NOW AVAILABLE!!!

A Birder’s Guide to Kittitas County

DATE THURSDAY September 18, 2008 TIME 7:00 PM PLACE ELLENSBURG HIGH SCHOOL ~ ROOM 232

Cricket Webb, amateur photography and bird ob-sessed local, will talk about birding in Costa Rica. A 10-day trip to four excellent bird watching areas resulted in a few really good photographs, a lot of NICE pictures and a few bad pictures of really good

birds. The trip to Costa Rica was a photography workshop with Paul Bannick, a Pacific Northwest nature and bird photographer, and director of de-velopment for Conservation Northwest. Some of what Cricket learned about composing, capturing, and editing photographs will be shared.

KITITTAS AUDUBON SOCIETY

EDITOR JAN DEMOREST THE HOOTER

THE HOOTER

All Audubon meetings and field trips are open to the public, so feel free to come and meet with

us. There is a brief busi-ness meeting at 7, with the program following. Stay after the meeting for juice, treats, and conversation.

NEXT MEETING

PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS IN COSTA RICA

September 2008

Have you seen the Great Washington State Birding Trail maps? “A Birder's Guide to Kittitas County” is similar with a compilation of 30 of the best

birding sites in the Kittitas county area selected by a group of members. The Guide offers a map, directions to each site, and a brief description of habitat and birds you would expect to find there.

We are gradually getting them distributed to local Chambers of Commerce/visitor‟s centers, ranger

stations, and some museums where they can be picked up. They will be available at membership meetings and are available by mail if you send a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope to KAS PO Box 1443, Ellensburg, 98926. Requires 1st class postage for one, add 27 cents for 2. Limit 2.

MANY THANKS TO BETH ROGERS AND MARIANNE GORDON FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS PROJECT! This is a beautiful guide with a wealth of information for visiting birders and seasoned locals. Pick one up and discover new sites and revisit familiar ones.

September 6th: First Saturday BirdWalk at Irene Rinehart Park – 8:00 AM at the bridge parking

lot. About a two and a half hour walk on uneven ground. Great for local birds. Bring a friend, optics,

and help us search for birds.

October 4th: First Saturday BirdWalk

September 13th: President Tom’s Columbia River Cruise - 9:00 AM. A field trip that requires a canoe or kayak. Please call Jeb for details 933-1558. Tom has 2 seats available on his larger elec-tric boat for those who prefer not to paddle.

First Saturday Bird Walk

August 2, 2008

Tom Gauron led a party of 12 birders at Rinehart Park for August‟s walk through the riverside woods. Despite fine weather, many KAS regulars had no-show excuses, but 6 intrepid newcomers

came along to help find the birds! 25 species were tallied. A bald eagle, a Great Blue heron and a Calliope hummingbird put in appearances. Sightings included 3 kinds of swallows, Chipping and Song sparrows, an Olive-sided flycatcher, and four Spotted Sandpipers. An unusual sight:

18 fledgling tree swallows, all fluffed up, gath-ered in a leafless tree to encourage each other in short, uncertain flight attempts. Tom Gauron

Upcoming KAS Field Trips

Page 2 THE HOOTER

Field Trip report

Jeb & Gloria on the Columbia

photo by Steve Moore

photo by Steve Moore

Fledgling Tree Swallows

The Hooter

The Hooter is the newsletter of the

Kittitas Audubon Society, pub-

lished monthly except for July.

Submissions from readers are

most welcome and encouraged.

We reserve the right to edit for

space, grammar, or suitability.

Email text and/or photos to bob-

cat@kvalley.com, or mail to Jan

Demorest, Hooter Editor, 1009

North B Street, Ellensburg, WA

98926. Submissions need to be in

by the 15th of the preceding

Learn how WSDOT will work to connect

wildlife communities across Interstate 90

WSDOT‟s I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project (I-90 Project) team has released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and will host open houses to discuss the findings.

Please join WSDOT at the following open house:

September 9, 2008 Central Washington University

Student Union Ballroom, 400 E. University Ave, Ellensburg 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

You may also attend an online virtual open house on Thurs-

day, September 18, 2008 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Visit the I-90 Project Web site for information on how to register.

www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I90/SnoqualmiePassEast

Right now you are thinking: What is she talking about? It‟s too hot, binoculars do nothing to

prevent the wavy visual distor-tion that cause mirages and the birds are,…...well, less than gor-geous. At best, they are all in the worn feathers of spring and some have already molted into

brown versions of themselves that so often makes them hard to ID even when you expect to see that morph.

Late summer birding is about the newness of fledglings learning some of the most basic tasks. The ravens that roost behind my house bring the youngsters out over my roof and down the road. The parents swoop and bank like the Blue Angles at an airshow. The trees are close enough to-

gether that picking the correct path and angle is critical. Over the years I have seen one junior raven pull up abruptly and exe-cute a landing worthy of Buster Keaton. The first half dozen

times they come through, the young pilots bank first one way and then the other, wobbling-bobbling back and forth.

The pine siskin babies, pea-Nut Hatches and Chickadee chicklets spend so much time flapping and

fluttering in front of the feeders (say that fast four times!) that by the time they get it right some adult has swooped in and taken the perch they were aim-ing for. One little guy ended up sitting on the feeder perch back-ward. He spent at least 2 – 3 minutes trying, over one shoul-der or under the other wing, to

get his beak lined up on a sun-flower seed. Finally, heaving a huge sigh, he spread his wings, dropped off the feeder, banked back around and began the flap-ping/fluttering process all over.

I am happy to report that even-tually he got on the perch right-way-round and stuffed himself like he was not sure if he could ever get back there again.

Best one this year is the punk rocker Steller‟s Jay. It‟s not so much what he does – it is The Look: big black crest standing up above the blue grey fuzz that will someday be his neck feath-ers. The key word being some-day because right now it looks

like day 10 for a kid that needs to shave every 5 days: a few scraggly whiskers each aimed at a different compass point. But that has not fazed this kid – he is determined to act like he is just

chill‟n. Too cool! After he

scarffed down his share of the seed, he flew over to the other feeders where I scatter corn just for the jays. I think I heard him say, “Yo dude, they got SEED over at that feeder. Better go score some be-fore the Po Po raid the joint.”

Jay‟s in the Hood. Is blue the

new black?!?!

Cricket

Photo by Dennis Paulson

Seattle Audubon

The Joys Of Late Summer Birding

From the editor’s desk:

Page 3 THE HOOTER

Fall seems to be sneaking around the corner to give us a taste, after a short, sporadic summer. The birds are most likely re-sponding to this but, unlike we humans, they don’t have to think

about it, they just act in their appropriately hard-wired ways. The Vaux’s Swifts have begun their late-summer/early fall ritual of whirling into the old hospital chimney around sunset time, to roost for the night in the collective warmth of close quarters. It’s quite a spectacle for anyone who ventures out to keep watch. For more information on these lovely little flyers, visit this website:

http://web.mac.com/l.schwitters/Vauxs_Happening/

Many thanks to all of you who contributed material for this issue of the Hooter. There was actually MORE than would fit in the avail-able space - a running start on next month….!

See you in September! Jan Drawing by Edward Lear, publ. 1871

Bird of the Month: Virginia Rails at West Ellensburg Park

Inconspicuous cattail ponds along the former channel of Reecer Creek, in West Ellensburg Park, may one day provide the public with a close-to-home glimpse of the surprising diversity of life in a marsh habitat. The Virginia rail (Rallus limicola Vieillot, 1819), for example, is one hard-to-spot bird – some birders wait years for a good look.

Here they are in a tiny marsh in our back yard!

One of the smaller rails of the genus, the Vir-ginia is 8-11” long. Some ID tips are the long red-dish bill, rich cinnamon below, gray cheeks, and crisp black and white barring on the flanks. The rail often flicks and cocks its short tail while walk-

ing, exposing a white undertail.

In our area, Virginia rails breed in marshy areas along the Yakima River flood plain. In win-ter, some may move go down the Columbia valley or move west. On the milder west side, Puget Sound and the coast have year-round populations.

These vocal birds are heard more often than seen. A sharp “kid-dik” and various squawks are probably the origin of the name rail – from the French rale, meaning rattle.

Steve Moore

Note: The ponds are in the undeveloped area to the west of the West Ellensburg Park soccer fields. However, if one is willing to hike across the north end of the soccer fields (or in the field south of the large barn), access is across a wooden bridge under the weeping willow. The ponds are ahead and to the right. One can walk between and around them.

With the City of Ellensburg, Kittitas Audubon is presently in the planning stages to rehabilitate this area to its former natural state. When completed it will compliment the re-routing of Reecer Creek to the west by another group to encourage salmon recovery.

BIRD OF THE MONTH Page 4 THE HOOTER

A month-old chick, on August 20, already has indis-

tinct side barring. Chicks reportedly fly at 25 days, but this one

still had unrolled wing feather sheaths.

A black, fuzzy chick a few days old on 7-25-08 takes food from

the bill of its parent. Chicks forage on their own at 7 days old.

19th Century anonymous illustration

Page 5 THE HOOTER KAS on Windpower

Wind power development in the lower Kitti-tas Valley proceeds at a rapid pace; not only are industrial developers chafing at the bit with plans

at various stages for three applications, but the only existing wind farm, Wild Horse in the Whis-key Dick Mountain area, has petitioned the En-ergy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) to expand their „farm‟ and add an additional 28 tur-bines.

Whether or not one will enjoy a landscape fes-tooned with the dominating addition of hundreds of truly enormous turbines is for individuals to decide. However, Kittitas Audubon Society (KAS), by action of its Board of Directors, has weighed in as opposed on the three projects clos-est to where most of us live, that includes Wild

Horse plus the two installations to the north and west (Desert Claim, and the Kittitas Valley Wind Farm). Opposition is based largely on inade-quate studies concerning impacts on wildlife, es-pecially birds and their habitat. For the EFSEC Hearing held August 8, KAS

joined with two other groups, Friends of Wildlife and Windpower and the Kittitas Field and Stream

Club, in a joint comment letter requesting that the expansion as proposed be denied. KAS also submitted a separate comment focusing on is-

sues more specifically related to Audubon‟s inter-ests including a request that an EIS be required to get the issues and how they are proposed to be resolved before the public for reaction and comment.

One of the unresolved issues remaining from the original Wild Horse project is the development of a Conservation Easement that Horizon (the origi-nal developer) agreed to and that Puget Sound Energy (PSE) accepted. (A Conservation Ease-ment is a concept and a contract whereby a land owner commits to no further development on their property.) The Conservation Easement has

not been implemented, and it‟s not clear how and when it will be. Upon sale to a new owner a Con-servation Easement goes along with the sale con-tract. PSE has agreed to sell the utility to New York-based Macquarie Consortium, although at last report the State Attorney General‟s Office is

opposed to the sale. We should be concerned with the quality of agreements and their enforce-ment provisions. In this case the „wanna-be pur-chasers‟ is an association of six investment groups and pension funds.

The evolution of all that went on to create the Wild Horse wind farm included, as one would ex-pect, the resolution of very complex issues and some horse trading. One of most complex chal-lenges was the effort to purchase nearly eighteen thousand acres of private land lying between the Quilomene and Whiskey Dick Wild Life Areas. Gaining the finances to pull this off was some-

thing of a miracle. While there is contention as to how the Department of Fish and Wildlife will manage this area, there is general agreement with a goal of habitat restoration that will allow historic plants and animals to once again exist there.

Hal Lindstrom

WANTED! Personal stories about encounters, sightings, adventures, discoveries, myster-

ies that you’ve experienced in the outdoors: in your yard, in the woods, on a mountain, on the rivers, lakes, or streams; SHARE! If you enjoy reading about others’ experiences, be assured that they will enjoy reading about yours, and seeing your photos. No previous experience re-quired; anyone can write (besides, you have an editor to fix anything embarrassing….!); we all have stories and need to tell them! THE EDITOR

SCM

HOW SPOTTED SANDPIPERS GOT THEIR NAMES

Page 6 THE HOOTER Bird Lore

Native Americans believed in creationism. They created legends to explain their world. Their names were always descriptive or had their origins in fascinating myths. Their sometime benefactor, Coyote, played a large role in their universe, and their myth concerning coyote and sandpipers is an interest-ing story.

Water monsters in lakes and rivers were a con-stant threat to “The People”, and coyote-monster myths abound. One in particular – a huge dog-like monster residing in the big river “Nch-I-Wana” near what we now call Entiat, was a troublesome beast, capsizing canoes,

and eating people as they attempted to fish for the abundant Salmon at Entiat Rapids. This monster had bribed a family of drab looking sandpipers as scouts into alerting him of the approach of anyone. And as Coyote ap-proached they prepared to give warning. Coy-ote quickly did some counter-bribing, promis-ing the sandpipers beautiful robes and decora-tions if they remained quiet. However, one sandpiper did not fall for this and gave warn-ing, alerting the monster.

With the help of his huckleberry sisters who

resided in his stomach, Coyote nevertheless devised a plan to rid the people of this monster. Gathering some vine maple he devised a snare which he took to the top of a cliff, all the while taunting the river monster until it was so angry it started up the cliff after Coyote. At the top of the cliff, Coyote carefully arranged the snare which the enraged monster promptly got tangled up in.

Coyote then nonchalantly cut the snare loose, and the dog-like monster tumbled down the cliff, bouncing from rock to rock, leaving bloody streaks which can be seen yet today on Ribbon Cliff (near Entiat Lake). True to his word, Coy-ote rewarded the cooperating sandpipers with dazzling spots with which to ornament them-selves, resulting in the spotted sandpipers we see today in central Washington.

The snitch? In disgrace, it left the country but bred a line of just plain old sandpipers.

(Adapted from a Native American Legend)

Joe Meuchel

SCM

SCM

Page 7 THE HOOTER

Membership forms are also available on our Web site Kittitasaududbon.org. Webmaster – Mark Whitesell Email markwhitesell@hotmail.com

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP

_____Kittitas Audubon Membership includes a subscription to the monthly Hooter, and the opportunity to support local activities for $20.00 per year.

Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________________State ___________Zip _________________________________________________

Phone ____________________________________Email Address _________________________________________________________________

Make check payable to Kittitas Audubon Society

Clip coupon and send with your check to:

Kittitas Audubon Membership

P.O. Box 1443

Ellensburg WA 98926

NATIONAL AUDUBON MEMBERSHIP

_____ National Audubon Membership includes membership in Kittitas Audubon and subscription to both the monthly Hooter and Audubon Magazine

(published 6 time a year). Membership is $20.00 for new members. Renewals are $35.00 per year.

Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________________State ___________Zip _________________________________________________

Phone ____________________________________Email Address _________________________________________________________________

Make check payable to National Audubon Society Clip coupon and send with your check to: National Audubon Society Chapter Code Y22 Chapter Membership Data Center 7XBP P.O. Box 51001

Boulder CO. 80322-1001

DONATIONS are appreciated and give you the opportunity to further support and fund KAS Chapter activities. If you have a National Audu-bon membership, donations are especially important since KAS no longer receives a portion of your National Membership dues to defray cost

for the Hooter.

____________$15.00 American Goldfinch ____________ $100.00 Great Blue Heron

____________$ 50.00 Red-tailed Hawk ____________ Other - Donations in any amount are appreciated

Make check payable to Kittitas Audubon Society

Name ____________________________________________________________Clip coupon and send with your check to:

Address __________________________________________________________ Kittitas Audubon Membership

City ______________________________________________State ___________P.O. Box 1443

Zip ___________________Phone ____________________________________Ellensburg WA 98926

President – Tom Gauron 968-3175 Vice President – Gloria Lindstrom 925-1807 Secretary – Jim Briggs 933-2231 Treasurer – Denee Scribner 933-2550 Conservation – Janet Nelson & 656-2256 Crhis Caviezal 425-434-0899 Education – Beth Rogers 674-1855 Field Trip Coordinator- Jeb Baldi 933-1558 Newsletter – Jan Demorest 933-1179 *Librarian Ginger Jensen 925-5816

*Social/Greeter – Sue Wheatley 968-3311 Membership – Amanda Hickman 901-1513 Historian – Marianne Gordon 964-2320 Program Coordinator – Hal Lindstrom 925-1807 Publicity – Gerry Sorenson 968-4857 Wildlife Habitat – Joe Meuchel 933-3011 Bluebird boxes – Jan Demorest 933-1179 *Christmas Bird Count – Phil Mattocks 962-2191 * NON-VOTING VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

VOTING BOARD MEMBERS

Kittitas Audubon Society P.O. Box 1443 Ellensburg WA 98926 Http://www.kittitasaudubon.org

Old Mill Country Store, Ellensburg

Provides a discount on bird seed to KAS members and prints our county

bird lists.

KITTITAS COUNTY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING KAS

The mission of Kittitas Audubon Society is to develop an appreciation of nature through education and conservation, with a focus on birds. The goal for KAS is a vibrant active

organization recognized in Kittitas County.

Inland Internet, Roslyn, donates internet service for our Website:

http://www.kittitasaudubon.org