DRAFT Washington State Recovery Plan and Periodic Status Review for the Tufted Puffin (2019)DRAFT Washington State Recovery Plan and Periodic Status Review for the Tufted Puffin (2019)

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Last Updated: April 16, 2019

April Meeting and Program (Note date change)

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Last Updated: March 24, 2019

What is Bioluminescence?

Presented by Chandler Colahan

Monday, Apr 8, 2019  (Note date change)
7:00 Social; 7:30 Program
Padilla Bay Interpretive Center
10441 Bayview Edison Road Mount Vernon

Bioluminescence is what makes some ocean organisms appear to glow. It is a chemical reaction caused by the oxidation of a light producing compound known as luciferin. When this happens energy is released in the form of light. There are two main ways that organisms achieve this ability to light up the darkness.

1. Some organisms can create the light using their own specialized cells, tissues or fluids.
2. There are some species that don't produce their own light. Instead they share a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live inside their photophores. The bacteria produce the light.

Chandler Colahan earned a BA degree in Ocean Science, Education, and Creative Expression from Western Washington University, Fairhaven College. She’s taught kids, managed passengers and crew on ships, and counted jellyfish from a small plane. Maybe she'll tell us the best places to stir up phytoplankton with a kayak paddle.

Conservation Report, March 2019

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Last Updated: February 25, 2019

By Tim Mann

Happily, there’s something positive to report this month: the February 12th passage of the Natural Resources Management Act in the U.S. Senate. At 662 pages, S. 47, co-introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell, combines over 100 smaller bills. It’s old-fashioned, across-the-aisle law making with something for many parts of the country and much for conservation-minded Audubon people to like (along with a few unwelcome things). The bill passed the Senate 92 to 8 and should do well in the House.

A top issue for National Audubon has been reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Over the past half-century the LWCF has used dollars from off-shore oil and gas leasing to buy federal, state, and local conservation lands. S. 47 permanently authorizes this important program. The bill doesn’t require a specific level of annual expenditure, but it’s a very good step in the right direction, and we have Senator Cantwell to thank.

Of local interest, S. 47 permanently withdraws from mining over 340,000 acres of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest around the Methow River headwaters near North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness. In 2013 a Canadian mining company announced its intention to drill exploratory holes there for copper. Bi-partisan opposition arose, organized, and thwarted this multi-faceted threat to the environment. Passage of S. 47 reflects the tremendous, bi-partisan support for public ownership and protection of public lands, far exceeding such opposition as seen dramatically in the armed occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge a few years ago and occasionally and more subtly glimpsed in our local elected officials.

In Olympia, Washington, the State Legislature is in the midst of its fast-paced 105-day session, slated to finish in early April. The legislature’s composition now offers real opportunity for passage of significant environmental laws. Audubon Washington provides regular legislative updates on pertinent bills at http://wa.audubon.org/conservation/legislative-session-2019 with suggestions on how you can weigh in. Our legislators want to hear from us. A very strong focus of Audubon and many other conservation groups is House Bill 1211/Senate Bill 5116 to have Washington join California and Hawaii in setting a date (2045) by when the electricity we use will be entirely from renewable sources. The Environmental Priorities Coalition, including Audubon, also posts weekly legislative updates at https://wecprotects.org/environmental-priorities-coalition/. Scroll down to “Bills to Watch.” Delve more deeply into the progress of bills on the State Legislature’s site: http://leg.wa.gov/. You can read about individual bills, see who sits on what committees, etc. Scroll down to “Let Your Voice Be Heard” and comment on introduced legislation.

Finally, there’s an easy way you can help protect the few Great Blue Heron nesting colonies in Skagit County. Attend the Skagit County Commissioners’ hearing March 11 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. about proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan. Skagit Land Trust, which protects several heronries, has submitted an amendment, and your presence is needed to show public support. There’s a lot going on nationally, regionally, locally, and we can be part of it!

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND INJURED OR ORPHANED BIRDS OR WILDLIFE

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Last Updated: March 24, 2019

CALL WOLF HOLLOW WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER 360.378.5000 (24/7)

OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE www.wolfhollow.org for information

Wolf Hollow serves all of San Juan and Skagit Counties and northern Whidbey Island

GREAT AMERICAN ARCTIC BIRDING CHALLENGE March 15 through June 1, 2019

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Last Updated: March 24, 2019

Each spring, birds from all over the United States and from all six continents travel to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other ecologically rich areas of the American Arctic.  Birds rely on these pristine habitats for nesting, breeding, staging, and molting. 

Birdwatchers across the US can celebrate the importance of the Arctic by participating in this year's Great American Arctic Birding Challenge.  Recruit some fellow birders (up to six per team), think of a snazzy team name, grab a pair of binoculars, and find as many different Arctic bird species as you can in your state. 

Learn more and register your team online at ak.audubon.org/GAABC before May 1st!

HAPPY BIRDING!

FROM YOUR EDITOR of the Flyer

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Last Updated: March 24, 2019

I was beginning to wonder if spring would ever come but it’s here now and I’m excited to get into the garden.  Gardening for birds is always rewarding because different plants will attract different birds, and a greater variety of plants, trees and shrubs means a greater variety of birds.  Red Flowering Currant attracts hummingbirds, towhees, thrushes, waxwings and woodpeckers.  Red Huckleberry attracts doves and orioles.  Grosbeaks, towhees, waxwings and woodpeckers are attracted by Pacific Crabapple.   The conifers that are staples of our landscapes provide shelter, nesting places and food for a variety of birds for different reasons; and, bonus they come in many shapes and sizes.  National Audubon maintains a searchable native plant database (www.audubon.org/native-plants) as does the Wash. Native Plant Society Salal Chapter (https://www.wnps.org/salal).  Happy Gardening!

Olympic BirdFest 2019

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Last Updated: January 25, 2019

Come Bird With Us

Sequim, Washington, April 12-14, 2019

Grab your binoculars and join the 16th annual Olympic BirdFest 2019 celebration at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, April 12-14, 2019. The stage is set…quiet bays and estuaries, sandy beaches, a five-mile-long sand spit, and a protected island bird sanctuary on the Strait of Juan de Fuca; wetlands, tide pools, rainforests, and lush river valleys. The players are ready … Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklets, Harlequin Ducks, Black Oystercatchers, Peregrine Falcons, Barred and Pygmy Owls will be sporting their finest spring plumage for this celebration. Enjoy guided birding trips, boat tour, and a gala banquet. Our featured speaker this year, John Marzluff, is a professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington and a noted author. Come bird with us and experience with others the spectacular landscapes of the Olympic Peninsula …you just might go home with a new bird for your life list! Check out the offerings by going online (www.olympicbirdfest.org). Precede your BirdFest weekend with a three-day, two night birding cruise of the spectacular San Juan Islands on April 9-11, 2019. Visit San Juan and Sucia Islands, and more. Stay at the historic Roche Harbor Resort. Extend your Birdfest weekend with the Neah Bay post-trip, April 14-16, 2019: two and one-half days exploring northwest coastal Washington, a region rarely seen by birders. Contact us by phone, at 360-681-4076, E-mail us at info@olympicbirdfest.org , Or write to us at: Dungeness River Audubon Center P.O. Box 2450 Sequim, WA 98382

SWAN HOTLINE

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Last Updated: November 21, 2018

If you see a dead, sick, or injured swan, call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 24-hour hotline: (360) 466-4345, ext. 266. Do not handle the bird. Leave a short, detailed message with your name and phone number plus the location and condition of the swan(s). WDFW collects information to assess the impact of lead poisoning and power line collisions, the main causes of accidental swan deaths.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

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Last Updated: February 27, 2018

The Education Committee needs volunteers to help with a number of adult presentations coming up in the next several months.  These Power Point presentations are scheduled at libraries and private organizations/clubs in the area.  If you can help give part of a presentation (already written), that would be great; or, you can assist with the computer and help answer questions from the audience.  If you can lend a hand, please contact Sheila at skagiteducation2@gmail.com

56th Annual Wenas Audubon Campout

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Last Updated: March 24, 2019

The 56th Annual Wenas Audubon Campout will take place on Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-27, 2019) at the The Hazel Wolf Bird Sanctuary at the Wenas Creek Campground (SW of Ellensburg).

This casual and friendly gathering offers a variety of activities, including birding field trips, wildflower walks, field sketching, owl prowls, and campfire presentations PLUS special guest speaker, corvid researcher Dr. Kaeli Swift, Ph.D. You do not need to be an Audubon member to attend. All are welcome to this family-friendly event.

Visit the Wenas Audubon website (www.wenasaudubon.org) for directions, an outline of field trips and programming, and more information (2019 program coming soon). The campout is free and open to all ages. No reservations or registrations needed; just show up, set up camp, and participate in activities.

Donations are encouraged to cover SaniCans, signage, and other administrative costs. Every vehicle must display a Washington State Discover Pass (http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/). Barring high fire danger, campfires will be allowed.

Follow us on Facebook, too! We'll be sharing photos and stories from past years, as well as tips from Wenas Campout pros to help make your trip a fun and memorable experience. facebook.com/wenasaudubon/

Contacts: 

General questions? Contact Carol Kohler, carolkohler98607@gmail.com