Killdeer March – April 2015 Volume 3, No. 4 Huntington–Oyster Bay Audubon Society A chapter of the National Audubon Society Serving Huntington and Northern Oyster Bay Townships Inside This Issue Monarch Update, Ivy Pull ............................ 2 From the President ................................... 3 Out on a Limb ......................................... 4 Birders’ Box, In Memoriam, Earth Day ............. 5 Meetings and Events .................................. 6 Field Trips and Activities ............................ 7 Children’s Programs ...................................... 8 Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon is looking for committee and board members interested in making a difference! HOBAS works to protect wildlife and preserve Adopt-A-Highway Program habitat through conservation action, awareness, education, and advocacy. We are especially focused on strengthening Thank you to all our our conservation, fundraising, children’s programming, dedicated volunteers who and outreach committees, but there are other participated in our Adopt-a- opportunities available. We also are looking for Highway Program monthly administrative help with regards to research and cleanups in 2014, and helped developing new bylaws, and best practice policies. to keep clean our one-mile stretch of Pulaski Road in Volunteers must be able to commit to monthly board Huntington. The new season meetings, which are conducted on the third Wednesday of begins in March. The spring cleanup days are: each month (except for December and July) at the Cold Sunday, March 8 Spring Harbor Library. Anything beyond this monthly meeting will be up to your individual preferences and Saturday, April 18 availability. This is an unpaid, volunteer position. Sunday, May 3 We seek a mix of cultural, age, racial, gender, and Cleanups are conducted at 8:00 AM and usually take professional diversity for the board. You do not need to be about an hour and a half. Meet at the WPW Growers parking lot across from Wicks Farm. an expert in anything, just interested, engaged, and excited about conservation and wildlife. Please see our website Please consider joining us for our spring cleanups. (www.hobaudubon.org) for more information about the Share in the fun and camaraderie! chapter. If you are interested in becoming involved, please For more information please send an e-mail to Simone e-mail [email protected]. Resumes are welcome. ([email protected]). Thank you! www.hobaudubon.org 1 Killdeer March – April 2015 Annual Appeal MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS Thank you to everyone who supported our 2014 Annual Appeal. It takes Cold Spring Harbor Public Library money as well as hard work and 7:00 PM Refreshments commitment to fulfill our Audubon 7:30 PM Speaker mission. Your support enables HOBAS to remain a strong and viable chapter dedicated to Wednesday, March 11, 2015: environmental education and to preserving natural habitats The Coyotes are Coming! and protecting the creatures that live in them. with Mike Bottini Monarch Butterfly Update Alex McKay Wednesday, April 8, 2015: Let's Get It On: How Birds Reproduce The World Wildlife Fund has reported that a formal census by Mexican environmental with Douglas Robinson, Ph.D. authorities has revealed the number of monarch butterflies on their wintering grounds has See page 6 for details. rebounded 69 percent from last year’s low of 1.65 acres occupied. The numbers remain very low at 2.79 acres, the second smallest forest surface occupied by the butterflies in over 20 years of monitoring. Half of the estimated 57,000,000 wintering monarchs are concentrated in El Rosario Sanctuary, one of twelve traditional sites, about the size of one and a half football fields, making them more The mission of the Huntington-Oyster Bay vulnerable to winter conditions in Mexico Audubon Society is to increase community Entomologist Lincoln Brower, a monarch expert, has said awareness about the environment and to that anything below 4 acres leaves them in “the danger encourage others to enjoy and protect birds and category.” Next year’s spring migration and summer other wildlife in their natural habitats. breeding season with be another turning point for the monarchs. The need to restore large areas of milkweed lost to pesticide-resistant crops and the wide spread use of glyphosate (Roundup) is critical. Killdeer is the newsletter of the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society P.O. Box 735 Volunteers Needed Huntington, NY 11743-0735 English Ivy Pull at Shu Swamp a chapter of the National Audubon Society and is published five times a year. Join the Shu Crew to help restore one of the finest preserves on Long Island. Wear clothes and shoes you Officers don’t mind getting muddy. If you have tools and gloves, President Stella Miller 516-695-0763 please bring them. Snacks and water will be provided. Vice President Simone DaRos 516-987-7136 Call 516-695-0763 to register. Secretary Vacant Treasurer Cathy Fitts 631-427-8623 Saturday, March 14 at 10 AM Newsletter Saturday, April 11 at 12 noon Editor Charlotte Miska 516-922-9710 Directions: From 25A take 106 north to Oyster Bay. For Distressed Wildlife Call Make left onto Lexington Ave, then another left onto Volunteers for Wildlife 516-674-0982 West Shore Road. Directly after Mill Pond (on the left) bear left and go up the hill on Mill Hill Road. Make a You can find us on the Web at right on Beaver Brook Road, which will become Frost www.hobaudubon.org H Mill Road. Shu Swamp is on the left, just before a railroad trestle. Do NOT use your GPS. You will end e-mail us at [email protected] up in the wrong place. 2 www.hobaudubon.org March – April 2015 Killdeer Learn to recognize signs that the animal is uncomfortable Message from the President with your presence – Animals are unpredictable and you Stella Miller need to continually be aware of the animal's response to your presence because what it might tolerate one minute could Wildlife Viewing Ethics change within seconds. Some general clues to watch for are: Recently Newsday ran an article on The animal runs or flies away or toward you (such as a winter wildlife photography. While bluff charge). an interesting read, unfortunately The animal appears nervous and keeps looking at you with nowhere in the article did I read head up and ears pointing toward you. anything about critical wildlife The animal doesn't resume its normal activity, or "settle viewing ethics. Because of this, I down". Birds may chatter angrily in your presence. would like to use my Message from In the case of a roosting owl, if the owl looks directly at the President to repeat an article from a couple years ago, but you, it is now aware of you and could be uncomfortable. which, thanks to the surging popularity of wildlife The animal begins to display in some manner, such as a photography, bears repeating. Piping Plover’s “broken wing” display. As so many know, venturing out into nature is good for us, Don't pursue an animal – Never chase an animal trying to physically, mentally, and spiritually. As we explore the get better glimpse or photo. Don't follow animals or behave outdoors, there is always the chance that we may encounter in any way that might be seen as "harassment." In addition, wild animals, an exciting bonus to the day. Observing please keep your dogs on a lead and never allow them to wildlife is one of life’s richest experiences and thanks to the “flush” birds and other animals. many television shows that are now broadcast about animals, as well as the internet, the appreciation of wildlife has never Move quietly, slowly, and in plain view – Loud noises, been greater. Unfortunately, bad behavior on behalf of the sudden movement or an unannounced approach startle animals, causing a stress response. observers can sometimes occur. Last winter a majestic all- white Snowy Owl was seen on Long Island for several Use a blind if possible – Your car makes a wonderful blind, weeks. Unfortunately, due to the postings of the bird’s exact but please, for safety sakes, remember to pull completely off location, the owl was regularly harassed by quite a number of the road. people. As winter approaches, and winter migrants such as owls begin their trek down to visit us, it is important to Use calls and recordings of calls with moderation – remind wildlife enthusiasts about proper behavior when Overuse of such devices can interrupt breeding cycles, drive viewing wildlife – in all seasons. Wild animals must be birds from their territories, or make animals "call shy" so that treated with respect and wildlife watchers and photographers they may not respond to the real thing. need to behave responsibly. There is a code of ethics that we Do not feed wildlife – Have you ever heard the phrase, “A must all follow while observing wildlife, both for the well- fed bear is a dead bear?” Sounds extreme, but in many cases, being of wildlife and your own safety. Peeking into the it is true. Wildlife can quickly become habituated to humans. secret world of wildlife is tremendously gratifying, but the It does not take much more than one productive encounter following guidelines must be adhered to: with a human for a wild animal to associate us with food, Avoid getting too close – It is natural to want to be as close thereby leading to potentially dangerous or uncomfortable as possible to an animal, but this is a big no-no. The closer human/animal conflicts. These rarely end well for the animal. one gets, the more threatened and stressed the animal will All it takes is one accidental nip from the wild animal, or a feel. Keep your distance; binoculars and/or a spotting scope couple of uncomfortably close encounters for the animal to will enhance your viewing experience, while allowing the be euthanized as “dangerous”.