April 2008 Jayhawk Audubon Society Newsletter

8/9/2019 April 2008 Jayhawk Audubon Society Newsletter

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Volume 32, Issue 8 APRIL, 2008www.jayhawkaudubon.org

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2008

DAVID SEIBEL

BIRDING BY EAR& Other Tips on Bird Identification

Just in time for the Birdathon and all the glories of spring

birding, Professor David Seibel will share his techniques foridentifying those frustrating birds that tantalize with song butjust wont come out in the open and patiently pose while youfocus your binoculars. He will demonstrate methods and toolsfor auditory birding, explain the biology and theory of avianvocalization and give us some hints on how to learn bird calls.In addition to this wealth of useful information, David plans toshow photographs hes captured through the judicious use ofrecorded songs and calls. If you havent joined the KSBIRDSlistserv where David often shares his incredibly sharp,incredibly intimate bird photos, visit www.davidseibel.com fora sample of his portfolio.

The flash and flurry of red wings

flying off...a cardinal he had savedfrom the jaws of a cat...hooked Davidon ornithology at the age of four! Fromthere he went from strength to strengthgraduating from Southwestern Collegein Winfield as Valedictorian and earn-ing a Ph.D. in Systematics and Ecol-ogy with a specialty in Ornithologyfrom KU in 1988. Today he is a pro-fessor at Johnson County Community

College teaching Human Anatomy and General Zoology withseveral Faculty Achievement and Distinguished ServiceAwards to his credit. He is rapidly becoming an established

wildlife photographer with a cover photo onNorth AmericanBirds and is the coauthor and contributing photo editor ofBirdsof Kansas to be published bythe University of Kansa Press.

Dinner with David Seibel: 5:30 p.m. at Mariscos RestaurantSE corner of 6th & Wakarusa

Meeting/Talk: 7:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Fellowship Hall1245 New Hampshire, LawrenceRefreshments! Lots of parking east of church

.

All programs of the Jayhawk Audubon Society

are free and open to the public

Migrants Are on the Move

Can the Birdathon be

Far Behind?Whos up for Warbler Neck???

One never feels comfortable summoning help on bended knee,but once again JAS has lost a valued Birdathon field participant.Monica Higgins, who has added 3 to 5 species seen by no-oneelse to the JAS Chapter list for the past 4 years, has taken a postin Florida to green up one of that states many golf courses.Thus from Birdathon headquarters the plea goes out to any andall to set aside part of the first weekend in May (5/3 & 5/4) to joinin Birdathon 08 by counting birds and enlisting sponsors.

Just designate a 24 hour period during that weekend to tally allthe bird species you see or hear. Truly dedicated participants likeGerry Parkinson go out both days, compiling two lists and sub-mitting the best. As of this writing we dont know if any expertbirders other than myself will be free to guide neo-birdathonerson the weekend adventure. Personally I do not hear well andwelcome the company of anyone who has a repertoire of birdsongs and calls as well as birders of any level of ability with thedesire to learn more about habitat and birding sites. Last year,due to a lingering squall, I spent most of my day at Baker HaskellWetlands. This year I expect to cover more territory and logmany more road miles. Please dont be shy. Let me introduceyou to pleasurable birding for a good cause. Call me anytime tojoin the JAS Birdathon team this spring.

-- Richard Bean 785-979-2649Birdathon Basics:WHAT: JAS MAJOR FUNDRAISER. Birdathon enables

- Wakarusa Wetland Learners field trips- Eagles Day- Natural History Museum Summer Camp

scholarships- Monarch Tagging Day at the Wetlands-Out-of-town speakers- Brochures for the Wetlands & assistance

for projects like the new pergola.-creative freedom to fund new projects.

The board would love to hear your ideas!

Golden Winged Warbler.Steven DAmato

See Page 2 for How, Where, When and Why!


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY2

Birdathon Basics continued:

WHERE: Wherever you want to bird. You dont have tobe in Lawrence or even in Kansas. Go to theKOS Spring meeting in Goodland or to Timbuktuas long as there are birds for the counting.

WHEN: Any 24 hours during May 3 to May 4.

HOW: It works just like any other Thon. CallRichard Bean and sign up to bird. Thenask co-workers and friends to pledge insupport of your effort. No pledge is toosmall OR too large.Also you may collect

pledges for Birdathon even if you cant

go birding that weekend.

ALL contributions to JAS are used locally for education and conservation projects. JAS has no administrative overhead.

Then on the 3rd or 4th, go out and count

species--NOT individual birds but species.If you are a newer birder Richard can

pair you with someone more experienced.Then send your list and any pledges youcollected to Richard for compilation. Mostyears the chapter has a Birdathon list of160 or more species.

WHY: For the fun of the birding and competition tosee who has the biggest list. Most of all to

insure the continuance of the useful work ofthe Jayhawk Audubon Society.

Warbling Vireo N. John Schmit

This is your chance to find out for yourself what allthe rave reviews are about. Additional facilitators areneeded for all 6 field trips scheduled for this spring:

April 11, 2008 12:45 to 3:15 CordleyApril 23, 2008 9:30 -12:00 SunflowerApril 30, 2008 9:00 - 11:30 Kennedy

May 2, 2008 8:30 - 11:00 WoodlawnMay 9, 2008 9:30 - 12:00 WakarusaMay 16, 2008 12:30 - 3:00 Schwegler

What is involved? Simply sharing your knowledge andlove of the wetlands with the students. If you know aboutwetland animals, plants, insects, macroinvertebrates orbirds thats perfect. If you can inspire the children to createpoetry, stories or dance about the wetlands thats perfecttoo. Do you know about geology, geography or the historyof Native Americans at the Wetlands? Pass it forward!

Teachers and parents accompany the children so there is

crowd control. Do you have experience working withchildren but need help with content? Sandy Sanders, WWLCoordinator, is ready, nay eager, to help you. Contact herat [email protected] or 841-4807.

Helpers Neededfor WakarusaWetlands Learners

Irish Peatlands Conservation Council www.ipcc.ie

NO FACILITATORS = NO FIELD TRIPSThis program benefits habitat conservation byawakening minds to the beauty and value ofnature and to our role in a healthy ecosystem

Please do your bit to keep WWL afloat.

BORED? GET ON

THE BOARDThe JAS Board of Directors that is. Every May officers

and board members are selected for the coming year. Thisyear we have special need for a Field Trip Leader, VicePresident, Recording Secretary and CorrespondingSecretary. Also Rex Powell is stepping down as EducationCommittee Chair after working with Sandy Sanders tocreate the Wakarusa Wetlands Learners so JAS needs avolunteer for Education Chair as well as a Migratory CountChair.

Being a JAS Board member is rewarding,challenging and brings with it the bonus ofworking with a fine group of people.

Contact Chuck Herman: [email protected] learn more and volunteer.


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY 3

Help Plant a BeautifulButterfly Garden

Please join the Kansas Biological Surveyin planting a public butterfly garden at theKU Field Station and Ecological Reserves.Well plant the site with native wildflowers,purchased from a local nursery, that areknown to attract pollinators. This will be agreat chance to learn about the native plantspreferred by our local insect life.

The event will take place on Saturday,April 26, from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For directions to the fieldstation see http://www.ksr.ku.edu/gethere/tonesa.htm. Theplanting site is at the parking lot on the north side of the road

about one half mile before you reach the entrance to the NelsonEnvironmental Study Area. Bring drinking water and workgloves if you have them. For more information contactJennifer Delisle [email protected].

- Jennifer Delisle

American Painted Lady.Darrell Pruett. Washing-ton Dept.Fish & Wildlife

SPRING ROAD TRIPSNeed toget out of townbut cant swing

that trip to Alaska? These trips will give youfresh vistas without consigning you to ramennoodles for the rest of the summer.

KANSASBIRDING FESTIVAL: APRIL 25, 26 & 27.Wakefield, KS. See www.kansasbirdingfestival.org for regis-tration form/event schedule or call Chuck Otte, 785-238-4161.Great birding.

KANSASORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY SPRINGMEETING: MAY 2, 3 & 4. In Goodland, KS this year.Forms and info: www.ksbirds.org. (Take advantage of the field

trips to bird for the JAS BIRDATHON!) Pre-register by 4/20.

FEATHERS IN FLIGHT BIRDING FESTIVAL: MAY 2,

3 & 4. Want to go south instead of west? Hosted by theWildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center in Joplin, Mowww.wildcatglades.audubon.org. for info and forms.

HOMESTEAD RANCH BIRD ROUNDUP: MAY 31The First Annual Roundup offers a rare opportunity for birdingaccess to a private ranch. Homestead Ranch is a privately-owned, working cattle ranch in the Flint Hills near the town ofMatfield Green. In 2004 the owners began an experimentalprogram to provide better habitat for native tallgrass prairie

wildlife, especially ground-nesting birds. Birders attending theevent will complete check-lists to aid the ranchers in ascertain-ing which bird species are present. Photographers, hikers,artists, families and kids are welcome to accompany a birder. .Contact Marva Weigelt at [email protected] topre-register by May 15. Nominal feeSee http://www.republicofgrass.com/HRRI.html for maps andextensive info. Support a prairie conservationist.

SOLSTICE BUTTERFLY ROUNDUP: JUNE 21Homestead Ranch. Same folks, same premise, but butterflies.

See the website for info. Pre-register by June 1.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER:

Are you interested in trying tocarpool to any events? Join theJAS listserv and you may be ableto get something organized. Sendan email to Karyn Riney [email protected] and she willadd you to the list.

Use Natives at Home TooTheyre Best for your Birds

Almost all native plants provide food for birds. If not byproducing fruits or seed, then by providing food for insectswhich in turn become food for birds. The aster family (includessunflowers, thistles, ragweed, asters, and many others) is thelargest plant family in Kansas (300+ species) and all producea multitude of seeds, hence a lot of food for birds.

The worst thing for birds in the long run is to plant or allowinvasive alien plants like bush honeysuckle, Japanese honey-suckle, and Sericea lespedeza to name a few. Since the birdsrelish the fruits and seeds they spread the plants.Then the plants take over natural habitat creatinga dead zone of only a few species thatprovides little use to anything. A perfectexample of this is a very commonlandscape tree the Bradford Pear(native to Europe). The fruit isrelished by the "lovely" Starling..Replace it with any native tree, andyou will be doing native birds a service.

Jeff HansenPast PresidentKansas Native Plant Society

Gray Catbird. Charles A. Babcock.Bird Day. 1901. Gutenberg ebook.


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY KIDS PAGE4

1. Color or draw pictures on your fortune teller.Then cut it out. With pictures facing down,fold on diagonals shown above. Then unfold it.

2. Fold all four corners to center.

3. Turn paper over.

7. Slide thumbs and forefingers under the squares andmove the fortune teller back and forth to play.

4. Again, fold all corners to center.

5. Fold paper in half fromside to side and then unfold.

6. Fold in half from top to bottom.Do not unfold.

Fortune Teller adapted fromwww.naturedetectives.org.uRiddles fromwww.beverlyroberts.com

Riddle: Whendomonkeysfallfromthesky

Answe

r:Durin

gApe-r

ilshowers!

Riddle:

CanFe

bruary

March?

Answer:No,butAprilMay!


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY KIDS PAGE 5

HEAD OUT THE DOOR!! Let the fortune tellerguide your steps~Start your walk. When you see a bird, flower, insect or tree, spell out the word while moving the fortune teller

back and forth. So for b-i-r-d you would move the fortune teller 4 times.

~Then move the fortune teller as many times as there are trees/flowers/birds/insects. 2 trees = 2 times backand forth. Lift the flap that matches the number of things you saw to find what to do next.

~OR make up your own rules for using the fortune teller. Use sounds, smells, dogs, puddles, nestsor whateveryou dream upfor the clues.

~Write about your walk in your nature journal. Folding directions are on page 4

12

IseeabirdIseeaflower

1 2

3

34

ormore

4ormore

I see a treeI see aninsect

Turn around& gallop

Hop tothe left

Jog

to

the

right

Spinaround.

Stop&turnaroundagain.

Skipstraight

ahead

Goright

Goleft

Gostraight

ahead


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY6

SOME REASONS TO SMILE:1. Hummingbirds will be here any day! They were in Oklahoma on April 1. Birders...clean your feeders!

2. Spring migration is well underway. Martins, Brown Thrashers & Gnatcatchers are back. Loons inbreeding plumage have been seen passing through and the first Whoopers left Aransas on March 25!

3. Mourning Doves are chasing each other around the yard, maleCardinals are singing passionately and daffodils are blooming..

4. In Lawrence we have many opportunities to do right by the world.

Some of those opportunities are listed here. Happy trails!

Earth Day Celebration in South Park following Parade at 11Saturday, April 19, 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

JAS will have a table and Sierra Club will be selling Native plants in collaboration with VinlandValley Nursery. A great chance to do right by your garden, your birds and your critters.

Live music, food, and childrens activities. Exhibits about waste reduction, composting, alternative fuels/vehicles,energy conservation, land preservation, wildlife/habitat preservation and more. Featuring the April Showers toWater Towers: Water Festival which uses fun activities to inform about watersheds, stormwater pollution, ero-sion, and other water quality issues.

MONARCH WATCH PLANT SALE. May 10th. Get your Monarch Habitat up and blooming. If you like

to garden, this is not to be missed! 8am-3pm. Foley Hall, KU campus. www.monarchwatch.org or 785-864-4441for directions. Also MANY CHILDRENS ACTIVITIES: butterflies, videos, caterpillars, food...WOW.

25th Annual Clinton Lake Cleanup. Saturday, May 17, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Shelter #1in the Overlook Park at Clinton Lake Spend a morning restoring the natural beauty of ClintonLake. Hot dog lunch to follow. Individuals or groups may pre-register by contacting the Clin-ton Lake office (785) 843-7665, or they may register at 9 a.m. that morning.

Lawrence Electronic Recycling Event. Saturday, April 26th TIME: 9:00AM-1:00PMLOCATION: University of Kansas Lied Center Parking Lot, 1600 Stewart Drive

Electronic equipment contains hazardous components such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Recycling your unwantedelectronic equipment keeps these hazardous components out of the landfill.Items accepted for recycling: Computer Monitors*, desktops, laptops, peripherals, printers, phones, pagers,TVs*, VHS & DVD drives and more. $5 fee for monitors and $10 for TVs. No charge for other electronics.Check the City of Lawrence recycling website for more details.

Common Loon in breeding plumage. Steven DAm


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JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY 7

All Things Reconsidered:My Birding Adventures

by Roger Tory Peterson

Reviewed by Barbara Watkins

For a blue-collar bird watcher like me, it has been a real treat to pass the winter weeksreading Roger Tory PetersonsAll Things Reconsidered: My Birding Adventures(Ed. Bill Thompson III, Houghton Mifflin pbk, 2006). These 40 articles forBirdWatchers Digestare assembled chronologically and cover the period 1984-1996.Although we typically think of Peterson (1908-1996) as a bird artist, photographerand field-guide pioneer, he is also a first-rate author.

One of the treats of this collection is that many of the articles--for example, Returnto the Pribilofs --discuss the ups and downs in bird population dynamics in his life-time. Other articles deal with birding legends such as Audubon, Petersons long-time

collaborator James Fisher, Sir Peter Scott, and Ludlow Griscom. Petersons respectfor the important work of the Audubon Society is also evident throughout the book--from his early years working in an Audubon camp in Maine to his employment in1934 with the National Audubon Society, which continued until his death.

Two of the most memorable articles for me are Finding the Ivory-billed Wood-pecker and High Seas in a Row Boat. Peterson says that without question, hismost exciting bird experience was finding the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which JamesTanner in his three years of dissertation research at Cornell had only seen five times,all on the Singer Tract in northeast Louisiana. Peterson saw two females in May1942--probably the same two that Tanner had seen six months earlier.

The High Seas article tells of Petersons harrowing adventure in 1960 with Phil

Humphrey, Lawrence resident and retired director of KU Natural History Museum.A local rowed Humphrey, leader of Yales Patagonian Expedition, and Peterson outto Isla Blanca off the Argentine coast. They tracked Giant-Petrels, skuas, penguins,Blue-eyed and Rock Shags in a calm sea; then the wind came up and the two Ameri-cans were called on to help row. The albatross they saw on the way back reveled inthe wind that we dreaded. For hours they struggled to cross the three miles of waterto land. Petersons comments on this adventure encapsulate his whole life:

Now that time has passed, [he wrote this article in 1989] I realize that thisexperience, one of the most grueling in my life, and unpleasant at the time,was one that I wouldnt want to have missed. To take a chance once in awhile and to get away with it is to feel alive.

To celebrate the centennial of Petersons birth, a biography by Elizabeth Rosenthal,

Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson will be out this May from Lyons Press.

JAS officers & Board MembersPresident: Chuck Herman: 913-301-3921

[email protected] President: Pam ChaffeeRecording Secy: Joyce Wolf

Corresponding: Susan IversenTreasurer: Jennifer DelisleMember ChapterChange Report: Chuck & Ruth HermanMembership Promotion: Dayna Carleton Newsletter: Susan Iversen:785-843-1142

[email protected]: Michael FraleyPrograms: Joyce Wolf/Pam ChaffeeEducation: Rex PowellField Trip: VOLUNTEER NEEDEDPublicity: Dayna CarletonElectronicCommunications: Karyn Baker-Riney

Bird Seed Sale: Linda LipsBirdathon: Richard BeanChristmas Count: Galen PittmanMigratory Count: VOLUNTEER NEEDEDEagles Day: Ed & Cynthia ShawHospitality: Esther SmithHistorian: Ron WolfBooks & Feeders: Ron & Joyce WolfBoard Member: Sharon AshworthBoard Member: Dena FriesenBoard Member: Lisa GrossmanBoard Member: Ed ShawBoard Member: Cynthia Shaw

In addition to the Peterson collection, I highly recommend Bob Gress and PeteJanzens new bookThe Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots (Univ. Press ofKansas, 2008). The photos, text and organization are superb. Another good book forall seasons is NPR commentator Julie ZickefoosesLetters from Eden: A Year at Homein the Woods (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). A welcome addition to our birding resourcesis the new website http://digital.library.pitt.edu/a/audubon/, where the University ofPittsburgh has digitized its rare and complete set of John James AudubonsBirds of

America. Each of the 435 plates links to their respective narrative within Audubonscompanion publication, his Ornithological Biography.

MagellanicPenguin.falklands.net

A human footprint next to that of a Giant-Petrel!

Storm Petrels. Everybodys Cyclopedia.1912. University of South Florida clipart


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Jayhawk Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 3741Lawrence, KS 66046Return Service Requested

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDLawrence, KS

Permit No. 201

Application for New Membership in both: National Audubon Society and Jayhawk Chapter___$15 Student; ___$20 Introductory for NEW members; ____$15 Senior Citizen.(Make check payable toNational Audubon Society.)

Application for Chapter-only Membership (Jayhawk Audubon Society). No Audubon magazine.___$7.50 Chapter-only (Make check payable toJayhawk Audubon Society.) Those with National Audubonmemberships are encouraged to support the chapter by voluntarily paying these dues. Chapter membershipexpires annually in July.

National Audubon Society members receive four issues per year of the Audubon magazine and are alsomembers of the Jayhawk Chapter. All members also receive 10 issues of this newsletter per year and areentitled to discounts on books and feeders that are sold to raise funds to support education and conservationprojects. Please send this completed form and check to Membership Chairs at the following address:

Ruth & Chuck Herman; 20761 Loring Road, Linwood, KS 66052; e-mail contact:

[email protected] . {National Members Renewing: please use the billing form receivedfrom National and send it with payment to National Audubon Society in Boulder, CO}.

Name __________________________; Address ___________________________________________;

City ___________________________; State ______; ZIP Code (9) digit _______________;

Telephone (with Area Code) ___________________J02: 7XCH

BIRDATHON:

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Documents

April 2008 Jayhawk Audubon Society Newsletter