Winter Birds of the Salish Sea Upcoming Field Trips

Shorelines
Newsletter of the Whidbey Audubon Society
February 2015
Whidbey Audubon Society is dedicated to the understanding, appreciation and conservation of birds, other wildlife and
their habitats on Whidbey Island and in surrounding waters.
Whidbey Audubon Society Meets on February 12 in Freeland
Winter Birds of the Salish Sea
T
he Salish Sea is a vast ecosystem that encompasses Puget Sound, the Strait of
Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia. The name was given to this inland sea
to honor the Coastal Salish people who lived here for thousands of years before the
first white settlers arrived.
The ecologically rich waters of the Salish Sea host a variety of wildlife, including
large concentrations of wintering birds.
Joe Meche will present a sampler of the birds that can be found in our local waters throughout the winter and in migration.
Join Us!
Joe is a writer/photographer who has lived in
Bellingham for 38 years.
Thursday evening
He is the former president
February 12
of North Cascades AuduUnitarian Universalist
bon Society where he has
Congregation on
also been involved as the
State Route 525,
newsletter editor, birding
north
of Freeland
programs coordinator and
the Christmas Bird Count
7:00 socializing
chair. He spends a lot of
7:15 brief meeting
Photo by Joe Meche
time prowling and pad7:30 program begins
dling on the Salish Sea.
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Photo provided by Joe Meche
Joe Meche joined a team from Oregon
State University and Bird Research Northwest in July of 2010 to band 252 four- to
five-week-old Caspian Tern chicks. The
colony of more than 3,000 birds nested
on the Bellingham waterfront.
Upcoming Field Trips
nyside Overlook parking area on Sherman Road at 9 a.m. We
will walk the paths in the old cemetery looking for little birds,
then head down the trail past the Jacob Ebey house (built in
1854) to Ebey’s Bluff. You’ll hear some pioneer history while we
scan fields and farmlands (now protected from development in
the Ebey’s National Historic Reserve). Bald Eagles, Red-tailed
Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels all hunt here.
We’ll look down from the bluff to see grebes, loons and shorebirds. To round out the morning, we will drive to Crockett
Lake to look at lots of ducks, more hawks, and possibly a Shorteared Owl. Plan to walk for a couple of hours on mostly level
(but maybe muddy) paths. Dress for the weather. There are no
facilities until Crockett Lake. Trip leader is Kim Shepard, 360Saturday, February 28: SUNNYSIDE CEMETERY, EBEY’S
720-1711. This field trip is also listed as a North Sound Birder
BLUFF AND CROCKETT LAKE. Explore one of the most
Upcoming Field Trips, see page 3
scenic areas on Whidbey Island. Meet in Coupeville at the Sun-
Saturday, February 14: WINTER BIRDS OF SKAGIT
FLATS, FIR ISLAND, AND SAMISH FLATS. Typically
there are great concentrations of waterfowl and raptors. The
area is considered one of the top winter raptor viewing sites in
the U.S. Some walking will be involved; be prepared for some
mud. Meet at 9 a.m. to carpool at Windjammer Park at the end
of South Beeksma Drive in Oak Harbor. A Discover Pass will
be needed for each car. Due to narrow road shoulders and limited parking, carpools are particularly important for this trip.
Bring a lunch for this all-day field trip. Return about 4 p.m.
Snow or icy conditions cancels the trip. The trip leader is Joe
Sheldon, 360-678-9060. (click on red text to email Joe)
SHORELINES
2
February 2015
President’s Column: How We Help
W
hen Gary Langham of National Audubon
made his presentation at Audubon Council
of Washington (acow) about climate change, it was impressive
and overwhelming to me. Whidbey Audubon Society (was)
is a strong and active chapter with a committed board. “Can
we add more and what would fit for us?” Those were among
my questions to myself to support the climate change he spoke
about.
their perches. Eagles are found near water, be it ocean, bay or
rivers, with abundant fish and waterfowl for food. Mallards are
found on shallow water, such as our lagoons and small lakes.
They are ground nesters hiding their nests along the water and
hiding in vegetation. They eat seed found in the water.
tat that we all enjoy like the trees the eagles nest in and use for
— Anna Swartz, President
Both birds are familiar to us especially the “whistle” of the
Bald Eagle and the quack of the Mallard. Whidbey Island provides a healthy home for both birds, and for us. As we support
The National Audubon report was compiled by using sev- the habitat they need and we need, we are doing something to
eral resources that provide data over time: 30 years of histori- address climate change.
cal North American climate data, thousands of historical bird
So a big thank you to all the people who participated in the
records from the U.S. Geological Survey’s North American
Christmas
Bird Count; to those that fed us or invited us in for
Breeding Bird Survey and the annual Christmas Bird Count.
coffee
and
spirits;
invited us onto their property to count birds
Whidbey Audubon has been contributing to this count on the
north end of Whidbey Island for 14 years and on the south end at their feeders or shoreline; and, again, to those who organize
the event for was. We are doing our part to contribute to the
for four.
Two local birds are on the endangered list according to the numbers that keep the information current nationally and add
study: the Bald Eagle and the Mallard. Both birds require habi- to the ongoing study.
Conservation Column: Whidbey Island as Habitat
I
had a very informative meeting with the Whidbey Island
Conservation District on their forest management work.
During this discussion, I discovered that our five-acre property
is not at all “forest” habitat but “forest edge”. This does explain
the birds using our feeder and water sources (although all five
woodpeckers can be seen).
Each jurisdiction — Langley, Coupeville, Oak Harbor, the
Navy and the unincorporated county — divides itself into
shoreline, upland, developed and undeveloped, plus finer distinctions, each with its own protecting regulations. Fortunately,
we have the State’s Growth Management laws for reference, but
they too consider mini-habitats to have separate requirements.
Whidbey Island is said to have many separate habitats in its
small compass — forest, wetland, beach, bluff, prairie, farm
field, lawn, stream, impervious surface and lake. In reality, of
course, they comprise one habitat, over which birds fly and
deer run. They don’t recognize wildlife corridors or highways.
Should we?
How can we best preserve our Whidbey Island meta-habitat?
One idea might be to adopt a birds-eye viewpoint, flying over
the forest edges and driveways, ponds and hedgerows, trying to
make a whole picture out of what we too often treat as a jigsaw
puzzle.
— Susan Bennett, Conservation Chair
Volunteer Corner: Be a Citizen
Scientist in Your Own Backyard
S
ince 1998, the Great Backyard Bird Count has allowed birders from across the country
and now around the world to count the birds in their yards and then share the data
online in nearly real time.
Sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the survey requires that you observe and record the birds in your immediate area in at least 15 minute
time periods on any or all of the President’s Day weekend days, February 13 through 16.
You can then see the results of thousands of observers from a specific state, area or species on the easy-to-navigate Great Backyard Bird Count website. (Click red for hyperlink.)
Join the fun!
Editor’s Note: I have participated every year and use the results to track the Rufous Hummingbird’s trip north.
SHORELINES3
February 2015
Christmas Bird Count Recap 2014
CBC North
T
he Christmas Bird
Count (cbc) North
was held on December
20. The total individual
bird count was 23,041
and the number of species was 114. (2013 total
= 20,174, 115 species;
2012 total = 20866)
most important citizen science project. If you would like
to see Whidbey’s cbc results
since 1987, go to our Whidbey Audubon Society website
at and click on “Stewardship.”
— Jill Hein, cbc Compiler
North
Photo by Jenny Brown
Marcia Lazoff and Ruth
Scrivner count birds at the
DeGraff Road holly farm. The
outh Whidbey’s Christmas farmer says it’s full of Cedar
Bird Count was held on Waxwings in late summer.
CBC South
S
Human counters totaled 54 with another January 3, 2015. This was our
Photo by Jill Hein group of six, who prefourth bird count. Over 21,000 individual birds were tallied
pared food.
This Bald Eagle seen at Crockett
and classified into 107 species. There were a few rare birds acLake was one of 104 Bald Eagles
The most prolific counted for: Northern Saw-whet Owl, Cassin’s Auklet and
spotted during cbc North. There
bird was the European White-throated Sparrow. Sixty-six field observers and 13
were 55 counted two weeks later,
Starling (again) with feeder watchers participated. A great big thank you to those
during cbc South.
2,332 counted (2,483 in who volunteered your time in the count and those who contacted us to open your property for teams to bird around. Many
2013) and the Glaucous-winged Gull at 2,114.
owners invited us in for coffee, to warm up and to use the faciliOther high counts:
ties; it was much appreciated.
•Surf scoter — 1782 (only 723 in 2013)
•Pine Siskin — 1,449 (only 67 recorded in 2013)
•Northern Pintail — 1,338
•Mallard — 1,244
Our most abundant species counted was the Dunlin at
3,641; the second most abundant species counted was the Pine
Siskin at 2,264. National Audubon will be publishing the cbc
data on its website in a few months.
An unusually high number of Black
Oystercatchers (136) were spotted on the
mussel rafts in Penn Cove.
— Govinda Rosling cbc Compiler South
Photo by Jill Hein
Thank you all for participating in this Northern Harrier
Dates to Remember
FEBRUARY
7: Sound Waters, South Whidbey High School, Langley
12: Whidbey Audubon Program: Winter Birds of the Salish Sea with Joe Meche, Freeland
13 to 16: Great Backyard Bird Count
14: Field Trip: Winter Birds Of Skagit Flats, Fir Island
and Samish Flats
28: Field Trip: Sunnyside Cemetery, Ebey’s Bluff and
Crockett Lake
28 to March 1: Snow Goose Festival, Port Susan, click red
for website
MARCH
13: Whidbey Audubon Program: This Week in the Woods
with Rob Sandelin
18: Field Trip: George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia
Upcoming Field Trips, from page 1
Meetup event. Consider registering with Meetup.
Wednesday, March 18: GEORGE C. REIFEL MIGRATORY BIRD SANCTUARY. Ann Casey will lead us across the
border to Delta, British Columbia for a day of great birding.
Details to follow in March Shorelines.
Also check for updates on the Whidbey Audubon Society
website, select the button “Upcoming Events”.
Field Trip Checklist
DD Field trips are free and open to anyone interested in
birding or conservation. Bring your friends!
DD Beginners are very welcome
DD Carpooling is encouraged and even required for
some sites with limited parking
DD Dress for the weather and in layers.
DD Very bad weather cancels a trip. Check with the trip leader.
DD If you have them, bring binoculars, scope and field guides.
DD If you might need them, bring a drink and snack.
4
Sightings Sightings
December 28: Two ‘occasional’
birds that were very fun to see
— a Red-breasted Sapsucker
on Lindsay Street and a Northern Shrike at Pacific Rim. Also
five Rough-legged Hawks at
the northern end of the Naval
Outlying Landing Field.
— Ruth Richards/Jay Adams,
Coupeville
December 31: A Steller’s Jay
and a Western Scrub Jay were
seen at
about
2:15
today
in the
tangle
across
from
Photo ny Richards/Adams
7 0 6
N
E Western Scrub Jay
Lindsay Street.
— Ruth Richards/Jay Adams
January 1: Western Scrub
Jay continues at the corner of
Seventh and Lindsey Streets.
— Emma Ruggiero
January 3: I have had a Golden-crowned Warbler at my
suet feeder all week. It spends
quite a while feeding there.
— Toni Piazzon, Coupeville
January 8: One Northern
Saw-whet Owl heard at South
Whidbey State Park at the
main entrance at 8:52 p.m.
— Emma Ruggiero
SHORELINES
January 10: Sighted a Rednaped Sapsucker on suet in
Teronda West on Mitchell
Drive this morning, eye lines
and red nape were very distinct. — Laurie Sirotkin
January 10: Saw one Barn
Swallow fly by mid-afternoon
at the northeast parking area
for Deer Lagoon.
— George Heleker
Note: Sightings should be on
Whidbey Island or relate in
some way to Whidbey Audubon. Postings should refer to
birds or other wildlife that are
not commonly seen here. Alternatively, they may refer to migratory birds that arrive outside
their normal seasons.
Please post to the Whidbey
Audubon website, under “Unusual Bird Sightings and Special Points of Interest” select
“Post an unusual bird sighting.”
There are now designated spaces to submit your information,
such as, what you saw, where
you saw it and the date and approximate time. These changes
are meant to enhance the sightings reports and will be helpful
for our readers. Although we
are asking those who post to
leave a phone number or email
address with your sighting, was
will not include this information on the actual sightings
page. Thank you!
New Version of Birding Software
N
otice regarding the Thayer birding software that I utilize
in the Whidbey Audubon birding classes I teach: Version
7 has just been released as a major upgrade. The software is
utilized in many if not most colleges and university ornithology courses to teach bird identification. If you own version
5, there is a free upgrade to version 7. The price of version 7
has been reduced from $99.95 to $49.95. In addition, I have
been in contact with Thayer and they have offered a discount
of an additional $5 for folks in our local Audubon chapter, if
a special code (JKS98239) is included with the online order.
Check it out on the Thayer Birding Software website.
— Joe Sheldon
February 2015
South:
Winter Birds Galore
bin
January 8: We began our first Birding in Neighborhoods (bin)
tour of 2015 at one of our favorite places, Ewing Road, aka Bittern Bog, where we had good looks at a pair of Cinnamon Teal
and a small flock of Ring-necked Ducks. We continued on to
the Sunlight Beach public beach access. The water was filled
with seabirds including Common Loons, many Surf Scoters
and Brant. We had fun watching a large flat fish be ingested
and go down the throat of a Double-crested Cormorant. In
just one and a half hours of birding we spotted 23 species.
— Phyllis Kind
January 22: We had a great morning with four of us. We started at the Clinton-side dike, onto Sunlight Beach, Ewing Road
and then ended at Coles Road. We saw 28 species: Brant and
Canada Geese, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Surf Scoter;
Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Loon,
Grebe species, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue
Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-Tailed Hawk, Dunlin, Glaucouswinged Gul, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Crow, BlackCapped Chickadee, Marsh Wren, Robin, Starling, Song
Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird.
— Anna Swartz
Birding in Neighborhoods (bin) South meets every other
Thursday. The time varies depending on the season. Email
Phyllis Kind or call 360-331-6337
North bin at Deception
Pass State Park
January 14: What perfect weather for birding and perfect timing to see the Red-throated Loons at Deception Pass! The
rocks at West Beach were covered with Black Oystercatchers and Gulls, and Common Loons floated nearby. Two pairs
of Harlequin Ducks, Horned Grebes, and Red-breasted
Mergansers bobbed in the waves. At Cranberry Lake we saw
Northern Shovelers, Red-throated Grebes, Common Mergansers and swooping Belted Kingfishers. Although we were
there for the birds, a pair of raccoons caught our attention in
a tree by Cranberry Lake. It was hard to tell who was more
amused — our group watching the antics of the raccoons, or
the raccoons watching us watching them! Many pictures were
taken. In all, we saw 17 species of birds, and four species of
mammals.
— Marcia Lazoff
Birding in Neighborhoods (bin) North meets the second
Wednesday of the month. Contact Marcia Lazoff to be added
to the email list, (click red text to email Marcia).
February 2015
SHORELINES5
Field Trip Report: South End Wanderings
O
ur trip on January 10 started in the amazing fog at Robinson Beach. A Red-tailed Hawk, perched at the parking lot,
took little notice of our 12 participants. The small wetland there
held Mallards and Red-winged Blackbirds. Despite the fog,
we were able to see many fine birds offshore including a raft of
Western Grebes, several Mew Gulls, Buffleheads, Surf Scoters,
Horned Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers. A Common
Loon caught a large fish and took several minutes to swallow it.
Double Bluff Beach was both foggy and drippy but we managed to find a Bald Eagle and a scattering of Common Goldeneyes. We also found Red-throated Loons, but the fog prevented
us from seeing the Brant that had been reported earlier in the week.
Our next stop was the Ewing Road wetlands that proved
to be very fruitful. All the dabblers were there: Northern Pintail, Gadwall, American Wigeon among others. Diving ducks
were represented by the elegant Ring-necked Duck, Hooded
Mergansers and Lesser Scaup. Several Canada Geese were
busy splashing near the far shore. The highlight of the stop,
and probably for the day, was the sight of a pair of Cinnamon
Teal. These small ducks are hard to find in winter and it was a
treat to get such a good look at them.
The final destination was the forest at South Whidbey Community Park. A Hairy Woodpecker was heard but not seen
near the restrooms. The forest walk was nearly devoid of birds
except for Pacific Wren, Song Sparrow and Spotted Towhee.
A Common Raven was heard calling in the distance. As we
looped back to the cars we encountered some last minute birds
including a mixed flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees,
Golden-crowned Kinglets and Red-breasted Nuthatches.
Red Crossbills were there along with Pine Siskins, Purple
Finches and Dark-Eyed Juncos. All of these were found in the
waning moments of the field trip.
A total of 39 species were found on this half-day trip.
Intermediate Class at the Burke Museum
— Steve Ellis, Trip Leader
F
ascinating, inspiring, unbelievable, awesome… all adjectives just about the bird, but about its habitat, its prey, its range and
used to describe the incredible Behind the Scenes Tour of the its behavior. One of the more fascinating specimen trays conBurke Museum of Natural History, Ornithology Department.
tained Marble Murrelets that had been collected from every
On January 21 a small band of Whidbey Audubon Society decade beginning in 1896. These Murrelet specimens were remembers were treated to this tour. Our guide was Rob Faucett, cently used in research to determine what these birds had been
collections manager of the Ornithology Department at the Burke. consuming over the last 120 years. Their findings were fascinating and will be helpful to conservationists looking to underThe collection contains over 350,000 bird study specimens.
stand the factors behind the declining Murrelet populations.
Each specimen is collected, cataloged, prepared, properly
If you haven’t been to the Burke Museum lately, we strongly
stored and used in a variety of scientific research studies. Rob
prepared a series of specimen trays for our viewing and edu- urge you to take advantage of this remarkable and significant
cated us about the importance of having access to decades of local resource. You won’t be disappointed.
specimens. Each specimen tells its own individual story, not
— Ann Casey, Trip Leader
Study Indicates Increase in Occurrence of Puget Sound Seabirds
A
decline: White-winged Scoter, Brant, Western Grebe and Rednecked Grebe. These declines may result from geographical shifts
or prey declines in Puget Sound or the Salish Sea, or environmental threats to their nesting grounds elsewhere. Similar citizen-science data from other areas have indicated that Western Grebes apThe analysis focused on 18 seabird species that are indicators pear to have shifted to the south, out of the Puget Sound region.
of Puget Sound environmental health at 62 survey locations from
The Puget Sound Seabird Survey monitors the presence of
Whidbey Island to Olympia. The study found positive trends in seabirds during winter months when many seabird species are
occurrence of 14 species, including cormorants, grebes, sea ducks,
most abundant around the Sound. More than 250 experienced
loons and alcids. However researchers cautioned that positive
volunteers have participated in the survey since its inception in
trends in sightings do not necessarily reflect increasing popula2007. At each survey location volunteers identify bird species
tions. For example, federally listed Marbled Murrelet populations
and utilize distance sampling methods to collect data.
continue to decline across Washington State. The research also
— Toby Ross, Science Manager, Seattle Audubon Society
documented local hotspots for certain species, which may reflect
especially important habitat or prey the birds depend on.
Go to the Seattle Audubon Society website, for more informarecent analysis of seven years of bird observations by volunteer birdwatchers from Seattle Audubon Society’s Puget
Sound Seabird Survey (psss) has found positive trends in several Puget Sound seabird species that have been in decline over
the past 50 years.
In addition, the study indicated that four species were in tion on psss and the survey.
6
SHORELINES
February 2015
Winter Wildlife Brings Delight to Our Yards
from Dan Pederson’s blog, “Backyard Wildlife of Winter,” January 3, 2015, #123. Check it out for more photos
Off the Rails
with Dan Pedersen
Off the Rails is a blog published
every Saturday morning. To
subscribe, email Dan Petersen.
Y
Even in a suburban nature desert, it is possible to
create a wildlife oasis for
birds, mammals and other
visitors. My blog partners,
Craig and Joy Johnson,
know this better than most.
Their yard, north of Freeland, nurtures not only the
wildlife, but the Johnsons,
as well. — Dan
ou might call this the bleak season on Puget Sound. Daylight is short, the trees are bare and the breeze is raw. We’ve
already had one lollapalooza snowstorm, a knock-down wind
and barrels of rain.
Yet for those who love wildlife, it isn’t bleak but ever-changing as the animals adjust to new conditions. In many ways the
wildlife just move closer and enchant us more.
Craig and Joy Johnson know this better than most. Though
marooned by health issues in a suburban “nature desert,” they’ve
created a wildlife oasis. So much happens in their yard that I
suggested we work together on some pieces for this blog. You’re
reading the first, which is both my gain and yours.
The manicured yards in Craig and Joy’s neighborhood typify
the American suburban dream. Many homeowners maintain
impeccably-groomed yards of lawns and ornamental plants
with the help of weed-whackers, leaf blowers, power mowers
and garden chemicals. Wildlife mostly can’t live in such habitat
and avoid it. Yet thanks to a pocket of native habitat in Craig
and Joy’s yard, they awaken every morning to the music of birdsong and a new adventure outside their window.
Their yard offers some native trees and berries, decaying
snags and places for wildlife to rest and forage, raise young, and
find the essentials of water and food. The result is a nonstop
show of delights and diversity they excitedly share with all who
will open their eyes and hearts.
A neurological disease forces Craig to photograph this magical
world mostly from a mobility chair, with a lightweight pointand-shoot camera. That might seem impossibly limiting, but in
an odd way it’s actually liberating. It makes the birds and animals
feel safer and more relaxed to go about their lives all around him.
“Being disabled has plenty of disadvantages,” Craig points
out, “but an upshot is being able to just be in the moment like
sitting under our apple tree, feet away from this female Anna’s
Hummingbird taking juice from one of three remaining apples.
“All my imagery was taken with hand-held, pocket cameras
so the real trick was to get very, very close to the subject. Leaving suitable yard habitat invites the wildlife in, and being in the
moment provides an intimate look at some amazing creatures.
“Anna’s Hummingbirds take juice from our apples every year.
There were no insects present on the apples, so they were lapping up the juice!”
Winter is a dicey
time for Anna’s Hummingbirds, which have
expanded their range in
recent years. They now
winter throughout the
Puget Sound area, mostly nesting near homes
Photo by Craig Johnson
where they find hummingbird feeders that Anna’s Hummingbird sipping
help keep them alive apple juice.
through the toughest
cold. Many homeowners diligently keep their feeders fresh and
clean, and rotate them on subfreezing mornings so the sugarwater isn’t frozen when the first groggy bird comes looking for
it in the early darkness.
One of Craig’s favorite winter visitors, and mine, too, is the
Douglas Squirrel.
“Watching a Douglas Squirrel extract seeds from a fir cone is
fun, like ‘cone on the cob.’
“They have a special job to do,” Craig said. “They live and
nest in Douglas Fir trees, consuming and stashing fir cones,
which help re-seed the forest. Douglas Squirrels are true natives
of the Puget Sound area but are being displaced by invasive Eastern Gray Squirrels that thrive around human development.”
Unlike ground squirrels, tree squirrels such as the Douglas
do not hibernate.
And neither do the deer that appear almost magically in
Craig and Joy’s clearing. “This is rut season for them,” Craig
said. “We see a lot of this pale buck I call Spirit Buck, as well as
some larger bucks. At one point I found myself part of the herd,
surrounded by a huge buck and four does of various ages. Glad
I had apples to hand out.”
Craig and Joy have made it their life’s work to share the
riches of nature with others, especially children. Joy has written
two children’s books on hummingbirds and woodpeckers, and
Craig illustrated them with his watercolor art. They’ve given
countless talks and presentations to groups throughout the area
and created a backyard habitat DVD they’ve shown in theatres
on Whidbey and Vashon islands, and other venues.
The library of videos Craig has posted on Vimeo are a treasury of nature education.
In addition to reaching children, Craig and Joy target another audience, too — all the people who are ill or depressed,
bored, stressed or in pain.
Off the Rails, see page 7
SHORELINES
7
Welcome New and
Renewing Members
Renewing
Mary Hollen
Carla and Lenny Corin
Drake Loeser
Lloyd and Julia Kiff
Paula Flores
Patty Cheek
Cathleen Queeno-Wall
Robert and Carol Gentz
Lee Chavez
Wayne and Eileen Clark
Kit O’Neill and Tom Leschine
Bonnie Gretz (Scholarship Fund)
Govinda Rosling and Peter Hansen
Bonnie Bliss Ryder (Scholarship Fund)
David and Louise Kankel (Pigeon Guillemot)
Jenny Brown (Pigeon Guillemot, Scholarship Fund)
Glenn Duncan and Nancy Luenn
New
Christina Bromme
Cindy and Ken Barstow
Erika Sweger (Scholarship Fund) Wylmajeanne Simpson
Donation from Janet Hall and Nicole Luce
Check the address label for the month or your expiration.
For electronic copies, I will email you a reminder.
— Linda Bainbridge, Membership Chair
February 2015
Off the Rails, from page 6
“Nature is the best healer and anti-depressant there is,” Craig
said.
“When you watch birds building a nest or feeding their
young, you are transported into a world of wholesome normalcy and optimism. It is impossible to feel sad. Nature is renewing to the human spirit. It’s one of the reasons so many people
are drawn to rural places like Whidbey Island.”
Yet many people seem uncomfortable or unable to quietly listen
and observe. They fill any silence with hours of TV or a cocoon
of noise generated by machines and electronics, which mask the
wonders of nature and its meditative benefits for the human soul.
“People travel to the ends of the earth searching for something
to satisfy a longing
inside them they
can’t seem to fill,”
Craig said. “I think
the peace and fulfillment many seek,
the most wondrous
discoveries and joy,
have been right
here all along. We
just need to invite
Photo by Craig Johnson
nature in and open
This male House Finch caught Craig’s
ourselves up to it. eye as it sunned itself in our lateEven on the bleak- November snow.
est winter day.”
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registration in our educational classes.
______ SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY MEMBERSHIP for first year National Members only.
Receive a joint membership in National and Whidbey Audubon for one year for only $35.
Make check payable to National Audubon.
The Whidbey Audubon Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.
It is Whidbey Audubon policy to never share our membership and subscription information with other groups.