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March - April 2010 Whistler is online

News

Last Updated on Friday, 26 February 2010 08:36

The March - April 2010 Whistler is available now.

Some of its content:

- Annual Member/Dinner Meeting; Bird Poem
- Member Form and WHAS News
- Birding Bits, Recent Birding Class
- LNG Update, Earth day, Fox Creek
- Citizen Science Amphibian Survey
- Christmas Bird Count Updates
- High Lakes, Backyard Birding
- WHAS Programs and Field Trips

Earthday Help Needed

Volunteer Opportunities

Last Updated on Thursday, 25 February 2010 08:55

Earth Day will be celebrated in Longview at the Expo Center on Saturday, April 17.  Audubon will host a booth.  We will have the bird wings available along with some other exhibits for adults.  There will be a bird feeder making station set up for the children.  As in the past they will be making bird feeders out of TP rolls, peanut butter and bird seed.

ANY and ALL help will be welcome. Pat Reistroffer will be there all day working with the children and  could use someone to help her. We also need someone to talk with the adults who are interested and share information that is available to them.  You can contact Pat at 360-636-5125 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it her.

Pat would appreciate hearing from you by April 5 at the latest.  THE SOONER THE BETTER!!!

Designation of the Columbia River Estuary as a Site of Regional Importance

News

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 February 2010 09:22

Excellent Birding Opportunity—Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Celebrates the Columbia River Estuary as a Site of Regional Importance

SAVE THE DATE:   Saturday, May 1, 2010
LOCATION:             Fort Stevens State Park – 15 minutes West of Astoria, OR
TIME:                      9.30 a.m. - until 3 p.m.

The Columbia River estuary hosts more than 20,000 shorebirds during spring migration.  The newly designated Site of Regional Importance includes the shore line and islands, beginning at river mile 60 at Crims Island—near Mayger, Oregon, and across from Stella,Washington.  It extends to the mouth of the Columbia River Estuary in both Washington and Oregon.

Read more: Designation of the Columbia River Estuary as a Site of Regional Importance

Julia Butler Hansen NWR - Field Trip Report

Field Trips

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 11:41

A group of fifteen hardy souls braved the rain for four hours during the January 30^th field trip to Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge, just west of Cathlamet, is a wonderful place to find good birds, without enduring a long road trip.  Trip leader, Alan Richards was able to find 44 species to make a dreary day bright indeed. 

Read more: Julia Butler Hansen NWR - Field Trip Report

Egg Mass Surveying

Egg Mass Survey

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 22:56

Surveying has been great.  We've found long-toed eggs (AMMA) at the Mint Farm in Longview, and red-legged frog (RAAU) egg masses west of Longview up Spruce Creek, at Germany Creek and Nelson Creek and in a cow pasture in Kalama.  Northwestern Salamanders are laying in Germany Creek and South Nemah. From Corkran and Thoms's Amphibians of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia: WINTER (Some periods of freezing weather; often December to mid February.) During periods of warm rain:

• Long-toed Salamanders gather at breeding sites and lay their eggs.  Sudden, prolonged, sub-freezing weather can kill both adults and eggs.
• The first Red-legged Frogs lay their eggs.
• The low croaking of Pacific Treefrogs can be heard away from the ponds, but they are not yet breeding.

Early Spring (Frost some nights, some sun, some late snows; often late February and March) During periods of warm rain:

• The first Northwestern Salamanders lay their eggs.
• The last Long-toed Salamanders lay their eggs, and many of the earlier eggs hatch.
• The last Red-legged frogs lay their eggs.
• Pacific Treefrogs begin chorusing and may begin to lay eggs.

It looks like we may be in early spring. This sure describes what we're seeing out there in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties.  Looks like chorus frog eggs have been found in Clark County.

Do you like Backyard Birding?

Volunteer Opportunities

Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 08:03

The WHAS Board of Directors is developing a new ad hoc committee on Backyard Birding.  This is an exciting opportunity to promote an activity that includes more than 65 million people in the U.S, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.  Many WHAS members have much knowledge and experience that they can share.  Who knows where it will lead?  That will be the first subject that the committee will address.  There are so many possible topics from which to choose, including education on plantings and habitats, back yard bird counts, certification, techniques on feeding and watering, and sharing of ideas.

Larry Turner has volunteered to lead the effort and has already received some great ideas from members.  If you would like to participate or have ideas/suggestions, please contact him at 360-423-3556 (leave message if not home) or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Perhaps we can have an initial get together before the annual meeting.

Amazing Bird Songs

News

Last Updated on Monday, 15 February 2010 21:43

Watch this youtube video to hear the amazing lyre bird, which mimics the calls of other birds - and chainsaws, car alarms and camera shutters...

A Fascinating Hunting Behavior

Wildlife Sightings

Last Updated on Wednesday, 03 February 2010 10:15

Andrew Emlen of Skomokawa observed a fascinating behavior last December.  Here are the details as described by Andrew: A female Northern Harrier landed on a duck (possibly a wigeon, of which there were others nearby) in the pond opposite Hornstra Beach in the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge. The Harrier was belly-deep in the water as the duck struggled.

Read more: A Fascinating Hunting Behavior