NOV. 2014
THE
Kitsap Audubon Society – Since 1972
Kingfisher
Nov. 13, 2014, Program
Live Birds of Prey Meet two of Nature’s most
majestic raptors, the Peregrine
Falcon and the Red-tailed Hawk.
West Sound Wildlife Shelter
rehabilitates sick and injured
wildlife from throughout the
region and then releases them
back into the wild. But some are
too impaired to release, and end
up as wildlife ambassadors in
their educational programs.
Susan Ford and Fawn Harris
will introduce these birds and
talk about their natural history,
behavior, and how they came to
be ambassadors for WSWS. Susan Ford is a licensed and
registered veterinary technician
in California and Washington, and
a licensed wildlife rehabilitator
in Washington. She has been
working with, treating, and
handling raptors and wildlife for
the past four years and started
working with the education
program in 2013. She handles the
educational birds and marsupials
at WSWS and provides
educational presentations for
schools and community events. Fawn Harris is a volunteer
wildlife care and
educational steward with WSWS
and currently works with a Virginia
Opossum, an American Kestrel, a
Red-tailed Hawk, and a Peregrine
Falcon. West Sound Wildlife Shelter
is the only wildlife hospital and
wildlife education center in
western Puget Sound. It depends
entirely on donations. If you find
an injured, sick, or orphaned wild
animal, please call the shelter
before taking any action at 206855-9057.
Photos of Ranger, the WSWS
Red-tailed Hawk, and Agate,
the WSWS Peregrine Falcon, by
Dottie Tison
The Kingfisher is printed on recycled
paper by Blue Sky Printing and
mailed by Olympic Presort, both
family owned local businesses.
Poulsbo Osprey Project
Kitsap Audubon gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Puget Sound
Energy and the Rotary Club of Poulsbo-North Kitsap, as well as individual
KAS members, in helping fund the installation of a new osprey nesting
platform in Poulsbo’s Strawberry Field. We’ve also received wonderful
support from the NK School District, the City of Poulsbo and the community.
Kitsap Audubon Society
President: Janine Schutt
360-830-4446, [email protected]
Vice President: Judy Willott
206-842-6939, [email protected]
Treasurer: Sandy Bullock, 360-3945635; [email protected]
Secretary: Diane Bachen, 206-8551667, [email protected]
At-Large Board of Directors:
Connie Bickerton, 206-200-8425,
[email protected]
Gene Bullock, 360-394-5635;
[email protected]
Ray Coleburg, 360-535-4105
Sharron Ham, 360-779-5458, shabobham@
comcast.net
Byron Kane, 360-620-1367, bk4all@
centurytel.net
Alan Westphal, 206-780-7844, westphalac@
aol.com
Standing Committee Chairs:
Field Trips: Alan Westphal,
206-780-7844, [email protected]
Conservation Chair: Don Willott
206-842-6939, [email protected]
Education Chair: Gene Bullock,
360-394-5635; [email protected]
Hospitality: Milly Bellemere & Bob
Schumacher. 360-830-4231, rbellemere@
wavecable.com
Membership Administrator: Sara Kane
297-2716, [email protected]
Programs: Vic Ulsh
360-479-6900, [email protected]
Publicity: Barbara Wilhite
360-692-8180, [email protected]
Refreshment Chair: Sharron Ham
360-779-5458, [email protected]
Purple Martins: Sandy Pavey, 360-9300807, [email protected];
Paul Carson, 360-779-2612
Raffle Coordinators:
Dawn Hansen, Roberta Heath
Wildlife Sightings: Joan Carson
[email protected] or 360-779-2612
Scholarship Chair: Sandy Bullock
360-394-5635, [email protected]
KAS Facebook Page: Connie Bickerton,
[email protected]
Webmaster: Mike Szerlog,
360-881-0470, [email protected],
www.kitsapaudubon.org
Kingfisher Editor: GeneBullock, 360-3945635; [email protected]
President’s Letter - Janine Schutt
First of all, many thanks to
Judy and Don Willott, Diane
Bachen, and Connie Bickerton for
representing Kitsap Audubon at
this year’s Audubon Council of
Washington (ACOW) meeting.
Mark your calendars for
the 115th annual Christmas
Bird Count (CBC) on Saturday,
December 20th. You may sign
up to join one of our nine field
teams or count birds in your
own backyard. To participate
in the backyard count you must
live within the 15-mile diameter
count circle that extends from
Poulsbo to Manchester. The CBC
is the world’s longest running
citizen science survey. The data
collected from the thousands of
volunteers provides scientists with
crucial data on population trends.
It is also a lot of fun! See the
article within this issue for more
details.
The midway point of fall is
upon us. Our summer songbirds
are but a distant memory. The
Anna’s hummingbirds are
happy to have our feeders
all to themselves without the
competition of the fiery rufous
hummers. Fox sparrows and
varied thrushes have reclaimed
our backyards and numerous
waterfowl have moved into our
lakes and bays for the winter. As
we endure the rainy season, it is
important to keep our feeding
stations clean and dry to prevent
disease-causing mold from
forming within our feeders. Here
are some tips:
• Hang your feeders in a
protected location such as under
house eaves or a porch overhang.
• If you hang a feeder from a
pole or a tree branch, place it
under a weather guard.
• Feeder Fresh is a non-toxic
product that can be mixed with
the seed and absorbs moisture.
It can be purchased from any of
our local wild bird stores.
• When it is rainy and windy and
fewer birds are visiting, diminish
the number of feeders you hang
up and fill them with just a day’s
worth of seed.
• When the weather is really
nasty, bring your feeders in at
night to keep them dry.
• Use white proso millet seed to
feed native ground-feeding birds
instead of cracked corn which
spoils quickly when it becomes
wet.
• And don’t forget to refill bird
baths daily with fresh water.
Even when it is rainy, birds still
frequently visit bird baths and
sometimes leave their droppings
behind which contaminates the
water.
Attracting birds to our yards
during the dreary wet months can
lift our spirits. Just remember
that the health of the birds
should be our top priority and is
always worth the extra effort.
Kitsap Audubon Society meets the 2nd Thursday of each month, September through May, 7:00 to 9:00
p.m., on the lower level of the Poulsbo Library, 700 NE Lincoln Rd. Open to the public. Free parking.
Silent Spring, Summer, Fall? - Gene Bullock
Our backyard hosts an avian
choir each spring as Purple Finches
and Black-headed Grosbeaks fill
the air with their songs before
breakfasting on our sunflower
hearts. I find unbearable the
thought of spring without their
euphoric bursts of song. But
a seven-year study unveiled by
National Audubon concludes that
they’re among the many species at Photos of Purple Finch and
Black-headed Grosbeak by
risk because of global warming.
The study by Audubon
Kathy Swartz.
scientists led to the conclusion
many of our most familiar and
that global warming is the number iconic species will not. Global
one threat to our birds. More than warming threatens the basic fabric
half the 518 North American bird
of life on which birds – and the
species studied will lose 50% of
rest of us – depend, and we have
their climate range by 2080. Many to act quickly and decisively if we
of these species could go extinct
are going to avoid catastrophe for
without decisive action to protect
them and us.
the havens they hold on to today.
Climate change is adding
National Audubon
to economic pressures for
ornithologists analyzed 40 years of development that are wiping out
historical climate data and millions wildlife habitat around the world.
of historical bird records from the
Agricultural irrigation and growing
U.S. Geological Survey’s North
municipal demands are draining
American Breeding Bird Survey
aquifers and reservoirs; and the
and the Audubon Christmas Bird
proliferation of pump jacks and
Count to understand the links
fracking wells is erasing prairie
between where the birds live
habitat.
and the climatic conditions that
There are things we can all do;
support them.
but solutions will include personal
The Audubon study shows
choices to conserve energy and
how shifting climate conditions -create backyard habitat, local
the building blocks for ecosystems action to create community climate
and species survival – may have
action plans, and state-based work
catastrophic consequences when
to increase roof-top solar and
balances are tipped.
energy efficiency. Audubon has
While some species will be
designated Important Bird Areas
able to adapt to those changes,
2014 Fall ACOW
Diane Bachen, Judy Willott and Connie Bickerton
were front-row participants (photo right) at the 2014
Audubon Council of Washington (ACOW). Hosted
this year by Grays Harbor Audubon at the Shilo Inn
in Ocean Shores, the annual ACOW brings together
leaders from all 24 Washington Audubon chapters
and the staff of Audubon Washington. The annual
conference includes a meeting of the Washington
Audubon Conservation Committee.
Photo by Don Willott.
that deserve special attention
because of their importance as
migration stopovers and breeding
grounds along our flyways. PointNo-Point County Park in Hansville
is an official IBA because of
its blend of wetlands, nutrient
churning tidal eddies and its value
as a rest stop for birds crossing the
open waters of Admiralty Straits.
Kitsap Audubon is partnering
with many community groups and
organizations to help protect the
habitat that remains and the birds
we love. Kitsap Audubon has
been deeply involved in Kitsap
Forest and Bay coalition efforts
to preserve nearly 7,000 acres of
shoreline and forest surrounding
Port Gamble Bay. Kitsap Audubon
has also helped raise money for
the Bainbridge Land Trust Hilltop
Project and community-based
efforts to keep Gazzam Lake wild.
These are samples of the chapter’s
efforts to engage the wider
community. But it’s going to take
all of us to address the very real
and urgent concerns raised by the
recent Audubon Report.
Field Trips & Events - Al Westphal, Field Trip Chair
Sinclair Inlet and Vicinity: Saturday, November
15. (Al Westphal and John Finkbeiner, coleaders): [email protected], 206-780-7844
(e-mail preferred). We’ll start this half-day event
on the Port Orchard waterfront looking for the
wintering gulls and seabirds on Sinclair inlet, then
we’ll work our way at least as far as Manchester
State Park. A scope will be useful if you have one.
Meet at 8:30 at the parking area near Amy’s By the
Bay at 100 Harrison Street, Port Orchard.
Hansville/Point No Point: Saturday, December 13
(Al Westphal). [email protected], 206-780-7844
(e-mail preferred). We will warm up for the CBC
with a return to Hansville to look for overwintering
waterfowl and other interesting wildlife along the
Puget Sound shoreline and in the marsh at this Important Bird Area. We’ll also bird Norwegian
Point Park in “downtown” Hansville. This will be a half-day trip. We will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the
lighthouse parking lot.
Kitsap Christmas Bird Count, Saturday, December 20th (see next page for details).
Field Trip Reports
Point No Point/Norwegian Point, September 27 (Al Westphal). We had a big group of 21
birders on what turned out to be a sunny Saturday morning after a week of rain. The birds on
land and at sea were a bit sparse and/or distant, but we did end up with a respectable and wellearned list of 38 species. Highlights included a small flock of Greater White-fronted Geese that
Connie sighted and Andrew identified in the wetland, and the Pacific Loon in breeding plumage
that Joe Jack spotted just off Norwegian Point. It is always great to have a group with a variety
of birding experience levels, and I appreciated all the help with spotting and ID, and especially
the willingness of participants to help each other learn more about our regional birds.
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, October 18 (Al Westphal). A group of nine KAS members
assembled at the NWR in spite of intermittent rain for what turned out to be quite a good
morning of birding. Rain was quite bearable and abated throughout the morning, and the
temperature was surprisingly mild. Standouts among
the birds we sighted included Greater White-fronted
Geese at the start of the walk and the Aleutian subspecies of cacklers at the end. In between, we had a
pretty good array and nice looks at a lot of raptors,
notably the hunting Northern Harriers and a brief look
at a Merlin, plenty of waterfowl, and a Northern Shrike
that finally accommodated us with a nice close up. Total list came to 41 species.
Northern Shrike photographed
by Connie Bickerton at
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge.
2014 Kitsap Christmas Bird Count
Sign up now for the annual
Kitsap Audubon Christmas Bird
Count, Saturday, December 20.
All skill levels are welcome.
Kitsap Audubon Society has
been conducting annual CBCs for
41 years. On the day of the count,
we will have nine field teams
counting the number of species
they see in designated ares within
our 15-mile count circle, including
an owling team that will begin
before dawn, led by noted owling
researcher Jamie Acker.
If you are unable to join one
of the field teams you can sign up
to count birds in your own yard
on the day of the count. The Yard
Count is coordinated by Milly
Bellemere.
Listed below are the leaders
for each area. If you’re interested
in participating, contact the area
leader directly. For information,
contact CBC organizers Gene
and Sandy Bullock (genebullock@
comcast.net).
History of Christmas Bird Count
In 1900 commercial market
hunters had hunted many species
to the brink of extinction for their
meat and feathers. Some locales
also had a tradition called the
“Christmas Shoot,” when hunters
competed to see who could kill
the most birds and small game
on Christmas day. Ornithologist
Frank Chapman and a group of
Audubon friends decided to start
a nonlethal tradition of counting
the birds instead of shooting
them. It caught on, and today
National Audubon sponsors more
than 2,000 CBC count circles in
the Western Hemisphere involving
thousands of volunteers.
The annual Audubon
Christmas Bird Counts have
become an important source
of data used by ornithologists
to track population trends and
monitor the health of individual
species.
2014 Kitsap Audubon CBC Leaders
To sign up, contact area leader directly
AREA
WHERE
CONTACT
TELEPHONE
E-MAIL
1
Sinclair Inlet
Chazz Hesselein
360-633-0486
[email protected]
2
West Bremerton
Brad Waggoner
206-780-9581
[email protected]
3
Chico/Seabeck
Lisa Pedersen
360-830-4768
[email protected]
4
East Bremerton
Victor Ulsh
360-479-6900
[email protected]
5
South B I
Lee & Kirk Robinson
206-842-0774
[email protected]
6
North B I
George Gerdts
206-842-8138
[email protected]
7A
Silverdale/Keyport
Al Westphal
206-780-7844
[email protected]
7B
Poulsbo
Gene & Sandy Bullock
360-394-5635
[email protected]
Owls
Jamie Acker
206-780-5230
[email protected]
Backyard Count
Milly Bellemere
360-830-4231
[email protected]
CBC Compiler
Janine Schutt
360-830-4446
[email protected]
Kitsap Audubon History - Joan Carson
KAS History - 1980 Conclusion
The October program
for Kitsap Audubon members
was a presentation by the KAS
Conservation Committee on
their work on Kitsap County’s
Significant Natural Areas.
For close to a year, they had
been mapping these areas
and establishing criteria for
identifying such places. Ron
Hirschi and Don Davidson
spearheaded this work that
included compiling a list of
known significant natural areas
and drawing up guidelines for
maintaining them. This effort
was considered to be one of
the most valuable contributions
KAS could make in helping
protect not only the native
wildlife but our own quality of
life as it exists in Kitsap County.
A future issue of this newsletter
included several pages of criteria
members could reference
as a means of contributing
additional information to the
effort. October’s field trip was
a joint outing for members of
Tahoma and Kitsap Audubon.
It would be led by TAS’ Wally
Wilkins and Joan Carson would
coordinate the KAS part. Wilkins
was considered an expert on
the area the trip would visit.
The Fort Lewis Prairie and Lake
Sequalletchen field trip included
a four mile hike around the lake
and a driving tour of the prairie.
The Wildlife Guide published
by KAS had been questioned
by members of the University
of Puget Sound’s Museum of
Natural History. They wanted
more data on our inclusion of
the gray squirrels and eastern
cottontails. Members that had
seen both of these species were
asked for confirmation of their
existence in Kitsap County.
(Wouldn’t it be nice if they had to
ask us about it today?)
November’s newsletter
noted the date for the Christmas
Count had been chosen
as December 28 (after the
Christmas rush and before New
Year’s activities). Jim Heins was
Chairman and his hope for this
Count was to break the 100
species mark. In the six years
preceding it, KAS had recorded
130 species but not all of them in
the same year. Some interesting
bird sightings for September
and October had been reported
in this issue. Tena Doan on
Bainbridge had a visit from a
male BLUE GROUSE. Frank
Beyer saw a Townsend’s Solitaire
in his Port Orchard yard. Joan
Carson saw a spotted sandpiper
on the beach near the Marine
Science Center (where Liberty
Bay Marina is now located). Two
pages of the newsletter were
devoted to the 13-page booklet,
“Kitsap County Significant
Natural Areas,” Ron Hirschi and
Don Davidson who created this
report had presented it to the
County Planning Commission.
Their work covered the North
Kitsap area. The Commissioners
received it with enthusiasm and
the hope was the entire County
would also be covered. (I may be
wrong but I don’t think this was
accomplished.) Included in the
newsletter portion of the Criteria
was the section on “Areas
used by rare or Endangered
and Threatened Species.” It is
interesting to read today a list of
these species as it was in 1980.
Birds & Mammals: sharp-shinned
hawk; Cooper’s hawk; golden
eagle; osprey; merlin; barn owl;
spotted owl; trumpeter swan;
canvasback; black oystercatcher;
pileated woodpecker; Western
bluebird; yellow warbler; cougar;
fisher; long-legged bat; silver-
haired bat; hoary bat; pallid bat;
northern elephant seal. (Win
some; lose some.) A new Director
on the National Audubon’s Board
of Directors was announced
that month and KAS members
recognized an old friend. Helen
Engle of Tahoma Audubon was
appointed to the position. She
was a main force in helping KAS
evolve.
The December newsletter
was a combination DecemberJanuary 1981. The December
program was given by Jim Heins
and Frank Beyer and focused
entirely on the upcoming
Christmas Count. A potluck and
spaghetti feed followed the
count and the monthly raffle
suggested Christmas shopping
ideas like the Zella Schultz limited
edition prints. The proceeds
would go to the Protection Island
Fund. Ken Short’s bird houses
would also be in good supply.
The January program would be
given by Dee Molenaar, the wellknown geologist, mountaineer,
writer, artist and cartographer
who had climbed Mount Rainier
fifty times. This program would
be on Mount St. Helens, “the
mountain that blew its top.”
January’s field trip was to take
part in the nationwide Bald
Eagle Census. It was noted that
the previous count showed
Washington as second only to
Alaska when it came to numbers
of eagles counted in the twoweek period.
A quiz was included in the pages
of the 1980 newsletters and
this was the one for December.
“Which, if any, of these species
usually raise their wings over
their backs when alighting?
_ American Golden Plover; _
American Woodcock; _Eskimo
Curlew; _Upland Plover; _ Willet.
(Answer? Next Month.
The Wildlife Sightings--Joan Carson
Wildlife Sightings (joanpcarson@
geese fly over the center of
Daniels, Keyport, had a flock of
comcast.net)
the Island. October 2, Gene &
seven sandhill cranes fly over.
Western scrub-jays have
Linda Daniels had a large flock
They circled the field 7-8 times
shown up in what appears to
of double-crested cormorants
as if they wanted to sit down
be increasing numbers this
(100+) on Liberty Bay in front of
but continued south at about
fall. There have been several
their place in Keyport. October 1, 1000 feet toward Brownsville.
sightings in Kitsap County and
Ray Schreiber, Manchester, sent
Gene also reported they have
in the Port Angeles-Sequim
in great photos of the pileated
had a bumper cop of tree frogs
region. Migrating geese over our woodpecker and Western scruband that is unusual for them.
area have also made migration
jay that were feeding at his
September 25, Janine Schutt,
sightings interesting.
kayaking on Wildcat
October 13,
Lake, counted 200+
Cathy Wyatt saw two
violet-green swallows
scrub-jays at a friend’s
overhead, 20 yellowfeeder on Sandy Hook
rumped warblers on
Road near Agate Pass.
shore, the resident
October 11, Robert
pied-billed grebe and
Ringland sent in some
what appeared to be
beautiful photos of
a mallard duck with
gray-crowned rosy
leucistic coloring. This
finches and a black“weird” duck showed
backed woodpecker.
great curiosity when it
Both were seen at
came to her kayak and
7000 feet on Mt.
stayed close for some
Hood’s North Side.
excellent photos.
October 7, Janine
A neat experience.
Schutt at Wildcat Lake
September 23, Lila
counted 4 cackling
Morris in Hansville,
geese traveling with
had a visit from the
about two dozen of
Western scrub-jays
Jay Wiggs captured this striking image of a
the larger Canada
gathering of Great Blue Herons. They are a familiar and large flocks of
geese. She also
sight as they stand motionless and statue-like along small swallows that
watched six juvenile
could have been
the margins of our shorelines and waterways.
surf scoters on the
the rough-winged.
Lake. Also on the seventh, Ray
feeders on that date. Also on
September 23, the Carsons
Schreiber saw a scrub-jay at
October 1, Sharon Smuin from
yard in Poulsbo was bursting
about 9:00 a.m., a block west of
Indianola counted 12 greater
with birds and some 18 species,
the Bremerton Shipyard. October white-fronted geese feeding in
including mourning dove and
7, Al Westphal reported that
the marsh at Point-No-Point.
brown creeper, were counted
his son, Andrew, saw at least a
This was across from the viewing
in less than 30 minutes. It was
dozen or more greater whiteplatforms and there were adults
a repeat of the day before,
fronted geese hanging out on
and juveniles in the flock. On the
September 22 when large
the grounds of the Woodward
same day, the Carsons in Poulsbo numbers of golden-crowned
and Sakaii schools on Bainbridge. had their first fox sparrow arrive.
sparrows made their first fall
October 4, Ian Paulsen and Brad
September 30, Carson
appearance.
Waggoner reported seeing 9
yard, Poulsbo, a flock of 50-60
Let’s hope some of our
elegant terns off the southeast
greater white-fronted geese
mild fall days continue and that
tip of Bainbridge. This was a new flew right over the yard heading
they bring more migrants and
species for the Island list that Ian
southeast toward Bainbridge.
winter residents into our yards.
has been compiling for several
On the 29th, they had their first
years now. October 3, Deborah
fall orange-crowned warbler.
Rudnick saw a half-dozen snow
September 26, Gene & Linda
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Kitsap Audubon Society
P.O. Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370
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The Kingfisher is the newsletter
of the Kitsap Audubon Society,
P.O. Box 961, Poulsbo, WA 98370.
It is published eight times a year,
September to May. Submissions
from readers are welcome. We
reserve the right to edit for space,
grammar or legal reasons. Email text
or photographs to genebullock@
comcast.net or mail to Gene Bullock,
1968 NE Lind Ct., Poulsbo WA
98370. Our deadline is the 15th of
the preceding month.
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