August 24-25 2013 Field Trip to Westport/Ocean Shores Sees Rare State Records Report from Art Wang: Twenty ABC members on the Tahoma Audubon Aug. 24-25 field trip to Grays Harbor enjoyed great looks at rare birds: a second state record Smith’s Longspur and a fourth state record Great Shearwater. Eleven of us were on the pelagic portion of the field trip and enjoyed calm seas and sunny skies aboard the Monte Carlo with Westport Seabirds. It was a great day for big numbers of Pink-footed Shearwaters, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels, and our prettiest gull, the Sabine’s Gull, with big numbers and good views of each. Black-footed Albatrosses sailed by, displaying their amazing flying talents. We also had excellent views at Tufted Puffins, Arctic Terns (some still in breeding plumage), and Red Phalaropes. Views were more fleeting for Buller’s Shearwater and a slam with all four Northwest members of the Skua-Jaeger family: South Polar Skua, and Pomarine, Parasitic, and Long-tailed Jaegers. But the highlight of the day came as we stopped to investigate the flocks of pelagic birds trailing after shrimp boats on the open seas. One of the shearwaters let us get closer and closer until we realized it was a Great Shearwater, an Atlantic species and only the fourth record for the state. Everyone had sensational views and our boat must have taken several hundred photos of it. This was the first pelagic trip for many of our members, so most got numerous life birds. But birds weren’t all that we saw. We also had the rare treat of seeing dozens of Risso’s Dolphins and Northern Right Whale Dolphins in active feeding right next to the boat. We got back to Westport in the late afternoon and took off to Tokeland and Graveyard Spit to find the Elegant Terns that had been there all week. By the time we arrived in Aberdeen and ate dinner, we were all exhausted, but satisfied after a great first day of birding. The second day may have been even better! Several more birders joined us who had not been on the boat trip and we headed to the Game Range in Ocean Shores, where a Smith’s Longspur, the second state record, had been seen the day before. Sure enough, we found it and had great looks as it perched on a log, gave its rattling flight call, and flashed its white outer tail feathers when it flew. This was a life bird for almost everyone there. After a stop at Bottle Beach, some of the group saw Willets, Great Egrets, and Elegant Terns at Tokeland, while others refound and had great looks at a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Midway Beach. A very successful field trip! Not only a second state record and a fourth state record, but everyone present had great looks at them! See the next Towhee for more photos. See photos on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/TahomaAudubon Click on photo(s) below to enlarge: (Top group and bottom Smith’s Longspur by Diane Y-Q; middle Great Shearwater by Art Wang)

Swift chimney at the old Northern Hospital in Sedro-Woolley: September 21, 2013: We’ll meet in Tacoma (where, to be decided by those who sign up by September 15th) and travel the 2-1/2 hours to the biggest (physically) Swift chimney in the state or maybe anywhere, leaving around 4:00 or so. We’ll meet the Skagit Audubon field trip group who have made arrangements for our admittance into the closed Job Corps site that now occupies this campus and enjoy the spectacle! Contact Diane Yorgason-Quinn to sign up (avosetta@hotmail.com) or (253) 857-3367. We’ll be home late. For a closer-in chimney, sign up for the Tahoma Audubon field trip to Selleck on September 14th. More details in the Towhee. Also sign up with Diane for this one.

The ABC meeting on July 25, 2013, was fascinating, presented by our own members!

First David Marshall, who winters in Jamaica and has recently been made co-editor of the birding publication there, the Broadsheet, gave us a rundown on Jamaican endemics, Jamaican endemic subspecies, as well as some of his favorite Jamaican birds, and familiarized us with the layout of this beautiful island. For copies of the Broadsheet as well as David’s summary of these birds, ask him or ask me (Avosetta@hotmail.com) to e-mail them to you.

Then the large group who went to Malheur in May gave their report of many amorous Avocets, Willets, and a bunch of other birds, seen against beautiful blue skies. Leaders Shelly Parker and Carolyn Berry reported, along with help from Malheur volunteer Jerry Broadus and photographs from Pat Damron and Laurel Parshall. Pat’s and Laurel’s photographs can be seen online at: Laurel: http://www.flickr.com/photos/llp_unesolitaire/sets/72157633757413804/ Pat: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AcNHLJq2bNmbCSg

Pictured below are the evening’s talent, including a group photo of half the Malheur participants were attended the meeting, since they didn’t get a group photo during the trip! Click to enlarge.

Woodpecker Trip Report, June 29, 2013:

Leader Rolan Nelson says, “The whole idea of leading a trip was a ploy to make sure that I actually got to go on one! There were nine of us, and we were amazed at the number of vocalizing songbirds there were at our stops along Camas Meadows. Almost too many to sort out, but excellent looks at MacGillivray’s Warblers and Lazuli Buntings. Many of our birds were heard but not seen, which was a disappointment. Too many leaves! Five woodpeckers presented themselves; Acorn, Hairy, Pileated, Flicker, and a very cooperative Red-naped Sapsucker. Just about every passerine family had a least one representative. By the end of the day we had tallied 43 species; not many, but a good mix and beautiful weather.

Click below to enlarge photos taken by participants:

The evening of June 25, 2013, 35 or so ABC’ers pressed into the Slater Museum at the University of Puget Sound and played with the collections of birds and birds’ wings. Director Peter Wimberger, also on the Board of Directors of Tahoma Audubon, gave us a great history starting with specimens 100 years old and going right up to the cutting-edge isotope studies that are happening now. From Passenger Pigeons to Anna’s Hummingbirds, we were educated by way of actual bird specimens. For more info, check out their website that includes info on how to handle dead birds you come across and donate them, as well as has links to photos of the collections including thousands of bird wings: http://www.pugetsound.edu/academics/academic-resources/slater-museum/ Also check out the upcoming August edition of The Towhee.

Below: Director Peter Wimberger of the Slader spreads his wings for ABC (Photo/Diane Y-Q)

June Night at the Museum — The Slater Museum at UPS

June 25 (4th Tuesday) Around 6:45 PM. We’ll meet at the Slater Museum at the University of Puget Sound and see their bird and wing collections, hosted by director Peter Wimberger, who is also on the board of Tahoma Audubon. Peter says, “The museum is Thompson 295 which is on the east side of the building on the 2nd floor. You can park in the lot to the south of Thompson and the cross streets are N 14th and Union. I’ll meet you at the SOUTHEAST door. Photography is allowed.”

Directions to the University of Puget Sound:

I-5 directions: Drive south or north on Interstate 5 until you reach Tacoma.

· Take the exit to downtown Tacoma or Tacoma City Center (also Rt 705, which is a little spur freeway); a very obvious landmark at the exit is the Tacoma Dome (just north of the exit – won’t see in time if coming from the south).

· Get in the right lane of Rt. 705.

· Take the Schuster Parkway exit, stay in the left lane of this smaller freeway and it will put you onto Schuster Parkway.

· Drive along the water and take the N. 30th St exit. The exit dumps you directly onto N 30th;

· You’ll go thru a light (in the Old Town district) and then up a long hill. About 7 or 8 blocks past the crest of the hill is Union Avenue (street divided by tree planted median).

· Go left on Union and head south on Union until you hit N 14th.

· Take a left at N 14th; this will put you in a UPS parking lot. The science building (Thompson Hall) is the building bordering the lot on the north side (older brick building).

· The Museum is Thompson 295. It is in the east wing of the building (the one on the right as you face the building from the parking lot) on the second floor.

From Gig Harbor or SR 16:

· Take SR 16 to Tacoma.

· Exit at Union Ave.

· Turn north onto Union and stay north past all the South numbered streets.

· The streets are labeled as “South” until they suddenly switch at North 6th Ave (a main E-W thoroughfare).

· Continue north to N 14th (past the UPS stadium and playing fields on your right) and turn right into the parking lot.

· The science building (Thompson Hall) is the older brick building bordering the lot on the north side.

July 25 (4th Thursday) – UPlace Library – 6:45: Malheur and other field trip reports, plus a look at Jamaican endemics courtesy of ABC member David Marshall who spends his winters there and is co-editor of their birding journal. He’ll have a riveting report on the bird smuggling trade there, too.

August: No meeting in August.

We had a great meeting tonight reviewing some of the rare and unusual birds we’ve seen lately. At least one member of our group has seen each of the following lately:

Citrine Wagtail Red-Flanked Bluetail Brambling White-Winged Crossbills Thick-Billed Murre Horned Puffin Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Black-Necked Stilt, out of range (ocean) Hermit Warbler, out of range Slaty-Backed Gull Glaucous Gull White-Breasted Nuthatch (in Pierce County) Semi-Palmated Sandpiper

Eyewitness reports and/or photos were presented by Ed Pullen, Faye McAdams Hands, Ryan Wiese, Brian Pendleton, Rolan Nelson, Carol Smith, and Ken Brown (and photos in absentia from Laurel Parshall, Vicki Biltz, Heather Roskelley, and Wayne Sladek). Difficult bird ID photo on Least Sandpipers was provided by John Riegsecker. Historical background was also provided by Ruth Sullivan on the Gulls.

Thanks to all. It was lively!

May 20, 2013: – ABC Meeting at UPlace Library – 6:45. We’ll be reviewing the amazing parade of rare birds that have visited our area in the past few months with eyewitness reports from many of you. If you have photos of some recent rarities or stories, bring them!

June meeting – (fourth week in June, actual date to be announced): We’ll visit the slater Museum at the University of Puget Sound and see their bird and wing collections, hosted by director Peter Wimberger, who is also on the board of Tahoma Audubon. Stay tuned for particulars.

July 25, 2013: (4th Thursday) – UPlace Library – 6:34: Malheur and other field trip reports, plus a look at Jamaican endemics courtesy of ABC member David Marshall who spends his winters there and is co-editor of their birding journal. He’ll have a riveting report on the bird smuggling trade there, too.

We may take the month of August off unless someone has a program they’re burning to present.