The Hooter Kittitas Audubon May 2018

All Audubon meetings, held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Hal Holmes Cen-

ter next to the Library, 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!

Membership Meeting - Thursday, May 17th, 2018

“Get Ready for Ravens!” presented by Brandon Rossi, Wildlife Biologist

7:00 PM at Hal Holmes Center next to the library ~ 209 Ruby Street

Want to learn more about ravens? How to differen-

tiate ravens and crows? How smart they are? What

they eat? And much more? Join us for a presenta-

tion about ravens in general and about “our” ravens

that frequent the sage steppe on the Yakima Train-

ing Center.

Brandon Rossi, a recipient of our Kittitas Audubon

Scholarship Program, will present a program about

the secret lives of Common Ravens in general, and

an update on his recent study in Central Washing-

ton’s sage steppe lands.

Brandon Rossi is employed as a Junior Wildlife Biolo-

gist with Stell Environmental. He studied biology

and ecology at Central Washington University where

he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in

2010. He is currently working towards completion

of his Masters of Science in Biology, studying the

ecology of Common Ravens. Brandon’s research is

focused on the Common Raven and their space use

in central Washington State.

Below are a couple of links to whet your appetite:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_ravens

www.birdnote.org/show/ravens-and-crows-who-who

Please join us May 17th at 7pm for a night with Brandon Rossi as he shares his presentation on ravens.

This event is sponsored by the Ellensburg Public Library. We look forward to seeing you all there!!

And, yes, there will be cookies & pickles!!!

Photo submitted by speaker

A bird

in the

hand...

Page 2 The Hooter

Board Notes by Gloria Baldi

On April 5th the Board meeting began with a presentation by visiting member, Dick Carkner, representing the group ‘Save Our Farms’. The group is opposed to the plans by TUUSSO to build solar projects on five 50 acre parcels be-cause all five parcels are on irrigated farm lands. Kittitas County had issued a moratorium on the placement of solar projects while decisions were formed as to where such projects should be located. TUUSSO applied to the state Energy Facility Site Executive Committee to override the County. ‘Save Our Farms’ believes brown-fields and non-productive farmland instead of prime farmlands should be considered. Dick asked Kittitas Audubon to sign on to an open letter and a resolution to be sent to Governor Inslee regarding this situation.

Because much discussion by the Board ensued, both pro and con, it was decided to table action until the resolution was received and a vote by email could be taken.

(Note: After later email discussion by Board members, it was voted to remain neutral on the subject because of opposing feelings within our group.)

Minutes from the March KAS Board meeting, and the Treasurer’s reports were both approved.

Membership: Continues to grow.

Programs: Speakers are arranged for May, September, and November. Rose Piccinini has arranged for a shop teacher to help with bird houses for children.

Education: Steve Hall is planning to teach about birds at school camp trips during three weeks in May. He is also doing a bird watching introduction class to a profes-sional group on his property. The Cle Elum Bioblitz event for schools is scheduled on May 18th from 9:00 to 1:00. Norm Peck donated a supply of binoculars to the educa-tional program and the Board voted to reimburse him $100. Additional funds for binoculars are being consid-ered.

Conservation: Norm Peck gave a report on the Kittitas County Environmental Action Committee for Janet Nelson.

(Continued on Page 4)

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

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

Membership – Kris Kaylor 509-304-4103

*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

April 7 ~ First Saturday Birdwalk, Rine-hart Park ~ 44 degrees, steady light rain in-termittent with sun and blue skies by the time we got back to the cars.

10 birders

Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Eu-ropean Starling, Mallard duck, Steller's Jay, Red-winged Blackbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Northern flicker, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, American Kestrel, Black-billed Magpie, Canada Geese, Osprey, White-breasted Nuthatch, Common Mergan-ser, Varied Thrush, Belted Kingfisher, Eura-sian Collared Dove.

20 Species

Thank you for coming to the birdwalk ~ look for-ward to birding with you in the future.

Please send pictures of the walk to: tomdi-ane@elltel.net And include the name of the pho-tographer – they may be used in the Hooter newsletter or on our facebook page.

~ Diane and Tom Gauron

April 14 ~ Bullfrog Pond and Cle Elum River ~ A group of 13 birdwatchers converged at Bull-frog Pond (past the bridge on Bullfrog Road off I-90) to join Kay Mabry and the Suncadia hikers to scout for birds in their backyard: the banks of the Cle Elum River. This location is #7 on the Kittitas County Birder’s Guide & map. Birding at the pond gets better lat-er in the spring and is visit-ed by many west-siders; on this cool sunny and breezy day we found mainly Violet-green Swallows, a couple of ducks, flickers, Mountain Chickadees, and 4 turkeys on a sunny slope thinking about spring! Heading along trails across and up the west side of the river were many more sights and a bit of shelter from the breeze. A Brown Creep-er was exploring tree trunks at the parking lot; a pair of mergansers were sunning on a gravel bar; a Hairy Woodpecker scrambled up a trunk above our heads; and a mama goose perched in an osprey nest was worth a chuckle at our turna-round point. We did see the Osprey headed in that direction later (but missed the confronta-tion). Among some 26 species seen were a Townsend’s Solitaire at eye level, dippers in the river, wrens in the brush, and an early Yellow-rumped Warbler. Check out these areas in June for many more arrivals!

“Goosprey” ???

COUNTY SURVEY SEEKS INPUT ON YAKIMA RIVER USE AND ACCESS

Anyone who recreates along the river corridors is encouraged to participate in the survey. The survey will gather data and opinions on a variety of activi-ties including fishing, boating, camping, bicycling,

hunting, bird watching, photography and more. The survey can be found on the County’s website at

www.co.kittitas.wa.us, or at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KittitasCountyRiversSurvey

Plans are for improving and/or adding access and use sites.

The first week of March, in the middle of a snow-storm, he was there. The first week in April, dur-ing a torrential downpour, he was there. Neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night shall move this male from his claimed nest….except sunny weath-er…we never see him when it’s nice! ~ story and photos from Charli & Nels Sorenson, who live east of town in the sage steppe. KAS brought them a kestrel

nestbox several years ago, at their request; the kestrels came, and have nested and fledged young there every year since!

Page 4 Hooter A Faithful Guardian ~ American Kestrel

Climate Change: Barry Brunson reported

National Audubon has released its second cli-

mate change report, partnering with the Nation-

al Park Service, featuring the fate of National

Park birds.

Under leadership of Meghan Anderson, KAS

staffed tables at the Home Business and Garden

Expo, plus the KEEN Spring Fair. The Native

Plant brochure was featured.

Meghan presented a program to the Queen of

Spades Garden Club.

Barry and Meghan both had letters to the edi-

tor at the Daily Record published.

Meghan staffed a table at the Climate Change

Forum sponsored by the League of Women Vot-

ers.

Barry sent copies of our Native Plant Guide to

seven local landscaping companies.

Old Business: In the past KAS had signed onto

a letter by Washington Wilderness opposing

changes to the Roadless Rules by US Forest Ser-

vice. A successful outcome was that the areas

for roads were dropped, with the exception of

the Tongass National Forest in Alaska. Thus an-

other letter will be sent to Congress, and KAS

again signed on.

Judy Hallisey, who is a member of the Yakima

River Access Committee, announced the com-

mittee was holding an open house on April 19th.

Maps will be available.

New Business: The following items were dis-cussed and more information is being gathered: ~ Participation in the Film Festival in October. ~ Ellensburg Public Library window displays for the summer. ~ The City of Cle Elum is planning to improve the Hanson Ponds area, which is just off the riv-er. There is an old duck blind that could be re-purposed as a bird blind, and a bridge needs to be replaced. A group will look at this project prior to the next Board meeting. (Note: This is a great opportunity for upper-county members interested in working on this pro-ject.)

Join the Board at 4:30 on May 3rd at the Meth-

odist Church. across from the Ellensburg Public

Library, for our next meeting.

(Continued from page 2) Board Notes

Time for your Hummingbird feeders to be hung! One part white sugar to four parts water! No food coloring and change once a week in cool weather, more often in warmer times. Sit back and enjoy the tiny treasures!

Announcements, Actions, Anomalies! Page 5 The Hooter

Election of Officers !!!

Every May meeting Kittitas Audubon holds an election of officers for the com-ing fiscal year, July 1st through June 30th of the following year. All of the current officers have volunteered to continue another year:

President: Judy Hallisey Vice president: Barb Masberg Secretary: Jim Briggs Treasurer: Sharon Lumsden Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Please attend and vote.

Washington State Audubon Campout The Hazel Wolf Bird Sanctuary

at the Wenas Creek Campground

Memorial Day Weekend May 26-28, 2018

EVERY Memorial Day Weekend, members of Wash-

ington State's Audubon Chapters and their friends gather in the Wenas Valley, located on the east slope of the Cascade Mountains between Ellensburg and Yakima. With a varie-

ty of natural history and recreation opportunities, the Wenas Valley is a beautiful area that supports a fascinating assortment of spring flora and fauna, and offers the spiritu-al fulfillment of simply being outdoors in the spring. Eve-

ryone whether members of Audubon chapters or not is welcome to join us for this outing, which is attended each year by around 200 men, women and children, and a large number of birds which, we like to think, enjoy be-ing watched ever as much as we enjoy watching

them!

A Washington State Discover Pass is re-quired.

Please visit the website for all the details:

http://www.wenasaudubon.org/

Leavenworth Spring

Bird Fest

May 17th ~ 20th

http://www.leavenworthspringbird

fest.org/

Keynote Speaker:

David Allen Sibley Celebrate the return of migratory birds in the midst of peak wildflower season while enjoying field trips, events and free family activities for all ages and abilities in Leavenworth, Washington and throughout the Wenatchee River valley!

Come join us for a weekend of field trips, workshops,

demonstrations, speaker, banquet, and silent auction!

Plus, on Saturday morning and early afternoon there’s

Get Intimate with the Shrub Steppe ~ a family affair

for all ages (see Page 8 for info).

https://www.ycic.org/yakima-river-canyon-bird-fest

Apologies if you get this too late—next year maybe?

See Page 8 for details!

Page 6 Hooter Climate Change News

Audubon ~ national and local The 2014 Audubon report declared that the

effects of climate change, if we continue on the

“business as usual” path, may well result in the

demise of 314 North American bird species, in

addition to the multitude of other ill conse-

quences for animals and people. That report

inspired KAS to create its own Climate Change

Committee, which I have been honored to

chair. The current political climate—and issues

on national, state, and local levels—makes it

appropriate to quote from the National Audu-

bon website, which many members might not

see. I offer this as a reminder of the funda-

mental ties that unite us, even in the face of

various disagreements; and also of the fact

that science-based policy should take prece-

dence over partisan political preferences.

“Climate change is an existential threat to

birds and people, and addressing this threat

requires sustained, targeted action across the

country and the world. Audubon is uniquely

suited to help drive that action with our hemi-

spheric network of staff and volunteers from all

walks of life and of all political persuasions.

Our network spans the political spectrum—45

percent identifies as moderate or conserva-

tive—and is significantly more prepared than

the public at large to take action on climate

change. This network includes 1.2 million

members, 454 local chapters, 41 nature cen-

ters, and 23 state offices, all united by a love

for birds that transcends political boundaries.

By engaging our bipartisan network to advance

effective climate solutions across the country,

Audubon not only makes progress on climate

policy, but also builds public demand for solu-

tions. We’re building the political muscle and

grassroots momentum to drive both state and

federal wins on climate, and we’re aiming high:

Audubon has set a goal of contributing to

emissions reductions of at least 80 percent of

1990 levels by 2050.”

Source: National Audubon website: https://

tinyurl.com/y9d2fo4w

~ Barry Brunson

Climate Change Committee Chair

GET “THE HOOTER”

ONLINE

Save paper, printing,

postage. If you would

prefer to receive the elec-

tronic version, send your

name, mailing address, & email ad-

dress to: kittitasaudubon@hotmail.com

At the beginning of each month, we’ll

send you an email with a quick link to

the new Hooter.

Membership Thanks!!!

Ellen Caffery & Jack Bolton ~ new family

membership

Patrick McClintick ~ new

individual membership

Micki Lori Akers ~ individual

membership renewal

Vicki Nesbit & Terry Warner ~ Bluebird Premium

membership renewal

Kay Elliot ~ individual membership renewal

Jo Ellen Richards ~ individual membership renewal &

donation to General Funds

Tom Gauron & Diane Bullock ~ Bluebird Premium

membership renewal

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!

Upcoming KAS Field Trips

May 11th-13th ~ Friday-Sunday ~ Yakima River Canyon Birdfest. Field trips, workshops, speak-ers. See page 5. https://www.ycic.org/yakima-river-canyon-bird-fest 12th ~ Get Intimate with the Shrub Steppe! 9 AM to 2 PM ~ Umtanum Creek Recreation Area in the Yakima River Canyon. This annual event is FREE and FAMILY friendly. We encourage you to take advantage of as many field trips as you can during the day. Educational booths with fun activities are located in the parking area at Umtanum. You do not need to register ahead of time, but please bring water to drink, snacks, wear layers of clothing, and sturdy shoes. The trails are easy but can be rough in places. Please bring your kids, but not your pets :-). https://www.ycic.org/get-intimate-with-the-shrub-steppe

June 2nd ~ Saturday ~ First Saturday BirdWalk, Irene Rinehart Park. Meet at 8 AM at Irene Rinehart riverside parking lot off Umptanum Road for a 3-hour walk. Breeding birds have arrived and are noisily nesting and raising families. Look and listen for pewees, waxwings, 3 kinds of swal-lows, and splashes of yellow in the greenery (warblers, tanagers, etc.!) Leader TBA; 933-1179 for info.

July 7th ~ Saturday ~ First Saturday BirdWalk, Irene Rinehart Park. Meet at 8 AM at Irene Rinehart riverside parking lot off Umptanum Road for a 3-hour walk. Enjoy summer with a walk in the park, many birds to serenade the walkers, and hungry fledglings in the limbs aloft. Beat the heat and enjoy the Farmer’s market after-wards. Leader Steve & Jan, 933-1179 for info.

Kittitas Audubon

P.O. Box 1443

Ellensburg WA 98926

The Hooter ~ May 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!

National Audubon Bird Guide App for your iPhone or Android. Identify, list,

listen, keep records, ask questions.

Awesome! Fun! Fantastic!

FREE!!!

http://www.audubon.org/app