Kittitas Audubon March 2021

ldquoTherersquos a Nature Preserve on CWU Campusrdquo A study of birds and wildlife of Engelhorn Pond

presented by Kiana Rose CWU graduate

Engelhorn Pond was acquired by Central

Washington University in 1976 This 197-

acre preserve contains important habitats

for many organisms particularly migratory

birds and is a valuable resource for stu-

dents However little information has his-

torically been available about the wildlife

inhabiting the pond For her DHC capstone

project Kiana Rose recorded the bird spe-

cies present at the pond using point counts

and observa-

tional ses-

sions from

April 2019 to

March 2020

She found

that 67 bird

species were present at Engelhorn Pond During her surveys she

took photographs and created sketches which she used to compile a

field guide for the public use Kiana will discuss her research the ob-

servations she made at Engelhorn Pond and the crea-

tion of the Field Guide to the Birds of Engelhorn Pond

She will be sharing many photographs and sketches of

the plentiful wildlife at this preserve

Please Join us All are welcome Via Zoom

Kiana Rose graduated from CWU in June 2020 with

her BS in Ecology amp Evolutionary Biology and her

BS in Primate Behavior amp Ecology She was a recipi-

ent of the 2019-2020 Kittitas Audubon Research amp Tu-

ition Scholarship which she used for her senior cap-

stone project through the William O Douglas Honors

(Continued on page 3)

The Hooter You are invited to the KAS General Meeting via ZOOM

March 18th bull 700 PM PDT Join Zoom Meeting httpsus02webzoomusj88196904547

pwd=dGNwWFg0MGhzekdkMHRGMEp4S2x1Zz09

Meeting ID 881 9690 4547 bull Passcode 420424

Merlin

Annarsquos Hummingbird

Engelhorn Pond on CWU campus

Board Notes by Gloria Baldi

The following is a summary from the February 4

th KAS virtual Board meeting

Jessica Coffey one of two recipients of KASrsquos CWU 2020-21 schol-arships began the meeting with an engaging presentation on her graduate thesis project ldquoRock Glacier Hydrological Significance in a Warming World (A more extensive article regarding Jessicarsquos re-search appears later in this Hooter)

Brenda Sestrap has kindly agreed to serve as KAS Historian and the Board gave a sincere welcome

Sharon Lumsden who has served as KASrsquos dedicated and skillful Treasurer has resigned She was deeply thanked for her years of service

Meghan Anderson graciously agreed to serve as Interim Treasurer

Jan Demorest was complimented on the Hooter publications she has undertaken as an Interim Newsletter Editor

To all you members who have sent renewals and donations these past months thank you ever so much There is hope that KAS will again be having lsquorealrsquo monthly meetings

KEEN has asked KAS to participate in the annual (virtual) Bird Fest in May Several excellent ideas were discussed Program Chair Kris Ernest certainly welcomes assistance implementing the ideas (Note her contact number to the left on this page)

Judy Hallisey with Barry Brunsonrsquos help is assisting National Audubon verify the climate change forecast presented in 2014 and 2019 reports tracking specific bird species ranges They scoped lo-cations to use as survey points completed a Climate Watch survey and reported the results to National Audubon Judy also wrote a let-ter to Senator Judy Warnick on behalf of KAS encouraging her to support climate-related legislation

Officer selection for the 2021-22 year will be voted in May Barry has agreed to form a committee to search for volunteers

National Audubon sent a message regarding the Indigenous Guardi-ans programs for the boreal forests of Canada One hindrance to en-hancing bird monitoring is a lack of binoculars Audubonrsquos Boreal

(Continued on page 4)

KAS BOARD MEMBERS President ndash Judy Hallisey

270-792-9188

Vice President ndash Jan Demorest

509-933-1179 Secretary ndash Barry Brunson

(Interim Volunteer)

270-792-9186

Treasurer ndash Meghan Anderson

253-987-7629

Conservation ndash Norm Peck

509-933-4233 Education ndash Kris Ernest

509-925-3987

Field Trips ndash Steve Moore

509-933-1179

Historian ndash Brenda Sestrap

Programs ndash Lesley McGalliard

509-933-2812

Publicity ndash Meghan Anderson

253-987-7629 Scholarship ndash Gloria Baldi

509-933-1558

Climate Change ndashBarry Brunson

270-792-9186

Past President ndash Tom Gauron

509-968-3175 Newsletter ndash Jan Demorest

(Interim volunteer)

509-933-1179

Membership ndash Terry Carkner

253-381-5616

Bluebird boxes ndash Jan Demorest

509-933-1179Social Greeter ndash

Christmas Bird Countndash

Phil Mattocks

non-voting members

KAS Board Meetings are

held at 430 PM on the

1st Thursday of each

month via ZOOM

Board meetings are open

to all Please join us

Contact any board mem-

ber for the ZOOM link

The Hooter is the newsletter of Kittitas Audubon published monthly except

for July Send in your stories amp photos

Submissions from readers are most welcome and encouraged

Submissions need to be in by the 20th of the preceding month

The editor reserves the right to edit for space gram-

mar andor suitability Email text andor photos to

bobcatkvalleycom Or SnailMail to Kittitas Audubon

PO Box 1443

Ellensburg WA 98926

Page 2

Birding Yakima Sportsman

State Park

Yakima Sportsman State Park has two

significant advantages as a birding

and bird photographing location First

diverse habitats allow you to see a

good variety of bird species Trails in-

side the park go around several ponds

and are bordered by brushy forest

The park is bounded on the west by

the Yakima River easily accessible

along the Yakima Greenway trail The

second benefit is that the ponds are

small providing up-close views

April and May are a great time to visit

to catch the end of the water-

fowl migration and the begin-

ning of summer arrivals

American White Pelicans Vir-

ginia Rail Sora kingfishers

and several species of ducks

can be found Look for Yellow-

headed Blackbirds various

swallow species Black-

chinned Hummingbirds West-

ern Wood-pewees as well as

several other flycatcher spe-

cies and a number of

warblers A few spe-

cies that have been

seen albeit less fre-

quently include Mac-

Gillivrayrsquos Warbler

Townsendrsquos Warbler

Cassinrsquos Vireo and

Lincolnrsquos Sparrows

Wood Ducks are com-

mon in the ponds

year-round and al-

ways a treat to see

If you are lucky you

might even find a

Western Screech Owl

While you are there

stop by the Yakima Area

Arboretum and cruise

some additional loca-

tions along the Yakima

Greenway including the

popular Popoff Trail

Check out these

hotspots on ebird

Venturing Outhellip

Page 3

Wood Duck male photo by Ronald Holmes

College She published the

Field Guide to the Birds of

Engelhorn Pond for this

project in 2020

Kiana has been an avid

birder since the age of

eight and a serious nature

photographer since the age

of nine As a child she fell in

love with the amazing variety of

birds that lived in her Pacific

Northwest neighborhood and be-

gan to feed sketch and photo-

graph them Today Kiana lives

in rural Yacolt Washington

where she continues to observe

many bird species She currently

works as a freelance

tutor for local stu-

dents This August

Kiana plans to enter

the convent and

eventually teach bi-

ology ornithology

and photography

(photos submitted by

Kiana Rose)

For more information about Engel-

horn Pond visit here (copy amp

paste)

httpswwwdailyrecordnewscom

newsengelhorn-pond-used-for-

education-research-habitat

article_631ddb50-d722-11e4-b6aa-

9f091e27ac53html

(Continued from page 1)

Birding Yakima Sportsman

State Park

Yakima Sportsman State Park has two

significant advantages as a birding

and bird photographing location First

diverse habitats allow you to see a

good variety of bird species Trails in-

side the park go around several ponds

and are bordered by brushy forest

The park is bounded on the west by

the Yakima River easily accessible

along the Yakima Greenway trail The

second benefit is that the ponds are

small providing up-close views

April and May are a great time to visit

to catch the end of the water-

fowl migration and the begin-

ning of summer arrivals

American White Pelicans Vir-

ginia Rail Sora kingfishers

and several species of ducks

can be found Look for Yellow-

headed Blackbirds various

swallow species Black-

chinned Hummingbirds West-

ern Wood-pewees as well as

several other flycatcher spe-

cies and a number of

warblers A few spe-

cies that have been

seen albeit less fre-

quently include Mac-

Gillivrayrsquos Warbler

Townsendrsquos Warbler

Cassinrsquos Vireo and

Lincolnrsquos Sparrows

Wood Ducks are com-

mon in the ponds

year-round and al-

ways a treat to see

If you are lucky you

might even find a

Western Screech Owl

While you are there

stop by the Yakima Area

Arboretum and cruise

some additional loca-

tions along the Yakima

Greenway including the

popular Popoff Trail

Check out these

hotspots on ebird

Venturing Outhellip

Page 3

Wood Duck male photo by Ronald Holmes

College She published the

Field Guide to the Birds of

Engelhorn Pond for this

project in 2020

Kiana has been an avid

birder since the age of

eight and a serious nature

photographer since the age

of nine As a child she fell in

love with the amazing variety of

birds that lived in her Pacific

Northwest neighborhood and be-

gan to feed sketch and photo-

graph them Today Kiana lives

in rural Yacolt Washington

where she continues to observe

many bird species She currently

works as a freelance

tutor for local stu-

dents This August

Kiana plans to enter

the convent and

eventually teach bi-

ology ornithology

and photography

(photos submitted by

Kiana Rose)

For more information about Engel-

horn Pond visit here (copy amp

paste)

httpswwwdailyrecordnewscom

newsengelhorn-pond-used-for-

education-research-habitat

article_631ddb50-d722-11e4-b6aa-

9f091e27ac53html

(Continued from page 1)

Welcome new members

Jim amp Pam Sloane

Thanks for renewing your membership

Ken amp Britta Jo Hammond

Sue amp Donald E Sorenson

Thank you for your generous donations

Ken amp Britta Jo Hammond

Climate Change Communications March 2021 Barry Brunson Chair Climate Change Committee

Really hazardous to our health wildfire

smoke ~ Even as we emerge from a significant

sequence of snow events let us not forget that

summer will be here eventually and with it comes

a steadily increasing chance of serious wildfires

And along with wildfires comes smokemdashas we

saw dramatically last year A new study suggests

that this smoke has contributed ldquoup to half of all

health damaging small particle air pollution in the

western USrdquo in recent years See the 11 Jan

2021 Associated Press article by Michael Brown at

https tinyurlcomksetmd4t The article includes a

link to the original peer-reviewed research pub-

lished in the 12 Jan 2021 issue of the Proceedings

of the National Academy of Sciences

Devastating dolphin disease climate

change the culprit ~ Coastal communities of

dolphins

around the

world have

been suffer-

ing from an

often-fatal

skin disease

that causes

multiple le-

sions First observed in 2005 following Hurricane

Katrina a team of scientists now report that the

underlying cause of these outbreaks are drastic

reductions in water salinity resulting from cli-

mate change See the 18 Dec 2020 online article

at httpstinyurlcom3ldcg9qo It includes a link to

the original peer-reviewed research in Scientific

Reports (Thanks to Judy for sharing this with me)

Getting down with down Birds living at colder

higher elevations tend to

have fluffier down This

makes perfect sense in the

context of evolution but now

some scientists are quantify-

ing ldquofluffierrdquo This helps ex-

plain how even the tiniest birds can withstand ex-

treme coldmdashand also gives us ldquoclues about which

species are most at risk from climate changerdquo

See ldquoHigh-altitude birds evolved thicker lsquojacketsrsquo

by Victoria Gill in the 15 Feb 2021 BBC News at

httpstinyurlcom16z4kdft It sports a spiffy photo

portraying the fine structure of a feather and also

a look at a bit of the Smithsonianrsquos extensive col-

lection of bird skins The article contains a link to

the original peer-reviewed research in the 15 Feb

2021 issue of the journal Ecography

Page 4

Conservation program is partnering with Red Rock Audubon to raise funds for acquiring bin-oculars for First Nations people involved in the monitoring The Board voted to donate $200

the price of one pair of binoculars selected for the monitoring

Next Board meeting is Thursday April 8th virtu-

ally at 430 Why not join us Contact Judy for the Zoom information

(Continued from page 2) Board Notes (cont)

Photo credit Simon Allen

Attention All Members

Clarification of national and local chapter membership

When you pay dues to National Audubon you are joining only National

You must join KAS separately in order to receive notifications and the eHooter

Questions Write to

kittitasaudubonhotmailcom

CWU SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2 FOR 2020-21

Last monthrsquos Hooter contained an article on

one of our current scholarship recipients with a

research major in Biology This month will

feature our second recipient Jessica Coffey

a graduate student in the Cultural and Envi-

ronmental Resource Management Department

Jessicarsquos research titled ldquoRock Glacier Hydro-

logical Significance in a Warming Worldrdquo em-

phasizes water resources across geo-ecological

zones in mountain systems These water re-

sources support mountain biodiversity and

ecosystem health and unfortunately the melt-

ing of glaciers snowpack and permafrost wa-

ter resources will stress these ecosystems and

communities However rock glaciers are a

type of alpine permafrost that is climate-

resilient due to an outer debris layer that pro-

tects internal ice little is known about rock

glaciers

Jessica is evaluating this water resource and

its sensitivity in the North Cascades in an E-W

transect at 48-49 degree latitude Her efforts

to date have involved four research trips (with

ten people assisting) covered 200 miles trav-

ersed over 29 days in the field during which

she surveyed 12 rock glaciers using ground-

penetrating radar (GPR) Her process involved

mapping the rock glaciers assessing the alti-

tude belts with information from Geographic

Information Systems surveying the composi-

tion and structure of select rock glaciers esti-

mating the water storage for each altitude belt

of alpine permafrost and evaluating alpine

water resource sensitivity to climate change

using projected 21st century temperature data

She plans to present the findings to water re-

source managers for input into national laws

and policies necessary to protect the glacial

and periglacial environment

Water has dominated Jessicarsquos research and

recreational activities for many years She is

from Alaska where she has studied water re-

sources in karst aquifer systems underground

streams and glacial caves and now is studying

rock glaciers Her goal is to work as a lead

karst geologist for the US Forest Service

working to protect water resources for the

benefit of habitat and people in a warming cli-

mate (Photos submitted by Jessica Coffey)

Page 5

This image shows the team con-

ducting a GPR survey below Big

Craggy Peak with two antennas

(held by crew members on the

left and right) and the main con-

trol panel held by Jessica

(center) This instrument has the

capability of providing subsurface

information on the structure and

composition down to ~40m

depth

This image shows the results of the GPR survey over-

lain on Google Earth imagery for comparison of sur-

face morphology with subsurface composition and

structure This site is located below Monument Peak

and these data show that it is a complex rock glacier

formed by several generations of glacierrock glacier

advance and has a massive ice core beneath its rocky

mantle Ultimately these data are analyzed to esti-

mate water volume of this rock glacier

Spoon Full Farm is a local farm located in Thorp Irsquove purchased beef from them for a couple of years Itrsquos grass-fed organic and humanely raised and harvested They work on measuring carbon in their land and also in how pastured animals affect it Below is part of a string of articles on this subject and a link to the website location where you can read the articles in full

A Humble Truth About Soil Carbon

~ 2019 Mericos Rhodes

Its a strange time to be young We Spoon Full farmers are looking toward a future world that may be barely habitable for our future children We want to do something to help stabilize this planets climate and while were at it take better care of our fresh wa-ter and the birds and bees who keep us alive Thats a big part of why we farm and the key to our decisions about how we farm

The industrial meat system gets a bad rap from environmentalists and deservedly so Yet as often happens in complex discussions the public discourse about meat production misses crucial subtleties Because confined grain-fed livestock systems create so many egregious public and environmental health problems some people say we must stop raising farm animals altogether If youre reading this piece though you may have heard that pasture-based grazing systems can produce lots of food while boosting biodi-versity and soil health (and accordingly wa-ter and atmospheric health) Perhaps youve heard of Carbon Farming or regenerative grazing or holistic management Perhaps youve seen Spoon Full Farm

If you have youve probably heard us talk about how our cows build soil and we have probably pointed out the clover volunteering in our pasture and maybe even the young elderberry growing up along the fence line Maybe youve seen smelled or heard the vitality growing in the fields We certainly have here and on other farms too Anec-dotal evidence abounds for the soil-building vitalizing effects of regenerative grazing Whats harder to find and in some ways more important is numerical data

The theory behind this grazing system (it has many names and varieties regenerative rotational management-intensive and holis-tic grazing to name a few) is based on bio-mimicry grasslands evolved with ruminant animals who migrated and fled from preda-tors such as wolves and humans Over time such migratory grazing manure-dropping and trampling builds deep rich soil like the soil that has defined the bread basket of the American Midwest So modern graziers are moving cattle quickly around their minia-ture prairies and watching the soil grow while producing abundant protein for hu-mans Deep living soil holds lots and lots (and lots - soils represent a huge accessible carbon bank into which we can make de-posits out of the air) of carbon A lot of CO2 has been released into the atmosphere by soil-degrading agricultural practices such as tillage If we can put some of that carbon back in the ground we could help to stabilize Earths climate

Cows save the planet Thats a beautiful story But it seems too good to be true you might say Prove it

Numerical data can mdashand shouldmdash affect in-dividual choices about what to eat invest-ment choices about which farm systems to adopt and societal choices about what to subsidize and support So before we grow too enthusiastic about regenerative grazing we need to see the numbers

In 2019 some data has come in and more is on the way Lets look at three examples See the rest of the article and the data examples here httpswwwspoonfullfarmcomjournal-2humbletruth (Copy amp paste)

Page 6

Spoon Full Farm in Thorp ldquoCarbon Farmingrdquo

~ Meghan Anderson

Spoon Full Farm

CWU SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 2 FOR 2020-21

Last monthrsquos Hooter contained an article on

one of our current scholarship recipients with a

research major in Biology This month will

feature our second recipient Jessica Coffey

a graduate student in the Cultural and Envi-

ronmental Resource Management Department

Jessicarsquos research titled ldquoRock Glacier Hydro-

logical Significance in a Warming Worldrdquo em-

phasizes water resources across geo-ecological

zones in mountain systems These water re-

sources support mountain biodiversity and

ecosystem health and unfortunately the melt-

ing of glaciers snowpack and permafrost wa-

ter resources will stress these ecosystems and

communities However rock glaciers are a

type of alpine permafrost that is climate-

resilient due to an outer debris layer that pro-

tects internal ice little is known about rock

glaciers

Jessica is evaluating this water resource and

its sensitivity in the North Cascades in an E-W

transect at 48-49 degree latitude Her efforts

to date have involved four research trips (with

ten people assisting) covered 200 miles trav-

ersed over 29 days in the field during which

she surveyed 12 rock glaciers using ground-

penetrating radar (GPR) Her process involved

mapping the rock glaciers assessing the alti-

tude belts with information from Geographic

Information Systems surveying the composi-

tion and structure of select rock glaciers esti-

mating the water storage for each altitude belt

of alpine permafrost and evaluating alpine

water resource sensitivity to climate change

using projected 21st century temperature data

She plans to present the findings to water re-

source managers for input into national laws

and policies necessary to protect the glacial

and periglacial environment

Water has dominated Jessicarsquos research and

recreational activities for many years She is

from Alaska where she has studied water re-

sources in karst aquifer systems underground

streams and glacial caves and now is studying

rock glaciers Her goal is to work as a lead

karst geologist for the US Forest Service

working to protect water resources for the

benefit of habitat and people in a warming cli-

mate (Photos submitted by Jessica Coffey)

Page 5

This image shows the team con-

ducting a GPR survey below Big

Craggy Peak with two antennas

(held by crew members on the

left and right) and the main con-

trol panel held by Jessica

(center) This instrument has the

capability of providing subsurface

information on the structure and

composition down to ~40m

depth

This image shows the results of the GPR survey over-

lain on Google Earth imagery for comparison of sur-

face morphology with subsurface composition and

structure This site is located below Monument Peak

and these data show that it is a complex rock glacier

formed by several generations of glacierrock glacier

advance and has a massive ice core beneath its rocky

mantle Ultimately these data are analyzed to esti-

mate water volume of this rock glacier

Spoon Full Farm is a local farm located in Thorp Irsquove purchased beef from them for a couple of years Itrsquos grass-fed organic and humanely raised and harvested They work on measuring carbon in their land and also in how pastured animals affect it Below is part of a string of articles on this subject and a link to the website location where you can read the articles in full

A Humble Truth About Soil Carbon

~ 2019 Mericos Rhodes

Its a strange time to be young We Spoon Full farmers are looking toward a future world that may be barely habitable for our future children We want to do something to help stabilize this planets climate and while were at it take better care of our fresh wa-ter and the birds and bees who keep us alive Thats a big part of why we farm and the key to our decisions about how we farm

The industrial meat system gets a bad rap from environmentalists and deservedly so Yet as often happens in complex discussions the public discourse about meat production misses crucial subtleties Because confined grain-fed livestock systems create so many egregious public and environmental health problems some people say we must stop raising farm animals altogether If youre reading this piece though you may have heard that pasture-based grazing systems can produce lots of food while boosting biodi-versity and soil health (and accordingly wa-ter and atmospheric health) Perhaps youve heard of Carbon Farming or regenerative grazing or holistic management Perhaps youve seen Spoon Full Farm

If you have youve probably heard us talk about how our cows build soil and we have probably pointed out the clover volunteering in our pasture and maybe even the young elderberry growing up along the fence line Maybe youve seen smelled or heard the vitality growing in the fields We certainly have here and on other farms too Anec-dotal evidence abounds for the soil-building vitalizing effects of regenerative grazing Whats harder to find and in some ways more important is numerical data

The theory behind this grazing system (it has many names and varieties regenerative rotational management-intensive and holis-tic grazing to name a few) is based on bio-mimicry grasslands evolved with ruminant animals who migrated and fled from preda-tors such as wolves and humans Over time such migratory grazing manure-dropping and trampling builds deep rich soil like the soil that has defined the bread basket of the American Midwest So modern graziers are moving cattle quickly around their minia-ture prairies and watching the soil grow while producing abundant protein for hu-mans Deep living soil holds lots and lots (and lots - soils represent a huge accessible carbon bank into which we can make de-posits out of the air) of carbon A lot of CO2 has been released into the atmosphere by soil-degrading agricultural practices such as tillage If we can put some of that carbon back in the ground we could help to stabilize Earths climate

Cows save the planet Thats a beautiful story But it seems too good to be true you might say Prove it

Numerical data can mdashand shouldmdash affect in-dividual choices about what to eat invest-ment choices about which farm systems to adopt and societal choices about what to subsidize and support So before we grow too enthusiastic about regenerative grazing we need to see the numbers

In 2019 some data has come in and more is on the way Lets look at three examples See the rest of the article and the data examples here httpswwwspoonfullfarmcomjournal-2humbletruth (Copy amp paste)

Page 6

Spoon Full Farm in Thorp ldquoCarbon Farmingrdquo

~ Meghan Anderson

Spoon Full Farm

Spoon Full Farm is a local farm located in Thorp Irsquove purchased beef from them for a couple of years Itrsquos grass-fed organic and humanely raised and harvested They work on measuring carbon in their land and also in how pastured animals affect it Below is part of a string of articles on this subject and a link to the website location where you can read the articles in full

A Humble Truth About Soil Carbon

~ 2019 Mericos Rhodes

Its a strange time to be young We Spoon Full farmers are looking toward a future world that may be barely habitable for our future children We want to do something to help stabilize this planets climate and while were at it take better care of our fresh wa-ter and the birds and bees who keep us alive Thats a big part of why we farm and the key to our decisions about how we farm

The industrial meat system gets a bad rap from environmentalists and deservedly so Yet as often happens in complex discussions the public discourse about meat production misses crucial subtleties Because confined grain-fed livestock systems create so many egregious public and environmental health problems some people say we must stop raising farm animals altogether If youre reading this piece though you may have heard that pasture-based grazing systems can produce lots of food while boosting biodi-versity and soil health (and accordingly wa-ter and atmospheric health) Perhaps youve heard of Carbon Farming or regenerative grazing or holistic management Perhaps youve seen Spoon Full Farm

If you have youve probably heard us talk about how our cows build soil and we have probably pointed out the clover volunteering in our pasture and maybe even the young elderberry growing up along the fence line Maybe youve seen smelled or heard the vitality growing in the fields We certainly have here and on other farms too Anec-dotal evidence abounds for the soil-building vitalizing effects of regenerative grazing Whats harder to find and in some ways more important is numerical data

The theory behind this grazing system (it has many names and varieties regenerative rotational management-intensive and holis-tic grazing to name a few) is based on bio-mimicry grasslands evolved with ruminant animals who migrated and fled from preda-tors such as wolves and humans Over time such migratory grazing manure-dropping and trampling builds deep rich soil like the soil that has defined the bread basket of the American Midwest So modern graziers are moving cattle quickly around their minia-ture prairies and watching the soil grow while producing abundant protein for hu-mans Deep living soil holds lots and lots (and lots - soils represent a huge accessible carbon bank into which we can make de-posits out of the air) of carbon A lot of CO2 has been released into the atmosphere by soil-degrading agricultural practices such as tillage If we can put some of that carbon back in the ground we could help to stabilize Earths climate

Cows save the planet Thats a beautiful story But it seems too good to be true you might say Prove it

Numerical data can mdashand shouldmdash affect in-dividual choices about what to eat invest-ment choices about which farm systems to adopt and societal choices about what to subsidize and support So before we grow too enthusiastic about regenerative grazing we need to see the numbers

In 2019 some data has come in and more is on the way Lets look at three examples See the rest of the article and the data examples here httpswwwspoonfullfarmcomjournal-2humbletruth (Copy amp paste)

Page 6

Spoon Full Farm in Thorp ldquoCarbon Farmingrdquo

~ Meghan Anderson

Spoon Full Farm

March 2021

ldquoTherersquos a Nature Preserve on CWU Campus ~ A study of birds and

wildlife of Engelhorn Pondrdquo presented by Kiana Rose CWU graduate

March 18th 2021 ~ KAS Monthly Pro-

gramMeeting See Page 1 of this newsletter

for details

Via ZOOM 700 PM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ldquoRestoring Habitat for Pollinatorsrdquo March 23 2021

1230 to 300 pm PST

Join the US Forest Service for the first in a series

of workshops that will provide practical guidance

for restoring habitats for Californiarsquos pollinators

(Editorrsquos note although this series is focused on

California it seems probable that the discussions

would also be relevant for eastern Washington

State) The result of these interactive sessions

will be an eco-regional toolkit to help land manag-

ers respond rapidly to planting opportunities

httpstinyurlcomzhdppj26

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ldquoPanamarsquos Cloud Forest ndash The Junc-tion of Bird Communitiesrdquo

~ presented by Thomas Bancroft Tuesday March 23 700 pm

Link for Zoom Presentation

Self-quarantine got you down Tired of b2ird-ing through your living room window Join the North Cascades Audubon Society for a virtual trip to Panama The mountains of western Panama are a mixing pot for birds including migrants and residents Central America is an active geological area and the formation of the isthmus has had a profound influence on the bird communities found throughout the western hemisphere Join Thomas Bancroft PhD and learn more about this fascinating place be immersed in its sounds explore the gorgeous bird life exotic flora and take a quick trip through geologic history all with a focus on understanding the evolution of some of our common North American birds

April 2021 First Saturday Bird-walk ~ April 3 ~ Irene Rinehart park Spring what wersquove been waiting for Some returning birds

to look for will be swallows an Osprey Killdeers maybe a Turkey Vulture In March a pair of Wood Ducks was reported in the park near a duck box With a bit of reconnaissance maybe we can repeat that Meet at the riverside parking lot at 8 AM for a 3- hour walk Info at 509-933-1179

Page 7

Mark Your Calendars

Sounds Fishy

March 24 7PM

The final presentation in Mid-Columbia Fisheries Winter Speakers Series

Smolt outmigration in the Yakima Basin a challenge for fish a chal-

lenge for us with Connor Parrish Fisheries

Biologist and Project Manager with Mid-Columbia Fisheries

httpstinyurlcomane2ut4k

Join Mid-Columbia Fisheries Project Manager Connor Parrish for a lively presentation on smolt outmigration from the Yakima Basin and the Mid-Columbia region Well also be kicking off the Go

with the flow smolt outmigration challenge

Support salmon recovery in Central Washington

These events are free and we hope you will join us Mid-Columbia Fisheries is accepting dona-

tions to support our work to recover native fish in local rivers and streams EventBrite has an option to donate or you can support Mid-Columbia Fish-

eries on their website

Update for Salmonella threat to songbirds that come to bird feeders leave feeders down until April 1st at least Wait for updates from WDFW or your specific statersquos recommendations

(Copy amp Paste the link below)

httpswwwfacebookcomWashingtonFishWildlifeposts10157620034526761

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This from Pilchuck Audubon in Everett

(Virtual Meeting via Zoom now streaming)

ldquoSalmonellosis in Pine Siskinsrdquo

Guest Speaker Dr Ian Cossman DVM

Watch the Recording anytime

All Audubon meetings held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Hal Holmes Center next to the Library

September through May (except December) are open to the public Due to Covid restrictions until further

notice programs will be presented via ZOOM Use the link above to join

Many thanks to the Ellensburg Public Library for sponsoring our meetings here

(Virtual Program via Zoom)

ldquoSwifts Night In Vauxrsquos Happening 15 mil-lion and counting Where wersquove been and where wersquore goingrdquo

Update on Vauxrsquos Swifts WA OR CA

Guest Speaker Larry Schwitters

Watch the Record-ing ~ anytime

Learn More

httpsvauxhappen-ingorg

Sick Pine Siskin

Ph

oto

by N

eva S

we

nse

n

Wee birds

Vauxrsquos Swift clinging to

chimney bricks

Healthy Pine Siskin

Page 8

Othello Virtual Sandhill

Crane Festival Announces 2021 is a

Virtual Festival Events include art and photo contests and art

auction a webinar and a Facebook live watch

Party Like us on Facebook facebookcom

Othello-Sandhill-Crane-Festival-

204363422909694

Webinar Saturday March 20 2021

Time 10 am until 2 pm

Webinar Registration fee is $1000

This year we are excited for the opportunity to

be hosting a Webinar so we can continue the

celebration of the spring migration of the

Sandhill Cranes Sign up on our web page

Othellosandhillcranefestivalorg

Free Lecture on Facebook Friday March

19th from 700 PM - 900 PM We will

have our first ldquoWatch Partyrdquo on Facebook

with Brian and Eliane Bodah Brian will be dis-

cussing global climate change and Elaine will

be discussing the response of organisms to

the stress of global warming Join us at Othel-

lo Sandhill Crane Festival | Facebook)

THANK YOUhellipTO KITTITAS COUNTY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING KAS Inland Internet Roslyn ~ donates Internet service for our Website httpwwwkittitasaudubonorg

Old Mill Country Store Ellensburg ~ Provides a discount on bird seed to KAS members

Get your bird seed here

More Virtual Bird Fests No travel necessary

The Wings Over Water Northwest Virtual Birding Festival in Western Washingtonrsquos Blaine Semiahmoo Birch Bay area will have live webinars video bird walks and kidsrsquo activities online March 19-21

The Grays Harbor Virtual Shorebird amp Nature Festival April 24-30 at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge near Hoquiam Washington will also have online activities in place of in-person events

A couple of highlights from the March

6th Saturday Bird Walk ~ thanks to

Meghan Anderson for lovely photos

American Robin

Two male Northern Flickers negotiating

Snow Geese in Western Washington Photo from Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival

Page 9

Membership Form ~ Kittitas Audubon Society

Please make checks payable to Kittitas Audubon Society PO Box 1443 Ellensburg WA 98926

Name __________________________________________Phone___________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________

City___________________________________________State________Zip___________________

Email Address____________________________________________________________________

Is this a New Membership ____ or a Renewal _____ (please check one) Would you like to receive occasional emails related to Audubon issues Yes ___ No___

May we list your name in The Hooter to acknowledge your membershipdonation 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 $______________

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 kittitasaudubonorg for more information KAS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

Give the Gift of Kittitas Audubon for a year This gift membership is for Name ________________________________________Phone_____________________

Address_____________________________________________________________

City _________________________________State________Zip________________

Email Address________________________________________________________

You must join National Audubon Society separately by visiting their website at httpwwwaudubonorg

See notice on Page 4

The electronic newsletter saves KAS $15 Annually in printingmailing costs also saves trees by not using paper ~ as well as hours of volunteer time to fold label stamp

and deliver to PO (saving gas = thus reducing harmful emissions)

Go Green and enjoy the online version in Color

Page 10