BLACK HILLS AUDUBON SOCIETY (BHAS) is a chapter of the
National Audubon Society, representing Lewis, Mason, and
Thurston counties in the state of Washington. It is a
volunteer-based, non-profit organization whose 1,300+ members
share interests in birds and other wildlife, their habitats, and
natural history. Our goals are to promote environmental
education and recreation and to maintain and protect our
ecosystems for future generations. We work with the
state Audubon office (Audubon
Washington).
Next Monthly Program Meeting
is June 13th (Thurs.).
BHAS Picnic
Join like-minded old friends and meet
new ones at the June gathering at Priest Point Park Shelter #1, by
the Rose Garden (Olympia).
Special Guest will be John Dodge,
Environmental columnist for The Olympian newspaper.
We usually gather around 5 pm for some
casual birding, then enjoy a potluck dinner starting at 6 pm.
We supply paper plates and utensils,
soft drinks, and hot dogs. You bring side dish to share
with the group, such as a salad, hors d'oeuvre, bread, or dessert.
BHAS Program meetings are held on the second Thursday of the
month (exceptions: no March, July, or
August meetings).
Every Wednesday, 8:00 am
—
11:00 am, Phil Kelley leads a bird-watching walk at Nisqually NWR. Meet at the Nisqually Visitor
Center.
First Saturday Birding and Breakfast - First
Saturday of each month, different location each time within
Lewis, Mason, or Thurston County.
For more information, contact Leslie Lynam at 360- 402-9513
or Deb Nickerson at 360-754-5397
Field Trip:
Eagle’s Pride Golf
Course
at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Leaders: David Wienecke,
Denis DeSilvis, and/or Valerie Elliott
Join us for a field trip to a new site. We’re planning on making
this a monthly nature/bird watching trip on the 3rd Thursday of each
month throughout the year. This trip will be from 1-3 miles long on
relatively level ground. It will explore forest, water and open area
species.
No security passes are required.
Trip starts promptly at 8:00 a.m. at the golf course driving range
parking lot.
Location: Exit 116 (Mounts
Road), turn north, turn right into Eagle’s Pride Golf Course
clubhouse parking area, go down ramp and make an immediate, hard
left onto driving range access road (narrow road). Proceed to
driving range parking area.
For more information contact David
Wienecke at
david.l.wienecke.naf@mail.mil or (253) 964-0341 (office) or
(760) 828-8788 (mobile).
May 16-19 (Thurs. - Mon.)
Event:
Leavenworth Spring Birdfest
2013
Location: Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth
features spectacular habitats, ranging from snow-capped mountains to
sunny ponderosa pine forests to lush riparian zones to shrub-steppe.
Last year, a total of 149 bird species were spotted on field trips
during the festival. All field trips are led by experts and
professionals in the field. While birding is at the heart of the
festival, many other activities are available, and Bavarian
Leavenworth is a fun town to explore.
Location: Okanagan and Similkameen
Valleys, British Columbia
If a trip to beautiful British
Columbia this spring appeals, plan to catch the Meadowlark Nature
Festival, one of Canada's premier outdoor celebrations. Over 90
environmental tours and events take people from British Columbia's
unique desert to alpine meadows high above Okanagan Lake. Topics
span all of the natural sciences, including astronomy, geology,
residential landscape design, and, of course, ornithology. Visitors
come from all over North America and Europe. For more information,
see
www.meadowlarkfestival.bc.can.
May 18 ( Sat.)
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.
(noon)
Field Trip:
Woodard Bay for Beginning and
Intermediate Birders
Leaders: Sam Merrill and Tracey
Scalici
This walk is designed primarily for
beginning and intermediate birders. We will look and listen for
woodland birds, such as Swainson's Thrushes, Pacific Wrens, Brown
Creepers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and Black-headed Grosbeaks, as
we walk through the deep forest of cedars and Douglas fir.
Approaching Henderson Inlet, we may see Cormorants, Purple Martins,
other birds, and seals. We will walk an approximately two-mile loop,
which includes an easy trail with boardwalk sections and return by a
pedestrian-only road. Please bring binoculars if possible.
To reach the Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area from
Olympia, take Boston Harbor Road north, then turn right on Woodard
Bay Road, crossing Libby Road. A small parking area on the left,
just before crossing the bridge over Woodard Bay, requires a
Discover Pass. Additional parking that does not require a Discover
Pass is available in a county lot, a short distance beyond the
bridge and up the hill.
This trip is limited to 15 people.
To secure a spot, e-mail Sam at SamMerrill3@comcast.net
or Tracey at
trscalici@gmail.com , or call the Black Hills message line
at (360) 352-7299.
May 18 (Sat)
9:30 am.
Training:
What ARE those birds with Red
Feet?
A Workshop and Training for a Pigeon
Guillemot Breeding Survey
Presenter/trainer
at the event will be Frances Wood, scriptwriter for
BirdNote, and author of
Brushed by Feathers: A Year of Birdwatching in the West.
Come and learn about pigeon
guillemots, our locally breeding seabird, nesting in burrows on
sandy bluffs here in South Sound: See
flyer in Word or in PDF
There is currently no baseline
population information for breeding pigeon guillemots and their
sites for South Sound. Previous marine bird studies have suggested
that pigeon guillemots would be a good indicator species of the
health of the Puget Sound food web. We need your help and your
observations from the past.
If you know of potential or confirmed sites from past years, please
contact Anne Mills (millsa@comcast.net). If you have seen pigeon
guillemots hanging around a specific beach already this year or in
past years, that is good information!
We need you! Volunteers are
needed to watch pigeon guillemots.
May:
Walk beaches to determine active breeding burrows on sandy bluffs or
wooden structures at docks. We will be watching potential sites in
May, as birds should be setting up housekeeping and breeding. They
will then incubate eggs for 30+ days.
June-August: Weekly recording of bird behavior as parent birds
deliver prey to their young in the nests.
Volunteers will observe active
burrows for one hour per week from June through August, documenting
trips to burrows and prey delivered to young.
Adopt a site, gather a friend or
two, and join us to watch these special birds! Become a citizen scientist - -
-observing, waiting, watching, and recording - - - You may become
enchanted with these birds!
For more information and to
register, contact Anne Mills, millsa@comcast.net,
360-867-1487.
May 19 (Sun)
7 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Field Trip:
Birding by Ear at McLane Creek
Leader: Jean McGregor
This leisurely walk will focus on
identifying birds by sight and by ear, with a special emphasis on
bird vocalizations and bird songs. This time of year bird
vocalizations are at their most diverse and elaborate. Beginning
birders are welcome!
Meet bright and early at McLane
Creek at 7:00 a.m.
To sign up, e-mail Jean at jeanmacg@thurston.com,
or call the BHAS message phone line at (360) 352-7299.
May 20 (Mon.)
4:30 pm
BHAS Event:
Birds and Beer
NEW!
- 4:30 pm
on the Third Monday of the
Month at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia
Gather with other birders and discuss recent findings and topics of
interest at the Fish Tale Brew Pub at 4:30pm on the third Monday of
each month. This is a new offering so ideas are welcome and will be
discussed at the May and June gatherings. If enough interest is
garnered, the meetings will continue in the fall.
On May 20th, people will
share their "best birding spots in our area". Come ready to share
where and why you go birding in a particular spot. People new to our
area will benefit from your knowledge. On June 17th, we
will discuss what we can offer during this time frame and develop
some presentations appropriate for the venue, group size, and time
period.
Location: The Fish
Tale Brew Pub
515 Jefferson St SE
Olympia, WA 98501
We will have a sign directing you to
the couches in the back where we will gather. Hope to see you there.
May 24-27
(Fri.-Sun.)
Event:
Wenas Audubon Campout,
50th
Anniversary
Location: Hazel Wolf Bird
Sanctuary, Wenas Creek Campground, SW of Ellensburg
This year marks the 50th
anniversary of the Wenas Audubon Campout in eastern Washington.
The sanctuary is located between Ellensburg and Yakima, on the east
slope of the Cascades. The campout will take place on Memorial Day
Weekend (May 24-27) at the Wenas Creek Campground. Activities
include birding field trips, flower walks, and more.
Pre-registration is not required.
All are welcome. The campout is free and open to all ages; however,
donations are encouraged. All vehicles must display a Washington
State Discover Pass (http://www.discoverpass.wa.govv
).
Visit the Wenas Audubon website (www.wenasaudubon.org)
for directions and more information.
Contact: Doris Johnson at
dellenj@comcast.nett .
June 1 (Sat)
6:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Field Trip:
West Rocky Prairie
Leader: Gary Wiles
This trip will visit a relatively
new unit of the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area Complex known as
West Rocky Prairie. The area, managed by Washington State Dept. of
Fish and Wildlife, is located near Millersylvania State Park and is
one of the largest parcels of high quality native prairie remaining
in Thurston County. Adjoining habitats include oak woodlands and
mixed alder/fir forest. Last year’s trip, our first for BHAS,
produced a good variety of open-country and forest birds, including
Chipping Sparrows, House Wrens, five warbler species, and even a
brood of Virginia Rails.
Parking is limited, so we’ll
carpool to the site; meet at the L & I parking lot in Tumwater at
6:30 a.m. A Discover Pass is needed for vehicles
that will be carpooling. Please note that the area is
undeveloped and does not have bathroom facilities. Dress for the
weather and bring water, snacks, and sunscreen.
Pre-registration is required.
Group size is limited to 12.
Call Gary at (360) 943-8786 for reservations.
June 1 (Sat.)
7:30 a.m. and
9:00 a.m.
Field Trip/Event:
Birding & Breakfast
Location for this month:
Tumwater Falls Park at 7:30 A.M.
Address: 777 Simmons LN SW, Tumwater, WA 98501
Breakfast at River’s Edge
Restaurant (at The Valley Golf Course) at 9:00 a.m.
Address: 4611 Tumwater Valley Drive Southeast)
Want to get a head start on your
weekend? Join us for Birding and Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on the first
Saturday of each month.
Bird with us at 7:30 a.m., then
enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant at 9:00 a.m. Or, if you’re a
late riser, just join us for breakfast and we’ll give you the run
down on what birds are in the area. Beginning birders are welcome.
June 8 (Sat.)
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Field Trip:
Oakland Bay Park
Leader(s): Guy Maguire (CLT) and
Bonnie Wood (BHAS)
Capitol Land Trust (CLT) will be
our partner for this field trip to a nearby gem, Oakland Bay Park,
about eight miles north of Shelton. Although the park is
county-owned, CLT has a conservation easement on it. This is a
perfect opportunity to explore the park. Trails can be found
throughout the property, along with bathrooms and plenty of parking.
Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks.
Conserved in 2005, this 85-acre property contains 2000 feet of
intact, functional marine shoreline, nearshore and estaurine habitat
on upper Oakland Bay, and approximately 3/4 mile of Melany Creek
riparian habitat from estuary to uplands. A rich, diverse native
vegetation buffer lines the property's marine shorelines and
associated uplands, providing important habitat for salmonids,
including chum, Chinook, cutthroat, steelhead and coho, and numerous
species of birds and other wildlife.
Directions from Olympia: Take Highway 101 North towards Shelton.
Take the first Shelton exit and continue through downtown Shelton on
Olympic Highway/Highway #3, following signs for Highway #3 East.
Take a right to continue on Highway #3 and go about 6.5 miles. Take
a right on Agate Road, just past the Deer Creek gas station. Go
about 2 miles. Take a right onto the property. There will be a white
sandwich board saying "Capitol Land Trust Event" with an arrow at
the turn.
Call the BHAS message line, (360) 352-7299,
to reserve a spot.
June
13-16, (Thurs. -Sun.)
Event:
The Dean Hale Woodpecker
Festival
Location:
Sisters, Oregon
East
Cascades Audubon Society invites you to central Oregon for its
annual Woodpecker Festival. Last year, 11 woodpecker species and 200
other birds were seen. The $30/person fee is used to fund their
education programs. Two local guides accompany every tour. For more
information and details, see www.ecaudubon.org . Click first on
"Projects" and then "Woodpecker Weekend."
June 17
(Mon.)
4:30 pm
BHAS Event:
Birds and Beer
NEW!
- 4:30 pm
on the Third Monday of the
Month at Fish Tale Brew Pub in Olympia
Gather with other birders and discuss recent findings and topics of
interest at the Fish Tale Brew Pub at 4:30pm on the third Monday of
each month. This is a new offering so ideas are welcome and will be
discussed at the May and June gatherings. If enough interest is
garnered, the meetings will continue in the fall.
On June 17th, we will
again share favorite birding spots and adventures and also discuss
what we can offer during this time frame and develop some
presentations appropriate for the venue, group size, and time
period.
Location: The Fish
Tale Brew Pub
515 Jefferson St SE
Olympia, WA 98501
We will have a sign directing you to
the couches in the back where we will gather. Hope to see you there.
June 20 (Thurs.)
Thursday of each month.
8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Third
Field Trip:
Eagle’s Pride Golf
Course
at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Leaders: David Wienecke,
Denis DeSilvis, and/or Valerie Elliott
Join us for a field trip to a new site. We’re planning on making
this a monthly nature/bird watching trip on the 3rd Thursday of each
month throughout the year. This trip will be from 1-3 miles long on
relatively level ground. It will explore forest, water and open area
species.
No security passes are required.
Trip starts promptly at 8:00 a.m. at the golf course driving range
parking lot.
Location: Exit 116 (Mounts
Road), turn north, turn right into Eagle’s Pride Golf Course
clubhouse parking area, go down ramp and make an immediate, hard
left onto driving range access road (narrow road). Proceed to
driving range parking area.
For more information contact David
Wienecke at
david.l.wienecke.naf@mail.mil or (253) 964-0341 (office) or
(760) 828-8788 (mobile).
Field Trip:
Mt. Rainier: Wildflowers
and Casual Birding
Leaders: Jan Sharkey and Kristin Stewart
Join us for a Mt. Rainier wildflowers trip - on a Thursday, so we
can avoid the weekend crowds. However, the date for this trip may
change depending on snow and flower conditions at Paradise. We will
go for a relatively easy and slow hike and enjoy the views, the
flowers, and any birds we happen upon. We plan to hike a fair
distance, but at a leisurely pace. Be aware, we will start our walk
at Paradise at 5100 ' and climb up to 6000'. Folks who do not want
to hike too far are welcome to join us for as long as they wish;
they may stop along the way. As is usual on the mountain, be
prepared for all weather conditions. Bring food and water. If you
have FRS radios, they might also be useful.
Meet at the Martin Way Park and Ride at about 6:15 a.m., to
leave by
6:30 a.m. Call Jan Sharkey at (360) 943-8786 or Kristin Stewart at
(360) 456-5098 to sign up.
August 22-25
Event: WFO-WOS Joint
Conference
Save the date! From August 22 to 25, Black Hills
Audubon Society (BHAS) will host the first joint conference of the
Western Field Ornithologists (WFO) and the Washington Ornithology
Society (WOS) at the Red Lion Inn in Olympia. The conference will
feature over 20 field trips in addition to workshops, science
sessions, and panels. See flyer.
Plan to attend, even if just for part of the
conference. Some of the panel discussions and presentations will be
delightful and informative as world experts form teams to take on
quiz show type challenges. The bird vocalization and bird photo
identification challenges have become sessions of legend. Seating
for these events will be at a premium. Other presentations, offered
by researchers, authors, and experts in their field, provide insight
into little known species or aspects of bird life.
All-day field trips will be held Thursday, August 22 and Sunday,
August 25. Half-day (early morning until about noon) field trips
will be on Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24. Friday and
Saturday afternoons will feature workshops, presentations, and a
dinner with keynote speaker.
WFO is an organization promoting the study,
appreciation, and protection of birds in western North America.
Amateur and professional field ornithologists are invited to join.
Members include many of the foremost birders, authors, professional
ornithologists, nature photographers, artists, and guides.
WOS provides a place for birders to meet and share
information on bird identification, biology, populations, and
birding sites. Many of Washington’s most skilled and avid birders
are active in WOS. Learn more at:
http://www.wos.org/aboutwos.html.
For further information or to volunteer at the conference, contact:
Whittier Johnson at 360-866-8156.
Shelley Horn
Debra Jaqua
Leslie Lynam
Tracey Scalici
Kristin Stewart
Committee Chairs appointed by the Board (are
also on the Board):
Education Comm. Chair:
Shelley Horn
Field Trips Comm. Chair:
Bonnie Wood
Membership Comm. Chair: Margery
Beeler
Outreach/Volunteer Comm. Chair:
Leslie Lynam
Publications Comm. Chair: Deb
Jaqua
Sign
up for BHAS Alerts by sending an email to the
Webmaster.
We will then send you an invitation that you will need to confirm (so that
someone else doesn't "accidentally" sign you up!)
State Conservation
efforts. Read about issues involving birds, other wildlife, and
their habitats at the state level.
National Action Alerts.
The National Audubon Society has set up this special Web site to give you an
easy and convenient way to communicate with your lawmakers and newspapers on
national conservation issues that impact birds, wildlife and our shared
environment. Remember, your letters will make a difference -- so take action
today!
The Education Committee has been busy creating
well-attended
birding classes, helping schools get students out into nature with the Board the
Bus grant, and promoting Audubon Adventures.
In 2009, BHAS awarded its first Dave McNett Environmental Educator of the Year
Award., honoring long-time volunteer Dave McNett.
Black Hills Audubon Society receives 4% of every purchase from this page to support our conservation program and other goals. Our prices are exactly the same as Amazon.com! All purchases are managed by Amazon.com. Use the search link below to make all of your Amazon.com purchases, or
go to our book store page for selected items.
Honor the Black River in western Thurston County, the Deschutes, the Nisqually, other Pacific Northwest rivers, or rivers around the world with this special creation.
Wildlife Checklists
Butterfliesin Lewis, Mason, and Thurston Counties (30Kb Word file).
Ever see a dead bird on a beach and
wonder why it succumbed? Would you like to help scientists
find out why?
COASST (Coastal
Observation and Seabird Survey Team) is a citizen science project based at the
University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences in partnership
with local community and environmental organizations, and state and federal
agencies. COASST volunteers collect data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds
on a monthly basis to establish the baseline, or 'normal' pattern of beached
bird mortality on North Pacific beaches. Baselines are crucial for assessing the
impacts of oil spills, fisheries, and climate change. Data collection by COASST
volunteers helps address important marine conservation issues and protects
marine resources.
Lists of COASST trainings and more information about COASST
are posted on their website at
http://www.coasst.org.
From the main page, click on What's New. Then click on the Training Sessions
tab.
BLACK HILLS AUDUBON SOCIETY 
This walk is designed primarily for
beginning and intermediate birders. We will look and listen for
woodland birds, such as Swainson's Thrushes, Pacific Wrens, Brown
Creepers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and Black-headed Grosbeaks, as
we walk through the deep forest of cedars and Douglas fir.
Approaching Henderson Inlet, we may see Cormorants, Purple Martins,
other birds, and seals. We will walk an approximately two-mile loop,
which includes an easy trail with boardwalk sections and return by a
pedestrian-only road. Please bring binoculars if possible.
Presenter/trainer
at the event will be Frances Wood, scriptwriter for
This leisurely walk will focus on
identifying birds by sight and by ear, with a special emphasis on
bird vocalizations and bird songs. This time of year bird
vocalizations are at their most diverse and elaborate. Beginning
birders are welcome! 
This year marks the 50th
anniversary of the Wenas Audubon Campout in eastern Washington.
The sanctuary is located between Ellensburg and Yakima, on the east
slope of the Cascades. The campout will take place on Memorial Day
Weekend (May 24-27) at the Wenas Creek Campground. Activities
include birding field trips, flower walks, and more. 
This trip will visit a relatively
new unit of the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area Complex known as
West Rocky Prairie. The area, managed by Washington State Dept. of
Fish and Wildlife, is located near Millersylvania State Park and is
one of the largest parcels of high quality native prairie remaining
in Thurston County. Adjoining habitats include oak woodlands and
mixed alder/fir forest. Last year’s trip, our first for BHAS,
produced a good variety of open-country and forest birds, including
Chipping Sparrows, House Wrens, five warbler species, and even a
brood of Virginia Rails. 
Location for this month:
Tumwater Falls Park at 7:30 A.M. 
Capitol Land Trust (CLT) will be
our partner for this field trip to a nearby gem, Oakland Bay Park,
about eight miles north of Shelton. Although the park is
county-owned, CLT has a conservation easement on it. This is a
perfect opportunity to explore the park. Trails can be found
throughout the property, along with bathrooms and plenty of parking.
Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks.
Join us for a Mt. Rainier wildflowers trip - on a Thursday, so we
can avoid the weekend crowds. However, the date for this trip may
change depending on snow and flower conditions at Paradise. We will
go for a relatively easy and slow hike and enjoy the views, the
flowers, and any birds we happen upon. We plan to hike a fair
distance, but at a leisurely pace. Be aware, we will start our walk
at Paradise at 5100 ' and climb up to 6000'. Folks who do not want
to hike too far are welcome to join us for as long as they wish;
they may stop along the way. As is usual on the mountain, be
prepared for all weather conditions. Bring food and water. If you
have FRS radios, they might also be useful. 
birding classes, helping schools get students out into nature with the Board the
Bus grant, and promoting Audubon Adventures.