Need a set of volunteers to count Vaux Swifts at JBLM by this weekend!!!

From: Burney.Huff@mindspring.com Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:09:12 -0700

Hello to all, Earlier today I was notified that permission to count Vaux Swifts at JBLM has been granted!

Now, I need to assemble a team of volunteer counters as quickly as possible. Small numbers of birds have been arriving at chimneys in Western WA on recent nights. If you may be interested in counting during this Spring migration, here are the basic facts you need to know. The observer needs to be on site at the chimney about an hour before sunset, in anticipation of birds actually entering the chimney up to an hour later. On May 1 (about the earliest we can possibly start) sunset will occur at about 8:15 PM. Birds might enter as late as about 9:15 PM. At the end of May, when the migration will probably be about over, sunset will occur about 9:00 PM, with the birds entering by approximately 10:00 PM. The point is that the observation periods in the Spring get to be fairly late in the evening, which is difficult for some people. But, a big compensating factor is that some evenings are really beautiful in the Spring. (Maybe we will be able to watch the Red-breasted Nuthatches feeding their young while we count swifts again this year?)

Volunteers will need transportation to get to the chimney, which is an easy driving distance from the JBLM Main Gate or the DuPont Gate. Volunteers that already have access to the base will NOT need to get a separate visitor’s pass this year. Volunteers who do not have access to the base will need to provide me with their full name. I will forward those to our contact on the base who will, in turn, send the list to Base Security. When that happens, volunteers will be able to go to the Visitor’s Center, at the Main Gate, and get a 30-day visitor’s pass. To get the pass, each volunteer will need to show: 1) a drivers license, 2) vehicle registration, and 3) proof of insurance (all the normal things you should have in the vehicle when driving, anyway). If your vehicle needs to have an emissions test, you will also need a copy of a current certificate of passing the emissions test. Emissions tests are required for vehicles more than five years old and less than 25 years old and registered in Pierce or King Counties.) If you don’t have a copy of your certificate, I can tell you how to get a copy online. The 30-day visitor’s pass will need to be obtained on your first visit to the base. I recommend being at the Visitor’s Center about 45 minutes before you hope to arrive at the chimney. The time required to actually get a pass varies, depending on how busy the office is. You need to be aware that when you show them your driver’s license, they will run a check on the license – similar to the check that a police officer might run if you are stopped on the highway. It’s not a big deal. They just need to make sure you are an upstanding citizen, and who you say you are, before they give you access to the base. I appreciate their efforts to keep the base secure, as I’m sure all of you do, too.

For those who have not counted Vaux’s Swifts before, I will accompany you on your first night at the chimney to help you get comfortable. I’ll follow up on subsequent nights, if you want. We won’t leave you wondering how to proceed.

This is a fantastic opportunity to do some birding of a very different sort. It’s also an opportunity to see something absolutely amazing when all the swifts decide to enter the chimney. It can get to be a jaw-dropping experience. If you are interested and have other questions, please fire away with your questions. I’ll get them answered promptly.

Please let me know by Sunday, 4/28, by email, if you will be able to count this spring. I sincerely apologize for the short notice; but, we’ve been waiting to find out if our request for access was going to be approved. I got the good news only a few hours ago.

If you know anyone else who might be interested in doing this, please forward this email to them.

When we get a team of volunteers identified, I’ll send more details about how to get the visitor’s pass, etc.

Burney Huff Burney.Huff@mindspring.com

CUBA! The April 2013 ABC meeting attendees enjoyed a fine Italian meal at Bella Nina’s Ristorante (thanks for setting that up, Rolan!) while being transported in word and picture to the tropical isle of Cuba. Thanks to Bill Hagens who reported on his cultural trip including an idiosyncratic view of the history of modern Cuba to explain the situation we are in today when we try to visit. We really enjoyed seeing his rental car, too! Then Carole Breedlove reported on her birding trip there with an Illinois birding group. Both of them had stories about transportation and other hassles, but both seemed to be very happy with their trips overall. Carole got to see all but 2 of the endemic birds and smoked a cigar! Her favorites were the tiny Tody and the world’s smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird. Tourists do seem to pay high prices, it seems, but see more of the country than its denizens who are stuck due to fuel being hard to get. A birder’s paradise outside of the urban areas for sure!

UPCOMING ABC MEETINGS:

April 24, 2013 (a Wednesday) – ABC Dinner Meeting – 6:30 PM at Bella Nina’s Ristorante Italiano,

6218 6th Ave. Tacoma, WA, 98406: CUBA!! How to get in and bird there, featuring our own members who have done it! Also tips on spring/summer birds. Plus bring your ideas for field trips and gatherings. Come at 6:30 if you’re ordering dinner. We’ll start talking around 6:45 as usual.

May 20, 2013 (a Monday) – ABC Meeting at UPlace Library – 6:45. Program to be announced. Mark your calendar!

Westport Seabirds famous spotters, Bruce LaBar and Ryan Shaw, presented on pelagic birding, giving all the inside secrets of spotting, identifying, and staying alive on the boat, the Monte Carlo. One of the fascinating factoids was that Westport Seabirds has the longest set of records of any seabirding!! Researchers love them for this! Plus Pomerine Jaegers have “spoons” as opposed to the knives and forks of the other Jaegers.

A fascinating look at the 4% of Earth’s bird that live over the 70% of the Earth’s surface, illustrated by stunning photos by Ryan Shaw that are definitely prize winners.

Ryan Shaw (left) and Bruce LaBar at the ABC meeting, March 26, 2013 (Photo/Diane Yorgason-Quinn). Click to enlarge.

ABC Trip Report – Waterville Plateau, Okanogan Highlands, Conconully, Feb 16 -18, 2013.

Led by Ken Brown. reported by Ryan Wiese:

We usually do one trip a year to the North Central Washington Region but this year, we had enough folks and enough desire to make a second run in February. It turned out to be a great time to go. The temperatures were reasonable- lows in the 20’s, highs in the 30’s, the sun was out and the birds were still around.

Birding on the Waterville Plateau the first day yielded thousands of Horned Larks but little else. A beautiful, adult male Snowy Owl was spotted. In the sunlight, it actually glowed whiter than the surrounding snow. On the way down from the plateau we found a couple Sharp-tailed Grouse. The highlight of the day was the three Northern Saw-whet owls and two Great Horned owls found at Brewster State Park. Spring was apparently in the air when we witnessed the Great-horned owls mate just before dark.

Day two started off hot in Tonasket when we located a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings and a small group of Pine Grosebeaks. On the way up to the Okanogan Highlands found a large flock of 50+ Chukar, and a Golden Eagle. At the feeders on Nealey Road we found a sizeable group of Redpolls and several Grey-crowned Rosy Finches. Later in the day we found a Northern Pygmy Owl. We finished off the day trying for a Great Gray Owl at the snowpark, along with about 15 other birders but apparently all our good fortune had been used up in the morning’s haul.

Day three started off well, when we located the flock of White-winged Crossbills in Conconully. As we started the drive back to Tacoma, we made another detour to the Waterville Plateau. We were lucky to get tips from a couple other birders, who put us onto a nice group of Gray Partridge and an amazing flock of several hundred Snow Buntings. It was a great way to end the day as we contemplated all the great finds over the weekend on the drive back to Tacoma.

Our meeting on February 26th was lively. Ken gave a trip report on the 3 days to the Okanogan over Presidents’ Day Weekend illustrated with photographs from Pat Damron. Target birds galore, White-Winged Crossbills again, Pine Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls, Bohemian Waxwings, Hungarian Partridge, and many more! Then Jerry Broadus gave us more details on lodgings and food available at Malheur in preparation to the ABC trip there in May.

Finally Willettes Down Under: Faye McAdams Hands gave a great report of the trip to Borneo that she and Wade made in July including interesting reports of Leeches and edible Swiftlet nests! Then Carol Smith took us to the east coast of Australia and Papua-New Guinea, where she racked up an amazing number of lifers and obviously fell in love with Birds of Paradise! Melissa Sherwood then recounted the trip she and Dennis took to New Zealand where they hopped many a plane and boat including two Pelagic trips. Her stuffed Kiwi gave the proper call while we all learned about these weird birds among many others. Finally Diane Yorgason-Quinn recounted her trip with Adam Trent to eastern Australia, successfully finding the Red-Necked Avocet and thousands of Rainbow Lorikeets, as well as being jabbed by a Jabiru. The trip highlight was the total eclipse of the sun from the beach at Port Douglas looking out over the Great Barrier Reef.

Photos: Faye, Carol, Melissa, Diane (Click to enlarge):

On January 31, 2013, ABC meeting hosted Clay Sprague and Peter Harrison of the DNR who really informed us about the status and conservation of Marbled Murreletd and on DNR Managed Forest Lands and elsewhere. We saw movies of parents bringing fish to the single chick and saw the chick age through the season and then fledge! We heard stories of Murrelets flying over the Olympic mountains and another one flying over Seattle from the sea clutching a fish in bill to bring it to the young. Riveting!

Thanks to Kay Pullen for lining up this program and emceeing so ably!

Below: Kay Pullen, Clay Sprague, Peter Harrison. Click to enlarge.

Feb 16, 17, 18: Eastern Washington with Ken Brown. Sign up with Ken at kennethwbrown@hotmail.com to get details and find others to carpool with. Carpools will meet at Traveler’s Rest at Snoqualmie Summit Saturday morning at 7:15 to 7:30. Will be wanting all cars to have AWD or 4WD. Bring FRS radios if you have them. Dress warmly. Bring lunches for all 3 days.

Feb 16: Tour of the Hundred Acre Woods (Lakewood) with Rolan Nelson. We will meet at the Seeley Lake parking lot on Lakewood Ave, across from the Lakewood Police Department at 0730 on Saturday, February 16th. Hiking boots are recommended and rain gear as needed. This is a half day trip which may spill over into the early afternoon, so bring something to snack on. Lets see what’s hiding in the Woods in February! Sign up with Rolan (rnbuffle@yahoo.com).

Feb 25: Tahoma Audubon field trip with Marcus Roening. See upcoming Towhee for details on signing up.

March 9: Sequim, Port Angeles, Elwha – Gulls and other late winter specialties. Details and sign-up with leader, Ryan Wiese (rwiese@wamail.net).

April 27: Pelagic trip with Westport Seabirds. This trip follows the March ABC meeting on March 26 where we will be oriented by spotters Bruce LaBar and Ryan Shaw, so it will be fun to get a group of us on this boat to put it all into action. Sign up with Westport Seabirds: http://www.westportseabirds.com.

May 18-22 – Malheur NWR, Eastern Oregon. Some accommodations available. Overflow to arrange own hotel in Burns, etc. Leaders Carolyn Barry (carolynbbarry@hotmail.com) and Shelley Parker (dstparker@comcast.net). Be sure to sign up as early as possible.

Don’t miss our meeting on January 31, 2013 (a week later than usual) at 6:45 at the University Place library. Thanks to Kay Pullen for arranging this great program:

Clay Sprague and Peter Harrison of the DNR will be on hand to discuss: “The biology of the Marbled Murrelet and conservation on DNR Managed Forest Lands.”

“Our plan is to discuss the overall biology of the marbled murrelet (MM)and how the department of natural resources (DNR) has and is addressing this threatened bird in its management of forest land in Western Washington. I’m seeing three parts to the presentation; 1) Broad overview of the DNR, its mission and responsibilities; 2) the biology of the MM; and 3) DNR’s Habitat Conservation Plan that addresses MM conservation on state trust lands.

The ABC meeting Dec 27, 2012, featured our own Alex Wang reporting on birds of Hawaii as well as his own research projects on two of the islands. Sobering stories, but lots of hope for the future as problems are being addressed. Alex is continuing this work as his Master’s project, deep in the roadless jungles.

Some of the projects are outlined in the websites below (and more to come). They can use donations of dollars and volunteer time. Alex mentioned specifically that volunteers are being used on research on Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters, among others.

http://mauiforestbirds.org/

http://kauaiforestbirds.org/

http://hawaiianendangeredseabirds.org/