Bird Surveys and Other Conservation Committee Updates

Bird Surveys and Other Conservation Committee Updates

By Emily Kistler 

The Conservation Committee had a busy Winter Quarter.  We completed the Climate Watch Survey in February, advocated for protecting the Purple Martin boxes at Lake Sammamish, sent letters to our Washington state legislators, and planned and prepared to start our brand-new bird survey at the Marymoor Transition Zone.

We completed our Climate Watch Survey at Saint Edward State Park with a group of about 5 people.  Our goal was to document the number of Red-breasted Nuthatches we saw and heard in the park.  This survey is done across the country as part of a larger study by the National Audubon Society to track the changes in bird distributions due to climate change.  We got off to a slow start, but we were able to locate at least one nuthatch in Saint Edward along with numerous kinglets, chickadees, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Bald Eagle. 

Members of the Conservation Committee sent a letter to Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to address concerns about a restoration project off Lake Sammamish.  This project proposes to remove 180 piles from the Sunset Beach Area Dock.  The piles that Parks and Rec want to remove are near the Marymoor Conservation area and an area being used by migratory Purple Martins for nesting. Community members began installing Purple Martin boxes on abandoned pilings in 2000 and the area has seen numerous Purple Martins using the area for nesting since the boxes appears.  We encouraged Parks and Rec to complete further research into the environmental impacts before proceeding with piling removal. 

We had plans to attend Lobby Day (January 30th) in Olympia.  Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it.  However, Andy McCormick composed a letter documenting our support of natural solutions to reach zero emissions, support of HB 1110 (clean fuel standard), responsible solar siting, fully funding the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and protecting the southern resident population of orcas.  We sent this letter to the legislators representing our service area along with a printed photo taken by Mick Thompson.

In January, we started planning a new multi-year bird survey for the Marymoor Transition Zone also known as the Willowmoor Transition Zone.  Currently, King County is planning to redo the weir at the Transition Zone in part to help prevent flooding.  Eastside Audubon is completing the bird survey in order to provide King County with information on the bird usage of the Transition Zone along with suggestions on vegetation replacements for plants that are removed during the construction. 

The Conservation Committee has been working with Cindy Easterson of Puget Sound Bird Observatory and Pilchuck Audubon in getting the Marymoor Transition Zone survey started.  Cindy has been instrumental in getting the project off the ground.  She not only led our trainings in February but also identified our observation circles and created the documentation sheets for our survey.

The Marymoor Transition Zone bird survey will be completed 4 times a year (March, May, September, and November) and 3 times in each of those months.  We’ll be starting our first round of surveys towards the end of March 2020.  Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up through the link provided on the Eastside Audubon website or can contact Emily Kistler at pupsych@hotmail.com.