Storm Petrel Kalmiopsis Audubon Society Curry County, Oregon Volume 43, Number 4 Fall 2020 ▲ Belted Kingfisher Red-shouldered Hawk ► Peregrine Falcon bathing at Arizona Beach ▼ Birds of the South Coast Photographs by Rowly Willis ◄ ▼ ► ◄ ▼ ► ◄ ▼ ► ◄ ▼ ► ◄ ▼ ► Given the continued need for coronavirus precautions, we’ve put off planning in-person programs and events. Please sign up for the KAS email HOOT OUT or follow the Kalmiopsis Audubon Facebook page for upcoming virtual events and opportunities related to nature and conservation. November–December 2020, Kalmiopsis Audubon Society Annual Raffle Please keep your eyes out for this year’s annual raffle mailing, which will be sent in late November. Page 2 The Storm Petrel Fall 2020 of expert birder Tim Rodenkirk). In this issue, I am From the President’s Desk pleased to welcome Mark Lanier, who will be writ- ing a new column about local birds called “Winging he tens of thousands of Cackling Geese flying It.” Mark began birding in his teens, tromping around T south overhead signal the turn of time as we get his grandparents’ central Oklahoma farms. He worked ready to welcome the season of rain and green, for 25 years on six National Wildlife Refuges in the mushrooms and salmon, kinglets and varied thrushes, Rocky Mountains, taught high school science for a shorter days and longer nights. I hope that everyone couple of years in Montana, and has been dabbling in is weathering the challenges of the coronavirus pan- writing and enjoying the South Coast with his wife demic as well as possible. Tina, since moving here in 2013. With writings about With many people having more time at home, simple news and natural history, birds and plants, policy and pleasures, including watching birds, seem all the poetry, it’s our aspiration that the Storm Petrel will connect, inform, and inspire us all in many ways. By the time you read this, it will be close to election Those who contemplate the day 2020, a day perhaps more fateful for the environ- ment than any in my lifetime. One way or another, beauty of the earth find reserves we’ll get through these turbulent times together. Please stay healthy, and enjoy autumn! – Ann Vileisis of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. — Rachel Carson more important. Despite an overwhelming onslaught of bad news in the human realm this year, watching birds — or botanizing or fishing or stargazing — reminds us that life in a larger natural world persists with an indomitable aim to thrive: hummingbirds dipping into blossoms; owls hooting at dusk; osprey busy with a fish in tow; the towhees scuffling around The Storm Petrel is the quarterly newsletter of Kalmiopsis the yard. “Tuning in” to that other realm is a balm for Audubon Society, P.O. Box 1265, Port Orford, OR 97465, in the spirit that nature lovers know well. Rachel Car- Curry County, Oregon. Kalmiopsis Audubon Society is a chapter son put it best: “Those who contemplate the beauty of the National Audubon Society. of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure Permission to reprint articles in this publication is granted, as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely provided credit is given to both the author and the newsletter, healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the unless the article is under copyright. assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring The KAS board meets quarterly. Visitors are always welcome at after winter.” meetings and other functions. Please call any of the listed officers for the date and location of the board meeting. In this issue of the Storm Petrel, you’ll read about Officers redwoods bursting with life after fires, more new bird President Ann Vileisis (541) 332-0261 Vice President Foncy Prescott (541) 332-1032 species than ever seen before, ungainly Brown Peli- Secretary Max Beeken (541) 373-1599 cans and delightful hummingbirds — as well as our Treasurer Sara Lovendahl (541) 366-2063 ongoing conservation efforts. Helping to keep the Coordinators Conservation Chair Ann Vileisis (541) 332-0261 natural world thriving in our special corner of Ore- The Storm Petrel Penny Suess (541) 332-3017 gon is what drives our ongoing efforts to conserve Membership Linda Tarr (541) 332-1032 Dark Skies Al Geiser (541) 332-6720 habitats from fragmentation and degradation, and to Let’s Go Birding Gary Maschmeyer (541) 412-0806 support policies that help birds, fish, and wildlife. Directors Max Beeken 2018 - 2022 [email protected] In the last issue, I shared the sad news that Kalmi- Deborah Buitron 2020 - 2024 [email protected] Al Geiser 2018 - 2022 [email protected] opsis Audubon Society (KAS) founder and long-time Joan Geiser 2018 - 2022 [email protected] Petrel contributor Jim Rogers would be signing off Sara Lovendahl 2017 - 2021 [email protected] Tim Palmer 2019 - 2023 [email protected] from writing his beloved columns, Bird Notes and Foncy Prescott 2019 - 2023 [email protected] Curry Mammals, owing to difficulties related to Penny Suess 2017 - 2021 [email protected] Linda Tarr 2019 - 2023 [email protected] Parkinson’s disease. We’ll miss Jim’s writings, but Ann Vileisis 2020 - 2024 [email protected] last month, we welcomed Joy Wolf to take on the job KAS Website http://www.kalmiopsisaudubon.org of compiling our quarterly Bird Notes (with the help Fall 2020 The Storm Petrel Page 3 Join the Nest Egg Club! Would you like your support of Kalmiopsis Audubon to have a lasting impact on the protection of our precious South Coast wildlife and natural resources for future generations? If so, you may wish to become a part of our new “Nest Egg Club” by including KAS in your estate or retirement planning. By making a planned gift to KAS, you help to build a lasting legacy of critical educational and advoca- cy efforts to sustain the beauty and environmental health of our region. The most common way to make a planned gift is by leaving a bequest through your will or living trust. Simply include language in your document stating that you “bequeath ($ amount) to the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society, a not-for-profit organization located at P.O. Box 1265, Port Orford, Oregon 97465 (federal tax ID #93-1018752) for its ongoing conservation and education programs.” If you’d like, you can let us know that you have bequeathed a gift to KAS so that we may thank you. Of course, your gift will be anonymous unless you wish to be openly acknowledged. If you would like more information about these or other planned giving opportunities, please contact KAS vice president Foncy Prescott at [email protected]. Thank you so much for your invaluable on- going support! ■ Great Egret: Mary Lundeberg/Audubon Photography Awards Ways You Can Help Kalmiopsis Audubon As a grassroots group, Kalmiopsis Audubon relies almost entirely on our members’ donations and vol- unteering to do our work. Under the CARES Act, everyone is now eligible for up to $300 in tax credit for donations made in 2020 to qualified charitable non-profits, even if they don’t normally itemize de- ductions. The deduction is only for gifts of cash Membership Report made in calendar year 2020. Please keep KAS in by Linda Tarr mind as you consider year-end donations this year. Our Kalmiopsis Audubon membership continues to Also, if you shop on Amazon, you can designate Kal- grow slowly but steadily. Thanks to our long-time miopsis Audubon as your charity of choice by sign- members for your patience as we process the details ing up with AmazonSmile. Amazon will make a to keep the renewals flowing. Of course, we forgive small donation to us every time you make a purchase. you if you forget to renew promptly, as we hope you Finally, please keep an eye out for our Annual Raffle will forgive us if we sometimes make errors on your mailing, which will be sent in late November. The correct renewal notices. Let’s all keep doing our best raffle is our fun way of raising money for KAS and a to keep it together! May I suggest passing along your good time to send an annual donation or to renew Petrel, after you read it, to a friend. Let’s get as much your membership if it’s overdue. from that paper as we can. Giving a Petrel to one of the many newcomers to our area might be a good Please Help Save Us Postage. way to invite them into a deeper knowledge of this Notify Us When You Move! place and of ways to protect its nature. Let us contin- ue to grow slowly and steadily together. ■ Page 4 The Storm Petrel Fall 2020 Conservation News possible” and recommended using fixtures no higher than 3000k. Beyond human health, studies have by Ann Vileisis found impacts of excessively bright lights on birds, Port Orford’s Dark Sky, Update wildlife, pollinating insects, and more. The capacity KAS has continued to participate in the City of Port for new LED fixtures to emit such bright, blue, glar- Orford’s effort to upgrade its “dark sky” Outdoor ing light prompted KAS to urge a cap on kelvins. Lighting Code to account for changes in technology. This has particular relevance for the streetlights on The basic principle of dark sky lighting is to point Highway 101. ODOT has plans to repave and reline lights down or properly shield them to reduce sky Highway 101 through Port Orford and says it must glow and light trespass into other people’s yards. now apply national crosswalk safety standards. This However, new LED fixtures pose new challenges, will require six new pairs of lights mounted on 30- requiring us all to learn a new language of illumina- foot poles, taller than what we currently have (a mot- tion.