Coeur d’Alene Chapter of the National Audubon Society www.cdaaudubon.org October 2015 Volume 26 Number 2 has proven to be one of the most significant OCTOBER PROGRAM Vaux's Swift communal migratory roost DATE: October 13, Tuesday sites in North America. ‘Vaux's Happening’ PLACE: Lutheran Church of the Master, quickly expanded into an attempt to locate, 4800 N. Ramsey, CDA raise awareness of, and hopefully preserve TIME: 7:00 p.m. the important roost sites used by this PROGRAM: “Audubon Vaux’s Happening species all along its migratory path. In the Project” last fourteen migrations the project has SPEAKER: Larry Schwitters documented over six million Vaux's Swift President’s Report roosting events from San Diego to the Eula Hickam, Yukon. Schwitters will also share images and information captured by the project's Our first meeting was a great time of chimney surveillance cameras and precision getting back together and catching up on temperature recorders”. what’s been happening in the summer! Lots of birding – travel – having company. It was good! Ken Crawley presented a very interesting talk on bee keeping in Cataldo. I hope you were there! We are planning a field trip to his farm. Photo by Richard Strehlau Now we look forward to October. This will A Brief Bio be an informative discussion of a “little Larry Schwitters holds a Master's of bird.” Here is a description.: “This fast Science degree and spent 30 years in the paced power point presentation will examine trenches of public education, mostly as a Audubon's ongoing citizen science project, middle school science teacher and coach in ‘Vaux's Happening’, launched seven years ago the Seattle area. to gather the data necessary to make a Continued on page 3 compelling case for the preservation of what THE FISH HAWK HERALD 2 Juvenile Osprey Rescued Visit their Website at: August 10, 2015 http://www.birdsofpreynorthwest.org/home.htm Lynn Sheridan l Lynn Sheridan with juvenile Osprey Photos by Pat Muchow The North Idaho Dermatology building has an old telephone pole with an Osprey nest In my conversation with Jane, she told me that is used every year. Today a co-worker that the juvenile Osprey had not eaten in came into the office at 1:30 p.m. to tell me a days. “fish hawk” had fallen into the parking lot. I On Saturday, I visited my juvenile Osprey at went out with a cloth to pick up the bird and the “Birds of Prey Northwest” facility at then called Kris Buchler for advice. Round Lake, north of St. Maries. She (it is a Following her advice, I first called Idaho female) is fragile but is doing just fine. Fish and Game. They told me to put the bird Jane hopes to eventually release her back back where I found it. Kris’s second into the wild. suggestion was a much better choice. I took Postscript: Lynn received a call from Jane. the bird to the Kootenai Animal Hospital The Osprey was released. It flew over to where doctor Rogers could check it for join another family of Osprey, injuries and health status. In a call to the hospital the next day, I found that it was not injured but was in a starving condition. “If you have seen birds, It had been turned over to Jane Veltkamp, a you must have birds in rehab specialist, president and director of “Birds of Prey Northwest”. your heart.” John Burroughs THE FISH HAWK HERALD 3 President’s Report Birds and Beans Continued from page 1 George Sayler He spent four years tracking down Black Swifts at Washington State's waterfalls for Once again, the Coeur d’Alene Audubon the American Bird Society is selling Birds and Beans shade Conservancy before his involvement with grown, organic, fair- trade certified coffee. Audubon “Vaux's Happening” Project. We do it as a fundraiser and to help protect bird habitat in Central America. I am now taking orders. Go to our website for prices and varieties available. Help save the rain forests choosing to drink shade grown coffee http://cdaaudubon.org/Birds%20and%20Beans.pdf Walla Walla Bird and Wine Valerie Zagar Vaux Swifts roosting in a chimney Don’t Miss This Program! Thanks to Mike Blackbird for bringing it to us! Idie Ulsh I was sorry to learn that Idie Ulsh, the speaker who brought a very interesting Photo by Richard Strehlau program on birds and bird houses passed What does a Ruddy Duck, a mountain goat away this summer. She was well known for and fine red wines have in common? They her expertise on birds and butterflies. For were all a part of the Walla Walla Birding, more about her life, google her name. I will Hiking, and Wine Extravaganza on April 24- miss her. Eula Hickam 26, 2015. Continued on page 4 THE FISH HAWK HERALD 4 Walla Walla Bird and Wine Bennington Lake did not disappoint us. The Continued from page 3 trees were full of springtime migrants; a busy House Wren was discovered cleaning out a cozy nesting site, more Ruddy Ducks paired up in a quiet corner of the lake, and Osprey were diving for Rainbow Trout. Photo by George Sayler Twenty-five members of the CDA Audubon and Thursday Hiking groups started off Photos by their weekend trip with a picnic at McNary Darlene Carlton Wildlife Refuge in Burbank, WA. Through scopes several species of waterfowl were George spotted an spied from the deck of the educational adult Great Horned building. After lunch the hikers continued Owl hanging out to Walla Walla for a brief hike. A dozen along the birders walked the short interpretative trail Meadowlark Trail along the Burbank Slough. We all got great until bicyclists looks at a flock of Black-necked scurried by. A Stilts showing off their brightly colored local resident was legs as they flew over to a plowed field to kind of enough to share news of Great forage. Horned Owlets in the banks of the parking Many waterfowl were present along the lot. Jim was the first to spot the fat, fluffy waterway and at the refuge’s blind a Ruddy camouflaged feathers in a large hole. Duck floated very close to us to show off his Another owlet was spotted preening further stunningly blue bill. What a handsome down the bank. Nature at its finest! specimen for a lucky female! After lunch the birders visited Whitman Mission. After walking a part of the historic Saturday started off with overcast skies Continued on page 5 and a bit breezy, but the sightings at THE FISH HAWK HERALD 5 Walla Walla Bird and Wine City of Rocks National Reserve Continued from page 4 And Castle Rocks State Park May 14, 2015 to May 18, 2015. Oregon Trail being escorted by sounds of Judy Waring & Janet Callen Ring-necked Pheasant and Wild Turkey we stopped to watch a “convention” of White- Crowned Sparrows bathing in the original ditches dug by the pioneers. Meanwhile, the Thursday Hikers got a surprise spotting of a mountain goat along their trek of the Walla Walla River near the Oregon border. Both groups met at the end of each day to taste wine at three of the 150+ wineries of the region. Ready to Climb a Sand Dune Photo by Janet Callen Sunday, a stop at Palouse Falls State Park We traveled 1416 miles, from approximately brought many oohs and aahs and photo ops. 700 feet elevation on Highway 95 at What seemed like a swarm of White- Lewiston, to 8700 feet elevation at Galena throated Swifts darted over the falls and Summit on Highway 75 to Stanley. We Lisa heard a Canyon Wren bid us a fond followed the Salmon River, the Snake River, farewell as we departed for home. the headwaters of the Salmon, then the Overall 68 species were seen and/or heard Bitterroot and the Clark Fork. From by the groups. Skoocumchuk rest stop on the Salmon, I want to thank Lisa Hardy and Roland Craft where we saw a Bullock’s Oriole and heard a for their great recording skills! Canyon Wren among several other birds, the Trip participants included: George & Katie fun continued. From Boise we visited Sayler, Jim & Sheelagh Lynn, Russ Hershrud, Bruneau Dunes State Park, took a 1.3 mile Jean Sorley, Darlene Carlton, Lisa Hardy, hike around the lake, and climbed sand Janet Callen, Roland Craft, Marilyn dunes. Highlight was a Lewis’s Woodpecker. Robertson, Marlene Stein, Karen Williams, We then went onward to Three Island State Mary Ayers, Sharon Spear, Dora Griffith, Park and its very interesting history and Mike Secody, Cheryl Frampton, Linda then to impressive Malad Gorge. We Stanger, Richard Strahler, Joanne Swirly, traveled Thousand Springs Scenic Highway Dan & Evonne Panther, Mike & Valerie Zagar. where we spotted both a Caspian and Forster’s Tern. Continued on page 6 THE FISH HAWK HERALD 6 City of Rocks… Continued from page 5 It was all we hoped for and more-two natural hot springs, beautiful mountain We continued south scenery and more birds. Aside from the rain on highway 77 to mile in City of Rocks, the trip was a success and a marker 1 at Almo, ID lot of fun. Total species identified were in early evening. We 117. Thanks to Lisa for keeping the list. gathered for a dinner Thanks to Ronn and Roberta Rich for the at the Lodge in Castle good Mexican restaurant in Ketchum and the Huge Rock idea of Challis Hot Springs for our last Rock State Park, Photo by night.