May-June 2004 Delaware Audubon Society Newsletter

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Vol. XXVI No.5May-June 2004

Backyard Wi ldli fe ....................6

Bird Tales ................................7

Books of Interest ......................8

Calendar ..................................4

BirdLifes New Strategy ............6

Letter From the President ..........2

News & Views....................5,6,7

Officers & Committees..............2

Site Seeing................................5

More Awards for Journal ..........5

What You Can Do ....................3

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPERc

DELAWARE AUDUBON SOCIETY, INC.

A State-wide Chapter of National Audubon

D e l a w a r eAu d u b o n Journal

IN TH I S IS S U E

C E L L P H O N E S B Y T H E SE A S H O R E

A cellphone can be a dolphins best friend. When whales, dolphins, and seaturtles become stranded on our beaches, well-intentioned citizens shouldnot attempt their own rescues. Instead, a call to 302-228-5029, the MarineEducation, Research and Rehabilitation (MERR) Institute hotline, in Milton, isin order. The situation wil l be assessed, and those creatures requiringmedical attention will be transferred to one of several regional centers. In

May 2004, MERR will be opening a new facility in Lewes for housing andstabilizing these injured animals prior to transport.

A less dramatic but equally important way to help is the proper disposal ofli tterthereby preventing many injuries to begin with. Michael Remus, avolunteer for Tri-State Marine Mammal Rescue, tells the Delaware AudubonJournal that many strandings, especially of sea turtles, are the result of injuryfrom boat propellers or from debris such as fishing gear or trash. To aLeatherback Turtle, a floating plastic grocery bag can look like an appetizing jellyfishwith tragic consequences.

Marine mammal emergencies are not strictly a fair weather problem. Asthe crowds leave the beaches for the season, other creatures appear in our

waters. Remus points out. Right now, we have Bottlenose Dolphins and SeaTurtles. Then the seals come in for the winter, as do Blue Dolphins, StripedDolphins, and Porpoises.

Delawareans must be vigilant year round. Therefore, he and fellowvolunteers try to raise communi ty awareness by making presentations toschoolchildren and by talking to any individual willing to lend an ear orprovide other support. For further information about Tri-State MarineMammal Rescue, contact Michael Remus at 302-492-3628.

PR E S E R V I N G O U R

NA T U R A L ST A T E

DE L A W A R E

AU D U B O N

FU N A N D ST E WA R D S H I P

Have some fun and support a great cause! Its not just for the birdsitsfor protecting all wi ldl ife through conservation, education, and research.Attend the Annual Meeting and participate in the Silent Auction on Monday,May 10. Some featured items this year are from Horizon Helicopters;Brandywine YMCA; Cameras Etc.; and Delaware Audubons 2004Conservation Award Winner, Warren Lauder (Mr. Bluebird ), who hasdonated a personalized nestbox. Please bring cash or checks, as credit cardscannot be accepted for Silent Auction items.


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OF F I C E R S &

C O M M I T T E E S

If there are any issues you feel strongly aboutthat you think Audubon should address, pl easewrite;Issues, P.O. Box 1713, Wilmington, DE 19899,or call the office at 302-428-3959.Chairpersons can always be reached through the

office answering machine, 302-428-3959.

Honorary Chairman of the Board

Russell W. PetersonPresident Matthew DelPizzoVice President Leslie SavageSecretary Ellen WrightTreasurer Mark Martell

CONSERVATION COMMITTEES:

Environmental Advocate Grace Pierce-BeckDredging Leslie SavageProposal/policy Review Dave ChambersNest Box Projects Peggy JahnArmchair Activists Open

Adopt-a-Wetland Peggy JahnKathy Tidball

White Clay Creek Adopt-a-Highway

Dorothy MillerImportant Bird Area Program Ann Rydgren

PROGRAMS COMMITTEE Open

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE

Internet Fred [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP OpenRecords Dave Brannan

EDUCATION COMMITTEE Kathy Tidball

SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Annual Dinner Nancy Frampton

FIELD TRIPS COMMITTEE Peggy Jahn

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Ann Rydgren

FINANCE COMM ITTEESFundraising-Grants Andrew UrquhartFundraising-Bird Seed Sale

Mark and Susan MartellFundraising Birdathon Maud Dayton

Ruth HoldenFundraising-Silent Auction Asha IyengarFundraising-Wildlife Sanctuary Open

Fundraising-Piping Plover Suite Ann Rydgren

DIRECTORS FOR SERVICE UNTIL 2004:

Fred Breukelman David Chambers


Peggy Jahn Leslie Savage


Dorothy Miller

REPRESENTATIVES

Sharon Burchenal, DoverKay Tebbens, MilfordTill Purnell, Millsboro

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t WEB SITEhttp://www.delawareaudubon.org

t MAILING ADDRESS:Delaware Audubon Society

P.O. Box 1713

Wilmington, DE 19899

t TELEPHONE:302-428-3959

t DELAWARE AUDUBON SOCIETY E-MAIL:[email protected]

We can receive contributionsthrough your United Way

payroll deduction designation.

Our United Way designation

number is 9017.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello Members,

As I finish my term as President ofDelaware Audubon, I had some totime to reflect. I think Delaware

Audubon has had some impact on keyissues in our state such as HorseshoeCrab harvests, public hearing rights,Metachem, Motiva, Cherry IslandDump, and the list goes on.

I would like to thank all those on theBoard for their support on sometimesdivisive issues. I would l ike to thankthe members who are active andhelping us with letters, phones call tolegislators, and donating funds.

I hope Delaware Audubon continuesin its role as a strong chapter that isnot afraid to take strong stancesagainst any force that threatens todespoil our l ittle state.

In closing, I hope that I have madesome small difference to serve a bettergood for our health and ourenvironment.

Matt DelPizzo

VISIT DELAWARE AUDUBON'S WEBSITE

http://www.delawareaudubon.org.

Sample educational, informative articles and features. Order books and othergoodies from the Marketplace. Search the archive of past articles. Visit our photogallery. Survey legislative updates and Action Alerts. Email policy makers.

TheAudubon Journal is

published bi-monthly by the

Delaware Audubon Society.

Original articles may be

reprinted without permission.

Please give credit to the Delaware Audubon

Journal and the author.

Co-editor: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ann Rydgren

Co-editor and Contributing Writer:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Leah Christmas

Assistant Editor: . . . . . . . . . Barbara Roewe

Design & Layout : . . . . . . .Maryellen F. Birk

Printing: . . . . . .Sprint Quality Printing, Inc.

Delaware Audubon Society, incorporated in

1977, is a state- wide chapter of the National

Audubon Society.


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P reserve Our N atural State

W H A T Y O U C A N D O . . .

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NAT I O N A L AU D U B O N RE A C T S T O BU S H

AD M I N I S T R AT I O N 2005 BU D G E T

The fiscal year 2005 budget released in February by the Bush Administrationweakens environmental protections and cuts programs critical to protectingAmericas great natural heritage. Though there is some good news, it isoutweighed by provisions that weaken environmental protections and reduce thesecurity that our drinking water, air and natural habitats remain safe.

This administration and some in Congress are out of touch with the Americanpeople on environmental issues, and this budget is part and parcel of thatfundamental disconnect, said Bob Perciasepe, chief operating officer for theNational Audubon Society. Drilling for oil in our natural treasures like the ArcticRefuge and slashing funding for the Environmental Protection Agency is no way toprovide the environmental leadership this country needs.

There is a small amount of good news: the administrations proposal offers modestincreases for critical conservation programs in the states, including a $28 millionincrease in funding for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project inFlorida and an $8 million increase for ongoing efforts to restore the UpperMississippi River in Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Ill inois, and Iowa.

However, this is outweighed by provisions that damage the environment,including slashes in funding for Americas National Wildlife Refuge Systemjustone year after a 100th anniversary celebration in which the administration toutedits commitment and pledged i ts support to protecting these bird and wi ldl ifehavens. The administration also cuts funding for implementing the EndangeredSpecies Act by more than $7 million.

JO I N DE L AWA R E AU D U B O N NO W !

VO L U N T E E R

OP P O RT U N I T I E S

Join the fun!Meet new people!Do a great thing!

We need help in the followingareas. WE NEED YOU!

V BIRDSEEDMarketing Manager for ourfundraising birdseed sale inOctober. We need morecustomers. One month a year.

V WELCOME WAGONFun-loving, creative personneeded to recruit and integratenew members.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!Please call 302-428-3959 andleave a message if you areinterested in helping.

Volunt eers

Make It

Happen!

National Reactscontinued on page 5


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AU D U B O N

AT HO M E

LA U N C H E S

W E B S I T E

You know whereyou live, but do

you know yourecologicaladdress?Audubon AtHome, a newprogram made possible in part bythe U.S. Department ofAgricultures Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS), isbringing conservation homethrough an exciting, interactivewebsite designed to give visitorsuseful information on making

their backyards more bird-friendly, and their homeshealthier and safer for theirfamil ies. The website helps usersidentify the natural characteristicsof their property and its role inlocal ecology.

Audubon is stressing the value ofbackyard habitat and asksparticipants to make their yardnot only bird-friendly but alsobird-safe. The new Audubon At

Home website,, contains atreasure trove of information thatgives users the tools to createbackyards that will attract birdsand safeguard them as well.

Each yard, no matter the size,has the potential to help birds,said Sally Conyne, director of theGreat Backyard Bird Count. Byproviding just a few necessities,

your home landscape wil l attractbirds, beneficial insects, andother wildlife. Youll be rewardedwith a low-maintenance yardbursting with the variety of colorsand textures you would find infar wilder places. To find outmore, visit.

Audubon Newswire

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M AY

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DELAWARE AUDUBONBIRDATHON

1 Saturday 6am - 2pm

Great Cypress Swamp.

DELMARVA ORNITHOLOGICALSOCIETY. Meet at BoydsCorner Park & Ride. Bringboots, lunch, and bug spray.For information, call DonaldOhlandt, 302-998-3247.

5 Wednesday 11pm(Note time)

DELMARVA ORNITHOLOGICALSOCIETY.Look for Rails. Meet atBoyds Corner Park & Ride,Rte 13 & 301. Bring longboots.Andy Ednie, 302-792-9591.

8 Saturday.

DELMARVA ORNITHOLOGICAL

SOCIETY

. Spring Count andInternational Migratory BirdDay.Contact: John Janowski,302-834-9710.

10 Monday 6pm

DELAWARE AUDUBON

SOCIETY ANNUAL DINNERAND SILENT AUCTION

Delcastle Inn off ofMcKennans Church Road.

Justin Catanoso will speakon the topic of The Lewisand Clark Expedition: TheValue of Keeping Journals.For information, please call302-428-3959.

12 Wednesday 7:30am

DELMARVA ORNITHOLOGICALSOCIETY.Spring Migrants.Brandywine Creek StatePark. Meet at the ParksHawk Watch parking lot.Don Vasallo, 302-478-1733.

21 Friday 8amWhite Clay Creek.Meet at visitors parking loton Creek Road. A park fee is

required. Half day. A goodbit of walking along CreekRoad will be done.Please call Peggy Jahn ifyou wish to participate,302-378-6474.

22 Saturday 7am-5pm

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORYBIRD DAY. Bombay HookNational Wildlife Refuge.Bird walks, boat rides,Horseshoe Crabs, and more.

For schedule of events,please call 302-653-6872.

22 Saturday 8am

DELMARVA ORNITHOLOGICALSOCIETY. Delaware BayShorebirds youth trip. Fullday. RSVP by May 19.For information, call DonaldOhlandt, 302-998-3247.

29 Saturday 7am

BIRDING AT

GRASS

DALE

Especially for beginners.Meet in the picnic area atGrass Dale Center onPolktown Rd., DelawareCity. Please call as time maychange. Ann Rydgren,302-235-0242.

Please call Field Trip leaders ahead of time and register. You will be notified if any

changes arise. Most trips are half-day. Dress according to the weather and ask leader

if waterproof boots, etc., are needed.


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The Bird Tales column written byco-editor and contributing writerMary Leah Christmas has won first

place in the personal columns,specialized category of theDelaware Press Associations 2004Communications Contest. As afirst-place winner, the entry nowgoes to the National Federation ofPress Women for judging.

National w inners wil l beannounced at the NFPWs annualconference in September, whichthis year will be held in Lexington,Kentucky.

Mary also won a second place forspecial articles, science, ecology,environment. Congratulations toMary, and our thanks for adding tothe luster of the DelawareAudubon Journal.

Mary Leah Christmas resides inKent County and has been amember of the Delaware AudubonSociety since 2002.

SI T E SE E I N G

This column will suggest Internet websites that

may be of interest to readers. If you have afavorite that you think will interest others, pleasecall us at 302-428-3959 or send the address to usat [email protected].

Cyber bi rdwatching!Cornell Lab of Orni thologys bird feeder stationfeatures several feeders. You can move from oneto another to see whats there.

N ews & Views

When President Bush was elected in2000, he pledged to fully fund theLand and Water Conservation Fundprogram. This budget fails to live upto his promises: Despite statementsto the contrary, funding for LWCFland conservation projects is almost$600 mill ion shy of full fundingahuge shortfall.

The budget incorporates revenuegenerated from oil drilling in the

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge togive gifts back to election-yearcontributors, including big oilcompanies. This is also out of stepwith pol itical reality, as the Senatehas voted down drilling in the Arcticrefuge twice in the past two years.

The budget continues to fol low theadministration precedent of slashingthe Environmental Protection

Agencys budget, and it hamstringsthe EPA from carrying out itsresponsibility of holding industryaccountable for blatant Clean AirAct and Clean Water Act violations.

Lastly, the budget continues to fundthe misleadingly labeled HealthyForests Initiativea program thatoffers far more for the health oftimber companies and loggers thanit does for the health and safety of

neighboring communities and theforests.

The administrations proposal nowmoves to Congress where the U.S.House and Senate will review thePresidents funding requests andmake the final determinations forthe country.

John BianciNational Audubon Society

National Reactscontinued from page 3

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Contact Senator Biden 302-573-6345 ([email protected]) Senator Carper 302-573-6291 (carper.senate.gov/email-form.html) Representative Castle 302-428-1902

and ask them to: withdraw funding from the Healthy Forests Initiative,to fully fund the EPA and LWCF,and to continue to protect the Arctic Wildli fe Refuge.

MO R E

AWA R D S

F O R T H E

DE L AWA R E

AU D U B O N

JO U R N A L


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N ews & Views

EL L E N WR I G H T S

BA C K YA R DW I L D L I F E

For those of you who look at yourwoods and see clearing the exoticinvasive plants as an impossibletask, I wanted to let you knowthat it is not as bad as it looks.The 50-foot-wide strip of woodsthat borders the back of myproperty was ful l of JapaneseHoneysuckle and Multiflora Rose.

I started on the front of the woodsand worked on it a little at a time.I would cut a section of the plantsand then pull them off the treesand other plants. Because thevines grew so long, pull ing onone section got rid of a lot of it. Iwas encouraged at how quickly Imade progress.

There is still some Honeysuckleand Multiflora Rose, but I clearedquite a bit of it. It amazes me how

much room was taken up bythose two invasive plants. Thewoods look pretty bare right now.With some patience the tiny,native plant seedlings that werehaving trouble growing due to theinvasive plants will fill in the barespots. The variety of native plantswill provide a varied food sourcefor wildlife at different times ofthe year.

A word of caution:

I encountered a lot of Poison Ivymingled with the Honeysuckleand Multiflora Rose. Be on thelookout for Poison Ivy if you getthe rash. You can get the rashfrom the vines even in w inter.

Durban, South Africa

On the final day of the BirdLife Internationalworld conference, delegates adopted a tough,new strategy committing the organisation toimprove the status of the worlds 10,000 birdspecies and their habitats by 2015. Birdpopulations will be the indicators of whetherprogress is being made in achieving these goals.

In a final rallying call to the 350 delegates,

BirdLife Director Dr. Michael Rands said, In tenyears time, I hope the world can look back atthe 2004 BirdLife global conference in Durbanand see it as a turning point in the way peoplearound the world treat biodiversity and placelocal communities at the heart of futureconservation efforts.

The strategy we have adopted is a firmcommitment by the BirdLife Partnership, in morethan 100 countries, to protect the worlds birdsand biodiversity for the sake of futuregenerations. These are not empty wordswe

must succeed.

We must ensure that everyone from localpeople to government ministers knows what ishappening to the worlds biodiversity, why it ishappening, and how through working withBirdLife and others we can start to put thingsright.

BirdLife was established in 1994. Since then theBirdLife Partnership has researched andidentifi ed conservation actions for each of theworlds 1,211 Globally Threatened Bird species

and identified more than 9,200 sites of vitalimportance for birds and other biodiversitythrough BirdLifes Important Bird Area (IBA)program, now widely regarded as the bestini tiative of its kind.

BirdLife has lobbied and facili tated legallybinding protection for more than 2,000 of theseIBAs, and in a major step forward for globalconservation, has formally adopted thewidespread formation of IBA-Site SupportGroups (SSGs).

BI R DLI F E A D O P T S T O U G H

N E W S T R AT E G Y


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The Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinusgets its name from the small patch of pinkish wash onits belly that is difficult, if not impossible, to see undernormal viewing conditions

For more information and a color picture of this bird,go to our website .

B i rd T a l e s . . .

B i rd T a l e s . . .

HE R E I S A B I R D F O R

Y O U T O C O L O R.

N ews & Views

3/2/04

This morning, a Turkey Vulturewas sitting in the middle of thefield next to our house. He kepttaking furtive glances in thedirection of our birdfeeders, as if

to make sure no one waswatching, and would flap hisenormous wings and moveforward three feet, stayingparallel to our yard. A pause.Then some more flapping, andanother three feet. Anotherpause. Then some more flappingand an additional three feet. Inother words, this was the TVsidea of being stealthy. He finallygave up on whatever his projectwas, and flew away. Its hard to

be discreet when one has a six-foot wingspan.

3/5/04

While preparing an area of ourbackyard for a new garden, Iheard a small plane in theimmediate vicinity. Imagine theconfused expression on my face

when I looked up to see aTurkey Vulture circling in theclear afternoon sky! Funnier still,I craned my neck one way andthen the other and never did seethe passenger plane! That wasquite a disconcertingaudio/visual experience: Asoaring Turkey Vultureemitting the steady thrum of aplane engine.

Mary Leah Christmas

T V S FU N N I E S T MO M E N T S

JO K E S &

AN E C D O T E S

Q. Did you hear aboutthe Tawny Owl who set off forthe nature preserve to try tofind a mate?

A . It was pouring rain onthe way, so when he got there,he was too-wet-to-woo.

Q. Did you hear about thenewly discovered red-phaseowl?

A . It was found in SanFrancisco sittin on the dock ofthe bay. Scientists are not surewhat the common name will be,but the scientific name is OtusRedding.

Have a joke or brief anecdote ofinterest to Delaware Audubonmembers? Send your submissions to forpossible use in a future issue of theJournal. Be sure to include Jokes &Anecdotes in the subject line.


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BO O K S O F IN T E R E S T

Patriots, Stand Up! This is Our Land,Fight to Take It Back

$9.95, Cedar Tree Press, 2003.Check our website for availabil ity,.

Patriots, Stand Up! is a new treatisefrom Delaware Audubons honorarychair, former Gov. Russell W.Peterson.

Peterson writes, The BushAdministrations record of marchingin lock step with business todevastate the environment is theworst in history. They have openedour treasures of national parks,refuges, forests and wilderness areasto exploi tation; adopted anenvironmentally damaging energyplan as defined by oil , coal andnuclear industriesrelaxed

BO A R D AC T I O N

The Delaware Audubon SocietyBoard of Directors joins withowners of property, otherconcerned citizens, andorganizations to petition theDelaware Department of NaturalResources and EnvironmentalControl to establish a NO WAKEZONE on the Mispillion River.

The Board of Directorsconsidered the attempt by the Stateto acquire several tracts of land onthe western shore of Rehoboth Bay.

We view the offer of land byDelaware Wild Lands, Inc., in thisarea at a considerable discountone-third the value of the landtobe too good an opportunity toignore. We urge all the members ofthe Bond Bill Committee to takeadvantage of this opportunity andplease find a way to acquire thisland for public use.

provisions of the Clean Air Act andClean Water Actand began thedismantlement of the NationalEnvironment Policy Act, AmericasMagna Carta for the environment,while pretending to beenvironmentalists.

A simply marvelous piece of work.[The book] describes what has gonewrong with our country, and whatneeds to be done to bring it back ontrack, in an incredibly effective,convincing and readable way.Robert, Washington, DC

I have never been more troubledby the direction our political powersare taking us and I welcome thecourage and inspiration shown inPatriots, Stand Up!Bill Moyers, New York, New York

May-June 2004 Delaware Audubon Society Newsletter

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Transcript of May-June 2004 Delaware Audubon Society Newsletter