May 2014 Newsletter is Online
Go to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF.
May and June Field Trips are Online
Visit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Our FREE beginning birder workshop is at the end of May, more details online!)
General Membership Meeting with Gary Slater, Shorebird Ecology and Conservation in North Puget Sound
This month's exciting membership meeting! See below for date, time, and NEW location.
Shorebirds are a conspicuous feature in the coastal estuaries of northern Puget Sound. These long-distance travelers rely on both estuarine and terrestrial habitat as refueling sites during migration and for overwintering. Understanding how shorebirds navigate this highly altered landscape is critical for crafting conservation strategies aimed at reversing long-term population declines. Join us as Gary Slater presents information on shorebird ecology and life history, shares results from research in the Skagit-Stillaguamish River Delta, and describes how citizen scientists can participate in a new Puget Sound-wide monitoring effort. Gary Slater is the founder and Executive Director of Ecostudies Institute, a non-profit organization committed to conserving birds and their habitats. He received a B.S. in Wildlife Science from Purdue University (1989) and a M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Florida (1997). Gary oversees a diverse program that uses science, restoration, and outreach to advance bird conservation. Some of his current research focuses on the wintering and stopover ecology of shorebirds in Puget Sound and the reintroduction and population dynamics of cavity-nesting birds in Washington State and south Florida.
Always on the 4th Tuesday of the month: May 27, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum,** free & open to the public!
**in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
NCAS Officer Nominations It is customary for NCAS to conduct its annual election of officers at the May Membership Meeting. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the meeting if there are others interested in running. The slate of officers being presented by the Board of Directors are:
Pam Borso, PresidentPaul Woodcock, Vice PresidentJudy Krieger, SecretarySteven Harper, Treasurer
Annual NCAS CampoutFriday, June 6 to Sunday, June 8For the third year NCAS has reserved the group camp at Pearrygin Lake State Park, just north of Winthrop, for a weekend of outstanding birding under the warm, clear skies of Okanogan County. The birding was exciting last year so if you enjoyed it, please come again. If you missed it, here is another chance. Birds such as ruffed grouse, red-naped sapsucker, common poorwill and white-breasted nuthatch visited our campsite. Redhead, veery, MacGillivray’s warbler, Nashville warbler and lazuli bunting were seen within easy walking distance. Our Audubon group listed over a hundred species within the 48 hour period including field trips to Beaver Pond and Pipestone Canyon. The group camp is separated from the main campground and situated in the midst of excellent habitat. The site is accessed by a narrow, gravel drive and is designated for tent camping only but smaller RVs can be parked in the adjacent lot. Cost for the two days is $20.00 per camping unit to cover the rental fees. For more information please contact Pam Borso at president@northcascadesaudubon.org or (360) 319-9004.