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Birding as Medicine

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Category: News

Researchers have documented that just 5 minutes a day of physical exercise in a pleasant natural environment (urban parks qualify) is beneficial for mental health (in addition to the benefits of exercise in any environment.)  Read this article on the benefits of green exercise if you need one more reason to make time and get out into the natural world.  If you're looking for inspiration, consider joining WHAS for a volunteer or field trip activity.  The researchers encourage folks to self-medicate with outdoor exercise; birding as medicine!

May / June 2010 Whistler is online

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Category: Whistler

March WhistlerThe May / June 2010 Whistler is available now.


Some of its content:

- May Program: Falling Off the Edge: Four Decades of Environmental Change at the Top of the World
- Member Form and WHAS News
- Honoring our Volunteers
- LNG Update
- Nelson Creek News, Book Review
- Annual Meeting Report, Call for Photos
- Book Review, Birding Classes
- WHAS Programs, Volunteer Activities

Bird Brains

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Category: News

I stumbled on an article on neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells) that provided a clear example as to how basic research in non-humans can have such a concrete impact on human health.  I think it's important to be reminded of such benefits in times of budget cuts and attacks on funding for basic science.

"About 20 years ago, research on the ability of adult songbirds to learn new songs showed that their brains created new cells and that these neurons helped them form memories of the new songs.  This opened up debate on whether the same process occurred in humans.

Read more: Bird Brains

Amphibian Egg Mass Surveys in the News

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Category: Egg Mass Survey

"Under Kastberg's enthusiastic oversight, dozens of volunteers have hopped to it during the county's first official amphibian survey. Adults and youth groups are wading through local ponds and wetlands, counting frogs, salamanders and the egg masses they lay this time of year."  Read an article in The Daily News by Tom Paulu about our local amphibian egg mass survey efforts.

March - April 2010 Whistler is online

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Category: Whistler

March WhistlerThe March - April 2010 Whistler is available now.


Some of its content:

- Annual Member/Dinner Meeting; Bird Poem
- Member Form and WHAS News
- Birding Bits, Recent Birding Class
- LNG Update, Earth day, Fox Creek
- Citizen Science Amphibian Survey
- Christmas Bird Count Updates
- High Lakes, Backyard Birding
- WHAS Programs and Field Trips

Egg Mass Surveying

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Category: Egg Mass Survey

Surveying has been great.  We've found long-toed eggs (AMMA) at the Mint Farm in Longview, and red-legged frog (RAAU) egg masses west of Longview up Spruce Creek, at Germany Creek and Nelson Creek and in a cow pasture in Kalama.  Northwestern Salamanders are laying in Germany Creek and South Nemah. From Corkran and Thoms's Amphibians of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia: WINTER (Some periods of freezing weather; often December to mid February.) During periods of warm rain:

  • Long-toed Salamanders gather at breeding sites and lay their eggs.  Sudden, prolonged, sub-freezing weather can kill both adults and eggs.
  • The first Red-legged Frogs lay their eggs.
  • The low croaking of Pacific Treefrogs can be heard away from the ponds, but they are not yet breeding.

Early Spring (Frost some nights, some sun, some late snows; often late February and March) During periods of warm rain:

  • The first Northwestern Salamanders lay their eggs.
  • The last Long-toed Salamanders lay their eggs, and many of the earlier eggs hatch.
  • The last Red-legged frogs lay their eggs.
  • Pacific Treefrogs begin chorusing and may begin to lay eggs.

It looks like we may be in early spring. This sure describes what we're seeing out there in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties.  Looks like chorus frog eggs have been found in Clark County.

Amazing Bird Songs

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Category: News

Watch this youtube video to hear the amazing lyre bird, which mimics the calls of other birds - and chainsaws, car alarms and camera shutters...

A Fascinating Hunting Behavior

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Category: Bird Lists

Andrew Emlen of Skomokawa observed a fascinating behavior last December.  Here are the details as described by Andrew: A female Northern Harrier landed on a duck (possibly a wigeon, of which there were others nearby) in the pond opposite Hornstra Beach in the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge. The Harrier was belly-deep in the water as the duck struggled.

Read more: A Fascinating Hunting Behavior

2009 Christmas Bird Count Results from Leadbetter Point

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Category: Bird Counts

Golden-crowned Sparrow (U.S. FWS)For the Leadbetter Point Christmas Bird Count (CBC), on December 19, 2009, we noted 91 species, including one species new and another species with the highest number during our 35+ years of doing the Count.

Number of individuals: 29,508.  Temps: low 38F, high 54F.  Winds: 0 to 10 mph. Cloud cover 90% to 100%, light rain or mist at nearly all times, 95% of day, 0.5 inches total.  Low fog hampered views of water birds, and shortened visibility significantly.  At least the wind wasn't blowing!  Many very low counts or groups of species missing which are noted nearly every year: scoters, loons, grebes, cormorants, finches.

Our number of participants, 37, was the highest ever for our count. Our CBC circle

Read more: 2009 Christmas Bird Count Results from Leadbetter Point