Future Programs (mark your calendar!)

April 18th: Snakes and other reptiles of our area (Chinese Year of the Snake).

Speaker to be announced.

May 16th: Butterflies of the Sage presented by Dr. David James

Please join Kittitas Audubon to hear a stimulating presenta-

tion about our local pollinators, including bats, bees and other

unique insects that assist our gardens and commercial agri-

cultural operations in

the Kittitas Valley.

Our speaker is Justin

Vincett, a commercial

beekeeper and owner

of the Naneum Bee

Farm. Justin is a

third-generation bee

keeper and ships thousand of bees each spring to pollinate

the almond orchards of California. He is a supplier of prod-

ucts to the Ellensburg Food Co-op, and assisted in the new

City of Ellensburg Bee Ordinance, thereby helping individuals

obtain more production for their yards and gardens while

helping to increase the numbers of our local

pollinators.

All Audubon meetings are held on the 3rd

Thursday of each month at the Hal Holmes

Center next to the Library, September

through May (except December), and are

open to the public, so feel free to come and

meet with us. A brief business session pre-

cedes the program. Stay afterwards for juice,

treats, and conversation.

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

The Hooter

“Kittitas County Pollinators: Bees, Bats, & Cool Insects” presented by Justin Vincett

Membership Meeting - Thursday, March 21st @ 7:00 PM ~ Hal Holmes Center

Kittitas Audubon March 2013

- observed pollinating peach and cherry blossoms, April

Syrphid hoverfly - pollinating

apricot blossoms, April

Andrena mining bee pollinating a cherry

blossom, April

Habropoda digger bee

Fringed Myotis Bat

Page 2 The Hooter

KAS BOARD MEMBERS President – Jim Briggs 933-2231 Vice President – Bud Rechterman 962-4508 Secretary – Diane 968-3175 Treasurer – Sharon Lumsden 968-3889 Conservation – Vacant Education – Judy Hallisey 674-6858 Field Trips – Steve Moore 933-1179 *Newsletter – Jan Demorest 933-1179 *Historian – Vacant Programs – Jeb Baldi 933-1558 Publicity – Gerry Sorenson 968-4857 Wildlife Habitat – Joe Meuchel 933-3011 *Bluebird boxes – Jan Demorest 933-1179 Past President — Gloria Baldi 933-1558

Membership – Tuck Forsythe 925-2356

*Christmas Bird Count – Phil Mattocks 962-2191 *Librarian - Ginger Jensen 925-5816 Social/Greeter – Kay Forsythe 925-2356 *NON-VOTING POSITIONS

KAS Board Meetings are held at 4:30

PM on the 1st Thursday of each

month on the third floor of the CWU

Science Bldg, Room 301 (above the

elephant desk). These meetings are

open to the public and all Audubon

members; please come and join in the

discussions. Meetings adjourn by 6:00

or 6:30, after which we all go out for a

sociable dinner ~ NO business discus-

sion allowed!

Dear KAS Chapter Members:

On behalf of your board of

directors I would like to

thank each of you for your

membership. By joining like-minded individuals in the Kit-

titas Valley, you are magnifying your impact on a variety

of natural history and environmental issues.

Here are some of the things your membership helps ac-

complish:

We have a growing network of bluebird nest boxes

around the valley. The board is discussing doing

the same with kestrel boxes. Watch the Hooter for

more information in the months ahead.

The demolition of the old hospital resulted in the

loss of a roosting chimney for migrating Vaux’s

Swifts. We are trying to find temporary and per-

manent solutions to the problem, but the clock is

ticking. Spring feels like it’s here already.

Members of our chapter are erecting raptor perch

poles and Barn Owl housing and we are trying to

educate ranchers about the danger posed to Os-

preys by leaving plastic twine in the field .

We are constantly monitoring land use policy by

both state and federal agencies as it affects birds

and other wildlife, our raison d’etre. We could use

a Conservation Chair to facilitate this vital function.

We have a monthly (except for summer) meeting

featuring a program appropriate to our interests.

We also have at least one field trip every month to

wildlife hotspots around the region. This is one of

the best reasons to join Audubon. It’s great to

have several bird identification experts, with tele-

scopes, right next to you.

KAS is involved with a number of educational ac-

tivities including Get Intimate with the Shrub-

steppe, e3, school programs, and library displays.

There are numerous other activities which mem-

bers are pursuing, including the Reecer Creek res-

toration project, a bird sighting alert system, a

Sage Grouse and Sharp-tailed Grouse monitoring

effort (in northeastern Washington), and last but

far from least, continued monitoring of the effects

of wind power projects.

This is some, but certainly not all, of what your member-

ship in Kittitas Audubon is supporting. We couldn’t do it

without your continuing support. Thank you!!!

Jim Briggs, President KAS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Send in your stories & photos!

The Hooter is the newsletter of

Kittitas Audubon, published

monthly except for July.

~~~~~~~

Submissions from members &

other readers are most wel-

come and encouraged! The editor reserves the right to edit

for space, grammar, and/or suit-

ability. Email text and/or photos to

bobcat@kvalley.com or snail mail

to Jan Demorest, Hooter Editor,

712 E 2nd Ave, Ellensburg, WA

98926. Submissions need to be in

by the 20th of the preceding month.

February 2, Saturday Bird Walk: A bright,

cool 26 degree, sunny day brought out a lot of

birds and 13 birders for a 4-hour walk around

Rinehart Park. Journalist Jane Gargas and photog-

rapher Sarah Gettys joined us from the Yakima

Herald to take photos and report on 10 years of

continuous monthly walks here, and Eric Heisey of

Granger lent his perceptive skills. The woods

were alive with Downy Woodpeckers, but it took

many BirdJam song loops (courtesy of Tom

Gauron) to get a Song Sparrow to emerge and

then there

were two; a

Bewick’s Wren

also darted

about investi-

gating the

hubbub and

gave us good

looks and

photo ops.

Eric spotted flying goldeneyes and a

merganser overhead – a challenging call

for most of us locals. The Reecer Creek

floodplain was quiet except for a vigilant

kingfisher. Despite many other walkers,

the upper pond held a large contingent

of ducks: mostly wigeon and Ring-

necked, with pairs of Hooded Merganser

and Greater Scaup, a good find, giving

us a total of 9 waterfowl. The woods

were quiet on the return until nearly

back at the parking lot, where we found Golden-

crowned Kinglets in the firs, and a Brown Creeper

doing trunk ascents in the sunlight. 30 species.

Copy and paste for the Yakima Herald article:

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/

latestlocalnews/737550-8/rain-or-shine-members

-of-the-kittitas-audubon

February 9th, Ducks & Eagles, east county:

Seven birders made a mid-winter scan of Kittitas

Valley farmland for eagles, continuing down to the

Columbia to look at waterfowl in Wanapum Lake.

Our weather was gray and cool (37o when we

started out, 46o in Vantage mid-day) with snow-

free terrain. Calving was just beginning in many

fields, so we found no great concentrations of

Bald Eagles, but 17 were spotted patiently perch-

ing at various points around the Naneum-Thomas-

Fairview-Brick Mill Road loop. Most were adults;

we tallied 5 immatures. One more immature was

perching in a tree for a close look at the Gingko

museum overlook. In the valley, we counted

about equal numbers of Red-tailed hawks and

Common Ravens, about

50 Black-billed Magpies,

and several hundred Red-

winged Blackbirds settled

in trees above a farm-

house. In the latter flock

was a single Yellow-

headed Blackbird. On a

detour to Tom and Diane

Gauron’s place on Stevens

Rd. we spied a duck flock

in a small creek- Mallards,

Ring-necked, and Green-

winged Teal – and got a

view of a Great Horned

Owl pair at the yard. The

duck selection at the

Gingko over-

look included

Common Gold-

eneye, Buffle-

head, Ruddy

Duck and

Lesser Scaup,

plus a grebe, a

loon and rafts

of coots.

Similar flocks

were viewed at

the Vantage

launch area.

In each area we spotted single or paired Canvas-

backs. Wanapum State Park was mostly quiet but

Downy Woodpeckers and Golden-crowned King-

lets were announcing themselves, giving us a to-

tal of 30 species for the trip. Around noon, we

took a break to enjoy a hearty lunch at Blustery’s

in Vantage!

Steve Moore

Field Trip Reports Page 3 The Hooter

Lunch at Blustery’s in Vantage

Song Sparrow

photo by Eric Heisey

Black-capped Chickadee

photo by Eric Heisey

HELP WANTED:

CONSERVATION

CHAIR

Do you have an interest in issues of environmental

significance?? If so, Kitti-

tas Audubon needs YOU!

With the assistance of the KAS Board, the

conservation chair determines which conser-vation issues need a response. If possible, a person who has an interest in or knowledge

of a specific issue could be responsible to re-spond (this would not necessarily be the

Chair). Letters and testimony are to be re-viewed by the Board (e-mail is acceptable) to assist with comments/corrections prior to

submission. Conservation is a voting Board position, and thus attendance at most Board

meetings is requested. If you are interested in addressing conservation and environ-mental issues, please contact President Jim

Briggs.

Page 4 Hooter Announcements

Welcome New Member! Pete Paget

Thanks to Renewing Members:

R. Ted & Ann Leber Ted Mildon

Stephen Moore & Jan Demorest Roma Stokes

Marianne Gordon Joe Meuchel

Donations in memory of Charles Hawkins from:

Tana Bader Inglima, Pasco, WA

Anonymous

Native Plant Sale The Early Bird gets the best

plants! The 2013 Roy & Marge

Bach Memorial Plant Sale is in

full swing!!! You can get the best

native tree and shrub seedlings

selected for local conditions:

Ponderosa Pine, Golden Currant,

Mock Orange, tall Oregon

Grape, Serviceberry., and

much more! Prices are

a deal, ranging from

$7.50 to $10.00 per

bundle of 5

bare root

plants. Order

forms available at

KCCD office across from

Bi-Mart, or online at

www.kccd.net (copy and paste).

Order early for the best selection!

Plants must be picked up April 5th

&6th

, 2013.

The mission of Kittitas Audubon is to develop

an appreciation of nature through

education and

conservation, with a focus on birds.

THE SAGA OF THE PERCH POLES Page 5 The Hooter

When the Board of Kittitas Audubon decided to

revisit the “Perch Pole Project” in August of

2011, I volunteered to be the project

manager. I began by trying to think of a means

to reach those parties that lived where such a

perch pole might be useful (i.e. where raptors

likely frequented and a pole presence might

benefit the landowner). A notice to the effect

that we were going to offer this ambush pole to

anyone who felt the need was issued by a

solicitation blurb in the USDA AgCenter flyer that

goes out from their office on Mountain View Ave.

After a while I had a list of some 19 parties who

requested a pole be set on their properties. The

first idea of finding natural poles for uprights was

stymied by both the US Forest Service and the

state Department of Natural Resources, since

neither would authorize the harvesting of poles

on those public lands. The next idea was to

construct the poles using cut lumber - a bit more

expensive, but certainly do-able since we were

given a $350 grant from National Audubon.

After a short stint on the drafting table, we

decided to use a single 2” X 6” X 16’ with half of

another of same dimension as a spine

for stiffness, and a 24” piece of 2” X

2” as the actual perch. This scheme

seemed to work well, after the first

prototype came to life in my garage

with only a minimum of angst needed

to complete enough poles to meet the

list of beneficiaries (and it didn’t

happen at a pace beyond my own

limited energies…!). The installations

began at the top of the list, requiring

a survey of the locale, followed by the

transporting of the pole (on my canoe

carrier…), and plugging it into the ground. One

can easily guess the difficulties involved in

digging a 38”deep hole in just about anywhere in

Kittitas County. (The geology doesn’t lend to

hole digging in a lot of places; Mother Nature has

scattered rocks very indiscriminately about our

valley…) But with the help of some other

enthusiastic KAS members, namely, my good

friend and neighbor Vern Wood, Jeb Baldi,

Wayne Erickson, and Jason Scribner, the last

pole was delivered! Great work, guys! Thanks!

I must also report that one of the poles that had

been installed on Ellensburg Ranches Road, just

west of US highway 97, was destroyed by the

fire. The couple there, Randy and Melissa

Richmond, have been promised a replacement at

some future date. They report that they have

seen frequent raptor activity, even since the fire,

with owls using the tower of their wind machine,

and a kestrel using their front porch to finish his

breakfast, so this would seem to be a good

location for a pole replacement.

Bud Rechterman, VP Kittitas Audubon

Help Wanted!!!

The Perch Pole Project needs

some young, strong help to get these poles delivered and in

the ground. It could be YOU,

or maybe someone you know who has high school age kids

who need a project to work on. Compensation? Lunch at

Campus U-Tote-Em???

WINTER IN TENNESSEE (mid-December) Here in Tennessee we haven't connected up with any Christmas bird counts but we do get to see lots of birds. Nothing exciting like Snowy Owls and Tundra Swans, of course, but 28 species by two observers in one day around the house and yard is nothing to be sneezed at. Saturday was a dark gray day that kept the birds in hiding, not a bird in sight. Sunday was different. Lots of birds out. Birds that do not come to the feeders included Turkey Vultures and Canada Geese. Hairy, Downy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Flickers and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were in the oaks and at the feeders. Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, and crows were out and about. Robins and starlings, too. Carolina Wrens were fussing around. Closer in, coming and going from the feeders were Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, and White-breasted Nuthatch, Cardinals, 2 warblers: Yellow-rumped and Pine, and sparrows: Towhee, Junco, Chipping and White-throated. Never ones to miss a free meal were House Finches, Pine Siskins, American Goldfinch and House Sparrows. Oh, did I miss the bluebirds? They may have been in trouble in other states but there is no shortage of them here. There are always some perched on the board fences looking for insects on the ground. Even from a distance their bright blue is distinctive. ~Marianne Gordon

Page 6 Hooter This & That…

“eBird”

Eric Heisey has set up an eBird account

for Kittitas Audubon. Its purpose is to

enter lists of birds seen on our field trips

- and back yards, and in addition, to see

what birds other birders have seen in ar-

eas of interest to us. Its advantage over

a listserve like Tweeters or BirdKitt

(which are just text emails) is that all

sightings can be seen at once in map form.

So, for example, if we are going to take a

trip to Othello to look for Greater White-

fronted Geese, we pull up a map of Othello

and we can see at a glance exactly

WHERE, WHEN (i.e., recently or last

year), and WHO, saw geese at that loca-

tion or nearby.

Instructions: Google "eBird" to find the

site, click "sign in", then enter the user

name and password shown by Eric's letter:

Username: KAS trips

Password: dwoodpecker (“thought this

would be fitting as it’s one of your most

common birds” ~ Eric)

Remembering…………… Charles Hawkins, a long-time

member of Kittitas Audubon, recently passed away. Always

willing to share his talents, he served at various times as

President, Secretary, and Publicity Chair of KAS. He was one of

the original “instigators” of establishing Bluebird Trails in

Kittitas County and would pack six to eight boxes at a time up

Manastash Ridge. Many of those original boxes can still be

found today. Charles enjoyed being out-of-doors, hiking, and

identifying the birds and plants.

Charles became a member of the Washington Native Plant

Society not long after its formation in the early 1980's, and

maintained that membership for the rest of his life. He was one

of the more active members of the Central Washington Chapter,

regularly attending meetings and participating in most of the

many field trips. He also led field trips, including several to one

of his favorite areas, Second Burroughs Mountain on Mt.

Rainier. He served two three-year terms on the board of the Central Washington Chapter,

and as its Chair for two years. His participation in the activities of the WNPS Central

Washington Chapter will be missed.

Othello Sandhill Crane Festival

April 5, 6, 7

for more info go to:

www.othellosandhillcranefestival.org

Page 7 Hooter

Darling Bird Studios, ©2007 UNA

Membership & other news!

BECOME A KITTITAS AUDUBON MEMBER!! (Or renew your membership)

Receive The Hooter ~ help support education and conservation activities and projects!

Two options are available:

OPTION 1: Membership in National Audubon includes a subscription to the magazine, Audubon, membership in the local chapter (KAS), and KAS monthly newsletter, THE HOOTER

____ Join as a new National Audubon member $20 (includes KAS membership)

____ Renew a National Audubon membership $35

Make check payable to: National Audubon Society Include this form and mail to: Membership Data Center, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235

Name ___________________________ Address __________________________________________

City _____________________________ State, ZIP _________________________________________

Chapter Code COZY220Z

OPTION 2: Membership in only the local chapter, KAS, includes the monthly newsletter, THE HOOTER

____ Join the local Kittitas Audubon Society (KAS) chapter $20

____ Renew your KAS membership $20

____ Make a donation to KAS $______ (amount)

Make check payable to KAS and mail to: KAS, P.O. Box 1443, Ellensburg, WA 98926

Name ____________________________________ Phone __________________________________

Address __________________________________ Cell _____________________________________

City _____________________________________ Email ____________________________________

State, ZIP _________________________________ Would you like to receive The Hooter electronically?

May we print your name in The Hooter as a new, Yes ____ No, prefer paper edition ____

renewing, or donating member? Yes __ No ___ Would you be interested in occasional email notices

regarding Audubon-related news? Yes___ No____

Kittitas Audubon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational society.

All memberships and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Membership forms are also available on our Web site: Kittitasaudubon.org.

Check out BirdKitt!! Get the latest news on bird sightings in Kittitas County from our very own regional “BirdKitt”, an online “listserve” for all persons inter-ested in bird sightings in Kittitas County. You can post your own sightings and sign on to have new postings sent directly to your email address.

If you are not already signed up, here’s how to do it: send an email

to subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Reply to the first email about Bird-kitt that you receive from “yahoogroups”. To unsubscribe: send email to birdkitt- unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . If you have difficulty, contact Chris Caviezel chris.caviezel@gmail.com

This is a great resource for finding places

to look for birds in the valley.

GET “THE

HOOTER” ONLINE

Save paper, printing,

postage. If you would

prefer to receive the

electronic version,

send your name, mailing address, &

email address to:

info@kittitasaudubon.org

At the beginning of each month,

we’ll send you an email with a quick

link to the new Hooter.

Upcoming KAS Field Trips

THANKS TO KITTITAS COUNTY BUSINESSES SUPPORTING KAS!

Inland Internet, Roslyn, donates Internet service for our Website: http://www.kittitasaudubon.org

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

and prints our county bird lists. Get your bird seed here!

Kittitas Audubon

P.O. Box 1443

Ellensburg WA 98926

March

2nd, Saturday ~ First Saturday Bird Walk,

Irene Rinehart Park. Last weeks of winter -

not too late to find wigeon or Hooded Merganser,

or maybe an otter, on the pond. Jeb and Gloria

Baldi lead; 933-1558 for info.

28th, Thursday ~ Popoff Trail to Arboretum,

Yakima. Join Yakima Valley Audubon members

on their weekly bird walk on the Yakima River

Greenway and find birds that inhabit the river-

side. Winter in the cottonwoods is good for wa-

terfowl, woodpeckers, wrens, sparrows and ea-

gles We meet at Super One parking lot at 7:30

to join the group by 8:30 in Yakima. Two+ hour

walk. Call Steve and Jan for info, 509-933-1179.

April

6th , Saturday ~ First Saturday Bird Walk,

Irene Rinehart Park. Jeb and Gloria Baldi

lead; 933-1558 for info.

April 19-21 Friday to Sunday ~ Grays Har-

bor: One of WA's most important migrant stop-

overs: shorebirds by the thousands come through

in late April. We'll visit Bowerman Basin, Ocean

Shores, Bottle Beach, and Johns River areas. To

allow time to visit several areas with the right

tides, we need a 2-night stay in Aberdeen. Last

time we found a great fish restaurant here. Call

Steve for info, 509-933-1179.

The Hooter - March 2013 The Newsletter of Kittitas Audubon - http://www.kittitasaudubon.org