Outdoors

<< Previous   of   Next >> U.S. Forest Service  (click to enlarge) Keith Aubry holds "Melanie," a wolverine who had been tranquilized and fitted with a radio collar. Melanie's travel adventures will be featured in Aubrey's presentation Friday in Everett.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, January 12, 2008 Patience and a bit of cover will reward backyard birders By Sharon Wootton Herald Columnist Readers have many questions, some of which I might be able to answer. This week, let's check out a question from Ben Inakazu: "I'm new to the state of Washington (from Hawaii) and have put out a couple of bird feeders in the back yard but have had few birds visiting. I've put out finch feeders and sugar water for hummingbirds but so far, no takers. "Do these birds fly south for the winter? The only birds that feed (at my place) are small gray-black-splash of white." Welcome to Washington, Ben. The gray, black and white birds at your feeders are juncos. Where there are juncos, there are likely to be nuthatches and chickadees. It often takes awhile for birds to put new feeders on their restaurant route, but once they're rewarded, your feeders will be a regular stop. Almost all of the hummingbirds fly south for the winter except for some scattered Anna's hummingbirds. Other species also fly south, but finches are here, as are woodpeckers, sparrows, thrushes and many more. A rural, urban or suburban setting will affect bird populations. Some yards become havens of protection for birds; others are wide-open areas that are a bit dangerous for birds. Birds appreciate lots of cover to protect them from hawks. They love a scout tree near the feeder to perch, scope out dangers, then dash to the feeder, grab a seed and zip back to cover (think nuthatches). Others are bolder and stay with the feeder longer (woodpeckers, crossbills, pine siskins). Birds are attracted by fresh water (harder for them to find than food) and a variety of cover from bushes to trees, especially those bearing fruits and seeds. Portland, Ore.'s Carol Frischmann has written a new book that's good for the family with children or beginner birders because it takes an ultra-basic approach. "Attracting and Feeding Backyard Birds" ($10, TFH/Animal Planet) is a primer that includes the top 50 feeder species, how to bring birds to your yard, experimenting with feeders, bird behavior, and birders' backyard bird activities. Colorfully and heavily illustrated, "Attracting" offers nest box dimensions for five species, the meaning of binocular numbers, feather basics, bird food information, seasonal behaviors, nuisance birds and more, all in small bites for a solid general introduction. One resource for new birders or birders new to the area is the Pilchuck Audubon Society. Go to www.pilchuckaudubon.org or call 425-252-0926. A necessary tool is a good bird-identification book. Many species will be returning from their winter residences, and the action will increase as the mating urges and nest-building activities get under way. Sally van Niel: One of Pilchuck Audubon Society's most committed members will be remembered today in a celebration of her life. Sally van Niel died Nov. 21, 2007, leaving a birding and environmental legacy, as well as a loss for her husband, Jan, and family and friends. A founding member of Pilchuck Audubon Society 35 years ago, van Niel also founded the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and was instrumental in convincing Snohomish County to stop spraying the herbicide 2,4-D along roads. She and Jan taught biology at Everett Community College from 1971 to 1999. Sally also was an excellent birder who taught a master birder class. She will live on in many ways, not the least in the hearts and minds of those she introduced to the joys of birding and the importance of the environment and stewardship. A celebration of her life will be at 2 p.m. today, at the Jackson Center Conference Room, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower St., Everett. A voice for wolverines: "Wolverines are mysterious and they are symbolic of wilderness and wild things," says Keith Aubrey, a Forest Service Scientist with the Pacific NW Research Station. Aubrey's research is giving us a better picture of wolverines in Washington, including their range and population. Humans, as we often do in nature, are having adverse impacts on wolverines. Among the problems, Aubrey notes, are fur trapping, snowmobiles, helicopter skiing and, the latest threat, global warming. As snow fields in the Cascades shrink, so do wolverine populations, he says. Aubrey's research is being cited in a petition to protect the animals under the Endangered Species Act. Aubrey will share some of this knowledge in a presentation, "Wolverine Secrets," 7 p.m. Friday at the Adopt-A-Stream Foundation's Streamkeeper Academy at the NW Stream Center in Mc Collum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett. Call 425-316-8592 to register ($5 members and $7 non-members). More information at www.streamkeeper.org. Urban birds cope better: Native city birds worldwide are better than rural species in coping with human disruptions, according to a study that showed the city species were adaptable enough to survive a range of conditions, according to the University of Washington study. Urban species had elevation ranges more than 1,600 feet broader and a distribution about 10 degrees of latitude greater (about 700 miles) than their rural counterparts. The research supports other findings that the most specialized birds will have the hardest time adapting in a changing world. Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.

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