march-april 2009 echo black hills audubon society

8/8/2019 March-April 2009 Echo Black Hills Audubon Society

1/15

The BHAS Annual

Potluck Dinner/AuctionSaturday, March 7, starting at 5 pm at theOlympia Center.

Several weeks ago, you should have receivedyour invitation to attend the event featuring atalk by Peter Goldmark, our new WashingtonCommissioner of Public Lands. We hope thatyou have returned your RSVP card by thedeadline, (which has now passed).

If by any chance you were not able to respond

to the invitation before now, please callMargery Beeler to see if space is still available(360-352-5437, [email protected]).

This years Auction will be Silent only. If you

have an item for the silent auction, pleasecontact Margery Beeler before March 4th. If you

bring an unannounced item to the event, we willbe happy to hold it for the 2010 Auction.

If you have not attended the BHAS AnnualDinner/Auction in the past, you have missed achance to share food, hear an interesting speaker,and spend time with others who, like you, careabout our natural world and how to protect it forfuture generations.

We hope that some of you will be able to helpset up the venue (beginning at 1:30 pm)

and/or with cleanup after the event. Themore the merrier, and the easier and shorterthe effort!

We look forward to seeing you on March 7th

No Membership Meeting or Program in March

Thursday, April 16 th

Protecting

our StatesCritters

BHAS membership meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at the Capitol Museum Coach House, 211 W. 21st

Street, in Olympia. Social hour is at 7pm, with programs beginning promptly at 7:30 pm. Driving directions from Olympia:

From I-5, take exit 105 following the State Capitol/City Center route. Go straight, through the tunnel. At the light (Capitol Way)

turn left (south). After 7 blocks, turn right onto 21st

Street. The Museum is two blocks down on the left. The Coach House meeting

room and parking are south of and behind the Museum.

Jennifer Hayes fromWashington Dept of Fish and Wildlife wll talk

about her agency's role in providingtechnical assistance and guidance

to various entities regarding the Growth

Management Act.

Her recent work includes efforts to

improve protection of the Mazama PocketGopher, and helping local governmentidentify high-quality habitat for planning

purposes. Please come join us to learn

more about this often misunderstood yetcritically important tool to protect our

state's precious critters.


2/15

BHAS Bird Feeder

Cleaning Moves to FallWe are changing our feeder cleanings fromtwice a year to once a year, in the Fall.

The Fall Cleaning will be held this year onSaturday, September 26th, 2009, at WildBirds Unlimited in West Olympia. Wealways need volunteers to help scrub, eatpizza, and have fun. Please contact DebNickerson at 360-754-5397 [email protected] to sign up to help usand the birds in the fall.

We encourage you to maintain cleanfeeders throughout the year: Scrub the feeder in soap and hot water Disinfect in bleach water. (a table-

spoon of bleach per bucket destroysany remaining bacteria).

Clean every two months or so.

BHAS Receives Grant forBoard the Bus ProjectBHAS has just received a grant which willhelp provide funds to area teachers toassist them with transportation costs to getstudents out in some of our natural areas.School teachers in Thurston, Mason and

Lewis counties can apply for a one timegrant of $100.00 to go to pay bustransportation costs for field trips to wildlifepreserves to further their study of thenatural world. Teachers should beengaged in academic work surroundingwildlife or watershed education. To apply,please fill out the application in thisnewsletter or download it from our websiteby March 15th. Awards will be made afterthat date. Contact Deb Nickerson at 360-

754-5397 or [email protected] if youhave questions.

Birding ClassesThe Education Committee is organizingbirding skills classes throughout the year.Notice of each is on our Website and inThe Olympian newspaper. Watch either ofthese places for information about them asthey arise. If you would like to teach acourse for us, please contact DebbieNickerson at 360-754-5397 [email protected]. We would like tosee a combination of introductory classesas well as specific classes targeting aparticular species, type of bird or focus ona geographic area.

Pelagic Birding Class/Trip with MattPike and Westport Seabirds.Here is an opportunity to learn more aboutthe pelagic species of the Pacific.Participation in this program is two-fold: itincludes a class in Olympia on Thursday,August 27th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the

Olympia Center and a trip out of Westportwith Westport Seabirds on August 29thfrom 6am to 4pm. Matt Pike will teach theclass and will be a leader on the charteredboat trip. There is a limit of 24 persons.This is expected to fill quickly so contactMatt Pike at [email protected] toregister. Cost is $140.00.

In This Issue:Annual Dinner March 7th...........1Feeder cleaning in Fall......2Board the Bus Project.....2Birding Classes...2

Birding in Earnest...3Calendar ..5Recycle Used Binoculars...5Field Trip/Event Details......6May is Birdathon Month.9Conservation Updates..10BHAS Roster..12Membership Form.13State of the Birds: Climate..14


3/15

Birding in Earnest:Dec. 2008 Jan. 2009By Bill ShelmerdineTo reports sightings call 866-9106 or emailat [email protected]

During December 2008 and January 2009,a lot of activity was noted and someunusual weather patterns affected birdsand birders alike. Waterfowl and gullnumbers peaked sharply then seemed todecline just as rapidly late in the period. Astrong winter storm arrived on theafternoon of the Olympia Christmas BirdCount (CBC) and brought a pattern thatpersisted for several weeks.

Unprecedented amounts of snow in thePuget lowlands made travel difficult, andfreezing of shallow fresh water areascaused a lot of movement with localwaterfowl in particular. Some species thatseemed easy to find before the stormbecame difficult to find or absent, whileothers (like swans and some of the gulls)appeared after the thaw.

Waterfowl: A big increase from last time

in waterfowl numbers on Capitol Lake wasreported by Keith Brady on 10/27. Whatseemed to be impressive numbers ofAythya Ducks (Scaup, Ring-necks,etc...) hung around there through much ofthe period with a large drop-off in mid-January and very low numbers by 1/24.Waterfowl numbers at the NisquallyRefuge during theCBC (12/14) seemedabout average with

the exception ofNorthern Pintailnumbers; 1495individuals at therefuge on count daymay have been arecord. Swansseemed particularly tough to find thiswinter until about storm time. Gary Wiles

observed a small flock overhead just southof Nisqually on count day. On 12/26 LindaKunze, observed 4 Tundra Swans onCapitol Lake (fide. Kelly McAllister). DougCannings reported a group of 19Trumpeter Swans on Black Lake on

12/30. They stayed through the New Yearbut left shortly after. Around the sametime, Barb Johnson reported a group oftrumpeters from a small lake outside ofShelton. And finally a group of 5 werenoted along the Chehalis River fromGoodrich Road in Lewis County (a regularwintering area) on 1/11.

Rounding out the waterfowl, a flock of 300or more Snow Geese visited the Nisquallyarea around 12/30. While small numbers

or individuals sometimes winter in ourarea, in my experience this was anunprecedented mid-winter number. Thesebirds may have been displaced fromregular wintering areas such as theSnoqualmie or Skagit bottomlands by deepsnow and frozen conditions. They did notstay long and disappeared with thereceding snow in the lowlands.

Gulls: Gull numbers increased

dramatically at Perry Creek in mid-December, peaking in Late December andearly January. These gulls and theirprinciple attractant, spawned-out ChumSalmon, both seemed late this year. Theflocks at this location are typicallydominated by Glaucous-Winged (GW)with a fair number of GW x Western

hybrids/ intergrades. Thisyear, the flock seemed evenmore mono-species than

usual. Through much ofDecember, large flocks were

almost pure GW. (DuringCBC week no Herring or

Thayers were noted here).In fact Herring Gulls weredownright hard to find this

year, one might say remarkable by theirabsence. There were none that I know of

(Contd next page)


4/15

Birding in Earnest(Contd from previous page)

during Christmas Count week, an unusualmiss for the Oly CBC. Species diversityseemed to peak in early January. Herring,

Thayers and Glaucous were all presentby January 2nd; on that day 2 first-yearGlaucous Gulls were with the small gullflock at Kennedy Creek, while 1 Glaucous

joined an estimated 750 gulls at PerryCreek. By January 24th, gulls were virtuallygone from this area.

Owls: The number of reports of owls forthe mid-winter period seemed up this year.A Barred Owl showed up at Scott

Morrisons place in Lacey around 12/11; ithas lingered through the period. AWestern Screech-Owl found on count dayby Keith Brady and Jason Paulios was avery nice surprise for a species that hasbeen increasingly difficult to find in ourarea in recent years. On 12/14, Scott Millsand Scott Peterson were able to find a

Short-eared owl at Nisqually during theCBC. On 12/26, 2 Short-eared Owls were

seen at the Centralia Steam Plant by JerrySwena. The Short-Ears found by PaulHicks south of Tenino in November werestill present at the end ofJanuary making this abanner winter for thisspecies (but still short ofhistoric numbers). Whilethey used to be regularin winter they have beendecidedly uncommon in

recent years.

Out of place sightings:At this time ofyear, there are always a few out of placesightings, often birds from north, east, orupper elevations that may have beenpushed our way by weather, food-supply,or just plain wandering. This period was noexception, and other nice finds during theperiod included the following:

Jerry Swena reported a Red-napedSapsucker from a private residencenear Chehalis on 12/6.

On 12/13, I saw an immature NorthernGoshawk in the Steamboat Islandarea.

In Mason County, Susan Markey saw amale Mountain Bluebird alongHighway 3 between Shelton and Allynon 12/31 (fide. Bill Tweit).

Jack Zemkie sighted a Brown Pelicanon Totten Inlet on

1/29. While reportshave increased inSouth Sound over

the past decade,

mid-winter recordsare rare (are there

even any January ecords?)It is noteworthy that exceptional numbershave lingered north this year and dye-offshave been reported from CA through OR.

Misc Birds.: And to round out thereports, White-tailed Kites were found inmodest numbers early in the period insouth Thurston and north Lewis Counties.

Jerry Swena reported 2 from the StreamPlant. Roger Orness averaged 8 Kites in9 trips in Nov/Dec, but found only 1 bird(near Curtis Hill Road) in late Januaryfollowing the December - January Storms.

Nexttime:February and March usually bring anincrease in owl detections with severallocal species becoming more vocal. Nowis a good time to look and listen in suitablehabitat. In particular, Northern Saw Whetand Pygmy seem a bit easier to find at thistime. The period also brings the first of theearly spring migrants. By the time thisreaches you, the first Violet and TreeSwallow will have likely been sighted atNisqually or along the Chehalis River.Other early migrants to look for include thefirst Rufus Hummingbirds, BarnSwallows, Turkey Vultures, and Osprey.


5/15

Field Trips and Events 2009(See also Field Trips for Bird-a-thon in May on page 9)

March 7th, SaturdayField Trip: Hood Canal

8:30 am to mid-afternoonLeader: Andrew Belik

March 7th, SaturdayBHAS Annual Potluck Dinner/AuctionStarts at 5:30pmOlympia Center in Olympia

Mar 21st , SaturdayKids and Parents at Capital Lake9 am until about 11 am

Leader: Sheila McCartan

April 4th, Saturday,Field Trip: Skokomish Delta9:00 am to early afternoonLeader: Andrew Belik

April 18th, SaturdayBirding along the ChehalisBluebirdTrail9:00 am to early afternoon

Leader: Jim Pruske

April 19th, SundayMarrowstone Island

Leader: Tom Schooley7:00 am - 6:00 pm

May 2nd, SaturdayWoodard Bay for Beginners8 am - 11:0 or noonLeaders: Sam Merrill and Tracey Scalici

May 16th, SaturdayEastern Washington Birding6:30 am - after 7:00 pm

Leaders: Dave and Sherr Ha den

Recycle Used Binoculars for Kids

Do you happen to have an extrapair of pocket-sized, orbeginner's binoculars layingaround the house that you're notusing anymore? If so, Edmonds

Discovery Programs would loveto get those out of your way! Wehave several educationalprograms for schools and daycamps duringthe spring, summer and fall that require theuse of binoculars.

With a limited budget, we're notable to purchase enough to replace

the worn-out ones we've beenusing for the past several years, so

we'd be most happy to receive

some donated pairs. If you canhelp, please call

Sally Lider Edmonds, Parks & Re-creation,425-771-0227, or e-mail

[email protected].,Edmonds Backyard Wildlife Habitat Project

http://edmondsbackyardwildlifehabitat.org

May 22-25, Fri - MonWashington State Audubon CampoutWeekendWenas Creek Campground

May 30th, SaturdayExploring & Birding Capitol Forest8:30 am - late afternoonLeader: Jim Pruske and Sue Danver


6/15

Field Trip/Event Details

March 7th, Saturday,Field Trip: Hood Canal

8:30 am to mid-afternoonLeader: Andrew Belik

Well meet at Potlatch State Park at 8:30 am,bird there till 9:00, then well visit the mostpromising estuaries revealed by scouting fromBelfair to the Duckabush. This spanencompasses the Great Bend IBA, one of theimportant wintering areas for waterfowl on inlandsalt waters. We will see 15 or more species ofducks, starringHarlequin and Black Scoter. we hope.

Other possibilities are Trumpeter Swans, Brant,and Dippers. Raptors and passerines will be abonus.

Walking will not exceed one mile. Bring lunch.We will be back to Potlatch by 3:30. Limit: 12persons, three vehicles. Call Andrew withreservations at (360) 426-6262.

March 21st

, SaturdayField Trip: Kids and Parents at Capital Lake

9 am - about 11 amLeader: Sheila McCartan

Are you a parent with small kids? Do you like tobird watch but never find the chance to get out?

Well heres your opportunity! Join field tripleader, Sheila McCartan for a walk aroundCapital Lake. Bring your kids in a stroller andlets see what ducks and other birds we can see.This will be a leisurely walk lasting about 2hours. Meet at Marathon Park at 9am. Noreservation needed. Call Sheila at 357-9170 withquestions.

April 4th, Saturday,Field Trip: Skokomish Delta

9:00 am to early afternoonLeader: Andrew Belik

Come and join members of the Skokomish Tribeto observe progress in reestablishing the saltmarsh in the delta. We will walk the splendidnew boardwalk to the canal shore, looking forshorebirds and passerines. Then we should seea good variety of waterfowl as we walk the spit.Raptors will be likely; Peregrine Falcons have attimes been seen in the delta (no promise). Meet

at 9:00 in the parking lot of the Lucky DogCasino along US Hwy 101. We will walk about 3miles.We plan to return to the parking lot around2 pm. Limit 12 persons and 3 vehicles. Sign upwith Andrew, 360-426-6262, or Bethany Troppof Skokomish Fisheries, 360-877-5213.

April 18, SaturdayField Trip: Birding along the Chehalis BluebirdTrail

9:00 am to early afternoonLeader: Jim Pruske

Spend the morning birding along a 2.5 milestretch of the Chehalis Western Trail with 40 birdboxes. This is the trail that Jack Davis hadestablished 25 years ago. Over the past tenyear period, I have found seventy-seven birdspecies inhabiting the site during the month of

April. The trail crosses prairie, ranch pastures,evergreen forest, and mixed forest. A stream isnearby. Western Bluebird, California Quail,American Kestrel, Lincoln Sparrow, ChippingSparrow and Yellow Rump Warblers are amongthe species expected to be found.

Meet at Martin Way Park & Ride at 9:00 am.This trip is limited to 3 cars. Call the BHASoffice at 360-352-7299 to register.

April 19th, Sunday

Field Trip: Marrowstone Island7:00 am - 6:00 pmLeader: Tom Schooley

Marrowstone Island, in Jefferson County, is agreat area for late wintering waterfowl,alcids,and grebes. Plus early migraant land birds andgulls will be on the move. Ourtarget birds willinclude Bonaparte's Gulls,

Marbled Murrelets, and Black Turnstones at FortFlagler State Park. The woods should be full ofsinging Winter Wrens, Hutton's vireos, andYellow-rumped Warblers.

Expect a long day, but easy walking on ourstops. We will return about 6:00 pm. Bring alunch and be prepared for any kind of weather.Three car maximum or about 10 participants.Meet at the the Mud Bay Park and Ride before7:00 am.

Call Tom Schooley at 360-357-9170 to sign up.


7/15

Field Trip/Event Details (contd)

May 2nd

, SaturdayField Trip: Woodard Bay for Beginners

8 am - 11:00 or noonLeaders: Sam Merrill and Tracey Scalici

This walk is designed primarily for beginningbirders. We will look and listen for woodlandbirds in spring migrations as we walk throughthe deep forest of cedars and douglas Fir andapproach Henderson Inlet where we expect tosee cormorants and seals among others. Whenthe tide is low, Great blue Herons congregatealong Woodard Creek, stalking prey. We expectto do the approximately 2 mile loop, whichincludes an easy trail with boardwalk sectionsand return by a pedestrian-only road. To reachthe Woodard Bay Natural ResourceConservation Area from Olympia, take Boston

Harbor Road north, then right on Woodard bayRd, crossing Libby Road. Park in a small parkingarea on the left just before crossing WoodardBay. Bring binoculars if possible.

Call BHAS at 360-352-7299 to reserve a spot.Limit 15 persons.

May 16th, SaturdayEastern Washington Birding

6:30 am - after 7:00 pmLeaders: Dave and Sherry Hayden

This trip will cover the Quilomene Wildlife Area,Vantage, French Coulee, and Birder's Corner.We will look for Sage Sparrows, SageThrashers, Say's Phoebes, Golden Eagle,Yellow-headed Blackbirds, White-throatedSwifts, Black-crowned Night Herons, shorebirds,

and waterfowl. It is also possible to findBurrowing Owl. There will be some easywalking. Meet at the Martin Way Park and Ridebefore 6:30 am, and expect to return there after7:00 pm. Bring lunch, water, snacks, etc. Thistrip is limited to 10 people. Call the BHAS officeat 360-352-7299 to reserve your spot.

May 22-25, Fri - MonWashington State Audubon Campout Weekendat Wenas Creek Campground

EVERY Memorial Day Weekend, members ofWashington State's Audubon Chapters and theirfriends gather in the Wenas Valley, located on

the east slope of the Cascade Mountainsbetween Ellensburg and Yakima. With a varietyof natural history and recreation opportunities,the Wenas Valley is a beautiful area thatsupports a fascinating assortment of spring floraand fauna, and offers the spiritual fulfillment ofsimply being outdoors in the spring. Everyonewhether members of Audubon chapters or not iswelcome to join us for this outing, which isattended each year by around 200 men, womenand children and a large number of birds which,we like to think, enjoy being watched ever asmuch as we enjoy watching them.

See more information at:http://www.wenasaudubon.org/

May 30th, SaturdayExploring & Birding Capitol Forest

8:30 am - late afternoonLeaders: Jim Pruske and Sue Danver

Spend the day exploring Capitol Forest from sealevel up to 2,700 ft. We will be searching for birdspecies that inhabit streams, mixed forest, andsecond growth forest. Dipper, Hermit Warbler,Gray Jay, Hermit Thrush, and Fox Sparrows areexpected. We should also find Pygmy Owls. Aspecial attempt will be made to find MountainQuail. Other unique elements of the flora and

fauna will be examined. Club moss andliverworts are a specialty. We will identifybutterfly species as well.

Meet at Mud Bay Park and Ride at 8:30 am.This trip is limited to 3 cars. Call the BHAS

office at 360-352-7299 to register.


8/15

(contd from back page)

How Climate Change Impacts Our Birds

Climate Change

Risk

Effect on Habitat Effect on Birds WA IBA High-risk Birds

Sea level rise

Inundation, erosion, anddegradation of naturalshoreline

Loss of breeding habitat forbeach nesting species; loss offeeding and stopover sites forPacific Flyway migrants

Western Snowy Plover, RockSandpiper, Short-billedDowitcher

Wildfire patterns

Increased weedinvasion, loss of nativeplants, habitatconversion, erosion ofsoil and reduction ofstream/river quality

Significant decline in quality ofshrub-steppe ecosystem leadsto fragmentation of habitat andbird populations, and extirpationof area-specific species;reduction in quality ofconiferous forest habitat leadsto further decline of old-growthdependent species but allowsinflux of pioneering,insectivorous species

Spotted Owl, FlammulatedOwl, Greater Sage Grouse,Ferruginous Hawk, Sharp-tailed Grouse, SageThrasher, Sage and BrewersSparrows

Birds pushed into higher ormore northerly ranges tomaintain optimum bodytemperatures. Increasedmortality risk from exposure toextreme weather. Fewerwetlands especially in easternWashington for breeding andfall migrating waterbirds

White-tailed Ptarmigan, Gray-crowned Rosy Finch,American Pipit, NorthernShrike; Western and ClarksGrebes, Black-necked Stilt,American Avocet, Black Tern,Long-billed Curlew

Disruption of food availability onmigration routes and in

breeding grounds

70% of Washington birds aremigratory and therefore

vulnerable to this effect

Warmingtemperature; wetterwinters, driersummers

Increasestemperatures at allelevations.Decreasedsnowpack meansless water forwetlands, lakes,rivers. Increasinglysevere storms

Changes in location

and timing of floraand fauna life cycles Disruption of avian life cycle

events, e.g., breeding andnesting; increased vulnerabilityof nestlings and of parentsduring period of feeding young

Common Murre, Gray Jay

Atmospheric andocean circulationpatterns

Increase in ratio of ElNio to La Nia cyclesresulting in warmer,nutrient-poor coastalwaters and strongerwave-caused shorelineerosion

Reduction in food availability foroceanic and coastal birds plusinability to find shelter, orsuitable nesting or breedingplaces increases vulnerability topredators, injury, and disease

Marbled Murrelet, CommonMurre, Pigeon Guillemot,Cassins and RhinocerousAuklets, Tufted Puffin

The 2009 reports by Audubon Washington and by the National Audubon Society are available on theweb at wa.audubon.org. The reports include suggestions for individual action.

Support for the science program of Audubon Washington comes from the generosity of ananonymous donor and individual supporters.


9/15

May is BIRDATHONMonthWhy should you participate in BHASssecond annual Birdathon? BecauseWashingtons native birds and their

habitat need your protection. One ofthe most effective ways you can helpis by joining together with your fellowAudubon members, celebrateWashingtons birds, and raise fundsfor Black Hills Audubon Society.

Anyone can participate as asponsor, a birder or both!

You do not need to be an expert birder. If

youre entirely new to Birdathon, it workslike a walk-a-thon. Birdathoners will collectpledges for finding and counting birdspecies. Its a competitive and educationalevent for any level of birdwatcher, as wellas for the family and friends who cheerthem on.

You can join our guided trips,organize your own trip, or countindependently. All guided trips are led by

birding experts and are a great way tomake new friends and connect with otherbird lovers. Guided trips range fromintensive all day trips to more relaxingwalks in our local birding hot spots.

You can join in the fun for gathering as littleas $35 in pledges. Pledge yourself or haveyour friends and family pledge you. Its aunique and highly effective way to supportBlack Hills Audubon Society. To

participate, complete the registration formbelow. For more information contact theBirdathon Coordinator Sheila McCartan [email protected] or call(360) 357-9170.

Guided Birdathon Trips

Olympias Waterfront kids welcome!Leader: Sheila McCartanSaturday, May 2, 3 hoursEstimated species: 20

From Kennedy Creek to Capitol PeakLeader: Whittier JohnsonSaturday, May 9, all dayEstimated species 40

Bowerman Basin to Ocean ShoresLeader: Phil KelleySaturday, May 16, all dayEstimated species 70

Thurston County Dawn to DuskLeader: Matt PikeSunday, May 17Estimated species: 70

Nisqually National Wildlife RefugeLeader: Woody FranzenThursday, May 21, 4 hoursEstimated species: 40

See Registration Form Next Page


10/15

CONSERVATIONUPDATESSubmitted by Donna Nickerson,Conservation Committee Chair

Gravel Mines and Asphalt Plants:In March, the Thurston County PlanningCommission will be deliberating revisionsto the siting and permitting of gravel minesand asphalt plants. A public hearing istentatively scheduled for March 18th. TheBoard of County Commissioners will thenconsider the revisions, with an additional

public hearing perhaps in late March orsometime in April.

BHAS continues to monitor the processand comment on recommendations to helpensure that the regulations developed willreflect the intent of the Task Forcesrecommendations. These recommenda-tions include a comprehensive approach to

identification of mining sites based ongravel availability and quality, effects onthe natural environment and human safetyconcerns, and a requirement that siteidentification should precede miningproposals.

Legislative BriefBHAS signed in at the respective hearingsto support the following draft legislation:

House Bill 1409 the Rescue Tug Bill.This bill would require that all oil tankers,

cargo vessels and large cruise shipscoming into the Strait of Juan de Fuca andPuget Sound pay for the standby responsetug service at the mouth of the Strait ofJuan de Fuca. This service has previouslybeen paid for by state and federal taxpayerfunds. What is significant is that it will nowshift the burden of paying for the tug to

(Contd next page)


11/15

CONSERVATIONUPDATES (contd)

those companies that are putting ourecosystem at risk. This follows the

Precautionary Polluter Pays Principle.The Rescue Tug has been stationed atNeah Bay since 1999 and was responsiblefor 40 rescues or assists of oil tankers,cargo vessels, and other vessels in theregion. This bill will also require that theTug have response capabilities in theevent of a spill. If passed, it will helpprotect numerous bird species from theWestern Grebes in the Olympic CoastNational Marine Sanctuary to the GreaterYellow Legs in Southern Puget SoundsMud Bay - from the risk of a devastatingspill.

Senate Bill SB 5735 and HB 1819 theReducing Greenhouse Gas EmissionsBills. Key elements of these companionbills would: authorize the Department ofEcology to create and allowance tradingprogram; create a cap and trade workgroup; specify the emissions covered; set

compliance obligations and penalties; allowoffsets; and recommend financialincentives for forestry. These companionbills follow the successful I-937 CleanEnergy Initiative passed in 2006, and willalso help Washington State meet itseconomic and climate crisis challenges byproviding what nationally is recognized asa common solution to reducegreenhouse gasses while stimulating theeconomy with jobs that invest in a green

economy.

The Conservation Committee will continueto learn about and support legislationduring this session that improves ourenvironment. One important legislation isHB 1172 Implementing a transfer ofdevelopment rights program. As of thiswriting (February 6, 2009) this bill is in the

General Government AppropriationsCommittee, and BHAS is sending letters ofsupport as appropriate. Transfer ofdevelopment rights (TDR) is a market-based mechanism that can preserveworking farm and forest lands. The state

loses an average of 23,720 acres offarmland to development annually. Whilethis bill creates only a voluntary TDRprogram, it will be an opportunity for manycounties to better focus growth in thecentral Puget Sound's urban areas whilepermanently protecting the region's ruraland resource land from encroachingdevelopment. BHAS has consistentlyurged Thurston County to improve both itsapplicability and implementation of TDRs.

Also important will be opposing legislationthat is harmful to our environment.To find out more information and track theprogress of these and other pieces oflegislation, please go tohttp://www.leg.wa.gov/legislatureIf members have questions or commentson BHAS support of the bills proposedduring this session, please contact DonnaNickerson at [email protected]

Coordination with other GroupsBHAS signed on to the Resolutionauthored by the Washington WildernessCoalition that calls on President BarackObama to uphold the 2001 National ForestRoadless Area Rule. Washington has morethan 2 million acres of roadless areas inour national forests that could be harmedby the building of new roads. Upholdingthe Roadless Area Rule will provide

numerous public benefits that range fromsecuring unspoiled habitats for thousandsof threatened, endangered, and decliningspecies, to helping to preserve waterquality and riparian buffers that are oftencharacterized by old-growth forests whichare home to the Northern Spotted Owl.


12/15


13/15


14/15

How Climate Change Impacts Our Birds

Audubon Society and Audubon Washington have released reports showing the effects ofclimate change on bird populations nationally and in the Pacific Northwest.

SEATTLE, Feb. 10 Like canaries in coal

mines, birds across America are givingearly warning signs of what climate changeportends for our landscapes and,ultimately, ourselves, according to newreports issued today by the NationalAudubon Society and Audubon WA .

The overall study by Audubon scientistsexamines 40 years of avian data andshows that nearly 60% of species thatwinter in North America have moved

northward or inland sometimes byhundreds of miles most likely in responseto climate change.

Climate change is exacerbating the

threats that already exists for our birds, aswell as raising new ones, said DonMcIvor, science coordinator for AudubonWashington, a state field office of thenational organization.

Five years ago, Audubon Washingtonsfirst State of the Birds analysis showedthat Washingtons growing humanpopulation and fragmentation of habitathas severely affected natural places critical

to many bird species

(Continued on Page 8)

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