The November 2020 Issue of the |
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Our Mission: To conserve and restore natural ecosystems and protect birds and other wildlife for the benefit of humanity and biological diversity in south King County and the world we live in. |
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Monthly Membership Meeting
NAMIBIA, LAND OF CONTRASTS
By Dennis Paulson
Monday November 16th, 2020 at 7 pm
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In April 2007, Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith visited Namibia for a dragonfly meeting. Swakopmund, where the meeting was held, is where the Namib Desert, one of Earth's driest places, meets the rich marine ecosystem of the Benguela Current. Northward in the country, the sand desert gives way to the acacia-dotted savanna of the Real Africa. Join Dennis for a tour of this fascinating country and its abundant wildlife. |
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Dennis Paulson is a biologist and naturalist who loves to share his knowledge with others. He has written or coauthored 13 books and over 100 papers, mostly about dragonflies and birds. He lives in Seattle and, after retiring from his last position as Director of the Slater Museum of Natural History, continues to teach classes and travel as much as possible. |
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NAMIBIA, LAND OF CONTRASTS
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LOCATION
Virtual Meeting
DATE AND TIME
11/16/20 7:00pm
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11/16/20 8:00pm
Are you coming?
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Covid 19 virus Update - August 17, 2020
Jay Galvin
Due to the continuing outbreak of the Covid 19 virus, the RAS Board is suspending all in person activities until further notice. We would like to thank those members who responded to our online and mail in survey on this matter. Your input did help the Board in making this decision.
Online monthly meetings are on the 3rd Monday each month. A link to the meetings is available in our eNewletter and on our website.
Board meetings are on the second Wednesday, and are open to anyone interested in attending — contact Jay Galvin [email protected]
Look for more virtual upcoming events coming soon!
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Upcoming Programs
- Dale Meland
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December 21st - Gary Luhm - "Composition for Bird Photographers"
- January 18th - Jay Galvin (no topic yet)
- February 15th - Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao.- High Politics and Bird Conservation: A View to International Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and the Americas
- March 15th - Robert Howson - Galanatious Birds
- April 19th - Marcy Summers & Ellen Kirtzman.- AlTo (Alliance for Tompotika Conservation)
- May 17th - The Dinosaurs Amonst Us - Part 2, The birds who co-existed with dinos;- Kim Dolgin
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Seen and Heard
by Calen Randall
Lovely Leucism
As we journey through the throes of fall and the temperatures get cooler, you may have noticed an uptick in activity at your feeders. I must admit, this fall, the sample of birds in my yard has been greatly accentuated thanks to my neighbor Richard’s feeders. The Red-breasted Sapsucker makes scheduled stops at the suet before transitioning to drilling for insects in my spruce trees. Often, I hear the whistly calls of the American Goldfinches before I see them clustered around the feeder.
Richard, working from home like many of us, has become enamored with the new feathered friends visiting his feeders. He is now adept at multitasking between work meetings and feeder watching. A skilled sports photographer, Richard made the transition from capturing slam dunks and touchdowns to action shots of Ruby-crowned Kinglets flashing their gorgeous ruby cap and nest building Dark-eyed Juncos. One October afternoon, we received a message from Richard about a “different looking chickadee at the feeder”. Indeed, the handsome little chickadee stood out from its other Black-capped friends because of its Junco-like white tail feathers. Richard even got some great shots highlighting the chickadee’s unique plumage. The cause for the white tail feathers--leucism.
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Leucistic Black-capped Chickadee in Auburn, WA backyard. Source: Photo courtesy Richard Balster
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Field Trips
by Heather Gibson
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Soos Creek Park
A self-guided Field Trip
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From “The Great Washington State Birding Trail”
Habitat: 720 acres of mixed riparian woods, wetlands, fields.
Viewing: Bird by bike or foot: The 6.2-mile ADA trail extends north and south. North end has riparian to willow/cattail marsh. South end has Great Blue Heron nests, forested wetlands. Gary Grant Park has eye-to-eye views of Hutton’s Vireos, Hairy Woodpeckers, Purple Finches.
Directions: From Hwy 167 at milepost 20.0, take Hwy 516/Willis/Des Moines exit. Turn east onto Hwy 516. Drive 4.8 miles. Turn left onto 132nd Ave SE. Drive 0.9 miles to SE 256th St. Turn right and drive 0.9 mile and turn left onto 148th Ave SE. Drive half mile and turn right into parking.
Link to photos
Link to Google Map, Soos Creek trailhead:
Heron rookery:
Gary Grant park:
Link to eBird data:
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Rainier Audubon Christmas Bird Count Update |
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Snowy Owl at Ocean Shores - Jan 1, 2013 - Dan Streiffert
CBC AT HOME
Sunday, January 3rd
Hooray! This is Rainier Audubon’s 40th CBC! Wahhh!
Unfortunately, this year our CBC is taking a different form with Covid-19 causing the twist. We will not host a public event.
Our event is called CBC AT HOME on Sunday, January 3rd, 2021. Public may participate by sending in their bird sightings from their backyard/apartment courtyard. The people who live in the chapter circle will have their data sent to National Audubon and those outside our birding circle will have their data added to our 40th CBC celebration.
We will have a virtual gathering to celebrate our 40th, including a species tally by our chapter renowned Charlie Wright. We are still figuring that out-likely 6:30-8. A registration link will be sent out via our eNewsletter and posted on our website in December. We will have backyard bird sheets posted on our website and in our eNewsletter in December.
If anyone has participated in a Rainier Audubon CBC in the past and would like to share a story or photo—they can send them to [email protected]
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King County Strategic Climate Action Plan |
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King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) is a five-year blueprint for County action to confront climate change, integrating climate change into all areas of County operations and its work in the community. The SCAP provides a “one-stop-shop” for county decision-makers, employees, and the general public to learn about the County’s climate change goals, priorities and commitments.
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Prevent birds from flying into windows...
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