Seldom-seen photos by Kitsap Audubon Photographers

september 2013
The
Kitsap Audubon Society – Since 1972
Kingfisher
September 12, 2013 Program
Seldom-seen photos by Kitsap
Audubon Photographers
Kitsap Audubon
photographers Janine Schutt, Randena Walsh and Don
Willott will share some of the
great photos and video they
have taken to support habitat
conservation in Kitsap County. Kitsap Audubon actively
supports the Kitsap Forest and
Bay Project to conserve almost
7000 acres and 1.5 miles of
shoreline surrounding Port
Gamble Bay. As confirmed by the
recent KAS/ Pt. Gamble S’Klallam
Tribe Bird Survey of Port Gamble
Bay, it is a key stopover in the
Pacific Flyway. Janine will lead off with her
photos of birds in Kitsap County
that migrate along the Pacific
Flyway and highlight some of the
flyway issues presented at the
Mitten Tree Yarn
National Audubon Convention this
past summer. Judy Willott will share key
parts of her image-intense
presentation at the national
convention, showing the habitat we
are working to preserve. Randena will show native
orchids in a unique forest area of
the “Divide Block.” Don will share photos and
video from the “Hansville Block,”
and from vantage points around
Pt. Gamble Bay that feature the
“Shoreline Block” and “Uplands/
Watershed Block.”
This is a great chance to view
the remarkable trees, ponds,
orchids, land, beaches and wildlife
seldom seen by the general public.
Photo of Bald Eagle by Janine
Schutt.
The Kingfisher is printed on
recycled paper by Blue Sky Printing
in Poulsbo and mailed by Olympic
Presort in Bremerton, both family
owned local businesses.
Women at the corrections center in Purdy are turning donated yarn
into clothing items for our December Mitten Tree. Donations of
surplus or newly purchased yarn are welcome. Bring yarn to any
Kitsap Audubon meeting and Sara Kane will see that it gets to the
women in Purdy. You may also call for pick-up at 360-297-2716.
Kitsap Audubon Society
President: Janine Schutt
360-830-4446, [email protected]
Vice President: Judy Willott
206-842-6939, [email protected]
Treasurer: Sandy Bullock
360-394-5635; roadrunner1957@
comcast.net
Secretary: Jessica Klinkert
360-517-2647; jklinkert_2000@yahoo.
com
Jim Ullrich: Immediate Past President
360-692-4869, [email protected]
At-Large Board of Directors:
Diane Bachen, 206-855-1667,
[email protected]
Gene Bullock, 360-394-5635, genebullock@
comcast.net
Daniel Froehlich, 360-5982305, [email protected]
Sharron Ham, 360-779-5458, shabobham@
comcast.net
Byron Kane, 360-620-1367, bk4all@
centurytel.net
Alan Westphal, 206-780-7844, westphalac@
aol.com
Standing Committee Chairs:
Conservation/Kingfisher/Christmas
Bird Count: Gene Bullock, 360-394-5635,
[email protected]
Education Chair: Chazz Hesselein
360-633-0486, [email protected]
Field Trips: Alan Westphal,
206-780-7844, [email protected]
Hospitality: Milly Bellemere & Bob
Schumacher. 360-830-4231, rbellemere@
wavecable.com
Programs: Vic Ulsh
360-479-6900, [email protected]
Publicity: Barbara Wilhite
360-692-8180, [email protected]
Refreshment Chair: Sharron Ham
360-779-5458, [email protected]
Membership Administrator: Sara Kane
360-297-2716, membership@kitsapaudubon.
org
Purple Martins: Sandy Pavey & Paul
Carson
Sandy - 360-930-0807, [email protected]
Paul - 360-779-2612
Raffle Coordinator:
Dawn Hansen, Roberta Heath
Sightings: Joan Carson
[email protected] or 360-779-2612
Scholarship Chair: Sandy Bullock
360-394-5635, [email protected]
Webmaster: Mike Szerlog,
360-881-0470, [email protected],
www.kitsapaudubon.org
Kingfisher Editor: Gene Bullock,
360-394-5635; [email protected]
Register now for Fall ACOW
Register now for the 2013
annual meeting of Audubon
Council of Washington (ACOW),
hosted by Eastside Audubon and
the King County Chapters. This
one-day meeting will be held on
Saturday, October 5th, at Bellevue
College, just off I-90 in Bellevue.
Kathy Dale, Director of
Citizen Science for National
Audubon Society, will be our key
note speaker. Her presentation will
focus on the role of citizen science
in the Audubon network, including
the Christmas Bird Count, the
Great Backyard Bird Count and
eBird. She’ll also talk about the
new Climate Modeling Project
being revealed in October.
Afternoon workshops
will provide tips, tricks, and
best practices on a variety of
chapter challenges including
capacity building, grassroots
advocacy, social media, education
engagement, fundraising, and
more. Meeting details, including
the agenda, accommodations,
and map may be found on the
Audubon Washington website at
http://wa.audubon.org/events/
audubon-council-washington-2013.
The annual ACOW brings
together leaders and members
from the 25 Washington State
Audubon chapters and Audubon
Washington staff for workshops
and presentations on a host of
topics of interest to Audubon
members throughout the state.
There will be regional breakout
sessions to exchange information
and review progress at the state
and chapter level.
Additional events are planned
for those arriving on Friday or
staying through Sunday, including
a meeting of conservation chairs
to discuss shared priorities for the
upcoming legislative session, a
presentation on the plight of the
Marbled Murrelet, and a birding
field trip on Sunday.
Registration is now open at
http://acow.brownpapertickets.
com/. Registration cost is $40 and
includes morning and afternoon
snacks, plus a boxed lunch. To
register by check, contact Joseph
Manson at (206) 652-2444 x100 or
[email protected]. Questions
may be directed to Jen Syrowitz
(206) 652-2444 x108 or jsyrowitz@
audubon.org.
Reminder to our National
Audubon members
Your membership in National Audubon includes a membership in
your local chapter, the Kitsap Audubon Society. But you should know
that the share of your national dues we receive doesn’t begin to cover
the cost of printing and mailing the Kingfisher newsletter to you eight
times a year.
We want to keep you up to date on our programs and activities,
and hope you will consider becoming a dues-paying member of
our chapter. Memberships begin at a modest $15 for an individual
membership and the money goes a long way in helping to pay for the
costs of the newsletter as well as the informative programs offered at
our monthly meetings. Please consider joining. Also, please consider
furnishing your email address so you can receive the Kingfisher
electronically and save not only the costs of printing and mailing, but
the cost to the environment as well. Send your email address to our
membership administrator at [email protected].
President’s Letter - Janine Schutt
Welcome all to the 20132014 year! Kitsap Audubon
Society is an all-volunteer
organization with a team of
dedicated individuals who are
passionate about birds and the
preservation of the environment.
I would like to acknowledge
some of our hardest working
members.
First of all, I’d like to
thank Jim Ullrich, who served
as president for the past two
years. Jim spearheaded the
hosting committee for the
Poulsbo ACOW (Audubon
Council of Washington) meeting
last October. He was also
instrumental in planning the
40th anniversary banquet. In
the past, Jim has also served as
an at-large board member, vicepresident, membership chair,
and as president in 2004-2005.
Jim owns Wild Birds Unlimited in
Gig Harbor and for many years
has donated raffle items and a
portion of purchases by Kitsap
Audubon members.
A special thank you to
John and Dee Finkbeiner. For
more than 12 years, the name
Finkbeiner has been a fixture
on the Kingfisher’s list of board
members and committee chairs.
Dee has spent most of the
last decade as our dedicated
treasurer. She has also served as
a board member-at-large. John
has served as vice-president,
conservation chair, board
member-at-large, and was field
David Yarnold, President of National Audubon, with Janine Schutt,
President of Kitsap Audubon.
trip chair from 2005-2012. Thank
you John and Dee for all you have
done for Kitsap Audubon.
Thank you also to Sharron
Ham for organizing the delicious
40th anniversary BBQ banquet.
And finally, many thanks to
all who have agreed to serve in
board positions and standing
committees. In particular, I
would like to acknowledge Gene
Bullock, who works tirelessly as our
conservation chair and Kingfisher
editor. Vic Ulsh, who never
runs out of ideas, has brought
us our exciting programs since
2006. And Michael Szerlog has
worked behind the scenes as our
webmaster since 2001. Visit
www.kitsapaudubon.org to view
his work.
In July, a few of us attended
the National Audubon Convention
in Stevenson, Washington. It was
an opportunity to connect with
Audubon leaders from around
the state and beyond. We
attended workshops on bird
friendly communities, working
lands, citizen science projects,
and bird surveys. There was also
a session on what Audubon is
doing to help migratory birds
along the Pacific Flyway. Judy
and Don Willott attracted a lot
of interest to their Kitsap Forest
and Bay Project display and were
part of a panel discussion on land
management and conservation.
Helen Engle, past president of
Tahoma Audubon Society and
one of our chapter’s founders,
received a lifetime achievement
award. The convention was a
wonderful experience and we’ll
be sharing what we learned as
the year progresses.
Kitsap Audubon Honors Founders
at 40th Birthday Celebration
Kitsap Audubon transformed
the Community Room at the
Poulsbo Library into a banquet
hall to honor those who founded
the organization 40 years ago.
In the photo at right:
Standing: Dale Spoor, Don
Davidson, Ray Coleburg, Marilyn
Davidson. Sitting: Regina Spoor,
Sylvia Nelson), Tage Blytmann,
Charlotte Blytmann.
Below left is a photo of Joan
Carson, the original editor of
the Kitsap Audubon Kingfisher,
with Helen Engle, who recently
received a lifetime achievement
award from National Audubon
for her role in helping found
Tahoma Audubon and mentor
Audubon chapters throughout
Washington State. Joan created
the Kingfisher and was editor for
26 years.
Photo lower right shows
Sharron Ham who led the
planning and organization of the
birthday dinner.
KAS Awards
$5,000 in
Scholarships
Kitsap Audubon awarded a
total of $5,000 in scholarships
to seven 2013 graduating Kitsap
high school seniors.
The awards were presented
by Scholarship Chair Sandy
Bullock at our May meeting
to Kyle Leader, Bainbridge
High School; Carolyn Hartman,
Bremerton High School; Heidi
Johnson and Lydia Leach,
North Kitsap High School; Chad
Matchell, Central Kitsap High
School; Allison Vargas and Darby
Womack, South Kitsap High
School.
New Kitsap Audubon Birdwatcher Class
Remember that messy nest
you found in your yard one
summer, wondering whose it is
and whether it’s ok to remove it?
What about that woodpecker—
WHY is he knocking on your
flashing at such ungodly hours?
And how to make sense of all
those pages of birds in your
bird guide? Too shy to join
birding field trips because there
are so many basics about birds
and binoculars you just don’t
understand?
In a society increasingly
insulated from the raw cycles of
water and blood—seasons and
wildlife—people seek new ways to
connect with sentience. Birds—
ubiquitous and with seasonal
migrations and charming lifestyle
antics—are a natural choice
for this geography of the soul.
Watching for feathered neighbors,
noting their daily habits, and
understanding the context of
their lives draws away the veil
of overcivilization, helping us to
make the most of our brief tenure
among the animals.
This fall, Kitsap Audubon,
in collaboration with
OrnithoLogistics, is launching
a new class for community
members who want to kick-start
their birding adventures. Taught
by Dan Froehlich, ornithologist,
tour guide and proprietor of
OrnithoLogistics, the class will
combine five evening talks with
three guided field trips from
mid-October to early November.
Think of the evening sessions
as a mini-course in ornithology
where avian diversity, the annual
life cycle, and behavior will be
addressed in an evolutionary
context, while the field trips
will focus on birding skills by
addressing optics, field marks,
habitat and behavior—both the
birds’ and ours! Whether you’re
a beginning birder or consider
yourself intermediate, join us
for this new venture, become
sensitized to the birds around us,
and bring all your questions!
Introduction to Ornithology:
A Serious Person’s Guide
to Bird-watching
Schedule
Evening sessions:
Thursdays, 7-9 p.m., Oct 17, 24,
31, Nov 7 (6:30-9 p.m.), and
Oct. 14 (5:30-7 p.m., preceding
Kitsap Audubon monthly
meeting).
Field Trips:
Saturdays, Oct 19, 8-11 a.m.; Oct
26, 8 a.m.-noon; Nov 2, dawndusk.
Locations:
To be finalized, planned for North
Kitsap, Poulsbo-Silverdale corridor
or nearby.
Oct. 14 evening session at
Poulsbo Public Library and
Saturday, Nov 2, field trip
probably to Neah Bay.
Fees:
$100 for 5 evening classes and 3
field trips; $125 for non-members
(limited to 12 participants)
$60 for 5 evening classes only;
$60 for non-members (limited to 8
additional participants)
10% of receipts support Kitsap
Audubon
Teacher bio:
Daniel Froehlich is an ornithologist
with research and birding
experience from the Great
Barrier Reef to the Peruvian
Amazon and from the Siberian
Arctic to Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba. He teaches field classes on
research techniques and serves
as an international tour guide.
Currently, he is developing a new
company, OrnithoLogistics.
Registration
A check for the appropriate fee reserves your spot in the class. Checks will be cashed after the
refundable date. Refunds minus $15 handling fee will be issued for cancellations before October 1.
Name(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________
Current Kitsap Audubon Chapter Member (not National Audubon): Yes: _____
No: _____
I’d like to attend (circle one): 5 evening class sessions plus 3 Saturday field trips:
KAS chapter member: $100
5 evening class sessions only:
KAS chapter member: $60
Not KAS chapter member $125
Not KAS chapter member $75
If my selection is at capacity, sign me up for the 5 evening sessions only or waitlist me: Waitlisted participants will be
notified promptly after October 1. Questions? [email protected] or 206-595-2305; please be patient for
responses. Please make check out to Daniel Froehlich and send with registration information to 47555 Lamm’s Lane,
Poulsbo WA 98370
Field Trip
Guidelines
Field trip guidelines can
vary according to leader
preferences and the nature of
the trip. Trip leaders try to keep
some slots open to new people.
1. Trips are limited to 12
participants unless otherwise
specified.
2. Children 12 and under are
welcome only on designated
family trips or with permission
of the leader. All children should
be accompanied by a parent or
adult designated by the parent.
3. Some receive their Kingfisher
earlier than others (email versus
regular mail, for example). To
be fair, please do not call for
a reservation before the date
specified by the leader.
4. If the weather is questionable,
call the leader the morning
of the trip to confirm that it
has not been cancelled. If you
must cancel, do so as soon as
possible because others may
be on a waiting list.
5. Dress for the weather. Please
refrain from wearing white or
bright colored clothing.
6. Bring binoculars and cash for
ride-sharing (see below), and
bring a lunch for all-day trips.
Field Trip Transportation
Carpooling is encouraged to
reduce costs and limit the parking
spaces required. Passengers are
asked to share expenses with
the driver. A contribution to
the driver of $5 for shorter trips
and $10 for overnight trips is
suggested, with any additional
expenses, such as tolls, parking
fees, etc. divided equally among
driver and passengers. On longer
trips, shared expenses may be
based on mileage.
Alan Westphal, 206-780-7844
[email protected]
Field Trips & Festivals
Puget Sound Bird Fest: Edmonds, WA, September 6-8. The Puget
Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds, Washington is a yearly celebration
of the birds and of nature found on the beautiful shores of Puget
Sound. Our three-day events include speakers, guided walks, land
and water-based field trips, exhibits, and educational activities for
children and adults. For details: http://www.pugetsoundbirdfest.
com/
Chelan Ridge Hawk Migration Festival 2013: Pateros, WA (City
Park), Saturday, September 14, 2013; 8:00 am – 3:00 p.m. Join
the Methow Valley Ranger District, North Central Washington
Audubon Society, and HawkWatch International this fall for the
fourth annual Chelan Ridge Hawk Migration Festival! This family
event combines free activities in Pateros Memorial Park with trips
to the Chelan Ridge site to learn about and celebrate raptors
as they journey to winter territories. The festival takes place
in Pateros Memorial Park and will have vendors, live raptors,
birding field trips and projects for kids. The trip to and from
Chelan Ridge lasts 4 hours and includes seeing raptors as they
are banded and released. Pre-registration is required. More
information and on-line registration at www.ncwaudubon.org.
Hansville/Point No Point: Saturday, September 21. Al
Westphal, Leader, [email protected], 206-780-7844 (e-mail
preferred). We should see some fall migrants plus the usual
exciting birds of this Important Bird Area which is Location # 32
on the new “Puget Sound Loop” of the Great Washington State
Birding Trail map. We will also bird Norwegian Point Park in
“downtown” Hansville. This will be a half-day trip. Bring a scope
if you have one. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Lighthouse parking lot.
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge: Saturday, October 19. Al
Westphal, Leader, [email protected], 206-780-7844 (e-mail
preferred). One of the best locations in our area to observe an
array of migrating and over-wintering waterfowl along with many
other birds. We will walk the forest and barn trails and as far out
on the boardwalk as we care to go. There is a good option for
lunch after birding at Norma’s just outside the refuge. Watch
weather forecasts and dress accordingly! Meet at the parking lot
by the visitor center at 8:30. a.m.
Field Trip Reports
Family Birding, Theler Wetlands, May 18. Ten of us gathered
for several hours of good birding on a pleasant morning.
Highlights were the many swallows and a pair of Caspian Terns,
but especially the numerous active and very visible Common
Yellowthroats. Also of note was failure to spot even a single
Great Blue Heron, maybe a first for this time of year. Total
species identified was 35. Continued bottom of next page.
Wildlife Sightings-Joan Carson
Report wildlife sightings to
[email protected]; or
360-779-2612).
Yes, summer is drawing
to a close but hope you had a
great one and that you also had
some interesting bird sightings
to report. Our yard was overrun
with birds for most of the
summer and one memorable
visitor was a hybrid Northern
flicker on July 25. It had the
combined markings of both
the red-shafted and yellowshafted varieties. A day trip on
August 14 took us to the top of
Mount Walker where the gray
jays did their usual “mobbing”
entertainment. A blue (sooty)
grouse on the drive down was
another welcome sight.
August 20, Doug Fogle,
south end of Gamble Bay,
reported success from his efforts
to attract purple martins to his
nest boxes. On that date, the
one used box had the young
fledge. August 21, Debbie
Sutherland, Hansville (Norwegian
Park) counted over twenty blackbellied plovers near a mixed group
of Bonaparte’s gulls, common
terns, Heermann’s gulls and
glaucous-winged gulls. August
14, Ian Paulsen along with Brad
Waggoner had an eared grebe
in worn breeding plumage on
Murden Cove, Bainbridge. August
14, Don & Judy Willott noted a
purple martin in the water at the
head of Liberty Bay in Poulsbo. It
did a breaststroke for about 30
feet in order to reach the shore.
Don got some excellent photos of
the purple martins nesting at the
Oyster Plant Park on Liberty Bay.
August 8, Gene and Linda
Daniels, Keyport, reported that
after 3-4 years of trying, they
finally had purple martins nest
in one of their boxes and the
young ere almost ready to fledge.
Wonder if these are related to
birds from Poulsbo’s Oyster Plant
Park group. Hope so. August 6,
Janine Schutt, Wildlife Lake area,
reported having a varied thrush
still feeding in their yard until
June 8. Couldn’t find any signs
of nesting activity. August 2-5,
they had their first brown-headed
cowbird youngster. Its foster
parents were juncos.
July 28, Ian Paulsen and Brad
Waggoner saw a Cassin’s auklet
offshore of Lynwood Center,
Bainbridge. It appeared sickly
and had bare areas on its swollen
head. Ian noted this is the first
Cassin’s on his Bainbridge list
of birds. July 28, Elaine Aponte
reported that the osprey that
nest on the light standard at
the Kitsap County Fairgrounds
had young in the nest that were
about to fledge. July 16, Regina
Spoor, Gazzam Lake, Bainbirdge,
saw pied-billed grebe with young
as well as a female Northern
shoveler with young.
Migration is in full swing so
we’re looking forward to your
reports of some interesting birds
in the coming weeks. END Nisqually National Wildlife
Refuge, June 12. A goodsized group of 18 assembled
for a leisurely search through
the riparian woodland, all
the way out toward the dike
trail lookout, and back past
the twin barns. Highlights
were the many nesting birds
including the Cliff Swallows
at the visitor center, but
also tree cavity nests of
Downy Woodpeckers and
Tree Swallows out along the
trails. Had good looks at
a few Yellow Warblers and
Common Yellowthroats, but
heard many others calling.
While overall numbers of
waterfowl were way down
from winter populations, the
diversity was surprisingly
good, and many participants
got their “first ever” looks at
birds like Wood Ducks and
Hooded Mergansers (at the
visitor center pond) as well as
Blue-winged and Cinnamon
Teals, Northern Shovelers, and
Gadwalls out in the ponds on
the flats. Were also eventually
successful at locating a single
Yellow-headed Blackbird out
in the marsh. “Spot of the
Day Award” goes to young
Andrew Westphal who picked
out a Spotted Sandpiper that
18 KAS members and 28
others from Tahoma Audubon
had overlooked! All in all a
very good day with 45 species
observed.
Kitsap Audubon birders at Theler Wetlands, led by Alan Westphal.
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Kitsap Audubon Society
P.O. Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370
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The Kingfisher is the newsletter
of the Kitsap Audubon Society,
P.O. Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370.
It is published eight times a year,
September to May. Submissions
from readers are welcome. We
reserve the right to edit for space,
grammar or legal reasons. Email text
or photographs to genebullock@
comcast.net or mail to Gene Bullock,
1968 NE Lind Ct., Poulsbo WA
98370. Our deadline is the 15th of
the preceding month.
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Make check payable to KAS and mail to KAS, PO Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370
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$_______________________________Additional donation for scholarships and/or Audubon Adventures (designate).
The Kitsap Audubon Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.
The mission of the Kitsap Audubon Society is to preserve the natural world
through education, environmental study and habitat protection, and to
promote awareness and enjoyment of local and regional natural areas.
Visit our website at www.kitsapaudubon.org