September-October 2008 Willapa Whistler Newsletter Willapa Hills Audubon Society

8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Willapa Whistler Newsletter Willapa Hills Audubon Society

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Volume 34, Issue 5 September/October 2008

http://www.willapahillsaudubon.org

WILLAPA WHISTLERA Publication of the Willapa Hills Audubon Society

Raising Your Voice Against the Bradwood LNG TerminalBy Charlotte Persons,President

Sometimes we feel discouraged in theface of government decisions, such aswhen the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC) placed thediscussion for the LNG terminal atBradwood on their July 17 meeting. Itwas subsequently removed from theagenda after FERC received many lettersin protest. It is still widely believed thatFERC will approve the project.

However, the battle is not lost. At theLNG Forum hosted by Rainier Chamberof Commerce on August 14, Dan Serresof Columbia Riverkeeper emphasized thatthe ball is now in the states court. Theymust issue state permits before buildingcan begin, and we can influence the stateagencies decisions.

Most of the state permits must be issuedby Oregona Clean Water Permit,permits under the Coastal ZoneManagement Act, a fish and wildlifemitigation plan, and surface andgroundwater permits, to name a few. Thefinal Environmental Impact Statementthat addressed these issues was declared

by Oregon stateagencies to beinadequate. WhileGov. Kulongoskisrequest for asupplemental EIS toaddress these pointswas denied, yoursupport of his decisionwill help strengthenhis resolve and that ofOregon agencies andofficials.

The state ofWashington can alsoinfluence the decisionto site the BradwoodLanding LNG project by exerting itsauthority under the Clean Water Act andthe Clean Air Act. Many Washingtonianshave weighed in against the BradwoodTerminal: Cowlitz Countycommissioners, both the Cowlitz Co.Democrats and the Cowlitz Co.Republicans, and WA legislators BrianHatfield, Brian Blake, and Dean Takko.

How can you help? By writing keypublic officials to let them know how youstand on this issue, especially:

Gov. Ted Kulongoski to support

his decision to oppose theFERCs decision to accept theFinal EIS.

Rep. Ron Wyden to support S.Bill 2822, which he introducedto take the authority to site LNGterminals from FERC and returnit to the states.

Gov. Christine Gregoire to urgeher to use Washingtonsauthority under the Clean Water

Act and the Clean Air Act to

closely examine permitapplications and refuse to issuethem until all environmentalissues are addressed.

You can also join community groups thatoppose the terminal, for example,LCSCinformation is atwww.landownersandcitizensforasafecommunity.com. Finally, come join the rallyOct. 1 in Olympiawe need to get Gov.Gregoire on board! Contact WHASDirector-at-Large Gloria MacKenzie for

details.

Letters, meetings, testimony andcomments, letters to the editorall thesestrategies over the past two years havebeen successful in getting the attention ofelected representatives. Now we need tocontinue to let them know that weappreciate their support in opposing theBradwood LNG project, so their resolvedoes not waiver.

In this issue of the Whistler:

1 Presidents Message2 WHAS Board News3 Bird Feeding Basics4 LNG Update4 Picnic Impressions5Shade coffee is for the birds6Creating a healthy backyard6Fall ACOW7World of Spiders8Field Trips

Chestnut Backed Chickadee, photo: USFWS


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Willapa Whistler Volume 34 Issue 5 Page 2

Support our mission, join WHAS today!Check type of Membership

Chapter Membership WHAS($20 check for annual membership) I would like to support the work of Willapa Hills Audubon Society.

Enclosed is my additional donation of $_________.Membership includes 6 issues of the WHISTLER newsletter annually.

If you are also interested in the membership in the National Audubon

Society, please visit http://www.audubon.org/.

I prefer you contact me by Phone Email

Mail

Please: contact me about volunteer opportunities add me to your

general discussion email list

Please make your check payable to: WILLAPA HILLS AUDUBON SOCIETY and mail toWHAS, PO Box 399, Longview, WA 98632 We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. All dues and donations are tax deductible.

Name_________________________________________________________________ Telephone____________________________

Address_________________________________________________________ Email______________________________________

City________________________________________________ State______ Zip____________ Y14:7XCH rev. 2007

Thank you for supporting the Willapa Hills Audubon Society!

Clip- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Clip

President: Charlotte Persons360-578-3949 [email protected]

Vice President: Steve Glucoft360-577-7720 [email protected] Co-President: Betty Mayfield503-556-6841 [email protected]

Past Co-President: Steve Puddicombe

360-465-2205 [email protected]: Ann Musch360-484-7119 [email protected]

Treasurer: Pamela Wright

360-560-3772 [email protected] at Large: Russ Kastberg360-274-7091 [email protected] at Large: Gloria MacKenzie503-556-8253 [email protected] at Large: Russ Koppendrayer

306-636-3245Programs: Margaret Green360-575-9238 [email protected]

Education: Darrel Whipple503-556-9838 [email protected]/Newsletter: Ludger Woehrmann

360-423-7004 [email protected]

Field Trip Chair: John Green360-575-9238 [email protected]

Conservation: Steve Puddicombe503-465-2205 [email protected]: Steve Glucoft360-577-7720 [email protected]/History: Betty Mayfield503-556-6841 [email protected] Counts: Alan Richards360-484-7119 [email protected]

Willapa Bay Issues: Miranda Wecker360-484-7128 [email protected] Sightings: Andrew Emlen360-795-8009 [email protected]: Gloria Nichols360-636-3793 [email protected] Web Site: Dick Wilson

360-875-6172 [email protected] Creek Stewardship: Russ & Ann Kastberg360-274-7091 [email protected]

O

FFICERS

COMMITTEECHAIRPE

RSONS

WHAS Board News and Next MeetingBy Charlotte Persons

As many of you may already know, we are losing two hard-working board members, Bea and Jim Harrison. They havebeen active with WHAS since they arrived from Texas twoyears ago. Unfortunately for us, they have decided to escape

our rainy winters by returning to Texas during half the year.We will miss their board work, but they promise to come tofield trips and other activities as much as possible when theyare here during our sunny months.

Since Al Clark retired as newsletter editor, Bea has taken overhis job. Starting with this issue of the Whistler, LudgerWoehrmann will be our new editor. Please send all Whistlersubmissions to him at [email protected].

The Nelson Creek Task Force is quite a big job to chairbecause of the many subcommittees and the hands-on work tocollect baseline biological information. Jim and Bea have been

quite active in keeping that work on-going; now the task forcewill be co-chaired by WHAS director-at-large Russ Kastbergand his wife Ann. Both have been busy on this project foryears, so have swiftly grabbed the reins.

There are no WHAS Board meetings to report on here as we donot meet during summer; all interested are welcome to visit ournext board meeting on October 4, Saturday, at 9:00 in theRiverstreet Room, 25 Riverstreet, Cathlamet (behind thecourthouse).


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Bird Feeding Basics (Part 1)From the National Audubon Society Website (audubon.org)

Did you know that over 100 North American bird speciessupplement their natural diets with birdseed, suet, fruit and nectarobtained from feeders? Bird feeding can benefit birds and alsoprovides great bird watching from your own backyard. Theobvious time to feed birds is in winter when natural food suppliesare scarce; however, additional species visit feeders during thespring and fall migrations, and also during summer whilenesting.

To keep birds coming back to your feeders in any season providethem with the following three essential elements:

Variety of quality seed.

Fresh water for drinking and bathing. Ample cover, preferably provided by native plants.

Native plants also provide potential nesting sites and asource of natural food.

Keep in mind bird feeders also present potential risks, such aswindow collisions, predation, and exposure to disease. Followingare some topics and tips for safely attracting and feeding birds.

Choosing a feeder

Following are a variety of feeders to accommodate specific typesof birds and their diets. Choosing more than one will help attract

more species and avoid feeder congestion.

Ground feedersThese simple screen-bottomed traystypically sit several inches off theground or your deck and help tokeep grain or seeds and birddroppings from coming in contactwith each other. Some feeders havecovers to keep out snow; othersmay have wire mesh to keep outsquirrels and large birds like crows.

Ground feeding tables should be placed in open areas at least 10

feet from the nearest tree or shrub to give birds a chance to fleepredators. Doves, juncos, sparrows, towhees, goldfinches andcardinals are all likely to visit ground feeders. Avoid usingground feeders if cats are likely to pounce from nearby shrubs.

Hopper feedersHopper feeders keep several poundsof mixed seed dry and ready forhungry birds. Birds hopping on thefeeder trigger the release of seeds.Hopper feeders should be positionedon a pole about five feet off theground and will draw all the speciesthat tube feeders attract, along with

larger birds like jays, grackles,red-winged blackbirds andcardinals.

Sunflower-seed tube feedersIf you are going to put out justone feeder, this is your bestchoice. Be sure to select a model with metal ports around the

seed dispensers to protect the feederfrom nibbling squirrels and housesparrows. Hang the feeder at least fivefeet off the ground and try to position itnear a window where you can enjoy the

visitors, which are likely to includechickadees, titmice, nuthatches,goldfinches, siskins and purple andhouse finches.

Suet feederSuet is popular with titmice, chickadees, nuthatches andwoodpeckers. Wrens, creepers and warblers will alsooccasionally peck at suet. While you can hang suet chunks in amesh onion bag, you can also purchase cage feeders. Somepeople like to make their own suet "puddings" by grinding thesuet and adding seeds, and create homemade suet feeders bypacking the mixture into thecrevices of large pine cones. Suetfeeders can be hung from trees,from poles near other feeders, orfrom a wire stretched betweentrees. Avoid feeding suet whentemperatures rise into the 80-degreerange, as it can turn rancid.

Thistle (nyjer) feederEspecially designed to dispense thistle (nyjer) seed, these feeders

have tiny holes that make the seedavailable only to small-beaked finchessuch as goldfinches, redpolls and pinesiskins. Hang your thistle feeder from

a tree or place it on a five-foot polenear other feeders. Squirrel baffleswill help to protect the feeder.Choosing your feeder is just the firststep. Be sure to read up on these othertopics on keeping your featheredfriends fed and safe!

..to be continued with maintenance and bird food!

Birding BitsBy Russ Koppendrayertakes a break for thisissue and will be back

next time.


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LNG Update and upcoming eventsBy Gloria G. MacKenzie

After helping arrange a small, but successful LNG forum for theRainier Chamber of Commerce, I am pleased to announce thatthe Chamber President, Hank Bartholomew has decided theChamber should help support the cause against LNG on theColumbia River. With his 22 years of experience with theDepartment of Interior, he spoke eloquently and with knowledgeof how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should workwith the public. He further stated: "Having observed how FERC

has handled the Bradwood proposal, I have to say I have neverseen a more bungled bureaucratic disaster."

Kimbra Davis, a Community Assistant Technician, from thePipeline Safety Office in Colorado, joined us for an informativediscussion and we now have a contact to ask pipeline questions.

Visit the Rainier Chamber site at:

http://www.rainier97048.orgUpcoming LNG Events to Note:

Sept. 16: Referendum vote in Clatsop (To decide on pipelines through parks and open spaces)

Sept. 28: World Rivers Day

Oct. 1: RALLY IN OLYMPIA, 11:00 am (To get the attention of Gov. Gregoire, buses will be available.) Oct. 4: Columbia Riverkeeper fundraiser in Portland

Oct. 18: 2nd annual Spirit of the River, 7:00 pm Astoria

Impressions from the WHAS Annual Summer Picnic Potluck

Friends of WHAS shared some excellent food and goodconversations. We thank Margaret and John Green forproviding the space in the backyard of their home inLongview.

Photo by Julie Tennis

Photo by Julie Tennis

Photo by Bea Harrison


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Shade Coffee Is for the BirdsBy Betty Mayfield

For all of you who enjoythe sight of an Olive-sided Flycatcher, aSwainson's Thrush or aWestern Wood Peeweeon your summer birdinghikes or like to mark yourlists for other summersongbirds, here is achance to help preservetheir winter nestingplaces. Drink shadecoffee! It will also helpWHAS.

Seattle Audubon haspartnered with Grounds For Change, a coffee roaster in Poulsbo,to contribute 15% of the price of the sale of their coffee toWHAS if we order correctly through the web page.

The migratory songbirds nest in the rain forest trees in LatinAmerica (the Seattle blend comes from Peru), but are in declineas their habitat is lost while acres of the rain forest have beendestroyed to allow industrial farming of sun coffee.

Drinking shade coffee is really a win-win-win-win situation. The

bird lovers can help protect winter habitat and fight the decliningpopulations. The coffee connoisseurs should know that the finesttasting varieties are grown in the shade, while inferior varietiesare grown in the sun plantations. People hoping to practiceorganic consumption realize that there are no pesticides requiredon the shade farms - the birds eat the bugs! And social justicereformers can support the small farmers who grow shade coffee

instead of the huge agri-business enterprises that grow suncoffee.

Here's how to order:

In your URL address bar type:http://www.groundsforchange.com/partners/WHAS/

This leads to our page. There are two places to click, butboth lead to the same page - one with 5 thumbnailpictures at the top.

Click the picture for Blended Coffee, which leads to apage of varieties.

Scroll down and click on Seattle Audubon. This leads to

the order page. How many 12-ounce packages, at $8.95 each, do you

want and if you want whole beans or pre-ground. As apersonal note, I would recommend whole beans, even ifit means you have to buy a grinder at $15 or so. Oxygenand moisture are the enemies of coffee flavor, and beanshold their flavor better than ground.

Click to see the shipping rates. Here it gets morecomplicated: The minimum charge for a WashingtonUPS shipment is 2 pounds for $4.85, so it would makesense to order two 12-ounce packages - the cost wouldbe the same.

An even better idea, which the company says many of

its customers use, is for a group of friends to enter agroup order. This cuts the shipping cost considerably.For instance, if 5 people each ordered one package, thetotal would weigh 60 ounces. And 4 pounds (or 64ounces) would ship for $5.45, or $1.09 each.

Elections are coming up!

If we want to protect the environment, we need to get more Washingtonians and Oregonians to vote. The problem is that too few ofour citizens do. So what can we Audubon members do to get more citizens to vote (and especially vote for the environment)?

We can remind others of deadlines, encourage voter registration, and spread the word about environmental issues on the ballot to ourfriends, neighbors, colleagues, and community members. Many young people are not familiar with issues or uncomfortable gettinginvolved in the political process. We can help them. Sometimes a gentle invitation is all they need.

As individuals, we can all do more to build an environmental electorate. It is important to inform ourselves about what is going onlocally and nationally. We can look in our backyards for issues we think are important. Read the newspaper, talk to your localcandidates, and ask questions!

Please dont forget to get your ballot into the mail before November 4th

2008!

Image: Grounds for Change


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A beginner's introduction to spiders, debunking popular myths.

Welcome to the World of SpidersBy Rod Crawford

Curator of Arachnids, Burke Museum, University of Washington.

Do you think you know something about spiders? The chancesare good that nearly everything you think you know is a myth!Spiders (nearly all harmless to humans) are the earth's mostnumerous land predators. Our state is home to at least 900 spiderspecies. This program will introduce you to spider diversity,habitats, and behavior - all fascinating subjects. Theprogram is designed for first grade level through adults.

In addition to the program, a spider identification lab will be heldat LCC in room Main 202 on October 30th at 2:00pm. Although

the presentation is open to everyone and all ages, space islimited for the spider identification lab. (If interested please

contact Louis LaPierre at [email protected] or360.442.2884 to reserve a space -- all ages are welcome!).Everyone is encouraged to bring spiders from home that they'dlike identified, whether or not they are able to attend the

identification lab. Please bring spiders alive or preserved in 70%isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.

More information about the speaker:Rod Crawford went to the University of Washington in 1970 asan undergraduate -- and never left. His interest in spiders led himto volunteer at the Burke Museum in 1971, and today he's thecurator of arachnids there. He has published widely on spiders,harvestmen, and cave biology, and has edited Scarabogram (anewsletter of The Scarabs)since late 1985. Holding thousands of

live spiders in his bare hands has brought him a lifetime total oftwo real spider bites, both insignificant. Nonetheless, peoplekeep telling him that spiders (who knows why) crawl into theirbeds and bite them every night!

(http://crawford.tardigrade.net/bugs/authors.html#rc)

Coming on October 30th at 6:30pm -- please check local newspaper, orwww.willapahillsaudubon.org, orwww.lowercolumbia.edu/calendar for the location.

Special Exhibit in Seattle at the Burke Museum of

Natural History and CultureArctic Wings: Miracle of Migration

September 13 December 31, 2008

Powerful images by acclaimed wildlife photographers tell the international story of the hundreds ofthousands of migratory birds from across six continents and all 50 states that depend on the politicallycontested Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for survival each year. Organized by the BurkeMuseum and Braided River, the conservation imprint of The Mountaineers Books.

For more information, see http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/exhibits/

BirdFest & Bluegrass 2008, Ridgefield National Wildlife RefugeSaturday & Sunday -- October 11-12, 2008

Join the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service (FWS) to celebrate the arrival of fall and the winter birdmigration. Besides guided birding tours and walks, and tours to see the sandhillcranes, BirdFest & Bluegrass includes bluegrass and old-time music, childrens'activities, raptor show, bird market and art show, tours of the Cathlamet plankhouse replica. For more information, go to

http://www.ridgefieldfriends.org/BF2008.html.

Photo by Subhankar Banerjee


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The Mission of the Willapa Hills Audubon Society is to support ecologically responsible ways of life, to help

maintain biologically diverse habitats, and to promote environmental understanding and enjoyment of nature.

http://www.willapahillsaudubon.org

Willapa Hills Audubon SocietyPO Box 399

Longview, WA 98632

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

The Willapa Whistler is the bi-monthly publication of the Willapa Hills Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon

Society. Articles, information, wildlife sightings and black-and-white artwork are welcomed. The deadline for inclusion of

material in the Whistler is the 15th

of each even-numbered month. Complimentary copies are sent to organizations and

prospective members. All WHAS activities and programs are open to the public. The Willapa Whistler is printed on recycled

paper using soy based ink.

Upcoming ProgramThursday, October 30, World of Spiders: Presentation at 6:30pm -- for location check www.willaphillaudubon.org or localnewspaper. A spider identification lab will be held at 2:00pm. (See page 7 for more information.)

Upcoming Field TripsSaturday, September 13, for Local Birding: We will try to catch the tail end of the shorebird migration. The main focus will be theLongview Mint Farm Mitigation area, which has become a new birding hot spot. If time and energy allow, we may visit other localbirding spots. To sign up, call Russ Koppendrayer at 360-636-3245 or John Green at 360-575-9238 (or email John [email protected]). We will be meeting at the Longview Public Library, Maple Street side at 7:30 AM.

Sunday, October 5, for a paddle trip with birding focus: We are joining SW Washington Canoe Club in sponsoring a morningpaddle (canoe or kayak) on Coal Creek Slough. If you wish to join us on the water, call John Green at 360-575-9238 (or email John [email protected]). Participants must provide their own boat, flotation gear, and snacks. (Note: There are no wayside facilities onthe slough.) Exact time and directions for meeting place will be given at sign up.

Saturday, November 22, for third annual Lake Sacajawea Bird Walk: This walk begins at 8:30 AM at the Greens house on 25thAvenue, heads to the lake for an hour or two of birding, and returns to the Greens for beverages and snacks, and some back yardbirding. The focus will be winter waterfowl and other winter birds. Call Margaret or John Green at 360-575-9238 or [email protected].

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage

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Permit No.8

Longview WA 98632-7058

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September-October 2008 Willapa Whistler Newsletter Willapa Hills Audubon Society