Black Hills
Audubon Society
Christmas Bird Count,
Sunday, Dec. 20th
This year, the 110th Annual Christmas Bird Count
(CBC) will be held on Sunday, December 20th. The
event, sponsored by BHAS, needs volunteers to spend
the day (or part of the day) in the field counting birds
in their group’s assigned count area. Folks new to
birding or those who prefer will be partnered with ex-
perienced group leaders. This is a serious commitment
and a whole lot of fun, and it’s also a great way for
amateurs to become familiar with our local birds.
The day will conclude with the traditional post-count
chili dinner shortly after dark at the Gull Harbor Lu-
Continued on page 7
Thursday, November 19
Falconry: The Art of
Training Falcons and
the Sport of Hunting
with Falcons
Cliff and Janna Kellogg and friends will present a
slide show covering falconry history, raptors flown
in falconry today, actual hunting scenes, and con-
servation of the different species, including rehabili-
tation and breeding. Live hawks and falcons will be
on hand and be introduced to the audience.
General membership meetings are usually held at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday evening of each month,
September through June, at the Capitol Museum Coach House, 211 West 21st Street, in Olympia.
Olympia, Washington
Volume 40,
Number 5
November/December 2009
Contents
Christmas Bird Count ............................. pg. 1
Monthly programs.................................. pg. 1
Conservation news ................................. pg. 2
2010 Annual Dinner announcement........ pg. 2
Alternative giving fair ............................. pg. 3
Feeder cleaning thanks ........................... pg. 3
Jack Davis Award nominating criteria ..... pg. 4
Dave McNett Award criteria ................... pg. 4
Birding in Earnest ................................... pg. 5
Field trip & event details ......................... pg. 6
Results from May Birdathon ................... pg. 6
BHAS Calendar ....................................... pg. 7
BHAS roster............................................ pg. 8
Membership form ................................... pg. 9
Book review ..........................................pg. 10
Thursday, December 17
From Ridge to Reef
in Tompotika
Saving the Maleo Bird and
Other Conservation Success
Stories from Indonesia
Marcy Summers, native Washingtonian and a former
senior scientist for The Nature Conservancy, was
living and working in Indonesia when she stumbled
across a very special place and people on Indone-
sia’s island of Sulawesi. The Tompotika peninsula is
home to one of the last remaining communal nesting
grounds for the endangered, yet iconic, maleo bird, as
Continued on page 3
Tired of the commercialized gift giving during the holidays?
Alternative Gift Fair
When: Saturday, Dec. 12 ,10am– 3pm
th
Where: The Olympia Center, 222
Columbia St. NW, Olympia
Website: www.
theunitedchurches.org
What: There are alternatives
to the usual holiday gifts.
On Saturday, December 12th, from
10am to 3pm at The Olympia
Center, you can purchase a gift in
someone’s name from organizations
which help train the homeless, build homes
for families, help protect our environment,
and feed the hungry. This year, let your gift to
someone be a week’s worth of care for patients
at The Neighborhood Free Medical Clinic; pur-
chase a pig for a hungry family through Heifer
International; help conserve wild spaces in
Thurston and Mason Counties with Black Hills
Audubon Society and People for Puget Sound;
support a kitchen garden project with GRuB;
buy tools for homebuilding with Habitat for
Humanity and learn about the many organiza-
tions doing good works around our community
and country.
Feeder Cleaning
Thanks
Thanks so much to all those who made this
Fall Feeder Cleaning possible. We made nearly
$500.00 from the day and thank those who
brought their dirty feeders to us.
Top Foods generously provided hot water to us
and Wild Birds Unlimited on Olympia’s west
side, as always, sponsored the event. Ruth,
Dave, and Kathy were very hospitable. The
weather was hospitable, also, which made
it pleasant to be outside pressure wash-
ing and scrubbing.
Thanks to the following volunteers
for cleaning, pressure washing, and
sanitizing the feeders, and for provid-
ing cheerful company: Dee Corwin,
Sarah Hazen, Kris Schoyen, Meagan
Thorne, Deb Jaqua, Deb Nickerson, and
Bob and Susan Markey.  can join one of AlTo’s eco-service
— Deb Nickerson
Black Hills Audubon Society
Eighteen organizations, to which you can
donate any amount, will be participating.
Gift cards will be given to donors which, in
turn, are presented to the recipient. You can
make a difference in our commu-
nity and world with your gift to
a local charity in a loved one’s
name. Come to The Olympia
Center from 10am to 3pm and
feel good about your holiday
shopping. For additional infor-
mation, please call Debbie Nick-
erson at 754-5397 or visit us at
www.theunitedchurches.org.
From Ridge to Reef
From page 1
well as the world’s richest coral reefs, pristine tropical
forests, unique and endangered wildlife, and many
other natural wonders. When local people asked
Marcy for help to conserve the maleo bird, The Alli-
ance for Tompotika Conservation, or “AlTo” was born.
Now an independent non-profit organization in the
US and Indonesia, AlTo has been bringing Indone-
sians and Americans together in support of conser-
vation since 2006. In its first year, AlTo’s commu-
nity-based alliance was able to reverse the maleo
bird’s decline and stop all poaching; since then
AlTo’s work has expanded to include work with
sea turtles and a conservation awareness outreach
campaign. And the momentum keeps growing: AlTo
is now in the process of purchasing over 25,000
acres of pristine native rainforest to establish the
area’s first fully-protected and locally-managed
Tompotika Rainforest Preserve. AlTo uses innovative
strategies such as hiring former poachers to protect
endangered wildlife and building
support through “Art for Con-
servation” projects. Conserving
wildlife and endangered habi-
tats can sometimes seem like an
uphill battle, but in this remark-
able people-to-people partner-
ship, and the news is overwhelm-
ingly good! Marcy will present
stories and photos from Tompotika
and also information about how you
tours to the area.

 Nominations for Conservation and
Education Awards
Conservation and education are key goals of the
Black Hills Audubon Society (BHAS). The Jack Da-
vis Conservation Award and the newly established
Dave McNett Environmental Educator Award give
us the opportunity to recognize the efforts of
individuals or teams who have made important
contributions to the progress on these goals.
This year, we invite our BHAS members to help
Jack Davis Conservationist of the Year Award
– Nominating Criteria
This award is primarily for citizens who have vol-
unteered their time and skills in the field of conser-
vation and is intended for persons who have not
previously received the award.
Please be guided by the following set of criteria:
• Work has generally been within the BHAS geo-
graphical base (Thurston, Mason, and Lewis
Counties).
• Nominees may be members of BHAS but are
required to be.
• Work was a volunteer initiative relying heavily on
volunteer time.
• Nominees worked collaboratively with others,
including governmental and non-governmental
organizations to help resolve an environmental
issue.
• Nominees used objective sources of information
and reliable data and demonstrated professional-
ism throughout.
• Nominees worked consistently on the issue and
persevered, proving resourceful under difficult
challenges.
• Results of the work made a significant difference
either in real environmental benefits or improved
awareness by the public or governmental agen-
cies on an environmental issue.
Submit the name(s), and a brief description of the
effort made by the individual(s) or teams and their
progress and successes in regards to the Jack Davis
Conservationist of the Year Award criteria. If you are
nominating a team, please list the key individuals
who have led the team and their contact informa-
tion.
Please mail your completed nominations by Decem-
ber 31st, 2009, to the Black Hills Audubon Society,
 Black Hills Audubon Society
nominate candidates for these two awards. The
deadline for both awards is Dec. 31st, 2009.
Please see the criteria for the Jack Davis Conser-
vation Award and the Dave McNett Environmental
Educator Award in this issue of the Echo. The
criteria can also be found on the BHAS Web site at
http://www.blackhills-audubon.org/.
PO Box 2524, Olympia WA 98507, or email to
conservationawardnom@blackhills
-audubon.org .
The Conservation Committee will review the nomi-
nations received and will make a recommendation
to the BHAS board members for final selection and
approval. The award will be given at the BHAS An-
nual Dinner in March 2010.
The Dave McNett
Environmental
Educator Award
Black Hills Audubon is proud to continue recogniz-
ing educational efforts by area residents through
this newly established award. Carrying on Dave Mc-
Nett’s tradition of educational excellence, we would
like to receive nominations of individuals who have
made a positive difference in the lives of living be-
ings through their work as an educator. Deadline is
December 31st, 2009.
The criteria for nominations for this award are:
• Work has generally been within the BHAS geo-
graphical base (Thurston, Mason, and Lewis
Counties).
• Nominees may be members of BHAS, but don’t
have to be.
• Results of their work made a significant differ-
ence in the understanding of certain facets of our
natural world through study in our region.
• Their work has been inspirational to those with
whom they have worked or taught.
Continued on page 7
Birding in Earnest
August – September 2009
By Bill Shelmerdine
To reports sightings call 360-866-9106 or email at
georn1@hotmail.com
Not a lot of reports from this usually very produc-
tive time of year. The area’s premier birding loca-
tion, Nisqually Refuge, had limited access due to
construction for restoration of a large section of
the estuary. The prospects for birding and salmon
habitat are exciting, but for now, bird-finding at the
site is difficult.
This time of year is exciting for birding because of
the migration. Shorebirds, pelagic species (living in
the open ocean), and passerines (perching birds)
migrate through the area in good num-
bers and it is at this time of years that
exciting numbers or rarities are perhaps
best encountered.
Shorebirds: The outer coast has pro-
duced a number of nice finds including
Pacific and American Golden Plovers, Buff-
breasted and Sharp-Tailed Sandpipers, and
Hudsonian Goldwit at the Ocean shores Game
Range. At the time of this writing, a Bar-Tailed
Godwit is lingering with the large Marbled Godwit
flocks around Tokeland.
August and September are also the peak of
the pelagic season. It’s been a good year,
with all of the regulars present and account-
ed for. Check out the Westport Seabirds
website for all the details. Pelagic high-
lights have included: Xantus’s Murrelet,
on 8/2; Flesh-footed Shearwaters were
seen on 8/9, 8/22 and 9/27; Short-
tailed (8/9) and Manx Shearwaters
(8/22 and 9/27); and a third record for
Washington was the sighting of a Greater Shear-
water on 8/29. Laysan Albatross has been found
on 3 trips this year, (8/9, 9/5, and 9/27).
Trips to the coast are exciting this time of year,
but it is also a good time to visit the high country.
Rosy-finches and Ptarmigan have been reported
from the trails above Paradise at Mount Rainier
throughout the period.
A little closer to home… From my perspective, the
waters of Puget Sound have been somewhat quiet.
Some of the uncommon regulars have been conspic-
uous by their absence including Red-Necked Phala-
rope and Parasitic Jeagers. Common Tern numbers
Black Hills Audubon Society
have been very low (perhaps explaining the general
lack of Jeager sightings).
On 8/12, two Black Turnstones were on Cooper
Point (Shelmerdine)
On 9/21 an Acorn Woodpecker was reported by
Linda Lombard from her Olympia area yard. While
the sighting was reported to be cat assisted, the
bird was released and reported to be doing fine. To
my knowledge, this is a first record for the county
though individuals have been noted in Grays Harbor
County on at least two occasions.
On 9/23, the first White-Fronted Geese reports of
the season came from Nisqually (Phil Kelly).
On 8/28, Paul Hicks reported an impressive move-
ment of migrants from the Tenino area. Warblers,
30 to 40 Chipping Sparrows, 25 Cinnamon Teal,
and 3 Solitary Sandpipers were in the mix.
A Marbled Murrelet was seen in the Nisqually
Reach on 8/16. Formally a regular, this species
has been increasingly difficult to find in
the area. Two Sanderlings were
on Cooper Point that day
as well.
Looking
ahead…
October
should usher
in the late
migrants:
pipits, raptors,
and waterfowl
should be around in
numbers. November may
see the completion of the
major construction and restora-
tion works at Nisqually Refuge; at
that time, Northern Shrike, perhaps Short-
eared Owls, and thousands of Cackling Geese
might be seen there.
Into November, chum salmon will be entering area
streams. The gull (and salmon) watching at some
of the local estuaries such as Kennedy Creek, Perry
Creek, or Nisqually/ MacAllister Creek, should pro-
vide some excellent observation opportunities from
mid (late?) November into January.
Report Bird Sightings
Washington Ornithological Society keeps records
of bird sightings throughout the state. In Thurston
County, sightings can be reported to Bill Shelmer-
dine at 360-866-9106 or georn1@hotmail.com.

Field Trip and Event Details
November 7th, Saturday, 9 am - about 11 am
Field Trip: Kids and Parents at Capital Lake Dec. 20th—110th Annual Audubon
Leader: Sheila McCartan Christmas Bird Count for Thurston, Lewis,
and Mason counties)
Are you a parent with small kids? Do you like to
bird watch but never find the chance to get out? This year’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be held
Well, here’s your opportunity! Join field trip leader, on Sunday, December 20th. This event, sponsored
Sheila McCartan, for a walk around Capital Lake. by BHAS, needs volunteers to spend the day (or
Bring your kids in a stroller and let’s see what ducks part of the day) in the field counting birds in their
and other birds we can see. This will be a leisurely group’s assigned count area. Folks new to birding,
walk lasting about 2 hours. Meet at Marathon Park or those who prefer, will be partnered with experi-
at 9am. No reservation needed. Call Sheila at 357- enced group leaders. This is a serious commitment
9170 with questions. and a whole lot of fun, and it’s also a great way for
amateurs to become familiar with our local birds.
Dec. 12th, Saturday, 10am – 3pm
See more info on the CBC on page 1of this Echo.
Alternative Gift Fair
Where: The Olympia
Center, 222 Columbia St.
NW, Olympia
Website: www.
theunitedchurches.org
Tired of the commercialized
gift giving during the holidays?
There are alternatives to the
usual holiday gifts. On Sat-
urday, December 12th, from
10am to 3pm at The Olympia
Center, you can purchase a gift in
someone’s name from organizations
which help train the homeless, build
homes for families, help protect our
environment, and feed the hungry. This
year, let your gift to someone be a week’s
worth of care for patients at The Neighborhood Free
Medical Clinic; purchase a pig for a hungry fam-
ily through Heifer International; help conserve wild Results from May
spaces in Thurston and Mason Counties with Black
Hills Audubon Society and People for Puget Sound; 2009 Birdathon
support a kitchen garden project with GRuB; buy The second annual Birdathon held during the month
tools for homebuilding with Habitat for Humanity of May was a huge success again this year. With
and learn about the many organizations doing good the help of field trip leaders and many individuals,
works around our community and country. $2222 was raised for our Chapter. A special thanks
Eighteen organizations, to which you can donate to the trip leaders Matt Pike, Whittier Johnson, and
any amount, will be participating. Gift cards will be Phil Kelley for lending their time and expertise.
given to donors which, in turn, are presented to the Many people birded on their own and found cre-
recipient. You can make a difference in our com- ative ways to include others in this fun and impor-
munity and world with your gift to a local charity in tant fundraising event.
a loved one’s name. Come to The Olympia Center Information about the 2010 Birdathon will come
from 10am to 3pm and feel good about your holiday your way at the Annual Dinner in March. Remember
shopping. For additional information, please call – May is Birdathon month! Thanks to all the par-
Debbie Nickerson at 754-5397 or visit us at www. ticipants and sponsors of the 2009 Birdathon!
theunitedchurches.org. —Sheila McCartan

 Black Hills Audubon Society

$

November
November 7th, Saturday, 9 am–about 11 am
Kids and Parents at Capital Lake Field Trip
Nov. 19th, Thursday, 7 - 9pm, General Membership Meeting and Presentation:
Falconry: The Art of Training Falcons and the Sport of Hunting with Falcons.

December
Dec. 12th, Saturday, 10am-3pm, Alternative Gift Fair, Olympia Center,
Olympia. See article on page 3 for more information.
Dec. 17th, Thursday, 7 - 9pm, General Membership Meeting and
Presentation: From Ridge to Reef in Tompotika: Saving the Maleo Bird and
Other Conservation Success Stories from Indonesia
Dec. 20th, Sunday, Audubon’s 110th Annual Christmas Bird Count
(for Thurston, Lewis, and Mason Counties) and post-count Chili Dinner
Dates to be announced – Winter Bird Class - Check the BHAS Website for
dates and details.

Dave McNett Award

From page 4

• Work need not have been done on a volunteer 10th Annual Christmas Bird Count
basis but did involve volunteers or one’s own From page 1
volunteer time. One can be a professional in the
field of environmental education but need not be. theran Church in Olympia, 4610 Boston Harbor Rd.
• Nominees worked collaboratively with others to What a wonderful way to end the day after being
attain educational goals of informing the public outside on a brisk fall day!
about an aspect of our natural world pertaining
Our count is part of the National Audubon Society’s
to bird habitat or conservation.
110th CBC. These events are more important than
• Nominees have worked in the field for at least
ever because the results are used as tools to moni-
two years.
tor the status and distribution of bird populations
Please email your completed nominations, along
across the western hemisphere. Incidentally, almost
with a description of why you are nominating the
every year Olympia has the national high count
person, by January 15th, 2009, to the McNettEnv
for Golden-crowned Kinglet and, in some years,
EducatorAward-nom@blackhills-audubon.org , or
Winter Wren. This work is very important and very
mail it to Black Hills Audubon Society, PO Box 2524,
appreciated. To join in, contact George Walter at
Olympia WA 98507. For questions, please contact
gwalter@nwifc.org or call the BHAS message phone
the Chair of the Education Committee, Debbie Nick-
at (360) 352-7299.
erson, at 360-754-5397

Black Hills Audubon Society 

 Black Hills Audobon Society Roster
President: Sam Merrill ...............360-866-8839
pres@blackhills-audubon.org
Co-Vice President:
Whittier Johnson ....................360-866-8156
co-vicepresw blackhills-audubon.org
Co-Vice President:
Kris Schoyen .......................... 360-754-1710
co-vicepresk blackhills-audubon.org
Secretary: Currently vacant
Treasurer: Susan Markey ..........360-438-9048
treasurer blackhills-audubon.org
Tracey Scalici ......................trscalici .com
Mike O’MalIey ............................360-943-2369
Michael.omalley comcast.net
Meagan Thorn .................mithorn net
Committee Chairs
Conservation: Donna Nickerson ... 360-352-7299
conservationchair blackhills-audubon.org
Field Trips: Kristin Stewart .......360-456-5098
kristinstewartO1 comcast.net
Membership: Margery Beeler ....360-352-5437
mswampcat aol.com
Black Hills Audubon Society
Mailing address: PO Box 2524, Olympia WA, 98507.
Phone: 360-352-7299 (Messages)
Website: www.blackhills-audubon
E-mail: 4info blackhills-audubon.org
Black Hills Audubon Society is a non-profit
organization. A member chapter of the National
Audubon Society, it represents Audubon members in
Lewis, Mason and Thurston Counties.
Our goals are to maintain, restore and protect our
ecosystems for future generations, and to promote
environmental education and nature-based
recreation.
General membership meetings are usually held at 7
p.m. on the third Thursday evening of each month,
September through June, at the Capitol Museum
Coach House, 211 West 21st Street, in Olympia.
8 Black Hills Audubon Society
Programs: Kris Schoyen ........... 360-754-1710
kschoyen hotmail.com
Publications
(Echo Editor/Webmaster)
Debra Jaqua ...........................360-491-3325
webdeb1 gmail.com
Education and Birdfeeder Cleaning
Coordinator
Debbie Nickerson ...................360-754-5397
debranick@gmail.com
Member Volunteers
Bird-a-thon Coordinator:
Sheila McCartan ......................... 360-357-9170
schooleymccartan omcast.net
Bird ID: Bill Shelmerdine ........... 360- 866-9106
georn1@hotmail.com
Echo Designer: Lee Miller .........360-753-0942
aleemiller igc.org
Committee Chairs may also serve as Board Members.
Board meetings are usually at 5:30 p.m. on the
second Wednesday of each month. The site var-
ies from month to month, please call the message
phone number at 360-352-7299. Phone and e-mail
messages are welcome, but please remember that
we are a volunteer-based organization, and it may
take us a few days to get back to you.
The Echo is published bi-monthly. Editor: Deb
Jaqua. Layout and design by Lee Miller. Graphics by
Nature Icons/Ultimate Symbol unless initialed.
Material for The Echo should be sent to
PO Box 2524, Olympia, WA 98507, or e-mailed to
Deb Jaqua at webdeb1@gmail.com. The deadline
for the January/February 20010 issue of The Echo is
November 29.
Black Hills Audubon Society (BHAS) Membership form
Type of Membership—check appropriate box
Member of Black Hills Audubon Society Chapter (BHAS) only
Singles or household

$20, regular member All dues go to support local

$35, regular member for 2 years NEW! Black Hills Audubon chapter efforts.
$50, regular member for 3 years, NEW! Receive the chapter newsletter,
$15, senior or full-time student The Echo, which describes local
$25, senior or full-time student for 2 years NEW! chapter conservation action, events,
$35, senior or full-time student for 3 years NEW! and field trips.
Please make check payable to Black Hills Audubon Society.

Member of Black Hills Audubon Society Chapter and National Audubon (both)
$20, first-time member price
$15, Senior or full-time student Most of the dues go to support national efforts.
Please make check payable to National Audubon Society.
Renewals: please renew your National Audubon Membership by Receive the award-winning national magazine,
filling out the forms sent to you by National and sending directly Audubon, and the chapter newsletter, The Echo.
to National Audubon. Thanks! Chapter: C 9 Z Y12 0 Z
Subscription only—receive the chapter newsletter, The Echo (does not include membership)
$10 chapter newsletter only
Receive the chapter newsletter,
Please make check payable to Black Hills Audubon Society. The Echo
I would like to help Black Hills Audubon’s programs of education and conservation.
Enclosed is my additional donation of $_________
Renewals: please renew your National Audubon Membership by filling out the forms sent to you by National and send-
ing directly to National Audubon. Thanks!

Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________City/State/zip _______________________
Phone/Email __________________________________________________________________
My check for $__________ is enclosed.
Please fill out this form and mail it with your check to the appropriate address:
Membership Membership
Black Hills Audubon Black Hills Audubon Society National Audubon Society
Society is a 501(C)3 PO Box 2524 225 Varick Street, 7th floor
organization. Olympia WA 98507 New York, NY 10014
Contributions are
deductible to the
extent allowed Thank you for supporting the Black Hills Audubon Society!
by law.

Black Hills Audubon Society 9

Black Hills Audubon Society
PO Box 2524
Olympia WA 98507–2524
Return Service Requested
Book Review:
Flyaway: How A Wild Bird Rehabber Sought
Adventure and Found Her Wings
Suzie Gilbert has been a wild bird rehabilitator for
nearly 20 years. For the first half, she worked at a
large raptor center, then decided to open her own
songbird clinic at home. However, there are never
enough rehabbers, and taking wild birds into your
home can be a slippery slope. Within months, her
injured and orphaned songbirds had been joined by
raptors, waterbirds, and gamebirds, much to the de-
light—and sometimes chagrin—of her family.
Along with her rehab work, Suzie has always tried to
raise public awareness about the beauty and mystery
of birds, highlight the dangers they face, and suggest
ways to help them. She found that the best way to
connect people with wild birds was to describe some
of the more fascinating parts of their natural histories,
then relay facets of their personalities that she has
been lucky enough to observe. She finds that most
people are astonished to discover that wild birds have
personalities as varied (and occasionally, as extreme)
as the mammals they know so much better.
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Olympia WA
Permit #87
She wrote all of this into a book, and recently Flya-
way: How A Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and
Found Her Wings was published by HarperCollins. Her
goal was to show what wild birds are really like—from
close, day-to-day observations that reveal both their
inner and outer lives. The feedback she has received
has been gratifying: readers tell her they are putting
decals on their windows, planting bird-friendly trees,
and avoiding clearing that patch of woods at the edge
of their property, all because they suddenly feel they
“know” the birds. She also ends the book with a plea
to support Audubon and Open Space organizations,
with the hope that the book may have some positive
effect there, too.
This book is a window into the lives of birds that most
birders have not seen. One reviewer (on Amazon)
compared Gilbert’s book to James Harriot’s All Crea-
tures Great and Small….that is high praise, indeed!
The book is available from most bookstores and on
the internet.