january 2009 heron herald newsletter rainier audubon society

8/8/2019 January 2009 Heron Herald Newsletter Rainier Audubon Society

1/8

Rainier Audubon Society January 2009

Federal Way United Methodist Church

29645 - 51st Ave. So.(in unincorporated Auburn) 98001

Directions: In Federal Way, take 320th St. EAST past The Commons, crossing over I-5 and Military Rd.At 321st St, turn left. Stay on 321st as it becomes 51st Ave. So. Follow 51st Ave. to 296th. Church will

be on your left at 296th.

Award-winning photographer Paul Bannick will take us on a photographic journey of

habitats key to the survival of North American owls and woodpeckers - with a special

emphasis on the Pacific Northwest. This stunning

photographic study will be accompanied by field stories

and rich natural history derived from thousands of

hours in the field.

Paul couples his love of the outdoors with his skill as a photographer to create

images intended to foster intimacy between the viewer and subject in order

to inspire education and conservation. His work has appeared in severalbooks and magazines, at the Woodland Park Zoo, and on interpretive signs in

Southern California, Mt. St. Helens, Bridle Trails State Park, and in the North

Cascades. Paul is a significant photo contributor to Conservation Northwest,

Seattle Audubon, and the North Cascades Institute.

Rainier is delighted to have Paul back again for another wonderful presentation

of his work.

Refreshments are available before and after the program.

Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Photographer Paul Bannick

The Owl and the Woodpecker:

Encounters with North Americas Most Iconic Birds


2/8

Rainier Audubon Society

PO Box 778

Auburn WA 98071

(253) 796-2203

www.RainierAudubon.org

Our Mission

To conserve and restore natural ecosystems and protect birds and other wildlife for the benefit ofhumanity and biological diversity in South King County and the world we live in.

RAINIER AUDUBON OFFICERS

President OPEN

Vice President Steve Feldman (360) 802-5211

Treasurer Jim Tooley (253) 854-3070

Backyard Habitat Chair Carol Stoner (253) 854-3207

Christmas Bird Count Coordinator Nancy Streiffert (253) 796-2203

Program Chair Dale Meland (253) 946-1637

Membership Chair Pat Toth (206) 767-4944

Field Trip Chair Carol Schulz (206) 824-7618

Education Chair Annette Tabor (253) 927-3208

Conservation Chair Dan Streiffert (253) 796-2203

Newsletter Editor Nancy Hertzel (253) 255-1808

Mailing Crew Debra Russell (425) 271-0682

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Max Prinsen

Erin Wojewodski-Prinsen

Tricia MacLaren

(425) 432-9965

(425) 432-9965

(360) 802-0304

JANUARY 2009 - PAGE 2

do you have time to help?

Rnr abn s n n f nr n bcfr r ns. W s f c rs bs

r ng ncs, s r jb w b sb n

nnncns rs n nnr. Js fw

rs n!

if cn , c S Fn (360) 802 5211

r Cr Snr ( 253) 854 3207.


3/8


ENGLISH IVYA Class C Noxious Weed in King County

by Sasha Shaw

King County Noxious Weed Education Specialist

On the way to my daughters school, we walkpast one very dense patch o ivy. In spite o my

opinion o the plant, I have to

admit the owers are kind o

interesting to look at, somewhat

sweet-smelling and they attract

lots o bees. Flowers only grow

on mature stems o ivy that can

be identifed by shiny, unlobed

leaves, instead o the usual dull,

dark-green, lobed leaves o the

ivy stems.

The purple-black berries thatollow ivys owers are bitter and poisonous to

us, but are eaten by English house sparrows,

starlings, robins, cedar waxwings, and other birds.

Ivy berries mature early in the spring when other

berries are scarce, and birds spread the seeds into

both natural and urban orests, where they easily

germinate in a wide range o conditions rom

sunny, to shady and moist, to dry.

In the not-so-distant past, English ivy wasoten recommended as a lawn substitute and

shade-tolerant groundcover because it will

survive almost anything and spreads easily on its

own. More recently, there has been a growing

awareness o the harm caused by English ivy.

Parks gardeners and urban oresters may have

been the frst to notice the damage, but the

awareness has spread ar and wide, and there isnow both ofcial and unofcial recognition that

this plant is a problem. English Ivy is a listed

noxious weed in both Washington and Oregon.

Many land managers are working voluntarily

to remove this plant, and more and more

proessional landscapers have stopped installing

it in new plantings.

Although it is still legal to sell English ivyin Washington, some nurseries have chosen to

remove the invasive ivy species and cultivars rom

their stores, and others would probably do so i

more customers expressed their concerns about

this plant.

A document by The NatureConservancy sums up the

costs o ignoring the spread o

English ivy:

In the end, the results o

societal passivity regarding

ivy will be extensive loss o

shade trees, declines in native

ora and auna, water quality,

and orest productivity; andincreases in erosion, slope

ailures, and landscaping / management costs or

private citizens, the orest industry, and public

agencies alike.

More and more cities and community orestrestoration projects are beginning to take on ivy

removal in urban parks and greenspaces and it is

likely that there is an eort in your neighborhood

that would welcome assistance.

A Word From Your Local Ivy Removal Project

By Bernedine Lund

One year ago, Rainier Audubon began the

ambitious attempt to rid the trees in Dash Point

State Park o ivy. Since then, our members have

donated over 215 hours to this project. Anyone

driving through the park now can easily see whichtrees we have rescued rom the choking ivy vines.

This month, we will start the next step o the

process - pulling ivy rom the ground. No

experience is needed to help. Anyone interested

can email me at philandbernedine2002@yahoo.

com. Thank you!


4/8

Fld Trps - By Carl Schlz

Wkly Brd Walks

at Nsqally

Wdnsdays7:30 AM t 11:00 AM

Ladr: Phl Klly

Jn Phl n hs wkly brd walk

as h cnts th brds at Nsqally

NWR. Th rp may walk t

t McAllstr Crk f that tral

s pn, thn tak th bardwalk/

tral lp t t th Twn Barns, th

Nsqally vrlk ara, and th

rparan ara, ttaln abt thr

mls.

BRiNg: gd walkn shs r

bts, ranar, watr, snacks, and

$3 ntry f nlss y hav a pass.

Scps ar wlcm.

MeeT: At th Vstrs Cntr.

DiReCTioNS: Tak i-5 sth frm

Tacma and xt t Nsqally NWR

at xt 114. Tak a rht at th lht.

SigN-uP: Call r mal Phl t

conrm details (especially during

the trail construction period): (360)

459-1499, [email protected].

[Nt: B chans ar happnn

at Nsqally NWR! Cnstrctn

has bn n sm f th

trals, drn a 3-4 yar stary

rcnstrctn prjct. ovr th

crs f th rcnstrctn, smtrals may b clsd tmprarly.

Fr mr nfrmatn abt tral

clsrs, t www.fws.v/

nsqally and clck n evnts and

Nws.]


Rntn Parks

and Bachs

Satrday, Janary 24, 20098:00 AM t Md-Aftrnn

Ladr: Amy Schllnr

Lat Janary s a prfct tm f

yar t vst parks and bachs n

th Rntn ara. Th watrbrds

ar back, and thr mht b sm

srprs brds, t! if sm flks

want t lav arly, thy can brn

thr wn cars. Dpndn nwhr th brds ar, w may vst

Knnydal Bach, Cln Park, th

mth f th Cdar Rvr, and Rn

Rs Park. W may walk abt n

ml.

BRiNg: Warm clths, hkn bts

r shs fr wt rass, lnch, drnks,

and snacks.

MeeT: At i-405 xt 9, th

Nwcastl Park & Rd.

DiReCTioNS: Tak i-405 nrth

frm Rntn t xt 9. g half a

blck phll. Th Park & Rd wll

b n yr lft. B carfl t NoT

dwn th frway ntranc ramp.

SIGN-UP: Call Amy (425) 443-

6931 or email amyschillinger@

cmcast.nt.

Skat and Samsh

Flats

Snday, Fbrary 8, 20097:00 AM t Lat Aftrnn

Ladr: Carl Schlz

W havnt dn a Skat trp fr

a fw yars, and w want t s all

ths wndrfl brds aan! or

tart brds ar raptrs, Snw gs,

swans, and Shrt-ard owls. W

ar hpn fr d lks at falcns.

Rh-ld

Hawks shld b

hntn and prchn

n ths aras. A

WA Fsh & Wldlf

Vhcl us Prmt

s rqrd f y ar

takn a car. Lmt 8.

W wll carpl.

BRiNg: VeRY

warm and

watrprf clths.

it can b cld and wndy n thats. Also bring lunch, drinks, and

watrprf bts r shs. W wll

walk p t n ml. Scps ar

vry wlcm.

MeeT: Ds Mns Park & Rd by

7:00 AM, lav prmptly at 7:05!

DiReCTioNS: Tak i-5 t xt

149. Trn ast abt n blck t

Military Rd. Turn north (left) on

Mltary. Park & Rd s n th lft.

SIGN-UP: Call Carol at (206) 824-

7618, or email to [email protected].

emal s prfrrd.


5/8

Fld Trps, cnt.


Jn Frnds f Ss Crk Park vlntrs J and Lz Mls fr thr n f ths lat-

night programs and walks exploring the world of owls! Well start indoors for the rst hour,

larnn thr calls, iD, and nf abt r lcal wl spcs, thn vntr tdrs t prwl

fr wls.

grp sz s lmtd t 15 and rsrvatns ar rqrd. Bst fr adlts and chldrn vr 13 yars. Th wls prram

s spnsrd by Knt Cty Rcratn Dpt.

MeeT: Ss Crk Park Mantnanc Shp. Ss Crk Park/Tral. 24810 - 148th Av. Se n Knt

DIRECTIONS: Take James St. east from Kent. To reach James St, exit 167 at Willis, turn east to Central and north to

Jams. g ast n Jams as t bcms Se 240th St. Travl abt fr mls, as 240th dps and trns dwnhll. Trn

rht n 148th at th bttm f th hll. Th Ss Crk mantnanc yard wll b dwn th rad abt 1/4 ml n th

lft at a barn and chanlnk-fncd parkn lt.

SIGN-UP: Call Kent Commons at (253) 856-5000. These trips FILL EARLY. For further information, email or call Joe

Miles at (253) 629-00123 or at [email protected]. Joe can answer your questions, but cannot arrange the sign-ups.

Tw Wntr owl Prwls at Ss Crk

Satrday Nht, Fbrary 7, 2009

Satrday Nht, March 7, 2009

10:30 PM t 1:30 AM

Local Birding Festivals

Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival

January 24-25, 2009

Concrete / Rockport / Marblemount

www.skagiteagle.org

Winter Wings Festival

February 13-15, 2009

Klamath Falls, Oregon

www.winterwingsfest.org

Port Susan Snow Goose and Birding Festival

February 29 - March 1, 2009

Stanwood, Washington

www.snowgoosefest.org


6/8JANUARY 2009 - PAGE 6

The Black-capped Chickadee, which seems

to us to have a sunny disposion in even the

harshest environments, perhaps can aribute

its cheerfulness to its fabulous memory.

Chickadees have an innate ability to hide food

in thousands of locaons for later consumpon

and then return,

remembering nearly every

hiding place. In northern

climates especially, a

sharp memory for ndingfood eecvely and

eciently in winter is

crical in order to avoid

death by starvaon.

According to a

recent study comparing

chickadees in Colorado

and Alaska, this hide-

and-seek technique is

an adaptive survivalskill found to be more

advanced in the higher and

harsher latitudes where

the weather is more unpredictable and the reliance

on stored food is greater. The study, performed

in a University of California, Davis, laboratory

using identical cache-recovery tasks, found that

Black-capped Chickadees from Alaska stored

signicantly more food than those from Colorado

and had an easier time remembering where to nd

it. Practice, pressure, and the environment are all

factors that may make northern chickadees better

equipped for harsh conditions.

In addition to having more practice in

dealing with limited food supplies in severe

weather, Alaskan chickadees also have less time

to nd food due to minimal available daylight

hours. The average day length in Anchorage,

Alaska, on December 22 is 5 hours and 27 minutes,

compared with 9 hours and 16 minutes of daylight

on the same date in Windsor, Colorado. Beyond

their ability to locate food in almost half the

me of their low-latud e counterparts, Alaskanchickadees have a knack for remembering where

they hid it in the rst place. Further examinaon

found that this ability correlates with the size of

the hippocampus, the poron of the brain involved

in memory, which was larger and contained more

neurons in the chickadees

living in Alaska.

Whether the

behavioral and brain

dierences are genec

is yet to be determined,

but the study conrmed

that the disncon

is not simply a result

of environment. The

dierences between

the Alaska and Colorado

chickadees remained

the same aer spending

more than a month incapvity under idencal

condions in California.

Researchers concluded

that Black-capped Chickadees in higher latudes

developed survival skills as natural and crical

adaptaons for hiding and nding food in even the

most inclement condions.

Thanks to bigger brains and beer memories,

Black-capped Chickadees were able to extend their

range far north and survive.

From Winter Bird Highlights

A publicaon of Project Feeder Watch

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

www.feederwatch.org

Chickadees

By Genna Knight

and

Anne Marie Johnson


7/8



8/8

Rainier Audubon Membership Subscription Form

One-year Membership in Rainier Audubon $15

To join, mail this application with your payment to:

Rainier Audubon Society - MembershipPO Box 778

Auburn, WA 98071

Name _______________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________________ State ______________ Zip ______________

Email _______________________________________________________________________________

january 2009 heron herald newsletter rainier audubon society

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