AUDUBON SOCIETY of PORTLAND
OCTOBER 2009
Volume 73 Number 10
In this issue...
Warbler
Night Flight
Family Event!
See page 3
Summer Camp at Portland Audubon:
More than just a week at camp…
by Steve Robertson and Sarah Swanson
A nother season of Summer Camp has come and
gone, but the memories created these past few
months will no doubt live for a lifetime in the hearts
and minds of many of the young campers who attended
our programs.
In the fast-paced digital world we live in, few of us find
time to have real experiences in nature. The “sense” that
was once “common” is now a threatened species, as we put
more distance, more hardware, more technology between
us and the natural Earth. How many of us still intuitively
know which way is North, or which berries are fit to eat and
when and where they’ll be ripe, or how to discern from a
bird’s alarm call the direction and cause of the threat? All
these things we once knew, and so much more. But with
each technological gain our society has made, something
too has been lost. Now, instead of running happily through
the woods, children fear the forest. No longer knowing its
inhabitants, they now fear the unknown.
At the Audubon Society of Portland, we work to turn this
around. Our programs reconnect children to the natural
world in a way that rebuilds their understanding of nature
from the ground up, which replaces uncertainty and fear
with confidence and joy.
As Richard Louv said in his book, Last Child in the Woods,
we have a generation of children suffering from a “nature-
deficit disorder.” We must work to “heal the broken bond
between our young and nature, because our mental,
physical, and spiritual health depends upon it… The very
health of the Earth is at stake as well.” These words ring
true as one recalls the old saying that ‘we will only protect
the things we love.’
Ways to help bats — see page 8.
Audubon Society
of Portland
5151 NW Cornell Road
Portland, Oregon 97210
Presentation by Malheur
NWR Manager
See page 4
Here at Portland Audubon, our Summer Camp Programs
inspire children to love and protect nature, not just for the
good of the Earth, but for the good of the child as well.
A meaningful relationship with the natural world can enrich
a life forever and bring joy to even the darkest of days.
If you stopped by Audubon this summer, you probably saw
or heard at least one group of kids hiking the trails, hanging
out with an education bird, or playing “Bear, Salmon,
Mosquito” in the field. Our onsite camps used the Audubon
Sanctuary as a base for many programs, during which
students hiked to Pittock Mansion, searched for macro-
invertebrates in Balch Creek, or developed their artistic
talents using nature as their inspiration. These campers
were just the tip of the iceberg: for every camp that takes
place at Audubon, three or four of our camps are exploring
other places. This year they visited local wildlife hotspots
like Smith and Bybee Lakes, Jackson Bottom Wetlands,
Sauvie Island — and they overnighted at the Oregon Coast,
the Redwoods, and Portland Audubon’s Marmot Cabin
near Mt. Hood.
Campers built debris huts, made fire the ancient way
with bow and drill, found Pacific Giant Salamanders and
rattlesnakes, and learned how to use a compass. They
circumnavigated and camped on Mt. St. Helens, found
American Bison in Yellowstone, and released rehabilitated
Scrub Jays and Cooper’s Hawks into the wild. Kids learned
about native berries, painted their faces with them, and
made their own jam. Some even learned that pulling ivy in
the sanctuary could be so fun that they didn’t want to stop.
Talking to the students at the end of each day, the delight in
their voices was obvious as they talked about the hike they
completed, the Garter Snake they caught, or the new friend
that they made.
Volunteer at the
Wild Arts Festival
See page 12
Summer Camp by the Numbers
Over 650 campers adventured with Portland
Audubon in the Summer of 2009.
We ran 49 thematic, week-long camps:
some onsite, but most off exploring.
6 states were visited: Oregon, Washington,
California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming.
4 Audubon full-time staff, 11 seasonal instructors,
5 interns, and 19 counselors — a total of
39 Summer Camp Staff — helped instruct
and keep our students safe in 2009!
We want to thank:
• The instructors who put so much energy and passion into
each day of camp and took such great care of the kids.
• The interns and counselors that pushed themselves to
improve their skills each week and gave important
support to the instructors.
• The Audubon staff members that support camp both
directly and indirectly.
• All of you who supported our summer camps through
your membership, with donations to the education
department, or by sending your children to camp with us.
We are already looking forward to our Winter Break
Camps, December 21–24 and 28–31. Registration begins
October 20; please see www.audubonportland.org for a
full camp calendar.
Inside this issue
Page 2 ......................From the Director
...................................... Free Trips
Page 3 ......................Calendar of Events
Page 4 & 5 ................................ Conservation
.................................Care Center
Page 6 & 7 ................................. Trips & Tours
Page 8 ................................Nature Store
....................................Sanctuaries
Page 9 .......Field Notes and Volunteers
Page 10 ........................Birding Weekends
............................New Members
Page 11 ........................ IBA of the Month
Page 12 ................. Map/Hours/Sponsors
From the Executive Director
Building a New Generation of Conservation Leaders
F rom Portland, Oregon to
Portland, Maine, conservation
education for youth is
happening in relevant and innovative
ways. Last month, I attended a three-
day conference that was sponsored
by National Audubon and held in
the other Port city, where the Black-
capped Chickadee is the state bird
and lobster its celebrated crustacean.
Meryl Redisch
The tone of the conference was
upbeat and informative. The underlying theme was about
identifying, reaching, and retaining new audiences that
care about and contribute to avian conservation and
environmental stewardship. At our chapter, we can be
proud by what we have already accomplished, yet humbled
to realize that more needs to be done.
This annual gathering of Audubon educators was filled
with a mix of seasoned professionals and ones new to
the field of education. Dr. Steve Kress is an example of
someone seated firmly in the former group. A National
Audubon employee for nearly 30 years, he is the lead avian
scientist responsible for reintroducing the Atlantic Puffins
back to the historic nesting islands they had abandoned
in the Gulf of Maine. As impressive as the science that
his small team conducts year round is the field-based
internship program they have developed to provide
hands-on learning for college students each summer.
Interns spend their days and nights secluded on tiny
islands monitoring these seabirds and knowing that their
direct help in the Puffin Project is also helping seabirds
worldwide.
New to the environmental education world is Craig “Cisco”
Dietz, who is founder of Pronatura Sur and an expat
living in San Cristobal, Mexico. He hadn’t planned on a
career in conservation, but was called to action when he
Wild in the City
Exploring The Intertwine: Wild in the City field tours will introduce you to some of the region’s most scenic and
wildlife-rich natural areas and the ever-growing network of regional trails and parks. Registration for these free trips
is limited, so sign up soon at www.audubonportland.org/trips-classes-camps/adult/wic. If you don’t have internet
access, call 503-292-6855 ext.112 to register. For all bicycle and paddle trips, bring your own equipment —
helmets and life jackets are required. Directions and other details will be sent to registrants. Participants will be
limited in number, so sign up early!
Sat., October 3rd,
1pm–3pm
Portland Memorial
Mausoleum & Oaks
Bottom Mural Outing
Join Mike Houck for an
“unveiling” of the new
wetland mural overlooking
Oaks Bottom Wildlife
Refuge and a tour of the
historic Portland Memorial
Mausoleum. This trip will
include an overview and
history of the mural, which
at 50,000 square feet is
the nation’s largest hand-
Portland Memorial Mausoleum mural rom Sellwood Blvd. © Mike Houck
painted building mural.
Portland Memorial staff will then lead us on a tour of
the Mausoleum, which contains a fabulous art collection,
including original Tiffany stained-glass windows.
Sun., October 4th,
9am–12:30pm
Ride the Willamette River Greenway
Join Mike Houck on a bicycle trek along the Willamette
River Greenway from the Eastbank Esplanade through
Tom McCall Waterfront and South Waterfront Parks to
Willamette Park, Butterfly Garden, and Oaks Bottom
Wildlife Refuge. This family-friendly “ride on the wild
side” will feature stops to view wildlife and learn about
the parks and natural areas that make up the ever-
expanding system of parks, trails, and natural areas
called ‘The Intertwine.’
Birding at Sauvie Island. © Mike Houck
2 OCTOBER 2009
saw significant declines of indigenous orchids and other
epiphytes that were destroyed by burning, dumping,
or being illegally removed for commercial sales. Today,
nearly 15 years after starting Pronatura, Cisco is looking
to Audubon for practical ways that he can expand what
Pronatura does to include youth education and stewardship
programing.
The staff at Debs Park in northern Los Angeles, California
conducts conservation education programs to audiences
that are not traditionally associated with Audubon.
Their center, which is surrounded by predominantly
Latino neighborhoods, is a unique gathering place and
dynamic focal point for outdoor recreation, environmental
education, and conservation action. The center is brand
new and built to platinum LEED standards. Ninety percent
of the staff are people of color and bilingual. They offer
family nature walks and preschool supervision, and have
translated center information to Spanish. And while the
rest of L.A. is auto-centric, the center is accessible without
a car. Still, it’s taken nearly six years for this center to be a
trusted place in the surrounding community.
We know that to grow the future base of conservation
stewards and leaders, we need to get kids started at a young
age, make our programs relevant to them, and build their
self-confidence in natural settings. This month’s cover
article features some of the ways we achieve this. More
than 600 kids — some as young as seven years old —
happily attend a week or more of summer camp and spend
much of their time outdoors, exploring our sanctuaries
and learning about resident and native birds and other
wildlife. For teens, we offer week-long backpacking
and camping trips in Oregon and the Region, and take
advantage of these beautiful land- and seascapes and the
youths’ curiosity and capacity to learn about environmental
stewardship.
continued on page 10
Exploring The Intertwine
Sat., October 17th, 9am–1pm
Birding Sauvie Island
Join Mike Houck on a driving and birding tour of
one of the region’s premier birding areas. Among the
treats we’ll see are Sandhill Cranes, which occur in the
hundreds in flocks as they fly in formation over Sauvie
Island and feed on
insects and grain on the
island’s farm fields. We’ll
also see Bald Eagles and
other birds of prey and
waterfowl that gather
here in the thousands
throughout the fall and
winter. We’ll tour Oak
Island Road, Coon Point,
and the island’s east side.
Field Trips
No registration required — show up at time
and place given. Call first if indicated.
October 3 (Sat.), 8am–11am
Powell Butte Nature Park
Leaders Patty Newland and John Nikkel will be your
guides on a walk exploring the unique habitats of Powell
Butte. Grassland and forest species expected. Meet at 8am
at the butte-top parking lot at the end of SE 162nd: turn
south on 162nd Ave off SE Powell Blvd and drive to the top
of the butte. Bring binoculars, dress for the weather, and
beginners welcome.
October 4 (Sun.), 8am–11am
Vancouver Lake Park
Join leader Ron Escano at Vancouver Lake Park. Scope the
lake for water birds then explore the riparian woodland
for fall migrants. Meet at 8am at Vancouver Lake Park.
Directions from I-5 north: take Exit 1-D (4th Plain Blvd), go
west on 4th Plain through Vancouver onto SR-501 (Lower
River Rd). After 3.5 miles on SR-501, continue straight for
0.6 miles to Vancouver Lake Park (possible $2 entrance fee).
Dress for the weather. Beginners welcome!
October 17 (Sat.), 8am–11am
Fernhill Wetlands
Join leader John Rakestraw on the third Saturday walk co-
sponsored by Audubon Society of Portland and Backyard
Bird Shop. Stroll around these extensive Forest Grove
wetlands searching for a variety of songbirds, waterfowl,
and raptors. Call Backyard Bird Shop (503-496-0908) for
information and to reserve a spot. Bring binoculars, dress
for weather — beginners are welcome.
October 24 (Sat.), 8am–11am
Wapato Greenway, Sauvie Island
Leaders Gabriel Forcier and Robin Carpenter will
be your guides around this small lake on Sauvie Island
looking and listening for songbirds and early waterfowl.
Meet leaders at 8am in the Wapato Greenway parking lot.
To reach Sauvie Island travel west from Portland on Hwy
30 about 15 miles to the bridge onto the island. Continue
north on Sauvie Island Rd, past the intersection with
Reeder Rd, past the boat ramp turnoff, to the marked
parking lot on the left. Call Robin (503-784-3245) if
interested in carpooling. Beginners welcome!
Magpies
...love to go birding during the weekdays.
We start a little later, go a little slower,
and try to keep a restroom in sight.
Sauvie Island
October 5 (Mon.),
9am–1pm
Meet at the General Store. Parking permits are required
on the island. If we can meet by 8:30am we can arrange
carpooling from there, as the roads are very narrow. If
you are interested in this trip, please contact Marilynn
Burke at mbbirdnerd@gmail.com (Marilynn will
answer emails after 9/30/2009).
Oaks Bottom
October 19 (Mon.),
8:30am–11:30am
Walk leader Dudley Thomas will take us around
Oaks Bottom, always a favorite. Weather permitting
we will go all the way around the trails. There should
be some waterfowl by this time of the year. Dress for
the weather and meet in the Oaks Amusement Park
parking lot at 8:30am. For information contact Dudley
at dbthomas86@comcast.net or 503-244-6496.
The Audubon Society of Portland is a member of Earth Share
of Oregon. For more information, contact Earth Share of
Oregon at 503-223-9015 or on the web at
www.earthshare-oregon.org.
www.audubonportland.org
 OCTOBER Calendar of Events
SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT
Birding Weekend 27 Beginning Birding I 28 29 Ridgefield NWR 30 Author presentation: 1 2 Powell Butte Field trip, 3
(Sept. Warbler) Class, 7pm Field trip, 8am The Curse of the 8am (p.2)
(Sept. Warbler) (Sept. Warbler) Labrador Duck, 7pm
= Swift Watch Beginning Field Birding on
(p.8) Sauvie Island, 8am (p.7)
Steens Mountain trip
begins (July/August Mausoleum & oaks
Warbler) Bottom Mural outing,
1pm (p.2)
Vancouver Lake Field 4 Magpies visit Sauvie 5 Birders’ Night 6 7 8 9 BirdFest & Bluegrass 10
trip, 8am (p.2) Island, 9am (p.2) 7:30pm Heron Hall at Ridgefield NWR
(p.3)
Ride the Willamette River
Greenway, 9am (p.2) Birding Weekend (p.10)
Bluegrass Live Music Jam
12:30pm Heron Hall

BirdFest & Bluegrass 11 Malheur NWR 12 Nature Night: Author 13 14 Board Meeting, 15 16 Fernhill Wetlands 17
at Ridgefield NWR Presentation with Reading and Signing 7pm Heron Hall Field trip, 8am (p.2)
(p.3) Refuge Manager tim of Crow Planet, 7pm
Birding Sauvie Island,
Bodeen, 7pm (p.4) Heron Hall (p.3) 9am (p.2)
Birding Weekend (p.10)
Mushrooms of Forest Park
Class, 10am (p.7)

Beginning Birding II 18 Magpies visit oaks 19 Registration begins 20 21 22 23 Wapato Greenway, 24

Field trip, 8am (p.7) Bottom, 8:30am for Winter Camp (p.1) Sauvie Island Field
(p.2) trip, 8am (p.2)

Night Flight Family

event, 4pm–8:30pm (p.3)

Beginning Birding II 25 26 Celebrate teddy 27 28 29 30 Beginning Birding II 31

Field trip, 8am (p.7) Roosevelt’s 151st Field trip, 8am (p.7)
birthday at the Nature
Store (p.11)

HALLoWeeN

Bluegrass Live 1 2 Birders’ Night 3 4 5 6 Beginning Field 7

Music Jam 7:30pm Heron Hall Birding on Sauvie
12:30pm Heron Hall Island, 8am (p.7)

6x6 Wild Art Projects

due (p.12)

Birding Weekend (p.10)

eLeCtIoN DAY

Note: An electronic version of this issue and past Warblers is available on our website, www.audubonportland.org/about/newsletter

NATURE NIghT BirdFest & Bluegrass 2009

Second Tuesday of the month from September to May.
Free and open to the public. If you have a suggestion for a
Nature Night presentation, contact Catherine at Saturday–Sunday,
chalpin@audubonportland.org or 503-292-6855 ext.129.
October 10–11
Author Reading and
C ome to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Visit an authentic
just 25 minutes north of Portland, for two days replica of a
Signing of Crow Planet of celebrating nature and bluegrass music! plankhouse, see
Walk on Audubon-led bird and plant tours, and learn demonstrations
Tuesday, October 13, 7pm about Bald Eagles from experts. Visit the Portland on how Native
Replica of Cathlapotle Plankhouse at
Ridgefield NWR. © Marguerite Hills
Heron Hall Audubon Nature Store booth at the Birders’ Americans lived, and
Marketplace, enjoy tasty treats at food booths, and sample salmon at a traditional salmon bake.

L ife on Earth is complicated, interconnected, and always listen to bluegrass music all day Saturday.
Reserve a spot on a tour to view Sandhill Cranes, and
changing: environmental and philosophical truths that Watch your children have fun for free while learning sign up for a guided kayak paddle trip.
Lyanda Lynn Haupt, as a naturalist, author, wife, and about nature at the craft stations, storytelling tent, live
mother, knows all too well. Her new book, Crow Planet: Essential raptor shows, and Audubon children’s bird walks.
Presented by Friends of Ridgefield NWR. For details,
Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness, documents Haupt’s journey go to www.ridgefieldfriends.org.
to becoming an “urban naturalist” through the study of crows —
the big, gutsy, boisterous, intelligent, and sometimes
unsettling birds that have managed to adapt and Mark your calendars for this family-friendly Halloween event!
thrive in expanding urban and suburban areas,
where so many other species of native wildlife have
been pushed back.
Haupt encourages readers to realize that nature is
Saturday,
found not only in the pristine wilderness but all
around us, and to understand that what affects the
October 24, 2009
natural world comes directly back into our lives. 4pm – 8:30pm
Crows — as they hunt, play, grow, and learn right in
the midst of the human world — are intriguing avatars for the $10 per person
(recommended for kids 5–12)
urban ecosystems and natural cycles that surround us every day:
complex, overlooked, and immensely important.
Lyanda Lynn Haupt is an author and naturalist based in Seattle.
Her first book, Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds (Sasquatch,
2001), was a winner of the 2002 Washington State Book Award.
Her second book, Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent: The
C ome celebrate Halloween and learn all about
the creatures of the night. Come face-to-face
with Portland Audubon’s Great Horned Owl,
Northern Spotted Owl, Turkey Vulture, and Common
Raven. Go trick-or-treating with naturalists and
Dress for the weather; the event will take place rain
or dry.

Pre-registration is required. You can register online

at www.audubonportland.org/halloween or call
Importance of Everything and Other Lessons from Darwin’s Lost enjoy a night walk to investigate what creatures 503-292-6855 for more information. Space is limited
Notebooks, received positive reviews nationwide. haunt our sanctuary at night. for the event and walks, so register early!

www.audubonportland.org OCTOBER 2009 3

Conservation News
Migratory Bird Treaty Act Legislation
Still Making Its Way Through Congress
by Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director

R ecent incidents on Oregon and Washington beaches
involving drivers intentionally plowing down
protected birds serve as a reminder of why we
need stronger laws to protect our native birds. In June a
motorist intentionally killed nearly 50 birds in Long Beach,
Washington. This event was followed by several similar
incidents along Oregon beaches that
made headlines throughout the rest of
the summer.
During the summer of 2008,
Oregonians read about three incidents
involving the shooting of Osprey off
their nests while their young were left
to starve to death. In 2007, headlines
were filled with stories of pigeon
fanciers clubbing and poisoning
hawks and falcons, and suffocating
them in plastic bags. While each of
these events has been met with public
One out of every five Americans considers themselves
to be a birder, according a 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife
report, Birding in the United States: A Demographic and
Economic Analysis. According to this report, sale of birding
equipment and birding-related trips generated more than
$82 billion in economic activity, accounted for 671,000
jobs, and generated more than $11
billion in local, state, and federal tax
revenue in 2006. The ecological and
aesthetic value of birds has been Osprey at nest. © Jim Cruce
recognized since 1918, when Congress
first provided blanket protection for Public Trust Wins Out
most native North American birds
under the Migratory Bird Treaty Over Chemical Industry
Act. Continuing to treat the most Spending Frenzy on
egregious bird-related crimes as Class
B misdemeanors, by definition minor
PBDE Bill
infractions, is completely out of step by Bob Sallinger,
with the value that Americans clearly Conservation Director
place on our feathered friends.

I
outrage, the laws protecting migratory n the August edition of the Warbler, we reported
birds have repeatedly been shown On September 19th, Audubon’s that during the 2009 legislative session, Oregon
to be insufficient to deter future Wildlife Care Center released a Red- passed a bill setting in place the strictest restrictions
offenders. tailed Hawk back to the wild. The in the United States on use of the chemical Deca-BDE.
X-rays of a Bald Eagle (top) and a Turkey Vulture bird was found on June 13th near Deca-BDE is used as a flame retardant in many products
Kudos to Congressman Peter DeFazio (bottom) riddled with shot. © Portland Audubon the Oregon Trail Elementary School but has been linked to a variety of health problems and
and his staff, who have now worked in Clackamas. The bird had been has been recognized as a “persistent bioaccumulative
for more than two years to ensure shot and had suffered a broken leg. toxin.” It is showing up in increasingly alarming levels
that the worst bird-related crimes will She spent more than three months in everything from human breast milk to a variety of
be eligible for enhanced penalties. recovering and cost hundreds of wildlife species including Peregrine Falcons and Osprey.
Congressman DeFazio has steadfastly dollars to rehabilitate. No law is There are safer, cost-effective alternatives available.
pushed forward the Migratory Bird sufficient to deter every crime, but Passing a bill to eliminate use of this chemical in
Penalty and Enforcement Act, which thanks to Congressman DeFazio’s Oregon was a joint effort and top priority of Willamette
would allow bird-related crimes that ongoing efforts, hopefully the people Riverkeeper and Portland Audubon during the 2009
are “intentional and aggravated” to who perpetrate these kinds of acts legislative session.
be treated as Class A misdemeanors. will soon face far more serious
Second offenses would be treated as repercussions when they are caught. We have recently learned just how determined the
felonies. It is now time for Congress to chemical industry was to defeat this bill. The September
act. How many more of these stories For more information on the DeFazio 10, 2009, issue of the Portland Mercury reported that
do we have to read before Congress bill or on Audubon’s ongoing efforts a chemical industry front group known as “Citizens
speaks to this issue? to strengthen bird protection laws, go for Fire Safety” spent $468,269 lobbying against the
to www.audubonportland.org/news/ bill, the largest expenditure by any lobbyist during the
legislation. 2009 legislative session. They outspent Riverkeeper and
Audubon by a factor of more than 50 to 1. Despite their
efforts, the bill passed strongly in the House and Senate
and was signed into law by the Governor.

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Presentation The Environmental Health Fund in Massachusetts has
done an exposé on Citizens for Fire Safety (go to http://
with Refuge Manager Tim Bodeen environmentalhealthfund.org/documents/Citizens%20
Monday, October 12, 7:00pm at Audubon Society of Portland for%20Fire%20Safety.pdf ). Citizens for Fire Safety is a
sad example of the growing trend of industrial entities
creating fake grassroots movements to support their

M alheur National Wildlife Refuge economic interests. These types of efforts are the lowest
is one of the premier sites for of the low when it comes to cynical attempts to distort
birds and birding in the United and manipulate the political process.
States. In recent decades the refuge has
faced significant management challenges The paid lobbyist for Citizens for Fire Safety portrayed
that have vastly reduced its ecological himself as representing “burn doctors,” “burn clinics,”
productivity. The refuge is beginning its “other folks,” and a “wide range of people” while
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP), testifying against the Deca-BDE bill before the Senate
which will guide long-range management Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment
of the refuge for the next 15 years. on March 5, 2009. It was only after the lobbyist’s
Audubon Society of Portland staffers testimony when Senator Mark Hass questioned him
Bob Sallinger and Mary Coolidge are about his affiliations that the direct link to the chemical
participating in this planning process. industry was revealed (a full recording of the session
can be heard at http://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/SB596):
The October 12th presentation with One of many magnificent panoramas at
Refuge Manager Tim Bodeen will be a Malheur NWR. © Bob Sallinger Senator Mark Hass: “The group that you are representing,
great opportunity to learn about the issues and challenges facing the refuge, are they in any way tied to the chemical manufacturers, the
find out about the CCP process, ask questions, and offer input. chemical concerns?”

Malheur NWR, first created by Theodore Roosevelt, just
passed its centennial mark. It encompasses over 187,000
acres and provides habitat for more than 300 bird species
and 50 mammal species. The refuge provides some of the
most important breeding and migratory habitat for birds
in the western United States.
Please join us for this important opportunity
to learn about the refuge and help shape its future.
Ferruginous Hawk © www.LeValleyPhoto.com
Citizens for Fire Safety Lobbyist: “Madam Chair, Senator
Hass, yes. The three companies that make this product are
also members of the council.”
Congratulations to the Oregon Legislature and
Governor Kulongoski for standing up to the onslaught
of heavily financed chemical industry lobbyists on
Virginia Rail © Jim Cruce
this bill. Special thanks to Senator Mark Hass, Senator
Jackie Dingfelder, and Representative Ben Cannon for
leading the successful effort to pass this bill.

4 OCTOBER 2009 www.audubonportland.org

 Wildlife Care Center
An Osprey’s Story
by Kari Jones, Wildlife Care Center Assistant Manager

W hen birds pass through the Wildlife Care Center,

we rarely learn their life story. Identifying them
as breeding adults, and sometimes determining
their gender, would normally be the extent of what we
learn. This summer, however, we received a special bird
with a history we were able to uncover.
Mourning Dove
Backyard Wildlife On July 28th the WCC received an Osprey that was hit by a
and Habitat: car on Marine Drive. We knew right away that this bird had
been in human hands before, because she had leg bands
Window Strikes on both legs: a standard federal band and a color band that
allows her to be identified from a distance. The Osprey’s
by Karen Munday, injuries included paralysis in both legs. After treating her
Urban Wildlife Specialist for shock and trauma, we confirmed her diagnoses with
x-rays: a fractured spine. Because she
• 7/16/97: she was banded.
• 9/6/97: arrived in lower Oregon.
• 9/13/97: stopped in El Fuerte, Mexico.
• 9/15/97: arrived in Culiacan, Mexico, and spent several
days.
• 11/24/97: settled for the winter in Novojoa, Mexico.
• 3/98: started toward her nesting grounds in the Pacific
Northwest. She traveled 11 days, then took a rest in Las
Vegas, Nevada, before continuing to the Columbia River.
The study that she was included in was published by
Mark S. Martell in the July 2001 issue of The Condor, the
journal of the Cooper Ornithological Society. The study
identified the migration routes of Osprey from the west
coast (Columbia River), Minnesota,

W e have all heard the heartbreaking thud of a

bird crashing into a window. It is an all-too-
common experience. It is estimated that over
100 million birds per year are killed by collisions with
windows. Locally our Wildlife Care Center receives 200–
was unable to ever be released back
into the wild, she was euthanized.

That would usually be the end of

300 birds each year from the Portland-Vancouver metro
area that have been injured in such collisions.
If you have had repeated window strikes, there are some
things you can do to try to minimize the problem.
• Try moving feeders to new locations. Bird feeders should
be placed either less than 3 feet away from windows or
over 30 feet away. Feeders placed between 3 and 30 feet
from windows have a higher chance of birds striking
windows after being startled from the feeder.
• Use the “scarecrow” technique around windows
commonly struck by birds. You can purchase hawk
silhouettes, other window decals, and bird scare tape
at our Nature Store and other bird shops. Attach
the silhouettes and decals directly to the outside of the
window, or create your own and suspend them on line
so they hang down in front of the window and flutter
in the wind. These have limited success, but will
sometimes slow birds down or scare them out of the
immediate area.
• Mesh window screens can be beneficial for smaller
windows and act as a soft trampoline to reduce impacts
of birds.
• Go outside and take a look through your windows
the story — but in this case, it was
the beginning. While reporting her
federal band number we learned that
this Osprey was banded in 1997 and
therefore was at least 12 years old.
About a week later we received a call
from U.S. Geological Survey zoologist
Osprey © Jim Cruce
Chuck Henny, Ph.D., who had
actually banded our bird. We learned from Dr. Henny that
this bird was part of a large national study on fall migration
routes, times, and wintering sites of Osprey. He also
commented that she was an adult when banded, making
her at least 15 years at her death, possibly older. In the wild,
this species can live up to 30 years.
At the time of her banding, this Osprey had a nest and three
chicks on Government Island (approximately 1.5 miles from
where she was hit by the car). Not only was she banded, she
was also fitted with a satellite radio backpack. The following
paragraph documents her travels during 1997 and early 1998,
and we suspect this was her usual routine year after year.
Get Involved!
New York, and New Jersey. In all cases
the females left nesting grounds before
juveniles and males, and the females
traveled farther south than males.
West Coast birds remained in breeding
grounds longer than the East Coast
birds, and they then took the quick
route directly to Mexico, traveling up to
230 miles a day. Some East Coast birds
would go much slower but traveled
farther south, some as far as Brazil.
In the case of this Osprey, we can be sure where she bred,
traveled, and wintered. She unknowingly aided biologists’
understanding of the fascinating migratory patterns of this
species, and gave us a wonderful life story to share.
Audubon is currently working on a project to
install a webcam at an Osprey nest at South
Waterfront. We hope that part of this project will
include fitting a bird at this site with a satellite
transmitter, so that people can track online the
birds that fledge from this nest throughout their
first year of life.

from the birds’ point of view. If you have windows on
opposite sides of your home, birds may perceive a fly-
through passage. In these situations try closing interior
shades or leaving vertical blind slats half open.
• For some highly problematic windows, exterior films
are available that make the outside of the window
appear opaque but still allow you to see clearly outside.
What To Do If a Bird Strikes
Your Window
Many strikes are not fatal. Often a bird will just
be temporarily stunned. The Wildlife Care Center
recommends placing the bird in a small box. Place the box
in a warm quiet place and check on the bird in an hour.
If the bird is alert, active, and able to fly, then release it
immediately. If the bird is still having trouble, bring it
to our Wildlife Care Center (call 503-292-0304) or other
wildlife rehabilitation facility.
BirdSafe Portland
As noted in the September Warbler, Portland Audubon has
now undertaken a Bird Window Strike survey in downtown
Portland. If you find a dead or injured bird in the greater
downtown area that may be the result of a window
W
e’re looking for people who want to help preserve our environment for future
generations! This is a great way to have fun, learn about the natural world, and make a
difference for wildlife. All you need is a desire to learn and a love of the natural world.
FAUNA
Northern Spotted Owl.
Friends and Advocates of Urban Natural Areas Credit: John Hollingsworth/
(FAUNA) is an informal group of individuals and local USFWS
grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting and
restoring urban watersheds for fish, wildlife, and people.
We strive to more fully integrate the built and natural ACT
environments in the Portland metropolitan area. Our Audubon Conservation
Team (ACT) specifically focuses on conservation of
Join FAUNA and you will receive regular updates and action IBAs, protection of oceans, and recovery of Threatened
alerts on how to be involved in conserving and restoring and Endangered species. If you care about protecting
our urban watersheds and greenspaces. To become a state and federal forests, marine wildlife and habitat, and
member, go to www.audubonportland.org/issues/ Important Bird Areas, please sign up for ACT at www.
get-involved. Help protect and enhance nature near the audubonportland.org/issues/get-involved. Join the team!
places where you live, work, and play!
BridgePort Benefit Raises over $3,200 for
Audubon Conservation Efforts!

S
strike, please contact Mary Coolidge at mcoolidge@
audubonportland.org or 503-292-6855 ext.111. pecial thanks to BridgePort Brewpub for selecting the Audubon Society of
Portland as the beneficiary of their 25th Anniversary Celebration in August.
A great time was had by all! This event continues BridgePort’s longstanding
support for Audubon’s efforts to protect urban greenspaces.
Get Your
Audubon Conservation Director Bob Sallinger
Backyard took the stage with one of Audubon’s education
Certified! birds, Finnegan the peregrine, to discuss the long
relationship with BridgePort, including BridgePort
Check out our Brewpub’s support for Audubon’s urban Peregrine
Falcon recovery efforts. As Bob spoke, the crowd Finnegan the Peregrine Falcon with
Backyard Habitat Audubon Conservation Director
Certification Program could see a Peregrine Falcon perching on the arch Bob Sallinger at BridgePort’s 25th
at www.audubonportland.org/backyardwildlife/ of the Fremont Bridge, which looms beyond the Anniversary Celebration.
backyardhabitat or call Karen Munday at brewpub. © Peter Sallinger
503-292-6855 ext.122. Apply now to get on the
Mike Houck, Peg Malloy, and friend enjoy BridgePort festivities. © Peter Sallinger
waiting list for your site visit.

www.audubonportland.org OCTOBER 2009 5

Educational Trips & Tours These trips are popular. We recommend
that you book early.

Birding Costa Rica Keel-billed Toucan © Mike Liskay,

http://geneguy.smugmug.com

Tentative dates: March 28 – April 10, 2010

J oin naturalists from Audubon Society of Portland on an incredible trip

through the lush lowland rainforests, volcanoes, mountain forests, and
coastal wetlands of Costa Rica. More than 800 species of birds have been seen
within the borders of this small country. To protect this diversity Costa Rica has
preserved almost 30% of its land in the form of National Parks and Reserves,
helping to make sure that it will be protected for many generations to come. We’ll
explore these habitats as we search for the Keel-billed Toucan, Blue-crowned
Motmot, American Pygmy Kingfisher, and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron,
to name a few. One of the highlights will be our search for the Resplendent
Quetzal, considered by many as the most beautiful bird in the world.
We’ll visit the cloud forest slopes of the dormant Tenorio Volcano and walk
along the incredibly blue Rio Celeste where warblers and tanagers abound. At
the Poas Volcano, we will peer into the crater lake and enjoy the cool mountain
air. We’ll seek out mixed-species flocks
including cotingas, saltators, and
woodcreeper at the La Selva Biological
station, and hike the lowland rainforest
of this famous research station. In
Tortuguero, “the Amazon of Costa
Rica,” we’ll see herons and egrets by
boat while parrots fly over and howler
monkeys roar in the distance. In the
mountains, we’ll visit the temperate Savegre River valley
where highland tropical birds forage in the oaks and
alders with familiar birds such as Acorn Woodpeckers.
Our final destination is the Pacific Coast, where we will
take a trip through the estuary and mangroves of the
Rio Tarcoles, and look for Scarlet Macaws in the Carara
Biological Reserve.
We expect to see well over 200 species of strange and
colorful birds on this trip, along with a number of amazing
mammals, colorful butterflies, and bizarre reptiles.
What is included: All ground transportation within Costa Rica, 13 nights lodging, breakfasts, lunches, some
dinners, local guide fees, entrance fees, excursions, and the services of your skilled leaders. A portion of your fee is a
tax-deductible contribution to the Audubon Society of Portland. Airfare to Costa Rica is not included.
Fee (double occupancy): $3295 members /
$3395 non-members
Deposit: $1600 required to secure your place on the trip
Group size: 14
Leader: Dan van den Broek
Contact Dan van den Broek at dvandenbroek@audubonportland.org or 971-222-6105.

American Pygmy Kingfisher © Mike Liskay, http://geneguy.smugmug.com

Experience Hawai’i — the Big Island!

February 23 – March 3, 2010

J
We also plan to visit
oin long-time Portland Audubon supporters and seasoned Big Island travelers Gary Slone and
the Onizuka Center
Nancy Johnson on an incredible 9-day adventure exploring the unique natural history of the Big
for International
Island of Hawai’i. At only 800,000 years old, the Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian
Astronomy (elevation
islands as well as the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago. There are 12 distinct climate zones here,
9200 feet) on Mauna
creating an incredible diversity of weather, plants, and animals. During our trip we’ll go birding in
Kea. This observatory has
the Hakalau Rainforest for the island’s endangered endemic birds. This part of the island is entirely
high-quality telescopes
closed to the public; we’re fortunate to have a special access permit and the guidance of one of the
through which we can
most experienced wildlife biologists on the island. We’ll look for Akiapola’au, Akepa, I’iwi, and Female Volcano Elepaio. Photo: Eike Wulfmeyer,
view the night sky, and Wikimedia Commons
more. We’ll also explore dry forest as we
if daytime conditions
look for more rare endemics including
are good we may also visit Mauna Kea’s summit at 14,000 feet! Additional
Palila, Elepaio, and others.
highlights of the trip include the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens,
Lyman Museum, Hilo Farmer’s Market, lunch in a gorgeous tropical fruit
Our trip will include an indepth
orchard, plus lots more birding, hiking, and swimming!
exploration of the cultural and geological
history of Kilauea, the world’s most
What is included: All lodging, land transportation, park fees, guide fees, all meals
active volcano — including a hike
except dinners, and the services of your leaders. A portion of your fee is a tax-
across a newly formed, still steaming,
deductible gift to the Audubon Society of Portland. Airfare is not included.
lava field. Thick-soled shoes are very
important here! We’ll experience the
Fee: $1795 members / $1995 non-members
marine environment too as we snorkel
Deposit: $900
in Kealakekua Bay, part of Hawai’i’s
Group size: 9 participants
Marine Life Conservation District.
Leaders: Gary Slone, Birdathon Coordinator, and Nancy Johnson
These waters are especially rich with
Water Lily. Photo: Hawaii Tropical Botanical Contact Steve Engel at sengel@audubonportland.org or 971-222-6119.
Garden, Wikimedia Commons coral, tropical fish, and marine turtles.

Sign up early!
In 2010, we’re gearing up for some
incredible birding adventures. Audubon
Society of Portland will lead trips across
four continents, on exotic islands, and to the
natural wonders of our own incomparable
Pacific Northwest.

Check our website and watch the Warbler Machu Picchu. Photo: Martin St-Amant, Galapagos Dove. Photo: putneymark, WikimediaCommons
Wikimedia Commons
for your chance to broaden your horizons
and see the birds of the world. Peru Galapagos
Tentative dates and fee: Tentative dates and fee:
Here are two of our September 26 – October 1, 2010 October 2–8, 2010
planned trips next year… ($2995) ($3295)

6 OCTOBER 2009 www.audubonportland.org

 HOW TO REGISTER
Adult Classes
1. Phone or email with your contact
information and the classes in which you wish
to reserve one or more spaces.
2. Mail in your payment right away. Make
checks payable to Audubon Society of Portland.
3. We’ll contact you with confirmation of
payment and class details.
Trips & Classes
Educational Trips & Tours Contact: Steve Engel, Adult Mail: Audubon Society of Portland
1. Phone or email to request a registration Education Coordinator 5151 NW Cornell Rd.
packet for the trips of interest. Email: sengel@audubonportland.org Portland, OR 97210
2. Complete and sign the Registration / Waiver Phone: 971-222-6119
Form and return it with the required deposit.
3. We’ll contact you with confirmation of Credit Card Payment: We accept VISA, MasterCard, and Discover. A 3%
payment and further details. processing fee is added to each transaction. Include card number, expiration
date, and billing address, or call Steve Engel and pay over the phone.

Beginning Field Birding and Winter Waterfowl

Sauvie Island Exploration November 17 (Tues.), 7pm–9pm in Heron Hall
with Greg Baker Another great class with Harry Nehls, local bird expert and author of
Saturdays, 8am–Noon
October 3, November 7, December 5 numerous field guides and the Warbler’s “Field Notes” column (see page
9), as well as the voice of the Rare Bird Alert. This evening program will
Saturday morning cover the wide variety of waterfowl that arrive in the Northwest in fall
explorations at one and winter: wigeon, teal, geese, swans, and more! Learn the differences
of Oregon’s most between these birds and how to pick them out in a crowd.
accessible Important
Bird Areas — Sauvie Fee: $10 members / $15 non-members
Island Wildlife Area, This class is FREE for volunteers. Northern Pintails
managed by Oregon Northern Shoveler. Photo: Pre-registration is required. © www.BjornFredrickson.com
Department of Fish Donna Dewhurst/USFWS
and Wildlife — continue with Greg Baker! This field
class series is perfect for those interested in developing
and sharpening their birding skills under a variety of
conditions with the tutelage of an expert birder. Explore
Introducing the NEW Portland Audubon
Beginning and intermediate birders welcome! School of Birding!
different habitats on the island, learn bird calls, and search

T
for waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors. Participants sign his new program takes advantage of the best Seasonal topics include:
up for all 3 field trips. birding of every season. We offer FALL, WINTER, FALL (full): . ......................................Shorebirds, raptors,
SPRING, and SUMMER sessions. Each season will seabirds, fall songbirds.
Fee: $50 members / $60 non-members include 6 field trips (one overnight) and 6 classes. We will WINTER (Jan. 6 – Mar. 13): ........Birds of the coast, gulls,
Limited to 15 participants. explore the coast, Willamette Valley, mountains, and high
waterfowl, winter songbirds.
Pre-registration is required. desert in search of seabirds, shorebirds, birds of prey,
waterfowl, and songbirds. SPRING (Apr. 14 – Jun. 9):.. Spring migration, bird songs.
SUMMER (Jun. 16 – Aug. 18):.......... Breeding bird ID and
Discover the birds of every season and build your birding vocalizations, birds of the mountains and high desert.
Mushrooms of Forest Park and skills as we cover:
the Audubon Sanctuary • How to identify birds using field marks, size, and shape What is included: Teaching and guiding by Dan van den
October 17 (Sat.), 10am–2:30pm — we’ll look at plumage characteristics, bill types, Broek and guest speakers, transportation in 15-passenger
overall shape, and styles of flight to help identify birds. vans, 6 field trips, one overnight trip with stay in a hotel, and
Join mycologist Gary Slone • Birding by ear — a focus on identifying birds by songs 6 classes in Heron Hall.
for a fun and informative day and calls.
investigating the fungi that • The natural history of Oregon birds — we’ll discuss Fee: $360 for each session
grow in our own Audubon when and where to find birds in Oregon as well as any Class size is limited to 14 participants.
Sanctuary as well as the Mt. interesting behaviors. For more information or to enroll, contact Dan van den
Hood National Forest. This Broek at dvandenbroek@audubonportland.org or
indepth class will include 971-222-6105.
hands-on experience in Red Belted Conk
identifying and understanding (Fomitopsis pinicola)
the fungi of the Pacific © Gary Slone
Northwest. There will be a wide variety of specimens to
examine, as well as slides and educational handouts. Bring
a sack lunch and wear appropriate clothing for a brief hike
Master Birders Take Wing
in Forest Park.

Fee: $25 members / $35 non-members

Limited to 16 participants.
Pre-registration is required.

Beginning Birding II
Field Trip Dates:
October 18 & 25 (Sundays), 8am–Noon
(locations TBA)
October 31 (Sat.), 8am–5pm
(transportation provided)

Join Laura Whittemore on 3 field trips focusing on building

birding skills. Participants should either have already taken
Laura’s Beginning Birding I class, Greg Baker’s Beginning
Field Birding, or have some prior
birding experience. This class
will be an opportunity to spend Pictured (front row, left to right): Mike Skinner, Maureen Smith, Dan van den Broek, Phyllis Wolfe, Bonnie Deneke, Patty Newland,
more time in the field learning and Dena Turner. (Back row, left to right): Robin Carpenter, Gabriel Forcier, Trish Cox, and John Nikkel. Not pictured: James
bird groups, songs, habitats, and Mattock and Denny Graham. Photo © Al Smith
field marks, and to take on the ID

challenges that cross our path.
Local trips will be within the
metro area and you’ll need your
own transportation or carpool
© www.BjornFredrickson.com
with a friend. The all-day trip
transportation will be provided by Audubon.
Participants sign up for all 3 field trips.
Fee: $70 members / $80 non-members
Limited to 12 participants.
Pre-registration is required.
A
fter 14 months of intense studying, identifying birds, learning bird calls, writing papers, and taking numerous
field trips with Dan van den Broek as their instructor, the 12 participants in the Portland Audubon Master
Kingfisher with meal. Birder program completed their course in good form.
The newly fledged “Master Birders” have each committed 100 volunteer hours to Portland Audubon and are already
well on their way to that goal through assisting with Bird Survey teams, Swift Watch outreach and roost monitoring,
tabling events, the Wild Arts Festival, Christmas Bird Counts, Raptor Road Trip, Birdathon, Field Trip leading,
Sanctuary Tours, and adult classes, Elderhostels, and trips. We salute you for your dedication to learning and your
contributions to the Audubon Society of Portland. Thank you, Master Birders, and congratulations!

www.audubonportland.org OCTOBER 2009 7

Sanctuaries News
Collins Sanctuary Restoration Partnerships
by Tom Costello, Sanctuaries Director
A s Meryl wrote last month, we are in the midst of a
fundraising campaign to establish an endowment
for the ongoing trail maintenance and restoration
efforts in the Collins Sanctuary. With a generous challenge
grant offered by the Collins family to kick-start this effort,
I am confident that we are on our way to a financially
sustainable mechanism to manage the ongoing needs of
the largest of our sanctuaries on NW Cornell Road. And
with Metro’s ongoing stabilization efforts to remove ivy,
clematis, holly, and laurel from the
Collins Sanctuary, it is my hope that
our long-term efforts will tend more
toward maintenance rather than
full-on restoration.
While we work to build this
sanctuaries endowment, we have
been busy forging ahead with new
restoration partnerships in the
Collins Sanctuary. Last month
Audubon Summer Camp Instructor Campers hold down the ivy they had program provides a way for you to give
Dalila Rendon inquired about enthusiastically removed. © Tom Costello a tax-deductible donation to support
including a restoration component into “Hit the Trail,” a
week-long camp. Never one to turn down free help or the
chance to show kids how much fun restoration work can
be, I obliged. Although the group was a little younger than
the typical volunteer group, what they lacked in height and
weight was most surely made up for in enthusiasm. Weeks
later I am actually still puzzled as to how these awesome kids
had so much fun pulling ivy, but in the end it doesn’t matter.
The fact is the kids had a blast, and after a little over an hour
they had a pile of pulled ivy taller than any one of them.
Nature Store Highlights
by Sally Loomis, Nature Store Book Buyer
Bats are one of the iconic images of Halloween, with scary
associations based on centuries of myths and bad press.
Though often misunderstood, these flying mammals are
fascinating creatures that serve crucial roles for insect
control, as pollinators, and (in tropical climates) for dispersal
of fruit seeds. Unfortunately, bats worldwide are undergoing
dangerous population stresses due to habitat loss, disease,
and pollutants. To learn more about bats, drop by the Nature
Store and take a look at the following book titles.
America’s Neighborhood Bats by Merlin Tuttle is a great
basic resource answering lots of common
questions. Tuttle, longtime head of the
organization Bat Conservation International,
is widely considered to be one of the leading
authorities on bats. Other recommended titles
include the Stokes’ Beginner’s Guide to Bats,
which is a handy pocket-size field guide to
North American species, and Understanding
Bats, which gives both behavioral and
identification information in an
inexpensive pamphlet form.
For children, we have several titles, both
nonfiction and storybooks. To mention
just a few, Bats at the Beach and
Bats in the Library are both widely popular stories
from author Brian Lies. Bat Loves the Night by
Nicola Davies is available either individually
or combined with a CD. Stellaluna is available
as a sturdy board book. Look for fun bat finger
puppets and coloring books as well.
We’ll be featuring some of these children’s titles
at Portland Audubon’s Night Flight event on
October 24th. Drop in the Nature Store for story-
reading sessions.
Ways to Help Bats
Place a bat house on your property if
possible. Be careful about location —
bats have fairly specific needs about
such things as height and sun exposure.
We have bat houses for sale here at
the Nature Store, crafted by local
woodworker Milan Peterka, and also sell
The Bat House Builder’s Handbook that features plans for
8 OCTOBER 2009
September also marked the kick-off to our second year of
TogetherGreen Volunteer Events, a partnership sponsored
by National Audubon and Toyota. On September 12th,
45 volunteers took part in a massive ivy pull in the upper
reaches of the Collins Sanctuary, where the ivy infestation
has been very bad. All the tree ivy has been dealt with
by Metro but there still was (and is) some ground ivy
Volunteer Rick Meyers hurries away before his ivy-pull pile can
to combat. We also dealt with some scattered scotch take revenge. © Tom Costello
broom and garlic mustard that unfortunately have found
their way into the sanctuary. After our
TogetherGreen volunteers scoured
the hillsides, a group from Columbia
Sportswear swept through the Collins
October Photo
Sanctuary, bringing further woe to the Exhibit is Final Show
ailing ivy.
in the Interpretive
The areas targeted in September for ivy
removal will be the first sites planted Center!
T
through our new partnership with
Friends of Trees’ Gift Tree program. This his month’s exhibit will be
our last show before the new
permanent display cases are
local restoration efforts and have a customized card sent installed in the Interpretive Center.
to the recipient of your choice. Scientists from Metro will The Nature Store is pleased to present
assist in the planning of planting locations and species to the work of Vancouver photographer
be planted, while Friends of Trees staff will oversee the Hoa T. Azer.
planting, and invite Gift Tree purchasers and recipients
to help. The first planting is scheduled for December 6th. Born in Namdinh, Vietnam, Hoa immigrated as a
Please visit www.FriendsofTrees.org/GiftTrees to learn young woman to San Jose, California, where she
more or to purchase your Gift Tree today. pursued a career as a bilingual secretary. Fascinated
with photography since the age of 16, her first paycheck
was used to purchase a small instamatic camera. But it
was only as she approached retirement that she turned
her attention to seriously developing her photographic
talents through study with private instructors and
college courses.
In 2006 Hoa moved
to Fairview, Oregon,
and a home at the
October 1 Book Signing edge of Fairview
The Nature Store welcomes Glen Chilton, Canadian Lake. Befriended by
ornithologist and author of the newly published The Curse a tame exotic goose
of the Labrador Duck: My Obsessive Quest to the Edge of named Bobby, her
Extinction, to Portland Audubon on October 1 at 7:00 focus quickly turned
p.m. The story of one man’s quest to find every specimen to photographing
of an extinct bird, the book mixes a blend of serious birds. Beginning with
ornithology, wacky travel adventures, and beer. Please introduced species,
come to Heron Hall for a presentation and book signing by she has moved on to
the world’s leading authority on the Labrador Duck. native birds, taking
photos in Florida and
Hawaii as well as nearby
building your own. Our resources can also tell you where the Ridgefield National
best location for your bat house will be. Wildlife Refuge.
Sandhill Cranes © Hoa Azer
Don’t use chemical pesticides in your yard, and advocate for Swans, cranes, herons,
reduced use or elimination of them elsewhere. Our Backyard pelicans, and other large shorebirds are her favorite
Habitat Certification Program can be a great way to learn subjects. Hoa says, “I love big wings… powerful…
more about natural gardening techniques. elegant!” She captures images as the birds go about
their daily lives: courting, bathing, preening and,
When sealing off an attic or other especially, stretching out those large beautiful wings in
structure, be careful to ensure that bats what she calls “their daily tai chi.”
aren’t trapped inside. If you happen to
own property that includes any sort of All photos in this exhibit were taken with a Canon EOS
cave or abandoned mine, take special digital camera using a 200–500mm telephoto zoom lens.
care to avoid changes that could reduce
bat habitat.
Check the website for Bat Conservation Audubon Society of Portland gratefully
International at www.batcon.org for lots of acknowledges these thoughtful gifts:
additional information about bat behavior
and conservation issues, including updates
on the new fungal problem called white-nose In Honor
syndrome. Learn how to counter the many Elderhostel trip leaders:
myths about bats that cause people to fear Dan van den Broek,
these remarkable animals. Don Coggswell & Greg Kurtz
Linda and Darryl Easter
Fall Optics Specials
We’re happy to announce that Swarovski has extended their You can honor a special person with a gift to Audubon
60th Anniversary Sale prices on EL binoculars to Dec. Society of Portland. Your gift will help fund a future
31. With savings of up to $400 off the list price, holiday of inspiring people to love and protect nature.
gift giving couldn’t get much better. The affordable Vortex You can make an Honor or Memorial gift online
Furys will carry a $50 rebate through the end of the year. at www.audubonportland.org or by calling
However, both the $50 Nikon Monarch rebate and the 971-222-6129. A songbird card acknowledging your
$100 Vortex Razor rebate end on Oct. 31, so hurry in to thoughtful gift will be sent to the honoree or family.
the Nature Store!
www.audubonportland.org
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Has Distinctive Call
T he secretive Yellow-billed Cuckoo is one of Oregon’s
more interesting species. It is also one of the most
in danger of disappearing. It is a fairly common
summer resident in the eastern states, but west of the Rocky
Mountains it is very rare with only a few unstable nesting
colonies.
Historically the population west of the Rocky Mountains
ranged from southwest British Columbia southward into
Mexico. Overall it was rather rare within this range except
uncommon to fairly common where extensive humid
lowland woodlands occurred. By 1920 it became obvious that
the species was declining and the breeding population was
becoming unstable.
By 1927 these cuckoos no longer bred in British Columbia
and have rarely been reported since. The species declined
and ceased breeding in Washington by 1934. It is now very
rarely seen in the state. Although they may have hung on a bit
longer elsewhere in Oregon, the Columbia River population
in the Portland area was last reported in 1925.
Today Yellow-billed Cuckoos are rare but fairly regular visitors
to Eastern Oregon with indications that some breeding
occasionally occurs. They are much rarer west of the Cascades.
Since 1977 there have been three records for Sauvie Island,
one each for Corbett, West Linn, and Sandy, and July 2009’s
sighting at the Sandy River Delta. There were also two reports
from Lane County and one from the Rogue Valley. Most recent
Oregon records occurred between May 20 and September 28,
with the majority occurring during June.
Sightings
Postbreeding concentrations have been outstanding this year.
White Pelicans have been reported all summer along the
Columbia River and in the Willamette Valley, and have been
increasing on Sauvie Island all summer. On August 12 Andy
Frank reported 112 on Sturgeon Lake, and on August 26 Jay
Withgott counted 165 there.
On August 18 Elaine Stewart reported 150 Great Egrets
at Smith & Bybee Lakes. The flock reached 298 birds by
the end of the month. Reports from Sauvie Island and
Ridgefield NWR indicate that the whole
local population is concentrated at Smith
& Bybee. On August 27 Steve Nord
reported that the annual Pied-billed
Grebe concentration at Smith & Bybee had
reached 315 birds.
Shorebird migrations have been rather slow
in the Portland area. On August 2 Stefan
Schlick reported a Baird’s Sandpiper at
the Tualatin River NWR; Tom Love saw two Dusky Flycatcher © Steve Berliner early birds come from the birds nesting in the
Pectoral Sandpipers there August 20, and
Johnny Sasko photographed a Long-billed Curlew there. an immature Red-Shouldered Hawk at Ridgefield NWR,
and Tom Love saw one at Tualatin River NWR August 14.
The first movement of White-fronted Geese arrived on These may be from nearby nests.
August 26. Bob Flores heard a flock of Lesser Canada Geese
Volunteers of the Month:
John Hammerstad, Barb Hill, and Claire Puchy
by Peter Paquet, Board President
I t’s never an easy task to segregate out just one board
member, from a roster of 14, who has gone beyond
the typical call of duty. That’s because Portland
Audubon’s Board of Directors all contribute their time,
treasure, and talent in so many extraordinary ways.
However, three board members stand out for their
exceptional dedication to a task vital to the organization
and its membership: Claire Puchy, John Hammerstad,
and Barb Hill have undertaken the onerous project of
revising Portland Audubon’s Bylaws! Bylaws are the
ruling document of an organization and create the
framework by which nonprofits will be managed and
run. Even though the Bylaws that we currently use don’t
date back to our organization’s inception in 1902, they
have become desperately obsolete and in need of serious
updating.
www.audubonportland.org
Field Notes by Harry Nehls
It has long been thought that the Northwest population of the
Yellow-billed Cuckoo was tied to the much larger population in
the Central Valley of California. That population also declined
beginning about 1910 and was seriously restricted to unstable
isolated breeding sites by 1950.
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is an insect-eating bird that prefers
caterpillars and other large prey items. During infestations of
tent caterpillars, this becomes its prime source of food — it is
one of very few birds that can eat this hairy species. The bird
can scrape off the hairs before eating but apparently many do
not. When examining specimens of cuckoos, scientists have
found many with their stomach linings thickly matted with
caterpillar hairs.
The cuckoo is a rather secretive bird, usually remaining high
in the canopy of a large tree while slowly creeping about in
search of food. Occasionally it will flutter a bit to obtain a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Photo: Mdf/Wikimedia Commons
reluctant food item. It does not draw attention to itself. It
has a loud distinctive call, though, and most reports include is also good cuckoo habitat on Sauvie Island, and the recent
hearing its call. Most often the bird itself is not seen. reports from the island have come from the Coon Point area.
Birders visiting these areas should be listening for these
With the western population so low, there is some question elusive birds.
about where the recently reported birds are coming
from. Some think they are birds drifting from the eastern
population, others feel that they are remnants of the original
population still attempting to hang on.
Thank You to Our
Most of the lowland woodlands along the Columbia River in
North Portland are gone now, except in the Smith & Bybee Photo Contributors!
Lakes area. In 1924 two Yellow-billed Cuckoo nests were by Marilyn Stinnett, Warbler Editor
found near there. They were the last to be reported. There
fly over Ridgefield August 23. A heavy nocturnal flight of
T he Warbler relies on the generosity of numerous
non-staff photographers for permission to
use their images at no charge, as well as the
willingness of those who provide images in the public
domain. We immensely appreciate these significant
Swainson’s Thrushes was heard August 21. contributions, which
so greatly enrich our
On August 20 George Neavoll spotted about 36 Black Swifts newsletter! In turn,
among a swarm of Vaux’s Swifts over the Kings Heights we strive to accurately
section of southwest Portland. Vaux’s Swifts have been credit their work,
building roosting numbers at local chimneys throughout hoping that exposure
August. By August 31 over 4500 were roosting at the to Audubon audiences
Chapman School chimney in northwest Portland. will further the success
of their craft.
Mt. Tabor Park in southeast Portland has been Wood Ducks “On Guard” won 1st
good for migrants this fall, though not as good Occasionally we’re place in the digiscoping category of
as in spring. Adrian Hinckle reported a Dusky notified about special the 2009 Wildbird Magazine Annual
Flycatcher among the migrants in the park Photo Contest. © Steve Berliner
recognition given to
August 27. our contributors. Congratulations to Steve Berliner,
who won both 1st and 3rd place awards in Wildbird
Kevin Kasowski found an immature Sandhill Magazine’s contest.
Crane among the Great Blue Herons at Oaks
Bottom August 17. This is about the time a few More of our suberb regular contributors include Jim
show up on Sauvie Island. It is thought these Cruce, Paul Buescher, Bjorn Fredrickson, Mike
Liskay, and Ron LeValley — to name only a few. We offer
Cascades. On July 31 George Neavoll reported a round of appreciative ‘wingbeats of applause’ to all of
you for generously sharing your marvelous images!
Claire Puchy
© Portland Audubon
Together and separately, Barb, Claire, and John spent
hours of time reading through these documents and at
least ten years’ worth of amendments. That in itself is
worth praising. But, they took it much further to capture
in writing the intent of how the organization functions
today and how it should in the future. Not only is this
a tedious endeavor, it’s one that needs to be done with
careful intention so that the organization’s governance
structure remains relevant for a good long time!
This six-month project will conclude at our October
Board Meeting when, after thoughtful discussion, the John Hammerstad
board will vote to approve the revised Bylaws. Thank © Portland Audubon
you, John, Claire, and Barb, for helping the rest of us
fulfill our mission and responsibility to this chapter,
our membership, and the community. Barb Hill proxy
© Jim Cruce
OCTOBER 2009 9
From the Executive Director
continued from page 2
These nature-based experiences are critical for imparting
a conservation ethic to young people, and it is satisfying to
know how many we are reaching each year. However, it’s
not enough! We do a laudable job reaching and teaching
traditional Audubon audiences. How, then, do we reach
kids that are not part of the traditional audience?
One way is through partnerships and relationship
building. For example, we just completed another
successful community-based summer camp program
— our fourth — with partners Bienestar and Hacienda,
nonprofit organizations that build affordable housing for
migrant farm workers and immigrants. Because of these
partnerships, our “Explorador Community-Based Summer
Camp” has been able to reach nearly 500 kids from Central
America, Mexico, and West Africa and connect them to
nature right where they live. Another place-based program,
based out of Alberta Park in North Portland, ANT camp
Audubon Birding Weekends 2009
– A Portal to Birding Oregon
T hese popular trips fill early
and there is often a waiting
list. About 10 days before
the trip, I send a letter giving details
like lodging options, meeting place,
schedule, possible birds, etc. You are
responsible for your transportation,
food, and lodging, and I try to help
arrange carpooling. We stay in the
Paul Sullivan
same lodging two nights. We meet for
breakfast on Saturday, carpool and bird all day, and bird
half of Sunday.
Registration is $35 per person for each weekend. Please
make your separate checks payable to the Audubon
Society of Portland. Register by Tuesday before the
weekend you plan to attend.
Include the following registration information for each
weekend you wish to attend:
Your name(s), address, phone, email, number of
attendees, trip you wish to join, and amount enclosed.
Send the registration to Paul Sullivan,
4470 SW Murray Blvd #26, Beaverton, OR 97005.
Frequent Flying – It’s a great way to go!
E
asier than remembering to renew and better for the
planet because it saves resources, monthly giving
through our Frequent Flyer program is an effortless
way to help us protect native birds, other animals, and
wild places. Frequent Flyers provide the Audubon Society
of Portland with a much-needed dependable stream of
income that we use to take care of injured and orphaned
animals, teach people to understand and enjoy nature, and
protect the habitats that we all need to thrive.
Yes, I would like to become a member of the Frequent Flyer Club and provide
reliable support to the fulfillment of Portland Audubon’s mission!
I want to help with monthly automatic
deductions from my checking or savings
account. I authorize the Audubon Society of
Portland to debit the following contribution
from my bank account: $________.
Signature
Today’s date
A check for my first gift is enclosed.
I have included a blank voided check or
voided savings withdrawl slip.
To get started with making monthly gifts, please
complete this form and return it to us at:
OR
Frequent Flyer Membership Program
5151 NW Cornell Rd.
Portland, OR 97210
10
(Alberta Nature Team camp) gives kids attending Title I
schools five days of supervised nature activities.
All of these camps are free, supported by small grants that
Audubon and the other organizations piece together each
year. To ensure success, we rely on our partners to recruit
new kids each week, provide adult mentors, and encourage
family participation. Hacienda and Bienestar count on us
to secure and schedule all of the transportation, provide
healthy lunches and snacks, and conduct a summer camp
program that is safe, fun, and relevant for every participant.
These are all excellent first steps toward reaching new
audiences. But to truly maximize the next generation’s
capacity to care and contribute, we need to extend ourselves
a good deal further. With your continued membership and
sustaining support, we can make it possible for many more
kids to get an outdoor education.
Questions? Email Paul at ptsulliv@spiritone.com or call
503-646-7889. Detailed registration information can be
found in the Dec.08–Jan.09 Warbler, and see a complete
2009 schedule at www.audubonportland.org/
trips-classes-camps/adult/weekends.
UPCOMING BIRDING WEEKENDS
October 10–11 — Baker County
We will visit this beautiful county to look for fall migrants
and early wintering species. We’ll visit the Burnt River,
Unity and Phillips Reservoirs, and the Powder River
valley. Base: Baker City.
November 7–8 — Klamath Basin
We will check out the wintering waterfowl, shorebirds,
and raptors in the Klamath Basin. This is a prime place to
see large numbers of Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese, swans,
and a variety of forest species as well.
Base: Klamath Falls.
(No Birding Weekend trip in December)
You can set up your Frequent Flyer monthly gift to be
charged from a credit card or debited from a bank account,
conveniently contributing to protecting the environment
in more ways than one! Your membership will be
automatically renewed, saving resources and your time, and
you can change your monthly gift amount or discontinue at
any time by just calling our membership office.
Become a Frequent Flyer either by sending in this form or
from our website at Support Us / Ways to Give.
I want to help with monthly automatic charges to
my credit or debit card. I authorize the Audubon
Society of Portland to charge the following
contribution to my credit/debit card: $________.
Please charge my: MasterCard Visa Discover
Card #
Expiration date
Thank you for making a commitment
to assist Portland Audubon in its
mission to help people and native
wildlife flourish together!
You can sign up for a Frequent Flyer
membership on our secure website at
www.audubonportland.org or by
calling Catherine at 503-292-6855 ext.129.
OCTOBER 2009
Welcome,
New Members!
P
ortland Audubon is a force in conservation thanks
to its strength in membership, standing together
since 1902. We appreciate each and every one
of our members and celebrate our membership by
welcoming our new members monthly. Thank you for
joining our vibrant and growing community!
Diane Alela Jim & Sandy Larkins
Justin Allemang Tomas Larsen
Barry Anderson Diane Leonard
Jane Bacon Nikki & Paul Majkut
Dula Baker Cheryl Mauro
Carolyn Bales Tonia Twigger
Sherry Barch McConnell
Tom & Robin Barrett Lisa McKerlick
Leo Battersby Roger McMunn
David Beanland Sarah & Brett Milligan
Patty Beckley Kelly Moulton
Jenna Bjornstad Allie Mount
Alexandra Brudy
John Cancalosi
Neshe North
Susan & Jacob Pandian
Ron Carl Thea Parker
Valerie Charles Diane Pearcy
Josh Cisneros &
Rhianna Wilson
Kesha Cornick
Ryan Dalling
Martha Plaster
Steven Randolph
Jeff & Kris Rose
Donna Rose
Paul Di Napoli & Cecily &
Leish Schelman Kellen Sakrison
Sheilagh Diez Allison M. Santos
Susan Foster Arun Sharma
Spencer Fransway Virginia Sheppard
Luke Owen Frishkoff Julie Sherwin
Tricia Glad Julie Shivley
Kris Gould Brenda Smith
Jeff Graham Bert D. Sperry
Chris Guro Marsha Stoffer
Nancy Hazelett Ben Strand
Boyd Hinson & Troy Strass
Susan Benham Nikki Suydam
Deb Hirschfeld Arden Thornton
Bill Hogsett Maria Valls
Kathleen Jennings Megan Vaughan
Daria Kent The Veeramoney Family
Jennifer Kinnick Tessa Whitlock
Russell & Missy Knutson Denise Wilcox
Susanna Kuo Sherri Youngblood
Lance Landis Jonathan Zonana
Ruth Lane
If you would like to join us or have any questions about
membership, please contact Catherine at
chalpin@audubonportland.org or 503-292-6855.
Wish List & Thank you’s
Thank you to:
• Kelly Moulton for a 20-lb bag of bird food for
Wildlife Care Center
• Jim Cruce for 300 4x6-inch wildlife photos
• Donald Klopfenstein for 2 bottles of electrolyte
solution for Wildlife Care Center
Our Wish List:
Two digital cameras for the
Backyard Habitat Certification Program
For Education:
Laptop computer • Powerpoint Projector
For Sanctuary:
Loppers • Hand saws •Work gloves
Watering wand hose attachment
For Wildlife Care Center:
Science Diet Kitten Growth • Aquariums • Kiddie Pools
Dawn Dishwashing Detergent • Welding Gloves
Camper/Trailer • Untreated Wood: 2x4, 4x4, 4x8
If you can donate these items, please first
contact Audubon Society of Portland at
503-292-6855 ext.102, Mon–Fri, to arrange
a time for delivery/pick-up.
www.audubonportland.org
 Important Bird Area of the Month
Fernhill Wetlands
W etlands are some of the most productive
natural ecosystems in the world, acting not
only as habitat, but also providing for natural
hydrological function of rivers, flood protection, erosion
control, and water quality improvement. Fernhill
Wetlands, co-owned by Clean Water Services (CWS)
and the City of Forest Grove, was once a 160-acre effluent
holding pond site that incidentally hosted wildlife. Under
CWS (formerly Unified Sewerage Agency) management,
the site has enjoyed both considerable expansion and
restoration over the last decade and a half. It is now
transformed into 600 acres of critical wildlife habitat near
the confluence of Gales Creek and the Tualatin River.
Located just outside of Forest Grove, the site is today
characterized by a mosaic of open ponds and wetlands
that host thousands of migrant and resident bird species
throughout the year.
Fernhill provides habitat connectivity for local wildlife, as
well as critical marsh, lake, and riparian habitat for resting
and foraging migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway
in spring and fall. What’s more, this site’s importance is
underscored because of its location along the Tualatin
River bottomlands, adjacent to the recently designated
4,300-acre Wapato Lake Unit of the
Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.
In this area alone, there is potential to
connect over 5,000 acres of wetland
habitat. To this end, efforts are being
made by Metro, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service, Tualatin Riverkeepers, City of
Forest Grove, and others to leverage
funds for future Fernhill Wetlands and
Gales Creek restoration opportunities.
The proximity of Fernhill Wetlands Long-billed Dowitcher © Greg Gillson hunting the wetlands.
to the Portland metropolitan region
also allows for accessible recreation opportunities, wildlife
viewing, birdwatching, education, and research. Visitors
can take advantage of extensive trail access year round,
and the site offers a sense of expansive lake and wetland
openness as well as views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt.
Adams, and Mt. Jefferson.
Species of Ornithological
Significance
In John Rakestraw’s 2007 publication of Birding Oregon:
44 Prime Birding Areas, Fernhill is listed as the top-priority
destination among Washington County sites. Waterfowl
populations here can number in the thousands daily from
November through March and may include Cackling
Goose, Tundra Swan, American Widgeon, Wood Duck,
Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-
Members Receive a Discount at the Nature Store!
A udubon Society of Portland’s Nature Store is
the headquarters for naturalists in the Portland-
Vancouver metro area. We feature nature books,
hiking & field guides, birding software, CDs, DVDs,
binoculars and spotting scopes, bird feeders and seed,
plus gifts & toys for adults & children, all with a nature
theme. Portland Audubon members receive a 10%
discount off regular prices.
The Nature Store is delighted
to feature Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s
books this month. You’ll be able to
meet her and get books signed at
our Nature Night presentation on
Tuesday, October 13th (see related
story on page 3). We’ll have both
her new title, Crow Planet, and an
earlier work, Rare Encounters with
Ordinary Birds, in stock. Haupt
clearly already has many fans here
at Portland Audubon — but if you
Portland Audubon’s Nature Store
5151 NW Cornell Road • Portland, OR 97210
503-292-9453 • store@audubonportland.org
www.audubonportland.org
by Mary Coolidge, Assistant Conservation Director
winged Teal, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup,
Common Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck,
Bufflehead, Hooded and Common
Merganser — along with Pied-billed,
Western, Horned, and Eared Grebe.
Seventeen species of shorebirds occur
in numbers frequently exceeding 100 in
spring, fall, and sometimes winter. These
include Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser
Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Wilson’s Snipe,
Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalarope —
and the Sandpipers: Spotted, Pectoral,
Sharp-tailed, Baird’s, Western, Semipalmated, Least,
and Long-billed Sandpiper.
A wide variety of wetland, forest, and grassland species
also show up at Fernhill Wetlands. American Bittern,
Sora, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Common
Yellowthroat, Marsh Wren, California Quail, Lazuli
Bunting, Western Meadowlark, Wilson’s Warbler,
Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Black-headed
Grosbeak, Western Tanager, American and Lesser
Goldfinch — as well as Savannah, Fox, Song, Lincoln’s,
Golden-crowned, and White-
crowned Sparrow — have all
been seen here.
Bald Eagles and Osprey nest
onsite, and Northern Harrier,
American Kestrel, Merlin, and
Peregrine Falcon are not unusual.
Rare but increasingly regular
this far north in winter, the Red-
shouldered Hawk may be viewed
Visiting Fernhill Wetlands
Join leader John Rakestraw on Saturday, October 17th,
8am–11am, for a third Saturday walk co-sponsored by
Audubon Society of Portland and Backyard Bird Shop.
Stroll around these extensive Forest Grove wetlands
searching for a variety of songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors.
Please call Backyard Bird Shop (503-496-0908) for
information and to reserve a spot. Bring binoculars, and
dress for weather. Beginners welcome!
Or head out on your own! From Hwy 8 (Pacific Avenue) on
the east end of Forest Grove, turn south on Hwy 47 toward
McMinnville. After 0.5 mile, turn left on Fernhill Road, and
after 0.2 mile, turn left again onto a gravel parking lot. Be
aware that the site does not have bathroom facilities. The
street address is 1399 SW Fern Hill Road, Forest Grove.
are new to her work, you’ll be charmed by her lyrical
writing and the deeply personal way she connects human
experience with the natural world.
Theodore Roosevelt is having a
very good year in 2009. Two new
biographical works by prominent
authors have recently been
released, and many more people
are becoming aware of TR’s
important contributions to the
history of environmentalism in
the United States. In honor of the
26th president’s 151st birthday,
drop in at the Nature Store on the
afternoon of Tuesday, October
27th, for cake and special
discounts on the books Wilderness Warrior: Theodore
Roosevelt & the Crusade for America by historian Douglas
Brinkley, and The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire
That Saved America by Seattle writer Timothy Egan.
Open 10am–6pm Monday through Saturday
10am–5pm Sunday
OCTOBER 2009
Fernhill Wetlands. © Greg Gillson
Walking Our Talk:
Another Step for Wise
Resource Management
M
anaging our natural resources wisely also
means managing our output of paper
products wisely. For this reason, we are going
to produce fewer Warbler newsletters beginning in 2010.
Currently at 10 issues per year, starting next January
the newsletter will be delivered to your mailbox 8
times a year on the following schedule:
January/February
March
April/May
June
July/August
September
October/November
December
Every issue will be available online at our website —
and, of course, our monthly electronic newsletter,
“The BirdWord,” will continue. Give us your email
address and we will make sure to send you this
electronic publication. Forward your email address to
tmiller@audubonportland.org.
Stay Connected with
Portland Audubon!
Online tools help keep you up to date on some of the
latest news. Don’t forget to become a fan of Portland
Audubon on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
PortlandAudubon and follow us on Twitter at www.
twitter.com/PortlandAudubon. Be sure to sign up
for our monthly e-newsletter, The BirdWord. You can
also find links to these sites through our home page at
www.audubonportland.org. Join the conversation in our
online community — it’s fun and informative!
Join the
Portland
Audubon
Legacy Club
Coot with young © Jim Cruce
Leave a legacy that will
last for generations to come. A planned gift to the
Audubon Society of Portland will carry forward
your compassion for birds and our natural spaces.
Gifts of stock or property, bequests in your will,
gift annuities, or charitable remainder trusts
may help you achieve certain financial goals
while providing substantial support for Portland
Audubon’s mission.
We would be glad to discuss your giving options
with you in confidence and with no obligation.
Contact Ann Takamoto, Development
Director, at 503-292-6855 ext.117.
11
Join in the Fun! Facilities Rental

Volunteer at the 2009 Picture your next

Wild Arts Festival meeting or event
surrounded by nature!
A re you an old hand at volunteering for the Wild Arts
Festival — or a faithful shopper at the event — or
perhaps entirely new to Audubon Society of Portland?
We would love to have you join us in setting up and
running this year’s Festival, which will again be held at
• Increase productivity — meetings held in natural
environments are less tiring and more effective than
those held in conventional settings.
• Intimate areas are available both indoors and out for
Montgomery Park at 2701 NW Vaughn. Here’s a chance to break-out sessions and team-building exercises.
volunteer with kindred spirits on a lively and enjoyable project. Bob Wilson, Carson Smith, and David Wynn were part of the • Enjoy breaks outdoors in the fresh forest air, and
ace Book Fair team. © Susan Bexton
stretch your legs (and minds) on our trails.
Time Slots Available
November 20–22 Our location and 150-acre nature sanctuary are
A wide variety of jobs are available including setup, minutes from downtown Portland. Our sanctuary,
cashiering, ambassadors, artist and author assistants, and adjacent to Forest Park, includes 150 acres of mixed-
more. Time slots are available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday conifer forest and 4.5 miles of maintained trails. Free
(November 20, 21, and 22). If you’d like to help out, please parking is available at our facility and also at Macleay
call Deanne Sawtelle, Volunteer Coordinator, at 503- Park, a two-minute walk away.
292-6855 and leave your name and phone number.
Heron Hall:
Proceeds from the Wild Arts Festival help sustain Audubon • 31 ft. x 31 ft.
Society of Portland’s most fundamental programs, and the • accommodates 75 people if organized auditorium-style
Festival couldn’t be successful without the time and talent Fran Daggett, Bob Fields, and Trish Cox registered bidders at the • accommodates 50 people if organized banquet-style
Silent Auction. © Susan Bexton
of our volunteers. Whether you are a returning volunteer
or will join us for the first time this year, we look forward to The Festival’s silent auction continues to accept Rental includes:
seeing you there! donations as well. To donate a work of art or other • tables and chairs, 27-inch video screen, slide projector,
suitable item or service, please download a donation form and 10x12 projector screen
For more information, including a list of participating from the Festival website or contact Marilyn Scott at • kitchen with small refrigerator, microwave, coffee urn,
artists and authors, visit www.wildartsfestival.org. Or mswestlinn@g.com or 503-722-8136. dishes, cups, silverware
follow us on Facebook on the Wild Arts Festival page. • nature library and natural history display
• use of our sanctuary and trails
• wi-fi access
Paint a bird to help the birds! Rental fees:
The 6x6 Wild Art Project will again be a feature of the Wild Arts Festival. Art Media is • $50 per hour (two-hour minimum)
donating the 6"x6" canvases to artists to create a piece of art that will be sold at the Festival. • $25 nonrefundable deposit
• certificate of insurance naming Audubon Society
Stop by any of the three Art Media stores to fill out an application and pick up a canvas. of Portland as additional insured required at time
Then you can paint, assemble, or create your canvas to capture this year’s theme: Birds. Finished of deposit
canvases must be returned by November 7. Artists will receive two passes to the Festival and
will be recognized in the Festival program and on the Portland Audubon website. Your rental fees directly support Portland Audubon,
a 501c(3) organization. For more information on
Each piece will be priced at $40. For more information, Barb Macomber and Connie Levesque our rental facilities, or to check on availability,
made managing the 6x6 Project
go to www.wildartsfestival.org. look easy. © Susan Bexton please call Tom Costello at 503-292-6855 ext.106.

Business members
Board Officers Through their business practices and financial
Audubon Society President............................................................................. Peter Paquet
Vice President....................................................................Pat Campbell
contributions, the following business members help
Audubon Society of Portland fulfill its mission. If you
of Portland Secretary.............................................................................. Wink Gross would like to become a business member, please
Treasurer...................................................................................Ken Ivey contact our Development Department
at 971-222-6117.
Inspiring people to love and protect nature since 1902 Board Members Business Benefactor Business Guarantors
Josh Cerra Kristina Gifford Claire Puchy NW Natural Backyard Bird Shop
Audubon Society of Portland promotes the enjoyment, understanding, Nancy Jane Cushing John Hammerstad Lee Savinar Portland General Electric
and protection of native birds and other wildlife and their habitats. Tony DeFalco Barb Hill Ron Spencer Business Partners
BridgePort Brewing Company Business Friends
We focus on our local community and the Pacific Northwest. Katy Ehrlich Bob Liddell Aurora Landscape
Columbia Sportswear
John Fitchen Karen O’Connor Kruse Forest Park Federal Bob’s Red Mill
Administration Offices Board Member Emeritus - Dave Marshall Credit Union Carton Service, Inc.
Duggan, Schlotfeldt and
5151 NW Cornell Rd • Portland, OR 97210 Business Supporters Welch PLLC
503-292-6855 • Fax: 503-292-1021 Committee Chairs Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Leupold & Stevens, Inc.
Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Inc.
9am to 5pm, Mon. - Fri. Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Herring ShoreBank Pacific
NatureBake & Vernier Software & Technology
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vacant Dave’s Killer Bread Winter’s Hill Vineyard
Sanctuaries Executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Paquet Portland Audubon Nature Store
Dawn to dusk every day Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Ivey
Membership & Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Jane Cushing
Nature Store Sanctuaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Littlewood Everything for the
503-292-9453 Wild Bird Enthusiast
10am to 6pm, Mon. - Sat. • 10am to 5pm on Sunday Staff Seven locations in
Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meryl Redisch Portland and Vancouver
Interpretive Center & Library Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tammi Miller 503-635-2044
Same hours as store Development Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Takamoto www.backyardbirdshop.com
Bookkeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jill Hartzell
Wildlife Care Center Birdathon Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary Slone
503-292-0304 Membership Development Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catherine Halpin
9am to 5pm every day Membership Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Kincaid
Education Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Robertson
rare bird alert Adult Education Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Engel
Camp Director/Onsite Programs Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Swanson
503-292-6855 • www.audubonportland.org
Master Birder/Adult Trip Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan van den Broek
Environmental Educator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Abraham
Environmental Educator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Donner
Urban Naturalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Houck
Conservation Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Sallinger
Assistant Conservation Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Coolidge
Conservation Program Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ariana Longanecker
Urban Wildlife Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karen Munday
Ten Mile Sanctuary Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Engelmeyer
Volunteer Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deanna Sawtelle
Wildlife Care Center Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deb Sheaffer
Audubon Wildlife Care Center Assistant Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kari Jones
Nature Store Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Mattson
Nature Store Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marilyn O’Grady
Nature Store Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sally Loomis
Sanctuaries Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Costello
Sanctuaries Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg Kurtz
Backyard Habitat Certification Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Mishaga