Blog - Willapa Hills Audubon Society

Eagles feeding at Ft. Stevens State Park

Details: Last Updated: March 17, 2017

Eagles feeding on Elk carcass - Image John and Margaret Green

There were actually 9 eagles, both immature and mature on the ground at the elk carcass and 4 mature soaring above. This was near the south jetty at Ft Stevens State Park in NW Oregon. Quite remarkable. There were also ravens as you can see and John saw 2 Turkey Vultures as well, despite it still being early for vultures.

Spring 2017 Whistler is online

Details: Last Updated: December 27, 2017

The Spring 2017 Whistler is available now.

Great Egret feeding on Stickleback

Details: Last Updated: February 14, 2017

This winter there have been 3 Great Egrets around the Long Beach Peninsula in Pacific County - probably coming from the rookery in Kalama, WA.

This species is a recent addition to Pacific County. As the cold winter began freezing all the lake the egrets found one shallow river with surrounding wetland to feed in. Then the high tides arrived making that area to deep to feed.

These photos were taken in a road side ditch where the county had recently cut back the cattails opening the water for them to feed in. They were feasting on the tiny Stickleback fish.

Trumpeter Swan on the Long Beach Peninsula

Details: Last Updated: February 14, 2017

Trumpeter Swan and Goose - Image Suzy Whittey

Twenty-two Trumpeter Swans were counted during the Leadbetter CBC (Pacific County WA, the Long Beach Peninsula) in December - a higher number than recent years.

They have been very visible this year on many of the freshwater lakes making for wonder photographic opportunities. There are five signets in that number and the parents have been showing them all the good feeding locations.

In the 17 years Suzy Whittey has lived on one of those small lakes the swans have been on the lake on a hand full of occasions. This winter they have been coming to the lake every few days and even coming out of the water in her yard to relax.

This photo was taken from Suzy's patio door.

Urgent Action Alert: Attack on Public Lands

Details: Last Updated: February 13, 2017

Our public lands in Washington state - the ones that belong to all of us - are under attack. On Tuesday, February 14, your legislators will be voting on a bill that will make it impossible for state agencies to protect existing and acquire new public lands. HB 1008 will force the state to sell off our existing public lands before we can acquire any new public lands. At a time when our population growth is bursting at the seams and preservation of green space and wild space is more important than ever, this is just plain short-sighted

Click here to contact your Representatives and tell them to vote NO on HB 1008.

As someone who cares about birds and other wildlife, you know that our public lands are home to hundreds of bird species and a wide variety of wildlife, some of which already face huge threats from development, climate change, and other human impacts. In many cases, state public lands provide critical breeding habitat for species fighting for survival such as the Snowy Plover, Streaked horned Lark, and the Marbled Murrelet.

At a time when healthy habitat is dwindling, we should be focused on protecting public lands, not selling them off or creating new barriers.

We must stop this legislation in its tracks. Email your Representative today and ask them to vote NO on HB 1008. Our public lands are just too important.

2017 Cowlitz County Bird List - January Update

Details: Last Updated: February 02, 2017

Our year got off to its traditional New Year's Day jump start with the Christmas Bird Count. During the rest of January we've added numerous species that typically are not found within the count circle as well as a number of species that are less than annual in Cowlitz County.

The most unlikely find was a Turkey Vulture that was found at Willow Grove in early January. While this species will be ubiquitous in a couple months, mid-winter is an not the time we usually find them. Although it seems every year one or more are found trying to over winter in Washington, they typically have perished by January.

Besides the one in Cowlitz a few have been found in the Puget Sound area as well as farther downstream on the Columbia River into January this year, including a few still around after our recent rare long snow and freezing episode. Amazing!

Download the pdf file here.

The Green's Observation on Living on the Coast

Details: Last Updated: January 31, 2017

By Margaret Green

Just 80 miles west of Longview/Rainier one can discover new opportunities for observing wild life beyond our customary species. We moved from Longview to Gearhart, Oregon in April 2016, and now are coastal residents of nearly a year. Living and exploring the coastal forests and prairies, the dunes and beaches has offered some delightful experiences.

One of our more interesting sightings happened last summer, when we began seeing large black fins circling just beyond the breakers off Gearhart Beach. Amongst these were repeated whale spouts. We identified 3 whales and at least 5 Orcas. Several local naturalists offered the explanation that this rogue Orca pod (often seen at the mouth of the Columbia) was trying to separate a mother gray whale from her calf. The mother was successful in staying between her calf and the predators as two whales were seen a few miles north within an hour of our sighting. It is hard to know who to root for during these natural world battles.

John takes a daily beach walk and it is always interesting. We have seen 6 eagles at one time, “celebrating” a comrade’s successful catch of a small sea perch, too small to share. Another day, one was clinging to a crab and puzzling over its best approach for consuming. The eagles are plentiful this winter and John sees them daily. We hope to find successful nests over the next couple months for observation.

One of the most exciting finds has been a group of 5 Snowy Plovers that have been present almost daily for nearly two months. This is a rare and endangered shore bird for which there are recovery plans/actions happening at Leadbetter Point on the Long Beach Penninsula.

Dep. of Natural Resources Denies Lease for Millennium’s Coal Export Terminal in Longview

Details: Last Updated: February 06, 2023

On January 3, 2017, Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Peter Goldmark denied Millennium Bulk Terminal’s Ltd.’s for lease of public aquatic land that would be part of the proposed coal export terminal in Longview, Washington. It is highly unlikely that Millennium can proceed without this permit.

This is a victory for the Tribes, Washington’s Audubon chapters, other environmental organizations, and thousands of people who staunchly opposed this project for six years. Thank you to all who wrote comments, signed petitions, rallied, marched, wrote letters, gave public testimony, and lobbied our elected representatives. Your voices were heard.

At the same time, Commissioner Goldmark expanded Puget Sound’s Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve north of Bellingham, adding 45 acres previously considered for a large coal export terminal.

For more, see newspaper accounts or go to http://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/dnr-expands-puget-sound-columbia-river-protection

Great Backyard Bird Count Feb 17-20

Details: Last Updated: January 06, 2017

The Great Backyard Bird Count is scheduled for Feb 17-20, 2017. This is citizen science at its best. You can view and report birds wherever you are during this weekend. Last year over 5000 people participated around the world and reported over 18 million individual birds.

Please go to www.gbbc.birdcount.org for information on participation.

Final 2016 Cowlitz County Bird List

Details: Last Updated: January 03, 2017

Courtesy of the US FWS

Acorn Woodpecker - Image courtesy of the US FWS

Here is what bird list maintainer Russ Koppendrayer's says of 2016:

We had another fine year with 204 species in the county. We seem to be able to break the 200 species barrier with more regularity in recent years, likely a product of both more birders as well as better reporting. Thanks to all who shared their finds on Tweeters and/or eBird as well as those who contacted me separately.

Our only miss of birds usually seen annually in the county was Long-billed Dowitcher, a shorebird that migrates through both spring and fall. We missed it in the spring, and the really dry summer and fall left us with almost none of its preferred mudflat habitat for possible fall sightings.

Highlights from the last two months included an Acorn Woodpecker that visited a feeder in the Goble Creek area for about a week and was seen by numerous birders. This was the third ever record for the county, and amazingly they are in 2014, 2015, and 2016 all in late fall or winter. Also found was our second ever Palm Warbler that spent a couple days in Willow Grove Park during a snow event, foraging on the ground in snow free spots under trees and near sidewalks.