Shrub-steppe, once a dominant ecosystem of the

American West, has shrunk by nearly 60 percent

throughout the region, even more in Washington

State. Kim Thorburn, of Spokane, will present a

program on our Columbia Basin and this most

fragile and fastest-disappearing habitat. Kim will

show photographs reviewing threats to the shrub-

steppe, along with the conservation status of birds

and other wildlife that depend on its health.

Wildlife biologists refer to “umbrella species,”

whose protection may lead to preservation of

other species dependent on a similar habitat. The

Greater Sage-Grouse, once very common in the

Kittitas Valley, is such a species in the shrub-steppe. State and regional efforts to restore Greater

Sage-Grouse, as well as Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse, will be presented.

Kim Thorburn is a retired physician, cur-

rently volunteering with the Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW),

doing surveys of tagged Sage and Sharp-

Tailed Grouse. She was volunteer of the

year in 2010 for WDFW, and is President of

Spokane Audubon.

Please join us on Thursday, May 17th at

7:00 PM in Hal Holmes. Bring friends for all

to have a better understanding of our sage

environment. The program is co-sponsored

by Ellensburg Public Library and Kittitas

Audubon.

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

The Hooter

“Our Diminishing Shrub-Steppe Community: Fragile, Abused, Imperiled” presented by Dr. Kim Thorburn

Membership Meeting - Thursday, May 17th @ 7:00 PM ~ Hal Holmes Center

Kittitas Audubon May 2012

All Audubon meetings, held

on the 3rd Thursday of

each month, September

through May (except De-

cember), are open to the

public, so feel free to come

and meet with us. A brief

business session precedes

the program.

Stay afterwards

for juice, treats,

and conversation.

This will be the last program before our

summer break.

Mark your calendars for Kittitas Audubon’s

Annual Potluck Picnic on August 16th, 2012.

The mission of Kittitas Audubon is to develop an appreciation of nature

through education and conservation,

with a focus on birds.

Sage Thrasher

Page 2 The Hooter

KAS BOARD MEMBERS President – Gloria Baldi 933-1558 Vice President – Bud Rechterman 962-4508 Secretary – Jim Briggs 933-2231 Treasurer – Sharon Lumsden 968-3889 Conservation – Janet Nelson 674-6165 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 Lindstrom 925-1807

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!

The Hummingbirds are

back! Reports of Rufous

Hummingbirds in the upper

county and in the hills to the

northeast of Ellensburg are

trickling in. Observing these tiny flying gems is a pleasure

for many of us, and we rush to put up feeders in hopes

that the ‘hummers’ will soon find ours.

Did you know that North America (US & Canada) has ap-

proximately eighteen hummingbird species (counting a

few rarer visitors from Mexico)? Of those only the Ruby-

throated is found east of the Rocky Mountains. We in the

west consider ourselves lucky, even though the warm

southwest has the largest number of different species. In

Kittitas County we have four to watch: the Rufous, Calli-

ope, Black-chinned, and Anna’s. All are smaller-sized,

ranging from three to four inches. The Rufous is the most

common and is the only one of the four with orangish-

brown coloration, but the Calliope and Black-chinned are

also regular feeder visitors. The Anna’s is the least com-

mon in our area.

Flowers in your yard (or nearby) are the best way to at-

tract hummers. Some recommended ones are: zinnias,

petunias, columbine, bee balm, delphinium, lupine, and

trumpeted vines, such as Zauschneria (orange carpet) and

honeysuckle. Adding the feeder is a focal point for the

hummers to feed and for you to watch.

It is best to locate your feeder in a shaded area, as nectar

will spoil more quickly if the feeder is placed in direct

sunlight. If you do place it in sunlight, be prepared to

change it every day in hot weather, and every two to

three days in less warm weather.......and make sure there

is a perch branch near the feeder…..or add one.

The nectar mix is one part white table sugar to four parts

water. Prepare by bringing to a boil one cup of sugar and

four cups of water. (Boiling helps to slow fermentation.)

As soon as the mixture starts to boil, remove it from the

heat, let it cool, fill your feeder, then store any remaining

nectar in the refrigerator. It is essential to clean your

feeder each time you refill by washing it in plain hot wa-

ter. (Using detergent may leave a residue which is harmful

to birds.) If really dirty, use a gentle abrasive cleaner to

scrub away the dirt, or shake some raw rice in the feeder.

Some definite ‘do nots’ are:

Do not use a sweeter mix ~ it will harm the birds.

Do not substitute honey for the sugar as it harbors a fun-

gus that is harmful to the birds.

Do not add any dye or coloring to the nectar; the bright

(Continued on page 4)

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.

April’s First Saturday BirdWalk ~ Well, I was

wrong. We did not have leaves on the trees for

the April walk….but all the better to see birds.

There were some doubts about the day when we

arose as the thermometer read 17 degrees and

there was fog. However, it cleared quickly and

the eight of us counted six species before leaving

the parking lot……..the first being an Osprey

drying itself after a successful breakfast dive (at

least we hoped it was). Spring is evident with the

birds ‘pairing up’ and looking ‘oooh’ so fine in

their breeding colors. Beautiful Wood Ducks, Am

Goldfinches, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Mallards,

Tree Swallows, and even starlings. Possibly there

are Wood Ducks in the KAS box as there were two

pairs very active in that area. The Red-tailed

Hawk was on the nest with its mate on a nearby

branch. Tree swallows are claiming most any

cavity available, even a dilapidated box which we

will replace in the fall. At least five Downy

Woodpeckers were chasing about in one location,

while one lone Pied-billed Grebe floated on the

upper pond. We ended the morning in warm sun

with 25 total species. Enjoyable BirdWalk! Please

join us May 5th for the next walk……and bring

friends. ~ Jeb Baldi

Confluence Park ~ Wenatchee WA ~ 21 April

2012 ~ Three people in one car - Tom Gauron,

Diane Bullock and Cricket Webb—for a full day of

birding. We started a loop going out to Vantage

and turning left at George, quickly clearing all the

usual suspects, red-tail, robin, Red-winged

Blackbird, et al. As we moved out into the

agricultural fields of the Basin, the first Northern

Harrier appeared ~ a beautiful light gray male.

Thank you, Tom, for suggesting the stop at

Crescent Bar. We hit a couple of bonanzas. First,

in the orchard just in town, we heard a bunch of

birds singing. About the time I was giving up

hope of seeing any, I realized that all the birds

were singing one after the other, never more than

one at a time. When we heard the Bald Eagle, it

hit us ~ this was a recording designed to

discourage birds. It did that, and also fooled

three birders in the process!

Next was a tree just starting to leaf out, across

from the inlet, full of warblers, finches, and

kinglets. The inlet at the public parking lot had

Buffleheads and a pair of Horned Grebes that

prompted Sibley to come out. Just as well, since

there were swallows zipping over and under the

bridge. This seemed a good time to remind

ourselves which swallow was which ~ Cliff

Swallows and Violet-greens here.

Back on the road to Wenatchee we had a couple

of interesting sightings. Watching birds is more

than just seeing the bird; it also involves being

aware of the interactions among birds, and

between birds and humans. We came upon a

Prairie Falcon and female Northern Harrier

contesting the ownership of a field. Prairie Falcon

seems to have won, since the harrier departed

and left the falcon sitting on a perch.

At Confluence Park, we identified a Willet, after it

finally unwound from its tucked position. Next

was the flycatcher ~ Dusky or Hammond’s, with

Sibley’s help, was as close as we could get. There

was also a very froggy pond with a very “birdy”

brush/tree area leading into it. We went in,

letting the birds settle, and then tried to see/

identify as many as we could. With a few

exceptions, they were all Ruby-crowned Kinglets,

the most I’ve ever seen!

After a lunch break, we worked our way home,

over Blewett Pass, detouring down Bettas Road.

Mtn. Bluebird, Western Meadowlark, Say’s

Phoebe, Spotted Towhee, and a kestrel rounded

out the 50 birds we saw. ~ Cricket Webb

(Bonus Mammals: Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied

Marmots, Garter Snake)

Field Trip Reports Page 3 The Hooter

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE WENAS CAMPOUT,

May 25-28, 2012

For over four decades Audubon families have been

camping over Memorial Day weekend at the

Wenas Creek Campground.

. The “primitive” campground along the north fork of Wenas Creek has exceptional opportunities for birding, botanizing

and enjoying spring in the eastern foothills of the Cascades.

There are wonderful field trips scheduled, and there will be an old-fashioned campfire in our “approved” firepit device each

evening, with singing, storytelling and recapping the sightings of the day.

Please visit Webmaster Michael Hobbs’ beautiful Wenas Website to see Hazel Wolf’s familiar smiling face and get lots

of downloadable information about our campout. www.wenasaudubon.org.

There's a bird checklist, wildflower checklist, outline of field trips and program, directions to the campground, and lots of

photos.

This is a free and open event ~ no need to register, just show up, for part or all of the weekend, or for a day.

Page 4 Hooter This & That...

color of your feeder is enough to attract

the birds.

Hummingbirds become imprinted on

feeders, and will show up for ‘sipping’

even if you have removed your feeder.

They are also suspicious of a new

feeder and you may have to leave it in

place for at least a week before you see

any action. So put out your

feeder………..and enjoy these beautiful

creatures!!

President, Gloria Baldi

Note: If insects, such as bees or ants,

are a problem, search for a feeder that

has nectar guard tips.

President’s Message (Continued from page 2)

“Bird House Boys”… or should it be “Old Guys Play in Tom’s Shop”?

(L to R) Tom Gauron, Jeb Baldi, Steve Moore, and Wayne Erickson; photo by Diane Bullock

Because Tom Gauron is so generous in letting us

use his woodshop for construction of nest boxes,

it’s difficult to pass on an offer to construct a

more unique design that is claimed to attract

birds……..at least eastern North American birds.

Several of us had seen the design in pictures, and

Steve found plans in a book……so we went to

work. The little box is for Red-breasted

Nuthatches and/or Chickadees, and the larger one

for bluebirds. Now that we have a few, we plan

to field test to see what birds are attracted to

these new ‘digs’. ~ Jeb

Are you READY to

GET INTIMATE with the

SHRUB STEPPE? Saturday, May 5th

9am to 1 pm

Rotary Pavilion

Fun for Everyone!!!!! Exhibitors...expert led fieldtrips...story telling...and so much

more

Snake Sneaking, River

Bugs, Wildflower Walk, Bird Walk, Geology

Rocks, Kids'

Activities,

Beaver Tales

New This Year! ~ Shuttle from

Downtown to Field Trips at Helen

McCabe State Park and Umtanum

Short-billed Dowitchers foraging on the central Oregon

coast. Jan & Steve spotted these in a mixed flock with

Sanderlings, Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers

& Dunlins. photo by Jan Demorest

Short-billed Dowitchers

Birding SW Louisiana - March 2012 Page 5 The Hooter

Marianne Gordon and her daughter, Susan, drove

to SW Louisiana for a quick look around. Here’s

their report, beginning with Day 2, since Day 1

was a long travel day in the car:

DAY 2 ~ First thing in the morning was to look

for a place besides Starbucks to get espresso,

not an easy task for us Northwesterners. The

first two on my internet-generated list were not

open. We ended up way south in Lake Charles

near a college: good coffee, but too far out of

our way for future stops.

Lesson # 2: Call ahead for important things,

which in our case, included coffee.

We tried to follow the map that came with a SW

Louisiana birding brochure that I had received

from the Lake Charles Chamber of Commerce,

but it was virtually worthless (Lesson #1 was

map-related). It had green dots for likely

spots, but they weren’t numbered and they did

not correspond to the narrative in the brochure.

What a poor editing job! But still, we made our

way to LA 14 which looped around some very

pretty farmland. Even though we missed the

entrance to the Lacassine NWR this first morn-

ing (thanks to the birding map!), we saw a

good selection of the usual farmland birds. We

counted 24 Red-tailed Hawks on LA 14. One

writer says you can see every variation in Red-

tailed Hawk plumage in this region. Back south

on LA 27E, heading straight to the beach, we

hadn’t been driving for more than a mile or so

when we found a field full of Sandhill Cranes.

Susan had never seen them before. It wasn’t

until after we got home and looked at our pic-

tures that we decided that another bird we saw

along LA 27E with the striking Great Egret was-

n’t a “ho-hum Great Blue

Heron.” It was a Tri-colored

Heron which prefers salt

marshes and as a conse-

quence is only seen along the

Gulf and south Atlantic coasts.

On our drive south, we

stopped at Cameron Prairie

NWR following the refuge driv-

ing loop around a large wet-

land (aka: prairie) ~ the high-

lights were Roseate Spoon-

bills, Snowy and Great Egrets,

and ibises with their strange,

long, down-turned bill.

There are few turnouts along the roads through

the wetlands, and we were forced to do what

we could from the truck windows until we got to

the road along the coast, LA 82. We headed

east to the Rockefeller Preserve – one of the

places actually well-marked on our maps – but

discovered that it is run by the state depart-

ment of wildlife and has no tourist facilities.

Backtracking, we found the preserve beach ac-

cess road which netted us Sanderlings and the

first of many Brown Pelicans.

Turning west we came to Cameron, a tiny town

with a tiny ferry, bigger than the one at Keller,

but not by much. It cost us all of a dollar to

cross. Laughing Gulls crowded around, not for

what people could give them, but for what was

stirred up in the ferry’s wake.

We saw many signs of past hurricanes, includ-

ing metal buildings with all of the first floor sid-

ing gone. In many places, the only remaining

sign of a house was the big foundation timbers

that would have held the building up out of the

storm surge. The oaks that have survived the

hurricanes are stubbornly strong

old trees.

We birded our way west as far as

the big bridge across the Sabine

Pass which marks the Texas state

line. There is a string of rocky

breakwaters along the western half

of this road. Sandbars building up

behind them attract an impressive

range of birds: American Avocet,

Black Skimmers, a variety of gulls

and terns, Sanderlings, Willets, and

both Brown and White Pelicans.

(Continued on page 6) Glossy Ibis

Brown Pelicans, gulls, and terns facing the wind.

We stopped at the Peveto Wood wildlife sanctuary.

The “wood” doesn’t look like much – a handful of

gnarly trees and weather-beaten shrubs – but for a

place that gets hammered periodically by hurricanes,

it’s re-

markable

that it

stands at

all. It also

serves as a

migratory

bird trap,

especially

in bad

weather

when ex-

hausted

birds reach

land and have to rest and feed before continuing on

their northbound migration to the boreal forests of

Canada. Susan found six bird species in the little

time we spent there. By this time, it was getting

late in the day and time to get back to the hotel and

dinner. Marianne Gordon ~ to be continued next month!

SW LA Birding (Continued from page 5)

Page 6 Hooter Spring Cleaning Time

Peveto Wood, the first landing point for migrating warblers after crossing the Gulf of Mexico from South & Central America.

26th ~ Saturday ~ Wenas Area Birding.

Join west-side Audubon members on a bird

-finding walk in prime east-side riparian

and forest-edge habitat. Flycatchers, ori-

oles, warblers, vireos, Picidae, and blue-

birds await your inspection. Tentative loca-

tion is Hardy Canyon, a 3-5 mile walking

trip. Participants coming from Ellensburg

will rendezvous on the Umtanum-Wenas

road at a specified time and place. Call

Steve Moore, 933-1179, by Thursday, May

24 for rendezvous details.

JuneJuneJune (details in next Hooter)

2nd ~ First Saturday Birdwalk

9th ~ Saturday ~ Toppenish NWR

and Old Fort Simcoe

16th ~ Saturday ~ Robinson Canyon

23rd ~ Saturday ~ Lake Wenatchee/

Tall Timbers

30th ~ Saturday ~ Vantage Hwy: Sage

Steppe to Columbia River

Upcoming Field Trips (Continued from page 8)

When you start your spring cleaning don't forget the birds. Feeders need to be cleaned at least

once a month to keep from spreading disease. When was the last time you cleaned yours?

Most directions call for bleach. A non-toxic alternative is white vinegar as in these directions from:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-keep-bird-feeders-clean.html

"Cleaning your bird feeders once a month, year round, is important for the health of the birds. It is

recommended that hummingbird feeders be cleaned every four days. And it is important to make

sure you avoid toxic cleaners.

Organisms such as Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus which causes respiratory infections in birds,

can grow on the feeders.

Here is a non-toxic solution and technique to make this chore easier and safe for the birds.

If you are enthusiastic about bird feeding and operate more than a couple of feeders, cleaning

them on a rotating schedule will prevent having to clean them all at once–a potentially

burdensome task.

Obtain a tub big enough to hold your bird feeder(s), a scrub brush, outdoor hose, gloves, scent-free liquid soap or

detergent, and white distilled vinegar.

Place your feeder in the tub outdoors, fill it it with warm water and a squirt of liquid soap or detergent. Wearing

gloves, scrub the parts of the feeder you can reach, and rinse thoroughly with a hose. Empty the tub and fill it

with clean water and 4 cups of vinegar.

Let the feeder soak for 1 hour. Rinse thoroughly."

While your feeders are soaking scrape up and discard the leftovers on ground or deck under the feeders. A layer of spilled seed and hulls is a good place for bacteria to lurk. Birds have a hard enough time surviving without our adding disease to their hazards. Marianne Gordon

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 ____

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.

For membership information contact Membership Chair, Tuck Forsythe ~ forsythe@fairpoint.net

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

May May May 5th ~ Saturday ~ First Saturday Birdwalk,

Rinehart Park. May is the best month to see

many songbirds arriving to mate and nest. Also

passing through are colorful sights like Town-

send’s Solitaire, Western Tanager, and Nashville

and Yellow-rumped Warblers. 3-hour walk; Jeb &

Gloria Baldi lead. Meet at bridge parking lot at 8.

6th ~ Sunday ~ Columbia Basin Birds ~

* NOTE DATE CHANGE ~ Marianne Gordon has

led this trip for many years and finds this time of

the spring to be especially bird-rich with 50+ spe-

cies expected. Waterfowl and a few cranes still

ply the fields and ponds; burrowing owls are a

possibility. Car circuit of Columbia River, Crab

Creek, Othello area, and Columbia NWR. Call Jo

Ellen Richards, 509-884-4444 for details.

11th-14th ~ Friday through Monday ~ 4 days

~ Malheur Wetlands. An encore to last year’s

trip to watch birds assemble at this amazing cen-

tral Oregon basin of rivers and lakes. This year

we’ll be about 2 weeks later, so slightly warmer,

possibly with more arriving migrants and fewer

stopover geese - plus maybe a mosquito or two -

depending on La Niña. Accommodations (3

nights at Malheur field station) and dinner fare

(local dining spots) similar to last year. Call

Steve & Jan for reservations, 933-1179.

19th ~ Saturday ~ Naneum & Colockum For-

est & Stream. Colorful and vocal passerines,

nuthatches, woodpeckers and maybe a hummer,

as we search from the north margin of our valley

up into the pines. Previous trips found Black

Swifts, a chat, and bluebirds nesting in aspens

near our lunch spot. Leader Steve Hall; call 925-

4877. (Continued on page 6)

The Hooter - May 2012 The Newsletter of Kittitas Audubon - http://www.kittitasaudubon.org

May 17th Program

“Our Diminishing Shrub-Steppe

Community: Fragile, Abused, Imperiled”

7:00 p.m.