CALENDAR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM THE VICE-PRESIDENT'S DESK

Our president will not be writing to you this month. Stacey is a rancher by necessity and an avid birder by desire. Ranch business often interferes with his birding activities. This has been calf-weaning season and it has been very stressful for Stacey - not to mention the cows and calves! All those decisions once the calves have been separated from their mothers - keep or sell the bull calves and if you sell them, that usually means they won't remain bulls anymore - ouch! Keep or sell the heifer calves - fortunately if you sell them they will stay heifers! Then there are the days and days of cows bawling for their calves and calves answering right back until they all turn hoarse and sound like squeaky corral gates. When Bob & I lived in Saudi Arabia, we would exchange audio tapes with our parents instead of writing letters. We received one from my parents once that Dad recorded by the open window during calf-weaning time and I could hear the calves bawling - made me so-o-o-o-o homesick!
     So the next time you see Stacey, be kind, be understanding, be sympathetic. I will try to fill in for him for this issue.
     Thank you to those who have elected to receive their newsletter electronically! We have a long way to go, but so far we have 24 - everyone with Internet access can help save printing costs and postage. Please email me Rose-Mary King if you would like to receive the newsletter on the Internet.
     Chris Michelson reported that 17 people sent in their Friends of Murie membership. Thanks so much! Friends of Murie Membership Form
     Peg Cullen, Bruce & Donna Walgren and myself will be meeting Nov. 4th at 1:00 pm at the ARLC to discuss plans for the Feb. 7, 2004 Annual Banquet at the Radisson Hotel (note change of location). Anyone interested in helping, PLEASE COME!!!! Anyone with raffle or silent auction items, please call Peg.
     The December P&P will come out mid-December and cover activities for Dec. and Jan. The next newsletter will come out the end of January for February activities. Please note that the deadline for the Dec./Jan. issue is Nov. 24th. When submitting articles, please remember Dec. and Jan. dates of interest.
       (PS - Stacey, bet you don't delegate this job to me again!!!!! Just kidding!)............................................................................Rose-Mary King

PRAIRIE PARTNERS
November 7th Program

Prairie Partners is a program designed by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) to address short-grass prairie conservation issues and declining bird species trends by seeking voluntary cooperative partnerships with landowners and resource professionals.
     The overall goal of Prairie Partners is to build a coalition of landowners and land managers across the Great Plains whom are actively involved in the conservation of lands important to prairie birds. They work to achieve this goal through 1) monitoring prairie birds and their habitats, 2) initiating working relationships with landowners and land managers to help raise their awareness for prairie birds, and providing technical assistance on how to incorporate birds into range management, and 3) working voluntarily with willing landowners on habitat enhancement projects in partnership with the landowners as well as state, federal, and private entities. Private landowners are the stewards of our prairie resources and thus they are the foundation of Prairie Partners.
     Tammy VerCauteren, Prairie Partners Coordinator for the RMBO, will be our guest speaker and will explain how the program is being implemented. Tammy received her B.S. from Michigan State University in Wildlife Management and M.S. from University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying Sandhill Cranes and their use of lowland grasslands along the Platte River of Nebraska. She has been working for RMBO for 4 years within the Prairie Partners program.
     Come join us on Friday, November 7 at 7 pm at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building to learn about the status of prairie birds and their habitat. As always, the program is free and open to the public..................................................................................Bruce Walgren

MURIE'S HOSPITAL REPORT

Since April 15th, the reporting deadline for the May Newsletter, the Murie Audubon Hospital has been very busy. The following is a list of the birds that were received from April 15th to October 17th, and the results. As you can see we have received birds from all over the state and that West Nile has had an impact. (Following the specie name will be 3 numbers indicating the number received, released and/or held over. WNV is West Nile Virus.)

AMCR - 3, 1, 0; AMGO - 4, 1, 0; AMKE - 7 (3 w/WNV), 3, 0, received from Lander to Esterbrook; AMRO - 33, 19, 0; AWPE 1, 0, 0; BBMA - 1, 0, 0; BANS - 1, 0, 0; BCCH - 1, 1, 0; BLJA - 13, 8, 1; BRSP - 1, 1, 0; BTLH - 1.1.0; CAGO - 4, 1, 0; CLSW 7, 7, 0; COGR - 21, 16, 0; CONI - 3, 0, 0; COHA 1, 0, 1 (Jackson); DCCO 1, 1, 0; DOWO - 4, 4, 0; DUFL - 3, 0, 0; EAKI - 1, 1, 0; EASO - 1, 1, 0 (Douglas); FEHA - 6 (3 w/WNV), 2, 0 (Douglas); GHOW - 5 (1 w/WNV), 2, 1; GRSG - 1, 1, 0; GOEA - 4 (2 w/WNV), 2, 2 (Wind River Indian Reservation to Glendo); HOFI - 11, 8, 0; HOWR - 7, 4, 0; KILL 1, 0, 0; LEOW - 3, 2, 0 (Pedro Mt. to Lusk); MALL - 9, 9, 0; MOCH - 1, 0, 0; MODO 10, 6, 1; NSWO - 1, 0, 1 (south Big Horn Mts.); PISI - 2, 1, 0; PRFA1, 0, 1 (Lander); RECR - 1, 1, 0; RSFL - 2, 2, 0; RTHA - 12, 3, 2 (Lander, Edgerton, Douglas); RUHU 1, 1, 0; SAPH - 4, 4, 0 (Midwest); SWHA - 1, 0, 0 (Sinclair); VESP - 1, 1, 0; WEME 3, 2, 0; WETA - 1, 1, 0; WIWA 1, 0, 0. Total - 201 received, 118 released, 13 held over.

Non Native Birds - ECDO - 1, 0, 1; EUST - 19, 6, 0; HOSP - 106, 40, 0; Nevada Pigeon - 5, 0, 0. Total - 131 received, 46 released, 1 held over.

The following is a list of the small mammals that were received and the results: Brown Bat 1,0,0; Cottontail Rabbits - 34, 12, 0; Coyote - 3,3,0; Little Brown Bat - (Rabies), 1, 0, 0; Skunk - 1, 0, 0; Squirrels - 7 (1-WNV), 3, 2. Total - 47 received, 19 released, 2 held over.

Adoptions: 1 Eurasian Collared Dove was rescued from a dog that was plucking it prior to eating. All feathers have grown back and it seems to be in good health. It has all its primary feathers but is not flying. If interested please call Merlyn or Lynn Herold, Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation, 234-0196.................................................Merlyn Herold

(The Alpha codes were used for the above bird specie names. You can view or down load the list for future use at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.)

THANKSGIVING BIRD COUNT - YEAR 37

Thanksgiving Bird Counts are to take place on Thanksgiving Day, and to last only one hour! The counter chooses the time that best fits his/her schedule. It might even provide a welcome, but short, break on the holiday.    The count is to be made in a 15-foot diameter circle, the location of which also is determined by the participant. Count circles are usually located around whatever attracts birds - feeders, baths, cover, etc. Most participants select a count area visible from a comfortable spot near a window. Some select water areas or a favorite birding area and make an outdoor count. The same circles should be used each year.
     Last year 472 participants turned in 486 count reports and tallied 176 species in the 11 western states, plus Alaska. The most numerous species were HOSP (2,905), HOFI (2,275), DEJU (1,953), MODO (1,211), BCCH (740), WCSP (604), CAQU (573), STJA (568), AMGO (504), and EUST (448). The Pine Siskin dropped from 3rd place in 2001 to 16th in 2002. Counters should send in reports even if no birds are seen during the count hour.
     The Thanksgiving Count is not as well known as the annual Christmas Bird Count or the Breeding Bird Survey, but was begun in 1966 by Dr. Ernest Edwards and the Lynchburg Bird Club in Virginia. It slowly spread across the nation. Dr. John G. Hewston took over coordinating and compiling this count in 1992 for the Western States, Alaska and Hawaii.
(Dr. Hewston has a web site, Thanksgiving Bird Count, where the above letter is in its entirety. Also, a link is provided for the count form. Non-Internet users can contact Donna Walgren or Rose-Mary King for more information or a count form.)

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT YEAR 104

We are now looking forward to the main winter birding event - the Christmas Bird Count!! This is another opportunity for birders to take part in "citizen science" - where birders and those interested in conservation can contribute to the wealth of observations needed to help scientists learn more about our natural world. And the CBC is one of the longest running "traditions" that have added much to the knowledge about the overall health of bird populations and of the environment. This will be the 104th Count!
     The 103rd Christmas Bird Count reveals that last year 55,994 observers in 1981 count circles recorded 73,137,928 birds - from the Canadian Arctic's Baffin Island to southern South America to the Mariana Islands in the Pacific to Newfoundland along the Atlantic. (This becomes quite impressive when you realize that this covers approximately one third of the Earth's surface!) Boreal species traditionally seen on the CBC that appear to be declining include Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and especially Rusty Blackbird. The data, 100% volunteer generated, have become a crucial part of the U.S. Government's natural history monitoring database. Articles published in the 103rd CBC issue of American Birds helped ornithologists better understand the effects of West Nile virus on regional bird populations. For the full story, visit National Audubon CBC.
     Each count takes place in a 15-mile diameter circle (approximately 177 sq. miles) during the official count period of December 14 through January 5. Observers in the field and feeder watchers count all the birds they can find in the count circle within a 24-hour time period.
     Last year in Wyoming 65,961 birds were recorded on 18 CBC circles. Species count totals ranged from 26 to 54. Though numbers may not have been quite as high as in past years, Wyoming still had some high US counts - Evanston had the high count in the United States for Greater Sage-Grouse at 115; Clark had the high count in the US for Chukars (77) and also the high US count for Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches (460); and Dubois had the high US count for Black Rosy-Finches (52). Casper had the only Blue Grouse recorded in Wyoming (3 birds). Bates Hole had the only Saw-whet Owl and Brown-headed Cowbird in Wyoming. Also of note, Eurasian Collared-Doves are rapidly expanding their range - 4 were recorded on the Buffalo CBC and 3 on the Cheyenne CBC. (25 were recorded on 5 circles in Utah.) Bates Hole and Casper each had a N. Mockingbird; and Buffalo recorded one Lewis's Woodpecker.
     At this writing, the region still is quite dry and the weather is staying relatively mild as this fall's migration progresses. What surprises will we have on our counts this year?!? The official count season is still two months away - the weather may change drastically. Casper's count will be held on Saturday, December 27; part of the fun of birding is anticipating what we might find to round out our year. On the other hand, the Bates Hole count is on Thursday, January 1; this is a great way to kick off your birding year.
     We want to invite everyone to take part in our Christmas Bird Counts - and keep in mind that you do not have to be an expert birder - we need all the eyes and ears we can get, and we need recorders and drivers. Plus, it's just fun to spend the day with friends.
     The dates are now being set for the counts across Wyoming, and will probably be posted on the WYOBirds list serve and also the Wyoming Audubon Chapters list serve, so check them frequently. If you don't have computer access, call a Murie board member - we will be happy to answer your questions and help you get the info you need.
     Anyone who wants to share their count dates and contact, info will be posted to Murie Audubon's web page and I will compile a list to be posted periodically to WYOBirds list serve and other interested sites. For Murie's webpage, contact Rose-Mary King.

Count Dates:

....................................................Bruce & Donna Walgren

AUDUBON ADVENTURES

The 2003-2004 AA themes are Grasslands, Coniferous Forests, Fresh Water Environments and Urban Habitats--perfect for Wyoming! Each classroom kit contains four editions of the AA newspaper (an edition for each theme, 32 copies each); a resource manual with background info, lesson plans, tips, hands-on activities, research material, duplicating masters, website links, etc.; Audubon's Guide to a Healthy Schoolyard; official classroom certificate and healthy habitat poster. Teachers become full members of Audubon. AA is written at the 4th/5th grade reading level. To request a kit or make a donation, please contact Ann Hines, Education Chair, 266-3160.
     Seventy-seven classrooms have been enrolled in AA for this school year. Teachers appreciate this program but feel a time constraint with so many programs added to the curriculum.

     I would like to thank: Dr. and Mrs. Robert Narotzky, Judi Van Rensselaer and Beecher Strube for sponsoring more than one classroom; Ron Beamer, Betty Young, Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Leotta, Dr. Keith James, Peg Cullen, Mr. & Mrs. Frank McNeely and Bob Yonts for sponsoring one classroom. I would, also, like to thank a VERY SPECIAL sponsor. Sue Gloriod is a charter member of Murie Audubon Society and has sponsored a classroom for many years. THANKS, SUE.
     Sixty-three percent of the classes have been sponsored at this time. I continue to be thankful for your excellent response.

...............................................Ann Hines, Education Chair

FALL SUNFLOWER SEED SALE FOLLOW-UP

Thanks to everyone who came out and purchased sunflower seeds this fall! We sold almost as many seeds as last fall. Proceeds from the sale will help pay for Bird Hospital expenses. Thanks to Chris Michelson for helping with distribution and delivery of the seeds. Thanks to Rose-Mary King of Casper for the donation of 5 bags of seed to the Audubon Nature Center at Garden Creek and thanks to Paul and Melody Kuecks of Douglas for donation of 2 bags of seed to Jay Butler's class at the Middle School in Douglas. Special thanks (once again) to Tim Schalger, owner of Noland Feed. Tim always does whatever he can to get us the best deal on seeds and provides us with a place for seed distribution, so next time you're in his store, please say thanks.
     We will try do have another sale after the first of the year as most people don't have storage for enough seed to last all winter...............................Bruce Walgren - Seed Committee Chair

NOTES FROM OCTOBER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

1. Sage Grouse Conservation Plan - Wyoming Game & Fish will be forming a local conservation group (for the Bates Hole area); this group will need at least 4 hunter/conservationist members. A copy of the Draft BLM Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy is available, and everyone interested in Sage-Grouse should take a look at the plan.

2. The Banquet Committee (Peg Cullen, Rose-Mary King, Bruce Walgren, Donna Walgren) is starting to plan for the event in February - they are looking for raffle items and silent auction items. The Committee is also looking for someone to be Master of Ceremonies.

3. The Board voted to accept the budget for Murie as presented in the newsletter.............................Donna Walgren, Recording Secretary

BIRD NOTES

Fall migration seems to have slowed down for the time being - the rush of southbound warblers and hummers has ebbed; sparrow species numbers are dwindling, and waterfowl have not yet arrived in numbers. American Pipits have been seen in sizable numbers - a small flock at Goldeneye Reservoir west of Casper and at least 50 in the Riverton area. Other interesting birds reported include a White-winged Scoter south of Buffalo, a Green Heron on the North Platte River in Casper, and 2 juvenile Sabine's Gulls at Goldeneye. American Tree Sparrows have been reported in the Scottsbluff, NE area. An interesting bird reported on the yard bird list is a Tropical Kingbird at Oysterville, Washington; I asked Wayne about this bird and he told me that Tropical Kingbirds sometimes move north up the western coast in the fall. He said last year in September one bird had strayed inland from the Pacific coast to Camas NWR north of Idaho Falls (it was seen by several members of the Idaho Rare Birds Committee). Kaufmann (Lives of North American Birds) also mentions that young Tropical Kingbirds do wander north along the coast, occasionally.
 

Wyoming Yard Birds - We received 187 yard bird selections from 17 states and the Yukon for September. The most reported species was White-crowned Sparrow, with Wilson's Warbler in second place, followed by Ruby-crowned Kinglet. However, September still can be given to the warblers - 9 different species were reported with a total of 24 picks. We were still getting reports of hummers, but now sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and nuthatches are being named more frequently.

CONSERVATION GLEANINGS

(from Birdwatchers Digest, Nov/Dec 2003)

Central American Project Will Help Birds - The (MBC) will help protect the terrestrial species dependent on the rainforests of Central America - including resident and migrant birds. This major corridor consists of interconnected lands (protected and semi-protected) stretching from southern Mexico through Central America to the South American border, plus a web of lesser corridors connecting other forest areas so animals and plant seeds can move back and forth. The governments of Mexico and the seven Central American countries manage these lands.
     This project will not only benefit the birds, but also will help the 20 million poverty-level people that live in these rainforests. The basic premise is to promote sustainable economic use of the land in a variety of ways - one of which would be planting shade-grown coffee to provide habitat for all of the wildlife.
    In 1998, the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (the inter-governmental agency in charge of the MBC) signed an agreement with NASA to use its earth-watching satellites. This will give the landscape-wide perspective necessary for the success of the MBC project. An ecosystem map has been developed outlining the rainforests, lowlands and croplands. From this baseline, continuing snapshots of land use patterns will be made available to the politicians making decisions concerning this region.  Click here to view images.
     Possible Condor Nestling - The behavior of a pair of California Condors in the Grand Canyon indicates that the pair may have produced the first wild chick in Arizona by the reintroduced birds. Access to the pair's nest is virtually impossible, but field observers report that the two condors have been very attentive to the nest, switching nest duty daily.
To keep up with this story and find regular updates on condor activities, check  The Peregrine Fund website.
     America's "Birdiest" Cities in 2003 - Corpus Christi, TX (228 species), New York City (207), and San Diego, CA (194). The numbers are the total number of species identified by teams of birders in each city in a 24-hour period.  The "birdiest" counties for 2003 - Monterey County, CA (248), San Diego County, CA (227), Cochise County, AZ (227), and Inyo County, CA (218). For information on next year's contest, contact Phil Pryde at Phil.

    Canada's Boreal Forest - a watery arctic breeding ground for large numbers of birds that then fly south and end up at American winter birdfeeders. Boreal comes from Boreas, the god of the north wind. The boreal forest biome (also referred to as taiga) can be described as circumpolar sub-arctic - it rings the top of the globe through Russia, Canada, Alaska, and Scandinavia. It begins where the temperate forests of oak and maple give way to fir, birch, larch, and aspen; the boreal, in turn, gives way to treeless tundra. Boreal forests are characterized by relatively high moisture (both rain and snow), short growing season, long, cold winters, spongy forest floor with a carpet of decomposing litter, bogs and lakes as a result of ancient glaciers - and lots of insects!
      Not as well recognized as tropical rainforests, the boreal region is under appreciated by many who do not realize the number of birds depending upon it for their livelihood. It is estimated that some 5 million birds migrate south from the Canadian boreal each fall. This area is the breeding ground for many of the birds we enjoy seeing during migration - such as Palm Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll, Philadelphia Vireo, Harris's Sparrow, Tennessee Warbler. The White-throated Sparrow is very closely associated with Canada's Boreal Forest and this species is in decline in the Boreal region, which is being carved up for logging and oil wells.
      In Alberta, more than 20% has already been cut - roads, pipelines, log yards and clear-cuts have fragmented the forest. Researchers from the University of Alberta have been studying the Boreal for 11 years, with some help from the logging industry. They've been looking at different-sized patches or study plots of forest and the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on passerines. They have found that a year after harvest and fragmentation, birds return to what's left and there is a crowding effect. But the following year their numbers drop - not only in areas that have been cut, but also in adjacent forest left standing. A 50% decline has been found in some migratory bird populations.
     The United States is the single largest consumer of products from Canada's Boreal Forest. Cathy Wilkinson, director of the Canadian Boreal Initiative is working with an American group, the Boreal Songbird Initiative, to raise awareness of the situation. She says there's both opportunity and responsibility for Americans to lend their voices to Canadians interested in conserving this ecosystem.
       As Elizabeth Arnold reports, "Whether a white-throated Sparrow that weighs less than a ball-point pen can change the consumption patterns of millions of Americans and the management practices of Canada's most critical industries is a long shot, but then again, so is its flight every year from the Boreal to our backyards."
     (The above was taken from a National Public Radio report by Elizabeth Arnold for National Geographic Radio Expeditions - October 14, 2003.)
     (Note: For more info on the ecology of boreal forests, check out the Peterson Field Guide Western Forests by John C. Kricher.)...................................................Donna Walgren

GULL IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP

OFFERED IN NOVEMBER

Doug Faulkner of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory will present a workshop on tips for identifying gulls in various plumages on Saturday November 8, 2003. The workshop will begin at 8:30 am at Audubon Wyoming's Garden Creek Center where we will have approximately one hour of classroom type instruction before heading to the field in search of gulls. There will not be a charge for the workshop, however donations will be accepted to defray travel expenses for Doug. For more information about this workshop contact Bruce Walgren at 234-7455.

On behalf of the Wyoming Field Science instructors, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all of your wonderful help in making our classes so successful over the past 40 years. Without fantastic people like you, our classes would not have had a chance to develop and learn about the wonderful world of birds.
     I hope you will continue to help the two new instructors that will be taking over our paths next year. They are Carolyn Jacobs and Tyrone Fittje from Dean Morgan Jr. High.
      Dan VanBurgh, Terry Logue and I cannot thank you enough for all you have done. Your willingness to give of your time and knowledge of birds and their habitats is greatly appreciated.
      Once again, our heartfelt thanks. May God be with you all!
                                  Sincerely, Beecher "Ed" Strube

WESTERN SANDPIPER SURVEY

Dear Wyoming Bird-lovers,
     I am appealing to you (and to your group) for help with a project on the migratory patterns of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri).
At Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, we are compiling available data about stopover use by Western Sandpipers on their northward and southward migrations. Our goal is to produce a report to a US government agency about use of their lands by migrating Western Sandpipers, focusing on western North America. We hope that this will be used to preserve these areas for shorebirds.
     Your knowledge of habitats in Wyoming used by these peeps will be very valuable to our endeavor. Below is a survey and I hope that you will take a moment to describe how Western Sandpipers use your favorite shore birding sites. Please then return this survey to me via email Amanda or contact me at Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC V5A1S6, 604-291-3988 (day)/604-420-2070 (eve.). I am also happy to address any questions.  Thank you very much for your time! ...........................................................................................Amanda Niehaus

Website: Simon Fraser University

SITE USE BY MIGRATING WESTERN SANDPIPERS (CALIDRIS MAURI)

SITE NAME:
LOCATION:
HABITAT TYPE:
ABUNDANCE ON NORTHWARD MIGRATION¹:
ABUNDANCE ON SOUTHWARD MIGRATION¹:
ABUNDANCE OTHER¹:
TIME OF NORTHWARD MIGRATION²:
TIME OF SOUTHWARD MIGRATION²:
TIME OTHER²:
YEARS SEEN AT SITE:
REGULARITY OF OBSERVATIONS AT SITE³:
OTHER OBSERVATIONS⁴:
YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION:

¹ Counts and/or general categorizations, such as "rare, scarce, occasional, common, very common, abundant"
² Dates and/or general timing, such as "April to May"
³ For example, "Regularly present, irregularly present, only seen once"
⁴ For example, age or sex classes, numbers captured, molt status

(Copy and paste the above survey to your Word processor, file out, save and email to Amanda.)

ABC GAINS VICTORY IN CAMPAIGN

 TO BAN FENTHION

(The following information is from Birdwire subscriber Ann Hines)

ABC's action campaign to remove the hazardous pesticide fenthion from use in Florida, where it is sprayed to kill mosquitoes, has resulted in an important victory. Bayer Corporation, the manufacturer of fenthion, has agreed to withdraw the pesticide from the market. Under the cancellation agreement between Bayer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fenthion use will not be permitted after November 2004. At ABC's insistence - and as part of settlement negotiations in a law suit brought by ABC, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Florida Wildlife Federation in the deaths of several birds in Collier County due to fenthion poisoning - label restrictions will be tightened for all applications between now and the cancellation date, to further protect birds. ABC would like to thank the more than 15,000 people who sent emails to the EPA and other officials requesting a ban on fenthion. The pressure this placed on regulators, the state of Florida, and Bayer made a big difference to the outcome of the campaign.
     Bayer has said that it would be willing to transfer the license for fenthion over to the Florida Mosquito control districts, which could open the door to fenthion being brought back in the future. In settlement negotiations, ABC and its partners are advocating restrictions that would create significant obstacles to fenthion ever being licensed again.

LANDMARK FERAL CAT POLICY PASSED - On May 30, 2003, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission unanimously passed a policy, . . . " to protect native wildlife from predation, disease, and other impacts presented by feral and free-ranging cats." ABC had spearheaded support for the policy and garnered more than 2,500 emails from BirdWire subscribers. Other conservation groups, federal and state agencies, and wildlife rehabilitators supporting the proposal included: American Birding Association, Defenders of Wildlife, National Audubon Society, Ornithological Council, Florida Audubon Society, Florida Wildlife Federation, The Wildlife Society and their Florida Chapter, Natural Areas Coalition of South Florida, Treasure Coast Wildlife Hospital, Wildlife Rehab & Refuge Center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Animal Control Association, Florida Department of Health, USDA. Wildlife Services, and others.
In passing the policy, the Commissioners took a courageous and important step in protecting migratory songbirds and shorebirds, as well as rare native mammals from stray and feral cats, and set an example for other state wildlife agencies to follow. The commissioners pledged that cats would be removed from state lands in the most humane way possible, and expressed a willingness to work with all stakeholders in this issue.

ABC CONTINUES FIGHT TO PROTECT DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS
More than 4,200 comments were sent in to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in opposition to their proposal to allow 24 states to start killing unlimited numbers of Double-crested Cormorants because the birds eat fish. The proposed regulation would also permit the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to kill unlimited numbers of Cormorants at winter roosts in 12 states with major fish farm operations. In total, more than 10,000 comments were sent in to FWS, over 90% of which opposed the planned regulation. This included a formal letter of comment led by ABC, and co-signed by 21 national and regional organizations. ABC has supported a reasonable, science-based approach to the Cormorant issue, and is continuing a dialogue with key FWS officials as they prepare the final regulation.

ALBATROSS ACTION CAMPAIGN ACCELERATES - Efforts to protect albatrosses and other seabirds from death on longline hooks have accelerated. Speaking at an International Fisheries Forum in Hawaii, the Director of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), told representatives from 28 states and 18 countries that his e-mail had been flooded by more messages from concerned citizens on this than on any other issue. ABC continues to press NMFS and the regional fishery councils to require better avoidance measures in the Alaskan and Hawaiian longline fisheries, and to close the California loophole allowing long-line vessels to land catches there without having implemented seabird avoidance measures.
     ABC has also accelerated its international efforts to prevent the extinction of albatrosses world-wide. ABC has partnered with Pacific Environment and a Chinese conservation group to have the ABC Report on Seabird/longlining translated into Chinese for distribution to key Chinese fishery, wildlife, and planning officials, and to conservationists and academics. China has one of the world's largest longline fleets. The issue of seabird bycatch was raised before a recent Congressional hearing, and cables were sent to all U.S. embassies in long-lining nations, urging action to prevent seabird mortality.
      Despite these advances, your continued support is necessary. Between 1993 and 2001, more than 138,000 seabirds were known to have been killed in the Alaskan longline groundfishery alone, including thousands of albatrosses.

EPA AND THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT - EPA is currently reviewing thousands of comments sent in through BirdWire and other conservation action alerts opposing proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. To protect birds and other wildlife, EPA is currently required to consult with wildlife experts at FWS and NMFS during the pesticide registration process, in cases where the pesticide may affect animals protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This consultation process assures that our rarest species are adequately protected from hazardous chemicals. In December 2002, a proposed rule change was announced that would exempt the EPA from completing these consultations. Such a change would cut at the heart of the ESA, and set a dangerous precedent for other government agencies such as USDA and Department of Defense to similarly ignore endangered species concerns. ABC and its partners in the National Pesticide Coalition met with representatives from the EPA, the Department of Interior and the USDA to voice their strong objections to these changes, and during the public comment period, ABC and its partners submitted a letter of opposition to EPA signed by 19 environmental groups.

AUDUBON NEWSWIRE

Volume 1, Number 5
October 20, 2003

What Advocacy Issues Matter Most to You?
Public Policy Priorities Sought from Chapters
Washington, DC - October 20, 2003

Audubon wants to hear from you! As the effort to protect birds, wildlife and our nation's great natural resources continues to become more of a challenge, Audubon seeks to strengthen our grassroots deployment strategies to protect precious resources. Audubon, with its commitment to policies based on sound science, a knowledgeable staff, and a dedicated and energetic corps of Chapters, is uniquely positioned to operate effectively in this environment and meet these new challenges. But in order to do so effectively, and best use our resources in Washington, D.C. and in states across the country, we need your input!
     Every Chapter President is asked to watch their mailbox for a special letter from Audubon COO & Vice President for Public Policy Bob Perciasepe. The mailing includes a special, postage-paid survey form listing the national-level legislative, regulatory and budgetary avenues Audubon's national policy office can engage in to protect our great natural heritage. By completing and returning the survey, each Chapter will let us know how important these areas are to you and fellow Auduboners. That input will enable Audubon to better use our resources and ensure we are engaged on those issues deemed priority by a majority of Audubon's leading advocates - the Chapters. 

 U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RELEASES "BIRDING IN THE UNITED STATES" REPORTS
Washington, DC, October 11, 2003

A new federal economic report found that 46 million birdwatchers across America spent $32 billion in 2001 pursuing one of the Nation's most popular outdoor activities according to a report from the Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The report, Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis, is the first of its kind analyzing data from the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
     "Nearly one in five Americans is a bird watcher," said Service Director Steve Williams. "This report recognizes what we always thought to be true. Birdwatching is very popular and contributes greatly to our economy, so it is important that we continue to work with our partners to restore and protect habitat to ensure healthy bird populations."
      Montana, Vermont and Wisconsin led the Nation in birding participation rates as a percent of total state population. California, New York, and Pennsylvania had the most birders. Birders spent $32 billion on gear such as binoculars, travel, food and big ticket items such as canoes, cabins and off-road vehicles. This spending generated $85 billion in overall economic output and $13 billion in federal and state income taxes, and supported more than 863,000 jobs.
     To be considered a birdwatcher, an individual must take a trip a mile or more from home for the primary purpose of observing birds or must closely observe or try to identify birds around the home. Those who notice birds while mowing the lawn or picnicking at the beach were not counted as birders. Trips to zoos and observing captive birds also did not count as birdwatching. Watching birds around the home is the most common form of bird-watching. Taking trips away from home counted for 40 percent (18 million) of birders.

AUDUBON WYOMING

Bob Yonts, Audubon Wyoming Chair, reports that the Annual Audubon Wyoming board meeting was held in Casper on September 26th and 27th. Anyone desiring a copy of the meeting minutes please contact the Audubon Wyoming office.
     Bob also reports that Karen Andrews is no longer on the Audubon Wyoming staff.

PROJECT FEEDERWATCH

Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the highest numbers of each species they see at their feeders from November through early April. FeederWatch helps scientists track broad scale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance.
     Project FeederWatch is operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the National Audubon Society, Bird Studies Canada, and Canadian Nature Federation.
     Participants can sign up for Project FeederWatch at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, P.O. Box 11, Ithaca NY 14851-0011. Credit card users may call to sign up: 1-800-843-2473. Visit Project FeederWatch to sign up on the Internet.

ATTENTION

Don't forget to bring your used printer cartridges to the next General Meeting on November 7th to recycle. Or you can call or email Rose-Mary and I will pick them up from you. We will be paid from $1 - 5 for each cartridge sent in to US Recycling. THANKS!