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
[email protected] 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 [email protected] . Reply to the first email about Bird-kitt that you receive from “yahoogroups”. To unsubscribe: send email to birdkitt- [email protected] . If you have difficulty, contact Chris Caviezel [email protected]
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:
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