ANDY STEPNIEWSKI

OCTOBER PROGRAM Reproductive Ecology of the White-headed Woodpecker

in Washington's Ponderosa Pine Forests Presented By Jeff Kozma

The Yakima Valley Audubon Society is people dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of the natural world. Through birding, education and conservation activities in our community, we raise awareness and promote the cause of global environmental protection.

Visit the Yakima Valley Audubon Society’s website at: http://www.yakimaaudubon.org

In Washington, the White-headed Woodpecker is listed as

a species of concern due to its association with old-growth

ponderosa pine forests. Although White-headed Woodpeck-

ers have recently been documented inhabiting early to mid-

seral managed forests, information is limited regarding their

reproductive success in these

forests. For the last 9 years,

Jeff Kozma, a wildlife biolo-

gist for the Yakama Nation,

has been studying the repro-

ductive biology of White-

headed Woodpeckers in man-

aged ponderosa pine forests

of the eastern Cascades. Jeff

will present highlights from

his research including nest-

site characteristics, reproduc-

tive success, and nestling

provisioning (i.e., who feeds

the kids and what are they

feeding them). He will also

be discussing the new project

currently underway by

Teresa Lorenz, a graduate

student at the University of

Idaho, who is investigating

home range size and habitat

use by White-headed Wood-

peckers using radio telemetry

and colored leg bands. We hope you can make it to learn

more about this iconic species of our ponderosa pine forests.

Jeff received his B.S. Degree in Environmental Forest

Biology from the College of Environmental Science and For-

estry at Syracuse. He later received his M.S. Degree in

Wildlife Science at Texas Tech University where he studied

the use of Chihuahuan Desert arroyos and adjacent uplands

by migrant and breeding birds in southern New Mexico. Af-

ter graduating, he began working as a Wildlife Biologist at

the Yakima Training Center where he monitored Sage

Grouse, did raptor and non-game bird surveys, and was in-

volved with restoration of seeps, springs, and riparian areas.

He is currently working as a wildlife Biologist for the Ya-

kama Nation where he studies the reproductive biology of

cavity-nesting birds.

Volume 40, Number 09 A Chapter of the National Audubon Society October 2011

What’s in this Crier Edition?

Program for this Month 1

President’s Report 2

Membership 2

Meetings 2

Conservation Position Filed 2

Elections 2

Conservation Article 3

Field Trips 4

The Big Year 4

Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail 5

Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail Report 6, 7

2011 Bobolink Survey Summary Report 8

Living With Wolves—YELP (Twice!) with YELF 8

Yakima Area Arboretum has a bird blind 9

Tip of the Crown, Wag of the Feather 10

Membership Form 11

Birding Trail’s Puget Loop Debuts for Holidays 11

Calliope Crier

Join us at the Yakima Area Arboretum Thursday,

October 27 at 7 p.m. for a brief business meeting,

followed by this great program at 7:30 p.m.

About Jeff Kozma

Female White-headed Woodpecker

Photo by George Vlahakis

Page 2 October 2011 Calliope Crier

DEBIE BROWN

MEMBERSHIP

YVAS MEETINGS

Welcome New YVAS Members!

Yakima: Lamont McLachlan

Thank you for renewing your YVAS Membership!

Yakima: Grace Anderson, Elizabeth & Greg Bohn,

Jeanne Crawford, Jan & Judy Gano,

Claire Carpenter & Gary Miller,

Richard Repp, Rae Woods

Naches: John & Peggy Euteneier

Please note that the above membership renewals are

for Yakima Valley Audubon membership. Renewals to

National Audubon are separate and are not listed here.

I sure hope that eve-

ryone is getting a

chance to enjoy the fall

colors. The huckleber-

ries are a bright crim-

son and the vine maples

are orange flames be-

tween the pines. Of

course I am leading up

to a "modest proposal".

Would it be too much

to have a single week-

end (or even a single

weekend day) in the

middle hunting season when there is no hunting? I

know that I can hike anytime I want during the fall,

but it is a little intimidating to come across armed

folks in camo. I envision this "family day in fall"

would only happen on bright sunny days so there are a

few bugs to work out in the scheduling.

All this talk about Fall makes me think about The

Audubon Christmas Dinner.

It's a little early, but the Silent Auction is only two

months away. This gala event will occur on Decem-

ber 1st at the Arboretum. When you go to the auction,

you may want to stay for a small event (the Audubon

Christmas dinner) that is scheduled to happen at the

same time. To make this auction work we need bird

related items for sale. So mark your calendars and

look around your basements for auction items. The

auction is one of our biggest fund raisers of the year

and your donations are tax deductable. Save the has-

sle of bringing your items to the dinner by taking ad-

vantage of our pick up service. Give Bill Drenguis a

call (965 5808) or an email (drenguis@aol.com) and

he will be happy to pick items up and get them ready

for the auction.

Election at October Chapter Meeting At the October chapter meeting we will be having an election of officers, as specified by the YVAS bylaws. Here is the current slate of candidates for positions to be filled this year: President: Denny Granstrand Vice-President: (no candidate yet – your opportunity??) Director: Joy McKinney Director: Luke Safford Director: Ken Tolonen YVAS bylaws allow nominations from the floor at our October chapter meeting for any elective office provided the nominee has agreed to serve if elected. Note that at press time, we do not yet have a candidate for Vice President.

Oct 27 Chapter Meeting at the Yakima Area

Arboretum at 7:00 pm.

Nov 8 Board Meeting at Andy and Ellen

Stepniewski’s house (291 Windy Point Dr.,

Wapato; 877-6639) at 7:00 pm.

Dec 1 Christmas Banquet and Silent Auction at

the Yakima Arboretum at 6:00 pm.

At the October Board Meeting, Greg Bohn graciously agreed to fill the vacant Conservation Committee Chair-manship. Greg is employed by the Washington State De-partment of Ecology where he is tasked with a variety of water quality issues. Greg frequents YVAS field trips and chapter meetings. If you don't meet him there, you will become familiar with his conservation articles in the Calli-ope Crier.

BILL DRENGUIS

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Conservation Position Filled!

Page 3 October 2011 Calliope Crier

—Andy Stepniewski

CONSERVATION

Every year, about March 21, the open grasslands in

the Yakima area, resound with the ringing cries “Cur-

lew!...Curlew!...Curlew! announcing the return of the

Long-billed Curlew. This shorebird spends 8 or more

months a year on coastal mudflats, using its extraordi-

nary bill to probe for marine organisms deep in the

mud. It forsakes the mud in early spring to migrate

inland to open prairie habitats where it breeds. During

its sojurn on the prairies, it consumes insects. Evi-

dently, its oversized bill is not a hindrance at this sea-

son as it deftly picks at bugs on the ground. As soon

as the young can fly, the curlew heads straight back to

coastal mudflats or farmfields to the south. Thus, it

takes advantage of the seasonal spike in insects that

occur on grasslands and leaves as the summer drought

parches the shrub-steppe.

Long-billed Curlews are the largest shorebirds in

North America. With only 20,000 Long-billed Curlews left,

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated this species

highly imperiled in the United States. They appear to be

steadily declining in the Yakima area. Habitat loss and deg-

radation has been identified as a major threat to this mag-

nificent bird but environmental contaminant exposure, par-

ticularly by pesticides, PCBs and metals, has been identified

as a potential limiting factor to population growth. Con-

taminant toxicity may be further exacerbated by increasing

temperatures associated with climate change.

The Eastern Washington Field Office (EWFO) and Han-

ford National Monument/Saddle Mountain National Wild-

life Refuge Complex are working with the U.S. Geological

Service (USGS) Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science

Center to evaluate if exposure to contaminants is af-

fecting breeding success of curlews in the Columbia

Basin. This cooperative study, funded by the Envi-

ronmental Contaminants Division’s on-refuge inves-

tigation program with substantial support from USGS

researchers, involves collection and contaminants

analyses of long-billed curlew eggs at several Pacific

Northwest refuges where the birds breed annually.

The eggs will be analyzed for organochlorine pesti-

cides, mercury, and other environmental contami-

nants to determine if exposure to these compounds at

breeding or wintering habitats is contributing to their

population decline. The USGS will conduct addi-

tional analyses on the eggs to help identify the gen-

eral areas where exposure may have occurred

throughout their migratory range. These data will

further contribute to large-scale research that USGS is con-

ducting on the birds related to the effects of climate change

on the population.

Volunteers from the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon

Society are working with Refuge and EWFO staff to assist

in nest surveys and egg collection in the field. Volunteers

have provided invaluable support to the Service with their

bird observation skills, long hours of rope-dragging to locate

nests, and their general enthusiasm for the curlews. So far,

sampling has been successfully completed at the Hanford

National Monument.

From a news release by the United States Fish and Wildlife

Service.

Long-billed Curlews decline to be studied

Photo By Charles Crandall

Photo By Denny Granstrand

Page 4 October 2011 Calliope Crier

The Big Year - A Movie Review By Joe Roler of Denver, CO

Please call the leader before the trip to let him/her know you are interested in going. That way, if plans need to be changed, he/she can call you. Also, if no one calls, the leader will know to cancel the field trip and won’t be sitting around at the meeting place all alone! Be sure to wear clothing appropriate for the weather and take lunch, snacks and beverages. Also please make a contribution to the driver for gas when you carpool.

DENNY GRANSTRAND

FIELD TRIPS

Dec. 17 Toppenish CBC – Compiler: Luke Safford (thbcluke@thbcyak.com). Meet 7:00 am at the Branding Iron Restau

rant in Toppenish. See The November Calliope Crier for details.

Dec. 18 Yakima CBC – Compiler: Denny Granstrand (dgranstrand@gmail.com, 453-2500). Meet 7:00 am at IHOP on

Valley Mall Blvd. See The November Calliope Crier for details.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS AHEAD OF TIME FOR OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS!

With members of the field glass fraternity, I settled back in

reclining seats at The Denver Film Center. I munched popcorn

and tried not to fret about how we birders would be skewered

in the latest gem to grace the silver screen, The Big Year.

Based on the book of the same name by Denver's very own

Mark Obmascik, this film improbably starred such big name

actors as Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson. In a

nutshell, The Big Year was a Big Movie.

I loved it. I laughed, I winced, I almost cried and was

charmed by the goofy portrayal of three wild and crazy birders

as they twitched, chased and scored. Go see it! Everyone who

is aware of your avian obsession will be asking you about "that

bird flick." The official opening is October 15th.

Don't laugh, but this movie is labeled PG "for language and

some sensuality." Sensuality? Maybe I blinked? Maybe the

censors are referring to that sensual scene with the Bald Ea-

gles?

See The Big Year with your spouse, but brace yourself for a

few knowing nudges in the ribs, as your birding behavior is

displayed in Technicolor and recognized. "That's you, dear.

They got that right!" On the other hand, one review I read

summarizes this movie as noble and lofty. "Their quests are

allegory to the challenges faced in their lives." "See, honey,

when I go birding it's an allegory." (Try that one, and let me

know if it files).

The Big Year borrows from these familiar genres: The

Great Race. The Nature Channel. The Buddy Movie.

Stalag 17...you'll see it here, you can almost smell it. Wall

Street, the movie... from board room to binoculars. Don Qui-

xote. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...how low can you go to shake

off your rivals? You'll notice homages to Alfred Hitchcock,

Boy Meets Girl, and Airplane. And yes, Steve Martin reprises

the dance of "A Wild and Crazy Guy." Jack Black reprises

sweating, and Owen Wilson wears duds like no birder I know.

Can you identify the brands of field glasses held by the

actors?

Understandably, you will find a few errors:

Did I see a birder in the field with a camera, but NO binocu-

lars?

Did I see THAT hawk in THAT weather?

Does Attu come with bird name labels on every hillside and

meadow?

Could you see THAT owl in THAT national forest? (I looked

it up – you could).

But the biggest error is the repeated conceit that "Whoever

sets the Big Year record is The World's Best Birder!"

Movie reviews usually conclude with an overall rating, such as

"X number of stars" or "Y number of bags of popcorn." My

personal rating of The Big Year is Four out of Five buckets of

stinky fish-head chum." I don't want to spoil the ending, but

can say this much - every year ends on New Year's Eve.

The ticket? Maybe eight bucks.

The Milk Duds? Maybe two bucks.

Memories of The Big Year? Priceless!

Oct. 15 thru Oct. 25? and beyond? - An on your own field trip to a local theater to see the movie The Big Year. (see re-

view below).

Page 5 October 2011 Calliope Crier

The trail is a string of nest boxes beginning at the end of the

pavement on North Wenas Road and stretching 13 miles to the

intersection of Durr Road just above Ellensburg. Established by

YVAS members in 1982, the trail now consists of 132 boxes.

In 1994, the trail was named in honor of Virginia and Harold

Vredenburgh to recognize their years of tireless devotion to help

bluebirds flourish in Yakima County.

For the fourth consecutive year, a cool, wet spring impacted

the bluebirds nesting efforts. Wildlife managers and ag-business

operators have also commented this year on late or reduced suc-

cess of varied species and crops. Bluebirds with young nestlings

suffered significant losses in the third week of June, perhaps due

to lack of insect prey during a cool, wet and windy spell.

Nonetheless, the trail managed to fledge 369 Western and 52

Mountain Bluebirds. The total of 421 fledges represents a

slightly better than average year.

To expand on the late theme, Box 14 still contained four well-

feathered chicks on Aug 19, the latest I have encountered nes-

tlings in my dozen or so years monitoring bluebird boxes. Of the

trail’s 132 boxes, bluebirds, at the minimum, started nests in

126…pretty impressive. If the proof is in the pudding, the trail’s

founders selected a great location.

In September 2010, the Board of Directors voted to restruc-

ture the fee paid by sponsors of bluebird nest boxes on the Vre-

denburgh Trail.

The new rate structure consists of three tiers or levels; each

sponsor chooses* the level that reflects their interest and/or abil-

ity to pay. In effect, the rate increase is entirely voluntary. The

three levels are:

Level 1: Chickadee - $5.00 per year

Level 2: Western Bluebird - $7.00 per year

Level 3: Mountain Bluebird - $10.00 per year

When the Mountain Bluebird rate of $10.00 per year is cho-

sen, the box sponsor’s name in the October Crier’s Trail Report

will be printed in bold text.

Of 102 boxes needing renewal in 2011, 60 were paid at the

$10.00 Mountain Bluebird rate. What a great testimonial our

sponsors have given to the Vredenburgh Trail!

Sponsors – please check the Paid Thru column in the trail

recap on pages 6 & 7. If your sponsorship expires in 2011,

please consider this as your first reminder to remit your renewal.

Reminders will be sent to sponsors of boxes that have not been

renewed by Nov 30. Mail your check to:

Yakima Valley Audubon Society

P O Box 2823

Yakima, WA 98907

To avoid confusion, please enclose a note indicating the box

numbers and the payment level you are choosing. An email ad-

dress or phone number on your note will allow us to quickly re-

solve any payment questions.

A well deserved thank you is hereby extended to all the vol-

unteer monitors who gathered data during the nesting season:

Mary & Gus Pooler, Marsha Fleming, JoAnn Platt, Pat Stebing,

Nancy Born, Hannah Born, Mary Belzer, Jean Chott, Judy & Jan

Gano, Vera Backstrom, Dotty Armstrong, Melanie Mamiya, Ron

& Debie Brown and Elizabeth Bohn.

Additionally, birding enthusiasts attending the Washington

Audubon Memorial Day Wenas Campout again assisted with the

monitoring. Campers participating this year: the Ellen Stevenson

family (Vancouver), the Dorothy Grazul family (Camas), Ana

Feldman (Seattle), Rick & Ann Matsen (Seattle), Chris Earle

(Olympia), Lear Kroon & Martin Walz (Seattle).

Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail – Thirty Years, 12,232 Bluebirds

Vredenburgh Fledged Bluebirds 1982-2011

WE MO bb sp tot 1982 72 54 126

1983 125 66 191

1984 144 133 277

1985 115 82 17 214

1986 259 150 409

1987 299 209 508

1988 311 151 462

1989 319 148 467

1990 304 118 422

1991 204 87 291

1992 211 147 358

1993 267 125 392

1994 310 167 477

1995 258 128 386

1996 319 152 471

1997 413 120 533

1998 347 141 62 550

1999 276 118 7 401

2000 383 115 44 542

2001 347 105 6 458

2002 315 81 59 455

2003 283 93 19 395

2004 332 90 17 439

2005 320 16 336

2006 235 66 301

2007 334 91 425

2008 518 51 569

2009 504 74 578

2010 344 34 378

2011 369 52 421

TOTAL 8837 3164 231 12,232

WE = Western Bluebird MO = Mountain Bluebird

*options for renewing box rents at variable rates limited to spon-

sors of record in 2010. New sponsors are requested to pay the

Mountain Bluebird rate of $10 per year. - - Richard Repp

Page 6 October 2011 Calliope Crier

2011 VREDENBURGH BLUEBIRD TRAIL REPORT Box Sponsor Species Eggs Flg Paid

thru

1 Harold Vredenburgh W 11 0 2020

2 Friedenson Family W 5 5 2011

3 Alice Nevue W 6 6 2012

4 Steven & Marcia Shotwell W 9 9 2012

5 Sparrow Nevue W 6 5 2012

6 Don Peterson Memorial W 2011 10 5

7 Nita Coleman W 5 5 2011

8 K. Lucas & M. Giovanini W 6 0 2011

9 Bob Wahl W 5 5 2011

10 Joe & Alberta McGuire W 7 7 2012

11 Steven & Marcia Shotwell W 5 2 2012

12 Russell Shelden Memorial W 8 6 2011

13 Karen & Joseph Zook W 5 5 2012

13A David & Becki Hartwig W 5 3 2011

14 Jeanne Crawford W 2011 11 8

15 Carolyn Comeau W 2012 3 0

16 Rachel Bold W 2011 7 5

17 Michael West W 2011 8 5

18 Nita Coleman W 10 10 2011

19 Janna Diaz W 2011 8 0

20 Abigail Chipps W 5 0 2011

21 Pete & Pam Neumann W 11 0 2011

22 Leslie Wahl wren 2011

22A Robert English W 2011 6 6

23 John & Muriel Ainsworth W PMBD 6 0

24 Virginia Gill W 2012 7 0

25 Don Peterson Memorial W 2011 10 5

26 Arlene Wood Memorial W 13 5 PMBD

27 Sophia Peterson W 6 6 2012

28 Sherry Morris W 11 10 2011

29 Donna Zimmerschied W 2011 4 4

30 Betty & Greg Neumann W 5 5 2011

31 Donna Zimmerschied W 2011 6 6

32 Larry Robinson 2011 W 6 4

33 Stan & Lori Isley W 10 5 2012

Box Sponsor Species Eggs Flg Paid

thru

34 Sarah Burke W 6 5 2011

35 Joe & Alberta McGuire W 5 4 2012

36 Larry Robinson W 12 5 2011

37 Alice Presson W 5 5 2012

38 Charlotte Pfieffer W 11 4 2011

39 Maia Mittlestaedt W 6 6 2011

39A Joan Gilman W 6 5 2011

40 Gertrude Repp Memorial W 6 5 2011

41 Joan Gilman W 5 2 2011

42 Lavina Doty W 0 0 2011

43 Maia Mittlestaedt W 6 6 2011

44 Dorothy Munroe W 6 6 2011

45 Jerry & M. A. Ruthruff W 6 6 2012

46 Nature Artists Garden Club W 6 4 2011

47 Joan Gilman W 5 2 2011

48 Janice Ferguson M 6 0 2011

49 Ellen Stevenson Family W 5 4 2012

50 Steven Hayes W 6 4 2011

51 Ron Sell W 5 2 2011

52 Linda Knutson W 6 5 2011

53 Megan & Steven Pooler W 0 0 2011

54 Rene Peterson W 6 6 2012

55 Kay Marsh W 5 0 2012

56 Denny Granstrand W 6 0 2011

57 William & Kelley Strange W 7 5 2011

58 Janice Ferguson W 11 6 2011

59 Denny Granstrand W 6 0 2011

60 Megan & Steven Pooler W 5 5 2011

61 John Meyer Memorial W 10 0 2011

62 Martha Anderson W 5 0 2012

63 Tom Wilson W 7 0 2012

64 Mike & Carolyn Wood W 11 0 2012

65 Lucky Hall W 4 0 2011

66 Carol Phillips W 6 6 2011

Page 7 October 2011 Calliope Crier

Box Sponsor Species Eggs Flg Paid

thru

67 William & Kelley Strange W 11 6 2011

68 Ruth Knoke Memorial W 7 5 2012

69 Janet White wren 2011

70 Joan Gilman W 5 0 2011

71 Bob & Helen Stuckey W 8 0 2011

72 Grover & Louise Eakman wren 2011

73 Chris Sorenson W 6 6 2011

74 Hannah Born W 6 4 2011

75 Grover & Louise Eakman W 5 4 2011

76 Margaret Morris W 6 6 2011

77 Shannon O'Malley W 7 2 2012

78 Conner O'Malley wren 2012

79 Toppenish Garden Club W 7 3 2011

80 Adam Newhouse W 6 4 2011

81 Hunter Headley W 6 0 2011

82 Ariana Faith W 6 3 2011

83 Toppenish Garden Club W 12 0 2011

84 Cailin O’Malley W 6 6 2012

85 Bettie Soden Memorial W 6 6 2011

86 June Rayner Memorial W 1 0

87 Maureen O’Brien W 3 2 2012

88 Marie Brangwin W 6 3 2011

88A Sandra Bowman W 6 0 2014

89 Peter Sorenson M 1 0 2011

90 Bill & Edith Ryan W 6 6 2011

91 Patrick Burke W 6 2 2011

92 Leslie Burke W 6 5 2011

Joan Gilman W 5 0 2011 93

TRES 4 2

94 John & Sally English W 5 5 2011

95 Joyce Meyer W 6 6 2011

96 Kay Marsh W 10 4 2012

96A Ewell & Rosemary Jones M 4 0 2011

97 Alwin Berger Memorial W 7 0 2012

98 P. A. Fitzpatrick W 11 7 2011

99 Herb & Lois Roberts Memorial M 6 0 2010

100 Susie Lattomus M 4 3 2011

Box Sponsor Species Eggs Flg Paid

thru

101 Amy Sinden M 4 4 2012

102 Jean Chott W 6 1 2011

103 P.A. Fitzpatrick unused 2011

104 Richard Repp unused 2011

105 Jim Ehret W 5 5 2011

106 Joan Miler W 5 5 2011

107 Joan Miler unused 2011

108 Raleigh Watts unused 2012

109 Andy & Ellen Stepniewski W 6 1 2011

110 Martha Fleming M 9 9 2011

111 Martha Fleming W 8 0 2011

112 Dotty Armstrong chip 2011

113 Lavina Doty M 7 5 2011

114 P. Kevin Gilman Memorial M 6 5 2011

114 A Justine Repp-Faith M 10 7 2011

115 Vera Backstrom W 6 4 2011

116 Dorothy Munroe W 6 0 2011

117 John & Ann Brangwin unused 2011

118 Noel Knoke unused 2012

119 Jack Whitnall W 5 3 PMBD

120 Apple Blossom Garden Club M 2 0 2011

121 Andy & Ellen Stepniewski W 8 0 2011

122 Lavina Doty HOSP 2011

123 M 5 4

123A Jeff Kozma M 7 6 2012

124 Mt. Clemen Garden Club M 6 0 2011

125 Virginia Vredenburgh M 9 9 PMBD

TOTAL FLEDGED 423

WESTERN BLUEBIRD 369

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD 52

OTHER SPECIES 2

Key: Flg = Fledged M = Mountain Bluebird W = Western Bluebird MOCH = Mountain Chickadee TRES = Tree Swallow HOFI = House Finch WBNU = White-breasted Nuthatch HOSP = House Sparrow CHIP = Chipmunk PMBD = Proclaimed Memorial by Board of Directors * Sponsor’s name in BOLD TEXT indicates payment at Moun-tain Bluebird Rate ($10 per year)

2010 VREDENBURGH BLUEBIRD TRAIL REPORT (CONT’D)

Page 8 October 2011 Calliope Crier

—Stan Isley

YELF

—Jan Gano

Bobolink Survey Coordinator

2011 Bobolink Survey Summary Report

Join us for an evening of presentations and discussion

about "Living with Wolves" in Washington State, November

15, 2011, starting at 7:00 pm, at the Parker Room at Yakima

Valley Community College. This free event is co-sponsored

by the Yakima Environmental Learning Foundation (YELF),

Conservation Northwest, and the

Yakima Valley Audubon Society.

Wolves are returning to Washing-

ton State, recolonizing Washington's

wildlands by natural dispersal from

populations in British Columbia,

Idaho, and Oregon. There are now 5

confirmed wolf packs in Washington,

in the Cascades and in northeast

Washington, and another pack may

exist in the Blue Mountains of south-

east Washington but has not yet been

confirmed.

The Washington State Department

of Fish and Wildlife has worked for

the past 3 years with a citizen stake-

holder group to prepare a draft Washington State Wolf Man-

agement Plan that is currently being considered by the State

Fish and Wildlife Commission for adoption in early Decem-

ber.

Experts will offer their perspectives on just what 'Living

with Wolves' means to us here in Washington. Speakers in-

clude: David Moskowitz, author, photographer, and educator;

Jay Kehne, Outreach Associate for Conservation Northwest

and an avid hunter; and WDFW wildlife biologists.

Please join us for a very entertaining and educational eve-

ning to learn more about those iconic animals - Gray Wolves.

- November 15th at 7:00 pm at YVCC's Parker Room in

Yakima -

Lords of Nature - A Free Film

For a follow-up to the "Living with

Wolves" event, join the Yakima Environ-

mental Learning Foundation (YELF)

January 17, 2012, at 7:00 pm at the

Wesley United Methodist Church, 14

N 48th Avenue in Yakima. YELF will

show the film "Lords of Nature" as the

first film in YELF's 2012 winter environ-

mental film series. This film explores

the vital role that apex predators, like

wolves and cougars, play in restoring and

maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity.

The film also examines what ranchers

and livestock producers are doing to adjust their operations

and management practices to avoid conflicts with predators.

Bring your friends to see this important film about this very

timely topic. Everyone is welcome. Free admission; dona-

tions to YELF accepted.

The June/July Crier contained an extensive article about

the Bobolink population clinging to its claim on a very small

area of habitat along Lateral C near Toppenish Creek. This

western-most breeding population of Bobolinks is on the

verge of extirpation making its continued return to this tiny

speck of habitat is tenuous at best.

Ten weekly surveys by Chapter members Jan Gano,

Kevin Lucas, Bill Drenguis, Kelly Kindelspire, Richard Repp

and Andy Stepniewski were completed in late July. These

surveys were in support of Yakama Nation Wildlife staff

which included Tracy Hames, Victoria Walsey, Gina King,

and Dave Blodget.

Over the course of these surveys, we determined that only

five pair of Bobolinks returned this year. The trend is alarm-

ing: 1995 – 50+ pair, 2005 – 20 pair, 2009 – 13 pair, 2010 –

12 pair, 2011 – 5 pair. Soon after fledging, the Bobolinks

begin their return migration to South America. This year

four birds fledged to begin the journey south. Because the

Bobolinks hide easily in the tall grass of their natal lands, it is

possible there were more fledglings but this is doubtful.

Two pair nested north of the Marion Drain in an irrigated

grass hayfield owned by the Rose Morton family. Shortly

before hay cutting time with young in the nests, Tracy Hames

and Victoria Walsey alerted the Mortons to the presence of

two nest sites in their hayfield. Thankfully, the Morton’s

elected to delay harvest of the hay surrounding these nests.

This resulted in two documented fledglings from this hay-

field. The Morton’s indicated they felt this was just the right

thing to do and declined any public fanfare of their efforts.

YVAS has provided them with a framed certificate of appre-

ciation and a gift card to a local restaurant in recognition of

their important contribution.

The Yakama Nation Wildlife staff, in an effort led by Vic-

toria Walsey, has developed a formal Management Plan for

the Bobolink. Ms. Walsey presented this plan to the Tribal

Council in July and it was adopted. It contains action items

for protecting and enhancing Bobolink habitat, an important

step forward. Bobolinks are now a protected species in the

Yakama Nation Wildlife Code and actions for restoring opti-

mal Bobolink habitat along Lateral C are established.

YVAS can continue assisting the Yakama Nation in moni-

toring Bobolinks on Toppenish Creek and support efforts to

rebuild the Bobolink population by protecting and improving

habitat. Christi Norman of the Washington State Audubon

office continues to seek grants to support Bobolink recovery

efforts.

Living With Wolves - YELP (Twice!) with YELF

Page 9 October 2011 Calliope Crier

—Denny Granstrand

Yakima Area Arboretum has a bird blind

Last spring Josh

Latimer, a Boy Scout in

Troop 200, approached

the Yakima Area Arbore-

tum to see if there was a

project he could do for

them that would serve as

his Eagle Scout project.

Colleen Adams-Schuppe,

the co-executive director

of the arboretum, told

Josh the arboretum has

wanted a bird blind some-

where on the grounds.

Several members

of YVAS, including

me, were invited to the

first bird blind planning

meeting at the arboretum. It was decided that the best loca-

tion would be the site of last year’s sparrow patch, on the

north side of the cottonwoods at the northeast corner of the

arboretum property. I suggested building the blind in the

style of the blinds at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

in southern Texas. As Boy Scouts would be doing the con-

struction, a design that was not too complicated yet user

friendly was needed. I contacted one of the naturalists at the

park, who e-mailed close-up photos of the front wall of their

blind, which gave us many ideas for construction details.

Josh started the process by raising money. He made a

picture board with a drawing of the blind with details on cost,

etc. He then spent four Saturdays in a row at a local grocery

store asking for donations. Generous shoppers donated over

$500! Josh then went to a YVAS board of directors meeting,

gave his presentation, and the board voted to cover the re-

mainder of the expenses for the blind.

Construction started on a Saturday morning in late Au-

gust in Josh’s parents’ garage. A good group of Boy Scouts,

a few parents and one very involved grandfather worked hard

through the day building the panels that would make up the

blind. Josh’s mom made some tasty hotdogs for lunch to

feed the workers.

Two weeks later all of the materials were hauled out to

the sparrow patch at the arboretum. The idea was to dig four

holes about 18 inches in diameter and three feet deep, stick

the support posts in, tamp gravel around the posts to secure

them in place, screw the three panels to the posts and call it a

day. Unfortunately, there is a lot more river rock than dirt in

the ground, so the holes ended up being about 30 inches wide

at the top, a foot wide at the bottom, with the sides continu-

ally caving in as the holes got deeper. Tamping the gravel in

such large holes was quite difficult. Plus, far fewer workers

showed up that day. It turned out to be a long, hard day, but

the job got done. The bird blind was installed and Josh’s job

was complete. And it was a job well-done!

A week later six members of YVAS showed up to do

some landscaping. The arboretum had recently received sev-

eral truckloads of wood chips from a Department of Trans-

portation project, which we were able to put to good use

making a path to the blind from the main trail around the

cottonwood grove. We smoothed out the area where the bird

seed would be scattered by moving numerous wheelbarrows

of rocks, raked the area smooth and did the initial scattering

of bird seed.

The blind enables birders to view the birds at a much

closer range without flushing the birds, which allows for

drop-dead views and wonderful photo opportunities. On Oct.

9, a White-throated Sparrow, a rare fall and winter visitor to

our area, showed up and posed nicely for photos. The bird

blind has already started to pay dividends.

Josh Latimer hard at work

The Yakima Area Arboretum Bird Blind Photo by Jan Gano

The YVAS Members that helped out with the Bird Blind. From left to right: Charles Crandall, Denny Granstrand, Jan Gano, Karen Zook, Joseph Zook

(seated), and Richard Repp.

Page 10 October 2011 Calliope Crier

RICHARD REPP

TIP OF THE CROWN, WAG OF THE FEATHER

This month’s tip of the crown goes

to three Whimbrels. The three, named

Winnie, Goshen, and Machi, were all

fitted with radio transmitters by the

Center for Conservation Biology of

William and Mary University in Vir-

ginia as part of a long-term migration

study. The study has successfully

tracked 17 Whimbrels via satellite since

the spring of 2008 as they move from

South America to the arctic.

Whimbrels are a rather drab shore-

bird similar in appearance to the Long-

billed Curlew-a species that breeds in Yakima County. While

the Curlew has a plain crown, the Whimbrel’s head is decked

out with racing stripes – a dark crown split by a pale stripe.

And don’t let what, compared to a Curlew, appears to be a

stunted bill. There is plenty of get up and go to this bird.

Winnie (see photo) was the first Whimbrel in the Americas

to be fitted with a transmitter back in May of 2008. A few days

later, Winnie blasted off from the eastern shore of Virginia and

flew nonstop for 146 hours to the Mackenzie River Delta in

Canada’s Northwest Territories, a distance of 3,200 miles. This

effort, distance and destination floored researchers. At the time,

it was thought that the eastern and western populations of the

Americas migrated along their respective coasts.

On her return migration, Winnie looped south and spent sev-

eral days at Washington’s Willipa Bay. She then flew over the

Rockies, encountered days of bad weather and perished in the

vicinity of the Great Lakes.

Dr. Bryan Watts, director of the Center for Conservation

Biology, noted this accomplishment set a new distance record in

the flight range of this species and highlighted the hemispheric

importance of the east coast as a staging area for migratory

shorebirds. The flight challenged some long-held assumptions

and raises several new questions about Whimbrel ecology.

Machi and Goshen were fitted with transmitters in Aug 2009

and Aug 2010, respectively. Both of these birds migrated be-

tween Brazil and Hudson Bay in Canada with Machi traveling

farther north on this huge bay. Machi was tracked over 20,000

miles and had one sustained nonstop flight of 161 hours.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus stopped at a small island in

the Lesser Antilles that, as was his fashion, he christened as

Guadeloupe. The island area is about one-seventh that of

Yakima County – roughly 630 square miles. Over the years,

the island has been held by assorted European countries and is

now an overseas department of France. The island has a popu-

lation of 500,00 people and lies somewhat in the flight path of

migrating shorebirds.

On their southbound migration in 2011, both Goshen and

Machi encountered extreme weather in the Atlantic. Goshen

went through Hurricane Irene, surviving by riding on floating

wrack throughout the storm! Drained by the ordeal, over a

week of R & R was spent on Antigua. Machi’s later flight took

her through Tropical Strom Maria.

Which sets the stage for this month’s

wag of the feather. Both Machi and

Goshen were shot in the morning of 12

September shortly after arriving at a

“shooting swamp” on Guadeloupe. Dr.

Warren wrote, “The two whimbrels

were the first birds during the four-year

tracking study to stop on Guadeloupe

and both were lost within hours suggest-

ing that the hunting pressure on this

island is extremely high. This island

has several isolated mangrove swamps

that serve to concentrate the shorebirds for shooting. An esti-

mated 3,000 hunters participate in the shorebird hunt annually.

Currently, shooting parties on the island are not regulated and

no information is available on the number of shorebirds taken.

Without such information it is not possible to assess the poten-

tial relationship between hunting and ongoing population de-

clines.”

He further noted, “Whimbrels migrating along the western

Atlantic coast have declined by 50% since the mid-1990s. The

collaborative tracking study has successfully tracked 17 whim-

brels via satellite since the spring of 2008. The focus of this

study has been to collect information that is vital to the long-

term conservation of this population. Only 4 birds were being

tracked during the 2011 fall migration season and half of those

were lost in a single morning on Guadeloupe. The relationship

between hunting pressures within the Lesser Antilles and popu-

lation declines for the whimbrel and other shorebird species is

unknown.”

Ouch! Are shorebirds considered game birds? Dr. Warren

commented that this hunting (or shooting) appears to be purely

recreational. What about the International Migratory Bird Act,

I ask?

Clipped from another Internet blog: “Guadeloupe, Martin-

ique and Barbados continue to operate “shooting swamps” some

of which are artificial wetlands created to attract migrant shore-

birds for sport shooting during fall migration. It is estimated

that tens of thousands of shorebirds continue to be taken annu-

ally by hunting clubs on just these three islands. This practice

is a throwback to more than a century ago when gunners hunted

shorebirds throughout the Americas. The Migratory Bird

Treaty Act was passed, in part, to protect dwindling numbers of

birds that migrate across country borders. Operated as a French

overseas department, both Guadeloupe and Martinique are part

of the European Union and are not party to the Treaty. Barba-

dos, once a British colony is now an independent state and also

not party to the Treaty. The last Eskimo Curlew known to sci-

ence was shot on Barbados in 1963. Shorebird hunting within

these areas continues to be unregulated to the present time.

Conservation organizations continue to work toward some com-

promise that will reduce pressures on declining species.”

Legal or abominable? Pressure needed to reduce pressure!

—Richard Repp

Page 11 October 2011 Calliope Crier

YVAS MEMBERSHIP Join or renew your annual membership to the Yakima Valley Audubon Society to receive ten issues of the Calliope Crier and all chapter membership benefits. Yakima Valley Audubon Membership …………………………………….$25 Yakima Valley Audubon Senior (62+)/Student Membership …………..$15 ___ I do not wish to receive any solicitation or communications from NAS (please check if applicable)

NAME _________________________________________ PHONE ____________________ ADDRESS ________________________________________________________________ CITY __________________________________________ STATE _____ ZIP __________ E-MAIL ADDRESS __________________________________________________________ Please make your check payable to: Yakima Valley Audubon Society Send the form and your check to: YVAS Membership P.O.Box 2823 Yakima, WA 98907-2823

If you have any questions on membership, please call Debie Brown at 248-3878

Birding Trail’s Puget Loop Debuts for Holidays

Delight your favorite birders this holiday season with the

newest – the seventh and final – map of the Great Washington

State Birding Trail: the Puget Loop. Hot off the press Thanks-

giving weekend, this signature route features 220 of our 346

annually recorded bird species around Puget Sound from Se-

attle to Mt. Rainier, plus Lake Washington, Kitsap Peninsula;

and Vashon, Bainbridge, Whidbey and San Juan islands.

Travel by car, bus or ferry, or bike or paddle to the Puget

Loop’s 42 main sites and 18 “more birding” locations for

avian highlights: Bald Eagles, Pileated Woodpeckers, Pacific

Wrens, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Chestnut-backed Chickadees,

Pigeon Guillemots– and more.

To pre-order the Puget Loop, plus all six other routes of

the statewide Birding Trail visit:

http://wa.audubon.org/birds_GreatWABirdingTrail.html.

A Great Christmas Stocking Stuffer

at only $4.95 each.

Stay tuned for more Puget Loop details in next month’s

newsletter.

Hilary J. Hilscher, Communications

The Great Washington State Birding Trail

printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper

The Yakima Valley Audubon Society meets on the fourth Thursday of January, February, March, April, May, August, September, and

October at 7 pm at the Yakima Area Arboretum, located at 1401 Arboretum Drive, Yakima, WA. Guests are welcome at these meetings.

The Annual Meeting of the Society is held the first Thursday of December at 6 pm. The Board of Directors meets each month except

December at 7 pm at locations announced in the Calliope Crier. Members may attend Board meetings; however, please notify the host

because of possible space restrictions.

2011 YAKIMA VALLEY AUDUBON OFFICERS AND BOARD

President Bill Drenguis 965-5808(DRENGUIS@aol.com)

Vice President Open Past-president Kerry Turley 837-6930 (kdturley@embarqmail.com) Secretary Vera Backstrom 731-2103

(vback47@gmail.com) Treasurer Ellen Stepniewski 877-6639 (steppie@nwinfo.net) Directors: Jan Gano 966-4539 (gano12@earthlink.net) Bob Wahl 452-9183 (reljwahl@msn.com)

Standing (Voting) Committee Chairs: Audubon Hoegar Preserve Leslie Wahl 452-9183 (reljwahl@msn.com) Audubon Refuge Keeper Kerry Turley 837-6930

(kdturley@embarqmail.com) Bluebird Trail Richard Repp 965-1134 (rich712@aol.com) Conservation Greg Bohn 901-1882 (gsanpdro@charter.net) Education Jenny Snyder

(jlsnyder001@hotmail.com) Field Trips Denny Granstrand 453-2500 (dgranstrand@gmail.com) Fund Raising Dan Kinney 452-3260 (insur3@charter.net)

Membership Debie Brown 248-3878 Sturnella@aol.com Newsletter Editor Elizabeth Bohn 901-1886 (elizabethannbohn@yahoo.com) Programs Andy Stepniewski 877-6639

(steppie@nwinfo.net) Special Committees: Bird Rehabilitator Connie Hughes 457-5661 (owlbirdlady@q.com) Bird Reports Richard Repp 965-1134 (Rich712@aolcom) Bluebird Trail Richard Repp 965-1134 (sponsorship records) Important Bird Areas John Hebert 965-8235 hejohn1126@msn.com Publicity Denny Granstrand 453-2500 (dgranstrand@gmail.com) Social Open

Volunteer Recognition vacant Webmaster John Hebert 965-8235 (hejohn1126@msn.com) Website www.yakimaaudubon.org Toppenish NWR CBC Andy Stepniewski 877-6639 (steppie@nwinfo.net) Luke Safford (thbcluke@thbcyak.com) Yakima Valley CBC Denny Granstrand 453-2500 (dgranstrand@gmail.com) Yakima Valley Audubon Voice Mail 248-1963

Yakima Valley Audubon Society P.O. Box 2823

Yakima, WA 98907

Return Service Requested

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Yakima, WA Permit No. 38

HAPPY Halloween! From your Crier Editor,

Elizabeth Bohn

Photos by George Vlahakis