey also get half of their daily energyfrom feeding on the biofilm that growsas a mat on the surface of mudflats andtheir ability to feed on this goo of micro-

scopic bacteria is thought to be a reason

for the species abundance even whileNorth America is losing wetlands areas(Lovette inEcology 89, 2008). Despitetheir abundance special protection isneeded at the Copper River in Alaskawhere nearly 90% of the total populationof Western Sandpipers stops during mi-gration. In 1973 over 6.5 Million indi-viduals were counted in April and May.

A variety of audio and video recordingsof Western Sandpipers can be found atthe Cornell Lab of Ornithology Web siteat this address: http://animalbehaviorarchive.org/asset-SearchInterim.do;jsessionid=02C65D744637461B903793745EF0794C

(Photo credit: Gary Luhm. Referencesare available upon request.)Correction: In the July-August issue ofthe Corvid Crierthe AOU band code for

the American Robin should have readAMRO.

BIRDOFTHE MONTH Andrew McCormick

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri

Length 6.5 inWingspan 14 inWeight 0.9 ozAOU Band code WESA

San Juan Islands Birding October 6-8

Join Olympic Peninsula Audubon Societyfor a 3-day cruise through the spectacularSan Juan Archipelago. We depart fromJohn Wayne Marina aboard the MV Gla-cier Spirit (a 65-foot motor vessel, well-

known from our many cruises around Pro-tection Island), and cruise to various sitesin the San Juan Islands for either birdingor sightseeing. For more information andfor registration materials, see our website

(www.olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org).For additional information, contact 360-681-4076, or email [email protected].


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appropriate footwear for about 4-5 miles hiking during the day.Bring lunch and liquids. Plan to be back about 5 pm Meet by5:30 am at the west end of the Tibbetts P&R, Issaquah exit 15from I-90. Passenger cost/person $20.00. Sharon Aagaard425-271-0143 (H) or 425-891-3460 (C).

Sept 16 (Tues) 8:00 to noonJuanita Bay Park Bird WalkA relaxed walk in the Park, seeing what birds are in the area.Meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 8:00. Bringbinoculars and meet in parking lot. No registration required.MaryFrances Mathis 425-803-3026

Sept 17 (Weds) 6:30 am to early eveningGrays Harbor County - Limit: 11 (3 cars)We will explore the best shore areas of Grays Harbor Countydepending on what has been seen. This could include the OceanShores area, the Westport area, Bottle Beach, Midway Beach orTokeland. Southbound shorebird migration will be in full swingand almost anything could show up. Seabirds will also bepresent. Come prepared for changing weather. Scopes helpful,bring lunch and fluids. Back by early evening. Meet before 6:30am at north end of Wilburton P&R (I-405, exit 12).Passenger cost/per person: $33.00. Call Brian H. Bell at 425-485-8058 to register.

Sept 20 (Sat) 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Shadow Lake BogJoin us for a guided walk through Shadow Lake Bog, abeautiful ancient sphagnum moss peat bog and unique wetlandlocated in Renton. This will be a level walk on a short trail and600-ft boardwalk to a viewing platform overlooking the

amphibian pond. In addition, we will have access to severalother trails that are not usually open to the public and which gothrough a variety of habitats such as wetlands, deciduous forestsand upland conifer forests with old-growth cedar trees.

The private preserve is covered with western cedars, Sitkaspruce, Western hemlock, Labrador tea, bog cranberry, boglaurel, and many species uniquely adapted to growing in theacidic conditions of a bog and wet forest habitats. On eitherside of the boardwalk, a thick carpet of moss covers the groundand amongst the moss are mushrooms of various shapes andsizes. The property also features a viewing tower thatoverlooks an amphibian pond and a skywalk that leads from theviewing tower to the Richter Interpretive Center, an education

center used by many school children throughout the year.

Shadow Lake offers nesting and feeding habitat for manywaterfowl year round. Pileated woodpecker and bald eagles arecommonly seen at the bog. Salamanders and frogs areabundant in the buffers around the bog and deer, elk, bobcatand black bear are observed regularly in the preserve.

Ella Elman of Seattle Urban Nature will lead this trip. Please

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Sept 5 (Fri) 8:00 to noon Marymoor ParkJoin us for a morning walk along the nature trail, seeing whatbirds are in the area. Meets the 1st Friday of each month at

8:00. 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.

Sept 6 (Sat) 6:30-8:00 pm Vauxs Swifts in MonroeThis is an evening trip to Monroe to watch thousands ofVauxs Swifts go through their evening ritual before droppingin a chimney to roost for the night. Bring a folding chair orblanket if you dont like to stand for a long time. About anhour before dusk the swifts begin circling and swirling aroundthe chimney as the numbers keep increasing. A few will start

making feints at the chimney, then a few will start droppingdown into the chimney. These are followed by more and moreuntil the sky is empty about dusk. We will meet at the southend of the Kingsgate P&R by 6:30 pm and carpool to FrankWagner Elementary School in Monroe. Passenger cost/person is $3.00. If you plan to go email Hugh Jennings at:[email protected] or call at 425-746-6351. Formore information about this event and other information andevents related to Vauxs Swifts in Monroe, see http://vauxhappening.org .

Sept 7 (Sun) 9am to NoonLake Sammamish State Park Nature Walk

The Park offers a wide assortment of birds and plants due tothe its varied ecosystems. The trip will involve a light amountof walking. Dress appropriately. Call the trip leader, Sharon,with any questions at 425-891-3460. Meet at the first parkinglot on the right after passing through the park entrance.

Sept 9 (Tues) - 5:30 am to 5 pm Robinson CanyonWe will stop at a burn area east of Cle Elum to look forBlack-backed and other woodpeckers and then go to RobinsonCanyon. On the hike up the canyon we will look for neo-tropical migrants, woodpeckers, owls, raptors, etc. Wear

FIELD TRIPSParents and children over 8 are welcome on all trips. **FRS Radio owners, please consider bringing them on trips.**See www.eastsideaudubon.org/events/ for the latest information and for reports of last months field trips.Non-members of Eastside Audubon will be charged an additional $5.00.

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 116th

Ave. N. E., then right (north) a few blocks to P&R lot (onthe 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.

Wilburton Park and Ride: I-405, exit 12. 720 114thAve, Bellevue.


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bring walking shoes, water, raingear, and a sack lunch. Meetbefore 9:30 am at the Wilburton P&R (I-405 and SE 8thSt.). No sign-up required. For more information, please contactElla Elman at [email protected] after the beginning ofSeptember.

Sept 20 (Sat) 9:00 am Watershed ParkA 2-hour nature walk in this Kirkland park takes place the 3rdSaturday of each month at 9:00 am. Nature walks enter thepark off NE 45th Street, north of the railroad tracks on 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 be seenin the park. Bus stop nearby on 108 th, near 45th. Limited streetparking. Jan Johnson 425-814-5923

Sept 22 (Mon) 9:00 am to noonBirding the Hot Spots of King CountyMonthly field trip on fourthMonday of each month towherever the birds are. Meet before 9:00 am at north end of theNewport Hills Park-N-Ride (I-405, exit 9) and plan to be backby noon. Passenger cost/person $2.00. Hugh Jennings 425-746-6351

Sept 27 (Sat) 7:00 am to 7:00 pmGrays Harbor and Pacific CountiesJoint trip with Seattle Audubon - Limit 11 5 from EastsideAudubonThis all-day trip will focus on shorebirds of the Washingtoncoast. We will also be looking for other migrant birds, gulls, andraptors. Plan on visiting Tokeland (Marbled Godwit), BottleBeach on the rising tide, Midway Beach (Snowy Ploverpossible), and depending on time Westport, Johns River, andBrady Loop. Bring food and beverage for the day. Dress for

changeable coastal weather (layers and raingear). Boots andscope recommended. Back by about 7:00pm. Meet before7:00AM at south end of 272nd Street P&R (exit 147 from I-5).Carpool cost: $65 shared equally by riders. Call Kathy Andrich206-390-3159 or email [email protected] to register.Sept 27 (Sat) 9:00 am O. O. Denny ParkExplore one of Lake Washington most wild sites. We will seeshorebirds on the lake and explore the upper reaches of the parkfor other species. We will meet at the main parking lot. No

reservations required. Directions to O.O. Denny Park 12400Holmes Point Dr NE, Kirkland,WA. Follow Interstate 405 northto the Northeast 116th Street exit (just north of Kirkland) andtake a left at the stop light. Follow 116th Street about two milesto the main intersection of Juanita, where it becomes JuanitaDrive. From the intersection, go two miles and take a left onHolmes Point Drive. O.O. Denny is about two miles later; themain parking area is on the left and the trail begins directlyacross the road. Karl Atwood is trip leader.

Oct 3 (Fri) 8:00 to noon Marymoor ParkSee Sept 5 entry.

October 4 (Sat) 7:30 am Camano Island/Stanwood

Prepare for a full day of birding and explore Camano Islandsshoreline, salt-water marshes, grasslands, and forest habitats forseabirds, raptors, and songbirds. Areas may include LivingstonBay, English Boom, Utsalady, and Iverson Spit, a 100-acrepreserve. The Stanwood Sewage Treatment Ponds offer avariety of waterfowl and the occasional avian surprise. Bring alunch and meet before 7:30 am at south end of Kingsgate Park& Ride. Passenger cost/person $14.00. Return early evening.Mike West and Joyce Meyer, 425-868-7986

On July 13th, eight membersof Eastside Audubon, underthe leadership of Sunny Wal-ter, took a wildflowerand butterfly field trip toReecer Canyon, north of El-lensburg. Our first stop wasat a natural mud puddlewhere we were excited to seemany butterflies enjoying themoisture, but we had a hardtime getting them to stay stilllong enough to photo-graph. As we climbedhigher, we had better luckphotographing the many va-rieties of really exciting wild

flowers on both sides of thewinding road up to LionRock where we had our pic-nic. The breeze was verywelcome. We saw the smokefrom the wild fires burningon the slopes of Mt. Adams,but it was not enough to dis-tract us from exclaiming overour exciting finds, includingbitterroot, aquilegia formosa,gilia agregata, sulphur buck-wheat and many others. Wewere thrilled with the varietyand quantity of butterfliesand flowers on this great trip. Jean Wallace

A Summer Trip to Reecer Canyon

Wildflower and Butterfly Trip to Reecer Canyon

Sept 2008 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society

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Transcript of Sept 2008 Corvid Crier Newsletter Eastside Audubon Society