Welcome to the East Cascades Audubon Society. We are a local organization, specializing in Central Oregon ornithology. We gather local data and both sponsor and participate in projects that help protect local bird populations. Join ECAS and help preserve the birds in this region. We rely on a very active volunteer base. Check the 'Contact' menu for opportunities
Summer 2022 Calliope Newsletter
Bird-related Events
Migration is on and the raptors are on the move. ECAS's Green Ridge Fall Raptor Survey will have its first official weekend on Sept. 24th and 25th and will continue for the first three weekends of Oct. The fourth weekend of the 22nd and 23rd will be optional depending on the weather and the count. For the hard core hoping for Broadwing, Peter Low will be on site for the weekend of Sept. 17th and 18th. We are looking forward to Portland Audubon's field trip on Oct. 8th. For details and directions please refer to East Cascade Audubon Society's website under the projects tab. The more eyes to the skies the better so mark your calendars and bring a lawn chair. We hope to see ya up there.
~David Vick, Project Leader
Project Leader Mary Ann Kruse reports that the fall migration of Vaux’s Swifts has begun around the Bend Boys+Girls Club Chimney @ 500 NW Wall Street. Starting 21 August, the counts increased & so began the evening count ritual. If you would like to help count the swifts, all volunteers are welcome. Parking is free & available in the north parking lot with good views from both north & south of the chimney. Bring a chair, tailgate or sit on the blacktop. Arrive around 15 minutes before sunset.
The Discover Nature Festival is returning in 2022! Discover Nature Festival celebrates the diversity of ways that we all connect with nature. The event will provide something for everyone, including nature arts and crafts, STEM activities, outdoor recreation, music, food, and more. Bring your family out to try a new outdoor activity, connect with amazing community organizations, and learn how we can all help take care of our environment and community. The event is made possible by 20+ community partners, including Bend Park and Recreation District and Deschutes National Forest.
Saturday, September 17
11 am-3 pm
NEW LOCATION: Alpenglow Park, Bend
61049 SE 15th Street
Volunteers Needed
Bluebird Box Monitoring
ECAS’s Bluebird Nest Box project needs a new volunteer to monitor 15 Bluebird nest boxes for next season. The area is located between Sisters and Tumalo on Deschutes National Forest land, part of an old forest fire burn and is mostly level ground. The nest boxes are set back via short walks from drivable gravel and dirt roads. This 22-year-old bluebird trail is the only ongoing bluebird project in Central Oregon that is monitored weekly during the nesting season. The season is from April to the end of July. Records are kept for each box and the information is reported to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology on an annual basis.
The tasks involved are: recording which species of bluebird, Mountain or Western is nesting in each box, counting eggs and recording nestling success or failure. At the end of the season the boxes are cleaned out. The person who has been monitoring the l5 boxes will train interested volunteers. Please call Carolyn Rochelle if interested, 541 815 4540 or email: ecaudubon@gmail.com and put Bluebirds in the Subject.
New Website Volunteer
A dedicated group of ECAS volunteers have been working to develop a new website for ECAS. They have chosen a local company, Astir, to be the professional developer and maintainer. The committee has put in countless hours getting the current web content ready for the transition and once that happens, a volunteer will be needed to be the liaison between ECAS activities, documents and photos and the professional web maintenance person. No web development knowledge is necessary, but anyone with some prior experience would find this job easier. However, training will be provided. If you would be interested in helping with this please contact ECAS at ecaudubon@gmail.com
ECAS runs on the strength of our volunteers. Our projects, committees, programs, field trips and special events only happen because of our enthusiastic volunteers. Our members are passionate about enjoying and learning about our wild birds, and interest in helping has never been stronger.
We would like to have one or two people working together, to help match members who want to volunteer, with projects or programs where volunteer help is needed. Guidance will be provided.
ECAS also would like to have another group of volunteers form a "Social Media/Online Media Committee.” This committee would be responsible for our message getting out on Facebook and maintaining the website. If we want to get involved in other social media outlets then this committee would be responsible for that, too. If you would be interested in helping with this you can leave a message at ecaudubon@gmail.com
News
New Membership Process
The ECAS Membership Committee and the ECAS Board of Directors have chosen to use a new membership management system from Member Planet. Each ECAS member can now create their own account. A special notice to all of the ECAS membership was sent out Monday, November 26, explaining how the process works. Here is a link to that document.
Jim Anderson's Nesting Box Guide now available. Also click here for a video of Jim interviewed on Oregon Field Guide.
Central Oregon Birders On Line
Oregon Birders On Line
Birds of Central Oregon Checklist
(Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties)
County Checklists
Central Oregon Nests & Young Photos
If you find an injured bird, here is a link for steps to follow:
Woodpeckers
knocking on your house - or at your door? Here is a link with lots of info about them and what to do.
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Monthly Birders’ Nights Reimagined
On September 15th join us at the Environmental Center as LeeAnn Kriegh, author of The Nature of Bend and The Nature of Portland, shares bird photos (many from ECAS members) and the best and funniest bird-related stories she uncovered while researching and writing her two books. If you don't know the full and controversial story of the grave-stealing ornithologist after whom our native solitaire is named, or the inspiring story of the grieving mother who turned her attention to Song Sparrow research, you're in for a treat. The event will take place in person at The Environmental Center of Bend or Zoom in at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85297238920
If anyone has suggestions for future programs, please contact Gordon Wetzel at gordonwetzel@gmail.com .
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Chuck Gates' excellent presentation on sparrows that was provided via a Zoom class is now available as a YouTube program. Here is the link to it:
A link to LeighAnn Krieigh's September program is here:
July’s program was Marty St. Louis and Jim Greer on Summer Lake and the Oregon Recreation and Conservation Fund respectively.
Here is a link to the program if you missed it.
John DeLuca's April presentation on bird friendly plantings can be viewed here
PepperTrail's March Birders' Night presentation can be viewed here.
Here is a link to Mark Kerstens' February 17, 2022 presentation at Birders' Night on Black-backed Woodpecker research.
January 20, 2022 Birders’ Night featuring
Back to the Night: Why Preserving the Stars is Not Just for the Birds can be viewed here
October Birders' Night featuring Jeff Fleischer, the originator and Project Manager of the Winter Raptor Survey, can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaJHcp5HxKQ
September's program on Sparrows of Central Oregon with Chuck Gates can be viewed here:
Jim Anderson's program on June 17th can be viewed here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJglOBgPDIE
The May program on Elevational Woodpecker Nesting can be viewed here on the ECAS YouTube site
The January program on the Tongass Odyssey
Instructions for downloading Zoom Link here
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Sage-grouse You Tube video with Dr. Stu Garrett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb5p-fEC18M
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SAVE THE DATE
ECAS Annual Event
Saturday, October 1, 3 to 6 p.m.
Aspen Meadow Picnic Shelter, Shevlin Park
This year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 1, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Aspen Meadow picnic shelter at Shevlin Park in Bend. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have not been able to hold this event the past two years. This year’s outdoor venue seems appropriate at this time and we hope you will attend to help make this a fun get together for all of us.
The Annual Event is held to honor our volunteers and ECAS projects and to hold a short annual business meeting. This year we will not be having an election of new Board members at the Annual Event, but instead hold an election in December.
We will provide non-alcoholic beverages, snack foods and desserts. We’d like this event to be one where we recognize our volunteers, bring our members together for an afternoon of conversation, connection with old friends, and to welcome new members.
We will have a review of our activities this year, have some raffle items, play some bird games and provide short birding tours in the park near our meeting place.
Hope to see you at the Aspen Meadow picnic shelter in Shevlin Park on October 1.
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Want to Volunteer? Click here
2022 Wychus Golden Eagle Cam
Stormy fledged Wednesday, June 29 at ~5:48 am. You can see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SunskY3ihpk
You may also see the video in the comments on the website and read the reactions of our many viewers who have been waiting expectantly for this event. https://www.goldeneaglecam.org/home/live-camera#comments
On April 11, the first egg has hatched at the golden eagle nest on Whychus Canyon! Check it out: https://www.goldeneaglecam.org/home/live-camera#comments
To view the comments, click on the "sort by newest" on the right hand choice under your login name.
Petra laid an egg on Friday, February 25. To see a video of this go to youtu.be/EQAwPvaODFE
Follow this link to see the camera
According to Frank Isaacs of the Oregon Eagle Foundation, the golden eagles using this nest have raised young each year since 2010. They are the only nesting pair in Oregon that nested successfully each year of the Golden Eagle Nest Survey Project (2011–2021).
If you want to help support this effort, you can donate to ECAS using the Donate button above. This will help pay for the broadband usage needed for this effort.
Click on the picture below to view a a slideshow about the project's history.
Click here for the
Winter Raptor Survey Project
slide show presentation!
