January - February 2016

Transcription

Thrasher
the
Newsletter of the Richmond Audubon Society
J A N U A RY /F EBRU A RY , 2 0 1 6 V O LU ME 4 3 , I S S U E 1
Everything but the Ducks - Lewis Barnett
Every winter, Richmond and the surrounding area
play host to a number of species of waterfowl in
addition to the more familiar ducks. In any given
winter, you may find various grebes, Common Loons,
and most definitely Double-crested Cormorants on
our lakes and rivers. These are all aquatic birds that
tend toward long necks and short tails. They winter
on open water and dive for their food, which consists
of small aquatic animals and fish. While loons and
grebes are grouped together in most field guides,
recent genetic research has shown that they are not
particularly closely related. With the exception of the
cormorant, when these birds arrive in our area, they
can present some identification difficulty, as they all
are in non-breeding plumage and consequently are
not displaying their namesake characteristics.
Pied-billed Grebe
Probably the cutest and most familiar of the grebes,
these are technically year-round resident in our area,
but evidence of breeding here is fairly limited. They
are named for the bi-colored bill they sport during
breeding season, but this has faded by winter. They
are still fairly distinctive as a compact diver with a
relatively short, sturdy bill. These grebes can be found
on most bodies of water around town.
Horned Grebe
Slightly larger than their Pied-billed cousins, Horned
Grebes in non-breeding plumage have a black cap and
clean white cheek, dark gray back and paler flanks.
Their bills are somewhat more delicate than the bill of
the Pied-billed. This species is more common closer to
the coast, but a few specimens typically find their way
westward to the Richmond area each winter. Swift
Creek Reservoir and the river downtown are the best
places to find them.
Red-necked Grebe
Largest of our three possible grebes is the Rednecked. Larger, longer-billed and longer-necked than
Common Loon in non-breeding plumage
©Lewis Barnett
Horned, the plumage is similar overall, except
that the cheek is gray with a distinctive white
crescent. This species is irruptive, so we can go
from good numbers in one winter to total
absence the next. In irruptive years, they can be
found on nearly any body of water in our area,
but generally larger bodies are better bets.
Common Loon
Despite their name, Common Loons are an
uncommon visitor to our area. A few are
usually found each winter near the city,
especially on the tidal James toward Hopewell.
Continued on page 2
In this Issue
Everything but the Ducks
President’s Message
RAS Programs
Everything but Ducks Photos
Photo Gallery
January/February Field Trips
From the Kitchen Window
Book Review - Invention of Nature
RAS Officers
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2
3
4
5
6
7
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8
the Thrasher, Newsletter of the Richmond Audubon Society
Richmond Audubon Society
The Richmond Audubon Society
promotes the enjoyment,
understanding,and preservation
of birds, other wildlife, and
habitat through education,
advocacy, and fellowship.
President’s Message - Virginia
Conservation Network - Eileen Geller
members from time to time to
reach out to lawmakers in
support of or opposition to
specific measures. I would
encourage all of our members to
sign up for alerts from VCN on
important legislative issues by
going to this link.
Important Notices
RAS membership meetings are on the
3rd Thursday of the month except June,
July, August and December. Meetings are
at 7:00 PM, and are held at St. Luke
Lutheran Church at Custis Road and
Chippenham Parkway unless notified.
RAS Board meetings are held on the 2nd
Thursday on alternate months starting in
January (except June and August). In July,
the Board has its annual strategic planning
retreat. RAS members are welcome to
attend board meetings, but let the President
or Secretary know due to space
considerations. Meeting locations vary;
contact the President or Secretary for
location details.
Richmond Audubon Society is also a
chapter of the Virginia Society of
Ornithology and the Virginia
Conservation Network.
P.O. Box 26648
Richmond, VA 23261
804-601-4917
www.RichmondAudubon.org
Richmond Audubon Society is a
registered nonproﬁt 501 (C) (3)
charitable organization. Donations are
tax deductible.
Thanks to these Thrasher Volunteers:
Lewis Barnett, Louise Reza: Proofreading.
Gail and Mario Grasso: Mailing List.
Ben Griffon: Web Posting.
Publication Schedule
The Thrasher is issued six times a year.
Please submit articles to
[email protected] no later
than the 10th of the month before each
issue. Deadline for the next issue is
February 10.
Happy New Year! It is hard to
believe 2016 is here already. I
hope your New Year’s
resolutions include spending as
much time as possible outdoors
enjoying the beauty of our
natural world.
I would encourage you to add a
resolution to be an advocate for
that natural world, as well. The
Richmond Audubon Society is a
member of the Virginia
Conservation Network (VCN),
which is a coalition of
environmental organizations
dedicated to lobbying and public
policy efforts relating to
conservation and environmental
issues. I had the opportunity to
attend VCN’s recent General
Assembly Preview Day on behalf
of RAS and learned more about
the efforts VCN will take during
the upcoming General Assembly
session promoting clean and
renewable energy sources,
maintaining healthy waters, and
focusing on environmentally
friendly development and
protection of strategic land
resources in Virginia. You can
learn more about those
initiatives here:
http://www.vcnva.org
During the General Assembly
session, VCN calls on its
-2-
Let’s make 2016 a great year for
the outdoors! Happy New Year!
Continued from page 1
Loons are much larger than any
of the grebes we are likely to
see. Mostly grayish-brown in
non-breeding plumage, a white
throat and eye-arcs are
somewhat prominent features
for this loon.
Double-crested Cormorant
In our area, this species has
gone from a reportable rarity in
the 1970's to a near-nuisance
bird today. The most prominent
feature of this low-slung, dark
diver is a wickedly hooked
yellow bill. Young birds, with
their pale throats and bellies,
can be a bit confusing without a
good look at the bill. They can
be found nearly anywhere there
is water, but often congregate in
the hundreds on the rocks of
the Falls of the James. This is
the only one of these species
you will see perching in trees.
Eared Grebe
In non-breeding plumage, dark
cheek instead of the white cheek
of the Horned Grebe. Although
rare in Eastern US, the RAS
Field Trip to Craney Island last
Fall, found one.
January Program
February Program
Thursday, January 21, 2016:
Find Your Inner Advocate
Thursday, February 18, 2016:
The Christmas Bird Count
RAS welcomes Connie Mahan, Director,
Grassroots Outreach, National Audubon Society
We all know how to advocate for the things we
want, from our birthday wish list to negotiations
with friends and family. Yet many Audubon
chapters and chapter leaders are uncomfortable
with advocating for bird conservation and habitat
protection. Advocacy is part of Audubon’s early
rich history and it’s easier than you think. We’ll
explore what it really means to be an advocate for
the environment and how you can make even
small efforts count in the big picture. Learn
about what to expect in the coming year at both
the state and national level. Hear more about
how we are taking a new look at the Audubon
Network. That includes our collective role as
advocates for birds and wildlife, as well as the
kinds of investments National Audubon Society
could make to build capacity to be more effective
when it comes to advocating for the things we
hold most dear — be it at the local, state or
national level.
From December 14 through January 5 each year,
tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the
Americas take part in an adventure that has
become a family tradition among generations.
Families and students, birders and scientists,
armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists
go out on an annual mission - often before dawn.
For 116 years, the desire to both make a
difference and to experience the beauty of nature
has driven dedicated people to go out and count
birds on the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC).
Please join RAS's Arun Bose to learn more
about the Christmas Bird Count. Since 2005,
Arun has served as the compiler of the Hopewell
CBC, the count circle begun by Fred Scott and
RAS in the 1960's.
Learn more about the history of Christmas Bird
Counts, the Hopewell count and what makes
them so fun to participate in.
We meet at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 7757
Chippenham Pkwy, Richmond. The program
begins at 7:00 pm, with coffee, cookies and
conversation before hand starting at 6:30 pm.
We meet at St. Luke Lutheran Church, 7757
Chippenham Pkwy, Richmond. The program
begins at 7:00 pm, with coffee, cookies and
conversation before hand starting at 6:30 pm.
Please contact me with suggestions for 2016!
RAS Program Chair, Caroline Coe,
804.276.1397 or [email protected]
-3-
Pied-billed Grebe in non-breeding (nbr)
plumage at Mid-lothian Mines Park
Pied-billed Grebe in breeding plumage at
The Wetlands, JRP - note bi-colored bill
©Naseem Reza
©Naseem Reza
©Naseem Reza
©Naseem Reza
©Rob Sabatini
Above Left - Horned Grebe at Swift Creek Reservoir. Typical winter look. Center - Horned Grebe at Swift Creek Reservoir, molting towards
breeding plumage. Right - Horned Grebe in breeding plumage and normally seen North by North-West of the Great Lakes unless your name is
Rob Sabatini who shot this at Dutch Gap , Chesterfield County during spring migration.
Red-necked Grebe in non-breeding plumage
at Swift Creek Reservoir
©Naseem Reza
Red-necked Grebe in breeding plumage
in Montana
-4-
©Jerry Uhlman
Common Loon in non-breeding
plumage at Kiptopeke State Park, VA
Bob Schamerhornwww.iPhotoBirds.com
Common Loon in breeding plumage at
Byrd Park, Richmond, a relatively rare
sighting.
Double-crested Cormorant at
Richmond Pipeline
©Steve Baranoff
Double-crested Cormorant at Richmond
Pipeline
Red-breasted Sapsucker in Napa, CA
Eared Grebe in non-breeding plumage in Mountain View, CA
-5-
©Steve Baranoff
Field Trips - Ellison Orcutt
These are all the RAS trips
that have been submitted as
of the publication date. Check
the RAS listserv
(if you don’t subscribe the archives are at
www.freelists.org/archive/va-richmond-general/) or
the RAS website for any late breaking news
about ﬁeld trips (www.richmondaudubon.org/
ActivFieldTrip.html.)
January 3rd, Sunday
Bryan Park with John Fones:
Start time: 7:55 am (½ hour after sunrise)
Meeting location: Shelter 1, Joseph Bryan Park
Brief description: Join John Fones for our regular
early morning bird walk in Bryan Park. See what birds
have made the Northside their home for the winter.
For more information, contact John at
[email protected].
right at 9:00 am. Contact Lewis for more information
at [email protected].
January 31st, Sunday
The Floodwall with Ellison Orcutt
Start time: 9:00 am.
Join Ellison to explore the floodwall in downtown
Richmond. Winter gulls and waterfowl will be the
focus but the James River always produces a variety
of birds. Meet Ellison at 9:00 am at the Hull St. lot,
just south of the Mayo Bridge at the intersection of
Hull and 1st St. For more information contact Ellison
at [email protected].
February 7th, Sunday
Bryan Park with Diane Jadlowski:
Start time: 7:38 am (½ hour after sunrise)
Meeting location: Shelter 1, Joseph Bryan Park
Description: See January 3rd walk.
For more information, contact Diane at
[email protected].
January 9th, Saturday
Dutch Gap with Lewis Barnett
Meet Lewis at 8:00 am at the entrance to Henricus
Historical Park/Dutch Gap Conservation area.
Explore this great birding spot to see what winter birds
are around. You never know what will turn up at
Dutch Gap. For more information, contact Lewis at
[email protected].
February 13th, Saturday
Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens with Tyler Turpin
See the birds of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Meet
in the rotunda of the visitor center at 8:00 A.M. Cost
will be $6-8.00 for non-Ginter members, finish
around 9:30 - 9:45 am. This trip will be part of the
Great Backyard Bird Count. If you'd like, you can join
him to count at Brown's Island, Pony Pasture and
Huguenot Flatwater afterward. Contact Tyler Turpin
at (804) 317- 9478 or email [email protected]
to sign up.
January 16th, Saturday 7:00-10:00 am
James River Winter Count with Richmond Audubon.
Help Richmond Audubon Society inventory the bird
species of the James River Parks system. It will be
followed by a count count compilation and light
brunch at an RAS member's home. All skill levels are
welcome. For more information about participating in
this long running count, contact Julie Kacmarcik at
[email protected].
February 13, Saturday
James River NWR. with Lewis Barnett
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Richmond
Audubon join forces for this annual survey of
wintering birds in a remarkable habitat bordered by
Powell’s Creek and the James River. Meet at the
refuge information kiosk, 4550 Flowerdew Hundred
Road, Hopewell, VA, at 7:30 am. Contact Lewis at
[email protected] for details.
January 23rd, Saturday
Deep Run Park with Lewis Barnett
Deep Run Park is located in the West End of Henrico
County. This under birded park offers walking trails in
a mature forest and around a pair of small ponds.
Within an area with large scale residential
development, this park offers valuable habitat to the
area’s birds. Join Lewis to discover who’s calling this
suburban park home for the winter. Deep Run Park’s
address is 9900 Ridgefield Parkway, near its junction
with Gaskins Rd. Meet at the first parking lot on the
-6-
February 28th Sunday, start time: 8:00 am.
Powhatan State Park with Wendy Ealding
Join Wendy Ealding to explore Powhatan State Park.
One of Virginia’s newest State Park, Powhatan
features a mix mature forest and open fields along
with trails along the James River. Meet Wendy at the
park’s playground parking lot at 8:00 am. The
regular car fee applies to enter the State Park but no
additional fee will be charged for the walk. For more
information contact Wendy at [email protected].
Park address: 4616 Powhatan State Park Rd.,
Powhatan, VA 23139.
From the Kitchen Window - John Coe
“A winter garden in an alder swamp,
Where conies now come out to sun and romp,
As near a paradise as it can be
And not melt snow or start a dormant tree.
From the Kitchen Window we all wish you a fun New
Year.
John and Caroline Coe, Tommy Titmouse, Windy
Wren, Cheeky Chickadee, Carla Cardinal, Phineas
Finch, Jenny Junco, Sparky Sparrow, Nyety
Nuthatch, Woody Woodpecker, Billy Blue Jay,
Fanny Flicker, Danny Dove, Rufous Towhee….and
Sammy-buck Squirrel
It lifts existence on a plane of snow
One level higher than the earth below,
One level nearer heaven overhead,
And last year's berries shining scarlet red.
The full moon in January occurs on the 23rd and is
named the wolf moon. Winter arrives in the
Northern Hemisphere of Mars.
It lifts a gaunt luxuriating beast
Where he can stretch and hold his highest feat
On some wild apple tree's young tender bark,
What well may prove the year's high girdle mark.
The Full Moon in February on the 22nd is named
the snow moon or the hunger moon.
The ground hog checks for his shadow on February
2nd.
So near to paradise all pairing ends:
Here loveless birds now flock as winter friends,
Content with bud-inspecting. They presume
To say which buds are leaf and which are bloom”.
Excerpted from Robert Frost
The Invention of Nature
Alexander von Humboldt’s
New World
By Andrea Wulf
Hardcover - 473 pages
Alfred A. Knopf $30.00
John Muir was so enamored of Humboldt that
he wanted to duplicate Humboldt’s expedition
to South America and with that in mind, he
headed South on foot from Indianapolis to
Florida where he contracted malaria forcing him
to abandon his quest. Instead Muir went to
California and we all know how that ended up.
Next time you see a county, a town, a park or
even an ocean current named Humboldt, you
will recognize the source of its name.
Reviewed by Naseem Reza
In spite of the enigmatic title and the cryptic book
cover (that is an Andean Condor-top left), Andrea
Wulf expertly ties the documented
accomplishments of an eminent scientist,
Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) and the
influence his published works had on others.
I am not surprised that the NY Times has it as
one of the 10 Best books of 2015. A more
comprehensive book review can be seen at
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/books/review/t
he-invention-of-nature-by-andrea-wulf.html
Charles Darwin’s 5 year around-the-world voyage
was inspired by Personal Narrative in which
Humboldt documents his expedition to the
Western Hemisphere and all seven volumes were
on board the cramped quarters of the HMS
Beagle.
Henry David Thoreau’s Walden was heavily
influenced by his reading of Humboldt’s Views
of Nature.
-7-
From the Editor
After reading Andrea Wulf’s biography of
Alexander von Humboldt, I was struck by
the fact that on his way back to Europe from
South America in 1804, Humboldt stopped
by to see President Thomas Jefferson and
future President James Madison who in a
later speech repeated Humboldt’s warnings
on deforestation and the negative effect of
large scale tobacco cultivation on Virginia’s
fertile soil.
P.O. Box 26648
Richmond, VA 23261
www.RichmondAudubon.org
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Richmond, VA
Permit Number 3022
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
Chapter Membership Application
Yes, please enroll me (us) as a new
member(s) of both National and
Richmond Audubon Societies at the
address below, at the introductory
rate. A subscription to the NAS
magazine, Audubon is included.
□ Individual/Family Member(s) $20
enclosed
□ Student/Senior Member $15 enclosed
Name___________________________
Address _________________________
City ____________________________
State___ ZIP _____________________
Phone __________________________
E-mail __________________________
Make check payable to National Audubon
Society and write “C0ZX530Z”on the
check. Send your check and application to:
Richmond Audubon Society,
P.O. Box 26648, Richmond, VA 23261
C0ZX530Z
Officers / Committee Chairs for 2015-2016
President
Eileen Geller
[email protected]
804-747-5143
1st Vice President
Ellison Orcutt
[email protected]
804-339-6976
2nd Vice President
Ben Saunders
[email protected]
804-272-0605
Bird-A-Thon
Lewis Barnett
[email protected]
804-320-7898
Conservation
Mary Elfner
[email protected]
Cyberspace
Ben Griffon
[email protected]
804-767-0131
Development
Jack Esworthy
[email protected]
630- 940-9698
Education
Joyce Caldwell
[email protected]
804-560-3444
Field Trips
Ellison Orcutt
[email protected]
804-339-6976
Hospitality
Vacant
IBA/VAC Rep
Vacant
Legislation
Vacant
Membership
Mario and Gail Grasso
[email protected]
804-379-2001
Past President
Lewis Barnett
[email protected]
804-320-7898
Programs
Caroline Coe
[email protected]
804-276-1397
Publicity
Diane Jadlowski
[email protected]
702-308-1953
Secretary
Vacant
Thrasher Editor
Naseem Reza
[email protected]
804-272-1145
Treasurer/Finance
Lewis Barnett
[email protected]
804-320-7898
Youth
Robin Ruth (interim)
[email protected]
804-231-5949

January - February 2016

Transcription

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