THE FISH HAWK
HERALD
Coeur d’Alene Chapter of the National Audubon Society
March
2005 Volume 14 Issue 7
bluebird trails
(Editors note:
This is the fifth in a series of articles on bluebird conservation and
bluebird trails)
Reprinted as is from "Bluebird Tales" the newsletter of
Mountain Bluebird Trails, Inc. (MBT). (Their website is www.mountainbluebirdtrails.com)
PROFILE: Art Aylesworth 1927 — 1999
A PASSION FOR
BLUEBIRDS
By Bob
Niebuhr
Art Aylesworth, the “Bluebird Man” was a
bigger than life kind of guy, and fun to be around. A raw boned man who always
had a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye and a chuckle in his voice.
I first met Art at a party in 1975. I
had been hearing about Art for years from my hunting and fishing partner who
had hunted and fished with Art. The stories weren’t about bluebirds, but the
typical hunting and fishing stories and the oose nests Art and other volunteers
were building and putting out in the Mission Valley in western Montana.
Art had noticed that Canadian Geese
would nest near irrigation ponds in the early spring when the water was low,
but when the run off came out of the mountains to fill the ponds it would flood
the nests. Art’s group built nesting platforms in the ponds so they would be
above the high water mark. Their efforts were a phenomenal success and today
thousands of geese are raised in the valley each year.
I had heard Art mention building
nestboxes for bluebirds, but it wasn’t until the spring of 1981 that I learned
about his dedication to bluebird conservation. A friend and I went to Ronan to
learn about the goose nests and ask Art if he would bring one to Great Falls to
display at our Ducks Unlimited dinner. We spent twenty minutes looking at goose
nests and the next two hours driving around his bluebird trail hearing about
the plight of the bluebird and his bluebird conservation efforts in western
Montana.
When he and his friend, Arnie Armstrong,
showed up at the Ducks Unlimited dinner, they brought a goose nest, but they
had bluebird nestboxes, too, and Art had asked Duncan Macintosh, a bluebirder
from Lethbridge, AB to meet him at the dinner. Tom Matsko and Rod Spencer,
Great Falls also attended the dinner and met Art for the first time that night
and the next morning the six of us met for breakfast.
At that time the Montana group did not have a name, but the group in
Alberta was called Mountain Bluebird Trails and Art and Duncan agreed to put
the same name on the Montana group and the two groups worked together closely
with the same name until 1994. A copy of Art’s slide show was made after the
meeting so the story of bluebird conservation could be told east of the Continental
Divide.
Art’s interest in bluebirds began in early spring 1974 when he and
his wife, Vivian saw a flock of males sitting in a snow covered pine tree.
“They looked like big blue Christmas ornaments.” Art said. He remembered seeing
them as a child, but had seen very few in recent years so he built five
nestboxes and one was used and fledged five. He had similar results the next
couple of years, but because of his experience with these birds, he became
inspired to spread the word. He got lumber mills in the area to donate scrap
wood and recruited volunteers to build and put out nestboxes. By 1980, they had
fledged a total of 1,000 babies. In the next 20 years Art and his MBT
volunteers built over 35,000 nestboxes and delivered or sent them throughout
the northwest and fledged over 200,000 bluebirds.
During the 80’s, Art and Duncan
Macintosh lead the campaign to get the North American Bluebird Society to
recommend a larger nestbox and 1-9/16” hole for Mountain Bluebirds. In 1989
under Art’s leadership MBT built the Centennial Bluebird Trail 700 miles across
Montana along Highway 200 from Idaho to North Dakota. These accomplishments
brought great notoriety to Art, both within Montana and nationally. Newspapers
and magazines wrote articles about him and many books mention his name. Authors
consulted him on Mountain and Western Bluebirds and photographers came from
across the nation to take pictures along his trails. But Art wasn’t interested
in the publicity, just the preservation of his bluebirds.
Art loved Montana and all its splendor,
counting himself lucky to live here. From trout fishing in the spring, to the
last hunt of the fall, he embraced nearly every outdoor pursuit available and
excelled at most. His appreciation for the wildlife of his home state led to
his involvement in many conservation organizations. But his love for the
bluebird became the passion of his later years.
Donna Hagerman writes about the extreme
measures Art would go to for his bluebirds. “One late summer day in the early
1980’s, Art called my dad, Clarence Hagerman, and explained his problem. He had
a late brood of five abandoned baby Western Bluebirds and was looking for a
foster box in which to place his little orphaned nestlings. The orphans needed
to be placed with other nestlings of approximately the same age in order to
expect a successful fledging of all involved.
“Fortunately, my dad kept close tabs on
his northern Idaho trail, and a quick review of his records showed that he had
a box which was a good match for Art’s orphans. So Art packed up his babies and
met my dad at a halfway point between their homes. Each drove about 150 miles
round trip for those little bluebirds! All of the nestlings fledged without a
hitch, thanks to Art’s determination to find a new home for his abandoned
babies.”
To hear Art talk about bluebirds was one
thing, but to travel the back roads along a bluebird trail with him was a
fascinating and memorable experience. He knew not just about bluebirds, but all
the plants and creatures that inhabited their world. He was a great student of
nature and loved sharing it with others. This experience taught me and others
that we are part of nature, and that we, as well as the bluebirds, receive
great rewards for what we do.
Besides spending countless hours
promoting bluebird conservation, Art also had a very successful career in the
life insurance business for over 30 years. But when the insurance interview was
over, if the opportunity arose, he would put in a good word for the bluebirds
and if the people seemed interested he always had a nestbox or two in the back
of his pickup to get them started.
When Art was asked why he put out
nestboxes for bluebirds he replied with that smile on his face and chuckle in
his voice,“Because they need our help.”
Audubon Members Make a Difference
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY
Janet Callen
April, 2005
marks Earth Day’s 35th anniversary. Join Audubon and other environmental groups and businesses for
the EARTH DAY FAIR on April 23, 2005, at the Harding Center in Coeur d’
Alene. More details to follow in the
April newsletter.
2004 Yardlist Challenge Results
Are In!
Lisa Hardy
A big thank you to all the 2004
participants: Kris & Ed Buchler, Janet Callen, Robert Hanson, Stephen
Johnson, Stephen Lindsay, Lynn Sheridan, Shirley Sturts, Judy & Phil
Waring. And thank you for all your interesting notes.
Nine yards reported a total 125 species
for 2004, more than all previous years except 2000.Three new species were added
in 2004. Stephen Lindsay tallied two of the new species, Rough-legged Hawk and
Western Screech-Owl, and I saw a third, Lincoln's Sparrow.
Four species were reported from all 9
yards, Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chick-adee, House Finch and Pine Siskin.
Thirty-two species, or 26%, were
reported from only a single yard.
Robert beefed up the waterfowl numbers
from his yard overlooking Cave Lake. He enjoys the annual
"coot-and-eagle" show, and tallied the only Pied-billed Grebe and
Black Tern sightings. Kris & Ed also overlook the water - Fernan Lake - and
picked up Common Loon, and Western and Red-necked Grebes.
Raptors were well represented, including
Stephen Johnson's Merlin. Red-tailed Hawks showed up on a surprising number of
city yard lists. Great Horned Owls appear on 3 yard lists, and Northern Pygmy
Owls on 4.
City yards turned up some interesting
passerines. Janet had Hermit Thrush and Wilson's Warbler. Lynn was visited by a
Steller's X Blue Jay hybrid, as well as a "plain" Blue Jay. Judy and
Lynn both reported Common Redpoll.
Recorded subspecies this year are the
Oregon and slate-colored races of Dark-eyed Junco (4 yards), and a Northern
Flicker (yellow-shafted race) from Stephen Lindsay's yard.
Bluebirds and shrikes were missing from
the 2004 lists. Robert mentioned several species that he used to see regularly,
but have not been seen in years - American Bittern, Townsend's Solitaire and
Western Meadowlark.
In the 5 years of the Yardlist Challenge,
a total of 159 species have been recorded. Ninety-five species have been
reported in all 5 years, 6 in 4 years, 17 in 3 years, 15 in 2 years, and 26
species have been reported in only one year each.
Species are sorted by AOU checklist
order: See our website for the list of
birds seen
SUBSCRIPTION FEE FOR "THE
FISH HAWK HERALD"
Starting in September, 2005, an annual subscription fee of
$15 will be charged for The Fish Hawk Herald. In the past, the cost of
the newsletter has been covered by dues-sharing funds received from
National Audubon, but as those funds have been reduced, the board has decided
to make the Herald self- supporting. All local Audubon members will receive the
September issue containing meeting and field trip schedules as well as the
annual summary, but the remaining 8 issues will be sent only to
subscribers. See subscription information in next month's issue.
"AUDUBON
AT HOME" OFFERS NEW RESOURCES
With spring planting and the arrival of
spring migrants to our gardens just around the corner, it is a perfect time to
encourage healthy landscaping and gardening practices. The Audubon At Home program has
developed new resources to promote the simple message: Reduce Pesticide Use, Conserve
Water, Protect Water Quality, Remove
Exotic Plants, and Plant Native
Species.
“Each year, we dump tens of millions of pounds of
fertilizers and pesticides on our own backyards, thus poisoning birds and
wildlife while creating one of the largest sources of pollution runoff in our
lakes and
streams.”
John Flicker, President
To encourage people to take an active role in making
neighborhoods and communities safer, cleaner, and greener, we need up-to-date, scientifically sound information
on environmentally responsible landscaping and gardening methods and their
value to wildlife conservation.
Through its website www.audubon.org/bird/at_home, Audubon At
Home is committed to delivering timely, accurate information and resources
to Chapters and the general public.
The following articles are reprinted from
this website. Visit the Audubon website
for more information.
Take Action! Reduce Pesticide Use
Suggested below are a number of actions
you can take to reduce your use of pesticides.
Check off each as you complete it or incorporate it into your land-care
routines. Set a target date for accomplishing all of the recommended
activities. Explore the Resources and Links on the website for further
guidance.
1. ASSESS your use of pesticides. How often do you use them
and for what purpose? Do you use an
herbicide to remove weeds from your lawn? Do you use an insecticide to get rid
of slugs in your garden? Do you apply a fungicide to combat black spot on your
roses? List the pesticides you use, the “pest” you are targeting with each, and
your frequency of use. Be sure to include those pesticides that are applied by
any lawn care or pest control professionals you hire.
2.
QUESTION yourself. Think about why you turn to chemicals — is it because you
know of no other methods? Do you really have a “pest” or just a minor irritant?
How severe is the problem — a few leaves or the entire plant? Do you have a
spider or two, or an infestation of roaches? Can the “problem” be overlooked?
Chart the answers to these questions for each pesticide you’ve listed in #1
above and see where you can immediately decrease the amount and frequency of
pesticide applications, or eliminate them altogether.
3.
INVENTORY the pesticide products you have on hand. Safely discard those that
you’ve identified in #2 as being unnecessary, as well as any products that are
poorly labeled or discontinued. Contact local solid waste management or health
agencies for disposal guidelines. State and local laws may dictate stricter
guidelines than those provided on the label.
4. RESEARCH alternatives for those pesticides you’ve
identified as still being needed.
The
aim is to use the least-toxic method possible. Visit our You Have a Choice! web
pages to identify your options http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/alternatives.html
). Pick at least one option and give it a try. As you find success, cross the
pesticide you’ll no longer need off your list and safely discard any remaining
product.
5.
PRACTICE PREVENTION. Pests are usually a symptom rather than a source of a
problem. Prevent problems that can lead to pest infestations by incorporating
the following activities into your land-care routines:
*Remove pest hiding and breeding sites – inside and out.
Remove trash and standing water from outdoor areas. Keep indoor areas clean and
dry.
*Maintain healthy soil with the help of
compost. Healthy soil contains beneficial organisms that keep disease and pests
in check. Healthy soil also breeds healthy plants, which resist disease and are
less likely to succumb to pests. This week, start collecting kitchen and yard
waste and begin a compost pile.
*Grow the right plant in the right spot. Take stock of the
plants in your yard; if they are not in the appropriate place, transplant them
to a more favorable site. For instance, if the plant needs sun, put it where it
will receive the right amount of light. If it likes wet conditions, plant it
near water. If it’s an acid loving plant, make sure the soil’s pH is
appropriate. The stronger the plant, the less susceptible it will be to disease
and pests.
* Plant native species. They are more resistant to pest problems
because they have evolved under local environmental conditions. Explore ways to
begin incorporating natives into your yard. Start by adding one or two native
plants to your existing gardens.
* Make
natural pest enemies welcome. Toads, dragonflies, nematodes, bats, numerous
species of birds and other insects are your natural allies in pest control.
Learn who they are and support them.
* Monitor
your outdoor space regularly and look for early warning signs of problems.
Determine whether damage was the result of insects, disease,
nutrient
imbalance, or mis-application of chemicals. Take the time to identify suspected
pests and the reason for their presence: Was the fungus a result of poor
watering habits or was the insect issue due to a plant weakened by poor soil?
Correct the source of the problem rather than resorting to pesticides.
LAWN PESTICIDES
AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK
Each year, American homeowners use
approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides to maintain their lawns, mostly
for aesthetic purposes. Yet as the use of these chemicals continues to grow,
researchers continue to uncover the links between pesticide exposures and
serious human health problems, including several types of cancer, neurological
and reproductive disorders and birth defects. Regulations concerning the
marketing and use of these potentially harmful products do little to protect
consumers. Every pesticide on the market carries an EPA registration number,
but this only means that the active ingredients are listed and instructions for
its use are given, including warnings of acute health effects. Warnings about
potential long-term or chronic health effects from the active ingredients are
not required.
PESTICIDES AND WILDLIFE
The use of lawn pesticides by homeowners accounts for the majority of
wildlife poisonings reported to the EPA each year. Birds are particularly
vulnerable, as they feed on the ground and often mistake pesticide granules for
food. It is estimated that approximately 7 million wild birds are killed each
year due to the aesthetic use of pesticides by homeowners. Pesticides are also
routinely used to control weeds and vegetation along roadsides and borders
which are used by wildlife as habitats for nesting and raising their young.
When a bird or small mammal is sickened
by pesticides, they neglect their young, abandon their nests and become more
susceptible to disease and predators. Wildlife specialists are becoming
increasingly alarmed by the presence of pesticides in lakes, rivers and streams
which are essential food and water sources for so many species. A recent study
by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found at least two pesticides in every
stream sample and one or more pesticides in every fish sample.
Even minute amounts of the chemicals that
make up these pesticides have been shown to have a profound effect on the
reproductive viability of aquatic life. The most common pesticides found were
those typically used for lawn treatments.
