THE FISH HAWK
HERALD
Coeur
d’Alene Chapter of the National Audubon Society
March 2010 Volume 19 Issue 7
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ARTICLES: Birding Basics - Swan
Mortality - County Big Years - USGS:Alaska
Science Center Requests Citizen Reports - Book Review -
Birding Pend Oreille Lake and River - Othello
Crane Festival
BIRDING
BASICS - 2010
March 2, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Session I – Backyard Birding
Common yard and feeder birds
Attract birds to your yard
Feeders and proper foods
Cats, squirrels and windows
Binoculars and bird
guides
April 6, Tuesday, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Session II – Birding
in the Field
More species of birds and their habitats
Types of binoculars, spotting scopes and
costs.
Birding aids such as iPods, CDs and computer
programs
Birding with groups and on field trips
Birding etiquette and ethics on trips
Birding opportunities: field trips, seasonal
counts and monitoring
Weekend Field Trip - half day field trip
·
Each session has a break in the middle with
refreshments and time for discussion and questions following presentations.
·
Contact Kris Buchler, 208-664-4739, or
email at eagleroost@roadrunner.com
for more information or to register.
You may attend either or both sessions.
·
Meet at 6:45 p.m. at Lutheran Church of
the Master, the NE corner of Ramsey and Kathleen Ave., Coeur d’Alene.
·
Photo Credits - Black-capped Chickadee
and Eastern Kingbird by Bill Linn
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SWAN MORTALITY
Lisa Hardy
In March, thousands of Tundra Swans stop on their northward migration in the
Chain Lakes along the Coeur d'Alene River between Cataldo and Harrison. Each
spring about 150 swans die in the area, the majority of them from lead
poisoning as a result of ingesting sediment contaminated by mine tailings. Swan
die-offs have been reported from the area as early as 1929.
From 1992 to 1997, the US Fish & Wildlife Service collected carcasses and
examined them for cause of death. They found that 77% of the mortality was
attributable to mining-related lead poisoning. Another 7% of the birds died
from lead poisoning due to ingestion of lead shot, and the remaining 16% from
trauma, disease, or unknown causes.
Though carcasses are no longer counted or collected, the die-off continues each
year. Because swans are large and white, each carcass becomes a visible
landmark, especially as the wind plucks feathers and drops them in a long
downwind swath. Other birds such as Canada Geese also die from the leaded
sediments, but their remains are much less obvious.
On our swan field trip, March 13, Saturday, we will no doubt see depressing
evidence of the continuing problem. But the recent project to develop the
Schlepp Ranch near Medimont as a safe stopover for waterfowl offers hope that
numbers of dead swans will start to diminish in time.
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COUNTY BIG
YEAR
Lew Ulrey, Boise
As
2009 came to an end, so did the 2009 Big Year List. Although
additions to the list are still welcome, the overall form of the list is fairly
well settled. Consider the following interesting statistics:
·
In
2009, 30 of Idaho’s 44 counties participated in the Big Year List Project.
·
Five
counties reported 200 or more species.
·
Only
three species, Common Raven, American Robin and European Starling were reported
by all 30 counties.
·
Statewide
we recorded 306 species.
The
statewide total number of species in the years since the Big Year List Project
started were as follows:
2008
305
2007
329
2006
323
2005
296
See: http://www.idahobirds.net/reports/idaho/counties/2010countycumulative.html
and
http://cdaaudubon.org/KootenaiCo2010.htm
Editors Note: So far in 2010, 168
species (169 with the Harlequin) have been seen in the state. Kootenai County is 4th for the
most species counted with a total of 89 (when I add the female Harlequin Duck reported by Paul
Sieracki on Bennett Bay February 17 and the Northern Saw-whet Owl that Keith and I heard February 19 on Fernan Lake). Ahead of
us in the species count as of February 22,
Ada 98, Owyhee 93 and Canyon 91.
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USGS: Alaska
Science Center requests citizen reports
Reprint from the Alaska Science Center
Website
Over the past several years, Alaskans
have witnessed a startling increase of beak deformities among local
birds. Large numbers of Black-capped Chickadees and smaller numbers of
many other species of birds have appeared with grossly overgrown and crossed
beaks.
We began research in 1999, and have since identified nearly
2,000 deformed Black-capped Chickadees in south-central Alaska—the highest
concentration of such abnormalities ever recorded in a wild bird population
anywhere! More recently, rapidly increasing numbers of other species,
including Downy Woodpeckers, Northwestern Crows, Steller’s Jays, and Black-billed
Magpies have also been reported with beak deformities by biologists and local
residents throughout the state.
Although we do not yet know the source of this widespread
problem, we continue to investigate potential causes, including environmental
contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, and disease. Nearly all of the
species affected are year-round residents, and we suspect that factors
responsible for this cluster of deformities may be unique to Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest. We are currently pursuing additional studies to
determine where these deformities are occurring and why. Reports from the
public help us to determine where and how many birds are affected. If you
see a bird with a deformed beak, please contact us at:
http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/beak_deformity/index.html
Editors Note: As I was working
on this newsletter (February 21), I was also doing my feeder count for Cornell Laboratory
of Ornithology. I was excited to see a
White-breasted Nuthatch. I saw one on
February 10th but had not seen it since. They are uncommon in our area, having seen one at Fernan Lake
only 8 other years since we moved here in 1963. This one had a deformed beak very similar to the chickadee
picture, but not as long. I don't think
the beak of the nuthatch I saw on February 10 was deformed or I would have
noticed it.
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BOOK Review
Lynn Sheridan
I recently read a great book called The Bird written by Colin Tudge, published by Random
House in 2008. I borrowed it from the
NIC Library.
The author lives in Oxford, England. He gives a wonderful discussion of the
origin of birds, their evolution and adaptation to all kinds of habitat and
food sources. Interesting facts are given of birds from all parts of the world.
Four examples:
1)
A
Bullfinch will carry the seeds it finds back to the nestlings in the pouches of
its cheeks, like a hamster.
2) Emus may gather in groups of up to
70,000 to travel towards rainy areas on foot at a steady 4 miles an hour.
3) The American chestnut tree, which was
wiped out in the 1900's by a fungus, was the main source of food for 1 million
Wild Turkeys and countless Passenger Pigeons. They have large gizzards
with pebbles in them to crunch the chestnuts.
4) A Sun Grebe, of South America, is unique
in that the male carries the babies in flight in pouches of skin beneath its
wings, even when the nestlings are blind and helpless.
I recommend it highly!
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BIRDING PEND
OREILLE RIVER AND LAKE
January 23, 2010
Bill
Gundlach
A calm, mild, overcast day with no snow or rain was much appreciated
by our group of seven on a great day of birding. On the way north, we stopped at Cocollala for a pit stop and to
connect with Dennis and Candy Enslow from Spirit lake who were joining us
there. Then it was on to Dufort Road
and west to the south shore on the Pend Oreille River.
Our first stop was Morton Public Access where we enjoyed
many waterfowl including beautiful
Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Common Merganser and in the distance mature Bald
Eagle and a group of 14, most likely, Tundra Swan.
Across the river from Laclede at the old ferry landing
where there is a good view up and down the river. Here, there were huge rafts of waterfowl, both ducks and geese
that were impressive to see. Redhead,
Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Gadwall and Canada Goose by the 100s were
seen here and all along the river.
Further west, we stopped along a pull-out on Dufort Road high above the
river and got good views of large rafts of ducks and geese including many
Canvasback in one raft. Here we were
treated to a flying display by four mature Bald Eagles, possibly
mating-related.
Our next stop was the old Thama Ferry landing and more of
the same, and a view of the Bald Eagle nest.
We took a break at Priest River for a pit stop and to eat our lunches. We then headed back east
toward Sandpoint with a stop at Dover,
the sewage treatment plant, and the city beach area on Pend Oreille
Lake. Here we picked up more waterfowl
and a few Common Loon in the lake, busily diving.
With some time left, we decided to bird the Sunnyside area
east on Oden Bay and around to the public access at the Pack River delta. We saw many Bald Eagle, including the nest
on Fisherman's Island. The lake was very calm, with many Horned Grebe
fishing. More Common Loon were seen at
the Pack River Delta as well as 10 Tundra Swan and 21 swan species.
A total of 37 species were seen on this trip, of which 24
were in the waterfowl, grebe, loon and heron families. A Northern Shrike was seen.
Trip participants: Kris Buchler, Janet Callen, Roland
Craft, Dennis and Candy Enslow, Bill Gundlach and Lisa Hardy. Thanks for tallying, Roland!
Trip List: 37
species of which 24 are water and 13 land
Bald Eagle 18,
Magpie, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Common Raven, Mallard, Canada Goose 1000s,
Ruffed Grouse, California Quail, Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Duck 100s,
Common Merganser, Bufflehead, Swan 45 (10 Tundra), Common Goldeneye, Gadwall
100s, Scaup 35 (probably Lesser), American Wigeon 100s, Canvasback, Redhead
100s, Great Blue Heron 10, American Crow, European Starling, Rock Pigeon,
Ring-billed Gull, Greater Scaup 2, Herring Gull 3, American Coot, Red-breasted
Nuthatch, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant 19, Common Loon 8,
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Black-capped Chickadee, Western Grebe, Northern
Shrike, Horned Grebe, Northern Flicker
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Othello
Sandhill Crane Festival
MARCH 26, 27, 28,
2010.
The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival began in 1998,
sponsored by the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia National
Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). Since the beginning, the
Festival has been financially supported by the City of Othello through tourism
development funds (hotel/motel taxes) and logistically supported by the Othello
School District and Othello Community Schools, reimbursed by Festival
registration fees.
The Sandhill
Crane Festival Committee plans, organizes and conducts the festival. The
Committee includes Grant Conservation District staff, Othello citizens plus
residents from the neighboring Columbia Basin communities of Ephrata, Moses
Lake and Royal City.
With
admission price into the Festival on Saturday, you may attend free lectures
which are repeated throughout the day. Lectures given in the past have
included falconry, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands, Woodland Park
Zoo, Grouse of Washington, Othello History within the Drumhellar Channeled
Scablands, Shrub-Steppe Flora and Fauna, Owls of Eastern Washington and Spring
Migration in the Columbia Basin.
The
Festival has many tours for crane viewing along with specialty tours.
Specialty tours have included Columbia National Wildlife Refuge/Potholes area
wildlife tour, Missoula Floods and the Channeled Scablands geology tour,
Lower Grand Coulee birding tour and Wahluke Slope/Shrub Steppe birding
tour. Pre-registration is suggested to reserve your seat as some fill up
quickly
For more
information please call 509-488-2802.
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