Rainier Audubon Society June 2009

Summer Break 2009 Birdathon Field Trip

by Jim Tooley
F or the next three months, Rainier
Audubon volunteers will be taking a summer
break from organizing and producing monthly
programs and newsletters. You will be able to
A group
of seven
attend programs and begin receiving your Heron birders met
Herald again in September. Meanwhile, please in Auburn
check our always-up-to-date website for what on May 16
we might be up to (www.RainierAudubon.org) for the 2009
— and much is going on with Rainier over the Birdathon
summer. For instance, we have a field trip on June 6 to Flaming Geyser Park field
(see Field Trips, page 5), and we be will staffing a table at the Covington trip across
Water-wise Garden Faire on June 20. In August, the board will meet for a Snoqualmie Pass
marathon retreat, to plan for the upcoming year. All members are welcome to to Vantage. As in past years, we planned
attend the retreat and help us plan. For details of time and place, contact VP to follow I-90 and the Vantage Highway
Steve Feldman, at stephanfeldman@gmail.com. (Old US 10) to the Columbia River.
The trip showed promise right
Twice a year, the state Audubon office (Washington Audubon) offers from the beginning, when the first bird
an all-chapter get-together and conference (known as ACOW for Audubon found as a group was a Western Tanager
Council of Washington). For this fall’s ACOW gathering on October 9-11, in the Safeway parking lot in downtown
Pilchuck Audubon is host and the location will be in Everett — but Rainier Auburn. Nice start!
will have hospitality responsibilities, and we would love some help planning The weather was warm and sunny
and organizing this. If you can help, please let us know! with little wind. Even the summit
of the Pass was comfortable at 7:00
And next year, 2010, RAINIER WILL AM, where we looked for swallows,
BE HOST! Our turn comes only once crows, ravens, and Rufous and Anna’s
every 10 or 11 years, so we are very hummingbirds. Gold Creek at Hyak
much looking forward to welcoming was quiet, but the next stop at Crystal
Audubon members from around the Springs Campground was very active.
state to our beautiful neck of the Highlights there included American
woods. If you have any spare time Dipper, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Bald
and would like to help us plan and Eagle, and a variety of flycatchers and
organize this conference, your help warblers.
would be much appreciated. Please A stop at the wetlands along
contact Nancy Streiffert at Bullfrog Road near Cle Elum was
Nancy_Streiffert@hotmail.com if you productive. We saw Common
can help. Thank you! Have a good summer. Yellowthroat, nuthatches, Great Blue
Heron, warblers, and Chipping Sparrow.
Summertime sighting: Pacific Fritillary butterfly
Photo by Joseph Higbee
Continued on page 4
 President’s Message — by Nancy Streiffert
Happy summer - or
whatever season the
weather is bringing
you when you
receive this!
This is our last
newsletter until
fall. We start
meeting again
in September.
Having only been
president for a
few months, I am
grateful to many
and impressed by
the people I’ve worked
with and gotten to know.
It is always dangerous to start thanking people because
some names inevitably get missed and feelings get hurt.
And there are many people who do things out of sight -
Carol Schultz and her husband repaired the canopy that
we use at outdoor events. Carol also leads many bird
walks for Rainier and her walk was a star attraction at
the Tukwila Wildlife Fair. Ed Stanton and Carol Stoner
represented us to a large group of Federal Way students
at an Earth Week Event at Saltwater Park. Carol also
staffs our table at the ACES events (Association of
South King County Environmental Stewards). Jane
Gardner sets up and provides the treats and goodies
at our meetings. Ross and Annette Tabor pick up our
coffee! Nancy Hertzel designs and edits our newsletter.
Bernedine Lund leads intrepid warriors, come rain or
shine, against invasive ivy at Dash Point Park. Vern
Sumner builds our swallow and chickadee birdhouses.
Rainier Board members Annette Tabor, Carol Stoner,
Pat Toth, Jim Tooley, Dale Meland, and Steve Feldman
attend monthly meetings to plan and implement the
many parts of the organization that keep us interesting
and vital to your birding world! Alex Gitman, our
administrative assistant, is catching on quickly to
work with us on events and other planning. I am sure
I’ve missed many worthy people. Please know you
are valued! Have a wonderful summer of birding and
enjoying our great northwest. See you in the fall.

OFFICERS
President ----------Nancy Streiffert------------ ----(253) 796-2203
Vice President ----------Steve Feldman*-------------- ----(360) 802-5211
Treasurer ----------Jim Tooley *------------------ ----(253) 854-3070
Program Chair ----------Dale Meland*--------------- ----(253) 946-1637
Field Trip Chair ----------Carol Schulz----------------- ----(206) 824-7618
Backyard H abitat Chair ----------Carol Stoner*--------------- ----(253) 854-3207
M embership Chair ----------Pat Toth----------------------- ----(206) 767-4944
Conservation Chair ----------Dan Streiffert--------------- ----(253) 796-2203
M ailing Chair ----------Debra Russell---------------- ----(425) 271-0682
Hospitality ----------Jane Gardner ---------------- ----(253) 631-3105
Newsletter Editor ----------Nancy Hertzel-------------- ----(253) 255-1808
Education Chair ----------Annette Tabor*------------- ----(253) 927-3208
Christmas Bird Count Coordinator ----------Nancy Streiffert------------ ----(253) 796-2203
Board M ember ----------Max Prinsen------------------ ----(425) 432-9965
Board M ember ----------Erin Wojewodski-Prinsen ----(425) 432-9965

*Also serves as Board member

Rainier Audubon Society

PO Box 778. Auburn WA 98071. (253) 796-2203
website: www.RainierAudubon.org
email: info@RainierAudubon.org

JUNE 2009 - PAGE 2

 2009 Tukwila Backyard Wildlife Festival
by Nancy Streiffert

The 2009 Tukwila Backyard
Wildlife Festival, held on May 9,
International Migratory Bird Day, was a
blazing success! Blazing because, after
so much rain and unpredictable, often
unpleasant weather recently, we had a
very sunny, almost warm day! Many
people took advantage of it to attend
this family-friendly outdoor event at the
community center in Tukwila. Many
organizations that promote enjoyment,
education, and conservation of our
natural resources, both plants and
animals, were represented with colorful
booths and interesting presentations.
Alex Gitman, our administrative
assistant, had a roster of volunteers
for our Rainier booth: Jane Gardner,
Terri Thurber, Cathea Stanley, and
Carol Stoner, as well as Alex herself,
who helped answer questions, make
colorful buttons, and stamp kids’
passports when they could answer
our wildlife question: Which ducks
quack? (Mallards and Goldeneyes)
Carol Schulz led a bird walk along the
Duwamish River - people were lining
up way early and saying they come for
the bird walk every year! If you missed
it this year, you can look forward
to it next year! I enjoy the various
community festivals — especially those
that emphasize the natural environment
and the beauty all around us! I hope
you do, too.

Tukwila Festival Bird Walk

by Carol Schulz
I led a bird tour I was hearing.
at the Tukwila Warbler viewing
Backyard is very tricky,
Wildlife Festival, because these
and the birds small “jewels of
were there! It is the forest” move
the best year for so fast. But a lot
warbler sightings of the folks got
that we have ever to see some of
had on any of the approximately
our walks around 10 Yellow-rumps
the Tukwila among the
Community willows. Then we
Center Park! started hearing
This year was the WILSON’S
9th annual WARBLERS.
festival, and the Many of the
fourth year that people got to see
Rainier has led a one of the two or
bird walk there. three beautiful
The weather male Wilson’s
was sunny, Warblers that were
and there was People gather at the river overlook for Carol’s bird walk. present during the
no wind. Over 25 people including tour. They are bright yellow, and have
several children showed up for the Our group headed to the left, above a black cap. As we watched these two
walk. Our booth is next to the wall the river trail, and right away, people kinds of warblers, a third warbler, an
overlooking the Duwamish River, started seeing a YELLOW-RUMPED ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER,
and the group met there. I explained WARBLER flitting in the willows. We flew through the willows and perched
that migrant birds fly along the river then walked quickly down the steps briefly over the trail ahead of us.
because it flows north/south and to the paved path along the river, and Several people got to see it before it
makes a perfect corridor for migrating headed slowly upriver to what I am now flew back into the willows. I heard
birds in the spring. The willows and calling, “Warbler Corner” at the upriver
trees that are planted at the park are end of the park. Wow! The kids and Continued on page 7
a great attraction for the songbirds. adults started seeing the warblers that
JUNE 2009 - PAGE 3
 A COW!? I Thought Audubon Was About Birds!
by Nancy Streiffert
When you return to our meetings
in the fall, you will be hearing about
A Cow - that is how the acronym for
Audubon Council of Washington
is pronounced! It is a twice-yearly
conference for Audubon members
from all the different chapters of
Audubon throughout Washington
state. Each spring and fall, a different
chapter hosts the event in a different
part of the state. A second chapter
is responsible for hospitality for the
event — providing snacks.
ACOW is a great opportunity to
hear interesting speakers, check out
what other chapters are doing, learn
about issues such as education and
conservation, share ideas with like-
minded folks, visit another part of our
state and get to know their birding
hotspots, and enjoy food, fun, and
fellowship with other birders.
ACOW birders
JUNE 2009 - PAGE 4
Birdathon Field Trip
(Continued from page 1)
Carol Schulz then showed us a
The most recent ACOW was held
new attraction on the Roslyn-Cle Elum
in early May in Leavenworth and was
Road — a home with a large, shaded
hosted by Spokane Audubon. Rainier
yard has dozens of feeders installed in
was represented by Annette and Ross
and under the trees, a magnet for the
Tabor. The next ACOW will be
seedeaters. All three of the red-headed
October 9-11 - put it on your calendar
finches were present – House, Cassin’s
now. It is being hosted by the Pilchuk
and Purple finches – a very unusual
chapter and takes place in Everett.
occurrence. There were many Pine
Rainier will provide hospitality. Then
Siskins and Evening Grosbeaks also. It
next spring, May, 2010, WE will be
is a truly remarkable sight (site?).
hosts! Needless to say, inviting lots
Next was the Fish Hatchery in
of folks to our area for an event that
Cle Elum and the adjacent Northern
lasts from Friday evening through
Pacific Railroad Ponds with ducks, more
Sunday noon is a huge undertaking!
nuthatches, Black-headed Grosbeaks,
We look forward to your ideas and
hummers, and a first for this trip,
participation in the planning and
Pygmy Nuthatch, a bird normally seen
execution of a successful ACOW. In
at somewhat higher elevations. It made
the meantime, plan to attend the
for an unusual 3-nuthatch day.
Fall ACOW in Everett to see what
A brief, “cursory” stop at the
it is like! All Audubon members
Teanaway River wetlands proved to be
are welcome. Information will be
another highlight. Carol tried playing
on the Pilchuck website (www.
a Virginia Rail tape, and it roused a
pilchuckaudubon.org). Thank you.
very territorial bird. We think it might
have attacked if she had played the tape
again. It came right to the base of the
bank at road’s edge – less than 10 feet
away.
Two to three brief stops between
Teanaway and Vantage gave us
Eurasian Collared-Dove, the last of
our five swallows, and California Quail.
Although Vantage was mostly quiet,
we did get a rare look (for most of us
Puget Sounders) at a Horned Grebe
in full breeding plumage. Usually we
get to see most of the grebes only in
their black-and-white-and-gray winter
plumage.
My personal list for the day
included 77 species, but the group as a
whole saw 80-85 species, a pretty good
day. I want to say thanks to Carol Schulz
for helping to lead the trip and her
expertise in identifying all those mystery
birds and their calls.
Photo courtesy of Audubon WA
 Field Trips and Things to Do
Water-Wise Garden Faire
Saturday, June 20
1 PM to 4 PM
Covington Water District
18631 SE 300th Pl, Covington
Come tour a botanical oasis filled
with a wide variety of drought
tolerant plants, all identified.
Enjoy a guided tour led by a WSU
Master Gardener. Printed plant
guides will be available, which
identify hundreds of species, both
native and non-native, that thrive
in this area.
Tours, speakers, demonstrations,
door prizes, and more! With over
50% of residential summer water
use being applied to landscapes,
this fair will give you practical
ways to reduce your water usage
and save money!
Garage Sale at SHADOW
Sat-Sun, June 6-7
Sat-Sun, June 13-14
SHADOW, an organization on
Shadow Lake in Renton which
was formed to preserve Shadow
Lake Bog (letters stand for
Save Habiat and Diversity of
Wetlands) will be having a fund-
raising garage sale the first two
weekends of June. Donations are
welcome! And if you can help
staff the sale any time during
those two weekends, that would
be wonderful, too. If you can help
or have items to donate, please
contact Erin:
Email: info@shadowhabitat.org
Phone: (425) 432-9965
Thank you!
Weekly Bird Walks
at Nisqually
Wednesdays
8:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Leader: Phil Kelley
Birdwalks have now changed!
The boardwalk loop, including
the Twin Barns and riparian
overlook, are the only areas open
to the public due to construction
related to dike removal. Even
so, bird wtaching has been quite
good!
Join Phil on his weekly bird
walk as he counts the birds at
Nisqually NWR. The group takes
the boardwalk/trail loop out to
the Twin Barns, the Nisqually
overlook area, and the riparian
area, totaling about two miles.
Bring: Good walking shoes or
boots, raingear, water, snacks, and
$3 for entry fee unless you have a
pass. Scopes are welcome.
Meet: At the Visitors Center.
Directions: Take I-5
south from Tacoma and exit to
Nisqually NWR at exit 114. Take
a right at the light.
Sign-up: Call or email Phil to
confirm details: (360) 459-1499, or
scrubjay323@aol.com.
Nisqually NWR has begun a
3-4 year estuary reconstruction
project. For more information
about trail closures during the
dike removal and reconstruction
project, go to www.fws.gov/
nisqually and click on Events and
News.
Flaming Geyser Park
Saturday, June 6, 2009
8:00 AM to Early Afternoon
Leader: Steve Johnson
In June, the summer birds
should be on their territory in
the beautiful Green Valley east
of Auburn. We’ll visit Academy
Drive, Green Valley Road, and
Flaming Geyser State Park. We
may see warblers, thrushes, Red-
breasted Sapsuckers, Red-eyed
Vireos, flycatchers, rails, and
dippers. We may walk up to one
mile on trails, but those who don’t
want to walk should be able to
see and hear birds near the cars.
People who bring their own cars,
and want to leave early may do so.
Bring: Lunch, snacks, drinks,
hiking shoes. Scopes welcome.
Meet: Auburn Safeway at
Auburn Ave & Main at 8:00 AM.
Directions: Take Hwy 18 to
Auburn, and exit at Auburn Ave
(hwy 164). Turn north (right) on
Auburn Way and drive 3 blocks
north. Safeway sign and gas
station is on the left. Park in the
lot just beyond the gas station
straight out from the right entry
door at Safeway at 8:00 AM.
Sign-up: Call Steve at (253)
941-9852 or email him at
johnsonsj5@msn.com.
JUNE 2009 - PAGE 5
 Legislative Update
by Dan Streiffert, Conservation Chair

2009 Priorities for a Healthy Washington results — Cap and Invest

did not pass the State Legislature. Efficiency First passed. Transit-
oriented Communities did not pass. Invest in Clean Water did not pass.
(See below for definitions.)

Pilchuck Audubon received $100,000 for Wagner Elementary

Chimney restoration (Vaux’s Swifts).

Thanks to the Washington Trails Association and others,

Washington State Parks will remain open this summer. This
announcement assumes new revenue sources from a $5 fee
attached to motor vehicle tab renewals (with a possibility of
users opting out) will provide $23 million to state parks. The
Legislature also transferred $19 million from the Non Highway
and Off Road Vehicle Activities and Boating Facilities Programs
to keep the parks open. With the failure of Cap and Invest at the
local level, it is important that we
seek solutions to climate change
at the national level.

Definitions

Cap and Invest — Cap and Invest requires

polluters to have permits to pollute and
to reduce their emissions over time.
Ultimately, the program must require
polluters to pay for these permits.

Efficiency First (PASSED)­— Energy efficiency is the cheapest, quickest, and

cleanest way to meet rising energy needs, confront climate change, and boost our
economy. More than 30% of Washington’s greenhouse-gas emissions come from energy use
in buildings. Making homes, businesses, and public institutions more energy-efficient will save money, create good local
jobs, enhance energy security, slash global-warming pollution and speed economic recovery while reducing the need to
invest in costly new generation.

Transit-Oriented Communities — Transit-Oriented Communities would revise the state’s transportation and land-use planning
framework to assist local jurisdictions to plan for growth in a sustainable and climate-friendly way. The bill will provide
incentives for cities and developers to create affordable, livable, transit-oriented development, increasing transportation
choices.

Invest in Clean Water — Fossil fuel combustion, leaking oil and grease, and degrading asphalt materials emit
hydrocarbons, zinc, arsenic and other toxic substances. Every time it rains, these pollutants are flushed into the stormwater
which flows into our lakes and streams. This bill would have imposed a per-barrel fee on petroleum products that
contribute to stormwater pollution (gasoline, diesel, lubricants, industrial fuels and asphalt and road oils.)

More at www.EnvironmentalPriorities.org

JUNE 2009 - PAGE 6

 Auburn Environmental Park Update
T he Auburn Environmental Park
began as an innovative project seeking
to create open space in an urbanized
area while offering opportunities for
economic development, water quality
improvement, stormwater detention
and flood control, fish and wildlife
enhancement, public education, and
recreation, including hiking trails
Tukwila Festival Bird Walk
Continued from page 3
later that after the walk, several people
went back to the upstream corner of
the trail, and saw more warblers.
From the river trail, we
walked up into the grass and
ballpark and viewed BARN
and VIOLET-GREEN
SWALLOWS. As usual,
the children, with their
good eyes, picked out some
details of color as the swiftly
flying birds flew by.
At the baseball diamond, we watched a
HOUSE SPARROW take a dust bath!
As we continued the walk, we saw a
and bird viewing amenities. Located
between 167, West main, and the
Interurban Trail, the city has completed
construction on one birdwatching
tower (photo below), with more
planned, and an extensive trail system
is also under way. The park is now
scheduled to open around the first
of June. There are also nest boxes
beautiful adult BALD EAGLE soaring
in the blue sky. As we walked past the
building, we got to see a very close
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
perched up in a small tree. At
the bridge we saw ROCK
PIGEON (formerly
called Rock Dove),
and GLAUCOUS-
WINGED
GULLS. These
are the highlights
of some of the birds
that we saw. Everyone
on the walk had a great time, and
especially enjoyed the warbler show.
After the walk, folks in our area saw
several other birds flying up or down
and bat boxes set up near the tower.
Native plants are ready to be planted,
but waiting for water levels to fall a
bit. Trails will be added in the future.
A copy of the Master Plan along with
historical information and maps can be
found at: www.auburnwa.gov/Assets/IS/
AuburnWA/Docs/AEPMasterPlan.pdf
the river in front of the booths. An
OSPREY flew by, a GREEN HERON
flew down-river, and a BROWN-
HEADED COWBIRD, a BLACK-
HEADED GROSBEAK, and a lemon-
yellow AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
flew in the area.
It was a great day for migratory birds
on International Migratory Bird Day!
Photo at left: Wilson’s Warbler
by Joseph Higbee
JUNE 2009 - PAGE 7
 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Rainier Audubon Membership Subscription or Renewal Form

One-year Membership in Rainier Audubon — $15
To join or renew, mail this application with your payment to:

Rainier Audubon Society - Membership

PO Box 778
Auburn, WA 98071

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Address _____________________________________________________________________________

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Email _______________________________________________________________________________