MAY MEETING AND PROGRAM
Climate Change: Study the Past for Clues to the Future
By Dr. Linda Brubaker, Professor of Ecology
Little Cranberry Lake, Camano State Park
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
7:00 Social; 7:30 Program
Padilla Bay Interpretive Center
10433 Bayview-Edison Road
Mount Vernon, Washington
Concern about future global warming has prompted interest in past climate change because past warm periods may hold clues to future environmental conditions. Pollen records in lake sediments preserve evidence about vegetation responses to past climate change, revealing repeated themes about the ways that climate causes large-scale shifts in vegetation. This presentation discusses pollen records from western Washington over the past 12,000 years. The common theme of these records is similar to pollen records worldwide: climate warming causes wide changes in populations of tree species individually, alters disturbance and pathogen regimes, and restructures resource-dependent human economies.
Dr. Linda Brubaker is Professor of Ecology at the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. Dr. Brubaker has published more than 90 scientific papers and has served on numerous science advisory boards and panels at the national level.
__________________________
MAY MEETING AND PROGRAM
Climate Change: Study the Past for Clues to the Future
By Dr. Linda Brubaker, Professor of Ecology
Little Cranberry Lake, Camano State Park
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
7:00 Social; 7:30 Program
Padilla Bay Interpretive Center
10433 Bayview-Edison Road
Mount Vernon, Washington
Concern about future global warming has prompted interest in past climate change because past warm periods may hold clues to future environmental conditions. Pollen records in lake sediments preserve evidence about vegetation responses to past climate change, revealing repeated themes about the ways that climate causes large-scale shifts in vegetation. This presentation discusses pollen records from western Washington over the past 12,000 years. The common theme of these records is similar to pollen records worldwide: climate warming causes wide changes in populations of tree species individually, alters disturbance and pathogen regimes, and restructures resource-dependent human economies.
Dr. Linda Brubaker is Professor of Ecology at the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington. Dr. Brubaker has published more than 90 scientific papers and has served on numerous science advisory boards and panels at the national level.
__________________________
Location of our meetings:
Padilla Bay Interpretive Center
10433 Bayview-Edison Road
Mount Vernon, Washington
Deformed Beak Syndrome
The Falcon Research Group, founded by Bud Anderson, has recently discovered serious beak abnormalities in 60 raptors (55 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Rough-legged Hawks, 2 Peregrine Falcons and a Ferruginous Hawk). Most of these records are from the Pacific Coast, ranging from Richmond, British Columbia to San Jose, CA. The peregrines were fall migrants caught at South Padre Island, TX. and Duluth, MN. in 2004.
The long-billed syndrome is characterized by abnormal growth of the maxilla and mandible. As the condition develops, the maxilla extends (often grotesquely) and the overgrown beak becomes unmistakably prominent. The tip may break off and form a square or blunt end ("broken-bill" form) which apparently impedes feeding and leads to starvation. Affected birds often carry high densities of feather lice, probably as a combined result of impeded preening and low condition.
Raptors are not the only birds affected. In Alaska over the past several years, witnesses report a startling increase of beak deformities among local birds. Large numbers of Black-capped Chickadees and smaller numbers of many other species of birds have appeared with grossly overgrown and crossed beaks.
The USGS began research on this problem in Alaska in 1999, and has since identified nearly 1,500 deformed Black-capped Chickadees in south-central Alaska—the highest concentration of such abnormalities ever recorded in a wild bird population anywhere. More recently, rapidly increasing numbers of other species, including Downy Woodpeckers, Northwest Crows, Steller’s Jays, and Black-billed Magpies have also been reported with beak deformities.
The cause for this syndrome is currently unknown. Potential causes include environmental contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, and disease. Nearly all of the species affected in Alaska are year-round residents, and the USGS suspects that factors responsible for this cluster of deformities may be unique to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
Reports from the public will help to determine where and how many birds are affected. If you see a bird with a deformed beak, please report your sighting. For more information and contact information, see The Falcon Research Group site http://www.frg.org/LB_synd.htm , and the USGS Alaska Science Center site http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/ landbirds/beak_deformity/
***MORE NEEDS***
We are in need of a program chairperson and a secretary. Our secretary, Karen Chamberlain, has had to retire due to personal responsibilities. Karen has been a board member for over five years, serving for several years as the Flyer Distributor and more recently as secretary.
Karen, thank you for your many years of service and we wish you well. If you can help Skagit Audubon with either of these positions, please contact me
President Pam Pritzl ppritzl@verizon.net or 360-387-7024.
SPRING BIRDING FESTIVALS
By Libby Mills
Lots of birding festivals are coming up this spring. Here are some festivals that we know from experience, in order of occurrence. To find additional festivals search the internet for “bird festivals”.
Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest
May 16-18, 2008
Leavenworth, WA
This event celebrates the arrival of neotropical migratory songbirds. Events include birding, wildflower viewing, and geology and conservation education. For information see the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest site http://www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com/ , or for registration call the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, 509-548-5807.
Gardening For Life
Wildlife enriches the lives of urban gardeners. As valuable habitat for wildlife decreases due to the accelerating pace of growth in our urban region, and poor water quality threatens salmon species, backyard habitats are ever more important. You can adopt gardening practices that have a positive impact on endangered salmon and on the water quality in your community, and help slow the loss of habitat in our region for birds and other wildlife.
Most potential "urban habitat" for birds and other wildlife is located not in public parks and greenbelts, but in the yards around privately owned homes. The amount of diversity of life in the urban areas directly reflects the gardening practices and plant choices of urban gardeners.
Seattle Audubon offers a new free booklet titled Audubon at Home in Seattle: Gardening for Life. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave National Audubon a grant to develop a guide to healthy gardening practices.
The EPA hoped that the product would serve as locally relevant, yet also be a nationally replicable template. NAS already knew of Seattle Audubon's fine Gardening for Life program and invited them to collaborate. The result—subtitled "An Inspirational Guide to Creating Healthy Habitat"—offers information, inspiration, practical wisdom from Seattle Audubon members and others, references, and even tips for how to persuade your local government to reduce pesticide usage.
Take a look at the Seattle Audubon site http://seattleaudubon.org/conservation.cfm?id=69, or pick up one free at the Seattle Audubon Nature Shop!
