PLAINS AND PEAKS

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CALENDAR

April 29 – 7:30 – Bd Mtg – UW Outreach Center – Room 114

May 1 – 7:00 – General Meeting – 777West 1^st St.

May 3 - All day trip to Natural Bridge and Glendo

May 17 – 6:00 a.m. at Lion’s Park in Cheyenne

May 31 - We will join Big Horn Audubon in Sheridan

Aug. 15 - Deadline for September P&P articles

No newsletter until September - check back for updates over the summer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Click on title to go directly to article.  Click on Sage-Grouse at end of article to come back

HERE

WAR AND WILDLIFE TOPIC OF MAY PROGRAM, FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK
SLATE OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS, AUDUBON CAMP IN THE ROCKIES - TENSLEEP PRESERVE, FIELD TRIPS, MURIE HOSTS WILDCAT AUDUBON,
BIRD HOSPITAL REPORT, SECOND CHANCE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION, INC.
YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, ADOPT-A-TRAIL, THIS AND THAT!
BANDING AT AUDUBON CENTER AT GARDEN CREEK, BIRD NOTES
SNOW DAMPENS FIELD TRIP, YOUNG NATURALIST'S CORNER
TIPS TO PREVENT SQUIRRELS FROM RAIDING YOUR BIRD FEEDERS
DEVELOPMENT OF JACK MORROW HILLS
POLICY COUNCIL PASSES LEAD RESOLUTION
ESKIMO CURLEW - A VANISHING SPECIE?
HOW YOU CAN HELP CUT THE COSTS OF MURIE

WAR AND WILDLIFE TOPIC OF MAY PROGRAM

Conservationists are not insensitive to the loss of human life during the actions of war; but the current war in Iraq has brought to mind the fact that military actions have long term effects on ecosystems not only from bombing, troop activities, landmines, refugees, and poaching, but also from political instability resulting from the warring that prevents the return to normal activities. Reports point out that landmines are particularly onerous; mines left from as long ago as World War II are still killing people, livestock, and wildlife. The retrieval of landmines in Iraq after the first Gulf War has had a detrimental effect on the environment. Bomb disposal units plowed up large areas of desert, tearing up and damaging fragile and slow-growing vegetation and destroying habitat for numerous animal species.
   The effects of war are many, but perhaps the greatest environmental impact is from the displacement of people and the large numbers of refugees. The arrival of large numbers of refugees in an area previously containing few or no people creates intense pressure on the environment.
   Come join us when Doug Crowe shares his first hand knowledge about the effects of War and Wildlife. The program will be May 1, 2003 at the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 777 West First Street at 7 PM. The program is free and open to the public...................................Bruce Walgren

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

Murie Audubon used to receive about $2,000 a year from the National Audubon Society as our share of the dues. However, National can no longer afford to share dues with the chapters. Last year we received about $1,200, and next year will be the last year we receive dues share from National. The problem facing Murie, and all Audubon Chapters, is how to make up for this shortfall in revenue.
   Murie is a very active chapter. Our biggest expenses are the Bird Hospital, Audubon Adventures for classrooms, the newsletter and the bird hot line. We also monitor sage-grouse leks, teach bird ID classes, help take care of the Audubon Center at Garden Creek and participate in other activities that don't cost the Chapter a lot of money. All these expenses and activities are important functions of the Chapter; reducing them should only be done after very careful consideration. We can, and should, do some economizing, but that is not going to make up for the $2,000 shortfall.
   As I see it, there are three main options: 1) we could increase our membership because National now sends us $20 for each new member. While we need to recruit new members to help National and because we need more people just in order to accomplish all that we want to achieve, we are unlikely to find enough new members every year to cover the $2,000 shortfall; 2) some Chapters are starting a "Friends of the Chapter" with a modest charge, such as $15 per year. A "Friend of Murie" would receive the monthly newsletter, but would only be a member of National if they also joined National. (Ed's note: We are developing a membership brochure that will list several donation options to specifically support one or more of our activities at the donor's preference.); 3) a third way would be to obtain $2,000 in a fund raising event or through donations.
   Murie Audubon Board members want to decide on a viable option or combination of options and implement the program by this fall. To make an informed decision, we want to hear comments regarding your preferences of the above options or other ideas you may have. I would be glad to explain the options in more detail. Please call or email me or another Board member..............................Stacey Scott

SLATE OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS

The Nomination Committee offers the following slate of officers and directors to be voted on at Murie's May membership meeting. The officers will serve one-year terms and the directors will serve for two years. Additional nominations will be taken from the floor at the May meeting.

President - Stacey Scott
Vice-President - Rose-Mary King
Recording Secretary - Donna Walgren
Treasurer - Chris Michelson
Corresponding Secretary - Lois Layton
Board Members - Peg Cullen, Bruce Walgren

AUDUBON CAMP IN THE ROCKIES - TENSLEEP PRESERVE
SESSION I
June 29 - July 5, 2003

TITLE: FIELD ORNITHOLOGY
THEME: ECOLOGY BEGINS WITH BIRDS

This field camp experience is intended for beginning and intermediate birders, educators and resource managers and stresses avian identification outdoors. The AVES method of bird identification, as it is called, was developed by Gene Wilhelm, former Vice President of Education, National Audubon Society, over decades of active birding. The concept is simple: remove oneself from the daily routine and responsibility of human endeavors, escape for a time to a milieu conducive to learning and immerse oneself in birding. The AVES method uses six keys in field identification: eye, ear, behavior, habitats, field marks and ecology during a period of intense but FUN AND EXCITING BIRDING with experts. The method works and the end result is a raising of consciousness of how birds interrelate and interconnect with the rest of nature in the dynamic ecological setting of Tensleep Nature Preserve. Experience daily field identification sessions watching birds with experts in diverse Tensleep Nature Preserve habitats ranging from high mountain meadows and Ponderosa pine stands to lush canyon forests and wetlands to dry sagebrush steppes. These hands-on activities are linked to presentations and discussions, giving participants a richer awareness, understanding and appreciation of birds and ecology in the beautiful Big Horn Basin ecosystem. Led by nationally known ornithologists, this program has been developed for both novice and intermediate birders, educators and resource managers alike.

SESSION II
July 6 - July 12, 2003

TITLE: EARTH LITERACY
THEME: RESTORING CONNECTIONS: HUMANS WITHIN NATURE

Natural history and the local environment once provided the basic foundation from which the education discipline emerged. Restoring those connections is what environmental education today is about and what makes it so compelling for cross-curricula teaching in an outdoors setting. This weeklong experiential session is primarily intended for science and non-science educators who are either already incorporating environmental education into their lesson plans or would like to. Curious parents and guardians of elementary through high school age children also are welcome. Daily field trips in the beautiful and biodiverse Tensleep Nature Preserve, discussions, special presentation and projects, and many ideas and materials to take back home will guarantee a very special week.

PRICING:
Early Bird registration (payment must be received by April 30, 2003) = $875
Late registration (payment must be received by June 15, 2003) = $975
Space is limited so early registration is encouraged. For more information or registration forms, contact Audubon Wyoming at 307-235-3485 or e-mail dwalter@audubon.org.

FIELD TRIPS

Saturday, May 3 - Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the East Side Safeway. We will have an all day trip to Natural Bridge and Glendo. We should see lots of hawks, and the birds around Glendo can be interesting and diverse. Call Stacey Scott at 265-6213 for more information

Saturday, May 17 - Meet at 6:00 a.m. at Lion's Park in Cheyenne. We will join Cheyenne High Plains Audubon Society for their big day. This is near the peak of the warbler migration, and usually produces some spectacular birds.

Memorial Day Weekend - We traditionally have a Big Day around Casper on this week-end. Anyone interested in a day of birding call Stacey Scott and we will see how many species we can see around here.

Saturday, May 31 - We will join Big Horn Audubon in Sheridan for a bird trip. The trip will probably start about 7:00 a.m. in Sheridan. Call Stacey Scott for more details. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stacey Scott

MURIE HOSTS WILDCAT AUDUBON

On April 11, ten birders from Wildcat Audubon Society of Scottsbluff, NE made their way to the Casper area; their main objective was to visit the Hat Six lek to view strutting Sage Grouse.
    Upon their arrival in Casper, Murie embers hosted the group with a pot luck at Casper College's Werner Wildlife Museum. We all enjoyed great food and talking birds, wildlife, and conservation before turning in for a good night's sleep in preparation for early rising.
 

    At 5:30 the next morning, we met the Birding Class led by Bart Rea and went out to the Hat Six lek, where the grouse put on a great show. (For many of the Wildcat members, the Greater Sage-Grouse was a life bird.)
    Before leaving the Hat Six area, we checked out McDonald's Pond (just down the road from the lek). There we found a raft of American Coots, Buffleheads, Redheads, Lesser Scaup, a Ruddy Duck, an immature Bald Eagle, and our highlight there - a Red-necked Grebe (unfortunately this bird wasn't in breeding plumage, but still provided many of the group with another life bird). The Bald Eagle provided some additional excitement when he "buzzed" the raft of coots, scattering them.
    After making our way back to town (and getting some breakfast), Rose-Mary King led the way to Casper's east side to find some Chukars - luck was with us, we did find a couple of these birds (another life bird for some of the folks). From there, we went up on Casper Mountain - which still has quite a bit of snow left over from the 4 feet received a few weeks ago. Frank and Ellen Vayo again generously allowed us to observe their feeders. Birds seen included Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, Cassin's Finches, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and a Clark's Nutcracker with a demonstrated fondness for peanut butter.
    The last stop was at the home of Lynn and Merlyn Herold to see the work they have been doing on bird and wildlife rehab. As many of you may know, Frank and Lois Layton have been doing bird rehab for 30+ years; and the number of "patients" has steadily increased. Lynn and Merlyn have greatly helped with the handling of these patients by taking over the care of the smaller birds, while the Laytons continue working with the large raptors.
   With the conclusion of a very enjoyable get-together, the Wildcat Auduboners prepared to make their way back to Nebraska, and we headed home with that wonderful feeling of having had a good time with both old and new friends.
   Thanks to all who helped make this a great weekend!!!! Thanks to Doug Crowe for staying after work to talk to the group about the Werner; and a big Thank You to those who contributed to Friday night's pot luck: Lynn Herold, Jan Scott, Rose-Mary King, Chris Michelson, Lois Layton, Shirin Hola, Dinah Utah, and Liz Rea. Thanks to the Wildcat Audubon people for providing cookies and brownies for dessert!!!
    We also want to express our appreciation to Lynn and Merlyn Herold for giving us a tour and explanation of their work and facilities for their rehab work in their home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Donna Walgren

(For more pictures, click HERE)

BIRD HOSPITAL REPORT

The following Birds are being held pending recovery to be released: 3 Golden Eagles, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 Swainson's Hawk, 1 Am. Kestrel, 1 Turkey Vulture, 1 W. Kingbird, 1 Am. Crow, 1 N. Flicker (Red Shafted).
    The following birds are being held as unreleaseable and being used for Education and or Foster Parenting: 2 Great Horned Owls, 1 Golden Eagle, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Prairie Falcon

SECOND CHANCE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION, INC.

Merlyn and Lynn Herold have expanded their facilities to include three new aviaries. They have also expanded their rehabilitation area to include flight enclosures for bats, swallows and hummingbirds. In addition, new caging has been added for songbirds, and an expanded area is being build for waterfowl. These additions now bring the total aviaries to five, not including a small flight barn, two rehab rooms and the garage.
    Also included in the expansion is an incubator for the "wee" ones that is temperature and humidity controlled, a special box for small mammals such as bunnies which has its first occupants, and a three-tiered two column cage set up for recovering hatchlings. If injured or baby bats are sent to the Herolds, they can put a heating pad behind one of these cages with a blanket on the inside for the bats to cling to a warm place.
    The Herold's welcome and encourage visits to view the facilities through the month of May, hopefully, prior to "baby bird season". If interested in a visit, please call (307) 234-0196 to arrange a time.

Click here to see more images.

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

This is the first of several recipes that many of our "cookin'-members" shared with me. In November Betty Rickman, when not reading mystery stories or bird watching, made us some Lemon Graham Squares from a recipe used by Janis Plourde in Ontario. Here are the needed ingredients: 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 c. lemon juice, 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares), 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, 1/3 c. packed brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, pinch salt, 1/2 c. butter or margarine melted.
   In a bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice; mix well and set aside. In another bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in butter until crumbly.
   Press half of the crumb mixture into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Pour lemon mixture over crust; sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 3 dozen. Thanks Betty for sharing this treat!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Dinah Utah

ADOPT-A-TRAIL

The Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) is seeking groups who are willing to make a commitment to "Adopt-a-Trail". This means caring for a stretch of trail (in WY and from 3 to 15 miles...usually 8 miles) twice per year, spring and fall. Needed chores are trail clearing, drainage, marking, etc. Those Murie members interested should consider time and physical ability. "Lets talk more about this at the May meeting." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dinah Utah

THIS AND THAT!

Bart Rea writes about Murie Audubon's newsletter, Plains & Peaks, logo.  "No one had even heard of web sites and e-mail when I came up with the names for the chapter and the newsletter and drew up the sketches for the grouse and the mountains way back when we changed from being the Wyoming Audubon Society to being chartered as the Murie Audubon Society. At that time it was apparent that new chapters would be formed within the state and that any geographical name would become obsolete. So, with Mardie Murie's consent, we adopted the Murie name in honor of the entire Murie family for their work as biologist, naturalists and environmental activists."
    And now you know!

Two robins were sitting in a tree. "I'm really hungry," said the first one. "Let's fly down and find some lunch."
   They flew down to the ground and found a nice plot of newly plowed ground that was full of worms. They ate and ate and ate till they could eat no more.  "I'm so full, I don't think I can fly back up into the tree," said the first one.
   "Let's just lay back here and bask in the warm sun," said the second.
   "OK," said the first.
   So they plopped down, basking in the sun. No sooner than they had fallen asleep, when a big fat tomcat came and gobbled them up. As the cat sat washing his face after his meal, he thought..."I JUST LOVE BASKIN ROBINS."
    (Do I hear groans?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

BANDING AT AUDUBON CENTER AT GARDEN CREEK

We had such great fun last year, we are going to do it again this year!
   BANDING TRAINING DATE - May 28, 2003 from 7-12 p.m.
   BANDING DATES - June 6, 16, 26, July 7, 17, 28, and August 7.
   Last year's banders, mark your calendars! Those interested in learning about banding and seeing birds up close and personal, plan to attend the banding training. Contact Alison Holloran at (307) 721-4887, alyon@audubon.org,or Bruce Dudley at (307) 473-1987, wyaudubon2@aol.com.

BIRD NOTES

This is the time of year that intrigues birders to no end! Every outing is full of possibilities - how many new birds for the year will I get today? Maybe a new species for the state? Maybe a new life bird? The impact of the drought heightens the uncertainty of what may be seen - the usual may not be "usual" this spring. But conversely, those same conditions may bring in the unusual that we all hope to see.
   Turkey Vultures are definitely back, as are the Killdeer, Tree Swallows, and Mountain Bluebirds; Red-tailed Hawks and Am. Kestrels are being seen in increasing numbers. Shorebirds are starting to show up in earnest - Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwits, Am. Avocets - keep looking, there will be more to come!! Common Loons were sighted at Alcova, a Long-tailed Duck at Grey Reef, and Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal are now being reported. Seen at McDonald's Pond, a Red-necked Grebe, a Red-breasted Merganser, and a young Bald Eagle. At Dave Johnston Power Plant, Dave Baskett reported Mountain Bluebirds, a few Oregon Juncos and about 200 Canada Geese. Sally Lund reported an early Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the Lund yard.
   Spring migration is picking up momentum and more birds are arriving daily; try to get out as often as you can. To keep up with what is being seen, call the Murie Bird Hotline frequently (265-BIRD, or outside of Casper 1-888-265-BIRD); and take part in the WYOBirds list serve. (If birds are not your key interest, go out and walk across the prairie or through a wooded area - the wildflowers are starting to bloom - watch for phlox, bluebells (Mertensia), Townsend's daisy, wild onion, golden pea (Thermopsis), sand lily (Leucocrinum), leafy musineon, and more!!)
    March Yard Birds - 183 people from 17 states and Yukon Territory sent in yard bird selections to Wayne and me. The most reported bird was Am. Robin, followed by Red Crossbill, and then Dark-eyed Junco. Montana participants also reported alot of Spotted Towhees and Western Bluebirds.
   Casper: Jim Herold - Dark-eyed Junco, Chris Michelson - Mtn. Chickadee, Ed Reish - Blue Jay, Peg Cullen - Steller's Jay, Joanne Odasz - Greater Yellowlegs, Frank Odasz, Rose-Mary King - Merlin, Dinah Utah - Dark-eyed Junco (Oreg), Pat Classen - Red-winged Blackbird, Sally Lund - Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Jim Lawrence - Am. Kestrel, Gloria Lawrence - Pinyon Jay, Bart Rea - Red Crossbill, Liz Rea - Mallard, Norma McGee - Red-winged Blackbird, Stacey Scott - Red Crossbill, Bruce Walgren - House Finch, Donna Walgren - N. Flicker; Buffalo: Dean Bjerke - Dark-eyed Junco (Oreg); Centennial: Daniel Petroski - Mtn. Bluebird; Cheyenne: Barb Gorges - Dark-eyed Junco; Dubois: Anna Moscicki - Steller's Jay; Garland: Pat Ryan - N. Flicker (red-sh), Nancy Ryan - Bald Eagle; Lander: Andrea Cerovski - Black-capped Chickadee; Lovell: Terry Peters - Belted Kingfisher; Rawlins: Karen Lambertsen - Dark-eyed Junco (white-winged); Story: Bob South - N. Saw-whet Owl; Worland: Delores Van Dusen - Am. Goldfinch, Walter Van Dusen - Pine Siskin.
   Migration should bring more birds into our neighborhoods; send you pick for favorite bird seen in, over, or from your yard for the month of April to Donna Walgren (ph. 234-7455), or email bwalgren@coffey.com. And be watching for the month of May (migration should be peaking then) to make your May selection. . . Donna Walgren

SNOW DAMPENS FIELD TRIP
April 19, 2003

Tentative plans for a Saturday trip up on Casper Mountain were changed when snow started falling on the Mountain Friday evening. In spite of a winter-like overcast sky and a chilling northeast breeze, it was decided to walk parts of the Platte River Parkway. Our starting point was Garden Creek Center (where we had good views of Cassin's Finches); we then headed for Morad Park, walking from there into Murie's Bird Sanctuary where robins, red-wings, and Song Sparrows were singing. We also were fortunate to catch sight of a Wood Duck and watch a Caspian Tern working that part of the river. Other interesting birds seen included a White-breasted Nuthatch and a Downy Woodpecker drumming on a utility pole. The group also had excellent views of several Ring-billed Gulls and California Gulls, giving us a great opportunity to compare and identify these two species.
    We then drove over to Mills to walk the Parkway path behind Wotco; that section of path yielded good views of two Ospreys, cormorants, and two more Caspian Terns (one carrying a freshly-caught fish in his mouth). From there we headed home, a little chilled, but happy with the sightings of the morning.
Species seen: Cassin's Finch, Pine Siskin, House Finch, Am. Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, W. Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Mourning Dove, Song Sparrow, Canada Goose, Mallard, Am. Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, White-breasted Nuthatch, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Wood Duck, Downy Woodpecker, Am. Crow, Common Grackle, Caspian Tern, No. Flicker, European Starling, House Sparrow, Double-crested Cormorant, Osprey, Killdeer, and Rock Dove. . . . . . .Donna Walgren

Tropical Connections - In May, many birds are migrating north from their winter homes in tropical forests. How much do you know about the tropics?
   Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences in Column A using the letter for the selections in Column B. (Not all selections from B will be used.)

A

Tropical forests are found near the earth's 1) ______________.

Three food items that we get from plants grown in the tropics are 2) ____________, 3)____________, and 4) ______________.

The upper layer of trees and shrubs is called the 5) __________.

Two countries where coffee is grown are 6) ___________ and 7) _____________.

Coffee is made from the 8) __________ of the coffee shrub.

9) ___________ coffee plantations are grown under large trees.

Vanilla beans grow on a 10) ____________.

Chocolate is made out of the beans from pods grown on the 11) _____________.

12) _____________ coffee plantations are in areas where trees and shrubs have been cut down and removed.

Birds that nest and raise their young in the United States and Canada, then migrate south to spend the winter in Mexico and Central and South America are called 13) ______________.

Which kind of coffee plantation will have more food and better habitat for birds and other wildlife? 14) ______________.

Two birds that winter in the tropics are 15) _____________ and 16) ______________.

B

a) chicle plant
b) large tree
c) Columbia
d) Black-billed Magpie
e) vine
f) Wilson's Warbler
g) Brazil
h) polar regions
i) bark
j) leaves
k) berries
l) coffee
m) equator
n) shade-grown
o) American Redstart
p) permanent resident
q) vanilla extract
r) apples
s) canopy
t) cacao tree
u) sun-grown
v) chocolate vine
w) neotropical migrants
x) chocolate

Answers:  1 – m;  2,3,4 – l,q,x;  5 – s;  6,7 – c,g;  8 – k;  9 – n;  10 – e;  11 – t;  12 – u;  13 – w;  14 – n; 15,16 – f,o

TIPS TO PREVENT SQUIRRELS FROM RAIDING YOUR BIRD FEEDERS

1.  If your feeder is on a pole, mount about a foot of aluminum duct tubing under it. The squirrels will climb the pole, encounter the duct and climb into it-but they'll have to retreat once they realize they have nowhere to go.
2.  Run your feeder pole lengthwise through the center of a slinky. Attach the slinky to top of the pole and let the rest of it hang. Squirrels will try to climb up the slinky, but will get dumped back down to the ground.
3.  Punch holes in the bottom of a few two-liter juice bottles, large enough to get around the post of your bird feeder. Hang them lengthwise, securing them a few inches below the feeder with duct tape-the squirrels will slide right off.
4.  Buy a clear plastic dome and place it directly above a hanging feeder. Squirrels planning a raid from the top of your feeder will slip right off-just make sure your feeder is high enough in the air to prevent ground assaults.
5.  Mount a feeder on top of a length of PVC pipe. Squirrels won't get any traction when they try to climb it, and will slide off.
6.  Some people wire their feeders with electricity to keep squirrels away-but this can be extremely dangerous. A safer alternative is a feeder with a built-in, battery-operated charger that gives invading squirrels a light shock without hurting them. The shock only triggers for four-legged visitors, so birds won't notice a difference.
7.  Buy a hanging feeder surrounded by wire screen. Small birds will be able to enter and feed, but larger bully birds and squirrels will be excluded.
8.  Switch from sunflower seeds to safflower seeds. The change in diet is popular with cardinals, house finches, chickadees, nuthatches and mourning doves, but the safflower doesn't appeal to squirrels.
9.  String wire through the tops and bottoms of two-liter plastic soda bottles, and hang bird feeders in between or in the middle. Squirrels walking the wire to get to the feeders will roll off when they step on the bottles.
    If you don't mind furry visitors or want to do your part to accommodate squirrels, you can distract them away from bird feeders by setting aside a few dried corn cobs just for them. Impale the cobs lengthwise on spikes, then drive the spikes through a wooden board (so the cobs are perpendicular to the board). Attach the board to a tree limb or trunk where squirrels can reach the kernels.
   These tips are from an article by George H. Harrison, National Wildlife magazine, December/January 2001, p. 16-17.
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/squirreltips.cfm

DEVELOPMENT OF JACK MORROW HILLS

Who was Jack Morrow? - Teamster, gambler, cattle rustler, rancher, and common thief, Jack Morrow was a man of established reputation - all bad - who lived in the area in the 1860's and left his name on a creek, canyon and of course, Jack Morrow Hills.

    The Bureau of Land Management has released the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan/Draft Green River Resource Management Plan Amendment. This supplemental draft environmental impact statement represents the culmination of a comprehensive planning process involving the public, Tribes, and numerous cooperators at the federal, state and local level to analyze options for a balance of uses in the planning area. The BLM undertook the process in full compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable legal requirements.
   The supplemental draft EIS considers five alternatives for addressing the issues in the JMH planning area, including a continuation of present management (No Action Alternative) and a Preferred Alternative. These alternatives provide a variety of management choices regarding the use and development of public lands in the planning area. When the planning effort is completed, it will provide an integrated, multiple-use activity plan for balancing resource use and resource protection.
    Decisions on fluid minerals leasing and locatable minerals for the JMH area that were deferred in the Green River Resource Management Plan (RMP) will be made in the JMH CAP.
   The preferred alternative includes an adaptive management strategy that allows for resumption of surface disturbing activities in much of the area using current management practices. In the balance of the planning area surface disturbing activities may resume, provided they meet proposed management objectives. "Balancing the rights of the lease holders and developing the oil and gas resources, while protecting the wildlife and other values was an important consideration in selecting the preferred alternative," said Wyoming BLM State Director Bob Bennett.
   The supplemental draft EIS for the JMH CAP documents the BLM's commitment to working with the public and cooperating agencies to provide a full range of alternatives. The Bureau's integration of Secretary Norton's Four C's: Communication, Consultation, Cooperation, all in the Service of Conservation, has been vital to producing a comprehensive product.
   The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is actively seeking public comment for the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (CAP) Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
    The Jack Morrow Hills planning area contains about 622,330 acres of federal, state, and private lands located in Sweetwater, Fremont, and Sublette Counties, Wyoming, north of Rock Springs.
Comments on the Supplemental Draft EIS will be accepted until May 23, 2003. Copies of the document are available for public review at BLM offices in Rock Springs, Lander, and Cheyenne; or on the internet at www.wy.blm.gov/jmhcap/index.htm.
    (Information gathered at www.wy.blm.gov/jmhcap/)
    Comments can be sent to:
Attn: Field Manager, BLM Rock Springs Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901, or call (307) 352-0201.
   Wyoming Wildlife Federation Board of Directors Members: Craig Thompson, P.O. Box 428, Rock Springs, WY 82901; Sandy Mitchell, Rock Springs, WY, H (307) 362-1696 W (307) 382-1749, samitche@wyoming.com, or Dan Coey, Casper, WY H (307) 235-5622, keystone1112@aol.com
    Sierra Club contact - Wyoming Chapter - website address is  http://wyoming.sierraclub.org - Northern Plains Field Office, 247 Coffeen, Sheridan, WY 82801-6338
(307) 672-0425, email at np.field@sierraclub.org 

POLICY COUNCIL PASSES LEAD RESOLUTION

At its September meeting in New Orleans, the ABC Policy Council adopted a resolution "to encourage programs aimed at reducing the threat of lead poisoning to birds." The resolution, passed unanimously by the Council, also supports manufacturers' efforts to develop non-toxic alternatives to lead shot and lead fishing weights. The lethal nature of lead to birds, particularly waterfowl such as Trumpeter swans, and other species including loons, eagles and condors has been
known for decades. Yet even with viable alternatives available, lead remains the primary material used in hunting shot and fishing weights. In 1991, FWS imposed a ban on the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting and laws have been passed in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York that ban the sale and/or use of certain sizes of lead fishing sinkers, but the U.S. still lags behind other countries Britain, parts of continental Europe, and Japan, that have banned lead ammunition and fishing tackle outright.
   By enacting the resolution, the Policy Council hopes to encourage outreach programs that both educate hunters, shooters, and anglers about the dangers of lead to wildlife, and promote the uses of suitable, non-toxic alternatives. The resolution cites the U.S. Department of Defense, the largest single user of ammunition in the U.S., as a model for the work it has undergone to develop lead-free alternatives through its "Green Bullet Program".
   Golden Eagles are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning from shot found in mammals such as prairie dogs.

The resolution was proposed by Policy Council member Hawkwatch International, which recently launched it Wildlife Lead Poisoning Reduction Program to minimize the threat to Golden Eagles and other raptors. One example of the danger facing Golden Eagles occurred in Wyoming in the summer of 2000, when a wildlife rehabilitator near Thunder Basin National Grasslands was brought almost 100 eagles suffering from lead contamination. Contact: Dr. Wendy Sanborn, Hawkwatch International, wsanborn@hawkwatch.org.
    (From the December 2002 issue of Bird Calls, newsletter of the American Bird Conservancy)

ESKIMO CURLEW - A VANISHING

 SPECIE?

Birds tell us much about the stewardship of man on this planet. Sometimes indications of a problem aren't recognized in time and public concern is too late in developing. We can learn, for example, from the demise of the Passenger Pigeon. Three excellent monographs deal with its extirpation: W. B. Mershon's The Passenger Pigeon in 1907, Margaret H. Mitchell's The Passenger Pigeon in Ontario in 1935, and A. W. Schorger's The Passenger Pigeon, its Natural History and Extinction in 1955 and 1973. But these works came too late.
    The failure of eastern Bald Eagles to produce young was part of the motivation for Rachel Carson to write Silent Spring in 1962. The Peregrine Falcon and Osprey, other species at the top of the food chain, collecting large burdens of organochlorine pesticides such as DDT, were also on the verge of extirpation throughout the eastern half of North America (Peregrine Falcon Populations, their Biology and Decline, edited by Joseph J. Hickey, appeared in print in 1969, reporting the results of a 1965 conference). As a result of widespread concern, DDT was banned, and all three species are doing better, aided by management and reintroduction programs.
     Whooping Crane numbers reached a frightening low of only 19 wild birds in 1946. A photo of these magnificent birds in flight by Saskatchewan's Fred Lahrman was Canada's "News Photo of the Year" in 1953. The nesting grounds of the few remaining birds were located in 1954. In response to much publicity, the railway to Pine Point was re-routed at considerable expense, to avoid disturbing the breeding cranes. Public interest has been steadily supportive and as a result these birds are closely monitored, with extensive research and management programs. The Whooping Crane now has an excellent chance of avoiding the fate of the Passenger Pigeon.
  

    Why, then, has the Eskimo Curlew received so little attention, apart from Ontario writer Fred Bodsworth's best-selling novel, The Last of the Curlews, published in 1954? Why has there been no monograph to detail the history of this species?
    Once one of the most numerous birds in North America, the Eskimo Curlew has hovered at the very brink of extinction ever since its drastic decline about 100 years ago. Although its extinction has been treated as a foregone conclusion, this hasn't happened yet. In striking contrast to the larger, more easily identified species mentioned above, virtually no money has been spent to study or protect this bird. Apart from Bodsworth's book and one or two sightings a year by keen birders, recorded in specialized journals of relatively small circulation, little has been said about it or done on its behalf. No habitat change or pesticide threat has been identified. The Eskimo Curlew has failed to excite the interest of the general public.
    The present monograph is an important contribution, since it adds another landmark case history to the annals of species near extinction. We must learn from our mistakes if we are to avoid perpetuating them, yet it is difficult to determine what lesson is to be learned until we have collected and attempted to understand the relevant facts. Gollop and his collaborators, Tom Barry and Eve Iversen, deserve great credit for their thorough collation of the available observations, from past through present, and their interpretations of this information. Such a complete synthesis has never before been attempted.
    C. Stuart Houston, 863 University Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N OJ8
(Information gathered at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/othrdata/curlew/foreword.htm

HOW YOU CAN HELP CUT THE COSTS OF MURIE

When you join National Audubon Society, you are automatically a member of a chapter in your area and you receive the Plains & Peaks newsletter. Murie is unique in that we were the first chapter in Wyoming and we have members all over the state. Printing and mailing costs of the newsletter is one of our largest expenses.
    To help lower those costs, those of you who have Internet access can now opt to receive your newsletter via the Internet at Murie's web site and have your name dropped from the newsletter mailing list. You can still have a hard copy of the newsletter (depending on space, I will keep as many newsletters on the Internet as possible up to a year) by printing the newsletter on waste paper (saving virgin paper) and printing on your printer's lowest setting, thus saving ink. Your membership monies can then help Murie in other areas of our activities. Contact Jan Whitney to be removed from the mailing list and add www.murieaudubon.org to your favorites list.
    Please send me your email address and you will be notified each month when the current newsletter has been added to the website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor

Murie Audubon Board and Directors

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