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The Hooter January 2018
All Audubon meetings, held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Hal Holmes Center next to the Li-
brary, September through May (except December), are open to the public. Please come and meet with us.
A brief business session precedes the program. Stay afterwards for juice, treats, and conversation.
Many thanks to the Ellensburg Public Library for sponsoring our meetings here!
Forest Health! This is your backyard! Come and learn how the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) is work-ing to protect, restore, and manage our forestlands for now and for the generations to come.
We have all spent an hour, a day or a weekend driving around or hanging out in the mountains that surround our county. Wheth-er cruising on your ATV, hiking, biking, birding or just getting away we all love and enjoy the many opportunities that our for-ests provide for us.
Throughout the years there have been major changes to most of the forestlands in our area; disease, fire, and logging are just a few. We tend to think of these things in a negative way because they change the forests we have grown up with.
Why are our forests changing, how will they continue to change, and what is being done to manage these changes? These are only a few of the many questions that we often ask. The simple answer always seems to be related to “forest health” but what does that mean? Please join us on January 18th to learn about forest health and what it means to you and the forestlands of this beautiful valley that we all call home.
This month’s presenter Rod Pfeifle will ex-plain how “forest health” fits into WDFW’s management strategies. He will outline lo-cal forest projects such as the Hutchins/Taneum Forest Restoration, Robinson Can-yon Forest Restoration, and upcoming res-toration projects planned for the Stemilt and Klickitat Wildlife Areas.
Rod Pfeifle is a WDFW statewide forester, based out of Ellensburg. Rod has over 25 years of experience as a forester and has worked his entire career managing forests in Washington. He graduated from Washington State University with a de-gree in forest management, emphasizing wildlife. When not working, Rod can be found hunting, fish-ing, camping or just being in the great outdoors!
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Membership Meeting - Thursday, January 18th, 2018 “Forest Health” presented by Rod Pfeifle, WDFW
7:00 PM at Hal Holmes Center next to the library ~ 209 Ruby Street
Kittitas Audubon
Page 2 The Hooter
Board Notes by Gloria Baldi
~ from December 7th meeting Bird reports included:
Several reports of Anna’s Hummingbirds in the county.
A Hairy Woodpecker and Northern Pygmy Owl were seen in
the Colockum Canyon Area.
It is an irruption year for Pine Siskins; many reports have
been given.
Both the Minutes and Treasurer’s Reports were approved.
Field Trips: Check out this Hooter for possible trips in January, in addition to First Saturday BirdWalk. If this turns out to be a Snowy Owl year along the Washington Coast, a trip will be considered.
Membership: Two new memberships arrived, one a life member.
Programs: Rose Piccinini has agreed to become Program-Chair……….and the Board is very grateful. She will take charge beginning in January. Thank-you cards for speakers were discussed.
Education: Steve Hall, long-time member of KAS and retired teach-er, has agreed to become the Education Chair………which gives the Board its second grateful gift this month!
Conservation: After some discussion, the Board voted to sign on to a letter with several other organizations asking the Governor to host a meeting in the Seattle area regarding the Enchantment Lakes Wilder-ness Project being pursued by the Chelan County and the Icicle-Peshastin Irrigation District. Seattle area residents who hike the Al-pine Lakes will then be able to attend and voice their opinions. The Board’s reasoning was this is a test of the integrity of the wilderness concept, necessary for the habitat protection for birds. (To read the full scope of this proposal, go to: https://iciclenetwork.com/ )
Judy Hallisey and Jim Briggs prepared a thank-you letter to Repre-sentative Dave Reichert for opposing the drilling in the Arctic Na-tional Wildlife Refuge being added to the Tax Bill. (Unfortunately, at this time we know it was included in the final bill, which he did vote for.)
Publicity: Meghan Anderson is preparing displays for Home Shows and additional KAS displays. A Christmas card was sent to the Dai-ly Record thanking them for publishing our releases.
(Continued on page 3)
Send in your stories & photos!
The Hooter is the
newsletter of Kit-
titas Audubon,
published monthly
except for July.
~~~~~~~
Submissions from readers are most welcome and encouraged!
The editor reserves the right to edit for
space, grammar, and/or suitability.
Email text and/or photos to bob-
cat@kvalley.com or snail mail to Jan
Demorest, Hooter Editor, 712 E 2nd
Ave, Ellensburg, WA 98926. Sub-
missions need to be in by the
20th of the preceding month.
The mission of Kittitas Audubon is to develop an appreciation of nature through education
and conservation, with a focus on birds.
KAS BOARD MEMBERS President – Judy Hallisey 270-792-9188
Vice President – Barb Masberg 509-406-3104
Secretary – Jim Briggs 933-2231
Treasurer – Sharon Lumsden 968-3889
Conservation – Norm Peck 933-4233
Education – Steve Hall 925-4877
Field Trips – Steve Moore 933-1179
Historian – Gloria Lindstrom 925-1807
Membership – Kris Kaylor 509-304-4103
Programs – Rose Piccinini 509-631-0591 Publicity – Meghan Anderson 253-987-7629
Scholarship – Gloria Baldi 933-1558
Climate Change–Barry Brunson: 270-792-9186
Past President – Tom Gauron 968-3175
*Newsletter – Jan Demorest 933-1179
*Bluebird boxes – Jan Demorest 933-1179
*Social Greeter – Kay Forsythe 925-2356
*Christmas Bird Count–Phil Mattocks
*non-voting members
KAS Board Meetings are held at 4:30
PM ~ 1st Thursday of each month at
the Methodist Church across from
The Ellensburg Public Library. These
meetings are open to the public and
all Audubon members; please come
and join in the discussions. Meetings
adjourn by 6:00 or 6:30, then we all go
out for a sociable dinner ~ NO busi-
ness discussion allowed!
Field Trip Reports Page 3 The Hooter
December 2 ~ Saturday Birdwalk, Rinehart
Park ~ Walkers strolled through the park on a
foggy day without a lot of bird actvity. We did
sneak quietly to the park ponds to catch a pair of
American Wigeon and our usual kingfisher chat-
tering his way around the water. Most interest
was in the woods where Downy Woodpeckers,
Bewick’s Wrens and chickadees were active, a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet was gleaning along willow
branches, and a Brown Creeper was grazing on a
trunk near the parking lot bridge. 16 species.
Our group was seven birders including a couple
from Olympia.
~ Steve Moore
Climate Change:
Several members attended the “Water, Wind and Fire’ presentation about the effort to promote a carbon tax.
Letters to the editor included one by Judy Hallisey respond-ing to an earlier LTE criticizing Audubon for supposedly ignoring methane and concentrating only on carbon dioxide, and two by Meghan Anderson regarding solar power and carbon tax.
Barry Brunson, Judy Hallisey and other members plan to (and did) attend the EFSEC meeting regarding the placement of Solar Farms. Some spoke.
New business: Rose Piccinini mentioned the possibility of working with Knudsen Lumber regarding their Christmas Bird Box Building project. With a correct size hole, House Sparrows may be discouraged from nesting.
Join us on January 4th for the first Board meeting of 2018! With a full board of chairpersons, the New Year for Kittitas Audubon promises to be a fruitful one. There are many volun-teer opportunities, both short-term and longer; we will find a place for you!
(Continued from page 2) Board Notes
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are notoriously diffi-
cult to see, even more difficult to capture a
photo. They flit high up in tree branches or, in
winter, sometimes in lower shrubs. Constantly
on the move, they flick their wings, foraging
for small insects on the branches and twigs.
“At all seasons, diet is primarily small insects,
the birds concentrating on whatever is most
readily available; includes many small bee-
tles, flies, leafhoppers, true bugs, caterpillars,
and many others. Also eats spiders and pseu-
doscorpions; diet includes eggs of insects and
spiders. In winter, also eats some berries and
seeds. Sometimes takes oozing sap or visits
flowers, possibly for nectar.” - from Audubon
Guide to North American Birds website
It looks like just a LGB (Little Grey Bird), but
you’ll notice, in those brief glimpses, the wide,
white eye-ring (“Wall-eyed”), and the nice
black & white wing bars. The male kinglet
saves his best for defending territory or court-
ing a female - he raises a bright flame-red
crest of feathers on the top of his head, that
are usually covered by grey feathers. (you’ll
need to check this out on the website to get
the amazing color!)
They are short-distance migrants. Ruby-
crowned Kinglets breed across far northern
North America as well as the western moun-
tains. Most migrate to the southern and
southwestern United States and Mexico for
the winter—but some mountain populations in
the West simply move to lower elevations
during the cold months.
(Also information from Cornell Lab)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned
Kinglet
wearing his
flaming
crown!
Web photos
HOW TO COOK A FLAMINGO
From The Roman Cookery Book by Apicius (M. Gabius Apicius, lived under Augustus
and Tiberius, 30 B.C. to A.D. 40)
(One must assume that a suitable flamingo has been procured and dispatched)
VI
[231] FOR FLAMINGO [and Parrot] IN PHŒNICOPTERO
SCALD [1] THE FLAMINGO, WASH AND DRESS IT, PUT
IT IN A POT, ADD WATER, SALT, DILL, AND A LITTLE
VINEGAR, TO BE PARBOILED. FINISH COOKING WITH
A BUNCH OF LEEKS AND CORIANDER, AND ADD SOME
REDUCED MUST TO GIVE IT COLOR. IN THE MORTAR
CRUSH PEPPER, CUMIN, CORIANDER, LASER ROOT,
MINT, RUE, MOISTEN WITH VINEGAR, ADD DATES,
AND THE FOND OF THE BRAISED BIRD, THICKEN,
[strain] COVER THE BIRD WITH THE SAUCE AND
SERVE. PARROT IS PREPARED IN THE SAME MAN-
NER.
[1] Prior to removing the feathers; also singe the fine feathers
and hair.
[232] ANOTHER WAY ALITER
ROAST THE BIRD. CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, CEL-
ERY SEED, SESAM [1] PARSLEY, MINT, SHALLOTS,
DATES, HONEY, WINE, BROTH, VINEGAR, OIL, RE-
DUCED MUST TO TASTE.
[1] Tor. sesamum, defrutum; G.-V. s. frictum.
[2] "Flamingo" Vintage Illustration Postcard
The word “must” appears twice in the text. It refers to “new wine”, which we assume to be “young” wine.
The word “laser root” seems to refer to a decoction of the root of an herb, used for flavoring and medicinal pur-
poses.
Thanks to Gloria & Jeb Baldi for this contribution. When’s the feast???
Page 4 Hooter Culinary Arts
Illustration taken from " Birds of the British Isles",
drawn and described by John Duncan with an introduc-
tion by Charles Dixon. The book was published by Wal-
ter Scott Limited of London and Newcastle in 1898.
News Page 5 The Hooter
Northern Flickers A question came up at last week's meeting about what Northern Flickers might eat at feeders, etc. I think Gloria L. had one she thought might be eating sunflow-er seeds. Well, today I witnessed a flicker downing a "berry" from my flowering crabapple tree. These berries are probably one of my most attractive feeds to many birds, including Cedar Waxwings, Robins, Var-ied Thrushes, Townsend Solitaires, Stellar's Jays, Wild Turkeys, and now a Northern Flicker!
Dec. 11, 2017 ~ from Sharon Lumsden
I have them on my suet feeders and they clean up the apple scraps from the ground where Kurt feeds the deer.
Dec. 12, 2017 ~ Cricket Webb, Upper County
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Northern Flicker
Northern Flickers eat mainly insects, especially ants
and beetles that they gather from the ground. They
also eat fruits and seeds, especially in winter. Flick-
ers often go after ants underground (where the nutri-
tious larvae live), hammering at the soil the way oth-
er woodpeckers drill into wood. They’ve been seen
breaking into cow patties to eat insects living within.
Their tongues can dart out 2 inches beyond the end
of the bill to snare prey. Other invertebrates eaten
include flies, butterflies, moths, and snails. Flickers also eat
berries and seeds, especially in winter, including poison oak
and ivy, dogwood, sumac, wild cherry and grape, bayberries,
hackberries, and elderberries, and sunflower and thistle seeds.
Northern Flickers don’t act like typical woodpeckers. They
mainly forage on the ground, sometimes among sparrows
and blackbirds. When flushed, flickers often perch erect on
thin horizontal branches rather than hitching up or around
a tree trunk. Flickers do fly like most woodpeckers do, ris-
ing and falling smoothly as they intersperse periods of
flapping with gliding. Early in spring and summer, rivals
may face off in a display sometimes called a “fencing du-
el,” while a prospective mate looks on. Two birds face
each other on a branch, bills pointed upward, and bob
their heads in time while drawing a loop or figure-eight
pattern in the air, often giving rhythmic wicka calls at the
same time.
~ From Cornell Lab of Ornithology website:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/
lifehistory
Membership Thanks!!!
Donna & Jim Read
~ new family
membership
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jud & Muriel Weaver ~ renewal at Hawk Level + generous
donations to Field Trips,
Scholarships, and General Fund
Northern Flicker female
Gloria Lindstrom photo
Northern Flicker male
Notice the bright red malar brushstroke on the male; the female lacks this flashy adornment, for better cam-ouflage during nesting season.
Page 6 Hooter Climate Change News
Corrections
It looks like I’m still getting used to this new thing called the Internet. In the Dec Hooter, I included some URLs that look right on the page, but clicking on them and/or copying and pasting them, reveal some unfortunate hidden characters, and don’t take us to the right webpages. In order to minimize such glitches in the future, I’ll start (i) consistently resorting to brevity, and (ii) putting links on a separate line.
The URL in “Three cheers for Eunice Foote” looks correct, but won’t work. Try this one:
https://tinyurl.com/ycuqfebr
The URL in “Three cheers for Katherine Kayhoe” looks correct, but won’t work. Try this one:
https://tinyurl.com/ybh2lwso
The URL in “Three cheers for Ben Santer” actually works if you copy and paste it into a
browser, but doesn’t work for me when clicked. Try this one:
https://tinyurl.com/y7ryj629
Oddly, the URL in the “Climate Change Q&A” section works when I click on it, but not when I copy and
paste! Try this one:
https://tinyurl.com/y88z4sne
Jet stream
The jet stream plays a major role in bird migration. More extreme weather events* of all kinds—
including blizzards and floods—are among the multitude of consequences of climate change we can
expect. An explanation of how this happens has to do with weakening of the jet stream. For a non-wonkish ac-count, go to the 28 Mar 2017 weather.com article at:
https://tinyurl.com/yamqjhds
(That article includes a link to a distinctly wonkish peer-reviewed article.) For more on why a weakening jet stream could lead to more extreme weather events, see the earlier (2013) article:
https://tinyurl.com/y6we9h2n
Along related lines, see the 6 Dec 2017 Washington Post article that links the raging California fires with frigid northeast weather, and the jet stream:
https://tinyurl.com/ycnjp25h
_____________
* Grammar purists would be justified in asking whether that refers to (i) weather events that are more
extreme, or (ii) more of the things we call “extreme weather events”. The answer is, most definitely, both: more
extreme, and more of them!
Barry Brunson, Climate Change Committee Chair
Membership Form ~ Kittitas Audubon Society
Please make checks payable to: Kittitas Audubon Society, P.O. Box 1443, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Name __________________________________________Phone___________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________
City___________________________________________State________Zip___________________
Email Address____________________________________________________________________
Is this a renewal or a new membership? New_____ Renewal______
Would you like to receive occasional emails related to Audubon issues? Yes ___ No___
Join with any of these Annual Membership Options: (check your option below)
Kittitas Audubon Society Individual Membership $20 ____ Family Membership $30 ____
Premium Memberships: Bluebird $50 ____ Kestrel $75 ____ Hawk $100 ____
Lifetime Individual Membership: $300 ____ Lifetime Family Membership $500 ____
Business Membership $200 ____ Business Lifetime Membership $1000 ____
Make a Charitable Donation: What interests you? We want to know!
Please enter dollar amount donation below:
Scholarship Fund $______________ Nest Boxes $_____________
Bird Surveys $_______________ General Interest $______________
Community Education $_______________ Special Committees $______________
May we list your name in The Hooter to acknowledge your membership/donation? Yes ___ No___
Your generous donation to a specific project is symbolic. Kittitas Audubon is a chapter of National Audubon Society serving the communities of Kittitas County, Washington. Go to kittitasaudubon.org for more information. KAS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
Give the Gift of Kittitas Audubon for a year! This gift membership is for:
Name ________________________________________Phone_____________________
Address_____________________________________________________________
City _________________________________State________Zip________________
Email Address________________________________________________________
You may join National Audubon Society separately by visiting their website at: http://www.audubon.org
YES: I want to 'Go Green' by receiving The Hooter Newsletter online version only
Choosing the online newsletter option saves KAS $15 Annually in printing/mailing costs!
Go Green and enjoy the online version in Color!
KAS Calendar for January 2018
January 6th, Saturday ~ First Saturday BirdWalk, Irene Rinehart Park. January’s walk is preced-ed by a hearty warm-up: gather first at Irene Rinehart parking lot at 8 AM, then head for breakfast at the Bar 14 Restaurant, finally re-assemble afterward at 9 am back at Irene Rine-hart parking lot for a 2½-hour walk. Winter won-derland specialties to look for are ducks on the ponds and river, Brown Creeper, Dippers and ea-gles. Frosty foliage and riverside ice are frequent photogenic sidelights. Dress for conditions. Warm layers! Leaders Steve & Jan, 933-1179.
18th, Thursday evening 7:00 PM ~ Program Please join us for a brief business meeting fol-lowed by an expert presentation on “Forest Health” in our area. See Page 1 for details. We hope you join us—cookies, juice, and pickles af-terwards!
There could be longer field trip in mid-January - A notice will be sent out to all who get the eHooter or who have signed up for Audubon emails—stay tuned! Check website!
Kittitas Audubon
P.O. Box 1443
Ellensburg WA
98926
The Hooter ~ January 2018 The Newsletter of Kittitas Audubon - http://www.kittitasaudubon.org
THANK YOU…..TO KITTITAS COUNTY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING KAS! Inland Internet, Roslyn ~ donates Internet service for our Website: http://www.kittitasaudubon.org
Old Mill Country Store, Ellensburg ~ Provides a discount on bird seed to KAS members.
Get your bird seed here!
GET “THE HOOTER”
ONLINE
Save paper, printing, postage.
If you would prefer to receive
the electronic version, send
your name, mailing address, &
email address to:
kittitasaudubon@hotmail.com
At the beginning of each month, we’ll send
you an email with a quick link to the new
Hooter.
Forest Health
Photo by Rose Piccinini
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