Audubon
Members make a difference
BLUEBIRD TRAIL
REPORT
Shirley Sturts
- Theresa Potts - Roland Craft
(Bluebird Committee)
Our chapter is responsible for monitoring
3 bluebird trails: The Gertie Hanson Blue Bird Trail in the Hoo Doo Valley
along Kelso Lake Road containing 50
boxes, The Mica Bay Trail containing 8 boxes, and the Mica Flats Trail
containing 12 boxes.
Gertie Hanson established the Hoo Doo
Bluebird Trail in 1983. It was a
project sponsored by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Nongame Advisory
Committee. Gertie monitored and managed the trail until her death in 1998. Since that time our chapter has continued to
keep the trail in good condition and has continued to monitor nesting success.
In the summer of 2000 we joined "The
Birdhouse Network", a Citizen Science Project of the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology. We check the boxes about
every 10 days and record information such as bird species, date of the first
egg, number of eggs, date hatched, and date fledged for each nesting
attempt. This information is then
reported to Cornell on their website (www.cornell.edu)
In 2000 we also paired most of our boxes,
putting two boxes about 10 feet apart.
The idea is that Tree Swallows will use one and bluebirds will use the
other. We feel this pairing has been
successful to some extent. This summer
8 of our paired boxes had swallows in one and bluebirds in the other. One pair of boxes had Western Bluebirds in
one, Mountain Bluebirds in the other and after the baby Mountain Bluebirds
fledged a Tree Swallow pair successfully fledged young from the same box.
Another paired box set had a Western Bluebird in one box and the other remained
empty. The best news is, we had more
Western Bluebirds fledge this year than ever before: 15 boxes were used, 13 of
23 nest attempts were successful and 67 fledged of which 59 were banded. Six adult Western Bluebirds were also
banded. Mountain Chickadee nested
successfully in two of the boxes. The
Tree Swallow nested in 27 boxes of which 21 were successful and 105 young
swallows fledged. I didn't band the
young swallows this year but I did band 5 adults.
We only had one Mountain Bluebird
pair. They successfully fledged 5
young. A visiting birder from Montana,
with experience in bluebird trails, told us we should enlarge the holes to
accommodate the slightly larger Mountain Bluebird. We plan to do this for a few
of the boxes before the next nesting season.
At Mica Bay, 6 Western Bluebirds were fledged
out of one box and Mica Flats had 2 boxes used by Western Bluebirds with 3 nest
attempts - 2 successful. For some
reason there was high nest failure for the Tree Swallow on Mica Flats. Of the 9
boxes used only 2 were successful.
BANDING
RESULTS
Tree
Swallow 6+ Years Old
We have been banding adults and young from these three trails
for several years. This information is
sent into the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Bird Banding Laboratory.
This year we found a female Tree
Swallow sitting on eggs in box 6 (Mica Flats) that was banded as an adult on
June 25, 1998 in box 11 (Mica Flats).
That means this bird is at least 6 years old. According to information
found in The Birds of North America,
"swallows show an average life span of 2.7 years and a maximum life
span of 8 years. Based on band
recoveries of birds banded as nestlings, mortality in first year of life is
estimated at 79%, indicating that only about 20% of birds leaving the nest
survive their first year. Annual
survival rate thereafter ranges from 40% to 60%." This high mortality for birds in their first
year is probably why I have never had a recovery from any nestling I have
banded.
Another recovery this year was a female
Tree Swallow in box 4 that had been banded in the same box on June 3,
2002. We found a Western Bluebird in
box 26 that we had banded as an adult from this same box on July 8, 2001,
making this bird at least 3 years old.
The committee wishes to thank all those
who have helped with building, repairing and monitoring the boxes along the
bluebird trail. Special thanks goes to
Roger Young for providing the wood shop, lumber, tools, and expertise in
building the bird boxes and in helping put them up.
"If I were to make a study of the
tracks of animals and represent them by plates, I should conclude with the
tracks of man"
Henry David Thoreau
Top of Page
THE TOUGHEST BIRDING YOU’LL EVER DO
Kris Buchler
On a foggy pre-dawn September 20th, five
Coeur d’Alene landlubbers boarded Westport
Seabirds’ Monte Carlo for a day of pelagic birding. There were twenty birders in all plus the
captain and first mate, as well as our “spotters”, Bruce and Ryan. A trip like this would not be successful for
novices without the spotters’ experience in the body language and field marks
of seabirds on the wing. Forget your
spotting scope and high-powered binoculars.
The naked eye is one of the best tools on a moving boat dipping and
rolling with the ocean swells. Optics
could be used but the glimpses were brief of birds soaring by us. Bruce greeted the group with “pelagic
birding is the toughest birding you will ever do!”
Pelagic birds are seabirds that spend
their lives on the oceans except to breed on various islands. Many are found far offshore. They alight on the water to rest or feed and
can be found like this in large groups.
Many of the areas of the oceans are virtual deserts without birds while
others are teaming with activity. It is
easy to guess where the schools of fish are found as well as the fishing boats.
Within an hour we had left the harbor
behind with the Brown Pelicans, cormorants and usual gulls. We saw our first shearwater, a graceful
Sooty with long narrow wings. Heerman’s
Gulls were mixed in with Western and Glaucous-winged which were far outnumbered
by their hybrids which seem to populate that area of coast. Common Murres became – well, common. They were already in winter plumage.
About 20 miles offshore we encountered
two more shearwaters, the Pink-footed and Buller’s. By mid-morning, good instruction from Bruce and Ryan enabled our
CDA birders to distinguish the 3 species of shearwaters from gulls, identify
the gull-like but chunky Northern Fulmar in two plumages and gasp with delight
at the first encounter with a Black-footed Albatross. This bird stands out with its large size, distinguished bill,
straight board-like narrow wings and effortless flight over the waves.
By noon, Roland Craft, Lisa Hardy,
Shirley Sturts and Ed and Kris Buchler had added other smaller seabirds to
their life lists. Cassin’s and
Rhinocerous Auklets skittered over the water.
Fork-tailed Storm Petrels fluttered by and a Sabine’s gull was spotted
far off but recognized by its tern-like flight and dramatic black and white
wing pattern. Overhead flew Pomarine
Jaeger and Black-legged Kittiwake, easily mistaken for a gull. South Polar Skua was spotted by one of our
leaders but few got great looks at it.
We did have terrific views of Red and Red-necked Phalaropes in winter
plumage resting on the water and in flight.
“Chumming” gave us a chance to observe
some species up close on the water. The
birds gather near the boat to snap up “chum”, a mixture of suet, vegetable oil
and cod liver oil. Many of these birds
follow the fishing fleets to scavenge the rewards of the harvest.
We learned a lot about these birds we
seldom see – how shearwaters gracefully glide over the waves at a steep angle
with the lowered wing “shearing” the water, - how Buller’s Shearwater appears
bright white underneath while Sooty is sooty with beige underwings and
Pink-footed has light underwings with very dark edges and wingtips. The Northern Fulmar flaps with stiff wings
then glides, exhibiting its tubenose.
A day trip like this is certainly
recommended if you want to challenge yourself.
Prepare. It is much more fun if
you aren’t green around the gills or bending over the back of the boat. Many products, from tablets to patches, are
available to prevent seasickness.
Bonine seemed to be a favorite and does not make you sleepy. Bring layers of clothing and waterproof
footwear if you want to stay up near the bow.
Saltines are great to munch and the crew provides ginger snaps, a home
remedy for queasiness.
An
added bonus to bird sightings was the whale watching. As we traveled 40 miles
offshore, we had at least eight good sightings of Hump-backed whales with many
near the boat. Dolphins followed us and
Harbor Seals were a fixture of the harbor.
Scott Rea, our summer flycatcher expert,
is spending several months at Ocean Shores, Washington. Lisa arranged for us to meet Scott the
following day so we could benefit from his knowledge of the area’s shorebirds. Scott led us to a bayside marsh known for migrating
Pectoral and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.
After an hour or two of scouting the area, we paused to discuss our
strategy while Roland spotted the Pectorals right in front of us. They were amazingly tolerant of us and
allowed us to get great looks. We had
other good observations of American Golden-Plover and Pacific Golden-Plover,
with flyovers by Peregrine Falcon, Merlin and Northern Harrier. Scott increased our knowledge of cormorants,
helping us distinguish Double-crested, Pelagic and Brandt’s while in
flight. Other sightings for the weekend
included Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, common Loon, Surfbird, White-winged and Surf
Scoter and Mallard.
It was a great trip full of new sights
and birding education. Lisa, Shirley
and Roland checked out the Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge near Hoquiam
before heading home. Ed and Kris made a
stop at Nisqually Wildlife Refuge on the way west. In 45 minutes they observed
Green Heron, Brown Creeper, various migrating warbler, Great Blue Heron, Great
Egret, three species of woodpecker as well as numerous River Otter tracks. It looks as though one could spend more than
a day exploring the trails and lands of this refuge.
Top of Page
Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival
January
16-19, 2004
Society
(MCAS) for the 8th Annual Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. Morro Bay
-- located on California's scenic Central Coast -- is an important stop on the
Pacific Flyway, and is recognized worldwide for its diversity of both resident
and wintering birds. Over 200 species of birds have been identified during past
Festivals.
The Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival
is sponsored by MCAS and gives you the chance to join local and national birding
experts on a variety of field trips and workshops. Field trip group sizes are
limited to maximize spotting and identification opportunities. The
Festival also offers workshops aimed at sharpening your birding skills, as well
as evening programs with outstanding speakers.
Please note that the Morro Bay
State Park campground will be closed during this year's festival; however, the Migrate
to one of the country's pre-eminent birding spots and join the Morro Coast
Audubon area offers a number of other nearby campgrounds, such as Montana de
Oro State Park and Atascadero State Beach.
For more information about the
Festival, check out our website at www.morro-bay.net/birds, where you can request that your name be added to
the mailing list for our 2004 brochure, due out in October. Registration deadline
is December 31, 2003 and early signups are encouraged as the most popular
events fill up quickly.
Top of Page
BIRDING WITH A BROWN BAG
Lynn Sheridan
May 20, 2003 Winter
Wren
Photographed by Wayne Tree
On this sunny day, ten of us
walked around Tubbs Hill from the 10th Street entrance, to enjoy the
sights and sounds of the many birds migrating through and residing there.
With the help of Kris and
Bill, three warblers were heard and identified: Nashville, Yellow-rumped and
Orange-Crowned. Spotted Towhee were seen and heard
several times. A few California Quail
scurried off the trail. As Roland
joined us from a lower trail, a Steller's Jay was heard. Resident American Robin, Pine Siskin, Chickadee,
Song Sparrow, Pygmy and Red-breasted Nuthatch made themselves known. Our best bird was a Winter Wren, which Sarah
was able to photograph. Will we all
remember its tinkly song? Overhead
were 3 Osprey cavorting, a Great Blue Heron flew by, and Violet-Green Swallow
swooped over the water.
Flowers were not
overlooked. Twenty-five varieties were
identified. Some of the best were:
mitre-wort, chocolate lily, phlox, larkspur, columbine, shooting stars, calypso
orchids, arrowleaf balsam root, prairie smoke and false solomon seal. Thank you everyone who contributed what
they knew and had experienced, and helped us all learn a bit more.
Participants: Pat Bearman, Ruthie Arbuckle, Robert and Jean
Imperatrice, Roland Craft, Bill Gundlach, Sarah and Karen Read, Kris Buchler
and Lynn Sheridan
September
16, 2003
It was a cool breezy day as 5 of us started up Tubbs Hill: Mary Beth
Sokolik from Harrison, Sarah and Karen Reed, Roland Craft and myself. With patience we saw Black-capped Chickadee,
Pygmy Nuthatch and a chipmunk. Flying
aloft, an Osprey called attention to itself.
We noted some plants:
serviceberry, wild rosehips,
Oregon grape, snowberry, ocean spray, ninebark, and red false solomon
seal berries.
Darkening skies urged us homeward, when near the trail
head, we saw, close by 2 male American Goldfinch in wintry
plumage--wonderful. Ring-billed Gulls, about 15, dotted the parking
lot, and a lone male Mallard hopped up to a dock. Quick farewells as the
cloudburst came.
Thanks everyone!!
Top of Page
FARMER’S MARKET
AUGUST 30, 2003
Janet Callen
. Lynn
Sheridan and I represented Coeur d’ Alene Audubon at the Farmer’s Market this
year. All day long market shoppers
stopped by our display to talk about birds and all things related. We sold a few items and again Lynn’s beautiful
pressed flower and feather cards were a hit.
Many people signed up for a complimentary newsletter and expressed
interest in our activities. The
courtesy booth extended to us each year by the Farmer’s Market is a great way
to inform the public about our Audubon chapter. This year’s event seemed a
great success.
Top of Page
RAINFOREST
ALLIANCE
HONORS
SUSTAINABLE COFFEE LEADERS
At its 13th annual gala next month, the
Rainforest Alliance will be honoring seven outstanding leaders in the coffee
industry, leaders who have been instrumental in guiding the sustainable coffee
movement (encompassing shade-coffee, organic coffee,
and fair-trade coffee). As the coffee industry suffers from a deep crisis
brought on by a glut in the coffee market affecting the livelihoods of
thousands of coffee workers and millions of acres of coffee production
worldwide, these visionary individuals and companies have been committed to
making coffee production environ-mentally, socially, and econom-ically sound.
Those honored will
include: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Mary Williams of Starbucks, Hans Jöhr
of Nestle, Volcafe Ltd., Balzac Brothers and Co., DR Wakefield and Co., and
Thanksgiving Coffee Co. A number of farmers and cooperative leaders will also
be recognized.
The social and
ecological benefits of sustainably managed coffee extend far beyond the farms
in prosperous rural communities, cleaner rivers, increased bird and wildlife
populations, reliable water supplies, sanitary systems, collaborations between
farm managers, and neighboring parks, protected watersheds, and decent pay for workers.
The Thanksgiving
Coffee Company, producers of ABA's Song Bird Coffee will be among those
recognized by the Rainforest Alliance. Paul and Joan Katzeff will be honored
for Thanksgiving's outstanding leadership in promoting environ-mentally friendly,
sustainable, economic development. From leading by example in the
bird-compatible shade-coffee scene, to establishing "cupping labs" in
Nicaragua that enable small farms to be more competitive in the larger
marketplace, Thanks-giving has initiated creative sustainable development
initiatives.
For a good article on
birds and shade-grown coffee see the recent February BIRDING: "Shade-grown
Coffee and Northwest Migratory Birds" by Jennifer Seavey.
For more details on the Rainforest Alliance
event see:
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/news/gala2003/index.html
For particulars on ABA's connection with
Song Bird Coffee see: http://www.americanbirding.org/programs/conssbcof1.htm
Top of Page
WILD BIRDS
UNLIMITED
(A Reminder)
Wild Birds Unlimited is donating 10% of their sales
from Audubon members to our Audubon Chapter.
This is a "win-win" situation. It benefits our Audubon Chapter and it encourages members to try
the Wild Birds Unlimited products.
If you have
been in the store you know their products are all first class. There are some
great gift items as well as good quality seed, feeders, birdbaths and other
useful items for backyard bird watching.
The Wild Birds Unlimited store is at 296
W. Sunset Ave. #22, Coeur d'Alene. When
you go there be sure to identify yourself as an Audubon member so that our
chapter gets credit.
Thank you Irv and Helen Stephenson, owners of Wild Birds
Unlimited, for your contribution to our chapter and for providing quality bird
products and friendly service.
Top of Page
oBServation post
Kootenai County Big Year Additions since
the September 2003 Newsletter (see February-September Newsletters or go to our
Website to see bird species seen so far this year in Kootenai County - Current
total 186
Cooper's Hawk 1 Mica Bay Survey Sept. 5 (KBUC, CCAM, BRET, JRET)
Ferruginous Hawk 1 Rathdrum Prairie Aug. 19 (JTAG)
Semipalmated Plover 1 Saw Mill Pond near Cataldo Sept; 28 (LHAR)
Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Lane Marsh (CDA River drainage) Aug. 24 (LHAR, SREA) and 4 Sept. 28 Saw Mill Pond - Cataldo area (LHAR)
Baird's Sandpiper 2 Rathdrum Prairie Sept. 23 (LHAR, RCRA) 15 Kootenai NWR and 12 Boundary Creek WMA)
Aug. 31 (LHAR,SSTU)
Western Sandpiper 1+ Lane Marsh (CDA River drainage) August 24
(LHAR,SREA)
Least Sandpiper 1+ Lane Marsh (CDA River drainage) Aug. 24 (LHAR,
SREA)
Short -billed Dowitcher 1+ Lane Marsh (CDA River drainage) August 24
(LHAR,SREA)
Long-billed Dowitcher 2, 11 and 23
Saw Mill Pond near Cataldo September 23 & 25 & 28 (LHAR)
Wilson's Phalarope 2 Boundary Creek WMA Aug 31 (SSTU,LHAR)
Red-necked Phalarope 1 Saw Mill Pond, Cataldo area Sept. 12 (LHAR)
Common Tern 17 Harlow Point Rd, Harrison, 12 Anderson Lake, 32
Cave Lake Aug. 24 (LHAR,SREA)
=================================================================
Other Sightings of Interest
=================================================================
American White Pelican 1 immature Thompson Lake Aug. 24 (LHAR,SREA), 4
Boundary Creek WMA Aug. 31 (SSTU,LHAR)
Double-crested Cormorant 14 Mission Slough, 2 Harrison and 2 Thompson Lake
Aug. 24 (LHAR,SREA)
Merlin 1 Ball Creek
Ranch Survey Aug. 31 (KBUC,EBUC,JRET)
Semipalmated Plover 3 Kootenai NWA Aug.
31 (LHAR, SSTU)
Greater Yellowlegs 4 Saw Mill Pond, near Cataldo Sept. 12 & 28 (LHAR);
4 Boundary Creek WMA Aug. 31 (LHAR,SSTU)
Solitary Sandpiper 1 Lane Marsh Aug. 24 (LHAR,SREA)
Wilson's Snipe 1 Lane Marsh
1 Harlow Point Road, Harrison Aug. 24
and 3 Saw Mill Pond near Cataldo Sept. 12 (LHAR)
Blue Jay and Blue XSteller Jay (Hybrid) 1 of each still coming to feeder in Coeur
d'Alene - Pine Ave. during September
(NMER)
White-breasted Nuthatch1 Mica Bay Survey Sept. 5 (KBUC,CCAM,BRET, JRET
Brown Creeper 1 Mica Bay Survey Sept. 5 (KBUC,CCAM,BRET, JRET
Western Tanager 6-8 Ball Creek Survey Aug. 31 (EBUC,KBUC,
JRET)
American Pipit 3 Burnt Cabin Summit, CDA
National Forest Sept. 10 (LHAR)
Observers: Ed and Kris Buchler (EBUC,KBUC), Corinne Cameron
(CCAM), Roland Craft (RCRA), Lisa Hardy (LHAR), Nancy Mertz (NMER), Bob and
Jean Retzler (BRET,JRET), Scott Rea (SREA), Shirley Sturts (SSTU), Joe Taggert
(JTAG)
Top of Page
Home
