prair ie fa lconNorthern Flint Hills Audubon Society Newsletter

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July 14 - Saturday Morning Birding 8 am -11 am DepartingfromSojournerTruthPark

Aug. 11 - Saturday Morning Birding 8 am -11 am DepartingfromSojournerTruthPark

Sept.4-BoardMeeting-ManhattanPublicLibrary

Sept. 8 - Saturday Morning Birding 8 am -11 am DepartingfromSojournerTruthPark

Sept.9-IceCreamSocialattheALSOPBIRDSANCTUARY 6p.m.Checkoutourprogress,17th&Laramie

Vol. 46, No. 11 ~ JULY 2018

pg.2-Skylight PeteCohen

pg.3-Rethinking“Vermin” DruClarke

pg.4-RememberingLeannHarrell PaulWiedhaas

pg.5-8-BIRDATHON ClydeFergusonandJimKoelliker

pg.9-SolorPowerprogram

Upcoming EventsInside

ThereissomuchbeautyinKansas-nomatterwhattimeofyear.Birdingisgreat,butthereisalotmoretosee!Justgetoutandtakeawalk.Lookup,lookdown,lookaround.Weareluckytolivehere. (Trying to be positive in this heat!)

No Newsletter in AUGUST

p. 2 Prairie Falcon JULY 2018

WeleftofflastmonthwiththereportbyWalterJehneofHealthySoilsAustralia,presentedatameetingattheVollandStoreSWofAlma.Hehadsaidtherethatdaily342wattsofsolarradiationper

squaremeterarriveamongthetinydropletsofmoistureafloatinouratmosphere,butwesendoutonly339watts.Tostabilizeourclimatefromoverheating,hesaid,weneedtoradiatebackthose3wattsmore,andthesoonestwayforachievingthatisbyrestoringtheabilityofoursoilstobecarbonsinks,partofwhichtobeaccomplishedwithgloballymorevegetativecover,aidedbytherestorationofamoreproductivewatercycle.

Backacoupleofmillenniaandmore,peoplelikeAristotlenoticedthatevenwhenriversflowedheavilyintothesea,theseaneveroverflowed,thereforetherehadtobesomekindofwatercycle.Whattheyenvisioned,upthroughthethoughtsofLeonardodaVinci,wasabasicallysubterraneanaffairwithwatersinkingintothegroundthenrisingbysomemeanstothehighersurfacestoflowbackdown.Sure,therewassomeevaporation,butitdidn’tseempossiblethatmereaircouldholdenoughwatertobesignificantlyinvolved.

Sincethenresearchshowstherearebillionsoftonsofwatervaporsuspendedoverourheads,butthoseminusculeunitssinglyorinlightlycondensedhazesabsorbsolarheat.Gettingthatvaportocoalesceintoactualdropsthatformreflective,coolingcloudsandeventuallygrowheavyenoughtofall,isthewatercycleWalterJehneaddressesasnolongeroperatingwell.NotwellenoughtocounteractatmosphericCO2levelsthathavebeenincreasingabnormallyforover200yearsaresultofourongoingextensiveclearingandoxidationofcarbonfromoursoils,andfromourincreasedcombustionoffossilfuelslargelyoverthepast70years.

Heseesthereneedstobemorevaportoclingtothesuspendedparticlesofsalt,dirt,etc.thatvaporsattachto,includingvaporscontaininglivingbacterialcomponentsthatenhancecoalescing.Themoretranspiringplants,themoresuchvapors.Tostaveoffthedesertificationthreateningourplanetthereneedstobelessclearing,burning,fallowingandotherpracticesthatleavebareearthororganicdetritusopentothesky,andthustheneedofmoreactivevegetativecover.Thisrequirestherestorationofsoilsthathavebeenlongill-usedand/orlost,andthisisatopiccentraltoresearcherJudithSchwartz,whowasalsoattheVollandStoremeeting.Herbook,CowsSavethePlanet,informshowwellsoilcantakeincarbon,and“everypercentincreaseinsoilcarbonholdsanadditionalsixteenthousandgallonsofwaterperacre”.Sheemphasizesthatin

Skylight plusPete Cohen

anaturalenvironment,above-surfaceplantsbecomepartofsymbioticsubsurfacecommunitieswhoseinteractionscreatemoresoil,withsomeorganismsretrievingandcompilingthenutrientsthatwentintotheabovesurfacefeatures,andsomebreakingdownandmakingavailablesubsurfacemineralmatter,asinstones,thusbuildingsoilfromthebottomup.Artificialfertilizersinterruptthissymbiosis,causingplantstostopprovidingfeedbackto,andthusstarvingtodeath,thesubsurfacecommunity,thusbecomingtotallydependentfertilizerjunkies(myphrase)assoilisusedup,withlessandlessreplaced.

Thebookarguesthatthisprocessisreversible,thatgivenhelp(i.e.movingawayfromartificialfertilizersandmonocultures)naturecan,inarathershortspanoftime,healitself.GailFuller,theEmporiarancherpresent,testifiedthathisplacehasresultsthatbackupwhatMr.JehneandMs.Schwartzareadvocating.

Thecows’placeistotransformforageintomanureandtolaceratetheground,facilitatingtheentryofmoreairandwater(thoughatthemeetingitwaspointedout,sotospeak,thatbuffalo--a/k/abison--hoofsaresharper).Astothemethanetheyexpel,thebookquotesaUNfindingthatanincreaseincattlenumbershadlittleeffectontheamountofmethaneintheatmosphere,atworstanothercaseofthegamebeingworththecandle.Thecowsarepartofaconversationthatneedstobeheldmorewidely.

AbovethewatercycleitwillbeasocialsummerfortheMoon,visitingMercuryintheearlyeveningofthe14th,andmakingapartyontheeveningofthe15thbysailingasacrescentbetweenJupiterandVenus,andaboveVirgo’sstar,Spica.ItcontinuestobetheoneaboveofJupiter(andofSpica)the20th,ofSaturnthe24th,andonthe27thitwillbeaboveaMarsthatwillbeshiningbrighterthanJupiteronthroughAugust(thebrightestMarswillbeuntilSeptember2035).TheMoonwillbetotheleftofTaurus’Aldebaranthe10th.TheninAugustitshouldbeseenagainaboveVenusthe14th,companioningaboutJupiter(inLibra)the16thand17th,rightofSaturn(inSagittarius)the20th,andhangingaroundabovethatglitteringMarsthe22ndand23rd.Meanwhileitwilldisappearonthe11thand12thtomakewayforthePerseidmeteorshower.

BesidesbeingbelowtheMoonJuly14th,MercurymightalsobeglimpsedbelowVenuseacheveningduringthemonth’sfirsttwoweeks.AndthenparticularlyinthedawnlightofAugust24,fareastofthesparkleofSirius,aboutanextendedfisthighabovethehorizon.

Phase-wise,theMoonwillbenewinJulyat9p48the12th,full9p20the27th;inAugustnew4a68the11th,full6a56the26th.

© 2018 Peter Zachary Cohen

JULY 2018 Prairie Falcon p. 3

Rethinking “Vermin”Dru Clarke

© 2018 Dru Clarke, June

“They'revermin,that'swhattheyare.”Thescrawny,bewhiskeredmanwithacigarettedanglingfromhislipsad-dressedmeasIenteredthewelcomeshadeofagroveoftreesattheMemorialDaypicnichostedbyaformerstudent.Myinitialimpressionwasthatheneededagoodmeal,Nicorette,andsomeTLC.He,bytheway,wasreferringtocoyotesasheoverheardmemen-tionthatIhadn'theardthemhowlingatnightasfrequentlyasIusedto.Onereason,ofcourse,isthatourneighbor'sranchhandhadbraggedthathe'dkilledseventeensincewinter'send.Seventeeninafewshortmonths.IfeltlikewhippingoutAldoLeopold's“SandCountyAlmanac”andturningtotheessay“ThinkingLikeaMountain.”Eloquently,Leopoldwritesofa“successful”hunt(andsub-sequentepiphany)forwolvesintheoutbackofArizona.Asheapproachesashewolf,heseesthegreenfireinhereyesdyingasshesuccumbstothelethalbullet.Icanseeinmymind'seyethelitterofpupsanxiouslyawaitingherreturntotheden:Leopolddidn'thavetowriteofthat,butitwasimplicit.Theman,whomIrespectedastheskilledpreparerofthepig–fromslaughtertoroastingandpulling-wentontoassertthatabulletbetweentheeyeswasmorehumanethandyingfromstarvationwhentheybecameoverpopulated.Icouldn'timmediatelyarguewiththat,thenIthoughtofthepupsstarvingwhentheirmotherhadbeenshot.Butvermin?No,thatgoesagainstallecologicalprinciples.

Innumerablestudiesdemonstratethevitalimportanceofapexpredators,oftencalledkeystonespecies,toournatu-ralenvironment.InLeopold'sessay,removalofthesepreda-tors–wolves(andcougarsaswell)-allowthedeerpopulationtoskyrocket,leadingtoincreasedbrowsingofalreadysparsevegetationinaridlandsandsubsequentlossofsoilthroughwindandwatererosion,themountainliterallyandfigurativelybeing'pulleddown.'Sedimentschokepreviouslyclearstreamsandthenourishingsoilislosttothesea.

Notonlyonlandbutintheseathisconceptapplies.Seaottersarecriticaltothehealthofthekelpforestsfor

theyforageonur-chinsthatwouldotherwisedeci-matethefrondsandloosentheholdfasts.(Theytuckfavoredstonesintheirarmpitswhichtheyreusetosmashthetestsorshellsoftheurchins.IhaveoneathomethatI'msuremusthavebeenoneotter'sfavorite!)Whereottersaremissing,soisthekelpoffourPacificcoast.Sharkshelp

protectlittoral(coastal)environsandcoralreefsandtheirdenizensinonerespectbyconsumingoctopuseswhosevora-ciousappetiteshavewipedoutpopulationsofstonecrabs.InsomecoastalareasofFlorida,therearenostonecrabs,lotsofoctopuses,butnosharks.Our(previous)voraciousappe-titeforfurandouroutsizedfearoftoothedbeasts–fueledbymarketsandmedia-havecloudedourjudgmentandourpoliciesthatflyinthefaceofsoundecologicalthinking.Foranecosystemtofunctioningoodhealth,allitsinhabitantsmustexistinharmony.

Whilethisobservationisanecdotal,I'veseenmorerabbits,packratnests,squirrels,andassortedspeciesofmice,beaversonourpond,evenawoodchuckthisyearthaneverbefore.Otherthanourwell-fedcats,wherearetheirnaturalpredators?Humanscananddohunt–andIsupportsporthuntingfully–butwhatman,womanorchildhuntspackratsandmeadowvoles?Sporthuntingcannotfillthenicheofacoyoteorawolf.

DaytonO.Hydeinhisbook“DonCoyote:TheGoodTimesandtheBadTimesofaMuchMalignedAmericanOriginal”writesofhispersonalexperienceofbefriendingacoyoteonhisOregonranch.Itisaremarkabletruestorythatillustrateshowwecanliveinharmonywithanothercreaturewhohasbeenmuchmalignedandmisunderstood.AnothercompellingreadisHopeRyden's“SongDog,”apaeantoanAmericanoriginal,Canis latrans,ournativedog.

I'veseencoyoteswalkbetweenthebodiesofourhorsesandskirttheedgeofapasturewhereacowhascalved,waitingtocleanupwhatremainsoftheplacenta,neverinter-feringwithcalforcow.(Shouldacalfbepreyedupon,thereisprobablysomethingwrongwithitorthemother.)

YesterdayIrescuedababyrabbitfromthejawsofourthree-leggedcat.Ikeptitinabasketinthebathtubforafewhours,thenafterithadhoppedoutofthebasket,releaseditbackintotheshrubs.Inthemorningitwasgone.Ifitsur-vived,goodforthebunny.Ifitdidn't,Ihopeitslifeendedbysustainingoneoftheremainingcoyotesthatmanagedtoeludetheranchhand'sbullet.And,maybeatnight,I'llagainhearherascendingsong.

p. 4 Prairie Falcon JULY 2018

Leann HarrellBy Paul Weidhaas

AlongtimesupporterandstalwartmemberofNFHASrecentlypassedaway.LeannHarrell'scontributionstoManhattan'snaturalareasisalastinglegacy,onewecanallhopetoemulate. LeannworkedtirelesslytohelprestoreandrecreatetallgrassprairieonalargeportionofNortheastPark,transformingitfromfarmedgroundinjusttwoshortyears.In1998,sheandWayneCornasco-chairs,withmembers,T.Morgan,K.Howell,CPfaff-Eickhoff,P.Weidhaas,R.Janke,T.BrandenandG.WeinsandtheBlueEarthCitizenspresentedthePrairie-WoodlandRestorationPlanforNortheastParktotheManhattanParksandRecreationAdvisoryboard,whichwasdulyaccepted.Shedevotedcountlesshoursin2000-2001tothecollectingandsowingofnativegrassandforbseeds,creatingameanderingrifflesysteminabioswaleattheeastside(affectionatelyknownas“TheLeander”),anddealingwithasometimes-difficultparksandrecreationdepartment.

ShealsocoordinatedvolunteereffortsbyagroupofKSUstudents,whodesignedanderectedinterpretivesignsandbulletinboardsinthisspecialspot. LeannlearnedtherudimentsofprairierestorationworkfirsthandbyreseedingahorsepaddockandfarmedgroundwheresheresidednearSt.Georgeforseveralyears,beforemovingtotheMissouriOzarks.Irecallwithfondnesscanoeing-tobog-ganingdownhersteephillthereonesnowywinteralongwithsomeothercraziesfromthechapter. ShewasthedesignatedWarmBrownFuzzy,akaunofficialgreeter,welcomingnewcomerstotheNFHASfold.SheandJanGartonevencreatedaWBFcostumeforthepurpose.Speakingofcostumes,LeannwouldgoalloutatHalloween.SheshowedupatmyhouseonelateOctoberasapaintedlady,thebutterfly,nottheotherkind,completewithtoweringwingsappropriatelymarked.Anotheryear,shearrivedintheguiseofaMadagascarquadruped."GuesswhatIam?"sheasked.Oneglancegavemetheanswer."You'rearing-tailedlemur!" Awheatgeneticistbyvocation,LeannworkedforyearsatKSUwithStanCox.IrecallhertakingadayofffromherworktotraveltoTopeka,sowecouldvisitRep.EdPughregardingpendingRailstoTrailslegislation.Shewasanactivistinmanyways. SheestablishedtheAlsopMemorialButterflyGardeninSojournerTruthParkin1996,anothertestamenttoLeann'senduringloveofprairieandbutterflies.Shewasalsofondofreadingandbaskinginthesun.Butherdevotiontocatswasherpassioninlateryears,adoptingstraysinhervicinity,attendingtotheirneeds,makingsuretheywerespayedorneutered,andfindinghomesforthem. Sheservedaspresidentofthechapterin1995-96andheldthepositionsofvicepresidentandsecretarytoo.Herhusband,NormElledge,survivesattheirhomenestledintheOzarkwoodlands.(CardsmaybesenttoNormat5312BigCreekRd.,Yukon,Missouri,65589)

JULY 2018 Prairie Falcon p. 5

May2018

DearNFHASBirders,

ClydeFergusonandIwereprivilegedagaintobeapartoftheNorthernFlintHillsAudubonSociety’s2018BirdathononthelastSaturday-SundayofApril.Thisyearfourpartieswithatotalofeightdedicatedbirdersscouredtheareatoidentifyasmanydifferentspeciesaswecouldina24-hourperiod.Ourgroupwasabletoidentify89speciesby9p.m.Saturdayandtofind17morespeciesonSundaymorning.Clydeisoneofourtwooriginalfounders.Icompiledthisreportforyou,oursupportersorpotentialsupporters.ThiswasClyde’s34thyearandmy26thyeartohaveapart!The106speciesourgroupfoundareshownin greeninthe ‘18 columnmarkedbyan8onthethatfollows.ThebottomofthesecondpageoftheReportshowstheotherobserverswhocontributedadditionalspecies,howtoidentifythose17additionalspecieseachpartyfound,andwheretheysearched.Too,theweatherconditionsweencounteredaredescribed.Ourgrandtotalof123speciesisabitaboveour5-yearaverage.

Imagesof theBest Birds of 2018 thatwe found this yearare shownon that separatepage. ThecoolconditionsinAprilresultedinseveralspecies–Dark-eyedJunco(5thtimein32yearsofrecords),PineSiskin(12th),BrownCreeper(1st),andSmith’sLongspur(1st)–thatusuallymovenorthearliertoremaininthearea.TheYellow-billedcuckoo(1st),White-facedIbis(2nd),andPalmWarbler(3rd)werealsoveryexcitingfindsduringthisevent.

IalwaysenjoyworkingonthisBirdathonbecauseIlikethechallengemyselfandreportingonithelpsmakeyouawareofourlocalbirds.Ihopeyou,too,findourreportinterestingandinformative.

Yes, this report is our request for your financial supportforourNORTHERNFLINTHILLSChapteroftheNationalAudubonSociety.OurchapterusesthecontributionstotheBIRDATHONasitsprimaryfund-raisingactivity.Lastyearournearly100contributorsgaveourteamverygeneroussupport.Wereceivedover$2,700thatwasputtogoodusetosupportourenvironmentalandnaturalheritagelocallyandthroughoutreachefforts.

Wehaveappreciatedgreatlythesupportyouandothershavecontributedtoourpasteffortsandfortheworkofourchaptercandowithyoursupport.Oursupportersofrecordhaveusuallybackedoureffortsatarateofatleast15centsperspecieidentified,butifyoucontribute$15.00ormorewewillsendyouournewsletter,The Prairie Falcon,forayear.Pleaseusetheenclosedcontributionsheettofilloutandsenditalongwithyourcheck.Pleaseindicateyourpreferenceforreceivingthenewsletterinthemailorwithane-mail.Wearenotabletotakecreditcards.Yourcontributionistaxdeductibletothefullextentofthelaw.

Yourcancelledcheckwillserveasyourreceiptforyourdonationunlessyoucancontribute$250ormore.Andthankyouinadvanceforyoursupport.

Sincerely,

JimKoellikerforallourBirdathonsearchers.

BIRDATHON 2018 REPORT AND REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT

p. 6 Prairie Falcon JULY 2018

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

Smith’s Longspur

Best Birds of 2018

Palm Warbler

Pine Siskins

Brown Creeper

Dark-eyed Junco

White-faced Ibis

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

. . . . . . . . . . Return With Your Contribution . . . . . . . . . BIRDATHON 2018

Please print your information

Name___________________________________

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____0.50 ($61.50); ____other ($__________)

Make your check payable to the NFHAS and mail it to me, along with this page:

Jim Koelliker3500 Minton’s Landing, Manhattan, KS 66503

Your contribution is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

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The Prairie Falcon.

____ Yes, please send a message to view each full-color issue to my E-mail address below:

Remember: A contribution of $15.00 or more provides you a year's access to The Prairie Falcon!

JULY 2018 Prairie Falcon p. 7

2018 BirdathonYoucanalsoaccessthisbirdlistonourwebsitenfhas.org

p. 8 Prairie Falcon JULY 2018

2018 Birdathon

JULY 2018 Prairie Falcon p. 9

Thank you Robert Rosenberg foraveryinterestingandenlighten-ingprogram-somuchinformation.Icouldhearitallagainandlearnmore.ForthosewhomissedthisprogramontheadvancementinSolorPanels,gotowww.fhreec.org,orwriteFlintHillsRenewableEnergyandEfficiencyCo-op,Inc.1212ThurstonSt.Manhattan,KS66502

Solor Power Today

A Message from Margy Stewart, Board Chair, (AOK)Audubon of Kansas, June 13, 2018Dear Fellow Audubon Member:

May we invite you to join our email list? We are a grassroots Kansas organization advocating on behalf of birds, wildlife, and habitat in Kansas. If you would like to receive information from us, kindly send me an email at margystewart785@gmail.com.

Audubon of Kansas* plays a unique role in our state. It does what no other environmental organization does, including:

--Advocating for water rights for Quivira National Wildlife Refuge;

--Defending prairie dogs from compulsory eradication;

--Reintroducing black-footed ferrets into the shortgrass prairie ecosystem;

--Creating a network of sanctuaries that are people-friendly as well as wildlife-friendly (already established: Hutton-Niobrara Ranch and Wildlife Sanctuary, Connie Achterberg Wildlife-Friendly Demonstration Farm, Mt. Mitchell Heritage Prairie Sanctuary—three other properties in the pipeline. The goal: an archipelago of sanctuar-ies across the state so that every Kansas kid can play in a creek!)

In addition, while many organizations lobby on behalf of environmental causes, AOK is often the only one advocating uncompromisingly on behalf of Kansas wildlife wherever policy is being made. By adding your name to AOK’s email list, you will stay up-to-date on all of these unfolding stories. And--when collective action can make a difference--you will be invited to join in.

The AOK family welcomes you! To join the list, email me at margystewart785@gmail.com.

Thank you, and best wishes,

Margy Stewart, Chair, Board of Trustees, Audubon of Kansas, “A Voice for Wildlife”

*Audubon of Kansas is an independent state-wide organization (not affiliated with National Audubon Society). All local Audubon chapters in Kansas have representation on the Board of Trustees.

Northern Flint HIllsAudubon SocietyP.O. Box 1932Manhattan, KS 66505-1932

Contacts for Your Elected Representatives ( anytime) Write, call or email: Governor: 2nd Floor, State Capital Bldg., Topeka , KS 66612. KS Senator or Representative: State Capital Bldg., Topeka, KS 66612. Ph# (during session only) Senate - 785-296-7300. House - 785-296-7500. U.S. Senator Roberts <Roberts@senate.gov> U.S. Senate, Washington DC 20510. Jerry Moran U.S. Capital Switch-board 202-224-3121.

NFHAS BoardPresident: Patricia Yeager - pyeagerbirder@gmail.com 776-9593 Vice Pres. Secretary: Treasurer: Carla Bishop - carla.kay.bishop@gmail.com

COMMITTEE Chairs:Membership: Programs: Kevin FayButterfly Garden: Alsop Property: Patricia Yeager - pyeagerbirder@gmail.com 776-9593 Education: Bird Seed Sales: Newsletter: Cindy Jeffrey - cinraney@ksu.edu 565-3326Fieldtrips: Patricia Yeager, Kevin Fay 776-9593AOK Representative: Cindy JeffreyAt-large: Susan Blackford

Non-profit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 662Manhattan, KS 66502

Return Service Requested

Published monthly (except August) by the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society.Edited by Cindy Jeffrey, 15850 Galilee Rd., Olsburg, KS 66520. (cinraney@ksu.edu)

Also available online at nfhas.org

Also available online at nfhas.org

Vice PresidentSecretaryTreasurerBoard member at large:EducationChair

BirdseedChair

WENEEDYOU!

PLEASEconsiderjoiningourNFHASBoard.

TheBoardmeetsonthefirstMondayofeachmonth.Themeetingsusuallylastaboutanhour.

NO!

NO!

NO!