Board of Directors Meeting MinutesOctober 3, 2016Present: Kelley Palmer-McGee, Carol Roberts, Paul Woodcock, Pam Borso, Steve Irving, Twink Coffman, Owen Bamford, Rae Edwards1.Additions to AgendaCherry Point Aquatic Reserve: Steve Irving is member on a committee to eliminate the cut-out for the pier suggested by the Department of Natural Resources.2. Approval of September Minutes: Approved by the board3. Treasurer’s Report: Received by the board4. Communications & Inputa. Climate Change Group and I-732: Next Group meeting is October 24 at 7:00 PM at the Cordata FoodCo-op.b. Facebook interface: Kelley reported that Ann is working on the interface.c. Online donations efficiency: No newsd. CBC update: December 17 for the ferry count and the 18th for the mainland count. Doug Brown will beassisting Paul Woodcock. Paul has recommended having a pre-meeting so that people know what toexpect with regard to commitments at the CBC.e. Asa Wright Nature Center Fundraising: If we advertise in our newsletter the tours of this nonprofitorganization and someone signs up, they will donate $100.00 to NCAS. Board approved advertising.5. Old Businessa. Garlick Memorial Award Report and Swan Update: Now have $650.00. State permits acquired, nowworking on federal permitsb. Holiday Potluck update: Set for December 12 from 6-9 at the YWCA ballroom. Carol will purchaserectangular table cloths and supply hot beverages. Nicole will help with decorations. Doug Brown willprovide the program. It will be advertised in the newsletter and on the website and Facebook.6. New Businessa. Whatcom Land Trust Collaboration: An agreement was presented to WLT. We await WLT board approval.b. Volunteer recognition: Rae, who has been coordinating volunteers and has found appreciation eventsare not usually successful, recommended more broad reaching acknowledgement such as in thenewsletter, on the website and Facebook.c. Jim Duemmel recognition 50 years CBC: Pam inquired about the best way to acknowledge Jim andsuggested a nice red fleece. Paul recommended a plaque. Board approved acquisition limited tounder $500.00.7. Committee Reports as needed8. ProgramsOct 25 Gary Searing: Raptor Management at Vancouver BC AirportNovember 22 Jim Watson: Raptors of Western WashingtonJan 24: Wildlife RefugesFeb 28 Steve and Martha EllisApril 25 or May 23 Jonathan White: Tides in the Salish Sea Adjourn - Next Meeting: November 7, 2016, 7 PM WECU Ed Ctr; 311 Holly St, Bellingham, WA
October Newsletter and Events Are Online
October 2016 Newsletter is Online
Go to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF. (Click "Newsletter" in the menu.)
October Events and Field Trips Are Online
Visit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Upcoming events are listed on the home page as well as on the Calendar.)
Mark Your Calendar: Holiday Potluck
Our annual holiday potluck will be on Monday, December 12, from 6-9pm at the YWCA Ballroom. Stay tuned for more details.
General Membership Meeting with Gary Searing
This month's exciting membership meeting! Mark your calendar. See below for date, time, and location.
Raptor Management at the Vancouver International Airport. Raptors, including eagles, hawks and falcons comprise a significant portion of the biomass of bird strikes at the Vancouver International Airport. With the exception of eagles, there are no harassment methods for raptors that are effective to prevent strikes. At Vancouver International Airport many species of raptors are tagged and transported with varying degrees of success, but overall, strikes have been significantly reduced with those species that were caught in significant numbers. The wildlife management program at Vancouver International Airport is recognized as one of the best in Canada and in the world. Situated in the Fraser River Delta, home to millions of wintering birds, managing wildlife in the middle of a wetland of international significance requires a management program that blends conservation with safety. Through research and monitoring of populations an ecological perspective to airport wildlife management is taken, making success more likely with conservation being the unlikely but welcome companion to the airport’s wildlife control program.Gary Searing, M.Sc., Wildlife Hazard to Aircraft Specialist, is a wildlife biologist with specialized expertise in the monitoring and control of birds at airports. He has been involved in the assessment, planning, monitoring and management of birds associated with Vancouver International Airport since 1989. He has completed wildlife management plans, risk assessments and trained more than 150 personnel in wildlife management and control at airports around the world. He is the Executive Director of the Bird Strike Association of Canada and an International Civil Aviation Organization technical consultant in the field of wildlife hazards to aircraft.
Always on the 4th Tuesday of the month:October 25, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum,** free & open to the public!
**in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
WLT: Faith and Nature Dialogue
How can faith fuel a love and protection for nature? This is the central question that we will be exploring in Whatcom Land Trust's innovative nine-episode series "Faith and Nature," beginning September 19th, 2016 and running through May 2017. Rev. Charis Weathers, local Lutheran pastor of Echoes Bellingham, will moderate this September discussion with dialogue partners Peter Illyn (Christian) and Aneesa Ahad, Muslim).Appropriate for all ages. Free.September 19, 20166:30 pm - 8:00 pmBellingham Unitarian Fellowship1207 EllsworthBellinghamMore information and RSVP athttp://www.whatcomlandtrust.org/?page_id=23Questions? Please contact Colleen Carroll at Whatcom Land Trust by phone 360.650.9470 or email colleen@whatcomlandtrust.org
September Newsletter and Events Are Online
September 2016 Newsletter is Online
Go to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF. (Click "Newsletter" in the menu.)
September Events and Field Trips Are Online
Visit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Upcoming events are listed on the home page as well as on the Calendar.)
General Membership Meeting with David Hancock
This month's exciting membership meeting! Mark your calendar. See below for date, time, and location.
Bald Eagles: Their Amazing Comeback from Endangered Status. Noted biologist, conservationist, writer and publisher David Hancock has been studying bald eagles in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska for over 40 years. David will present a lively program focused on the history of the decline and rise of bald eagle populations, reasons for the cross border differences in eagle populations, potential conflicts with other wildlife populations, other ecological concerns resulting from increasing bald eagle populations, and the future outlook for bald eagles.David has spent most of his life studying West Coast and Arctic wildlife. He has published scientific and popular papers on whales, seals, seabirds, grouse, and his specialty, the northern raptors. Prior to starting Hancock House Publishers, David was a pilot and wildlife film producer and produced films on these subjects as well as the Haida and other northern Native cultures. His books include The Bald Eagles of Alaska, B.C. and Washington, Rocky Mountain Wildlife, Story of the Eagle, and The Tlingit: Their Art & Culture. In 2006 David established the Hancock Wildlife Foundation to broaden his teaching about wildlife and conservation, especially bald eagles, to include the web. The Foundation’s mandate is to use the Internet in general and live-streaming wildlife video in particular to promote the conservation of wildlife and its habitats through science, education and stewardship. In David’s words, “Our first live eagle nest cams reached and taught more people in a four-month period than I had in all my years of lectures combined. This is the way of the future.” David received worldwide acclaim for the Live Bald Eagle Video Cam which he pioneered. His current study on the Urban Bald Eagle of Vancouver B.C. has turned up over 360 nesting pairs in the greater Vancouver area and the Foundation is currently supporting more than a dozen live web cams in the greater Vancouver area.
Always on the 4th Tuesday of the month:September 27, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum,** free & open to the public!
**in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
Rainbows on the Wing!
Whatcom Land Trust and Mount Baker Theatre present Conservation Conversations: Dragonflies ~ Rainbows on the Wing.Kindle your curiosity about the dragonflies and damselflies of our region with a fascinating talk and slide show by Dennis Paulson, naturalist and educator. Appropriate for all ages.Wednesday August 17, 20166pm - 7:30pm (doors open at 5pm)Mount Baker Theatre Encore Room104 N Commercial St, Bellingham, WA 98225Tickets $5.00 all ages, available at the Mount Baker Theatre Ticket Office
Sustainable Gardening Classes
Whatcom County Public Works will offer two Gardening Green: Sustainable Landscaping Classes. Both classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am–2 pm. In these fun, relaxed six-session classes, participants will learn how to create sustainable residential landscapes that are beautiful, easy to care for, attract wildlife, and benefit the watershed.A special session of this popular class will be offered for Birch Bay watershed residents August 16 – September 1 at the Cannery Day Lodge in Semiahmoo County Park.A fall class, open to all Whatcom County residents, will run from September 20 – October 6 at WSU Whatcom Extension Building in Bellingham.The free classes fill up quickly. Pre-registration is required. Contact Sue Taylor at (360) 671-3891 or sl-taylor@comcast.net to register or get more information.
Skulls and Skins Event
Skulls and SkinsSunday July 171pm-4pmTennant LakeFree for all agesThe Friends of Tennant Lake and Hovander Park invite everyone to the annual “Skulls and Skins” event with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Attendees will touch and learn about tortoise shells, wolf skins, deer antlers and more. The Tennant Lake Interpretive Center will be open, as will the tower and boardwalk, so visitors can plan for an afternoon adventure.Find us at 5236 Nielsen Ave. just outside Ferndale, Washington. Take the Ferndale exit (west) off of 1-5. Follow the signs to Hovander Park. Instead of a final right turn into Hovander Park, continue straight on Nielsen Road through the gate to Tennant Lake.
Invitation to Heather Meadows hike from the Native Plant Society
July 2, Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM: Heather Meadows Wildflowers Invitation by Koma Kulshan, Native Plant SocietyThis will be a moderately easy hike in Heather Meadows. We will be looking at the variability in flowering of common subalpine meadow species by micro-habitat. We will also take a close look at any pollinators that we find on these meadow flowers. If we are very lucky, we might even find a few ripe huckleberries. Bring a lunch, rain gear (including pants), and sturdy shoes. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the southeast corner of Sunset Square parking lot out from the Safeway. Contact Jim Davis at 360-296-5159 or jimdaviscpc@comcast.net with questions or to RSVP.
Oil, Orcas & Oystercatchers: Preparing for the Inevitable
Do you love the beauty of the Salish Sea, marine birds, and the southern resident orcas that call it home? As part of the 10th annual Orca Month, we will celebrate and learn about the health of Salish Sea marine bird populations and the region’s iconic Southern-resident orca population, hear in detail the threats they face due to increased oil tanker and vessel traffic, and participate in a hands-on introduction to citizen science first response observance training – a meaningful way volunteers can take action in the event of an oil spill. Join us for this free event that is open to the public. We ask that you RSVP here:https://www.tfaforms.com/425810What: Oil, Orcas, and Oystercatchers: Preparing for the InevitableDate: Sunday, June 26, 2016 Time: 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm Location: Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 10441 Bayview-Edison Rd, Mount Vernon Speakers: Dr. Deborah Giles, Research Director, Center for Whale Research Dr. John Bower, Professor, Western Washington UniversityStephanie Buffum, Executive Director, FRIENDS of the San Juans Jerry Joyce, MoonJoyce Resources Sponsors: Washington Environmental Council, Audubon Washington, Skagit Audubon Society, FRIENDS of the San Juans, Evergreen IslandsPartners: Climate Solutions, Stand Up to Oil campaign Numerous proposals to increase oil-by-rail transport are underway in Washington State. In Skagit County, Shell Oil is looking to add an oil-by-rail facility to its existing refinery in Anacortes, bringing in six oil trains per week and 60,000 barrels per day. As we prepare to comment on the Shell-Anacortes Draft Environmental Impact Statement this fall, we are also learning how citizen science action could make a difference during an inevitable oil spill disaster in our marine waterways. We hope that you will feel empowered to act and understand why your participation does make a difference for marine life in the Salish Sea. For more information about Orca Month activities, visit http://www.orcamonth.com/events.php OR www.orcasalmonalliancce.org
This Weekend: Audubon at the Museum
Join North Cascades Audubon this weekend at the Whatcom Museum's Syre Education Center!Saturday, May 28: 1-2:30pm - Tips & Tricks of Bird Photography with Ken SalzmanSunday, May 29: 2-4pm - Audubon at Museum with Sue ParrottAll programs are included with the price of admission to Whatcom Museum, which is as follows:Everyday except ThursdayMuseum Members: FreeGeneral: $10Students/Military(with valid ID)/Seniors (62 +): $8Children 2-5 years old: $4.50Children under 2: FreeFIG Only (Wed.-Fri., 10 AM – Noon): $4.50ThursdayMuseum Members: FreeGeneral: $5Students/Military(with valid ID)/Seniors (62 +): $5Children 2-5 years old: $4.50Children under 2: FreeFIG Only (Wed.-Fri., 10 AM – Noon): $4.50
2016 Scholarship Awards
Congratulations to the following recipients of the 2016 North Cascades Audubon Society Scholarships:Zoe Zilz - Western Washington University - Parasitism by the sperm-feeding ciliate, Orchitophyra stellarum, in Pisaster ochraceus populations on the west coast of North America, and its consequences for the recovery of sea star populations from sea star wasting disease. ($400)Ryan Drake - Western Washington University - Shrub-steppe grasslands have recently disappeared due to land development, which can reduce suitability for endemic species and drive extirpation. The goal of this study will be to measure Sceloporus graciosus abundance as a response to possible forms of habitat degradation. Measures of habitat suitability, including shrub density, patch size, and herbaceous cover, will be quantified as correlates to S. graciosus abundance. The results of this study can be applied to conservation of shrub-steppe ecosystems by identifying possible forms of habitat degradation. Furthermore, the results of this study have potential use in future studies and conservation initiatives concerning population viability. ($400)
May Newsletter and Events are Online
May 2016 Newsletter is OnlineGo to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF. (Click "Newsletter" in the menu.)May and June Events and Field Trips Are OnlineVisit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Upcoming events are listed on the home page as well as on the Calendar.)General Membership Meeting with Trevor BloomThis month's exciting membership meeting! Mark your calendar. See below for date, time, and location.Shrinking Summits: The Impact of Climate Change and Wildfire on a High Elevation Flower in Western North America. High elevation plants are disproportionally affected by warming, and species level extinctions are expected over the next century under current trends. As mean annual temperatures rise, the amount of available high-subalpine/alpine habitat in Western North America will decrease resulting in the potential extinction of species that exist nowhere else. In addition to the direct effects of climate-driven habitat loss, high elevation plants must also respond to changes in disturbance regimes, or indirect effects. One of the most tangible indirect effects is the increase in wildfire frequency and intensity in regions where fire was previously rare or absent, including the high-subalpine and alpine.As a graduate student in the Biology Department of Western Washington University, Trevor Bloom conducted a field expedition across the entire Rocky Mountain chain to investigate the combined influence of climate change and wildfire on the high elevation flower, Saxifraga austromontana. This is the first non-timber based study on the combined impacts of climate change and wildfire on a high elevation species. Forecasting changes in the distribution of high elevation species is critical for informing scientists and managers on the best strategies for preserving critical habitat and rare species. Beyond scientific research, it is Trevor’s goal to raise awareness on the issues of climate change in the alpine through public outreach and an upcoming documentary titled “Climb-it Change”. Find out more at www.climbitchange.com.Always on the 4th Tuesday of the month:May 24, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum,** free & open to the public!**in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
Audubon Events at Whatcom Museum
CALL OF THE BIRDS! SYRE EDUCATION CENTER THURSDAYS – SUNDAYS, MAY 19 – JUNE 4, NOON – 5 PMThe birds in our 500+ mounted display are calling you to come visit! This is a great time of year to check out who might be in your backyard too. Special programs with North Cascades Audubon Society include: AUDUBON AT THE MUSEUMSUNDAY, MAY 22, 2 – 4 PMCheck out our 500+ bird collection while local Audubon expert, Paul Woodcock, is on hand for casual conversation and interesting information about birds. Takes place at the Syre Education Center.TIPS AND TRICKS OF BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY WITH KEN SALZMANSATURDAY, MAY 28, 1 – 2:30 PMGet tried-and-true methods for taking good bird photos with expert Ken Salzman. Beginners and advanced birders learn helpful tips as Ken shows photographs taken withdifferent equipment and techniques. Whatever your camera equipment, you’ll find ideas you can use. Takes place at the Syre Education Center.AUDUBON AT THE MUSEUMSUNDAY, MAY 29, 2 – 4 PMCheck out our 500+ bird collection while local Audubon member, Sue Parrott, is on hand for casual conversation and interesting information about birds. Takes place at the Syre Education Center.All programs are included with the price of admission to Whatcom Museum, which is as follows:Everyday except ThursdayMuseum Members: FreeGeneral: $10Students/Military(with valid ID)/Seniors (62 +): $8Children 2-5 years old: $4.50Children under 2: FreeFIG Only (Wed.-Fri., 10 AM – Noon): $4.50ThursdayMuseum Members: FreeGeneral: $5Students/Military(with valid ID)/Seniors (62 +): $5Children 2-5 years old: $4.50Children under 2: FreeFIG Only (Wed.-Fri., 10 AM – Noon): $4.50
April 2016 Board Minutes
North Cascades Audubon SocietyBoard of Directors Meeting MinutesApril 4, 2016Present: Ken Salzman, Carol Roberts, Paul Woodcock, Pam Borso, Steven Harper, Sue Parrott, Rae Edwards, Twink Coffman, Jamie Huson, and Nicole HusonNot Present: Kelley Palmer-McGee, Judy Krieger
- Approval of April’s minutes: Approved by Board
- Treasurer’s Report: Sue reported that $425 has been raised so far for the Garlick Memorial. She is sending thank you notes from Audubon to people who have contributed money to the memorial.
- Communications & Input
- Climate Change Work Group Report
- Sue had Kelley send out a special email to the NCAS email list in an attempt to recruit more members for the work group. Four new members came as a result of this email.
- Education and Outreach was discovered to be the group’s main passion
- Group discussed creating bird friendly habitat in the wild and in backyards
- Acquisition and management of land was also discusses some
- Land Trust Newsletter: Article about Bird surveys and Christmas Bird Count. North Cascades Audubon was mentioned several times in the article. A copy will be kept in the archives.
- Climate Change Work Group Report
- Old Business
- Garlick Memorial:
- Notes and donations have been mailed in
- Put progress report in May newsletter to update chapter and encourage donations
- Still looking for a reputable taxidermist for swans
- Scholarships:
- Sent out to department heads at Western
- Syre Center:
- Event- Backyard Birds has been canceled at the Syre Center due to lack of sign up. The event was scheduled for Saturday, April 9th.
- Syre Center will be open Thur-Sun between May 19 and June 4, 2016.
- Garlick Memorial:
- New Business
- Officers for 2017:
- Will be announced in the newsletter
- Carol and Ken are the nominating committee
- The board Voted to approve Pam for 4th year as president
- The board Voted to approve Paul for 4th year as vice president
- The board Voted to appoint Nicole Huson as Chair of the Scholarship Committee
- The board Voted to appoint Jamie Huson as Board Member at Large
- Officers for 2017:
- Upcoming Events
- Northwest 1 Regional Meeting:
- April 30th at Padilla Bay, 9am-2pm
- Open to all members
- Whatcom Land Trust- Walk at Stimpson Nature Preserve:
- Naturalist needed, Contact Dennis Conner
- Sunday, May 8th 2016 at 12:30- 3pm
- Northwest 1 Regional Meeting:
Adjourn – Next Meeting; May 2, 2016 7 PM WECU Ed Ctr311 Holly St, Bellingham, WA
Spring Fling at the Syre Education Center
SPRING BIRD FLINGGet ready for spring birds with fun day-long activities in our awesome Syre bird exhibit—or get out as a family into local bird hot spots and find our feathered friends in the wild. Either way, you’ll enjoy exploring birds in these workshops and tours offered by the Whatcom Museum and North Cascades Audubon Society. Note events that require pre-registration. SCHOOL’S OUT FUN: WHO'S THAT BIRD?MONDAY, APRIL 4, 10 – 3:30 PM; $15 MUSEUM MEMBERS/$20 NON-MEMBERS; PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED Spend a day in our fascinating collection of more than 500 taxidermied birds from Whatcom County. Through games, art and interactive experiences, we’ll have some vacation-time fun learning more about our feathered friends. Art workshop included and, weather and time permitting, we’ll take a short bird walk nearby. Ages 8 and up. Register at ejdieleman@cob.org or 360-778-8960 by April 1. (SYRE) SCHOOL’S OUT FUN: SPRING NEST FESTTUESDAY, APRIL 5, 10 – 3:30 PM; $15 MUSEUM MEMBERS/$20 NON-MEMBERS; PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED The nesting season is around the corner! We’ll find out about the amazing ways that birds make nests viewing the ones in our Syre bird exhibit and seeing them be build in onscreen action. To get a taste of the challenge of nest-building, we’ll make a nest of our own to take home. Weather and time permitting we’ll take a short bird walk nearby. Ages 8 and up. Register at ejdieleman@cob.org or 360-778-8960 by April 1. (SYRE) NORTH CASCADES AUDUBON SOCIETYFAMILY BIRD WALK: BIRDING LAKE PADDENWEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 9 AM – 12 PM; FREELake Padden is a favorite recreation area for local people and a favorite spot for birds! Walk with Audubon Board member Ken Salzman to see which birds are there in April. Children ages 7 and up may attend if they bring a parent along. Meet at 9 AM in the parking lot by the playground. Ken will guide the walk till noon—families can walk as long as they like. Prepare for spring weather (rain jacket, hats, warm clothing) and bring binoculars if you have them. No pre-registration needed. ART ADVENTURES IS FOR THE BIRDSWednesday, April 6, 1:30-4 PMMuseum members $3, non-members $5 materials fee plus admission.500 bird hang out in our Syre Education Center! This building is most often closed to the public but kids will get a special opportunity to explore this exhibit and then go to our Syre classroom to make bird art with our museum staff. Join us for this engaging workshop. (SYRE) NORTH CASCADES AUDUBON SOCIETYFAMILY BIRD WALK: SCUDDER POND Thursday, April 7, 9 AM; FREE Join well-known local birder and Audubon board member, Paul Woodcock, on a birding expedition at Scudder Pond. This urban nature area is a haven for local birds, both around the pond and in the adjoining wooded area. Paul will help you find birds and share birding tips. Meet at 9 AM in the Bloedel Donovan parking lot. Walk leaves promptly at 9:15 and will continue till noon, families can walk as long as they like. Prepare for spring weather (rain jacket, hats, warm clothing) and bring binoculars if you have them.NORTH CASCADES AUDUBON SOCIETYBACKYARD BIRDING SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1 - 4 PM; FREE Together, parents and kids learn how to make their yard bird-friendly! Discover local bird habits, plants birds need and like, and dangers to avoid as you set up your bird yard. You’ll see best designs of bird boxes and make your own bird feeders. Audubon president Pam Borso leads the workshop with other Audubon members and museum staff. The Syre bird exhibit is closed, but we’ll explore it for likely backyard birds. Limited space! Pre-register at ejdieleman@cob.org or 360-778-8960. (SYRE)
April Newsletter and Events Are Online
April 2016 Newsletter is Online
Go to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF. (Click "Newsletter" in the menu.) NOTE: Whatcom County's 2015 Christmas Bird Count results are published on page 6 of the newsletter.
April Events and Field Trips Are Online
Visit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Upcoming events are listed on the home page as well as on the Calendar.)
General Membership Meeting with Joseph K. Gaydos
This month's exciting membership meeting! Mark your calendar. See below for date, time, and location.
The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest. The Salish Sea, spanning the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia, includes 6,535 square miles of sea surface area and 4,642 miles of coastline, and is considered an international treasure. Joseph K Gaydos, one of the co-authors of the new book The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest, has been studying fish and wildlife of the Salish Sea for more than a decade. Gaydos will take us on a spectacular tour of this ecological jewel, its amazing birds and wildlife, and how it helps to define our lives. Fashioned by the violent volcanism of the Pacific Rim of Fire, plate tectonics and the sculptural magic wrought by Ice Age glaciers, the Salish Sea is a unique ecosystem home to thousands of different species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and macro-invertebrates. Gaydos is passionate about educating others about the wonders of the Salish Sea and the need to preserve it.The book is the first of its kind to describe the sea and spent ten weeks on the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association bestseller list. With breathtaking color photography, The Salish Sea takes a look at the region’s geology, fauna and history, and ends with hope for the protection of its future. The reader is left with a sense of wonder for this intricate marine ecosystem and the life that it sustains. Village Books will be on site so people can purchase the book and visitors will have the opportunity to ask questions and have their books signed.Joseph K. Gaydos is chief scientist for the SeaDoc Society, a marine science and conservation program focused on the Salish Sea. He is a licensed wildlife veterinarian and has a PhD in wildlife health.
Always on the 4th Tuesday of the month:April 26, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum,** free & open to the public!
**in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
IDENTIFICATION, EARLY DETECTION, AND REPORTING OF INVASIVE PLANTS WORKSHOP
Bellingham, WA Thursday, April 21, 2016; 1:00pm - 3:30pm Address: Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board, 322 N. Commercial St., Suite 110, Bellingham WA 98225.This training is free and capacity is limited. If you would like to attend, PLEASE REGISTER WITH JULIE COMBS at pnw.ipc.org@gmail.com (or call 615-812-5295) to reserve your place!The PNW Invasive Plant Council is a non-profit conservation group (http://www.pnw-ipc.org/) working in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, Washington Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA), county noxious weed boards, and other state and local conservation groups on a Citizen Science EDRR (Early Detection Rapid Response) program. With funding from the NFF, NFWF, WSDA and others we are gearing up for our fifth year to search for priority and newly emerging invasive plants in our National Forests, Parks and beyond. We are excited to recruit new volunteers and inspire our current volunteer base to search for invasive plant populations. We have specific focal areas in National Forests and Parks, and DNR Natural Areas Preserves but there is a great need to document emerging invasive populations on all public lands. If you are hiking, boating, kayaking, horseback riding or working on public lands and are interested in participating in our program and/or interested in learning more about invasive plants and the problems they cause you are invited to attend.Citizen Science Invasive Plant EDRR Volunteer TrainingOur mission is to train citizens to identify a suite of invasive plants and to take basic data on their location and population numbers so we can inform land managers of their presence which will help lead to their eradication before they spread. We will train volunteers to identify target invasive plants in a 2.5 hour training which includes a PowerPoint presentation and examination of herbarium specimens and live material. Volunteers who sign up for the program will receive a training booklet to help ID species in the field along with survey forms and instruction on how to fill out the survey form. Trainings are intended to equip volunteers with the knowledge necessary to conduct invasive plant surveys in the places volunteers love to recreate in. We hope that each volunteer who signs up will conduct at least 1 to 2 surveys over the field season.
General Membership Meeting with Tim Boyer
This month’s exciting membership meeting! March 22, 7pm at the Whatcom Museum, in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall building
** free & open to the public!**
Understanding Shorebirds, the Miracle of Migration. Join award-winning nature photographer Tim Boyer in exploring the epic trans-ocean migration of some of our shorebirds. Eight of the 42 common shorebirds found in Washington will be discussed, including bar-tailed godwits, Pacific golden-plovers, sanderlings and other birds that cross the majority of the Pacific Ocean. We’ll look at where they migrate, why they migrate and how they are able to travel so far. These global migrants require global conservation and climate change solutions. In an effort to understand their remarkable journeys we need to look beyond the North American borders and see where shorebirds spend most of their lives.
March 2016 Board Minutes
North Cascades Audubon SocietyBoard of Directors Meeting MinutesMarch 7, 2016Present: Ken Salzman, Carol Roberts, Paul Woodcock, Pam Borso, Steven Harper, Sue Parrott, Rae Edwards, Kelley Palmer-McGee, Steve Irving, Twink Coffman, Jamie Huson, Judy Krieger and Nicole Huson
- Approval of February Minutes – Approved by the Board
- Treasurer’s Report –Sue explained the highlights of the February Treasurer’s Report. Board agreed to send a thank you to a person contributing through Microsoft and their employee match program.
- Communications & Input
Climate Change Work Group Report – Sue gave a report on the group which includes three members besides current board members. Sue is looking for input on how to get more members involved. Next Meeting is at Cordata Coop on March 21.Scholarships - Pam will follow up with Don Burgess on making sure the information gets out to prospective students.Wings over Water – A number of Audubon people including Ken and Steven are volunteering as field trip leaders for the Friday Reifel Bird Sanctuary Trip. There are also a large number of people volunteering as viewing station attendants on Saturday and Sunday, and Paul is leading field trips on Saturday and Sunday. Carol, Pam, Sue, Twink and Judy are also volunteering at the table or for other activities.WDFW Private Lands Initiative – Steven and Paul and Eric Carabba of Whatcom Land Trust (WLT) met with Craig Cole of Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and discussed possible ideas for bird and wildlife viewing station locations. WDFW will be taking our ideas along with others to make decisions on possible sites in the future.Instagram and Twitter Report – Jamie has set up both Instagram and Twitter accounts with ncascadeaudubon as the name for both accounts.Conservation Initiatives – We are participating in opposing the proposed Export Pellet Plant at the Port of Bellingham. We signed on to a letter supporting edits to the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest Sustainable Roads plan.
- Old Business:
Lois and George Garlick Memorial – The museum is working on the paperwork for staging the trumpeter swan, and a good specimen is in the freezer. As soon as the paperwork is in place we will find a taxidermist and have it mounted. We will post info every month until we have money raised to pay for the work.
- New Business
Expanded UGAs – Board approved opposing expanded Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) in the County Comprehensive Plan Update.Holiday Party – We will reserve Dec. 13 at the Lairmont Manor for our 2016 holiday partyNational Wildlife Federation(NWF) - Ken is wondering about Audubon being an affiliate or a chapter for NWF. Ken will contact the statewide contact person to get more information.Backyard Habitat and Native Flora Fair - May 21, 10am -3pm. We will have bird houses for sale and kits to construct for kids. Ken will make 5-10 kits for constructing the houses.Sustainable World Sourcebook- Pam will be getting a box of these books to give away to organizations, libraries, etc.Summit Place - Ken gave a presentation this month at Summit Place.Bird Surveys on WLT Properties – These will occur again this year with an expanded number of people involved.
- Upcoming Programs
March 22 - Understanding Shorebirds, the Miracle of Migration with Tim BoyerApril 26 - “The Salish Sea” Jewel of the Pacific Northwest with Joseph GaydosMay 24 - Shrinking Summits: The Impact of Climate Change and Wildfire on a High Elevation Flower in Western North America with Trevor BloomAdjourn - Next Meeting; April 4, 2016 7 PM WECU Ed Ctr311 Holly St, Bellingham, WA
March Newsletter and Events Are Online
March 2016 Newsletter is Online
Go to www.northcascadesaudubon.org to download the PDF. (Click "Newsletter" in the menu.)
March Events and Field Trips Are Online
Visit our website to see what's coming up this month. (Upcoming events are listed on the home page as well as on the Calendar.)
Don't miss Wings Over Water, a Northwest Birding Festival in Whatcom County! It will take place from Friday through Sunday, March 11-13. Details are in our current newsletter and in the Calendar on our website.
General Membership Meeting with Tim Boyer
This month's exciting membership meeting! Mark your calendar. See below for date, time, and location.
Understanding Shorebirds, the Miracle of Migration. Join award-winning nature photographer Tim Boyer in exploring the epic trans-ocean migration of some of our shorebirds. Eight of the 42 common shorebirds found in Washington will be discussed, including bar-tailed godwits, Pacific golden-plovers, sanderlings and other birds that cross the majority of the Pacific Ocean. We’ll look at where they migrate, why they migrate and how they are able to travel so far. These global migrants require global conservation and climate change solutions. In an effort to understand their remarkable journeys we need to look beyond the North American borders and see where shorebirds spend most of their lives.Tim Boyer is a full-time photographer and a graduate of Seattle Audubon’s Master Birder Program. His images have been published in many bird and nature magazines, and his fine art prints are sold at art festivals around the Pacific Northwest. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of photography and birds through workshops and presentations. Shorebirds are his favorite grouping of birds, and he spends many weekends on the Washington Coast catching their images. His photography can be found at www.TimBoyerPhotography.com.