The Green's Observation on Living on the Coast
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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
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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
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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
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Acorn Woodpecker - Image courtesy of the US FWS
Here is what bird list maintainer Russ Koppendrayer's says of 2016:
Download the pdf file here.
Winter 2016 Whistler is online
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The Fall 2016 Whistler is available now.
Read more of its content:
- Lake Scajawea Bird Walk and Count
- WHAS sponsors Arizona field Trip
- Membership Form
- NW Bird Events
- 2016 Christmas Bird Count Details
- Ongoing Citizen Science at home “Project Feeder Watch”
- Bring more birds to your home with native plants
- Coffee 101
- During this dark season, remember that too much light can be hard on wildlife
- Programs and Fieldtrips
September/October 2016 Cowlitz County Bird List
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Clark's Nutcracker - Image courtesy of the US FWS
Russ Koppendrayer's says of the last two months:
Only three species added to the list in the last couple months as is typical for this time of year. Also fairly typical was the fact that all three are rare visitors to our area. An amazing ten Clark's Nutcrackers were seen at the Forest Learning Center near the Mt. St. Helens National Monument. This species is common to the Cascade crest near Mt. Adams, but this is only the third record in Cowlitz County. A Brown Pelican was photographed flying rapidly UPSTREAM at Woodland, a species that rarely comes anywhere near this far up the Columbia and is more associated with salt water. Also a third record for Cowlitz was a Pelagic Cormorant photographed swimming in the Columbia at Woodland. As its name suggests this too is a species that rarely gets upstream past the brackish water of the estuary.
Two months left for some more exciting finds, so as usual get out there and do some birding.
Download the pdf file here.
Vaux's Swifts have been seen in Rainier, OR
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Linda Jennings reported that on Saturday, August 13, 259 Vaux's Swifts roosted in the chimney of Carpet One in Rainier, across highway 30 from the City Hall. And on Monday, August 15, she counted 374 using the chimney.
People wishing to check out this phenomenon for themselves will have the best chance from half an hour before sunset until half an hour after sunset. (The southward migration of the swifts from all over the Northwest usually starts in September, affording us more opportunities to view hundreds of them entering the chimney.) You can park along Highway 30 or along A Street, or in parking lots nearby.
If you have questions or info to share you may call Darrel Whipple at 503-556-9838, or
June 2016 Cowlitz County Bird List
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Russ Koppendrayer's says of 2016 so far:
We have reached the half way point in the year with exactly the same number of species as last year at this time when we set a record for the most species seen in the county for a calendar year in the ten years of this project. Last year we did have a phenomenal run of unusual species from mid-October through mid-December to reach that 207 species total. Since we have seen the winter birds and a migration into the breeding season, additions to the 192 species to date will come much slower and I'll be sending updates every two months rather than monthly for the rest of the year as usual.
Download the pdf file here.
Summer 2016 Whistler is online
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The Summer 2016 Whistler is available now.
Read more of its content:
- WHAS has a new Board
- Hummingbird feeder info
- Membership Form
- NW Bird Events
- Update on the Gourds installed at Indian Jack Slough
- Update on the Fallen Leave Niche
- Images of RB Nuthatch and Cormorant
- WHAS will be at Bob’s Kids day
- Would-be rescuers should leave young wildlife alone
- Programs and Fieldtrips
April 2016 Cowlitz County Bird List
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April was slower than usual for adding new species to the list, possibly due to a lack of coverage as some of our more active birders spent big portions of the month out of the county. There were no reports of unexpected species. Even Cassin's Vireo and Nashville Warbler which show as less than annual probably pass through in small numbers each year as migrants, but aren't seen or reported every year. Since they don't stay to nest they can be missed some years. Many of the April additions were in the last week and as migration peaks in May we should be finding more on a regular basis this month, the most exciting time for many birders.
- Spring 2016 Whistler is online
- WHAS Sponsors a Nature Library
- Call for Citizen Scientists!
- First 2016 Cowlitz County Bird List (January)
- Final 2015 Cowlitz County Bird List
- The Great Backyard Bird Count
- Northern Mockingbird seen at Lake Sacajawea
- Rare Birdsighting in Western WA: Yellow-throated Warbler
- October 2015 Cowlitz County Bird List
- Winter 2015 Whistler is online