07-2009 towhee newsletter tahoma audubon society

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Published by the Tahoma Audubon Society: Connecting people with nature since 1969 . Vol. 40 No. 6 July/August 2009

Cassin’s Auklet: Abundant yet inconspicuous seabirds

Herons rule

Story and photos by Diane Yorgason-Quinn

s I drove along the Purdy spit on my way to meet Rolan Nelson’s field trip to

north Kitsap on May 30, I glanced over sadly at the empty nests of the Burley

Lagoon Great Blue Heronry. Almost forty nests are still standing after being

abandoned two seasons ago, apparent victims of the local expanding population of

Bald Eagles. “Where have they gone?” I wondered, not knowing I was about to find

some of them.

Our group stopped first at the famous Hansville store, where a Killdeer appeared

to be defending a nest in the parking lot. As we never saw the nest, we hoped it wasactually in a safer place. Killdeer seem only interested in the right kind of gravel to

lay their eggs on, and if it’s in a heavily traveled area they make sure we know we’re

trespassers.

Curling around the coastline to arrive at Point-No-Point, we immediately spotted a

pair of Marbled Murrelets in their brown breeding plumage bobbing together like two

in North Kitsap

A

See "Herons” on page 6

By Paul Webster

The roughly robin-sized Cassin’s Auklet is the mostabundant and probably the least conspicuous of

Washington’s breeding seabirds. Rarely seen from

shore, when they sometimes feed near their nesting

colonies, they spend most daylight hours far out at

sea. They breed exclusively on coastal islands where

they scrape out nesting burrows by night with their

sharp toenails. To avoid the large gulls that prey on

them they arrive at their burrows after dark with

food for a single chick, and return to the ocean

before dawn. Pelagic trips from Westport go out 40

miles to the edge of the continental shelf where

Cassin’s Auklets feed on small fish, crustaceans, and

squid. Birders on these trips usually see a few of

them in flight, low over the water, looking “like a

flying tennis ball,” and often heading directly away

from the boat. When seen up close, the auklets are

dark gray above, and lighter gray below, with a small

white patch above the whitish eye.

Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus ) is an alcid,

See "Cassin’s Auklet” on page 11

Some of the dozens of Herons that were circling the heronry.

Bird Drawingcontest winners!

See page 4.

A Killdeer at Hansville, “Do these stripes make me look fat?”

Common birds at risk, sharp decline of sea

birds in Puget Sound, Global warming effects

on habitat, and near extinction for the Spotted

Owl. These are some of the recent headlines that

add urgency to our work to preserve habitat for wildlife and humans.

Your donation is critical to the success of our important work. Donate today!

Your donation is tax deductible. Click here to go to our donation webpage.

Donate to theTahoma Audubon Society25 years ago page 8

BirdSongs page 8

Calendar page 12

Conservation Matters page 3, 11

Education pages 4, 5

Executive Director’s column page 2

Field trips page 5

New members page 2

Quizical Owl page 8

Volunteer recognition page 10

In this issue:

P h o t o / R o b e r t K e

l t o n

http://www.tahomaaudubon.org/Default.aspx?pageId=30314&wstepNo=1&wctxId=49a8c37233684fd6a81ce174993f93f5

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Results havebeen pouring infrom the surveysent out with theJune issue of theTowhee. Thankyou to everyonewho has respond-ed on paper or on-line.

The results arepretty clear. One

thing is for sure; when Tahoma Audubon mem-bers speak, they speak loudly and with one voice.The response is gratifying and encouraging. You,the members and readers have said that you valueand enjoy the Towhee. “Informative and articlesin a nice layout. I really appreciate the effort!”said one respondent. That is great to hear.

Ninety-one percent of those who responded sofar read every issue of the Towhee.

For the vast majority of you, 84 percent, learn-ing about birds is an important part of your read-ing experience. Falling closely behind are thepictures with 73 percent and conservation newswith 72 percent. Field trips are also very im-portant and many love Diane Yorgason-Quinn’sregular eld trip stories. Frankly, all of the con-

tent area we put in the survey scored high. Whatis clear is that providing an outlet to learn aboutbirds, and the activity of watching them, has notgone out of style.

Many of you had very complementary thingsto say about the Towhee. Comments such as“please continue to publish,” and “thank you,”“ne as is” were typical of the written comments

that came back. Many had good suggestions forways to improve upon what you liked. Manyasked for more content on bird, both local andfar ung, such as “trip reports from outside the

US.” There were comments about timing, fre-quency and the usefulness of the calendar, suchas “publication needs to be more timely”. We willbe looking at all this feedback and suggestions tosee what we can do to keep a quality newslettercoming your way.

When it comes to delivery methods, you werepretty clear there; keep with the status quo. Al-most all of you want to continue to receive theTowhee in the mail – 68 percent. A small minor-ity of you wanted to receive the Towhee by email(20 percent) and stated so in your comments. Wewill be working in the near future to develop thebest way to deliver the newsletter by email tothose who want it. We will continue to mail toour members unless they specically ask to re -

ceive it by email.There are eight of you who claim to use ‘two

cups and a string’ on a daily basis to communi-cate. You must be the ones who said you actuallyread, and enjoy my monthly article.

The publication of the Towhee is almost com-pletely a volunteer effort. It is because of thevolunteers, supported by staff and our excellentdesigner Robert Kelton that we will continue todeliver the quality newsletter that you enjoy. Itis also because of your membership and dona-tion that we can afford to do so. With your greatfeedback, we have a renewed passion and focus.Thank you.

www.tahomaaudubon.org July/August 2009

executive director’s Corner

July/August 2009 www.tahomaaudubon.org Page 3

The Towhee is a publication of the Tahoma Audubon Society .

The Tahoma Audubon Society was chartered in 1969. TAS advocates for the protec-

tion of wildlife and promotes conservation through education and activities that enrich its

member’s experiences in and with the natural world.

The Towhee is published monthly, ten times a year, with a combined Jul/Aug and Dec/

Jan issue. Submissions of articles and photographs of birds, bird lore, natural history,

conservation, and environmental education are reviewed and considered for inclusion by

the editor. Copy is due by the 15th of the month and may be sent by e-mail, disk, or

typed.

Editor: David Cohn: [email protected]

Mailing: Vera & John Cragin and Winfield Giddings

Design & Layout: Robert Kelton: E-mail: robert_kelton@ mac.com

Printing: Consolidated PressPrintedonrecycled newsprint

Contact Krystal at 253-232-9978.

Or [email protected]

eNviroNMeNt Matters

welcoMe

to New and Returning Members

May 16, 2009 to June 15, 2009

Tahoma Audubon Staff

Flint, Bryan Executive Director

[email protected] 253-565-9129

Kyer, Krystal Conservation Coordinator


Swaim, Stephanie Education Coordinator


Kessinger, Cami Development Coordinator [email protected] 253-565-9129

Taylor, Graham Volunteer 253-565-1884

Kerrigan, Julie Coordinator 253-223-0039

[email protected] [email protected]

Tahoma Audubon Board Officers

John Garner President

Marjorie Shea Vice President

Jane Brosius Secretary

Kathleen Nelson Treasurer

Tahoma Audubon Board Members 2009

Thelma Gilmur

Dick Carkner

Marcus Roening

Peggy L. Kopf

Darby Veeck

Loren Webster

The Pierce County Chapter of The National Audubon SocietyLocated in University Place's Adriana Hess Wetland Park

2917 Morrison Rd W University Place, WA 98466Office hours 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Front desk 253-565-9278

Ione Clagett

Melissa Paulson

Bill Smith

Tanja Scott

Charles Griffin

‘‘ ‘ ‘

Roy, WA – On May 15-16, 2009 over 70 volunteers, includ-ing area landowners, scientists, and citizens converged on the

small city of Roy (population 870) to spend 24 hours surveyingthe area for signs of wildlife. A team of four volunteers flew in

from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to gets hands-on train-ing so they could conduct their own project in the Yellow Dog

Watershed Preserve! The event, dubbed the Nisqually BioBlitz,

was the fourth of its kind organized by the Pierce CountyBiodiversity Alliance, with two previous BioBlitz’s occurring

along the Lower White River corridor and one in CrescentValley in Gig Harbor.

Volunteers worked around the clock in teams to identify as

many species of plants, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians,mammals and birds as possible. The grand tally was 456 spe-

cies identified, including 70 species of spiders. This includedtwo rare species found only on prairies and that

had never been seen before in WesternWashington, according to spider enthusiast and

spider collection curator Rod Crawford of the

Burke Museum of Natural History at theUniversity of Washington ( visit: http://crawford.

tardigrade.net/journal/album7025.html ).Biologists were surprised to spot a Red-eared Slider,

which is a non-native turtle (probably someone’s pet at

one time) in the area. One hundred and three species of birds were predicted to be in the oak woodland and prairie

area. Volunteers identified twobirds that were not predicted to be

present – an Anna’s Hummingbirdand a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Organizers plan to do a winter

bird survey to catch more birdsthat migrate through the area at

different times of year.The highlight of the event for many was to participate in one

of two bat surveys. Two teams set up mist nets and equipment

to try to capture bats as they fly out at night to feed. We wereout at Muck Creek in the dark listening and looking for bats. In

the end, we caught two Little Brown Bats before midnight. Thebiologist, Greg Falxa, spent several minutes carefully untan-

gling each bat from the fine net, before taking it to a nearbytable to identify. Later analysis of recorded bat calls revealed

seven different species of bats were in the area that night! By

midnight, it was time to head to bed. Luckily for some of us,we had set up camp at the city park.

With these results in hand, the PCBAmembers will continueto work with the Roy community to develop a Community

Stewardship Plan for the area, educate and enroll land owners

in voluntary conservation incentives programs such as thePublic Benefit Rating System and foster a new stewardship

group in the area over the course of the next year.A special thanks goes out to all the volunteers who worked

hard and had fun collecting data; to scientists who donated theirtime to lead teams and share their knowledge and expertise with

others; to Roy area land owners who through their desires to

preserve their backyardsand community,

allowed access totheir property for the

survey period and

to all the staff andvolunteers who

helped plan,organize, and

execute this event.Last but not least,

this project was sup-ported by fantastic

Tahoma Audubonmembers who turned

out for the event to

share their knowl-edge and enthusiasm

with others on birdsand plants. Special

thanks to Fred

Tobiason, Mary SueGee, Nel Batker, Ken Batker, Roxy Giddings, Bill Giddings,

Anna Thurston, Gary Shugart, Ursula Scott, and TahomaAudubon Society board member Tanja Scott.

The Nisqually BioBlitz was organized by the PierceCounty Biodiversity Alliance and key partners,

including the NatureMapping Program,

Metro Parks Tacoma’s Tacoma NatureCenter and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park,

Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and TahomaAudubon Society. This project was made possible

through the two $10,000 grant awards received from

The Zoo Society and the Greater Tacoma CommunityFoundation’s Green Tahoma Fund. Araffle held during

the event yielded $97 in donationsfrom participants – thank you!

For more information on theNisqually BioBlitz, including results,

and how to participate in citizen sci-

ence projects that utilize NatureMapping, visit: http://depts.

washington.edu/natmap/projects/bma/roy/To learn more about the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve,

visit: http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/

To learn about Pierce County’s Public Benefit Rating Systemopen space tax reduction program, contact Krystal at the num-

ber below or contact Pierce County Planner Chad Williamsdirectly to get a unique estimate on your potential property tax

savings at [email protected] 253-798-3683.To learn more about voluntary

landowner conservation programs,

community stewardship in Roy or tosign up for the winter bird survey

contact Krystal at 253-232-9978 [email protected] .

Citizen Scientists scour Roy

BioBlitz!Members speak load and clear about the Towhee

Tally for the day: 22 mammals

6 amphibians 1 fish

2 reptiles 119 invertebrates

83 birds 226 plants

Above: Rod Crawford of the Burke Museum.

(So many photos!)More Environment

Matters on page 11.

Top four photos by Kelly McAllister.

Above, a Pacic Treefrog with inated

vocal sac. Coming out of this box, another

Pacic Treefrog. Below, a Red-earred

slider on a log. Below that, a bee

inspects a Lomatium Utriculatum.

Clockwise, from right, WDFW Fish

and Wildlife Biologist Michelle Tirhi

checking a live trap for small mam-mals; Volunteers looking at inver-

tebrates under a microscope; John

Garner, Conservation & Education

Director for Metro Parks Tacoma ex-

amining a possible pocket gopher

mound; A bat netted by Greg Falxa.

Chapter new and renewing:

John & Vera Cragin, Joyce Lun-

dberg, Sybil Mercer, Michael &

Margaret Moline, Frances Oliver,

Laurel Parshall, Myrna Rucker,

Anna Thurston,

Dan Westmark, Korine Wimbles.

Chapter Joint with National,

recruited through Tahoma

Audubon Society:

Susan Boynton, Denise McClus-

key, June Mercer, David & Kath-

ryn Olson, Nancy

Pearson, David

Scott & Aviva

Lemberger.

Introductory, recruited through

Tahoma Audubon Society:

Michael Marsh, Paul Nicholes.

Introductory, recruited through

the National Audubon Society:

Virginia Belsvik, Mina Gordon,

Rupert Grove, Jay Kelly, Eletha

Littrel, Charlie Miller, Robert

Trumble, Karen Wagner, Iris

Baiocchi, Dolores Barrett, Joe

Gordon, Helen Meyer, Ruby My-

ron, Luann Sizer,

Leland Trotter,

Dudley Lewis,

Lucille Sun-

derland

Informativeand articles ina nice layout.

I really appreci-ate the effort!

– wrote one respondent to our survey.

mailto:[email protected]



mailto:%[email protected]


http://crawford.tardigrade.net/journal/album7025.html



http://depts.washington.edu/natmap/projects/bma/roy/




http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/




















30th Anniversary CelebrationTacoma Nature Center

July 30, 2009, 6:00 – 8:00pm

Free, All ages

Join us at the Tacoma Nature Center to share the memories

and discover what’s new as we celebrate 30 years of educat-

ing people about this unique wetland habitat in the heart of

the city. Fun family activities and great memories for all!

Also that night, we are featuring our new Nurture in Nature

Preschool with an Open House and Housewarming. Meet

our preschool staff, participate in fun activities, enjoy

healthy snacks and help us stock the new preschool with a

housewarming gift. The preschool is registered at Target

and ChildTrek. You may also contribute funds for specific

items at the event. For more information, please call (253)

591-6439.

Summer Activities and Classes for Educators:

Call Tacoma Nature Center to register, 253-591-6439.

NatureMapping for Educators

July 14 – 15, 9:00am – 5:00pm

Age 18+, $70 a person

This workshop will provide educators with the skills needed

to aid learners in the NatureMapping process. The basic data

collection and monitoring techniques of Nature-Mapping are

all included, plus activities to engage learners in the process.

This two-day workshop also includes time spent in the fieldapplying the NatureMapping process. It is open to formal

and non-formal educators. Clock hours available.

Educator Workshop: Project WILD

July 16, 9:00am – 4:00pm


Project WILD is an international network of educators and

others who work together to develop and implement educa-

tional programs and activities. By participating in this

course, teachers and other educators will become familiar

with content and the practice of Project WILD lessons,

which demonstrate a variety of teaching and learning styles.

The goal of Project WILD is to assist learners of any age in

developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment

to result in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and

constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environ-

ment upon which all life depends. Clock hours available.

Flying WILD

July 17, 10:00am – 4:00pm


This program introduces upper elementary and older stu-

dents to bird conservation through classroom activities andschool bird festivals. T he Flying WILD workshop provides

educators with activities and techniques to engage students

in real-world learning that help them understand the impor-

tance of migratory birds and their conservation. Clock hours

available. Scholarship assistance available.

Fun Family and Adult Kayaking trips:Call MetroParks headquarters 253-305-1022 or go online to

register for either of these trips, www.metroparkstacoma.

org

Family Discovery Paddle – Cutts Island

July11, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Ages 8+, $40 Tacoma Residents, $45 non-residents

Cutts Island, just ½ mile offshore form Kopachuck State

Park is one of Puget Sound’s marine parks. Paddle out to it

and take a break on the island which is small enough to

easily walk around and isolated enough to enjoy peace and

quiet. Learn from a Tahoma Audubon naturalist about the

plants and animals native to the Northwest. Parents and

kids are paired together in double kayaks so it becomes an

easy and fun adventure. Beginners welcome. All equip-ment and instruction are provided. Requires participation

by 2 or more intergenerational family members. No refund

if withdrawing 5 days prior to trip start date. Meet at

Horsehead Bay.

Nisqually Delta Kayak Trip for AdultsAugust 23, 12:30pm – 4:00pm

Ages 18+, $65 Tacoma resident, $70 non-resident

This tour takes paddlers through the largest saltwater estuary

in the South Sound, home to a plethora of birds, animals and

plants. Learn from a Tahoma Audubon naturalist about these

critters native to the Northwest while enjoying a relaxing

kayak trip. Participants meet at Nisqually Delta. Beginners

are welcome, all equipment and instruction is provided. No

refund if withdrawing 5 days prior to trip start date.

field trips and Events

Page 4 www.tahomaaudubon.org July/August 2009

educatioN Matters educatioN Events and Activities


We would like tocongratulate all of

the winners from the10th Annual Bird

Drawing Contest.

The awards ceremo-ny was held at the

Tacoma NatureCenter on June 12th

where 10 of our mosttalented artists had

the opportunity to

receive prizes fortheir work and view

their artistry on dis-play. We received 96

entries for our contest this year, from 2 nd grade through7th grade. First-, second-, and third-place awards were

given in each age group and anyone who got a nod fromour judges was given an “honorable mention” ribbon.

The judges who participate in this contest are experts

and professionals. They are made up of Master Birders,scientists, naturalists, and professional artists, to make

sure that all artwork is judged on a variety of merits.The students were asked to draw one of three birds,

in their natural habitat. The birds they could choosewere: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Western Scrub Jay,

and Gadwall. These birds were chosen because their

numbers have increased drastically in our area over thepast 40 years. Audubon scientists have studied

Christmas Bird Count data and have noticed that popu-lations of birds are moving north following climatic

changes across the continent. The results of this are thatwe see birds more frequently and in greater numbers

than we have before. For more information about thisphenomenon, please visit the National Audubon web-

site: http://birdsandclimate.audubon.org/.

The winners and their artwork are displayed here.Congratulations fabulous artists! Keep up the great

work, and we hope to have the pleasure of your art-work in next year’s contest!

We would like to thank all of the people that make theBird Drawing Contest such a success and a wonderful

event for youth: Brianna Charbonnel, Cami Kesinger,

Dolly Monaghan, Graham Taylor, Joann Sims, JulieKerrigan, Marcus Douglas, Margie Shea, Michele

Cardinaux, Monica Weidman, Rachel Montgomery,Rikkianne Cox, Rolan Nelson, and Rosanne Becker.

Winners: First Place Second Place Third Place

2nd and 3rd grade David Torem Caitlin Porter Jonathan Artley

4

th

and 5

th

grade Tova Beck Amberly Dickson Kaitlyn Unger6th and 7th grade Lauren Sull ivan Megan Bernovich Garrett Matzke

Honorable Mentions: • Alicia Goodin • Bonnie Ubben • Cameron Todd • Chloe Hogan • Drew H. Belcher • EmilyBarker • Grace Bosley • Julianna Paterson • Kylee Zehnder • Neena Dosanjh • Ryan Sullivan • Soojung Lee

Osprey Club at Fort LewisOn Jun. 3 we completed our first session with

the newly founded Osprey Club at the Teen Zone

on Fort Lewis. We rounded out the unit on water-

sheds, aquatic habitat health and water-quality

with a trip to American Lake to go fishing. The

Osprey Club at Fort Lewis was made possible

through a grant from the TogetherGreen collabo-

ration between National Audubon and Toyota. On

the left is a photo of our group! (We didn’t catch

anything, be we had fun trying!)

We would like to thank Eddie Holbrook, Ryan

Misely, and Miriam Easley for their help teaching

this program. We would also like to thank the staff

at Fort Lewis who gave us a home at the Teen

Zone: Chris Withrow, and Cindy Arnold.

10th Annual Bird Drawing Contest winners

Garrett Matzke (Garrett was not present at award ceremony.)

Megan Bernovich

Lauren Sullivan

Kaitlyn Unger

Amberly Dickson

Tova Beck

Jonathan Artley Photos/Margie Shea

Caitlin Porter

David Torem Heckel Creek in the Upper Nisqually Watershed

When: Saturday, July 11, 9:00 to early or mid-

afternoon. Meet leader, Al Hultengren, at the Plaza

Grocery Parking lot in Eatonville. After a short

carpooling trip we will be walking a railroad gradeon the south side of the creek. The trail on the north

side, used in our early Audubon trips, has downed

logs blocking it. See neo-tropical warblers. Call

253-565-9278 to sign-up.

Morse Preserve Open Trails

When: Sun. July 12, noon to 4:00pm. Come drop

by, walk the trails, and talk to Wayne Cooke fordetails of what is going on at the Preserve. (There’s

a new Maxine Morse Sanctuary a few miles

away. Watch for trips here soon.) Call Tahoma

Audubon, 253-565-9278 for directions. No sign-up

necessary.

Bird Walk, Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Mon. July 13, noon till 1:00pm.

Join Ruth Sullivan at 2917 Morrison Rd W in

University Place to count summer birds at this

native plant habitat. No sign-up necessa ry.

Fort Steilacoom’s Waughop Lake

When: Sat. July 18, 9:00 to 11:30am.

Take a leisurely stroll around the lake to see whatbirds are summering in the habitat around this very

active area. Meet in the parking lot by the barns to

meet leader, Betty Jones. Sign up by

calling 253-565-9278.

Point Defiance Walk

When: Sun. July 19, 8:00 to noon.

Meet Rob and Natalie McNair Huff in the parking

lot above the zoo. Check out the birds summering atthe park. Call 253-565 -9278 to register.

Plant Walk, Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Mon. July 20, noon till 1:00pm.

Join George Schonhard to learn what is in bloom at

the park and to recognize plants not in bloom. No

sign-up necessary.

Morse Wildlife Preserve Bird Walk

When: Fri, Juy 24, 9:00 till 11:00am.

Meet Betty Jones in the Morse Preserve parking

lot. Call 253-565-9278 to sign-up and to get direc-tions.

Birding in Paradise

July 25 trip to Paradise on Mount Rainier with Ken

Brown. Meet at 7 a.m. in the Hwy. 512 park and

ride lot (next to McDonalds) and drive to Mount

Rainier for a five to six mile hike to Panorama

Point. Target birds include Gray-crowned Rosy

Finch and White Ptarmigan, but hikers will also

likely encounter wildflowers and butterflies on this

trip. Limited to between 12 and 15 people.

Family Walk at Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Sunday, July 26, 4:00 to 5:15pm.Explore and discover on the grounds and along the

trails at this small unique park in University Place

where many, many native plants grow.

No sign-up necessary.

Morse Preserve Open Trails

When: Sun. August 9, noon to 4:00 p.m.Call Tahoma Audubon Society, 253-565-9278, for

directions.

Bird Walk Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Mon. August 10, noon till 1:00 p.m.

Point Defiance Walk

When: Sun. August 16, 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Plant Walk Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Mon. August 17, noon to 1:00 p.m.

Meet Richard Van Deman and identify weeds as

well as native plants.

Morse Wildlife Preserve Bird Walk

When: Fri. August 21, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Call 253-565-9278 to sign-up and get directions.

Leader is Betty Jones.

Ocean Shores

When: Sat. August 22, 7:00 p.m. to dusk

Meet at the I-5 and 512 Park and Ride by McDonaldsLeader is Ruth Sullivan. Identify returning shore-

birds. Hope to see Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pacific

Golden Plover. Visit Bowerman Basin, BradyLoop

Rd, and Damon Point.

Family Walk at Adriana Hess Wetland Park

When: Sun. August 30, 4:00 p.m. to 5:15pm

Swifts in Chimneys!

When: Sat. Sept. 12

Sign up by September 1 to help decide where to go

and other details of this trip. We have two good

swift chimneys to choose from, Monroe and Selleck.

Leave your e-mail address and phone number withthe office or e-mail leader Diane Yorgason-Quinn at

[email protected] . This trip will leave in the

late afternoon and return after dark.

2917 Morrison Road W.,University Pl. WA 98466

253-565-9278www.TahomaAudubon.org

Open Mon – Sat. 10a.m.-1p.m.

1919 South Tyler Street,Tacoma WA 98 338

253-591-6439 www.metroparkstacoma.orgOpen Tues. – Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

& Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Birding BasicsMondays, Sept. 7 - 28, 7:00pm – 9:00pm Ages 18

and older, $45/Audubon member, $55/non-member.

Curious about birds but don’t know your crown from

your tail feather? All are welcome to this introduction

to the joy of identifying the birds that are all around

us. You will learn how to identify common birds, use

a eld guide and binoculars. Learn too about some

of the best places to see birds and practice your new-

found birding skills. There is one local eld trip to Stei -

lacoom Park on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8:00am. This

class meets at the Tacoma Nature Center. Call (253)

591-6439 to register.Check our websites for latest class listings and times.

stephanieSWAIMEducation Coordinator

Call Steph @ 253-327-9480. Or

[email protected]

http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/




http://birdsandclimate.audubon.org/













Page 6 www.tahomaaudubon.org July/August 2009 www.tahomaaudubon.org Page 7

floats of a catamaran, their small bodies disap-

pearing for long periods of time in waves that

were ten times their own height. The usual

Eagle had his perch on the skyline of the ridge,

and an Osprey caused some excitement as he

almost grazed the top of the lighthouse while

changing his fishing site from one side of the

point to the other.

Then it was time to meet Carolyn and Mike

Barry, who split their time between homes in

Puyallup and the Foulweather Bluff area near

Hansville. We stopped briefly at their home on the

inlet and enjoyed their resident Herons, Mallards,

Goldfinches, Swallows, and a spectacular flyby

from a loud and boisterous Caspian Tern. Even with the

wintering waterfowl long gone, their little inlet was alive

with avian life.

We then followed Carolyn and Mike over to a surprise

destination along a circuitous route seemingly designed

to make sure we could never find the location on our

own. We stopped the cars and waited. We had been led

to believe there was a heronry, but the dense foliage hid

most signs of it. High atop it all, however, was an occu-

pied Osprey Nest where the incubating female Osprey

surveyed her domain, protecting the herons at the same time.

Her mate noisily brought her a fish, and several other Osprey

patrolled as well, indicating this was a prime location for fish

eaters. None of this provoked any response from the Herons

on their nests. But suddenly an alarm went out and all the

herons were up! Dozens of Herons were thrown into the air.

They were going this way and that, almost bumping into each

other, excited past the point of preserving their reputation for

gracefulness and noisy beyond words! It was then we

believed Carolyn and Mike’s story of having counted dozens

of nests there before the trees leafed out. They settled down

again, and we drove to a different vantage point on the other

side, where again hardly anything could be seen.

We waited again, zooming in on Woodpeckers and Vireos

and just enjoying all the birds of this rural neighborhood,

when all of a sudden we heard what sounded like an army of

heavy machinery coming closer and getting louder. Expecting

a division of tanks to crash through the forest, instead we

witnessed a siege of herons burst into the air, raising the deci-

bels to the max! A few of them landed here and there to sur-

vey the scene before heeding the all-clear signal and settling

back down on their nests. To see and hear dozens of these

prehistoric creatures with six-foot wingspans actually jostling

each other between tree limbs and still staying aloft is just

something you have to see and hear to believe.

One of the neighbors came out and talked to us, and we

were delighted to hear that he and the other

neighbors seem to love “their” herons, noise and

all. He says they rise like this several times a

day, usually in response to a Bald Eagle flyover, and he could

even predict the timing of the next event. By the time you

read this, those nests will be empty, hopefully having success-

fully fledged the next generation of these extraordinary beasts

of the air.

We all headed back to Point-No-Point to see what a differ-

ent tide would turn up for us, and it was hopp ing! A Pacific

Loon in breeding plumage was fishing just offshore where a

herring ball apparently was forming, and in short order doz-

ens of Glaucous-Winged and Bonaparte’s Gulls went into a

feeding frenzy, spinning and churning the water as a single

organism! A Rhinoceros Auklet with breeding whiskers

scooted by further out, and dolphins escorted the fishing

boats through the strait. A brief walk through the fragrant

Wild Roses above the beach appropriately showed us a

Great Blue Heron in the waterway with a just-fledged chick

being shown the ropes.

Our last stop of the day was a wonderful spring stroll

through part of the incredible Hansville Greenbelt, which we

accessed at Buck Lake Park. The quiet of the deep forest let

us hear several types of Flycatchers (Pacific Slope, Willows,

and Pewee) as well as Warblers and Sparrows. The viewing

platform at one of the little lake chains along the old railroad

revealed Wood Ducks lurking in the lily pads and wildflowers

lined our way.

Just what you’d imagine on a perfect spring day!

... Herons

Above: The Barrys’ pet Heron. Below left: Osprey looking for sh at Point-No-Point.

Below middle: Pacic loon in breeding plumage oats near a Glaucous-Winged Gull at Point-No-Point.

Below rightt: Jody, Carolyn, Mike, and Rolan on the Hansville Greenbelt.

Top: Fifteen of the dozens of H erons spooked into the treetops. Above left: The group near at Barrys’ near Foulweather

Bluff. Above right: Gull feeding frenzy at Point-No-Point. Pick out the small Alcid in the center and 2 Bonaparte’s.

A Violet-Green Swallow.

from page 1

Photos/Diane Yorgason-Quinn



1. The eggs of nesting birds are kept warm by a parent’s _______.

2. What North American warbler was named after a city?

3. What southern waterbird’s lower bill i s longer than its upper bill?

4. What wren might be expected on talus slopes?

5. How many kingfisher species are found in North America? Name them.wl

quizzicalthe

By Thais Bock

July/August 2009 www.tahomaaudubon.org Page 9Page 8 www.tahomaaudubon.org July/August 2009

B I R D S O N G S b y P h i l B u l y

Just the other day... Tahoma Audubon in Summer of 1984

(Answers below.)

A n s w e r s : 1 . B r o o d p a t c h . 2 . N a s h v i l l e W a r b l e r . 3 . B l a c k S k i m m e r . 4 . R o c k W r e n 5 . t h r e e : B e l t e d , G r e e n , R i n g e d .

Helen Englefrom days of yore.

Gray Jay(Perisoreus canadensis)

A widespread and cond-ing denizen of boreal andsub-alpine forests, theGray Jay frequently ap-

proaches people for food.It may even land on yourhand for a morsel. Thistameness can also lead tothe pilferage of food notoffered, and is responsible

for the colloquial name of “camp robber.”

- Cornell Lab of Ornithology

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

ate summer is the perfect time to sleep under the stars – or better yet, stay awake under the stars!! Balmy, fragrant nightsin the sleeping bag or lawn chair can reward your senses inexciting ways only to be had in late summer in these climes.

Pick a night with no moon or little moon and

experience the Milky Way! Perfectly positioned

overhead at our declination/latitude in summertime,

it’s there for everyone to enjoy once all the lights are

turned out. Wait 20 minutes for your eyes to

become dark-adjusted and then be amazed at all

the stars up there! If your neighborhood is just too

bright, use this for an excuse for a camping trip and

head for the hills. Take your binoculars and aim idly

upward and be prepared to gasp with astonished

pleasure! You are looking outward through the

edge of your home galaxy!

Hunting for summer constellations can be fabu -

lous as well, but if you don’t know them, don’t fret!

In the summer, all you really need to know is the

Summer Triangle (just pick out the three brighteststars overhead, and you can be certain you have

them). If you want to know more, think birds! The

brightest of the three, blue-white Vega is almost

straight overhead when you face southeast. Vega

means swooping eagle in Arabic and is the brightest

star in the constellation Lyra, which represents a

harp or is sometimes pictured as a vulture! To your

left will be Deneb, the tail of Cygnus the Swan, and

to your right and a little lower will be Altair in Aquila

the Eagle. These stars and constellations were

named in ancient times by Greeks, Romans, and

Arabs, who all thought of birds whenever they

looked up, just like we do. If you’re interested in

sordid stories that would put modern soap operas to

shame, just do an Internet or library search for

these constellations to hear the old myths and leg-

ends; most of them are not

G-rated!

More bird-watching is at

hand if you want to get

more detailed than those

brightest stars. Corvus the

Crow appears as a small

quadrangle lying to the west

of Spica in Virgo and below

Leo the Lion. And if you visit

the southern hemisphere,

you’ll find lots of birds, but

most are pretty pitiful con-

stellations compared to our

northern summer triangle. Pavo the Peacock,

Tucana the Toucan, Grus the Crane and Apus theBird of Paradise are all great birds but make pitiful

constellations. Of c ourse there’s more up there than

birds. In fact, you can make up your own constella-

tions.

August 11/12!! The Perseids Meteor Shower!!

Lie way back, almost flat, facing southeast. Try to

cover as much of the sky as possible with your

peripheral vision! Then wait! Meteors will appear

as the night gets later. There are more after mid-

night, but the last quarter moon will also be rising at

that time and will drown out the fainter meteors.

Although the meteors appear to be emanating from

the constellation Perseus (rising in the east), they

can be in any part of the sky. The peak of this

meteor shower is Tuesday night and Wednesday

morning, Aug. 11-12. There will be plenty of mete-

ors in the nights leading up to it as well, but they fall

off pretty rapidly after Wednesday. Efforts to predicthow “good” a meteor shower will be in any particu-

lar year are notoriously incorrect, so the only way to

know for sure is to experience it yourself, and that

doesn’t take a rocket scientist.

If you would like a map to navigate your way

through the night sky, there are lots of them out

there, but two good ones are at these websites (as

well as at the library!): www.skyviewcafe.com or

www.mystarslive.com.

In the meantime, urge your neighbors to turn

their lights out when they go to bed. Light pollution

has robbed too many of us the experience, not to

mention the extra lights waste energy. More infor-

mation on responsible lighting practices can be

found on the website for the International Dark-Sky

Association at: www.darksky.org.

Birds and stars in the summer nights l

l

By DianeYorgason-Quinn

LOne of Tahoma Audubon’s founding

fathers and veteran trip leader wrote

an extensive report on the birding

expedition he led to the Nome, Alaska

area in 1984. Six birders traveled about

4,000 miles by air, 1,500 by van and only a few

miles on foot to see birds, plants and animals and

learn something of Alaska history. Members of this

Snake Lake Alaska Nature Tour were Leader Bob

Ramsey and his wife Georgia, Evelyn Peaslee,

Betty Heitman, Thelma Reinbold and Glenda

Power.

A glowing book review was submitted by Nature

Guides from Nokomis, Florida, for the 8th edition of

Tahoma Audubon’s, Nature Guide. Created by

Ilene Marckx and sponsored by Tahoma Audubon,

our booklet listed names and contacts for local

birders and guides in the US and 30 other countries

in South and Central America,

Europe, the Middle East,

Western Pacic and Africa.

Founded on the cooperative

spirit of local volunteers

assisting visiting volunteers to

nd birds, butteries, botany,

animals, and other items of

interest, Nature Guide was a

helpful addition to any trip.

Summer eld trips included

close-to-home trips: Green

Lake in Mt Rainier National Park (M RNP)

led by Pat Perry; three Nisqually

National Wildlife Refuge censuses led

by Norris Cone and Jim Scearce

andThais Bock ; Tacoma Community

College Trail and Swan Creek with

Thelma Gilmur; Hylebos Marsh, Ilene

Marckx; Kids’ Picnic & Birdwatching in

Helen Engle’s woods; Fort Steilacoom

County Park and also a trip to Van Trump

Park in MRNP with Walt Adams; Titlow

Beach walk with Kris Quinn; bus trip to

Sunrise Park in MRNP with Elmer Price;

Clearwater Wilderness Area led by Tom

Campion.

There were also auto trips to Columbia Gorge

Scenic Area with Cathy Jerbic; and to Cusick

Flats in Pend Oreille County with Bart Whelton;

Hurricane Ridge in Olympic NP with Elmer Price;

Whidbey Island led by Tom Schooley; Spokane

and Lincolcn County with

Jim Action.

Tahoma Audubon was

involved in the creation of

a new state park when our

charter members Francis

and Ilene Marckx asked

us to help them. For years

they had been seeking

to have a green belt

permanently secured in their

area of the West Hylebos

Creek headwaters in south

King County. Many people

in Federal Way joined the

effort and sought to have

an urban environmental

education center such

as Tacoma’s Snake Lake

Nature Center

(now named Tacoma

Nature Center). The

Marckx family offered to donate 34 acres of

their property, with its marsh and woodlands.

Hylebos Creek runs along I-5 in the Milton

area and ends in Commencement Bay as an

important part of the Port of Tacoma. Dr.

A. R. Kruckeberg, well-respected plant

ecologist and botany professor at UW stated that this

wetland is ”one of the best wetlands where enclaves

of such a natural habitat in suburbia are rare.”

One of the most successful

fundraisers Tahoma Audubon

ever had was the Rummage

Sale and Silent Auction on Jul. 21

and 22, 1984 at the Snake Lake

Nature Center. Long days of

hard work supervised by Roxy

Giddings andNell Batker paid

off with an amazing amount of

captivating donations being recycled; plus buyers

and bidders stimulated by elegant offerings.

Feedback, comments and reminiscences welcome,

253-564-3112, [email protected] and Francis Marckx

Roxy Giddings

Dr. Kruckeberg

By Helen Engle

Join

the Green Tacoma

Partnership and Natural Areas

Stewards as we learn about native

plants in the forest and gardens of Pt

Defiance Park. We’ll be meeting at the Native

Plant Garden for plant ID and story-telling. Afterwards,

we’ll commune at the Pt. Defiance Lodge for a potluck

meal and a visual session of how to use native plants

successfully in your restoration projects. Presenters include

Anna Thurston and Stewards-in-Training from the

Washington Native Plant Society.

When: Wednesday, July 22nd 5:00 - 7:00 pm (walk);

7:00-8:00 pm potluck/meeting

Location: Meet at the Pt Defiance Native Plant Garden ,

or park at the Pt. Defiance Lodge and walk to the

Garden (on exit road, across from Zoo’s vet hospital) .

Details: Potluck to follow - please bring a dish to

share, plus plate and utensils. Refreshments and

dessert to be provided by the GTP!

RSVP by (EoB) July 18th to Julie Kerrigan:

[email protected]

or (253) 223-0039

Native Plant Identification Forayplus the Green Tacoma Partnership

Quarterly Potluck Meeting & Training

Photo/Anna Thurston

FREE Habitat Steward TrainingWhat: Have you ever walked by or

driven past an area that is over grown

with weeds and looks unkempt? By

becoming a Habitat Steward you can do

something to help take care of these

kinds of places in your neighborhood. At

this FREE one day training you will learn

how to get started, how to organize

volunteer events and ways to track how

well the clean-up process is going. After

the training you will be able to borrow

tools, receive publicity for events and get

help with volunteer recruitment provided

by Green Tacoma Partnership.

When: Saturday October 10th, 2009 or

Saturday February 6th, 2010.Time and

location to be announced at later date.

Contact: To register, Julie

Kerrigan; jkerrigan@

tahomaaudubon.org or

(253) 223-0039

Photo/Julie Kerrigan

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/

http://www.skyviewcafe.com/

http://www.mystarslive.com/

http://www.darksky.org/






http://www.darksky.org/

http://www.mystarslive.com/

http://www.skyviewcafe.com/

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/



By

Krystal Kyer

Seattle, WA – Volunteers cele-

brated the second year of the Puget

Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) with

a volunteer recognition party and

field trip to Seattle’s Discovery Park

June 21, incidentally Father’s Day

and Summer Solstice. Nee dless to

say, the weather was much nicer

than it was during the survey period

(October through April).

The PSSS, a scientific survey

developed by Seattle Audubon

Society, engages volunteers to col-

lect data on wintering seabirds in

the central Puget Sound marine

waters. It is the only

land-based or multi-

month seabird survey

in the central Puget

Sound, and is driven

by citizen scientists.

Tahoma Audubon

teamed up with Science

Associate Adam Sedgley to

expand the PSSS into Pierce

County for the 2008-09 survey.

Last summer we identified new

survey sites around Pierce County

shorelines, recruited new volunteers

from as far south as Olympia and

conducted the second season of the

PSSS.

Fifty-two species of seabirdsincluding ducks, geese, swans,

loons, grebes, cormorants, gulls

and alcids were observed. Complete

results and analysis are being

worked out this summer, and they

will be reported on in August. This

season volunteers visited 47 survey

sites every month between October

and April. Forty-seven volunteers

conducted 322 surveys, and donat-

ed over 100 hours of actual survey

time, translating into over

180 hours of their time (not

including travel)!

A special thanks to

Tahoma Audubon’s volun-

teer crew for donating their

time and enthusiasm for

bird watching and science.

The PSSS expansion, data,

and new knowledge gained

would not be possible without your

help! Thank you to our Pierce

County volunteers: Terry Mace, Jeff

Feagin, Phillip Craven, Dan Roscoe,

Becca Lewis, Dan Christian, Janet

Shonk, Matt Pike, Amber Carver,

Tracey Scalici, Gabriel Newton, John

Pierce, and Scott Pearson!The expansion of the PSSS was

made possible by two grant awards

from the Forest Foundation and the

Washington Dept. of Fish and

Wildlife for the 2008-09 PSSS sur-

vey. Thank you!

Tahoma Audubon and Seattle

Audubon are excited to

announce that will be conduct-

ing another season of PSSS

beginning in October of 2009!

And guess what? We need more

volunteers. We have 12 additional

survey sites already identified and

in need of volunteers. These include

multiple sites on the Key Peninsula,

Purdy, Gig Harbor area, Steilacoom,

and Tacoma. A short training will

be offered in September to new and

returning volunteers. If you would

like more information or would like

to volunteer, please contact Krystal

Kyer at 253-232-9978 or kkyer@

tahomaudubon.org.

For more information about the

PSSS, including survey site loca-

tions, downloadable protocol and

data from the 2008-09 survey sea-

son (August 09), please visit www.

seabirdsurvey.org.


Tahoma Audubon is the Pierce County chapter of National Audubon. As

an Introductory member of Tahoma Audubon you also receive a National

Audubon membership and Audubon Magazine for one year. Renewing

your Chapter Membership ensures that we can continue to do our work in

Pierce County. Chapter membership includes: Towhee newsletter sub-

scription, free family events, birding trip invitations, class & book dis-

counts, conservation activities, annual celebrations and more. Joint TAS/

National Audubon membership includes: Chapter membership, National

membership, annual Audubon Magazine subscription, and support of

Important Bird Areas (IBA) and state and national conservation agendas. C h e c k s p a y a b l e t o : T a h o m a A u d u b o n 2 9 1 7 M o r r i s o n

R d . W .

U n i v e r s i t y P l a c e ,

9 8 4 6 6 T a h o m a A u d u b o n

S o c i e t y , e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 6 9 , i s a 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) n o n p r o f i t

o r g a n i z a t i o n . D o n a t i o n s a r e t a x d e d u c t i b l e .

Membership Fee:

___ Introductory (first year) $20

___ Joint National/ Tahoma Audubon $50

___ Chapter member renewal $30

___ Other Contribut ions _____________

Member(s) Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

City______________________________ Zip__________________

Phone: home ___________________business _________________

e-mail: ________________________________________________

Member #: _______________________________ (office use only)

Membership

Page 10 www.tahomaaudubon.org July/August 2009

C 9 Z Y 0 2 0 Z

I would like to

proudly announce

the completion of

the Thelma Gilmur

Outdoor Education

Shelter at Adriana

Hess Wetland Park! It stands tall amongst our native

plants and winding trails, offering shade from the sun

and protection from the rain. It was not an easy or

inexpensive endeavor, but it will reward our

community, especially its children, for years to come.

Our opening ceremony illustrated our community’s

stalwart desire and ability to band together to create

a legacy of community service aimed at improving

the outdoor education of children.The hard work and planning of city officials,

business owners, volunteers, and our very own

Tahoma Audubon Society offered the community a

new feature in the park. Often new park additions

have recreation as the central interest, installing

sports fields, tennis courts, or playgrounds for

children. While no one can dispute the joy a small

child can find on the playground, so too, none can

deny the endless opportunities children have to learn

about, and bask in the natural world. With the

children in mind, it was Julie Kerrigan who sat out to

find partners in her project to build the Outdoor

Education Shelter. However, many

are unaware of how her journey

toward this project began, almost

two years ago…

Two years ago Julie Kerrigan was

just about to start her 10 month

AmeriCorps internship with Tahoma

Audubon. She had probably never visited Adriana

Hess Wetland Park, where she would work and toil

for hours, both indoors and outside to forward the

mission of Tahoma Audubon: to conserve and restore

natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife,

and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and

Earth’s biological diversity. She would be Tahoma

Audubon’s first AmeriCorps staff member. Julie maynot have known it then, but it would not be long

before she would learn about one of the AmeriCorps

requirements: the SERVES project. AmeriCorps

encourages its workers to devise a service project,

something that should, when completed, be a service

to the community. The AmeriCorps worker does not

always complete their project. Sometimes, they just

offer a plan to the community, illustrating the

communal need, and benefits of actualizing their

idea.

However, sometimes these plans gain traction.

Sometimes, the service project comes to fruition, as

was seen during our opening ceremony on May 27,

when the Mayor Linda Bird confirmed the

communities need for the Outdoor Education Shelter

and simultaneously praised the hard work individ uals

put toward planning and constructing the building.

Tahoma Audubon is grateful to have such a creative

infusion of youth and ideas directed toward our

shared goal of connectingpeople to nature. We stand

ready and excited to see

what next years

AmeriCorps workers will

propose as their service

projects, projects that will

surely continue to

construct TahomaAudubon’s legacy for

years to come!

On behalf of the Tahoma

Audubon Society, I must

thank Mayor Linda Bird

for attending and speaking

at our opening ceremony.

Thank you to Adriana Hess

Committee member Janet Bent, and her husband

Rick Pinkley building this new shelter. Tahoma

Audubon would also like to thank Jim Stimach for his

construction expertise, and Adriana Hess Wetland

Park Committee leader Dixie Harris and Team

Insurance for paying for the materials to build the

shelter. Additionally, thank you to Team Insurance

staff Stephen and Janet for their excellent food!

Thank you to Yontz Miller for helping provide green

materials. A special thanks to Peggy Paradise of the

Tacoma Garden Club for their signage grant. We

must also thank our partners with the city: Jim

Baldes, Gretchen Hayes, Gary Cooper, Todd Smith,Susie Haney and the rest of the MetroPark’s staff. We

offer many thanks to Julie Kerrigan for planning and

coordinating this project. It is Audubon members and

volunteers like these who help make Adriana Hess a

vibrant place for life to blossom.

voluNteer Recognition

Outdoor projectsthat shelter our future

PSSS ... see birds? Seabirds!

Hello Towhee readers!

It has been my recent pleasure over the past

two issues to be your new editor for this great

publication. As you have all known for years, and

as I have been excited to learn, The Towhee has

a terrific team of writers who volunteer their time

on a monthly basis to put out engaging material

that makes my editing job a snap.

I am currently studying English at the University

of Puget Sound and hope to pursue a career in

journalism after graduation, an interest that has

only grown thanks to my time spent with this

newsletter.

Thanks so much to everyone at Adriana Hess

Audubon Center and to everyone who works on

The Towhee for welcoming me onto the team. I

would like to encourage any readers who enjoy

birds and bird-watching as much as we do to write

about your experiences, take some pictures or

share any of your opinions with me at editor@

tahomaaudubon.org.

The Towhee has always thrived on the support

of its readers, who volunteer their time, talent and

passion to make this publication a success.

Thanks again to everyone, and keep those bin-

oculars handy.

eNviroNMeNt Matters

Introducing the Towhee’s new editor, David Cohn

David Cohn

part of the family that includes six other small to

medium-sized seabird species that breed in

Washington: Tufted Puffin, Marbled and Ancient

Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot,

and Common Murre. Most alcids forage at sea,

and all use their wings for propulsion underwater,

diving to surprising depths (Cassin’s Auklets as

deep as 43 meters). Most nest in colonies.

Cassin’s Auklet ranges from the Aleutian Islands

to Baja California, and birds from the northern part

of the range are migratory. About 45,000 pairs of

Cassin’s Auklets nest on coastal islands in

Washington. To the north, a million Cassin’s Auklets

nest in the Scott Archipelago some 20 miles off thenorthern tip of Vancouver Island. The Alaska popu-

lation probably was even larger, but today is much

reduced due to the release of foxes by fur farmers a

century ago on some 450 Alaskan islands. Other

predators include raccoons, rats, eagles, crows,

ravens, and – above all – large gulls.

Abewildering variety of dangers beset Cassin’s

Auklets. El Niño conditions between 1975 and

1995 reduced the availability of their food and

caused a severe decline in the population along

much of the Pacific Coast from California to

Washington. Human disturbance takes many

forms: fishing nets snare many; the lights on boats

can disorient flying auklets – which then blunder

into the gulls that follow the boats. (One disori-

ented youngster was rescued by a Seattle Audubon

staffer from morning traffic on Northwest 15th

Avenue in Ballard.) Oil spills are another danger.

Boaters sometimes visit the auklets’ island colo-

nies, and their footsteps can easily crush the shal-

low nesting burrows. Some of these islands have

also served as targets for military bombing and

gunnery practice.

Cassin’s Auklets are a pelagic species in the bal-

ance: at risk from changing conditions in theirnatural environment and from human disturbance.

Some auklet colonies have become refuges, where

wildlife officials can mitigate disturbances during

the nesting season. For now, at least, these “flying

tennis balls” of the open ocean seem to be coping

with adversity in a difficult environment, and

Washington birders can still spot them on pelagic

trips from Westport.

The ribbon cutting ceremony, with Thelma and Mayor Linda Bird on the right.

Up goes the sign ...

Rick Pinkley

P h o t o / D a n

R o s c o e

from page 1

... Cassin’s Auklet

P

arlay your passion for birds into

a dream trip to Peru, Australia,

or Honduras, or win professional

photo gear, in Audubon’s rst pho-

tography awards. Each participant

can submit up to 10 bird images.

That’s 10 chances to win!

Your winning entry will appear

in the January-February issue of

Audubon and in Nature’s Best

Photography. Here’s your chance

to see your images soar to the top. Ente r now!

call for entries!

John Huba /Audubon

Audubon Magazine photography awards - Birds in FocusIn association with Nature’s Best Photography. Enter Now!

Sponsored by Nikon

Enter: May 15 to July 15, 2009

Categories: Professional, Amateur, Youth (ages 13-17)

Details: www.audubonmagazinephotoawards.org



http://www.seabirdsurvey.org/








Wed July 1, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Wed July 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p

“Explore the Backyard.” Young explorers will nd this small

nature park in University Place just the right size for outdoordiscovery and play. Kids play and explore while learningabout the diversity of nature in their own backyards. $30 non-

refundable deposit required to reserve a roster spot. Full paymentdue six days prior to ca.m.p start date. Audubon Center Staff.

Adriana Hess Audubon Center Fee: $90.00 Call the TacomaNature Center to register. 591-6439.

Fri July 3, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. TGIF Conservation with

Conversation atAdriana Hess Wetland Park.

Mon July 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers

Ca.m.p: Big, Small, Long, Tall. Age 4 - 6 At this small park

in University Place the wildlife comes in all shapes and sizes!Stories, songs, crafts and ga.m.es bring children closer to

nature as they share a sense of wonder with new friends. $30non-refundable deposit required to reserve a roster spot. Full

payment due six days prior to ca.m.p start date. Audubon Center

Staff Adriana Hess Audubon Center Fee: $90.00 Call the natureCenter to Register 591-6439.

Mon July 6, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Adriana Hess Park

Photography class. An adult progra.m. encouraging people

to appreciate nature and how they can incorporate it into theirphotography. Call Dixie Harris for details 564-6373.

Tue July 7, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Big, Small, Long, Tall. See above.


Nisqually.

Wed July 8, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:


Thu July 9, 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m. TAS Board Meeting.Location: Adriana Hess Audubon Center. Monthly Meeting of

the Tahoma Audubon Board. Guest Welcome, please call aheadat (253) 565-9278.

Fri July 10, 2009 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. TGIF Conservation

with Conversation atAdriana Hess Wetland Park.

Fri July 10, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting. Location: Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S. Tylor Street. Monthly

membership meeting of Tahoma Audubon. All welcome. Checkweb site for progra.m. - www.TahomaAudubon.org. Call (253)

565-9278

Mon July 13, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bird Walk at Adriana

Hess Wetland Park

Mon July 13, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little explorers Ca.m.p:

Explore shores! Seas, lakes, ponds and puddles - they all

have shores! Discover the cool critters that eat and live in the

water nearby. Arts, crafts, and a boat-load of play are on hand atthis ca.m.p. So let’s dive in! $30 non-refundable deposit required

to reserve a roster spot. Full payment due six days prior to ca.m.pstart date. Audubon Center Staff Adriana Hess Audubon Center

Fee: $90.00 Call the Nature Center to register, 591-6439.

Tue July 14, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little explorers Ca.m.p:

Explore shores! See above.

Tue July 14, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Conservation Committee.


Nisqually.

Wed July 15, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little explorers Ca.m.p:

Explore shores! See above.



Fri July 17, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Nature Storytime

“There’s a Seal on the beach!” Join us as we explore the parkat the Adriana Hess Audubon Center in University Place with

nature stories based on the current theme. Adults are welcomewith the children. This is a wonderful grandparent/grandchild

activity! Space is limited to the rst 20 registered guests, so call

early to sign up. Adriana Hess Audubon Center Fee: Adults and

UP Residents Free; Youth Ages 2-17 $7; Audubon Members $3Call the Nature Center to register and ensure your space in the

progra.m.. 594-6439

Mon July 20, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Dipping, Diving, Skipping, Sliding. Ages 4-6 Find out how

wild it can be in your own neighborhood by rst exploring the

pond and trails at Adriana Hess Audubon Center. Take a skip,

a swoop, and a dip as you discover how animals move andget around through hikes, ga.m.es, crafts and stories. $30 non-

refundable deposit required to reserve a roster spot. Full paymentdue six days prior to ca.m.p start date. Audubon Center Staff

Adriana Hess Audubon Center Fee: $90.00 Call the TacomaNature Center to register, 591-6439

Mon July 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plant Walk at AdrianaHess Wetland Park

Tue July 21, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Dipping, Diving, Skipping, Sliding. See above.


Nisqually.

Wed July 22, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Dipping, Diving, Skipping, Sliding. See above.



Sun July 26, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fa.m.ily Walk at Adriana

Hess Park. A fa.m.ily progra.m. to encourage fa.m.ilies to

appreciate the park by providing information and opportunitieswith a guided walking tour. Call Dixie Harris for details 564-

6373

Mon July 27, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p

“Explore the Backyard.” Young explorers will nd this small

nature park in University Place just the right size for outdoordiscovery and play. Kids play and explore while learning

about the diversity of nature in their own backyards. $30 non-refundable deposit required to reserve a roster spot. Full payment

due six days prior to ca.m.p start date. Audubon Center Staff.Adriana Hess Audubon Center Fee: $90.00 Call the Tacoma

Nature Center to register. 591-6439

Tue July 28, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p

“Explore the Backyard.” See above.

Wed July 29, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Wed July 28, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p“Explore the Backyard.” See above.



Mon Aug 3, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Big, Small, Long, Tall.At this small park in University Place thewildlife comes in all shapes and sizes! Stories, songs, crafts and

ga.m.es bring children closer to nature as they share a sense of wonder with new friends. $30 non-refundable deposit required

to reserve a roster spot. Full payment due six days prior to ca.m.pstart date. Audubon Center Staff. Adriana Hess Audubon Center.

Fee: $90.00 Call the Nature Center to register, 591-6439

Mon Aug 3, 12:00 p.m to 3:00 p.m. Adriana Hess ParkPhotography. An adult progra.m. encouraging people to

appreciate nature and how they can incorporate it into theirphotography. Call Dixie Harris for details 564-6373.

Tue Aug 4, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:


Wed Aug 5, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Wed Aug 5, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:


Fri Aug 7, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. TGIF Conservation with


Mon Aug, 10 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers: Explore

Shores! Age 4 - 6. Seas, lakes, ponds and puddles - they all have

shores! Discover the cool critters that eat and live in the waternearby. Arts, crafts, and a boat-load of play are on hand at this

ca.m.p. So let’s dive in! $30 non-refundable deposit required toreserve a roster spot. Full payment due six days prior to ca.m.p

start date. Audubon Center Staff Adriana Hess Audubon CenterFee: $90.00 call the Nature Center to register, 591-6439

Tue Aug 11, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers: Explore

Shores! See above.

Tue Aug 11, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Conservation Committee. Adriana Hess Wetland Park, 2917 Morrison Road W, University

Place, WA 98466.

Wed Aug 12, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Wed Aug 12, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers: Explore

Shores! See above.

Thu Aug 13, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. TAS Board Meeting. Adriana Hess Audubon Center. Monthly Meeting of the Tahoma

Audubon Board. Guests Welcome, please call ahead at (253)565-9278.



Fri Aug 14, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting atTacoma Nature Center, 1919 S. Tylor Street Monthly membership

meeting of Tahoma Audubon. All welcome. Check web site for

progra.m. - www.TahomaAudubon.org. Call (253) 565-9278

Mon Aug 17, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Skipping, sliding, dipping, diving. Find out how wild it can bein your own neighborhood by rst exploring the pond and trails

at Adriana Hess Audubon Center. Take a skip, a swoop, and adip as you discover how animals move and get around through

hikes, ga.m.es, crafts and stories. $30 non-refundable depositrequired to reserve a roster spot. Full payment due six days prior

to ca.m.p start date. Audubon Center Staff. Fee: $90.00. Call theTacoma nature Center to register, 591-6439

Tue Aug 18, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:

Skipping, sliding, dipping, diving. See above.

Wed Aug 19, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Wed Aug 19, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Little Explorers Ca.m.p:Skipping, sliding, dipping, diving. See above.



Sun Aug 23, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fa.m.ily Walk at Adriana

Hess Park. A fa.m.ily progra.m. to encourage fa.m.ilies toappreciate the park by providing information and opportunities

with a guided walking tour. Call Dixie Harris for details 564-6373

Wed Aug 26, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.



Wed Sept 2, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Fri Sept 4, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. TGIF Conservation with


Mon Sept 7, 12:00 p.m to 3:00 p.m. Adriana Hess Park

Photography class. An adult progra.m. encouraging people

to appreciate nature and how they can incorporate it into theirphotography. Call Dixie Harris for details 564-6373.

Tue Sept 8, 2009 from 4:00 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Conservation

Committee. Adriana Hess Wetland Park, 2917 Morrison RoadW, University Place, WA 98466

Wed Sept 9, 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Weekly Bird Walks at

Nisqually.

Thur Sept 10, 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m. TAS Board Meeting atAdriana Hess Audubon Center. Monthly Meeting of the Tahoma

Audubon Board. Guests Welcome, please call ahead at (253)565-9278.

Fri Sept 11, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. TGIF Conservation with


Fri Sept 11, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting at Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S. Tylor Street. Monthly

membership meeting of Tahoma Audubon. All welcome.Check web site for progra.m. - www.TahomaAudubon.org. Call

(253) 565-9278

For additional information:Tahoma Audubon - 253-565-9278; or www.tahomaaudubon.org Or The Tacoma Nature Center:253-591-6439 or www.metroparkstacoma.org

Calendartas prograMsjuly 2009

august 2009

septeMber 2009

Fri July 10, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting. Location: Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S. Tylor St.

Fri Aug 14, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting

Fri Sept 11, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Membership Meeting

Check web site for programs -www.TahomaAudubon.org. Call (253) 565-9278

http://www.tahomaaudubon.org/











07-2009 towhee newsletter tahoma audubon society

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