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The October, 2021 Issue of the |
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Our Mission: To conserve and protect natural ecosystems, birds, and other wildlife. |
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October 18, 2021 Membership Meeting
7:00 PM - Zoom
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What is happening at the GRNRA?
Lower Russell Levee Setback Project
by Eric Peters
The project is located on the east bank of the Green River between river mile (RM) 17.85 (S. 212th Street) and RM 19.25 (Veteran’s Drive/S. 228th St) within the City of Kent. The project driver was to replace an existing flood control levee that was eroding and not able to be rebuilt in its existing location and meet current engineering design standards. A levee failure during a flood event would damage a significant number of buildings, building contents and interrupt business. The project began planning and preliminary design in 2014 and is now under construction. Construction will be complete in 2022.
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Drone Photos
Erik Peters is a civil engineer with King County’s River and Floodplain Management Section. He was over twenty-three years of experience working for private consulting and King County. His expertise is in water resources engineering. His experience ranges from planning to design and construction management. Erik has a BS and MS in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota. .
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Meeting opens at 6:40 PM. Meeting starts at 7 PM |
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Seen & Heard By Calen Randall
“Rattattatt—Rattattatt”. As I write this article an early season storm is rumbling through the Puget Sound spreading downpours and strong winds around the region. The rain is a welcome sign after a dry summer, especially for the east side of the state which is currently mired in drought. Despite the drought and harsh semi-arid climate, ecosystems on the eastern side of the Cascades area are flush with birds. I got a chance to experience birding in the rain shadowed Oak Creek Wildlife Area of Yakima County back in June.
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Gather your fellow chapter leaders and grassroots advocates and join us for our first virtual convention on October 1-2. Meet Audubon’s new leaders, Dr. Elizabeth Gray and Jamaal Nelson, and learn more about hemispheric conservation, climate, and equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Registration rates are now more affordable than ever with pay-what-you-can registration fees starting at $25. There is also an opportunity to provide additional funds to help remove financial barriers to participation for members of the birding community who would like to attend.
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Birds Need You
The only way we'll be successful in our conservation efforts is with your help. As a constituent, you have a unique ability to convey your concerns about issues affecting birds, wildlife and their habitats — and be heard like no lobbyist.
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December 7, 2021
Audubon in Washington Advocacy Day 2021
In 2022, legislators must chart a path toward economic recovery that equitably invests in a climate resilient future. We need your help in speaking with your legislator to elevate the needs of birds and people. When you register, you'll join an advocacy group to meet with your state legislator on December 7th. Audubon will schedule your group's meeting and provide training to ensure you're prepared to speak for the birds!
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Upcoming Programs
- Dale Meland
- November - Jeff Antonelis-Lapp - Birds of Mt. Rainier.
- December - Dan Streiffert - Malheur NWR
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Self-Guided Field Trips
by Heather Gibson
Renton Cedar River Trail birding
This month's suggestion for Self-Guided Birding is along the Cedar River. The river runs for miles, but there is varied habitat to be found, including river, freshwater, and estuary, in the 24 acres reaching from Renton’s city center to Maple Valley.
Coulon Park on Lake Washington guarantees great gull spotting: Mew, Ring-billed, Herring, Western Gulls. Grebes and mergansers can be found as you follow the trail further south heading to Liberty Park, which backs up to the river.
Look for Yellow-rumped warblers, Song and White-crowned Sparrows in the bushes along the banks.
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Rainier Audubon Nature Journalers Monthly Zoom Gathering
9:30am-11:00am
Cindy Flanagan
CONNECT TO NATURE AND TO OTHERS
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Are you curious about nature and would like to find fun ways to record your observations?
Do you keep a journal, but wish you had a nature journaling community to share ideas and inspiration?
Or do you want to simply join a group and listen and learn more about how to nature journal?
- October 24th Dipping with Dippers at Flaming Geyser State Park
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November21st Backyard Besties
- December - no session
- January 23, 2022 Topic to be determined (TBD) with community group
- February 27th Topic TBD
- March 27thTopic TBD
- April 24thTopic TBD
- May 22ndTopic TBD
- June 12thTopic TBD
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Common Winter Birds of Washington
Thursdays, October 21-November 18, 2021
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Zoom
by Thomas Bancroft, Ph.D
Rainier Audubon is excited to offer an online birding course, Common Winter Birds of Washington taught by Dr. Thomas Bancroft.
This is the perfect course to get you ready to go out birding for the Rainier Audubon Christmas Bird Count on January 2, 2022.
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Fall Migration: Many Birds Moving Out, Many Others Moving In
A Des Moines Birders|10-10 event at Green River Natural Resource Area
Sunday, Oct 10th
9 AM -11:30 AM
Green River Natural Resources Area
Ed Dominguez
This event is limited capacity (15 total) with priority given to members of the Des Moines Birders Facebook group.
Pre-registration required
Puget Power Trail to southern perimeter of the GRNRA
64th Avenue South and South 226th Street
Kent, WA 98032
Come explore the Green River Natural Resources area in Kent, as we walk along the Puget Power Trail to the south lookout tower and across the Green River to a viewing pond to search for birds native to this habitat and learn about fall migration. We will be led by return event leader, Ed Dominguez, Lead Naturalist with Seward Park Audubon Center.
Registration:
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Rainier Audubon is looking for a Volunteer Christmas Bird Count Field Organizer
The Christmas Bird Count is Rainier Audubon’s biggest survey. The date is set. It is Sunday, January 2. What we do not know, thanks to COVID-19, is whether the event will be a normal Christmas Bird Count (CBC) where participants go out in the field with leaders or if it will be the same as last year “Christmas Bird Count at Home” where participants bird from their backyards.
We are looking for a volunteer field organizer. The field organizer plays a key role in getting everyone organized to participate in the CBC. Training and support will be provided. Organization begins in mid-October and wraps up on Christmas Bird Count Day. Duties include:
- Contacting leaders to lead each of the eight areas of the count circle
- Writing and sending Christmas Bird Count information to be posted in the Heron Herald Newsletter, on the Rainier Audubon website, and with other birding organizations like the Washington Ornithological Society
- Providing the Rainier Audubon Public Relations Chair with a written description of the Christmas Bird Count for media release
- Receiving CBC participant registrations (via Rainier Audubon email)
- Inviting government legislators, mayors and other stakeholders to participate in the Christmas Bird Count
- Placing participants on area teams
- Communicating with participants to let them know their area leader and contact information
- Providing the area leader with participant names and contact information
- Providing support and answering questions that participants and leaders may have
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Amazon Smile
Shop at smile.amazon.com and they will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to your favorite charitable organization—no fees, no extra cost.
Be sure to specify your favorite charity as Rainier Audubon Society.
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Recordings of Membership Meetings
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Public discourse about climate change has resulted in the erroneous idea that it's all about cost, burden and sacrifice. If the math was correct, everyone would see it's about profit, jobs and competitive advantage.
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