Chasing Darwin: Ten Days in the Galapagos with a Biologist and a Geologist Presenters: Drs
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All Audubon meetings, held on the 3rd Thursday of each September 2018 month at the Hal Holmes Center next to the Ellensburg Public Library, September through May (except December), are open to the public. Please come and meet with us, and stay afterwards for juice, treats, and conversation. Many thanks to the Ellensburg Public Library for sponsoring our meetings! September 20th General Meeting Program: Chasing Darwin: Ten Days in the Galapagos with a Biologist and a Geologist Presenters: Drs. Holly Pinkart and Robert Hickey If a rock nerd and a biology nerd got married, where would they honeymoon? The Galapagos! As the only way to really see the place is on a cruise, Bob talked to a friend who does research down there and got a recommendation for a tour company. That was the second great decision (the first was choosing the Galapagos). The trip was amazing. It was like being in a National Geographic Special all day, every day. It’s hard to describe how spectacular it was. After a day in Quito (Ecuador), we flew to the Galapagos, landing on what was an old WWII US airfield. Then it was time for critters, critters, and more critters—iguanas, sea lions, boobies (3 species), frigate birds, vermillion flycatchers, hawks, owls, herons, terns, albatross, flightless cormorants, turtles, sharks, sunfish, and many more. Plus, we were exposed to the interesting geology and fascinating human history of the islands. Of course, there were finches galore, but they were the least photogenic of the birds and the hardest to tell apart. It seems that there’s some sort of a competition between ornithologists to separate species of finches on these islands. Thousands of photos were taken – join us on September 20th to see the highlights! Bob Hickey grew up in northern PA, the son of a librarian (and hardcore birder…) Holly Pinkart grew up in New England. She is a microbiologist who arrived at and a physics teacher. He spent his youth doing what one does in deep CWU in 1998 after doing time in Florida working for the EPA. Before that, she Appalachia – hunting, fishing, sports, and reading way, way too many books. earned her PhD at the University of Tennessee (during the Peyton Manning After many years as a student, Bob got his first real job as an assistant professor years). These days, microbiomes are her thing, and she can be found haunting of Geography at West Georgia College, but left after 2.5 years for an opportunity her lab and investigating things that cannot be seen. Holly is a member of CWU’s in Western Australia. Bob returned to the States in 2000. He’s been at CWU since, Biology department and primarily teaches courses in microbiology and virology. rising to the rank of full professor and teaching mostly geotechniques classes (GIS, remote sensing). The Hooter • Kittitas Audubon’s Newsletter kittitas audubon • http://www.kittitasaudubon.org By Gloria Baldi Board Members Following is a summary of the August 2nd Board meeting. Rose Piccinini announced that there is a bumble bee survey where volunteers PRESIDENT are needed; information will be forthcoming. Judy Hallisey ................270.792.9188 VICE PRESIDENT Both the Minutes and Treasurer’s report were accepted. Barb Masberg ...............509.406.3104 Program Chair Rose Piccinini has done a tremendous job filling this position SECRETARY Jim Briggs .....................509.933.2231 for the past year, but is now moving from Ellensburg. Most speakers have been TREASURER scheduled for the coming year, but we do need someone to fill her spot. Sharon Lumsden .........509.968.3889 Barry Brunson and Jim Briggs will present a climate presentation on September CLIMATE CHANGE 8th. (See page 8 for details) Barry Brunson ..............270.792.9186 CONSERVATION Judy Hallisey has been contacted by Women’s Climate Action Network and may Norm Peck ....................509.933.4233 be featured in a documentary. EDUCATION Steve Hall ......................509.925.4877 The Carbon Tax initiative will be on the ballot in November. FIELD TRIPS The Board voted to sign a letter with 20 other organizations opposing changes Steve Moore ..................509.933.1179 in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness regarding a dam. The issue of by-passing HISTORIAN Gloria Lindstrom ..........509.925.1807 wilderness designation for water management was discussed. While the consensus was that wilderness should be left alone, there should be planning MEMBERSHIP Kris Kaylor .....................509.304.4103 for future water needs. The future will include more attempts to mitigate effects PAST PRESIDENT of climate change, but a policy for KAS would be difficult to formulate. Each Tom Gauron ..................509.968.3175 issue should be addressed on its own merits. Aggressive conservation measures PROGRAMS could eliminate the need for heroic engineering efforts. Water rights have been Open Position ..............contact us! abused because of the rule that states if the water is not used one year, it may PUBLICITY Meghan Anderson .......253.987.7629 be reduced the next. The laws need to be changed. SCHOLARSHIPS Come join us at our next Board meeting on Thursday, September 6th. Gloria Baldi ...................509.933.1558 NEWSLETTER Kris Kaylor .....................509.304.4103 * BLUEBIRD BOXES Jan Demorest .............509.933.1179 * SOCIAL GREETER Kay Forsythe ...............509.925.2356 LET’S GO FOR THE TWO * CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT Phil Mattocks $2500 SCHOLARSHIPS!! KAS Board Meetings are held at 4:30pm on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Methodist Church In the last issue of the Hooter, a plea for donations of $1000 to keep our two across from The Ellensburg Library. scholarships at the $2500 level was explained. Through the generosity of These meetings are open to the members, we are now at $380. December is the final month to collect the public and all Audubon members— please come and join in the money, so each Hooter will give the total collected. If you wish to donate any discussions. Meetings adjourn by amount ($10, $20, $50, $100 or more), designate ‘scholarship’ on your check 6:00 or 6:30pm, then we all go out and mail to: KAS • PO Box 1443 • Ellensburg, WA 98926. for a sociable dinner—NO business discussion allowed! Thank you ever so much! Gloria Baldi, Scholarship Chair *Non-voting members 2 The Hooter • September 2018 • Kittitas Audubon’s Newsletter A Note from Judy Shutter Bug Migration! from the Editor Birds do it; Kittitas Audubon Board members do it too! After ten (10!) years of editing and producing KAS’s Hooter Before I introduce myself, I would like to thank newsletter, Jan Demorest is migrating to other duties. everyone who contributed and volunteered their time to make this month’s Hooter go as planned. We Words cannot express the gratitude KAS holds for Jan’s have an awesome group of members! talents, time, and energy. Fortunately Jan isn’t really leaving KAS. She will continue to administer our Facebook And speaking of amazing members, one of the main page, monitor our email, and help Steve with bluebird reasons for my joining KAS was how welcoming, nest boxes, field trips, and sagebrush songbird surveys. knowledgeable and helpful everyone was when I attended my first 1st Saturday Bird Walk. I come Please give Jan a huge THANK YOU next time you see her from a graphic arts background and enjoy the planet for all her efforts given to Audubon. through the lens of a camera and creating pieces KAS is fortunate that Kris Kaylor has stepped forward to based on what I observe. My experience with birds continue The Hooter. Kris already maintains our was limited. Our yard on the west-side housed many membership lists so she will now be wearing multiple Crows, Robins, Steller’s Jays and of course Starlings, hats, like many of us do. but new and different birds frequented our Another bird (board member) migrating is Rose Piccinini, Ellensburg yard. our Program Chair. Many thanks to Rose for her hours Having a best friend who is an experienced birder is given to Audubon. Rose is moving to the Grand Coulee helpful, but she lives in Everett and I am not always area with her young family for her husband’s job duties. fast enough in snapping a photo and sending it off We will miss Rose at our meetings and functions, and for to her identify. So, I looked online and read about especially her son Hunter. We know that Hunter is 1st Saturday Bird Walks sponsored by KAS and growing into becoming a master birder in his own right. decided to brave the cool October morning to see Who will be our next member extraordinaire to step what goes on. I figured if nothing else, I would get to forward and fill our program chair? take a nice walk on a fall day. Tom and Diane were Perhaps it’s you? Please consider this opportunity! leading that sunny fall morning and within a few feet, Tom pointed the scope towards the Red-tailed Hawk in the tree across the park, Jan walked over to make sure I saw the Downy Woodpecker high up in the snag, and Norm was there sharing his field guide. I realized then and there—this is what I was looking for. WHO WHO! I will never forget what it felt like spending a couple of WE NEED YOU! hours, walking with passionate birders, listening and enjoying the great outdoors. So now, with my camera in tow, my goal is to find as many species from the KAS bird list, and learn about them. I am amazed at how KAS is looking for an enthusiastic person many have been checked off to date. to fill this board position: And now, to introduce myself—my name is Kris Kaylor, the new Hooter Editor and Membership Chair.