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Into Africa | Deb Essman | August 2023 | YVAS Program
General ·Travels in Africa with Deb Essman
Please join me, Deb Essman, as I share my photo safari of South Africa and Botswana. The vast numbers of African wildlife were amazing to me, and I hope I can impart the same awe I felt as I...
Clark's Nutcrackers and Whitebark Pine - Pivotal Players in our Western Mountains | Taza Schaming | May 2023 | YVAS Program
General ·YVAS Monthly Meeting and Program - Taza Schaming - Clark’s Nutcrackers and Whitebark Pine: Pivotal Players in our Western Mountains
Whitebark pine and Clark’s Nutcrackers have a fascinating relationship: the trees provide rich, fatty seeds, and the birds “plant” the trees’ seeds —a single bird...
A "Big Natural Year" in Wild America | Andy and Ellen Stepniewski | March 2023 | YVAS Program
General ·YVAS Chapter Meeting March 2023 - A "Big Natural Year" in Wild America
Roger Tory Peterson invited his British colleague James Fisher on a 3-month natural history tour of North America in 1953. They recounted this journey in Wild America, which takes the reader on...
Woodpeckers Part 2 - The Rest of the Story | Denny Granstrand | February 2023 | YVAS Program
General ·YVAS Chapter Meeting February 2023 - Woodpeckers: Part 2 - The Rest of the Story
As a follow-up to his program for YVAS last year, “My Woodpecker Big Year”, Denny Granstrand will lead us on an exploration of many of the species of woodpeckers not...
Madagascar - Biodiversity in Peril | Eric Heisey | January 2023 | YVAS Program
General ·YVAS Chapter Meeting January 2023 - Madagascar: Biodiversity in Peril
Madagascar may host one of the most unique biological communities on this planet. The country is widely revered amongst biologists for its vast array of endemic species; roughly 90% of Malagasy flora and fauna are...
2022 Toppenish and Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count Reports
General ·Forest and People - Small Landowners in Washington State, and a Few Songs | Ken Bevis | December 2022 | YVAS Program
General ·Forest and People - Small landowners in Washington State, and a few songs with Ken Bevis
Ken will describe the types of people he has met across the state in 9 years of working with small forest landowners. AND, the habitat issues and opportunities most...
Tahoma's Biggest Stories| Jeff Antonelis-Lapp | October 2022 | YVAS Program
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Tahoma and Its People Tahoma’s Biggest Stories with Jeff Antonelis-Lapp
Did you know that Native Americans have traveled to Mount Rainier for over 9,000 years to gather resources unavailable near their...
Twenty Years of Field Research on the White-Headed Woodpecker in Washington | Jeff Kozma | September 2022 | YVAS Program
General ·Twenty Years of Field Research on the White-Headed Woodpecker in Washington with Jeff Kozma
Did you know birders and naturalists come from all across the country to Washington’s eastside forests to seek out this charismatic species of woodpecker? If you ever wanted to know more...
Pelagic Cruise Study Session
General ·YVAS Pelagic Cruise Study SessionPosted by Yakima Valley Audubon Society on Monday, August 8, 2022
Yakima Valley Audubon’s Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail Marks its 40th Year! | Andy Stepniewski | May/June 2022 | YVAS Program
General ·Yakima Valley Audubon’s Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail Marks its 40th Year! - YVAS Monthly Program
In 1982, when nest boxes for bluebirds were first put out in the nearby Wenas Valley, little did this intrepid group of Yakima Auduboners know that 40 years later that the...
Update on Two Local Solar Energy Generation Projects
General ·Goose Prairie Solar Energy Generation Project
At the end of 2021, Governor Jay Inslee approved the Goose Prairie Solar Energy Generation Project, based on the approval recommendation of the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC). This approval allows OneEnergy Renewables of Seattle to construct an 80 MW solar generation project on 625 acres located 8 miles east...
The ecology and conservation of alcids in the waters of Washington State | How these volcanoes create unique and changing habitat for birds | Peter Hodum | April 2022 | YVAS Program
General ·The ecology and conservation of alcids in the waters of Washington State - Peter Hodum - April 2022 - YVAS Program
The very striking Tufted Puffin is no doubt the most well-known bird in the alcid family, also known as auks. Some alcids have been...
Basics of eBird
General ·Basics of eBird - eBird, what is it and how can it improve my birding experience?
eBird, which is developed through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has revolutionized how people contribute their bird sightings to citizen science. Whether you are a casual birder who enjoys keeping...
Bird's Eye View - Living with volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest | How these volcanoes create unique and changing habitat for birds | Gina Roberti | March 2022 | YVAS Program
General ·Bird’s Eye View: Living with volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest How these volcanoes create unique and changing habitat for birds with Gina Roberti
On May 18, 1980, a cataclysmic event occurred at Mount St. Helens as the north flank of the volcano slid off in one...
Westport Seabirds - Five decades of watching seabirds and marine mammals off Washington’s Coast with Bill Tweit - February 2022 - YVAS Program
General ·Westport Seabirds: Five decades of watching seabirds and marine mammals off Washington’s Coast with Bill Tweit
The February program introduces you to the remarkable world of pelagic birds just a few tens of miles off the Washington coast. This is a world the Yakima Valley...
Conservation -- How Each of Us Can Help Birds and Wildlife
General ·Audubon Washington reports that birds (and other wildlife) here in Washington face mounting pressure from habitat loss and changing climate. In 2019, back-to-back reports from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society found that not only has the continent lost an estimated three billion birds since the 1970’s, but that two-thirds of North American avian species face...
2022 YVAS Field Trip and Event Calendar
General ·Conservation - Invasive Species
General ·I read, in the December 28, 2021 Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper, an article entitled “The Top 10 invaders in Washington: Wild pigs, monster fish, killer flowers and more”, written by Erik Lacitis of the Seattle Times.
The article highlights a somewhat subjective list of the top 10 most impactful non-native invasive species that threaten to cause major damage here in...
2021 Toppenish and Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count Recap
General ·Australia with Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith - November/December 2021 - YVAS Program
General ·Australia with Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith - December 2021 - YVAS Program
Travel with Dennis Paulson and Netta Smith to Queensland, Australia's most diverse and exciting state. Check out the birds and other animals of a wide range of habitats from rain forests to...
Special Birds of Mount Rainier - Jeff Antonelis-Lapp - October 2021 - YVAS Program
General ·
Jeff Antonelis-Lapp To most birders, Mount Rainier National Park is a mecca for subalpine and alpine birds that...
Birding Guatemala's Highlands - Jason Fidorra - September 2021 - YVAS Program
General ·Birding Guatemala's Highlands with Jason Fidorra - September 2021 - YVAS Program
Jason Fidorra presents photos and stories about the birds and birding in Guatemala from a trip in February 2020. The highlands of Guatemala are a UNESCO awarded colorful haven for several birds that are,...
Birds, Salmon, and the Lower Snake River Dams
General ·When we go birding, we often bird along stream riparian areas. These riparian habitats, particularly in our semi-arid shrub-steppe country in central Washington, are where we find the greatest numbers of birds and the greatest diversity of species. This is where birds and other wildlife species find water, food, and shelter. Birds thrive in these riparian habitats.
Our Pacific Northwest...
My Woodpecker Big Year - Denny Granstrand - August 2021 - YVAS Program
General ·Woodpeckers are fascinating birds. They are also incredibly beneficial to many of the species they share the landscape with. Big Years are exciting, too, though possibly to only a very...
Shrubsteppe Conservation - May 2021 - YVAS Program
General ·May is a prime month when this habitat is truly alive with plants and animals! Please join us for a panel discussion as speakers show the value of this habitat, threats facing the habitat and...
Jack Nisbet - Condors in the Greater Northwest
General ·Jack Nisbet
Yakima Audubon Monthly Program - April 2021 - Jack Nisbet
Written, oral, and archaeological records describe a rich history of California condors in the Pacific Northwest, including many accounts from east of the Cascades. In this online presentation, author Jack Nisbet will revisit the...
Bluebird News!
General ·Bluebird Boxes are Ready for the Nesting Season
On April 2, eight of us cleaned out the Bluebird boxes on the Vredenburgh trail to get them ready for spring. We got all of them cleaned and found only a few minor maintenance issues and a few boxes which will need replacement. We had a great group and perfect weather!...
Backyard Bumbles - An Introduction to Washington's Bumblebees - David Jennings
General ·David Jennings
Our Backyard Bumbles: An Introduction to Washington's Bumblebees
David Jennings Bumblebees are some of our most endearing native pollinators. With their furry bodies (and ability to thermoregulate) they are well-adapted to survive in colder and temperate ecosystems, such as those in Washington State. Bumblebees...
Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip, February 2021
General ·After a couple weeks of troublesome weather, February 27 was a magnificent day for our first YVAS field trip of the year! An enthusiastic group of YVAS members and family met at 8:00 AM in the Refuge Lookout parking lot where YVAS Board member and Refuge Volunteer, Kerry Turley, gave an orientation and birding tips about the refuge.
To Save Birds, Prevent Window Strikes
General ·Glass collisions are a huge problem for birds. The American Bird Conservancy estimates that up to a billion birds die in collisions with glass each year in the United States. Although most people have seen or heard a bird hit a window, they often believe it is an unusual event. Add up all those deaths and the number is staggering.
...Cottonwood - Rivers and Reproduction - Katrina Strahmann
General ·Katrina Strathmann, Restoration Ecologist, Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group
Cottonwood: Rivers and Reproduction
Katrina Strathmann, Restoration Ecologist Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group
Posted by Yakima Valley Audubon Society on Thursday, January 28, 2021Riparian forests form the foundation of lowland floodplain and channel systems. They provide shade, nutrient input, and large wood critical to maintaining channel...
2020 Toppenish and Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count Recap
General ·Every Penguin in the World - A Quest to See Them All - Charles Bergman
General ·Charles Bergman, Pacific Lutheran University
...Every Penguin in the World - A Quest to See Them All - Charles Bergman
Every Penguin in the World - A Quest to See Them All - Charles Bergman
Posted by Yakima Valley Audubon Society on Thursday, December 3, 2020Evans Canyon Fire Impacts and How You Can Help with Restoration
General ·On the afternoon of August 31, 2020, a fire broke out near the northern slope of Cleman Mountain in the Wenas Valley. Named the Evans Canyon fire, it would ultimately burn 75, 817 acres. The fire burned in two directions, heading down the Wenas Creek Valley but also burning northeast and burning in the Umptanum Creek watershed. Ultimately, the fire...
Crows - Clever, Curious, and Charismatic
General ·Loma Pendergraft, M.S.University of Washington
Crows: Clever, Curious, and Charismatic - Loma Pendergraft, M.S.University of WashingtonPosted by Yakima Valley Audubon Society on Thursday, October 29, 2020
Due to their advanced intelligence, crows, ravens, and other members of their taxonomic family—a group called Corvids—have captured...
Dr. David James - Biology and Conservation of Washington Butterflies
General ·David G. James PhD, Associate Professor of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser
YVAS Chapter Meeting: Biology and Conservation of Washington Butterflies w/ Dr David JamesPosted by Yakima Valley Audubon Society on Thursday, September 24, 2020
This month’s presentation will highlight the biology...
BirdYak Email Group for Birding in Yakima County - Groups.io
General ·BirdYak is an email list for topics relating to birds and birding in Yakima County. This list is open to anyone, and the hope is that the postings will focus on issues of sightings and identification related to Yakima County, and associated topics such as birding destinations and equipment. Discussion of purely conservation issues are discouraged,...
Dr. Kaeli Swift - The Foraging Ecology of Jays
General ·Kaeli Swift graduated with a BA from Willamette University in 2009, after which she spent several years doing field projects ranging from sexual selection in Satin bowerbirds, to breeding success of the threatened streaked horned-lark in Oregon. Kaeli has been interested in birds...
COVID-19 Response - Socially Distanced Field Trips and Online Programs
General ·Because the COVID-19 outbreak is still cancelling in-person gatherings, there will be no programs held at the Arboretum. However, we will be holding the programs via the internet live on Zoom. They will still be held on the fourth Thursday of each month, beginning in August. Each month, a link for the Zoom program will appear with the ‘Crier’ newsletter,...
Bluebird Trail Monitoring Does Have Heartbreaks
General ·While monitoring the Vredenburg Trail is usually a very positive experience, there are times when one encounters a nesting incident that can be discouraging.
On June 19 while monitoring the trail with his wife Chris Reid, Denny Granstrand had a jarring moment when he lifted the lid of Box 65. I imagine that like most of us, his pupils enlarged,...
Vanishing Birds of Yakima County
General ·I came to the Yakima Valley in 1978 and set to work observing and learning its birdlife. I found the very diverse habitats the county boasts were home for an impressive array of birds, more than 300 in all. However, the past 40 years have seen changes to our birds. At least six species that were regular in occurrence and...
Washington Sage Grouse - 2019 Status
General ·Populations of Greater sage-grouse in Washington continue to decline and these have resulted in serious concerns for the species long-term conservation status, according to the 2019 annual report issued by the Washington State Department of Wildlife (WDFW). That report forms the basis of this report. The overall state population was estimated to be 676 in 2019, associated with 21 leks...
2019 Toppenish and Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count Recap
General ·Join us for the Toppenish NWR Christmas Count on Dec. 14 and the 50th Yakima Valley Christmas Count on Dec. 28
General ·Christmas Bird Count season will be upon us soon. We can escape from the hustle and bustle of the more normal Christmas season, get outdoors and enjoy a day or two of birding in our varied winter weather. We will also be contributing to the longest-running bird census in the world in which people who are not professional scientists are...
Blues News - In 2019, Vredenburgh Trail Survives
General ·In 1982, YVAS members put up 57 nest boxes in the Wenas area. The trail was expanded over the years and now has 132 nest boxes along a 14 mile stretch of North Wenas Road between Audubon Road and Durr Road. In 1994, the trail was named in honor of Virginia and Harold Vredenburgh to recognize their years of tireless...
Sheep Lake Hike Trip Report - September 6, 2019
General ·Fourteen Yakima Auduboners headed up the Chinook Pass Highway to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to Sheep Lake and beyond. Rain threatened on the drive up to the pass and it began to rain lightly as we approached the parking area. I radioed the group spread out in four cars seeing if group consensus might be to head elsewhere,...
Analysis Report Identifies Sagebrush Conservation Priorities
General ·Fire and the spread of invasive plants are two of the most pressing challenges facing the sagebrush steppe throughout the Great Basin and Washington’s Columbia Basin. A new report by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) provides a comprehensive assessment and strategies for dealing with fire and weedy invasives. These include options for conservation of sagebrush in...
Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail - Two Weeks in June
General ·The three newly hatched bluebirds in the snapshot below want to give a shout out to all our sponsors! Monitors rarely glimpse a shell fragment with new young inside a nest box…the adults either remove shells promptly after hatching or perhaps they consume them for the calcium content. As I take quick grabs with my smart phone, the quality/sharpness isn’t...
Identifying Snags with Cavities - Protecting a Critical Wildlife Resource
General ·USDA Forest Service and Partners are seeking a community vision for recreation
General ·Cle Elum and Naches Areas—In the cold, clear waters of the Cle Elum River, an angler tries her luck catching trout as early morning steam rises into the air. Far to the south over several forested ridges, a group of motorbike enthusiasts are unloading their trailers in preparation for a day out on the Cub Creek trails in the Little...
Washington State is a Winner in Public-lands Bill Passed by Congress
General ·President Donald Trump signed on March 12 a landmark public lands bill with huge implications for national land acquisition for conservation, as well as for Washington state issues and projects. Every member of the Washington delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives passed this wide-ranging bill. Important for land acquisition of priority lands for permanent conservation protection and promotion of...
Arborfest 2019 - "Take a Walk in the Woods!"
General ·Come volunteer with the YVAS booth; enjoy the festivities; bring the family!
Once again, it is almost time to celebrate nature with families at the Yakima Area Arboretum’s annual Arborfest, on Saturday, April 13th from 10am to 3 pm, at the Yakima Area Arboretum. This is a free community event, celebrating Arbor Day, spring, conservation, and nature. Featured are...
2018 - A Record Year for Cleman Mountain Bluebirds
General ·During this cold, sometimes gloomy, time of year, it is fun to look back at warmer, sunnier times, especially when they involve birds. Last year (2018) was the fifth year that Joe and I monitored and maintained our little trail on Cleman Mountain which is accessed through the WDFW gate at the hay barn storing feed for wintering elk. Like...
Warm weather and wind hamper Yakima Valley CBC
General ·It was an odd Saturday morning on December 29 that greeted the birders on the Yakima Valley Christmas Bird Count. Weather conditions made it seem like an early spring day: high temp. of 57°, low 29°, no snow on the ground, and only the shallowest little pools of water frozen but soon melted as the day warmed. If it hadn’t...
Warm, sunny day highlights Toppenish NWR Christmas Bird Count
General ·On Saturday December 15th, 22 courageous birders ventured into the field for the Toppenish Christmas bird count. The weather was very pleasant; the sun shone down on us for much of the day, and the temperature got up into the mid 40s. This was certainly the warmest bird count I can remember being a part of, and I think this...
Hmm…Did I Just See a Hummingbird?
General ·
Immature Anna's Hummingbird - Cowiche Canyon, Yakima, WA Q: It’s fall (or winter) and there are still hummingbirds in my yard - shouldn’t they have migrated by now?
A: The hummingbirds seen in October thru February/March in the valley are almost...
Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail - They did it!! Wait, who did what??
General ·In 1982, YVAS members put up 57 nest boxes in the Wenas area. The trail was expanded over the years and now has 132 nest boxes along a 14 mile stretch of North Wenas Road between Audubon Road and Durr Road. In 1994, the trail was named in honor of Virginia and Harold Vredenburgh to recognize their years of tireless...
Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Management Plan
General ·I attended a public meeting on May 31st in Prosser hosted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) which is developing a new management plan for the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area in south-central Washington. The wildlife area consists of 17 units that cover more than 20,840 acres in Franklin, Benton, and Yakima counties. Almost half of the acreage...
Hunting for Birds with Cub Scouts
General ·A few years ago, YVAS obtained a grant to buy some lifesized bird models. We used these for events, including the Yakima Greenway’s ‘Kiddin’ Around’ program. This year, when we received a request from a Terrace Heights Cub Scout group for something educational for one of their meetings, we recreated a similar event at the Yakima Area Arboretum.
The International Migratory Bird Day is May 12
General ·Any time of year is a great time to get out and see birds, but migration time is when flocks of colorful birds are at their peak, moving along their migratory flyways toward their breeding and wintering grounds.
Since 1993, International Migratory Bird Day has been celebrated during the second weekend in May in the Western Hemisphere. World Migratory Bird...
When you see a White-headed Woodpecker, check for bands on its legs
General ·It’s that time of year again when we start getting out to go birding in areas we couldn’t get to in the winter. I want to remind everyone that we are still in the process of color-banding White-headed Woodpeckers in the Wenas in areas of the Ellensburg Pass Road, Mud Flats Road, Wenas Campground and Hog Ranch Road, Milk Canyon,...
2018 - The Year of the Bird
General ·Psst…Have you heard? 2018 has been designated as the year of the bird. How so you ask? Well in the latest Audubon magazine, David Yarnold, CEO/PRESIDENT, AUDUBON, states that the charismatic editor-in-chief of National Geographic magazine (Susan Goldberg) called and asked about an alliance between the two organizations to declare 2018 as The Year of the Bird. What if other...
Vantage Field Trip -- Waterbirds and More!
General ·On Sunday November 12th, four Yakima Audubon members joined me for a trip to Vantage to view the fall migrant waterfowl spectacle along the Columbia River. A quick stop at the Tjossem Pond in Ellensburg yielded two surprises; 2 female Red-breasted Merganers among the more expected Common Mergansers and two leucistic Canada Geese hanging out with a flock of Canada...
Vredenburgh Bluebird Nest Box Trail has successful 2017!
General ·As the human population and activities (habitat alteration & destruction) in North America expanded, bluebird populations plummeted due to the resulting shortage of natural cavities for nesting, pesticide use and perhaps most importantly, by importing two European species of birds to North America, the House Sparrow and the European Starling.
Lower Valley Shorebird Field Trip Finds 80 Species
General ·On August 16th I was joined by Annika Willette for a day of shorebirding around the lower valley. We started at the Kerry’s Pond, which was relatively productive. As soon as we got out of the car to scope the pond most of the ducks flushed, but we were still able to pick out Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Cinnamon Teal, Mallard,...
The Case of the Migrating Warbling Vireo
General ·While we sitting at our patio table with friends on August 17 and enjoying some of Chris’s blueberry crisp, a Warbling Vireo landed near us in our cedar tree. Unfortunately, I was the only one at the table who got a good look at it. It was nice to see it in our yard and it was the first one...
Yakima County's Second Indigo Bunting Found Along Audubon Road in the Wenas on June 10
General ·Editor’s Note: These are Richard Repp’s reflections about another wonderful bird sighting in Yakima County. This is copied from an e-mail that Richard sent to BirdYak.
In the event there may be a few Yakkers (shorthand for members of BirdYak) that do not fall into the category one of YVAS former presidents described as “kamikaze birders” (read super intense about...
Snow Mountain Ranch Field Trip Produces Fun Bird Sightings
General ·Seven birders (and flower lovers) took a hike at Snow Mountain Ranch. Despite the cooler, wetter conditions there than in year’s past, we saw some great birds and some beautiful wildflowers. If I knew the plant names better, I could have kept a list of plants as well as birds.
Snags Are Important Wildlife Habitat
General ·Did you know that trees can be more important for wildlife dead than alive? When trees die, their wood softens and rots providing places for animals to create cavities that are used as nest and shelter sites. In the northwest, nearly 100 species of wildlife use snags including some of our favorite birds such as bluebirds, owls, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees,...