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Volume 29, Issue 3 november 2004

JAS November Program

Bob Gress, Director, Great Plains Nature Center
Bob Gress is director of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita. He is a 1976 graduate from Emporia State University
with an M.S. in Environmental Biology. Bob and his wife Mary Butel enjoy traveling and have photographed wildlife in wild
places across the continent. His photos have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and in more than twenty books, including
Kansas Wildlife, Watching Kansas Wildlife, The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals and the Kaufman Focus Guide
to Mammals of North America.
For our program, Bob will be sharing stories behind the photo-
graphs in his new book, Faces of the Great Plains, Prairie Wildlife, recently
published by the University Press of Kansas. Copies of the book will be
available for purchase and Bob will be happy to personalize them. Join us
November 11, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center, 745 Ver-
mont St., Lawrence.

From the jacket cover of

Faces of the Great Plains, Prairie Wildlife
Photographs & field notes by Bob Gress, Text by Paul A Johns-
gard
The Great Plains are America’s biological melting pot, drawing creatures from surrounding regions to
create a rich diversity of wildlife. Here are pronghorn in the shortgrass, rattlesnakes underfoot, and golden ea-
gles soaring skyward. Here too, pockets of bison can still be found, recalling yesterday’s thundering herds. An
unprecedented partnership between two great observers of the region, Faces of the Great Plains provides keen
insights into and thoughtful reflections on both prairie wildlife and the art of nature photography. Especially in
the wake of increasing threats to the prairie’s habitats, it should foster a new appreciation of the region’s abun-
dant fauna, inviting us all to see the land through new eyes and to join in the preservation of these natural
treasures.

JAS Birdseed Sale

The second birdseed sale of the season will be held on Saturday, December 4th, from 10:00 a.m. to
1:00 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center, 745 Vermont Street. Books and feeders will also be available at the
sale. A pre-order form is included in this newsletter or you may order your seed by contacting Linda Lips at
785-842-2300, Pam Chaffee at 785-887-6868, or Cynthia Shaw at 785-842-0475. You can also find the form
on the JAS website.
The last birdseed sale of the bird-feeding season will be January 29, 2005.
 2 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY

NATIONAL AUDUBON RELEASES

On Tuesday, October 19, The National Audubon Society released the “The State of the Birds”, a report docu-
menting the health and abundance of North America’s birds. Appearing in the October issue of Audubon Magazine,
“The State of the Birds” paints a disturbing picture. Almost 30% of America’s bird species are in “significant de-
cline,” a situation that signals seriously degraded environmental conditions in the habitats these birds call home.
The bottom line: the state of the birds in 2004 is not sound. In particular, a disturbing 70 percent of grassland species;
36 percent of shrub-land bird species; 25 percent of forest bird species; 13 percent of wetland species; and 23 percent
of bird species in urban areas are showing “statistically significant declines.”
According to “State of the Birds,” these declines are abnormal. Not part of the natural, cyclical rise and fall of
bird populations, “statistically significant declines” are due to outside factors such as loss of native grasslands, over-
grazing, development of wetlands, bad forest management, invasive species, pollution, and poor land use decisions.
Audubon’s President John Flicker sees a clear message in this report. “Like the canary in the coal mine warning the
miner of danger ahead, our birds are an indicator of environmental and human health,” he said. “Birds signal that we
are at risk next.”
But, Flicker also sees a clear path out of trouble. “People may have created these problems, but people can
solve them, if we act now,” he stated. To that end, Audubon is now addressing the findings of “State of the Birds” in
its conservation agenda at the legislative and policy making level, and in the states where the greatest conservation
challenges exist.
Compiled by Audubon Scientist Greg Butcher, “State of the Birds” analysis makes the case for private and
public action. Based on the report’s findings, Audubon is advocating for improved grassland, forest, and wetland pro-
tection, stronger pollution controls, partnerships with private landowners, and backyard habitat programs for home-
owners.
“State of the Birds” summarizes the status of nearly 700 birds species native to the continental United States,
focusing on the condition of species in each of five habitat types: grasslands, shrublands, forests, wetlands, and urban
areas (the fastest growing habitat type in the U.S.). Written using a USGS Breeding Bird Survey and Audubon’s
WatchList - cross-referenced with Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count data, the report will be issued on a yearly basis,
and will inform Audubon’s conservation agenda, identifying key areas requiring immediate action.
Birds not only serve as reliable indicators of environmental conditions, they also contribute greatly to the
U.S. economy. Keeping birds - and their home habitats - in good condition is not only a good conservation policy, it
is also good business. The worth of birds beyond their aesthetic and conservation value is something that is beginning
to be more fully appreciated, a situation that has created allies for bird conservation in small and large business, and
local governments - entities that have been historically unlikely conservation partners.
“According to the U.S. Forest Service, 70 million Americans - one-third of all adults in this country - call
themselves birdwatchers. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service notes that they contribute at least $32 billion in retail
sales, $85 billion in overall economic output, and $13 billion in state and federal taxes, creating 863,406 jobs,” con-
tinued Flicker. “Birds also contribute to the bottom line in more subtle ways, providing free pest and weed control,
distributing seeds, and pollinating flowers and crops. American
businesses and communities simply cannot afford to ignore the
state of the birds.”
A digest of the report was published in the October issue of
Audubon magazine and a further analysis is available on the
Audubon website, www.audubon.org/bird/stateofthebirds.
 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY
Riverkeeper Relates Stories of Pollution and Hope
Pollution of our rivers and streams, corporate
malfeasance or ignorance--issues with local, national
and international ramifications that can seem so over-
whelmingly complex that we “little guys” often shrug
our shoulders in despair at contributing to a solution.
But in fact, a few determined individuals can create a
wellspring of change. John Cronin of Riverkeepers
spoke at KU on 10/21 at the Environmental Careers
Symposium. He is an engaging raconteur with an in-
spiring message: individuals imagining a better world
are a powerful force and any of us can be one of those
powerful dreamers!
Cronin describes himself as an adventure seek-
ing young wanderer in the late 60’s who eventually
worked as a commercial fisherman on the Hudson River
in New York and was introduced to environmental ac-
tivism by the folk singer Pete Seeger. He characterizes
himself as a complete skeptic who volunteered to docu-
ment point source industrial pollution on the Hudson to
please his new friend, but who was convinced that in the
end the corporations would win the day and that he
would be taken away by men in suits and never heard
from again! He recreated for the audience the heady
delight and amazement he experienced when the evi-
dence he and others collected led to heavy fines and ces-
sation of polluting practices by many industries.
However, he stressed that the genesis of the
American Riverkeepers movement came from a few
members of a private fishing club on the Hudson who
simply dreamed that the river could be the wonderful
source of recreation and beauty and food that it had
been 100 or even 50 years ago instead of a place you
warned your children away from because the water was
so polluted. These men had heard of the riverkeepers of
Europe who patrol certain rivers and act to stop activi-
ties that are destroying the health of the riverine ecosys-
tem. “Why can’t we have a riverkeeper?” they thought
and approached John Cronin to be the Hudson
Riverkeeper. Months of fundraising and boatbuilding
later, the first American Riverkeeper was launched.
3
He told a wonderful story about his first day as
Riverkeeper when, acting on a tip from a friend who was
a New York state trooper, he caught an oil tanker empty-
ing its highly polluted tank waste water into the Hudson
near the Roosevelt family home in Hyde Park. (The tank-
ers then made a practice of filling up with free fresh water
and taking it to Aruba and selling it!) From his small boat
he hailed the immense tanker and asked what they were
doing. When the captain questioned his authority, he
relates being at a loss for a moment but finally just saying
“The authority of the Hudson Riverkeeper” in a huge
bluff. In actuality, his authority was simply the right we
all have as citizens to stand up for the health of our com-
mon environment. Of course, in the way of the real
world, the captain didn’t then stop what he was doing, but
eventually the tankers were forced to stay off the Hudson
because of the citizen action of John Cronin as Hudson
Riverkeeper.
Over a 25 year career as Hudson Riverkeeper, Cronin
had an enormous impact on the health of the Hudson and
by inspiring others to become Riverkeepers
on the reclamation of rivers all over the country. If you
want to know more he has written a wonderful book with
Robert Kennedy Jr. called The Riverkeepers. The local
organization is The Friends of the Kaw and can be found
on the web at www.KansasRiver.com. You can contact
the Riverkeeper through the website or by phone at 913-
963-3460 if you have knowledge of a pollution problem.
Meanwhile, keep imagining how you would like
the world to be. Become active in Jayhawk Audubon and
empower us to act on those dreams.
— Susan Iversen
 4 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY
2004 LAWRENCE
CHRISTMAS BIRD
COUNT
by Galen L. Pittman, Lawrence CBC compiler
This year's Lawrence CBC is scheduled for Sat-
urday, December 18th. Plan now to participate! This
year=s count will be the 61st Audubon Christmas Bird
Count held in Lawrence. It will be very hard to
top 1999's record setting species total of 104(!). How-
ever, last year=s total of 92 species can be equaled or
surpassed …… WITH a little luck and normal weather
that doesn't include the blizzard conditions that we ex-
perienced in 2000!
The Lawrence CBC is an official National
Audubon Society (NAS) Christmas Bird Count. To
cover the costs of editing and publishing the Christmas
Bird Count results in North American Birds, a fee of $
5.00 is charged by NAS to all field participants over the
age of 18. The JAS board has again agreed to pay the
participation fee for all those interested in taking part in
the Lawrence count! Of course anyone who would be
interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to
JAS to help defray the cost of expenses, such as the
Lawrence CBC fee, is encouraged to do so.
Count participants are organized into a dozen or
more parties, each with it=s own party leader and pre-
assigned part of the 15mile diameter count circle. The
Lawrence count circle covers most of Clinton Lake, all
of the city of Lawrence including Baker Wetlands, the
Fitch Natural History Reservation, the towns of Perry
and Lecompton, and the Kansas River valley from just
west of Lecompton to just east of Lawrence. These par-
ties fan out and cover the circle during the day of the
count. At the end of the day party leaders and any other
interested participants (all are invited!), meet at a pre-
arranged location to enjoy a chili supper and compila-
tion of the day's results.Any interested birders from ex-
perts to total beginners are welcome, and are assigned to
one of the parties before the actual date of the count.
Therefore, it is important to contact the compiler (Galen
Pittman)
before the count so that all participants can be accom-
modated into one of the parties and that the count cir-
cle gets the best possible coverage. In addition to "in
the field participants", feeder watchers are also
needed. If you have a bird feeder (within the count
circle) that you can watch for some part of the day on
18 December, then you can also participate and have
your birds included in the grand total. All that is
needed is a tally of individual bird species totals and
the number of man-hours at that the feeders were
watched. Feeder watchers should also contact the
compiler sometime before count day.
If you are interested, contact me at 843-8573 (work),
842-7105 (home), or preferably via e-mail: gpitt-
man@ku.edu. Also, come to the JAS December
meeting to learn more about the count.
A complete list of all of this year’s Kansas mid-
winter bird counts and NAS counts, including several
other local counts can be found at:
http://www.ksbirds.org/kos/kos_projects.html
Eagle Day
Meeting
The next meeting of the Eagle Day committee
will be on Tuesday, November 16, 7:00 PM, 1635
Mississippi. This is Ed and Cynthia Shaw's house.
All who want to work on this project are welcome and
needed. We're off to a good start.
Edward & Cynthia Shaw, 1635 Mississippi Street,
Lawrence, KS 66044-4061; (785) 842-0475
 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY 5

Monarch Tagging JAS officers & Board Members

President Jennifer Delisle

Report
Vice President Pamela Chaffee
Recording Joyce Wolf
Secretary
Corresponding Susan Iversen
Secretary
Monarch Watch, Jayhawk
Treasurer Jennifer Delisle
Audubon, and a French and Canadian team of documentary Member Chapter Chuck & Ruth Herman
filmmakers were at Baker Wetlands Saturday, September 18th Change Report
for the annual Monarch tagging, but sadly the Monarchs were Membership Dayna Carleton
not. Taggers turned out despite thunder and lightning early in Promotion
Newsletter Julie Maxwell
the day and the Sesquicentennial parade midmorning, but Editor
fewer than 50 Monarchs were tagged compared to 600 plus Newsletter Susan Iversen
last year. This year's population is believed to be low to mod- Distribution
erate and, although the migration peaks in Lawrence in mid-to Conservation Susan Iversen
late September most years, only small numbers of butterflies Program Pamela Chaffee
Education Rex Powell
had passed through the area by the 18th. Another factor is that Field Trip Alexis Powell
our wet summer has left knee-deep water in many areas of the Publicity Harley Winfrey
Wetlands that are normally fairly dry by this time of year. Electronic Bonnie Liscek
This greatly reduced the usual glorious expanse of nectar rich Communications
Bidens blooms. Hopefully next year's tagging will see better Bird Seed Linda Lips
Sale
conditions. Birdathon Richard Bean
Visit the excellent Monarch Watch website for Coordinator
more information on the migration, population estimates, Christmas Galen Pittman
status of roosting sites in Mexico, butterfly gardening, Bird Count
pictures, and more, and to sign up for regular e-mail updates Migratory Phil Wedge
Bird Count
on the program: http://www.MonarchWatch.org. Eagles Day Ed & Cynthia Shaw
Hospitality Vacant
— Susan Iversen Historian Ron Wolf
Books and Joyce & Ron Wolf
P.S. Dr. Chip Taylor, Director of Monarch Feeders
Board Member Sharon Ashworth
Watch, broke his ankle September 16th while showing the Board Member Dayna Carlton
film team around the Wetlands. He came to the tagging any- Board Member Bunnie Watkins
way displaying true dedication. We all wish him a good re- Board Member Harley Winfrey
covery. Board Member Sarah Winfrey

Bird Illustrations by Steven D’amato

The mission of the Jayhawk

Audubon Society is to encourage
enjoyment of, to promote
understanding of, and to advocate
conservation of the natural world.
Jayhawk Audubon Society Nonprofit Organization
P.O. Box 3741 U.S. Postage
PAID
Lawrence, KS 66046 Lawrence, KS
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Application for New Membership in both: National Audubon Society and Jayhawk Chapter
___$15 Student; ___$20 Introductory for NEW members; ____$15 Senior Citizen.
(Make check payable to National Audubon Society.)

Application for Chapter-only Membership (Jayhawk Audubon Society). No Audubon magazine.

___$7.50 Chapter-only (Make check payable to Jayhawk Audubon Society.) Those with National Audubon
memberships are encouraged to support the chapter by voluntarily paying these dues. Chapter membership
expires annually in July.

National Audubon Society members receive four issues per year of the Audubon magazine and are also
members of the Jayhawk Chapter. All members also receive 10 issues of this newsletter per year and are
entitled to discounts on books and feeders that are sold to raise funds to support education and conservation
projects. Please send this completed form and check to Membership Chairs at the following address:
Ruth & Chuck Herman; 20761 Loring Road, Linwood, KS 66052; e-mail contact:
hermansnuthouse@earthlink.net . {National Members Renewing: please use the billing form received
from National and send it with payment to National Audubon Society in Boulder, CO}.

Name __________________________; Address ___________________________________________;

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