elow the equator and halfway around the worldlies the island of Madagascar, off the easterncoast of Africa. It’s a big island, as islands go—

about twice the size of Arizona—and has some of thehighest biodiversity on the planet. Of approximately200,000 species found on Madagascar, 150,000 arefound nowhere else on earth! Madagascar has wide ge-ographic variety, including coastline, forests, andmountains; and an accompanying wide variety ofwildlife, from lemurs to periwinkles to octopus trees.

Join Rainier Audubon at our last program of the sea-son as we welcome Sally Vogel, a naturalist, photogra-pher, and retired teacher, who will be presenting aslide-show and program on this beautiful island. Sallyruns a small adventure travel company specializing intours to less-developed countries. Recently, Sally and agroup of friends traveled Madagascar from south tonorth, visiting many of its varied habitats. Her programfeatures pictures and narrative on the people, wildlife,and landscape of this amazing island.

The Heron Herald 1

Vol 25 No.5

May 2006

R a i n i e r A u d u b o n S o c i e t y • M a y 2 0 0 6

May is Birdathon MonthMAY

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

RAINIER AUDUBON SOCIETY

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2006

7:00 PM (DOORS OPEN AT 6:30)

FEDERAL WAY SENIOR CENTERSEE PAGE 2 FOR DIRECTIONS

NOTE:THIS WILL BE OUR LAST MEMBERSHIP

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR.PROGRAMS WILL RESUME IN SEPTEMBER.

Field Trips on Page 4!

BEveryone Welcome at our May Program

Wednesday May 17th, 7:00 PM

What a beautiful time spring is in the Pacific Northwest! After a long, wetwinter, it reminds us all of why we live here. As you make plans to get outsideand do some birding, consider participating in the biggest fund-raiser of theyear with your favorite organization! Line up one or more sponsors who willcontribute a certain amount for every bird you see, or donate a lump sum inyour name. If you wish, you can sit at home and watch your feeder. Anythinggoes! One hundred percent of the money raised through Birdathon will be usedto support our educational, backyard habitat, and birding programs. For moreinformation, contact Ross at rarailfan@aol.com or Nancy at autumn207@com-cast.net. Or come to our May membership program (Wednesday, May 17th at7:00 PM) and pick up a sign-up sheet. We are grateful to everyone who partici-pates as a birder, a sponsor, or a donor. Thank you all.

CLOCKWISE FROM

BOTTOM LEFT:

PARADISE FLY-

CATCHER ©RHETT

BUTLER, SURAKA SILK-

MOTH, BLACK

PHOEBE LEMUR, AND

PANTHER CAMELEON

©KARL LEHMANN

COURTESY OF WILD-

MADAGASCAR.ORG

The Incredible Island of Madagascar

Rainier Audubon Society is theWashington State

South King County Chapterof the National Audubon Society.

The Heron Herald is published by RainierAudubon Society 9 times a year.

Final deadline for material submission is the18th of the month preceding publication.

Informative articles may be reproduced withcredit given to the author and Rainier Audubon

Society. However, all creative content is subject tocopyright (as indicated on appropriate pages) andmay not be reproduced without permission fromthe author. Please also send in any photos or art-

work you would like considered for inclusion.

E-mail material to:autumn207@comcast.netcc: hhartist@earthlink.net

Editor: Nancy HertzelLayout Artist: Rebecca Westby

Calendar

May 2006 The Heron Herald2

THURSDAY MORNINGSBird Walks at NisquallySee page 4 for details

MONTH OF MAYBirdathon - Our Biggest Fundraiserof the YearSee page 1 for details.

MAY 13, SATURDAYTukwila Backyard Wildlife FestivalSee page 3 for details

MAY 18-21,THURSDAY THROUGHSUNDAYLeavenworth Spring Bird Festival See page 3 for details

MAY 20, SATURDAYRAS Field Trip: Snoqualmie Pass toVantageSee page 4 for details

MAY 20, SATURDAYAbundant Gardening EventSee page 3 for details.

MAY 26-29, FRIDAY THROUGHMONDAYAnnual Audubon Campout atWenas CreekSee page 5 for details.

JUNE 10, SATURDAYRAS Field Trip: Summer BirdsSee page 4 for details.

http://www.rainieraudubon.org/

BY CYRILLA COOKPEOPLE FOR PUGET SOUND

“This measure would require compensa-tion when government regulation damagesthe use or value of private property, wouldforbid regulations that prohibit existinglegal uses of private property, and wouldprovide exceptions or payments.”

y now, you have probably heardabout the developer's initiative(I-933) filed by the Washington

Farm Bureau on February 8, 2006. I-933 would require that local govern-ments and the state either pay propertyowners if land protections affect theirproperty values, or waive the protec-tion. This initiative, if passed, wouldactually benefit developers and specialinterests. It would gut protections foreverything from salmon habitat protec-tion to open space to preserving her-itage trees to enforcing building sizeand height restrictions.

Initiative I-933 is bad news to our ef-forts to save Puget Sound shorelines,improve water quality, and recoversalmon, orcas, and seabirds. Theseprotections need to stay in place if weare to save Puget Sound before it is toolate. The initiative would:

Make it virtually impossible for thestate, cities, and counties to enforcegrowth management plans, zoningcodes, critical areas ordinances, waterquality programs, and other shorelineprotections that currently protect PugetSound from irresponsible development;

Force government to approve devel-opment that is incompatible with singlefamily neighborhoods and farms andbeyond road and transit system capaci-ties, because governments do not havethe funds to compensate property own-ers;

Allow practically any land use tooccur on any piece of land at any time,regardless of impacts to neighbors,

I-933: Remember These Numbers

farms, schools, and the community;

Pit neighbor against neighbor inland use battles, and would create anatmosphere of uncertainty for respon-sible property owners and developerstrying to do the right thing.

The initiative is similar to Measure37, adopted in Oregon in 2004, whichrequired local governments to eitherwaive local protections and zoningcodes that may affect the value ofland, or pay compensation to privateproperty owners. Local governmentsin Oregon, for the most part, havebeen forced to issue permits thatallow environmental degradation andare incompatible with adjacent landuses and the neighborhood, ratherthan compensate landowners. Thereis no requirement to notify adjacentlandowners or the public of the pro-posed development. Rural landownerswho initially supported the initiativenow have regrets. They had no re-course as their neighbors filed multi-million dollar claims to build casinoresorts on farmland.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION.

Our advice: Don’t sign a petition.

Directions to the Federal WaySenior Center

• From Hwy 18 take theWEYERHAEUSER WAY exit.

• Turn south, cross over Hwy 18.• Take an immediate left turn at S.

344th Way, into a highrise business park.

• Follow S. 344th to MILITARY RD.Turn right (south) on Military Rd.

• Turn right on to S. 352nd St.• The Federal Way Senior Center will

be on your right at 4016 S. 352nd Street, Auburn 98001.

B

6th Annual Tukwila Backyard Wildlife FestivalSATURDAY, MAY 13, 2006 —10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM

TUKWILA COMMUNITY CENTER — 12424 - 42ND AVE., TUKWILA, (206) 768-2822

The Tukwila Backyard Wildlife Festival is a free, all-dayevent with the goal of encouraging and inspiring people to wel-come wildlife into their backyards, gardens, and communities.The event will host a variety of activities and educational oppor-tunities on how to attract and support wildlife through gardeningand landscaping practices, and creating and preserving wildlifehabitat in our region.

Activities include:

11:15 AM — BIRDWALK THROUGH THE PARK AND DOWN TO THE RIVER— led by Carol Schulz.

3:00 PM — WILDLIFE GARDEN TOUR — a tour of several certified wildlifehabitat gardens in the Tukwila area.

NATIVE PLANT SALES — Talk to the experts about what plants will thrive onyour property, ask about drought-tolerant plants, and have your questionsanswered while you purchase the plants that will make your property awildlife-friendly paradise.

ARTS AND CRAFTS BOOTHS —Browse gardening and nature-re-lated product booths includingplant sales, gain great gift ideasfrom the many vendors displayingtheir wares including artisans from"Best of the Northwest Arts &Crafts Show.”

Rainier Audubon will have a table atthis fair. Please stop by and see us!

The Heron Herald May 20063

Volunteer withRainier Audubon

“Abundant Gardening” EventSATURDAY, MAY 20, 20069:00 AM TO 12:00 NOON

GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH1320 AUBURN WAY SO, AUBURN

(253) 833-5660

A spring gardening event you won’t wantto miss! Displays include bonsai, roses,local nurseries, Rainier Audubon, and more!Debra Prinzing, a Seattle-based garden anddesign writer, and author of The Abundant Garden, will be the featured speaker.She is the Northwest Style columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer andGarden Editor for Seattle Homes & Lifestyles magazine. Tickets are $5.00 andare available from the church.

Membership ChairNeeded: Someone to keep our mem-

bership database current. Excel orother spreadsheet experience helpful.Please contact Merlin atmwiese7783@aol.com.

LibrarianOur Librarian would come to the

monthly membership meetings a littleearly, and set out our library booksfor people to browse or check out. Atthe end of the evening, our Librarianwould pack up the books again.That’s it! Let us know if you can help.Email Bernedine at philandberne-dine2002@yahoo.com or Nancy atautumn207@comcast.net.

Hospitality/GreeterThis position involves coming to our

monthly membership meetings abouta half-hour early and remaining nearthe door to greet guests, have themsign in, and put their names in a boxfor a door prize. At the end of theevening, this person takes charge ofthe door prize drawing. EmailBernedine at philandberne-dine2002@yahoo.com or Nancy atautumn207@comcast.net if you canhelp.

Local Activities & Events

Spring Walks in the Woods

Federal WayWest Hylebos State Park Path: Wooden boardwalk

Renton

Shadow Lake BogPath: Wooden boardwalk

Auburn

Green River Community CollegePath: Dirt and wood chips

Maple Valley

Lake Wilderness ArboretumPath: Dirt, wood chips, and gravel

Kent

Green River Natural Resource AreaPath: Sidewalk

4 May 2006The Heron Herald

Field Trips By Carol Schulz

Tukwila Backyard WildlifeFestival

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PMBIRD-WALK AT 11:15 AM

Four days of field trips and other activi-ties are offered at this superb spring fes-tival. Last year, trips included boat trips,owling trips, and trips to the mountainsand to sage brush country. 157 birdspecies were seen, including Spotted Owl,Blue-winged and Cinnamon teal, NorthernGoshawk, Solitary Sandpiper, Three-Toedand Black-backed woodpeckers, and eightspecies of warbler! Some trips requireadvanced registration. See more informa-tion on page 5.

Leavenworth Bird FestivalTHURSDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 18-21

Join Phil on his weekly bird walk as hecounts the birds at Nisqually NationalWildlife Refuge. On the first Thursday ofthe month, the group walks fairly quicklyaround the full loop, a distance of over fivemiles. Other weeks, the trip is shorter,walking out to MacAllister Creek, back tothe visitor center, then out to the TwinBarns and the Ring Dike Trail, totalingabout four miles.

BRING: Good walking shoes or boots,raingear, water, snacks, and $3 entry feeunless you have a pass. Scopes are welcome.MEET: At the parking lot just past theNisqually NWR visitor center.DIRECTIONS: Take I-5 south fromTacoma and exit to Nisqually NWR at exit114. Take a right at the light.SIGN-UP: Call or email Phil Kelley to con-firm details. Phil Kelley, Lacey, (360) 459-1499, or scrubjay323@aol.com.

Weekly Bird Walks atNisqually

THURSDAYS 8:15 AM TO 12:30 PMLEADER: PHIL KELLEY

Summer BirdsAuburn to Flaming Geyser Park

SATURDAY, JUNE 10,7:30 AM TO EARLY AFTERNOON

LEADER: STEVE JOHNSON

The summer birds will be singing at thisperfect time of year for local birding.Peasley Canyon, Green Valley Road,Academy Drive, and both the primitiveand developed areas of Flaming GeyserState Park will be on our route. We maysee warblers, thrushes, Red-breastedSapsuckers, Red-eyed Vireos, rails, anddippers. This will be a great chance tohear and learn bird song. We may walk upto two miles on trails.

BRING: Lunch, drinks, hiking shoes. Wear"quiet clothes" (not swishy rain gear) sowe can hear the birds. Scopes welcome.MEET: Peasley Canyon P&R at 7:30 AM.Take Hwy. 18 to the bottom of the hill.Exit onto WestValley Rd. P&R is at thebottom of Peasley Canyon just south ofHwy 18.SIGN-UP: Call or email Steve Johnson,(253) 941-9852, orjohnsonsj5@msn.com.

Wenas CampoutWenas Creek in Eastern

WashingtonFRIDAY-MONDAY, MAY 26-29

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

For more information, call or email CarolSchulz, (206) 824-7618, linusq@att.net.

A trip to Wenas, southwest of Ellensburg,is sure to lead to a large bird list includingBluebirds, White-headed Woodpecker,Calliope Hummingbird, warblers, andmore. Some folks like to camp out, andsome just like to visit for a day. Organizedevents include FIELD TRIPS, classes, andcampfire programs, starting Friday evening.Field trips will be led by advanced birdersand naturalists. Many people enjoy hiking,botanizing, and birding on their own. Thishuge bird sanctuary and other habitatsfeature the special birds of the easternWashington forests, lakes, mountains, andvalleys. Bring your own water. Sanicans areprovided.

MEET: At the camp. Road is rough. Drivelast 10 miles slow. For directions to thecamp and more information about theevent, see page 5.

This has been a very popular trip in thepast, at the perfect time of year to seemany migrant birds. On this big EasternWA trip, we will target as many birdspecies as possible at Snoqualmie Pass,Cle Elum, Teanaway, and Vantage. Afterlooking for songbirds at the Pass, we willhead east along the I-90 corridorsearching for warblers, flycatchers, anddippers. In the Cle Elum area, we willseek out migrant songbirds. We willsearch for bluebirds and raptors nearTeanaway, and then stop at the TeanawayRiver bridge to look for swallows, ducks,dippers, and other songbirds. In theafternoon, we'll go down the old highwaytoward Vantage, watching for birds of thesagebrush country. We'll scope theColumbia River and its cliffs before head-ing for home in late afternoon.

This will be an "Accessible Trip" for folkswho can't walk far; our viewing will all bedone near cars and along level roads.Also, we will be visiting at many stopswhere there are restrooms. People doingBirdathon trips are invited, as we hope toget a large trip list! Non-Birdathoners arealso welcome.

MEET: Kent Park & Ride between Jamesand Smith Streets just east of the ValleyFreeway at 5:30 AM.

SIGN-UP: Call (before 8:30 PM) oremail Jim Tooley, (253) 854-3070,actjct@aol.com.

Snoqualmie Pass to VantageAccessible Field Trip

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 5:30 AM TO EVENING

LEADER: JIM TOOLEY

Programs and activities will be presentedby the Zoo and other groups on this2006 Migratory Bird Day. RainierAudubon, Seattle Audubon, other naturegroups, and retail stores will have tableswith displays and information for adultsand children. Rainier will offer a shortbird-walk in the park and along the river.This is a fun, local festival! See moreinformation on page 3.

5 May 2006The Heron Herald

Annual Audubon Camp-OutMAY 26-29 (FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY)

For over 30 years, Audubon familieshave been getting together to camp at theWenas Creek Campground, southwest ofEllensburg, a free, “primitive” campground officially named the Hazel WolfWenas Creek Bird Sanctuary. Wenas offers exceptional opportunities for birding,botanizing, and enjoying spring in the eastern foothills of the Cascades. Thereare organized field trips, natural history workshops, some of the state’s topbirders and naturalists, and campfires in the evening with singing and story-telling.

Wenas is open to all at no charge. There are no reservations for attendance orcampsites, and there is camping room for all. The center of activity is theLarrison Tree along Wenas Creek.

For details and directions, visit the Wenas website atwww.nwlink.com/~cyrus/wenas.html.

International Migratory Bird DayTHE SECOND SATURDAY IN MAY (MAY 13TH THIS YEAR)

International Migratory Bird Day celebrates the incredible journeys of migra-tory birds between their breeding grounds in North America and their winteringgrounds in Mexico, Central, and South America. The event encourages bird con-servation and increases awareness of birds through hikes, bird-watching, infor-mation about birds and migration, public events, and a variety of othereducation programs.

Ways to celebrate:• Take notice of the birds around you

• Point out these birds to someone else

• Create or improve habitat around your yard

• Build and maintain a bird feeder or bird house

• Keep your cat indoors

• Reduce your use of pesticides

• Drink bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee

• Buy a Duck Stamp

• Join or give to wildlife preservation groups

• Volunteer your birding abilities to a bird count or study

• Get involved in community land-use planning

• Lead or attend a bird watching walk

• Write a related article for a local paper

Other Events

Puget Sound Bird Festin Edmonds

MAY 12-13, 2006 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY)

Puget Sound Bird Fest is a celebra-tion of birds and nature onInternational Migratory Bird Day(IMBD). The City of EdmondsEconomic Development and Parks &Recreation Department together areorganizing two days of bird-watchingand related activities in and arounddowntown Edmonds, the EdmondsMarsh, and along the waterfront.

Adults and children will enjoyguided walks, indoor expert lecturesand workshops, and social activities.Rain or shine, there's plenty to learnabout birding, environmentally-friendly landscaping, nature photog-raphy, wildlife artwork, and othertopics. We look forward to seeing youat Puget Sound Bird Fest!http://www.pugetsoundbirdfest.com.

Leavenworth Spring Bird FestMAY 18-21, 2006 (THURSDAY THRU SUNDAY)

The Leavenworth area featuresspectacular habitats, ranging fromsnow-capped mountains to sunnyPonderosa pine forests, attracting awide variety of birds. See CalliopeHummingbirds, White-headedWoodpeckers, Harlequin Ducks,Osprey, Western Tanagers andMacGillivray's Warblers. While bird-ing is the heart of the weekend, activi-ties will also include geology,wildflowers and conservation.Professionally guided trips and activi-ties range from leisurely strolls to ac-tive hikes. Fun for experienced andnovice birders of all ages!

Pre-registration for Bird Fest 2006events will be May 1-May 17. Formore information, visithttp://www.leavenworthspringbird-fest.com.

Spring Birding Festivals

IMBD OFFICIAL POSTER 2006©RADEAUX

6 May 2006The Heron Herald

Seen & Heard By Charlie Wright

It was a great monthto be birding in theKent area. With a cou-ple of very notable sur-prises, and a fewmigrants gradually ar-riving, there wereplenty of birds to keep

our interest. The season approaching isthe most enjoyable time of year to get outand watch birds. Remember to watch forthose Neotropical migrants which visit usall too briefly.

A fairly large flock (15+) of TundraSwans was seen migrating overBonney Lake 3/30 (NW/CW). Up to200 Brant were seen between DashPoint and Des Moines 3/31 (MB). Apair of Cinnamon Teal returned toKent Ponds 4/1 (Twtrs). A Tufted Duckwas seen at Weyerhaeuser Ponds3/20 (GM) A male Redhead was seenat Weyerhaeuser during late March(m.obs). A California Quail was onFrager Road 4/21 (MB). A GreenHeron was spotted at HylebosWetlands 4/18 (AF).

Two Turkey Vultures were overBonney Lake 3/21 (CWr). Another vul-ture flew over Star Lake 4/15, whereuncommon (Twtrs). The first Osprey ofthe year was located at Boeing Ponds3/27 (HJ/m.obs). A male NorthernHarrier was migrating over Bonney

Lake 4/19 (CW), and a female harrierwas at Kent Ponds 4/21, though nonesting behavior was seen (RO/MB).A Golden Eagle wasmigrating over theFoothills Trail 4/6(CWr). About 30Sandhill Cranes wereseen over Issaquah4/2 (Twtrs). The firstLesser Yellowlegs wasseen 4/21 at 204thStreet in Kent. Up to50 Least Sandpiperswere present atSmith Brothers Dairy4/21 (MB). Abouttwo weeks tardy, thefirst RufousHummingbirds were finally reportedon 3/21 at Green River C.C. (NH) andat Kent (fide LB). Arrival was noted atAuburn 3/22 (MW), Enumclaw 3/23(FB), and Bonney Lake 3/24. The firstreported female was 3/25 at BonneyLake. The first Vaux’s Swift showed upnear Bonney Lake 4/19, the same ar-rival as last year (CWr). A Barred Owlwas seen at Lake Fenwick 4/21 (MB).A Short-eared Owl was at Kent Ponds3/24 (KA), 3/28 (MV), and 4/17 (RO).A Common Raven was at Federal Way4/2 and nearby at Hylebos Wetlands4/18 (AF). A Western Scrub-Jay was

present at the usual Frager Roadsite 3/31 (MB). The first NorthernRough-winged and Cliff Swallowswere at Kent Ponds 4/1 (Twtrs).

A very early Pacific-slopeFlycatcher was reported nearWeyerhaeuser 4/5 (Twtrs). Lastyear’s Black Phoebe returned foranother visit at M Street nearEmerald Downs. It was found3/31 (MB) and seen through atleast 4/10 (m.obs). A Say’s Phoebevisited a small park in PrairieRidge 3/23. Probably the sameone was at South Prairie 3/28

Going Birding?Report your sightings to Charlie

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

E-mail is preferred.

(CWr). The Boeing Ponds Say’sPhoebe was seen 4/7 (GM) ATownsend’s Solitaire found a juniper in

Bonney Lake 4/3(VB), and one visiteda Pyracantha inAuburn 4/16 and4/18 (CWh). Orange-crowned Warblerswere heard singing atHylebos Park 4/10(AF). A very earlyBlack-throated GrayWarbler was heard atDash Point State Park3/31 (TB), and an-other early arrivalwas at Weyerhaeuser4/2 (CWr). The first

Savannah Sparrow sang at Kent Ponds3/23 (KA), and they were very com-mon on Foothills Trail 3/28. An ap-parent Slate-colored type Fox Sparrowwas seen at Foothills Trail 4/6 (CWr).The first territorial White-crownedSparrows were heard 3/26 (TB). AWhite-throated Sparrow showed up inan Issaquah yard 4/21 (AS). RedCrossbills are absent from the area,while Pine Siskins remain low in mostareas.

Observers: MB-Matt Bartels; TB-ThaisBock; FB-Fred Boesche; LB-Linda Bartlett;AF-Adele Freeland; NH-Nancy Hertzel; HJ-Hugh Jennings; KA-Kathy Andrich; GM-Guy McWethy; RO-Roger Orness; AS-AmySchillinger; CS-Carol Schulz; MV-MarkVernon; MW-Merlin Weise; CWh-CherylWhite; CWr-Charlie Wright; NW-NickWright; Twtrs-Tweeters; m.obs-many ob-servers.

PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER

BLACK PHOEBE, PHOTO ©CHARLIE WRIGHT

American Birding Association — Principles of Birding Ethics

gers posed by artificial hazards.

4. Group birding, whether organizedor impromptu, requires special care.Each individual in the group, in addi-tion to the obligations spelled out inItems #1 and #2, has responsibilities asa group member.

• Respect the interests, rights,and skills of fellow birders, aswell as people participating inother legitimate outdoor activi-ties. Freely share your knowledgeand experience, except wherecode 1(c) applies. Be especiallyhelpful to beginning birders.

• If you witness unethical birdingbehavior, assess the situation,and intervene if you think it pru-dent. When interceding, informthe person(s) of the inappropriateaction, and attempt, within rea-son, to have it stopped. If the be-havior continues, document it,and notify appropriate individu-als or organizations.

7 May 2006The Heron Herald

veryone who enjoys birds andbirding must always respectwildlife, its environment, and

the rights of others. In any conflict ofinterest between birds and birders, thewelfare of the birds and their environ-ment comes first.

Code of Birding Ethics

1. Promote the welfare of birds andtheir environment. Support the protec-tion of important bird habitat.

• To avoid stressingbirds or exposingthem to danger, ex-ercise restraint andcaution during ob-servation, photogra-phy, soundrecording, or filming.Limit the use ofrecordings and othermethods of attractingbirds, and never usesuch methods inheavily birded areas,or for attracting anyspecies that isThreatened,Endangered, or ofSpecial Concern, oris rare in your local area; keepwell back from nests and nestingcolonies, roosts, display areas,and important feeding sites. Insuch sensitive areas, if there is aneed for extended observation,photography, filming, or record-ing, try to use a blind or hide,and take advantage of naturalcover. Use artificial light spar-ingly for filming or photography,especially for close-ups.

• Before advertising the presenceof a rare bird, evaluate the po-tential for disturbance to the bird,its surroundings, and other peo-

ple in the area, and proceed onlyif access can be controlled, dis-turbance minimized, and permis-sion has been obtained fromprivate land-owners. The sites ofrare nesting birds should be di-vulged only to the proper conser-vation authorities.

• Stay on roads, trails, and pathswhere they exist; otherwise keephabitat disturbance to a mini-mum.

2. Respect the law, and the rights ofothers.

• Do not enter pri-vate property with-out the owner'sexplicit permission.

• Follow all laws,rules, and regula-tions governing useof roads and publicareas, both at homeand abroad.

• Practice commoncourtesy in contactswith other people.Your exemplary be-havior will generategoodwill with birdersand non-birders

alike.

3. Ensure that feeders, nest struc-tures, and other artificial bird environ-ments are safe.

• Keep dispensers, water, andfood clean, and free of decay ordisease. It is important to feedbirds continually during harshweather.

• Maintain and clean nest struc-tures regularly.

• If you are attracting birds to anarea, ensure the birds are not ex-posed to predation from cats andother domestic animals, or dan-

The pedigree of honeydoes not concern the bee;

A clover anytime, to himis aristocracy

~ Emily Dickinson

WATCHING BIRDS FROMBEHIND A BIRD BLIND

E

Plant of the Month

ered its fruit in large baskets and usedthem in trade. They also valued thevery hard wood, which was used aswedges to split cedar planks for theirlonghouses.

The Extension folks mentionedthat the Washington Park Arboretumin Seattle contains a lovely old speci-men of a Western Crabapple that wasgrowing there before the arboretumwas established in 1934. I made thetrip up just to see it, and found thislarge old-timer growing just acrossfrom the Graham Visitor Center. I wasdelighted to see it had a beautifulshape with deeply fissured bark.Returning to my own tree, I began torealize that there were VariedThrushes underneath it in the wintersearching among the leaves for thefallen fruit that the earlier birds hadmissed, and saw what a treasure I

had. Before wemoved, I watchedgrosbeaks,waxwings, androbins feeding inthis tree.

In our newplace, one of myneighbors wentback and lookedat some old sec-tion maps with aninventory of thevegetation grow-ing in our vicinityin 1867 and foundthe WesternCrabapple men-tioned. It occursin moist woods,edges of standingand flowing wateralong the PacificCoast from south-ern Alaska tonorthern

8 May 2006The Heron Herald

by Linda Bartlett

f you do not know the WesternCrabapple, you really need tomeet an old friend of mine! Back

in 1993 when I was first getting intonative plants and birds, I was eager tolearn about everything that was grow-ing on our property. We had a treeabout 25 feet tall, that was ratherplain-looking and I was thinkingabout removing it to make more roomfor the native plants I was learningabout, which would attract birds. Butbefore I did, I really wanted to knowwhat it was, and nobody I askedseemed to know. I cut the small fruitsin half and looked at their seeds, try-ing to figure out what family they be-longed to. Eventually, I sent a sampleof the fruit and the leaf to a ‘crabap-ple expert’ at the WSU Extension Unitin Mt. Vernon; they did some researchand wrote back, telling me it was an“Oregon” or Western Crabapple, malusfusca. They also sentsome interesting litera-ture about this nativeplant.

There has been someconfusion as to itsname. In the past it hasbeen called both malus(apple) fusca, and pyrus(pear) fusca. The littleelongated fruit thatripens in October is yel-low, tinged with pink onthe sunny side, andgreen in the shade. It isvery tart and acidic, andthe native peoples whoate them found theywould ripen with timeand become softer andsweeter when storedunder water. The fruitalso softens after afrost. This small treewas much prized bycoastal tribes who gath-

I

California. A friend once told me howshe recognizes it out in the wild: ithas a slightly toothed leaf that lookslike a mitten with two thumbs.

Another interesting thing to meabout this plant — in some places, itwill grow to be a proper tree, but inother places, I’ve seen it growing as ashrubby thicket. It is often encoun-tered along fence rows, where thebirds have planted it. These crabap-ples grow in sun or shade, but proba-bly produce better in sun. Mine,which was a sapling from the old treein my former yard, was planted in mynew yard about six years ago, in fullsun, and is already 15 feet tall andhas bloomed and borne fruit the pasttwo years.

The blossom goes from pink towhite and opens up anywhere frommid-April to mid-May. It has a flat-topped cluster, looking much like reg-ular apple blossoms. And like appleblossoms, it’s heaven to stand any-where in the vicinity when this tree isin bloom!

AN 1833 DRAWING OF MALUSFUSCA (THEN CALLED PYRUS RIVU-LARIS) FROM FLORA BOREALIS-AMERICANA OR THE BOTANY OFTHE NORTHERN PARTS OF BRITISHAMERICA, BY WILLIAM JACKSONHOOKER, LL.D, F.R.A., AND L.S. THISDRAWING WAS DONE FROM ACOLLECTION BY DAVID DOUGLAS.

9 May 2006The Heron Herald

Nevada State Bird & State FlowerWestern Meadow Lark & Golden Rod

COLORING PAGE FOR CHILDREN

en do not commonly

see what is before

their eyes or hear what rings in

their ears unless it is pointed

out to them in a tone of

accepted authority and given

public importance. Let the

newspapers announce that

tonight there will be a flight of

herons over the city: the streets

and housetops will be thronged

long before dusk with citizens

scanning the sky. But unless the

flight is thus accredited, it will

do no good for me to stop the

passer-by and point it out to

him. He will simply shrug me

off and hurry on to the movies

… I have observed as many as

150 vultures circling low in one

flock over Connecticut Avenue

when it was crowded with peo-

ple, and none taking notice. Yet

many of these people will go to

the zoo to gaze upon the caged

turkey vultures.

~Louis J. Halle, 1947

MantleCrown

BIRD ID: May

Words-of-the-

Month

Bill

M

10May 2006 The Heron Herald

1. This owl belongs to a family of its own unlike all other North American owls.2. When a bird shows reduced pigment, or paler than normal plumage, it is

termed _______________.3. What family of finches nests above timberline in the mountains?4. This vulture-like scavenger, the national emblem of Mexico, only

reaches into southern Texas, Arizona and Florida.5. A young feathered bird, after leaving the nest but still dependent on

its parents for food, is called a ___________.

ANSWERS ARE UPSIDE DOWN BELOW

Answers to Quizzical Owl: 1. Barn Owl, 2. leucistic, 3. Rosy Finches, 4. Northern Caracara, 5. fledglingby Thais Bock

am sure some folks will wonderjust what it is that requires morefunds, since we already get $15 a

year for memberships. Actually, the$15 primarily goes to preparing andmailing our monthly newsletter. Rainieris involved in many more activitiesthan publishing a newsletter and hold-ing monthly meetings. Rainier mem-bers donate their personal time andskills to these activities, but there arealways other costs involved — materi-als, rental fees, etc. Recently we puttogether a Power Point presentation inresponse to the often-heard question,“Who are you and what do you do?”We were even surprised ourselves oncewe had everything compiled andlooked at all the activities we are in-volved in.

Besides the cost of preparing, print-ing, and mailing our newsletter, thislist includes:

• Monthly meetings with guestspeakers who usually receive astipend, plus we have to pay for

rental of the hall.

• Birding field trips and bird identifi-cation classes

• Educational activities — AudubonAdventure series at seven elementaryschools — Rainier pays for materialsand provides them free to theschools.

• Presentations on birds and nativeplants to such groups as gardenclubs, Scout Troops, senior centers.

• Information booths with hand-outmaterials at events such as theTukwila Backyard Wildlife HabitatFair and the annual Shadow LakeBog Frog Frolic.

• Participation in and contributionsto local environmental projects suchas the Shadow Lake Bog, AuburnEnvironmental Park, Camp Kilworthand the Green River Natural ResourceArea (Kent Ponds).

• Presentations on Backyard Habitatand sponsoring an annual drawingwhere the winner receives a free con-sultation with a Backyard Habitat ex-pert.

• Cleaning, restoring, and monitoringthe Purple Martin boxes at the WestHylebos Waterway.

• Participating in the annualChristmas Bird count; we pay a feefor every participant.

• Maintaining the Rainier website

As you can see, the list is long andthere are costs involved with every-thing, so it is imperative that we raisefunds to support these activities.

BIRDATHON can be fun and reward-ing, and there are several ways inwhich one can participate. You can bea birder and get sponsors to donate ei-ther a small amount for each speciesyou see on a birding trip (5, 10, or 15cents per species) or just a flatamount. You can go on one of our freefield trips or do one of your own. Youcan be a sponsor and commit to a cer-tain funding level to a particular birder.You can sponsor yourself and see howmany species you can find in one 24hour period. I sometimes do both. Iwill sponsor a birder and sponsor my-self. I like to see if I can better my pre-vious year’s count. So far, I have notbeen able to get over the 100 mark.

Give BIRDATHON a try — we needyour help. Please turn to page 1 foradditional information on how you canjoin in the fun. And maybe also con-sider donating some time to one of theabove-listed activities.

by Merlin Wiese

Did You Know?

……. that BIRDATHON isRainier’s largest fund raiserof the year?

I

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

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

11 May 2006The Heron Herald

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Web Editor Nancy Hertzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (253) 255-1808WA-Rainier Listserv Carol Schulz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (206) 824-7618

E-mail: linusq@worldnet.att.netState Audubon Office Nina Carter

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

What’s so bad about English Ivy?

ardeners and homeowners inthe Pacific Northwest haveplanted English ivy for years

as an attractive, low-maintenance al-ternative to lawns; it is evergreen, rela-tively pest-free, cold-hardy,fast-growing, and requires little care. Italso does not like to stay contained.When ivy spreads beyond its intendedborders within an urban landscape, asit inevitably does, it causes tremen-dous damage to all three zones of aplant community—the forest floor, theshrub layer and the canopy.

In the understory, it forms a thickevergreen mat which quickly smothersand kills other plants and shrubs. Thistangled mat is not used by our nativewildlife. If there is a tree nearby, it then begins to climb.Interestingly, ivy only reaches maturity and goes to seedafter it has grown up a vertical surface, a fact that may bethe driving force behind its vigorous climbing habit. As aclimbing vine, it engulfs and kills the tree branches one byone as it wraps around them and continues on up, block-ing light from reaching the tree’s leaves. The tree itself issteadily weakened by the choked, dying branches and bythe sheer weight of the vines it is now carrying. The esti-mated weight of ivy removed from one tree in OlympicNational Park was 2100 lbs.

There are no biological controls currently available forEnglish ivy.

If you have ivy in your yard, make sure it stays con-tained. If you don’t have ivy, don’t plant any.

How long does a bird live?Generally, the larger a bird is, the longer its life

expectancy. Small birds, such as migratory songbirds,appear to live as little as two years, on the average. Theycould live longer — for instance, one Black-cappedChickadee is known to have lived 10 years and anAmerican Goldfinch 7 years, but life in the out-of-doorsfor a little bird is dangerous and unpredictable, and mostof their lives are cut short. Predators, disease, accidents,migration stress, starvation, habitat loss, and hunting areamong the hazards. Bigger birds seem to live longer. Manywaterfowl have survived as long as 30 years, and gulls andalbatrosses have been recorded at 30 to 40 years of age.

G

Inside Your May 2006 Issue

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

Volunteer Opportunities & Events . . . Page 2, 3

Field Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4, 5

Seen & Heard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6

Plant of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8

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

Did You Know?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TIME VALUE MATERIAL

Address Service Requested

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audubon Member sh ip Subscr ipt ion Form

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

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

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

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

Y16 7XCH

NEED HELP FOR INJURED WILDLIFE?

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

OTHER RESOURCES

12 The Heron HeraldMay 2006

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

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