A loner by nature, the Solitary Sandpiper is a regular but uncommon visitor to western Washington during spring and fall migrations.
President’s Letter: We Heard Your Preferences
Eastside Audubon’s board received great feedback from the “safe start” survey that was emailed to our membership in June. There were more than 100 respondents to the online survey. We learned that most people have a high level of concern about resuming any indoor chapter activities, but there is some positive interest shown for participating in outdoor, small group, socially-distanced activities such as bird walks without carpools.
Changing Honorific Bird Names
In the American Birding Podcast on June 18, 2020 host Nate Swick proposed a plan to address potentially harmful honorific names given to birds in previous centuries. Naming birds after people can be problematic especially “against the backdrop of present day social standards”
#BlackBirdersWeek
In response, and in an effort to promote solidarity, a group of Black birders and naturalists from Black AF in STEM, organized #BlackBirdersWeek, the Twitter handle for a series of events celebrating Black birders and drawing attention to the unique issues that arise when Black individuals go birding.
President’s Letter: Educated and Entertained Online
While staying at home this spring and summer, I’ve spent quite a bit of time online. After hearing the news about the New York Central Park encounter between birder Christian Cooper and dog walker Amy Cooper, I wanted to learn more about how to make birding more welcoming and inclusive for people of color.
Indigo Bunting
An Indigo Bunting, a common bird of the Eastern United States, made a rare visit to the west at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA in June 2020.
The lovely all blue male Indigo Bunting has been called the Blue Canary (Dunne) for good reason. Its song is a bright and cheery combination of whistled notes, often in pairs, which can continue for hours throughout the day. This bunting loves to sing from a high and open perch.
President’s Letter: Considering the Future
Eastside Audubon Joins Recreate Responsibly Coalition
A Note from Your Conservation Chair
Since 2007, June has been celebrated as the month of the Orca in Washington State. Governor Christine Gregoire first designated June as Orca Awareness Month. In 2019, the month was renamed Orca Action Month. We knew then that the population of salmon-eating orcas in Washington State waters, known as Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) needed help to survive as a distinct population.
Pacific Wren
Lauren Kuehne - June 2020 Program Night Presentation
We had a wonderful time with researcher Lauren Kuehne during her virtual program night presentation on June 25 as she presented the results of a year-long project to monitor current levels of noise from military aircraft, and estimate the impact of Growler jets on the soundscape of the Olympic Peninsula.
Eastside Audubon Shares in a Victory in Woodinville
In late May, the WA State Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) invalidated the King County Adult Beverage Ordinance allowing wine tasting and event centers in the Rural Area of King County south of Woodinville. The ordinance was sent back to the county for environmental review. The Eastside Audubon Conservation Committee has been following the proposal for this ordinance for several years and has commented in opposition to it.
President’s Letter: Reconnecting in New Ways
With new guidance from the governor’s office through the Safe Start Washington: A Phased Approach to Recovery plan, Eastside Audubon is ready to ask a new question—what activities can we safely offer that will carry out Eastside Audubon’s mission and reconnect our members to nature.
Spotted Towhee
Birding During the Pandemic
Current news reports indicate that more people are appreciating birds while they shelter in place. Confined to home during partial shutdowns this spring, people have had a lot of time on their hands and many of them have started watching the birds in their yards, discovering just how much fun it can be. Downloads of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology bird identification app, Merlin, and the Audubon app have increased dramatically. Sales of bird feeders and bird seed have expanded during the pandemic. People are starting to notice birds.
