Margaret Larkin, a regular recipient of the Eastside Audubon Photography Award, was recently honored in the 2024 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Showcase competition.
Northern Hawk Owl
Photo of the Month: November
Photo of the Month: October
Harris's Sparrow
Tree Giveaway
Fall Field Trip Reports
The day had begun with some gray skies and quiet birds as we walked Promontory Point. However, when we approached the restored wetland we found Gadwall, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, and Bufflehead. An active mixed flock of Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees were joined by Bewick’s Wren, Downy Woodpecker, and Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.
Participate in the Eastside Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Participate in the Eastside Audubon Christmas Bird Count from Home on December 16
Eastside Audubon invites its members to join the Christmas Bird Count from their homes this year through the Feeder Watch program. Bird enthusiasts of all levels are encouraged to observe birds from their home feeders or backyards during the December 16 event. This activity contributes to the nation’s largest and longest-running community science data collection project.
Participants should monitor their feeder or backyard for two hours and record their observations. "Mornings are usually the best time for birdwatching,” says Eastside Audubon compiler Andy McCormick. “We don’t expect the person to be there every minute.”
A list of common birds will be provided, and birders are advised to use eBird.org to identify difficult species.
Participants should submit their reports online. They are also invited to join an online Zoom gathering at 6 p.m. on the event day to share their observations with fellow participants.
Anyone who doesn’t live within Eastside Audubon’s coverage area is encouraged to join one of the 15 Field Teams that will identify and tally birds within assigned areas on December 16. Learn more about the Field Teams.
CBC Feederwatch count circle. The shaded area is the Eastside Audubon’s designated area for the Christmas Bird Count.
Eastside Audubon at Salmon Days 2023
EASTSIDE AUDUBON AT SALMON DAYS 2023
Executive Director Amanda Leon and volunteers at the EAS booth
October 7th and 8th , 2023, saw the return of salmon to Issaquah Creek and the hatchery. That can only mean one thing…the return of Salmon Days!
If you are not familiar with Salmon Days, this festival brings vendors, arts and crafts, food, live music, and around 200,000 visitors together to celebrate the return of the salmon to the Issaquah Creek Hatchery. It is one of the largest festivals in Washington State. If you have never been to Salmon Days before, you owe it to yourself to check this massive event out when it comes back around in October 2024. But take my advice, get there early to find parking. I was fortunate to be one of the folks that volunteered to staff the Eastside Audubon table. This was my first Salmon Days, and nothing could have prepared me for the scale of this event. Parts of Sunset Way and Front Street were blocked off to vehicle traffic and lined with tables selling homemade items and food and providing free giveaways or just information. When I did have the chance to break away from the table and walk around, I felt like a salmon moving around in the sea of people that filled the streets. It was pretty awesome to see so many people participating in a community event that celebrates the return of the salmon. And yes, there are several opportunities to see the celebrities of this event by viewing the spawning salmon in Issaquah Creek!
The Eastside Audubon table was located on the Hatchery grounds, with several other nonprofit organizations as well as a few state government booths. The stars of our table were the four bird mounts we brought including a Barn Owl, Bufflehead, Pileated Woodpecker, and the most popular, the Red-tailed Hawk. Adults and children alike were thrilled to see what these birds look like up close. Children were especially excited when we would hit a button to play the call of the Red-tailed Hawk. Over the course of both Saturday and Sunday, we raised $113 in donations and signed up five new members. Thirty new folks signed up for the Corvid Crier and might even be reading this article right now. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us by donating and becoming involved in our mission of protecting, preserving, and enhancing natural ecosystems and our communities for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people!
I would also like to thank the sixteen volunteers that made this event possible by staffing the table and doing a phenomenal job in representing Eastside Audubon! They took the time to answer questions, talk about our work, and offer folks a chance to sign up and become more involved. Our volunteers really are at the heart of our work, and I want to thank everyone who helped out on Salmon Days and everyone who has ever helped us by volunteering for any event or program. If you would like more information on how to become more involved in volunteering with Eastside Audubon, please reach out to me at president@eastsideaudubon.org
-Jeremy Lucas
President
Viewing the Salmon
Salmon at Issaquah’s Salmon Day Festival
Join the 2023 Christmas Bird Count
Join the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 16
Written by Andy McCormick
Registration for the 2023 Eastside Audubon CBC will be open on November 10 and there are openings for volunteers to join some CBC teams or to participate in feeder watching on Count Day. Go here to become a feeder watcher, join a field team, and join the Zoom celebration. We will have 15 field teams this year.
JOIN THE COUNT FOR FUN AND SCIENCE
The EAS CBC is an all-volunteer project, and we have three ways for you to participate. Our chapter has 15 field teams being led by experienced birders who are accepting 3-5 volunteer participants. We also support at-home feeder watchers who count birds at their home feeder or other locations within the 25-mile diameter circle centered on Beaver Lake in Sammamish. Everyone, whether birding or not, is invited to join the Zoom celebration after the count.
BE PART OF COLLECTING DATA FOR RESEARCH AND HAVE FUN DOING IT
The CBC is the world’s largest and longest-running community science data collection project. The 2023-2024 count period from December 14 to January 5 marks the 124rd CBC sponsored by the National Audubon Society. It will be Eastside Audubon’s 40th CBC.
Whether you participate by joining a field team, watching your feeder at home, or sharing in the experience of the day via Zoom, you can register for the event you want to join on November 10. Registration closes on December 9.
Bewick’s Wren
Photo of the Month: September
Pelagic Cormorant
Greener Living Classes From City of Bellevue!
Greener Living Classes From City of Bellevue!
Learn how to live more sustainably!
City of Bellevue Utilities are pleased to offer free, interactive Greener Living in-person and live-virtual Zoom classes. Participants are welcome to attend a single class, any combination, or all of the classes. Attendees will receive a digital kit of resources, tips, and tools after each virtual class or tools to take home from in person classes. All ages are welcome; however, these classes are geared towards adults and children over seven.
Registration is required to receive the link to the class.
To register contact the City at recycle@bellevuewa.gov or 206-949-1787. You may also find more information at www.bellevuewa.gov/greener-living-classes
Pelagic Birding
Photo of the Month: August
Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum
Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum
Hello fellow climate activists.
Thank you all very much for your support of the Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum on Tuesday! If you were not able to make it to the event, you can watch the recording below.
Together we made this event a huge success!
Together, we got over 100 people to attend in person!
Together, we showed future council members (plus mayor Robinson, who was in the audience) how important climate change and the environment is to Bellevue residents!
Together, through our questions, we helped to educate five of the seven future city council members on some important details of our concern!
Together, through our questions, we also helped to educate the audience!
Please also consider the future power of the coalition that we formed. Together we can do a lot more!
For example, right now, Bellevue city officials are updating the comprehensive plan for future growth. Together, we can influence how this update is tailored to address climate change and the environment. We urge you to email city officials in support of the attached comp plan recommendations which People for Climate Action Bellevue sent to city officials in August.
Here are the email addresses that we suggest people send their supporting comp plan messages to:
Planning Commission: planningcommission@bellevuewa.gov
City Council: council@bellevuewa.gov
City Manager: bmiyake@bellevuewa.gov
Planning Dept. Director: mkatterman@bellevuewa.gov
Asst. Planning Director: eaking@bellevuewa.gov