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PORT TOWNSEND MARINE SCIENCE SOCIETY Nonprofit Org. FORT WORDEN STATE PARK U.S. Postage 532 BATTERY WAY PAID PORT TOWNSEND, WA 98368 98383 Permit No. 111 OCTOPRESS VOL. XXII NO. 2 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED SPRING ‘04 Art by Suzanne Stryke P O R T T O W N S E N D M A R I N E S C I E N C E C E N T E R • F O R T W O R D E N S T A T E P A R K Remarkable Residents the vicinity, and can be seen renovating their huge By Alison Capener nest, commonly a mid-January to late PTMSC Home Crew Volunteer February activity. This is also the time Let’s get acquainted with a pair to witness their awesomely beauti- of nesting birds not always ful “pas de deux” as they soar associated with a marine en- together above the cliffs and vironment. But there’s no forest! Last year, Mom Eagle question that this pair de- began incubating eggs, tucked pends mightily on its catch firmly down into the nest, on from these environs, be it February 28th. She’s been Art by Suzanne Stryke fish (preferably salmon), or documented previously as be- marine birds such as ducks or ginning this daunting activity gulls, or leftovers from the fish- from the end of February to the sec- cleaning (heads, guts, etc.) of local ond week in March. She rarely leaves sport fishers. the nest at this time and Dad Eagle hunts for two, bringing her food to the nest. Once in a This large and dramatic pair nests nearby in the woods of Fort rare while, he will take over the business of sitting securely on YES, I WANT TO BE A MEMBER!!!! TYPE BENEFITS Worden, overlooking the Chinese Gardens Lagoon and North the egg(s) so she can fly a bit, stretch and hunt. The chicks, one You can support the mission of the Student & Unlimited free admission Beach. They can often be seen hunting the shoreline between or two, hatch in 30–32 days. The first chick almost always gets Port Townsend Marine Science Center—to promote a greater Individual The quarterly OCTOPRESS the Point Wilson light and North Beach or “on watch” from fa- a head start over the second, and is thus the larger of the pair, understanding of the marine sciences—by becoming a member newsletter 10% discount in our gift shop vored trees. Sometimes one even hunts from the big buoy in the and more assertive. Sadly, this often dictates the death of the or by renewing your membership. I’m a Reciprocal member privileges at the rough water off the lighthouse. younger chick. Since 1997, Kah and Tai have successfully Member! Burke Museum fledged two chicks once and one chick four times. They have Monthly e-mail updates about If you visit North Beach or Fort Worden for your walks, you events added six chicks in seven years to the local bald eagle popula- know I’m writing about our elegant pair of resident bald eagles. YES, I WANT TO BE A MEMBER!!! Discount admission to events tion! Good for them! In 2001, Washington State documented PTMSC Member decal This pair, fondly referred to as “Kah” and “Tai,” have been (continued on page 2) Check if this is a: New Membership or Renewal Full use of the PTMSC library monitored for the state wildlife department for going on eight Recognition in the OCTOPRESS years by a local resident sometimes know as “Eagle Bob” Name___________________________ Phone________________ e-mail__________________ Thanks for your tax-deductible contribution! Capener. IN THIS ISSUE Address______________________ City____________________ State______ Zip__________ Family & All of the above plus unlimited It’s late February as I write this, and the pair are together now. Friend family admission to the PTMSC and 2 Stewardship Opportunity for Boaters [ [ $15 Student $50 Friend $250 OCTOPRESS Sponsor discounts on Summer Camp tuition They have an earlier nesting schedule than most other pairs in New Admission Rates Welcome to Our New Staff $20 Individual $100 Sustaining $500 Benefactor Sustaining & All of the above plus 10 free 3 Schedule of Events $35 Family $100 Business/Professional $1000 Sponsor MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Business/ admission tickets to the PTMSC 4 Marine Science Summer Camps Professional for your friends and/or customers [ I’m paying by: Check Credit Card: Visa Mastercard A link from our Website to yours MARINE EXHIBIT OPENING DAY Spring Public Programs 2004 5 PTMSC Donors [ Wish List _________________________________ __________________________________ OCTOPRESS All of the above & business card SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2004 Name as it appears on the credit card Credit Card # Exp. Date Sponsor ad in 4 issues of the OCTOPRESS 6 What’s New at the Burke Museum [ New & Renewing [ Please mail this form to: PTMSC, 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Benefactor All of the above Come see what the tide brought in! Members Peninsula College Class—Pacific ✁ & Sponsor The Marine Exhibit features animals of the Northwest Marine Life [ Many Thanks to … nearshore—those living in kelps, eelgrass, on 7 Eelgrass Restoration Project at NW Maritime Center Site and around pilings and on the rocks. [ Eighth Annual Low Tide Fest [ A Special Thank You Spring hours at the Marine Exhibit are Insert MSC PEN, Volunteer Newsletter Saturdays and Sundays noon to 4 pm. Stewardship Opportunity for Boaters Eelgrass Restoration Project at NW Maritime Center Site Starting in early May, boaters will have “The Science of Eelgrass” Forum a chance to do their part in protecting The PTMSC is collaborating with the Northwest Maritime Center and Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory to offer eelgrass along the Port Townsend wa- a free public forum on eelgrass Friday, April 9th from 7–8:30 pm at the Pope Marine Park Building in Port Townsend. terfront. As shown in the map on the Timed one month before the eelgrass restoration project at the new Maritime Center dock, this forum features right, eight seasonal markers will be experts Ron Thom of Battelle and Charles “Si” Simenstad of the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and installed between the ferry terminal Fishery Science. They will discuss eelgrass science, restoration, fisheries and ecology. A Q&A session will follow. and Point Hudson. These buoys, bear- Volunteer Training for Eelgrass Planting ing the voluntary “no anchor” logo, de- We are seeking 100 volunteers to help plant 5,000 shoots of eelgrass at the NWMC site! This is a rare opportunity lineate the deep edge of the eelgrass for you to wet your hands in a habitat restoration project in your own neighborhood and watch its effects for years meadow. When possible, boaters are to come. asked to anchor outside of that area for the safety of their boats and for eel- Planting will take place every day from Saturday, May 8th through Wednesday, May 12th. Volunteers may sign up grass protection. On shore, attractive for any portion of this 5-day period and will be stationed outdoors on the NWMC site, preparing the shoots of informational signs will be posted at eelgrass for planting by divers. water access sites, informing boaters Interested volunteers must sign up with Jean Parker at [email protected] or (360) 385-5582 ext. 112, and the general public why anchoring and attend one of two volunteer training sessions, 9–10:30 am or 10:30–noon, outside the eelgrass is a recommend- at the PTMSC’s Natural History Building in Fort Worden on Saturday, May 1st. ed practice. This innovative protection method is something Port Townsend can Welcome to Our New Staff be proud of. Let’s see if it takes hold in other places around the Sound A Special Thank You and Straits. For more information or to volunteer with boater outreach, Alice King: Call the office these days and you might hear a new voice. To Mariner Bank, Skookum and First Federal Sav- sign and buoy installation/removal or underwater monitoring, contact Alice King joined us this month and is job sharing with Marilyn ings and Loan who each donated funds to us for sup- Michelle McConnell at (360) 385-5668. Friedrich. Both serve as receptionist and administrative assistant. Alice is a long-time resident of Port Townsend. Stop by and say hello. port of “The Big One: Earthquakes in the Pacific This pilot project is sponsored by the Jefferson County Marine Re- Northwest.” These donations allowed schools in the Alison Ward is our spring intern. She will be on staff April 1–June 15. sources Committee and is funded by the Northwest Straits Marine area to bring students to the exhibit who otherwise She has a B.A. in Biology, with an emphasis on Ecology, from the Conservation Initiative. would not have been able to see this exhibit. Over 450 University of Montana. Prior to coming here she’d been an intern Eighth Annual Low Tide Fest students and their chap- with the Student Conservation Association, working in Oregon. Alison erones visited the ex- will serve as an educator in both exhibits. Coming July 3rd! hibit during January A new Natural History Educator will be starting soon. The Eighth Annual PTMSC Low Tide Fest on July 3rd promises to be the best and February. yet! We will celebrate Life on the Edge—here on the edge of Puget Sound and NEW ADMISSION RATES on the edge of the 21st century. We will explore the edges of our rich natural Octopress is a quarterly publication of the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, A 501(C) world, the shoreline edge and the forest edge. We will look at the people and (3) nonprofit educational organization.