The
President’s Pen
by Lynn Barber
It’s hard to believe that I have been our chapter’s president for a full year already. The time has flown (much of it of course spent birding). I would like to thank all of those who have helped to make this an excellent year for our chapter.
Last summer
our board held a strategic planning session to try to figure out what
our chapter’s goals were and what types of projects we should
undertake. The results of that session showed that we had many different
things that we would like to do. There definitely was no shortage of
exciting things we could try to do!
This year we have worked on many of them, about some of which you have
heard at meetings and in the newsletter., Many possibilities remain
for what our chapter is to do as we enter a new year. At our most recent
board meeting, we discussed the agenda items for the upcoming summer
strategic planning session, which promises to be another exciting event!
Really!
Sure, some of the items may sound a bit dry, like marketing our chapter to non-members, or budget matters or planning next year’s schedule, but the realities behind these dry words are anything but dry. We will be discussing what types of programs and field trips will appeal to our members. We want to try to find out how we can reach out to those who love nature but haven’t yet realized that Fort Worth Audubon can help them learn about the environment and how to protect it. There are those we can help see birds they have never seen, and we can help them learn about bringing wildlife to their yards.
Those board members who love to watch birds and who know where to find “good” birds in Fort Worth will have a great time putting together local field trips for the coming year. The goal is that both new and experienced bird-watchers, whether members or not, can join the fun and learning that is part of each field trip. Do you have any particular birds you’d like to have help finding? Do you know of a park or area of town to which you think it would be neat for us to have a field trip? Let us know.
And there
are many really interesting programs that we hope to line up for the
coming year, covering birding topics of course, but much more. There’s
so many interesting topics to me, but do you have a topic that you would
like addressed, or do you have an idea for a program? Please let us
know.
And our newsletter, are there topics that you’d like to see addressed,
or features that you’d like to see, or information that you would
like to have in the newsletter? Again, let us know.
The board members are people like you, some nutty birders (like me), some backyard birders, some interested in nature generally. There are all sorts of things that we’d like to see happen. But we want to help make a reality the types of things that YOU would like to see. The only way that we can begin to do that is if we hear from you. Otherwise, we’ll just be making the best educated guesses that we can. I can be reached at my email, dalybar@aol.com or by phone number at 817-361-7131. Please talk to me or another board member with your thoughts on all this! Contact information is on our web site, www.fwas.org.
THANK YOU!
Lynn
Conservation
Report
by Jim Sipiora
We are all familiar with Swarovski optics, but they do more for birds than just make the equipment to see them. A grant from Swarovski is enabling the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and ProAves Colombia to create a 5,000 acre reserve in the Colombian Andes for the critically endangered, colorful Puffleg-a 3.2 inch hummingbird that was not discovered until 1967. The total population of this hummingbird is estimated at only 50-250 birds. The Puffleg is threatened by logging, grazing, and other habitat degradation. The reserve will also protect another critically endangered bird, the Munchique Wood Wren, as well as 16 other threatened bird species. Bringing things a little closer to home, the reserve also appears to be prime winter habitat for Blackburnian Warblers. ProAves Colombia will restore, manage, and protect the site. The Puffleg population will be studied and monitored.
A coalition
of the New Jersey Audubon, ABC, Defenders of Wildlife, and the National
Audubon Society has begun proceedings to have the rufa subspecies of
Red Knot protected under the Endangered Species Act(ESA). Red Knot populations
have declined globally but the rufa subspecies has been hit especially
hard, declining by as much as 60% since the late 1980’s. The regulation
of the horseshoe crab harvest in Delaware Bay has not showed any sign
of reversing this trend.
The Cerulean Warbler has suffered precipitous declines in recent decades
with an estimated 70% population loss since the mid 1960’s. The
reasons for this decline remain a mystery. In the U.S. the warbler is
threatened by habitat loss resulting from mining and on migration from
collisions with communications towers and from changing land use patterns
on its South American wintering grounds. Its migration route is little
known and could hold a valuable key to help save this species. ABC and
its partners have confirmed an important migration stop-over point in
the Maya Mountains of Belize and are searching for more critical stop-over
habitat in Honduras and Guatemala. Efforts are also under way across
the species range to protect land, especially on the birds’ winter
range, as well as legal efforts to reduce the threat posed by communications
towers on this and other species.
The Greater Sage Grouse has been denied listing under the ESA in spite of the efforts of a wide variety of conservation groups. The decision was based on a recently completed status review of the species across its range. Although grouse numbers have declined steeply from historical levels and appear to still be declining, efforts by state and local officials to increase grouse numbers were deemed adequate to maintain the population. For more information visit: www.r6.fws.gov/species/birds/sagegrouse.
Ornithology Report
by Greg Keiran
NOTEWORTHY
RECORDS
Mid-April to Mid-June
06/01/05
Legacy Park (eastern) Walking along Cooper St., which bisects the park,
I heard the unmistakable song of an Alder Flycatcher. I confirmed my
audio-identification by listening to a tape when I got back to my car,
which was about a minute later. I guess if I was not to be able to both
hear and see an Alder Flycatcher, I’d rather just hear it. Anyway,
I’m adding it to my list, even though it is a “heard-only”
bird for the year (so far). - Lynn Barber, Fort Worth
05/23/05 A single male Lesser Goldfinch is still appearing on my thistle
feeder in residential Benbrook. Last week he had several American Goldfinch
for company but I haven’t seen any of the “Americans”
for several days now. - Gilbert Wade, Fort Worth
Hagerman
Reports:
05/10/05: What a great day at Hagerman! Karl, Jack, Jack, Wayne, Lynn
and I saw and heard 95 species in 5 hours: Hudsonian Godwits, Kentucky
Warbler, Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Lots of shorebirds; some in close.
Of the sandpipers, there were White Rumped, Baird’s, Semi-palmated,
Pectoral, Stilt, Spotted, Least. Also saw Plovers and Yellowlegs, Summer
Tanagers, vireos, swallows, Redheaded Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker.
Good birding! Lee Lemmons
05/17/05: Today we got 84 species in 5 hours, including Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, Least Tern, Black Tern, and Black-necked Stilts. There were
a lot of Lark Sparrows, Yellow and Prothonotary Warblers, Pileated Woodpeckers,
Mississippi Kites, and Common Nighthawks here on the hill. Lee Lemmons
Tawakoni
Reports:
04/25/05: I birded around this small lake near Canton, Van Zandt County
where I added my first Baltimore Oriole of the year. A few Pine Siskins
were still present here as well. The list of warblers was small: Prothonotary,
Black-and-White, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, and Louisiana Waterthrush.
A family of 10 Wood Ducks were floating into one of the coves of the
lake. An adult Bald Eagle was seen over the lake. I believe that this
bird is nesting somewhere on the lower end of lake. A single Osprey
was present as well. 2 Canada Geese were also on the lake. I assume
they are domesticated but I had never seen any geese on the lake at
all. So I really don’t know. Summer Tanagers and Indigo Buntings
were noticeable on the southwestern side of the lake. Both Red-eyed
and White-eyed Vireos were singing in the usual spots. So far in the
three counties that border Lake Tawakoni, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt,
191 species have been tallied. Richard Kinney, Edgewood.
05/02/05; I spent 2 hours at Mill Creek Lake in Van Zandt County. Found
my FOS Yellow-throated Vireo. Other migrants were: Gray Catbird, Swainson’s
Thrush (several calling and singing around the lake.) Tennessee Warbler,
Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped
Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Prothonotary
Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. There are still lots of Cedar Waxwings
around and I found a flock of over 30 American Goldfinches. I also found
a dozen Lincoln’s Sparrows and 2 White-throated. There was a newly-fledged
Red-shouldered Hawk flying over the lower end of the lake. Dickcissels
continue to move north as well. It also looks like a good year here
for Summer Tanagers as I had multiple sightings of these birds in several
areas. Richard Kinney, Edgewood
05/13/05: Over the last three days, migrants have been hard to find in this area. Monday afternoon at Lake Tawakoni I saw a few: one Blackburnian, twelve Yellows, three Redstarts, twelve Common Yellowthroats, three Nashvilles and the first-for-the-park Kentucky Warbler, plus two Tennessees as well. We spotted a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, too. There was a very strong movement of Indigo Buntings (at least 50). There were 25 or so Blue Grosbeaks as well. Today, migrants were very few; American Redstarts, Swainson’s Thrush, and Catbird. One Blackburnian and one Chestnut-sided. These were seen on private property in Van Zandt County. It was very windy today. Richard Kinney, Edgewood
05/16/05: Migrants continue to trickle through the Lake Tawakoni area. Still a few warblers around but it takes some effort to find them. I started this morning at the spillway in Van Zandt County I found a couple of Tennessees in the oaks at the parking lot along with a few Yellows. I walked along the spillway channel and added Acadian Flycatchers (3), Eastern Wood Pewees and several White-breasted Nuthatches, probably one or two families. Well down the channel I found a singing Kentucky Warbler. At the back edge of the woods I found a Northern Parula and a Yellow-throated Warbler. As I was walking out of the woods on the road the other side of the channel, a Bald Eagle flew over head. There were a few Least Flycatchers singing as well. I then drove over to the river itself and parked and walked along a path that runs near the river channel in Rains County. I saw several warblers: Redstart, Prothonotary, Northern Waterthrush, Yellows, Wilson’s and Tennessees, as well as a Chat. There were a few Willow Flycatchers giving the Fitz-brew song and as well as some Leasts and of course several empids that were not identified. I finally added a Blue-headed Vireo, the only one of the spring, and another Philadelphia Vireo. There was very little at Lake Tawakoni State Park. Wilson’s and Yellow Warblers, along with a few Common Yellowthroats. I did see an Orchard Oriole carrying nest material. Among the shorebirds: Least, Semi-palmated, White-rumped, and Spotted Sandpipers, plus one Sanderling. Then I went back to the river and birded the Van Zandt County side of it where I added a Chestnut-sided Warbler, along with another Kentucky several Yellows and Wilson’s. Also found another Acadian and what I believe was likely the same Blue-headed and Philadelphia Vireos. Near the Dallas County Audubon property, a mixed flock of shorebirds was found, mainly White-rumped and Least Sandpipers. Several Dunlins were present in the same area as well. Two late Northern Shovelers were seen. Speaking of late, found both Savannah and Lincoln’s Sparrows today, too. I tallied 89 species for day. Richard Kinney, Edgewood
05/19/05:
There appears to be a slight increase in the range of Pine Warblers
in Van Zandt County. When I first started birding regularly in the 1980’s,
Pine Warblers were confined to the southeastern edge of the county.
We always get a few birds in the winter. But over the past couple of
years the birds have spread northwest. They occupy some marginal habitat.
I found a pair that had nested in a small pine grove of less than 2
acres. The rest of the area is hardwood bottom land. Today I found a
singing bird on a residential street. This street has very few pine
trees on it. So that was a surprise to find one there. Then I found
a family of three in an area of typical Pine Warbler habitat. But it
is over 20 miles from where they are expected to nest. Are they slowly
moving northwest? Richard Kinney, Edgewood
06/01/05: I found two Laughing Gulls at Lake Tawakoni in Rains County.
These gulls seem to occur fairly often on this lake. Also present at
the same location were 50 White-rumped Sandpipers, several Tree Swallows,
a male Blue-winged Teal, and a stunning Ruddy Turnstone. What beauty!
One Spotted Sandpiper was present as well. The Caspian Terns were not
seen today. From the boat launch in Van Zandt County saw a Common Loon
well into breeding plumage. Warblers today: Kentucky, Common Yellowthroat,
and Yellow-breasted Chat. Only migrant was a Willow Flycatcher at Lake
Tawakoni State Park. I tallied 68 species today. Richard Kinney, Edgewood
06/01/05:
TexBirders, I photographed a Cave Swallow at Lake Tawakoni in Van Zandt
County in the rain on May 28. It was seen in the old Van Zandt County
parking lot and on May 30 I found two Laughing Gulls there as well.
I have been unable to post to the list until now. Sorry for the delay.
Concerning Cave Swallow. These birds seem to show up around late May
in this area (I have been finding them at Lake Tawakoni now since 1996
and in NE Texas since 1995). I am still not sure if these birds are
nesting locally or move into the area after breeding to our south. On
a related note, I went to Bowie County and checked the US 259 bridge
over the Red River yesterday. I found an adult and juvenile Cave Swallow
and several Cave Swallow nests. One of the nests was over land on the
Texas side of the river but the visual of the birds themselves were
actually just a few yards into Oklahoma but since the birds forage over
the two states, it is a mute point I guess. I then called Charles Mills
in Arkansas and suggested he look through the swallows in southwest
Arkansas and he found one there the next day. Looks like these guys
are still moving. Matt White.
06/12/05: Saturday morning Peter Billingham, Ron Baltzegar, Greg Cook, Derek Hill, Brian Gibbons, Ross Rasmussen and I spent three hours looking for the Swainson’s Warbler that Derek and Brian had found two days earlier at Lake Tawakoni. We all finally got good looks at the singing male in a cane break below the spillway. What a great find this bird was. Also found were 2 Yellow-throated Vireos, first for the summer in Van Zandt County. Several Acadian Flycatchers were heard, too. Other warblers seen included: Kentucky, Prothonotary, Black-and-White, Yellow-throated, and Northern Parula with fledged young. There is a large tract of bottomland that has not been birded so who knows what else might turn up in this area. From the lake itself: Tree Swallows, Ring-billed Gulls and a small flock of White-rumped Sandpipers. Sunday morning I birded two different wooded bottom lands in Van Zandt County. The first produced a male Summer Tanager, Red and White-eyed Vireos. Again a Northern Parula with fledged young, and a singing Louisiana Waterthrush. The second stop was an area I have birded for many years and it always has had lots of warblers in it. Today was no different. I was mainly looking for Yellow-breasted Chats and Common Yellowthroats, both of which I found along with Prothonotaries, Kentuckys, and Black-and-Whites. I was very surprised to hear ANOTHER Swainson’s Warbler singing in some dense undergrowth along a slough of the creek. This bird sang many times as it moved through the area. 2 different Swainson’s in the same summer. Wow! As I walked into an area of more upland trees, I heard another singing Yellow-throated Vireo in a big Willow Oak tree. So I went from no summer sightings of this bird to three birds. Wow, again! And from no records at all of Swainson’s Warbler to three records. A great summer here. Richard Kinney, Edgewood
TEXBIRDS: 04/10/05: Gail Morris and I birded Walnut Grove Park in Grapevine yesterday for several hours. We did not see a lot of species, but did see an interesting collection of resident, winter, migrant, and summer birds including: Several Wild turkey (heard only), a Bald Eagle, one Broad-winged hawk, several Franklin’s gulls (seen flying over Hwy 114 east of the Main St. exit), Numerous White-eyed vireos, numerous Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a small flock of Cedar waxwings, a lone Yellow-breasted Chat, one Spotted Towhee, as well as numerous White-throated Sparrows. D.D. Currie, Arlington
4/27/05: Keith Lockhart gave me a call this afternoon to report the presence of a Hudsonian Godwin at Lewisville Lake Park (Denton County), along with the following other species: Spotted, Least, Semipalmated, Western (FOS), Baird’s, and Pectoral Sandpipers, as well as a Wilson’s Phalarope and a Yellow-headed Blackbird, some Lark Sparrows, and an American Pipit. I was able to get by there an hour later (after work) and get some decent photos of some of these birds. See them at http://www.duhons.net/NCTexasBirds.htm . I saw all but the phalarope and the pipit. Earlier today at an area (LLELA) currently closed to the public, I had several Indigo Buntings and Painted Buntings, along with several Sedge Wrens and a Vesper Sparrow. Lawrence Duhon
05/03/05; While I get my share of migrants in my rural yard, there are some yard birds I don’t expect to get. I have a heavily wooded yard, and I can’t see very far out the windows for the oak trees and understory. Just now a flock of Dickcissels dropped out of the sky into my oak trees and began eating like crazy. I have been looking for them in grassy areas, but now they are a new yard bird. And yesterday, with a Black-throated Green Warbler that came within a foot of me, I had a White-crowned Sparrow in my woods, along with Chipping sparrows. The nesting Bewick’s Wren was as surprised as I was at the Dickcissels. Expect the unexpected, I guess. Marilyn Turnage, Flower Mound, Tx
05/11-05: Along with the American Redstart this morning I also added a Blue-headed Vireo to my yard list. There were more Baltimores and a fantastic encounter with a Magnolia Warbler; the best view I’ve ever had since visiting Pt. Pelee! It flew onto a branch three feet in front of me and worked its way toward me until it got to the end of the branch. I just froze, amazed at the beauty of this bold little bird! It was at eye level and for a second just looked right at me! Then it flew off and I breathed! :-) Very nice morning, hope tomorrow will be as good ‘cause I need a bunch more yard birds! Rachel Dugas, Bedford
05/12/05: Texbirders, I birded Prairie Creek Park with my dad this afternoon 12:30-3:30pm. Prairie Creek is in Richardson, on the border of Dallas and Collin Counties. We managed to find 14 warbler species, the best being a female Cerulean Warbler. She was seen from the east trail, south of the footbridge, a bit north of the old well, in some willows over the creek that were full of vines (grape, virginia creeper, poison ivy). She was in the company of Magnolia, Tennessee, Nashville, and Magnolia Warblers, plus a Blue-headed Vireo. Here’s the list of today’s migrants: Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Swainson’s Thrush, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll, Blackburnian Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, American Redstart , Ovenbird. Common Yellowthroat, Wilson’s Warbler, and Canada Warbler. Yesterday in addition to many of the warblers seen today we had: Olive-sided Flycatcher, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, Mourning Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, and Northern Waterthrush, Good birding. Derek
06/13/05: On Saturday I discovered a bonafide Cave Swallow colony in a culvert in Rains County. There are 15 nests. I counted 25-30 Cave Swallows flying around and the birds are working on what appears to be a second nesting attempt. There are two or three Barns Swallows present as well but no Cliffs. There are adults and recently fledged young present here as well and I was able to get some stunning pictures. Many of the birds would flush from the nests when we arrived and would not return as long as we were in the vicinity (so we didn’t stay very long at all). This was especially evident when Charles Mills and I returned yesterday afternoon for him to photograph them. After a decade of mostly juveniles showing up, this is interesting. The Tree Swallows at Lake Tawakoni are nesting in the dead trees on the upper end of the lake and there is a Caspian Tern that has been present since at least June 1. Matt White
Report
your sightings to:
Greg Keiran
9 S. Kingston Ct.
Bedford, TX 76022
(H) 817/282-3312 - (W) 817/280-7598, gkeiran@AOL.com
TRAVEL
TO—All over Texas
for a birding Big Year
(Migration, continued)
When I left off writing last month’s column, I was in the midst of this year’s coastal Texas bird migration. My little SUV was putting on many miles between Bolivar, High Island, Anahuac, and Sabine Woods, as I raced back and forth trying to guess where the warblers and buntings and bobolinks and grosbeaks might land. Warblers and other migrants were still being reported at the coastal hotspots as I write this, but I will soon be heading westward, where I hope to spend nearly two weeks looking for western migrants, as soon as my poor travel-weary car gets fixed and out of the shop.
As I wait out my forced break in birding here in Fort Worth, let me finish telling the story of my east Texas wanderings in late April and early May. In Sabine Woods and the nearby “willows” many days there were mini-waves of warblers. On April 20, the Blackpolls began to arrive, and in a day or two, they could be found in every little patch of trees and shrubs it seemed. A Palm Warbler dropped in on the road to McFadden NWR and hopped around, stopping birder traffic in all directions, and causing caravans of eager birders to head out there as soon as they heard about it. Having already seen a Palm Warbler, I headed off to Anahuac and was delighted to locate the couple of Wilson’s Phalaropes that had been reported, not realizing that on April 30’s Spring Count at Village Creek Drying Beds, Simone Jenion and I would see nearly 250 of them, and would see them in numerous other little lakes after that. You never know for sure.
Although there did not seem to be many little warblers flying around the woods in the following days, each one seemed to be of a different species, so it was quite easy to find 10-15 species if one spent the time. But never did there seem to be a “fall-out” of a magnitude to write home about. Dickcissels began to be heard about April 22 and Black Terns were noted along the coastal beaches. Then some of the more colorful warblers began to be more evident, with bright orange throated Blackburnian Warblers, and flashy American Redstarts.
After a brief stop at home, I headed back to the coastal area on April 25, and was startled to see Bay-breasted Warblers literally lurking everywhere. I had only seen a couple before in Texas, and never more than one in a day. The first one I saw this year was actually a consolation prize, I think,, for my driving all day and then standing in the rain to try to find a Black-whiskered Vireo that had been reported at Sabine Woods. The Black-whiskered Vireo seemed to be seen every day for awhile, but never when I was around. I actually gave up on it and headed over to Port O’Connor, where a noted Texas birder, Petra Hockey, had found a Yellow-green Vireo, which I also got to see. Being fairly near Port Aransas, I checked it out too. Although there were many warblers, I was unable to find the Black-throated Blue Warbler that had been seen there. I decided to head home, but changed my mind and just had to try for the Black-whiskered Vireo one more time, so headed back east instead of north. I arrived to take just one more swing through the open area just inside the gate to Sabine Woods, and there it was! It even provided a photo-op before flying over to the woods. And I actually saw it again later in the day.
Vireos seemed to be the name of the game during the next couple of days, as Warbling, Philadelphia, and Red-eyed became increasingly common. Cerulean and Magnolia Warblers were also increasingly seen. Way up high in the trees, a few Golden-winged Warblers were found, and Ovenbirds were walking in the leaves everywhere I went. And finally I got to see a Black-billed Cuckoo, and then a day later, another one, which is a bird that had nearly been my nemesis in 2003, when I had made a sort-of trial run at a Texas big year.
Of course, while I was obsessing over migrants, summer resident birds such as the rare Tamaulipas (Mexican) Crow were moving into the Rio Grande Valley. So I took a quick trip down there for the crow, and found a few more flycatchers that I had not yet seen, and listened for and finally saw Botteri’s Sparrows near Laguna Atascosa down on the southern coast.
Just a
week before writing this article, I realized I had forgotten all about
the Black-capped Vireos that are so unique to Texas. So I headed over
to Balcones Canyonlands, northwest of Austin (on my way home from the
Valley) and got to hear and see briefly, a couple of these special little
birds.
The most recent addition to my list was on the FWAS Spring Bird Count
on May 7, which I do with Jean Ferguson in the Aledo Road area. To our
surprise, a very noisy Bell’s Vireo was singing out there, and
allowed us to view it in the bush where it was hiding.
That brings me to 495 species for 2005 as of July 1. It may seem like an easy thing to go from there to my 500 (plus or minus) goal in the remaining more than 7 months of this year, but the majority of the birds that it is still possible for me to see are likely to be VERY difficult to find. Except for some migrant and some summer resident western birds that I should get if I ever get to head out there, it will likely be some pretty tough slogging as the year goes along. My fall and winter travel columns may sound pretty desperate by then, but I hope I’ll have a few neat sightings to tell you about. Again, stay tuned.
National Audubon Update
Conservation
Coalition Calls for Emergency Red Knot Protection - UPDATE!
Trenton, NJ, June 17, 2005 - Audubon, together with seven other leading
conservation groups, requested an emergency closure of horseshoe crab
fishing along the mid-Atlantic shore. Migrating Red Knots, whose population
has dropped so precipitously that experts fear their disappearance from
New Jersey shores by 2010, are dependent on feeding on the eggs of horseshoe
crabs to fuel their annual spring journey to the arctic.
In a letter to the Governors of Delaware and New Jersey, the groups
urged an immediate moratorium on the 2005 horseshoe crab harvest in
New Jersey, alarmed that if the fishery opened as scheduled, harvest
of as many as 300,000 crabs would greatly deplete the main food source
for thousands of imperiled Red Knots and jeopardize their chances for
survival. The red knot population visiting the Delaware Bay once numbered
more than 150,000. However, biologists estimate the current population
at around 18,000.
“The Atlantic Coast population of the Red Knot is sliding toward
extinction,” said Greg Butcher, Director of Bird Conservation
for the National Audubon Society. “We owe it to future generations
to provide a safety net for the Red Knot, which in turn will help keep
intact the full web of life on the Delaware Bay.”
UPDATE - Acting New Jersey Governor Codey issued an Emergency Rule effective
June 9 suspending horseshoe crab harvesting in Delaware Bay for 2 weeks,
in order to allow the state to consider recently developed scientific
information. Leading regional and national advocates for horseshoe crab
and migratory shorebird conservation released a statement in response,
which you can view in PDF format here www.njaudubon.org/Conservation/EmergencyRule.pdf.
Puffin
Cam Update!
Ithaca, NY, June 17, 2005 - Plans are moving forward to place a streaming
video ‘Puffin Cam’ on Matinicus Rock where it will focus
on Maine’s largest puffin nesting colony. The location for the
camera will have a commanding view of a ‘loafing ledge’
where one-hundred or more puffins and razorbills rest and socialize.
The location is also the site where Audubon biologists are attempting
to restore a colony of Common Murres, using decoys and sound recordings.
In addition to the ‘Puffin Cam’, plans are moving forward
to place a ‘Burrow Cam’ that will stream live video from
a puffin burrow. Using infrared light, the camera will permit viewers
to watch a puffin chick underground.
The puffin cameras will be installed in the coming weeks and a news
release will be distributed once everything is in place. In the meantime,
twelve Common Murres are now incubating eggs at Devil’s Slide
Rock, California. The early morning is the best time to view the ‘Murre
Cam’ at www.projectpuffin.org/common-murre.html.
Audubon Centennial Photo Contest
New York, NY, June 17, 2005 - Got some photogenic feathered friends? Caught that feisty damselfly on film? Get your 15 minutes of fame by entering them in our Centennial Photo Contest, open to all Employees and Chapters. Entries will be judged by Magazine’s award-winning Design Director and Photo Editor, with the winners’ photos highlighted on our Intranet. Audubon licensed products prizes will be awarded to the top finisher in each of the six categories, and one overall Best in Show. If you missed the email about this contest, please contact Kim Phillips at kphillips@audubon.org for entry forms or answers to any questions you may have. Best of luck and happy shooting!
YOUR
RIGHT TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS AT RISK: National Environmental Policy
Act!
You may have heard of it but you’re not exactly sure what it does
or how it benefits you as an American citizen...but if you’ve
ever participated in a public comment period about an environmental
issue - you’ve appreciated that we have it! One of the most important
environmental laws our country has ever instituted is under attack,
and there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of it!
Most of us assume the Federal Government will automatically “look before it leaps” and conduct studies about the environmental impacts of federally funded projects in our areas - things like new roads, airports and power plants. The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, signed by President Nixon in 1969, is considered the Magna Carta of environmental protection - and IT is what requires federal agencies to study and disclose the environmental effects of federally funded projects on the surrounding community and to include the public in deciding how projects should proceed. Now, the public participation and environmental review guaranteed under NEPA are under attack.
Pro-industry members of Congress are seeking to gut NEPA under the guise of “improving and modernizing” the Act. Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA), has formed a NEPA Task Force to review the act and hold field hearings around the country to give industry representatives a platform to mischaracterize NEPA as costly and unnecessary. We need you to make sure these false claims are seen for what they really are - a move to eliminate your right to help decide how projects in your area go forward and to make it easier for industries not to have to disclose their impacts on the environment!
The NEPA
Task Force Needs to Hear from You! SEND A MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERS OF
THE NEPA TASK FORCE AS WELL AS YOUR LAWMAKERS! Protect your right to
speak for the birds and wildlife that can’t speak for themselves!
Also, find out if there will be a Task Force meeting near you and voice
your wishes in person!