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Willapa Hills Audubon Society has kindly agreed to sponsor the Fallen Leaf Nature Library. It is a collection of approximately 700 used books and 100 VHS videos on natural history and environmental education, which we hope to make available to Longview/Kelso families and teachers for circulation. These general interest books and videos, donated by Ann and David Cordero, Marie Fernandez, Sherry Evans, Lynn Smith, Gloria Nichols and others, would be available to anyone free of charge for a month or longer to stimulate an interest in the natural world and promote literacy. Volunteer staff could provide
simple interpretation such as touch tables, exhibits, displays, story times, demonstrations and experiments, homework help, or preparation for the Science Olympiad—any nature activity they choose to lead in the space where the library resides.
That is the key: where will we put this library? Lower Columbia College has approved the use of the McLaughlin Community Resource Center in the Health and Science Building for the nature library! LCC has been very gracious about this prospect, saying that it is the kind of thing for which the room
was intended and that this will be a mutually beneficial relationship to be continued as long as it works for both parties and which can be terminated by either party.
Does this sound like fun? You can help make this happen! We will need volunteers (as much or as little time as you like) and ideas for interpretive activities.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact
Together we can provide a new community resource for children, books to supplement classroom lessons, interaction between people with natural history interests, and better visibility for WHAS.
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Audubon Washington's new citizen-science project is looking for volunteers! Participate in a regional volunteer monitoring effort, learn about coastal ecology, meet like-minded community members, and spend time near the water!
WHAT: Observe intertidal habitat use of waterbirds
WHO: Be part of a team of scientists including the University of Washington (UW), NOAA Fisheries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR)
WHEN: Waterbird surveys will be conducted monthly during low tides, recording the abundance and behavior of birds in vegetated and unvegetated patches. Surveys will occur from mid-March through September 2016.
WHERE: Shore-based surveys of intertidal habitats will occur at fixed sites around Puget Sound and in Willapa Bay.
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Have some fun this winter counting birds at your outdoor feeder—and at the same time aid important world-wide scientific research. The Great Backyard Bird Count, hosted by The Cornell Lab, Audubon and Bird Studies Canada, will take place on February 12-15 2016.
This is a fun way to stay connected to the outdoors on cold, wet winter days while staying dry and warm in your kitchen. It's a super way to get kids involved in nature activities and science!
Just count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the GBBC. If you have never participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count before, you must get started by registering at http://gbbc.birdcount.org/get-started/ All the information you will need is available through the same web page. A valuable app, called eBird, is also available that helps with identifying birds and uploading your results—but this is not a required item to participate. Just create an account, read the instructions and start watching birds. Report your count back to the web site.
You can receive additional help by contacting Larry Brandt, Science Committee Chair, Willapa Hills Audubon Society - email or 360-200-4580.
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As frequently happens birders chasing a rarity find another. Attached is the eBird post of the folks who dipped on the warbler, but found a Northern Mockingbird in a holly tree somewhere in the vicinity of 15th & Baltimore. Photos embedded in the list as well.
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This Egret caught this bull frog several times, but it was too big, and eventually it walked away from it.