March 2024

Dear Reader,

Well, March certainly came in with a bang, didn’t it? Hope that everyone is staying safe and warm! Our board and team members have been hard at work preparing for what’s shaping up to be a very busy Spring and Summer! We have plans for events, webinars, classes, and much more! 

Wouldn’t you love to be part of what’s happening?!? Join our Board of Directors or one of our Program teams (Conservation, Education, or Community Science). We’re excited about all that we’re doing, but we could really use your help! And if you know of others who might love to be on the team, reach out to them or let us know! 

MARCH EVENTS

7th (Thursday), 6:30pm: Beavers: The Beautiful Messes They Create and Our Creative Solutions. Join MidCoast Watersheds Council’s next Community Meeting for this presentation by by Megan Garvey and Shea Fuller from The Wetlands Conservancy. More info…

8th (Friday), 9-11am: Join us on this Spring Lake Open Space, sponsored by Lincoln City Parks & Recreation and Explore Lincoln City! We will meet at the parking lot on Port Ave in Lincoln City (look for our ASLC sign). More info… 

9th (Saturday), 9-11am: You don’t want to miss this visit to Yakona Nature Preserve! We will meet at 8:45am at the locked gate at the end of SE 40th/SE Harborton in South Beach. More info… 

19th (Tuesday), 6:30pm: Naturalist Presentation: Drawing on Nature. Nature artist Ram Papish describes his journey from his early days painting birds as a child to his most current professional work. During this presentation we'll see many of his illustrations and explore his techniques for creating a wide variety of wildlife art. The meeting will be at the OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd in Newport. More info…

21st (Thursday), 6:30pm: The Oregon Coast Rocks webinar, part 2: Marine Reserves:

Essential for Conservation or a Threat to Fisheries? Join Audubon Society of Lincoln City and Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition for a free webinar about Oregon's Marine Reserves. Our guest speaker, Dr. Will White, who is an expert in marine reserves and fisheries science, will discuss the intention and effectiveness of marine protected areas, the science of marine reserves, and how reserves are monitored. More info and to register…

SPECIAL TREAT! 

Geology Outings to Marine Conservation Areas coming in April!

Curious how the rocks, cliffs, and beaches along our coast formed? Come join us on a guided geology field outing. We will be visiting our three newly designated Marine Conservation Areas (MCAs) with geologist Margery Price. Learn about the local geological features of each MCA. Experience the grandeur of our rocky coast. Each of the three field trips will be unique, focusing on the geology of that MCA site. Dress for the weather; we go rain or shine. Bring snacks, water, and binoculars (optional). Outings include walking up to 2 miles.

Margery Price is a geologist, science educator, and Oregon Coast local. Born and raised in Lincoln City, she graduated from Taft 7-12 in 2018 and received her B.S. in geology from the University of Oregon in 2022. Margery is currently a Master’s student in geology at the University of Oregon researching pumice and its use in wastewater filtration.

Thursday, April 18, 2-4pm - Fogarty Creek MCA

Thursday, April 25, 10am - noon. Cape Lookout MCA

Saturday, April 27, 10am to 1pm - Cape Foulweather Complex MCA 

Pre-registration is required. Use this link to register for one or more outings. Space is limited so register today to reserve your spot.

EDUCATION UPDATE

We’re super excited to have five teachers signed up for our Spring 2024 course, "eBird Explorers: Discover Schoolyard Birds!" 

OREGON COAST BIRDCAST

As promised, our monthly podcast is back! Host Paul Lask and our Digital Media Coordinator Nissa Parker put together a great podcast with CJ McCarty, Curator of Birds at Oregon Coast Aquarium about working with seabirds at the Aquarium! Be sure to catch it wherever you listen to your podcasts! More info…

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT 2024

The results are in! We had 85 participants in Lincoln County and 64 in Tillamook. Together, we submitted 178 reports with totals of 116 species in Tillamook and 122 in Lincoln. Check out all results for Tillamook and Lincoln. Keep an eye out next February if you want to join in next year's count! 

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

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February 2024

Dear Reader,

We had a short but pleasant visit to Hana on the island of Maui last month. If you’ve been there before, you know that the road is narrow and windy (612 hairpin curves and numerous one-way sections where you’d swear your car was going to scrape the sides). Hana is small and quiet and it was a perfect place to relax. It’s been crazy busy since we got back home - all the catching up from the holidays and vacations! As I like to say, buried up to my neck in fun stuff! 

FEBRUARY EVENTS

10th (Saturday), 9-11am: Join us on this ASLC/Lincoln City Parks & Recreation walk to Friends of Wildwoods Open Space! We will meet at the pullout at the trailhead on NE West Devils Lake Rd in Lincoln City (look for our ASLC sign). More info… 

16th (Friday) - 19th (Monday): Join the fun on the Great Backyard Bird Count. Everyone is welcome to participate - from beginners to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds! Find out how you can take part in this annual, fun event. More info…

20th (Tuesday), 6:30pm: Naturalist Presentation: The Spectacular Birds of the Colombian Andes. Take a visual trip to South America with photographer Roy Lowe. The meeting will be at the OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd in Newport. More info…

29th (Wednesday), 6:30pm: The Oregon Coast Rocks webinar, part 1: Feathers and Fronds with Roy Lowe. Join us for a fun and informative webinar exploring the connection between birds and kelp. Learn how birds use the nearshore ocean environment, especially the underwater kelp forests growing along our shoreline. Guest speaker, Roy Lowe, will talk about birds you might see using kelp beds in Oregon, explain how the kelp benefits them, as well as share his stunning photography. More info…

BIRDWALKS

Curious about past months’ walks? Did you know that we keep the reports, including photos and lists of bird sightings, on our website? Check out our January walk to Regatta Park & Devils Lake.

SEARCHING FOR OSPREY NESTS AND NEST MONITORS!

Osprey season is coming up again and we're preparing for our second year of osprey nest monitoring! Would you like to monitor an osprey nest this year? We're looking for volunteers who are willing to keep an eye on a nest several times a week and report their findings. You will need to register in advance and receive training. We’ll be providing the required training for free in two locations: in Newport on Tuesday, March 5 and in Lincoln City on Wednesday, March 6. Interested? Email me for more information. 

WHERE ARE OSPREY NESTING? We’re expanding our nest monitoring program to encompass all of Lincoln County (Tillamook County will be next year). If you know of any nests outside of Lincoln City, please let us know! 

RECRUITING NEW BOARD MEMBERS 

We are looking for a few motivated folks who love birds and nature and are willing to serve on our ASLC Board of Directors. We meet monthly on the second Thursday. Meetings are held at our office in Lincoln City but are also hybrid so you don’t need to travel. If you’re interested, please let me know! If you’d like to volunteer, but not as a Board member, we have many other opportunities from one-time to ongoing, so just let us know what interests you. 

ARE YOU A TEACHER?

Are you a teacher, or do you know a teacher here in Lincoln or Tillamook Counties? We are offering a six-lesson, bird-related curriculum from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. For example, the Spring 2024 course is "eBird Explorers: Discover Schoolyard Birds." While officially designated for grades 3-5, the materials are suitable up to 8th grade. The curriculum adheres to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards. ASLC will cover the cost of the materials, approximately $80 per classroom, and provide teacher training. 

We are offering this opportunity, including materials, for up to 10 teachers!. If you are interested, please contact our Education Coordinator, Nora Sherwood at noras@lincolncityaudubon.org.

STAFFING 

We want to welcome our friend and former vice-president, Ruth Shelly, as our new Development Coordinator. Ruth started her position on January 18th and is already working on grant-writing, reporting, and more to help us become more fiscally sustainable. Ruth will be working on other sustainable funding options such as Business Memberships and planned giving. Ruth will continue on our Communication team as our newsletter editor. Stay tuned for more from Ruth!

We have another position that is currently open - a new part-time Volunteer Coordinator position! This seasonal position - mid-April thru mid-October - will average 15 hours/week at $18.45/hour. Applications are open until February 29, 2024. More info…

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

We congratulate Portland Audubon on adoption of their new name, Bird Alliance of Oregon. Our colleagues in Portland received feedback from nearly 2,000 individuals in their process to find a name that would connect with more people, especially those who have historically been excluded from the environmental and birding movements. ASLC has joined the growing number of chapters that have decided to change their name to one that better reflects our mission and values, and makes our organization a more welcoming place for all. Now that our friends in Portland have decided on their new identity, we can move forward to choose an aligned name that will help unify efforts across the state to protect birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. Stay tuned!

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

January 2024

Dear Reader,

I hope that you all had fantastic holidays and are looking forward to this new year! My entire family came to visit and stayed to throw me a most elegant and enjoyable 70th birthday party at Salishan Lodge. The theme was bright colors and birds - My Petite Sweet went above and beyond for the adorable birdhouse cake! My birthday is actually this week, so my hubby is taking me to Hawaii for a few days - I plan to stretch out this milestone celebration! 

So let’s talk birds…

JANUARY EVENTS

12th (Friday), 9-11am: Join us on this Lincoln City Parks & Recreation walk to Regatta Park and Devils Lake! We will meet at the Regatta Park parking lot off of NE 14th in Lincoln City (look for our ASLC sign). More info… 

13th (Saturday), 9-11am: You won’t want to miss our popular walk at the Hatfield Marine Science Center Nature Trail in Newport. More info…

16th (Tuesday), 6:30pm: Naturalist Presentation: Impacts of terrestrial mammals on island nesting Leach’s Storm-Petrel. Presenter Luke Stuntz is a graduate student in Wildlife Science at Oregon State University studying the predation of seabirds by native terrestrial carnivores along the coast of southern Oregon. The meeting will be at the OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd in Newport. More info…

ASLC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

We are excited to announce that Ruth Shelly, currently our ASLC vice-president and newsletter editor, has accepted the position of Development Coordinator. We're excited for this new chapter of our growing organization! Ruth will be stepping down from the Board to transition to her new responsibilities.

WE ARE HIRING AGAIN! 

We’re looking for a part-time Volunteer Coordinator to assist our Coastal Habitat Coordinator in recruiting and training volunteers for our conservation work. This seasonal position will average 15 hours/week at $18.45/hour. Applications are open until February 29, 2024, interviews will begin in March, and the successful candidate will start on April 15. More info…

ARE YOU READY TO VOLUNTEER? 

We are looking for a few motivated folks who love birds and nature and are willing to serve on our ASLC Board of Directors. We meet monthly on the second Thursday. Meetings are held in Lincoln City but are also hybrid so you don’t need to travel. If you’re interested, please let me know! 

If you’d like to volunteer, but not as a Board member, we have many other opportunities from one-time to ongoing, so just let us know what interests you. 

YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

Thank you to all of you who have participated in the membership drive in support of our many programs! If you haven't, it’s not too late to upgrade your membership or give a gift membership to ASLC. Through January 31, 2024 - new, gift, or upgraded membership ($50 minimum) includes a set of our bird stickers with images by our own certified natural science illustrator, Nora Sherwood. More info…

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT REPORTS

In Lincoln City, we had a small turnout of field counters, but a big increase in backyard counters! And, we set a new record for species seen! 20 volunteers counted in the field and 18 counted at home within the count circle. We recorded 132 species and a total of 12,901 individual birds. 

At Yaquina Bay, coordinator Kai Frueh reports: “Yaquina Bay CBC took place with 34 participants. In total, we found 130 species, on the lower end of the last few years. Between a very high tide and a strong wind from the east made seabird and shorebird numbers low.”

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

December 2023

Dear Reader,

We had a great time at the Lincoln City Cultural Center celebrating our 18th birthday last month. Thank you to everyone who came! Forty five members and non-members enjoyed great food and friendship. Speaker Cameron Cox was entertaining and we all enjoyed the time to get to know each other better! Our birthday cake, made by local bakery My Petite Sweet, was beautiful and tasty! 

While you were there, we hope you had a chance to check out the Bird Bricks at the Plaza in Lincoln City! Thanks to you, we raised $5,000 toward the beautiful brick walkway. Visit the Plaza and use our fun checklist to locate all of the 47 bricks with our local birds on them! More info…

DECEMBER EVENTS

8th (Friday), 9-11am: EXPLORIENCE Taft Waterfront and Siletz Bay! We will meet at the Taft Waterfront Parking lot on SW 51st (look for our ASLC sign). More info… 

19th (Tuesday), 6:30pm: Naturalist Presentation: Purple Martins in Lincoln County

Join Eric Horvath, a local naturalist and tour guide, to learn about our Purple Martins. Purple Martins are related to swallows and nest colonially in artificial boxes on pilings in Yaquina and Siletz Bay. Eric will show photos of these birds, present data on their population trend locally, and describe their nesting ecology. The meeting will be at the OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd in Newport. 

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS

You can be part of the oldest Community Science effort in the United States! We have three Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) in our area - Tillamook Bay, Lincoln City, and Yaquina Bay. If you live in one of the count circles, you can participate from your own backyard. If not, contact the coordinator to see about joining one of our teams!

• Tillamook Bay CBC Saturday December 16, contact Allison Anholt at allison.anholt@gmail.com

• Lincoln City CBC Sunday December 17, contact me at aslc@lincolncityaudubon.org

• Yaquina Bay CBC Friday December 29, contact Kai Frueh kaifrueh2@gmail.com 

More info...

WE ARE HIRING! 

We're excited to have received funding to help us as we grow. Part of the funding enables us to hire a new, part-time Development Coordinator to help us develop a sustainable funding base. Duties include identifying and managing grant opportunities, enhancing individual giving, and developing a planned giving program. This position will average 10 hours/week at $20/hour and is funded for three years. Applicants must live in Lincoln or Tillamook Counties. Applications are open until December 31, 2023, interviews will begin in January 2024, and the successful candidate will start on February 1, 2024. More info…

ARE YOU READY TO VOLUNTEER? 

We are looking for a few motivated folks who love birds and nature and are willing to serve on our ASLC Board of Directors. We meet monthly on the second Thursday. Meetings are held at our office in Lincoln City but are also hybrid so you don’t need to travel. If you’re interested, please let me know! 

If you’d like to volunteer, but not as a Board member, we have many other opportunities from one-time to ongoing, so just let us know what interests you. 

OREGON COAST BIRDCAST

Remember our fantastic podcasts? This was an informative and exciting experience for us as ASLC, and we’re sad that our podcast host, Paul Lask, was unable to continue to host them. We’re looking for a new host! If you’re interested in finding out more, please email me! You can check out prior podcasts here or look for Oregon Coast BirdCast wherever you get your podcasts. 

WILLAMETTE VALLEY BIRD SYMPOSIUM

We would like to send two members to the Willamette Valley Bird Symposium in Corvallis, Saturday, February 3, 2024. The Symposium is from 9am to 4pm and is held at the CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the Oregon State University campus. The Symposium features graduate students talking about their research projects and demonstrating exciting new techniques and equipment for field studies. 

Our Audubon chapter will take care of registration and pay for admission for two members selected to be our guests. All you have to do to qualify is reply to this email letting me know you’d like to participate. If we have more than two members interested, selection will be done by random drawing. Several of our board members will be attending and we’re excited to be able to extend this invitation as a special promotion to our members! More symposium info…

MEMBER SURVEY

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU. Please take a few minutes and fill out this simple survey to help us as we engage in the process of rebranding. It should only take a few moments and will really help us as we work through our next steps. Thank you for continuing to support and encourage us! 

THIS YEAR, GIVE THE GIFT OF WINGS!

As you consider your gift list this holiday season, consider giving a membership to the Audubon Society of Lincoln City (ASLC). Every membership supports our monthly bird walks with expert guides, our newsletter The Kingfisher, educational programs, community science, and conservation efforts to protect Oregon’s wildlife and habitat. And until January 31, 2024 - new, gift, or upgraded membership ($50 minimum) also includes a set of our bird stickers with images by our own certified natural science illustrator, Nora Sherwood. More info…

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

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November 2023

Dear Reader:

Our beautiful sunrise this morning indicates we have some wet weather ahead. And that’s prompted me to bring some firewood in, clean my gutters, and find a few good books to read. Those tasks accomplished, I’m now sitting down to draft the latest edition of eNews while dawn is away on vacation. Here we go:

Join a webinar to learn more about guidelines for drone use: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) wants to hear from the public as part of its process to develop guidelines for where drone users can safely fly their craft in Oregon state parks. Drones can disturb nesting seabirds and other wildlife, not to mention annoy park users. The informational webinar will be live streamed on YouTube on Wednesday, November 8, at 6 p.m. here. To learn more about the draft criteria and ask any questions you might have, register here .

Explorience a Salmon River bird walk: Mark Saturday, November 11, on your calendar. We’ll meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot at Knight Park and enjoy a two-hour walk by the river, alongside marshes, and through woodlands. Count on seeing a variety of waterfowl and raptors -- and learn more about our protected estuarine habitats and the birds and other wildlife that depend on them. Knight Park is at the west end of Three Rocks Road just north of Lincoln City. Sponsored by Explore Lincoln City and Lincoln City Parks and Recreation.

Save the date: We’re holding our annual Lincoln City Audubon birthday party at the Lincoln City Cultural Center on Wednesday, November 29, at 5 p.m. Highlights include a potluck dinner and fellowship (we’ll provide the hors d’oeuvres and drinks), guest speaker/author Cameron Cox who will entertain us with his tales of the trials and tribulations of being a professional birder, a brief recap of the first year of our Osprey monitoring program, and raffles for stays at hotels in Yachats (must be present to win). We look forward to seeing you there!

Consider volunteering: Our education team invites your participation! We’re expanding our education efforts and are looking for volunteers to help grow the program. We’re active with seniors, adults, and school-aged children (K-12) in the classroom and outdoors. We also plan and lead our bird walks and field occasional requests for ad-hoc field trips and presentations. Interested in helping coordinate programs, teach, or assist with walks or classes? Ready to sign up or would you like more information? Fill out this form or contact our education coordinator, Nora Sherwood, at nsherwood4art@gmail.com.

Thanks for your attention and, as dawn would say, let's keep working together for birds and nature!

Steve Griffiths

Conservation Chair

October 2023

Dear Reader,

As many of you know, for the past three years I’ve been running a program called Landscaping with Love #otisstrong (LWL). Our goal was to provide free plants, trees, grass seed, and tools to survivors of the September 2020 wildfires. This past Saturday we completed our work with a farewell/thank you celebration at our LWL greenhouse which is located on the property of one of the 300 fire survivors. It’s been a challenging, successful, heartrending, and joyful three years and I’m proud of all that we accomplished! It was bittersweet saying goodbye to my team of 10 volunteers who had worked with me from the very start. We did great work and are all ready for a break! 

So now let’s talk about ASLC

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU. Please take a few minutes and fill out this simple survey to help us as we engage in the process of rebranding. It should only take a few moments and will really help us as we work through our next steps. Thank you for continuing to support and encourage us! 

OCTOBER EVENTS

13th (Friday), 9-11am: EXPLORIENCE The Villages to Road’s End State Park! We will meet on the north end of NE Devil’s Lake Blvd (watch for our ASLC sign). More info… 

14th (Saturday), 11am-1pm: Our annual walk/drive along some of the best coastal rocky habitat - Boiler Bay to Otter Rock. Please note later start time due to the solar eclipse! More info…

NOTE: learn more about the effect of eclipses on birds and other wildlife and see how you can help collect data for science! 

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

18th November (Saturday): The 11th annual Cape Perpetua Land-Sea Symposium will be held November 18th - register soon as it fills up quickly! More info…

29th November (Wednesday): We’ll be having an ASLC Birthday Party again this year so SAVE THE DATE! We’ll have a potluck at 5pm at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. Our guest speaker will be Cameron Cox, a long-time avid birder and owner of Avocet Birding Courses. Cameron is the author of the newly released Terns of North America, a Photographic Guide and coauthor of The Peterson Reference Guide to Seawatching. You don’t want to miss it so watch for an eVite coming to your mailbox soon!

ARE YOU READY TO VOLUNTEER? 

Our education team needs you! Our chapter is expanding and deepening our education efforts, and we are currently looking for dedicated volunteers to help grow the program. We’re active with seniors, adults, and school-aged children (K-12) in the classroom and outdoors. We organize and lead our birdwalks and field requests for ad-hoc field trips and presentations in Lincoln and Tillamook counties. 

We’re looking for volunteers for everything from helping to coordinate programs to teaching to assisting with walks or classes. This can be a one-time or ongoing volunteer project for you! Up your alley? Ready to sign up or would you like more information? Fill out this form or contact our education coordinator, Nora Sherwood, at nsherwood4art@gmail.com.

OREGON COAST BIRDCAST

Episode 5 just hit the airwaves! You won’t want to miss The Fight for Oregon's Forests with Joseph Youren. Joseph ‘Joe’ Youren is our ASLC forestry issues advocate for our Conservation Action program. You can also check out prior podcasts here or look for Oregon Coast BirdCast wherever you get your podcasts. 

This has been an informative and exciting experience for us as ASLC, and we’re sad that our podcast host, Paul Lask, is unable to continue to host them. While we don’t plan to continue the podcasts at this time, we’ve learned many valuable lessons and hope to resurrect the project in the future, so stay tuned! 

OREGON AUDUBON COUNCIL (OAC)

We are one of 13 Audubon chapters in Oregon. We meet with the other chapters twice a year. In the Spring, we meet to discuss education and administrative issues and, in the fall, we meet to set conservation goals and priorities for the coming year. We value our close partnership with the other chapters, and our conservation initiatives are in sync with statewide OAC goals. This weekend, Steve Griffiths - our Conservation Action Team lead - and I will be heading to Klamath Falls for the OAC meeting. In addition to the conservation decisions, our chapter name changes will also be a main topic on the agenda. 

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

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September 2023

Dear Reader,

It’s already September! I’ve been so happy to see the recent rainfall and am hoping it will help to mitigate the wildfire danger in our beautiful home state. Meanwhile, we’re enjoying the beginnings of fall migrations - our Osprey and Rufous Hummingbirds are nearly ready to head out, shorebirds are passing through, and waterfowl will be arriving soon. And, as usual, we have lots going on so I hope you’ll read and enjoy our news! 

NAME CHANGE SURVEY!

As you know, we’re working with the other Oregon Audubon Chapters on dropping “Audubon” from our name. In addition, we want our name to reflect our service area, which is all of Lincoln and Tillamook counties. As one of our valued members, we want to hear from you! Please take a few minutes and fill out this simple survey. Thank you for continuing to support and encourage us! 

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

8th (Friday), 9-11am: EXPLORIENCE Cutler City Wetlands Open Space - a unique wooded wetlands habitat. We’ll meet at the pullout on SW 63rd just south of Lincoln City.  More info… 

9th (Saturday), 10am-noon: Our second-Saturday birdwalk takes us to Bayocean Spit! Please note later start time due to tides. More info…

16th (Saturday), 10am-1pm: Salmon River Cleanup with Midcoast Watersheds Council. Come help us clean up the Salmon River. This annual event is both fun and lots of hard work! More info and to register… If you’d like to represent Lincoln City Audubon, we’ll have vests you can wear while you work. 

RESERVE INSPIRATION

Our successful Marine Reserve art exhibition, Reserve Inspiration, is on display at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay and will run through September 22, 2023. Head on down to see the fabulous marine-reserve related art!

OREGON COAST BIRDCAST

Episode 4 just hit the airwaves! You won’t want to miss Coastal Habitat Conservation with Joe Liebezeit & Allison Anholt. Joe Liebezeit is the Assistant Conservation Director for Portland Audubon and Allison Anholt works for Portland Audubon as the Coastal Community Science Biologist. 

Check out all of our podcasts and be ready for the next by following us on Instagram, or look for Oregon Coast Birdcast wherever you hear your podcasts.

FALL BIRDING ON THE COAST

Be sure to check out the latest Expected Birds and Possible Finds on our Facebook page!

• September - Lincoln County

• September-October Tillamook County

FORESTRY UPDATE

The timber industry is once again turning up the pressure on the Board of Forestry to weaken habitat protections for salmon and wildlife. On September 7th in Salem, the Board will consider changes to core conservation areas under the State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan that would open up thousands of acres to clearcuts, all for the benefit of the timber industry. Oregon's state forests need your voice! 

Stand tall for healthy forests! Our forests keep rivers cool, prevent erosion, and sequester carbon in the fight against climate change. 

Learn the latest about how you can help us STAND TALL FOR OREGON!

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

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August 2023

Dear Reader,

As a supporter of our conservation efforts, you know that we, along with many other conservation organizations, have been fighting hard against the timber industry for a Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that protects wildlife, clean water, and public land access.

Right now, the Oregon Department of Forestry is finalizing an HCP that will affect the future of Oregon’s forests for generations to come. Now is the time to #StandTallOregon and let your elected officials know that you support a strong HCP!

Stand tall for healthy forests! Our forests keep rivers cool, prevent erosion, and sequester carbon in the fight against climate change. 

Learn more about how you can help us STAND TALL FOR OREGON! or click here to TAKE ACTION NOW!

AUGUST EVENTS

12th (Saturday): EXPLORIENCE Alder Island Loop Trail in the middle of Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge! We’ll meet in the parking area. More info… 

RESERVE INSPIRATION

Our successful Marine Reserve art exhibition, Reserve Inspiration, has traveled to the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay! The exhibition will run from July 7 through September 22, 2023. 

THE OSPREY OF LINCOLN CITY

Our Osprey babies are fledging! We hope you’re able to see them as they learn to fly and hunt for fish! Osprey Watch volunteers are continuing to keep track of them - we lost one fledgling at Alder Island but the rest seem to be doing well - and are quite noisy! Visit our Osprey Awareness webpage for photos!

OREGON COAST BIRDCAST

Thanks to Nissa, our Digital Media Coordinator, and Paul Lask, a teacher at Oregon Coast Community College - we now have our own podcast! We’ve published three so far - check them out by following us on Instagram, or look for Oregon Coast Birdcast wherever you hear your podcasts (below links are to Spotify)! 

Episode 1: The Osprey of Lincoln City

Episode 2: Birds & Wildfire with Dr. Jamie Cornelius

Episode 3: Amazing Migrations with Roy Lowe

BIRDING BASICS ADULT EDUCATION

We had our largest class ever this past June, with 21 adults enjoying lessons from Caren Willoughby, Laura Doyle, and Mark Elliott. This two week (four-day) class, held at the Lincoln City campus of Oregon Coast Community College, focuses on birds of the Oregon Coast, providing instruction on behavior and field marks to help you identify the birds you find here. Watch for our Fall registration information!

OUR NAME CHANGE

While we continue to work with the other Oregon Audubon Chapters, we’d also like to hear from you. We’ll be sending out a survey soon so watch for it! 

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

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July 2023

Dear Reader,

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Annual Meeting and Potluck! We had a great time and good food. We didn’t record the presentation, but here is a link to the Year in Review slide presentation for your enjoyment. 

JULY EVENTS

7th (Friday): Thanks to Explore Lincoln City, we have two ASLC bird walks again this month! EXPLORIENCE Nesika Park and enjoy the Osprey and their new chicks! 9am - 11am. More info…

8th (Saturday): Join us as we make our annual trip to Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Natural Area. We’ll meet in the headquarters parking lot at 9am. More info… 

22nd (Saturday): Yaquina Birders & Naturalists field trip: Kelly Perry, Lincoln County Park Operations Supervisor will lead this walk through Don Lindly Park in Waldport. More info…

6th, 10th, 11th: We encourage you to attend one of three town halls to learn more about the draft revised Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan. See below for information on how you can participate either in the town halls or by providing written comments. More info… or see below. 

RESERVE INSPIRATION

Our successful Marine Reserve art exhibition, Reserve Inspiration, has traveled to the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay! The exhibition will run from July 7 through September 22, 2023. The opening reception will be July 14 at the museum. 

2023 ELECTIONS

We are happy to introduce Jim Welch, co-director of SWIFTY (Swallows in Flight to Yachats). Jim is a new addition to our board, joined by incumbents Steve Griffiths, Ruth Shelly, Dennis White, and Joe Youren, who were all re-elected. We were pleased to honor Ruth as our 2022-23 Volunteer of the Year! Ruth has served as our Vice-president, Secretary, Outreach coordinator, newsletter editor, and event/field trip photographer. She is always willing to step up when there is a need. Congratulations, Ruth. 

THE OSPREY OF LINCOLN CITY

We have BABIES! Our wonderful Osprey Watch volunteers have spotted 21 chicks at 10 of the 13 active nest sites. We’ll be adding photos of the chicks and their parents to our Osprey Awareness webpage so keep checking back!

ON THE CONSERVATION FRONT

The Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan is being updated for the first time in 40 years. This plan guides Lincoln County, City of Newport, and City of Toledo in protecting the estuary’s species diversity and habitats while meeting community needs for appropriate development. The Plan not only has local significance, but will also serve as the prototype for updating other Oregon estuary management plans. 

As part of the process, the updated draft Plan is being shared with the public for review and feedback. Your feedback will be considered and incorporated into the final version of the Plan. Submit a comment urging that climate change be addressed and integrated in the plan. Take action here…

To participate in person (live or virtually), Town Halls are being hosted on July 6 (Newport Yacht Club), July 10 (Toledo City Council Chambers), and a July 11 (virtual town hall at zoom link). All town halls start at 6 PM. More info…

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

June 2023

Dear Reader,

We hope you enjoyed our Migratory Bird Day festival and the other activities around Lincoln and Tillamook counties! Be sure to check out our festival report! This month is already looking to be crazy-busy - our Beginning Birding class is underway at Oregon Coast Community College, we’re busy preparing for our June annual meeting and potluck (more below), farmer’s markets will be happening, various public meetings are scheduled, our newsletter was just printed (coming your way soon!), and we’re working with the City on new office space. Whew! 

JUNE EVENTS

9th (Friday): Thanks to Lincoln City Parks and Recreation, we have two ASLC bird walks again this month! Join us as we visit The Knoll Open Space, 9am - 11am. More info…

10th (Saturday): Join us on a trek to Ona Beach and Beavercreek SRA. We’ll meet at the Ona Beach parking lot at 9am. More info… 

17th (Wednesday): Yaquina Birders & Naturalists’ monthly meeting will feature “The Reverse Bucket List: How I Learned to Love Alligator Farms” presented by Ram Papish, 6:30pm at the OSU Extension Lincoln County.

22nd (Thursday): Annual Meeting and Potluck: Our annual potluck will be June 22rd at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. Potluck will be at 5pm followed by a brief business meeting and Year-in-Review presentation. We’ll provide plates, utensils, etc. and you’ll provide the food and beverages. I'll be sending out an email in advance of the potluck with more details!

Week of June 26th (exact dates TBD): We encourage you to attend one of the town halls to be held the week of June 26 in Newport to learn more about the draft revised Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan, which is due to be released this month. We’ll be sharing talking points on what we like and think needs to be added to the Plan to better care for the estuarine habitats and species dependent upon them. More info…

2023 ELECTIONS

We are looking for new Board members! If you love what we are accomplishing and want to become more involved, we would love to have you on our Board of Directors or serve as a volunteer for one of our programs. We will be taking nominations from the floor at our meeting and you are welcome to self-nominate! 

THE OSPREY OF LINCOLN CITY

Our Osprey Awareness Initiative is well underway - we have a dozen volunteers who are monitoring the 14 Lincoln City nests. We have a wonderful new interactive map of the nests, and a beautiful brochure with a handy guide to the Lincoln City nests. More info…

SWIFTY REPORT

It has been almost two months since the swallows and other birds started checking out the 197 boxes that we are monitoring. We want to share our success at this stage. There have been at least 111 nesting attempts, over 200 eggs counted, 25 young, and 6 fledges. The majority of these are Tree and Violet-green Swallows, though some are Chickadees, Wood Ducks and Mergansers. Purple Martins (PUMAs) arrive much later than the swallows and are now just starting to initiate nesting activity. We are optimistic that two of our three sites (Hatfield Estuary Trail and the Alsea Marina) will have nesting pairs. The third set of PUMA boxes, installed at Beaver Creek State Park, got taken over by tree swallows. More info...

ON THE CONSERVATION FRONT

We want to express our sincere thanks to all of you who testified this morning in person or online in support of a strong Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for state forests in western Oregon, in particular Alternative 3. We owe Joe a special thank-you for leading the charge and working tirelessly with the Forest Coalition to build support for a strong HCP. Joe reports that our strong presence in the public testimony round this morning was noted and appreciated by the bigger conservation groups in the coalition. 

More than 60 people testified at the BoF meeting this morning. Supporters of a strong HCP outnumbered opponents two to one. The second phase of public testimony will occur this afternoon. In his opening comments, Chair Kelly mentioned that a vote on the HCP likely will not take place until this November. He addressed some of the hyperbole and misrepresentations directed at the HCP. Opponents to an HCP say it will result in a 34% decrease in areas available for logging. In fact, adoption of an HCP would result in a mere 5% change. More info...

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

May 2023

Dear Reader,

May is here and we’re busy getting ready for our Migratory Bird Day festival! This year, we’re partnering with several other groups to advertise all of the events in Lincoln and Tillamook counties. Be sure to check out our event page!  We’re also busy preparing for our June annual meeting and potluck, and are looking for folks who share our mission and are interested in serving on the ASLC Board! We hold our monthly meetings virtually, so there’s no travel involved other than special occasions like our annual meeting. Please consider it! 

Before I launch into our news and activities, let’s talk about our name. As you know, National Audubon Society considered and rejected the proposal to drop the name of John James Audubon, a known owner of enslaved people who held white supremacist views. At the same time, large urban Audubon chapters such as Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco reached the opposite conclusion, determining that retaining the name was contrary to their efforts to be inclusive of all people. Our chapter has been meeting regularly with the 14 other Oregon chapters to discuss the name and how we are each going to respond. While voicing different concerns, for the most part the Oregon chapters were dismayed by National Audubon’s decision and hope that we can work together locally to choose new names that reflect our shared values and mission--and hopefully offset the fragmentation caused by losing the nationally recognized name.

Our own Board of Directors supports dropping Audubon from our name. At the same time, we are looking for a name that more closely reflects our service area, which is all of Lincoln and Tillamook Counties, not just Lincoln City as our current name reflects. We will continue working with the other Oregon chapters and keep you posted on what develops. We appreciate your continued support through this process.  

MAY EVENTS

7th (Sunday): Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS will host, “The Magic of Migration,” by Ram Papish, professional bird enthusiast, at 9am in Netarts. The presentation will be followed by a bird watching excursion to Netarts Bay from 10:15am-12:30pm. More info… 

11th (Thursday): Hatfield Marine Science Center will host an informational seminar, “Translating Research to Policymakers: Launch of the Handbook of Western Hemisphere Avian Conservation Series” with Oregon State University professor Susan Haig. This talk will be held at Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport at 3pm. More info…

12th (Friday): Thanks to Lincoln City Parks and Recreation, we have two ASLC bird walks again this month! Join us as we visit Cutler City Open Space and Siletz Bay, 9am - 11am. More info…

13th (Saturday): Help us kick off ASLC’s Migratory Bird Day festivities with a bird walk and picnic (bring your own) at Sitka Sedge State Natural Area. Meet at the parking lot at 10am (please note later time). More info… 

Also on Saturday, May 13th, we’re excited to host an in-person Migratory Bird Day festival on Saturday, May 13, at Oregon Coast Community College in Lincoln City. 

• 3:15pm, meet at the college for a walk to the Taft HS Osprey nest - learn more about our local Osprey and get your Home of the Osprey decal!

• 4:00pm, join us in the Community Room at the college for activities for kids and adults plus LIVE RAPTORS courtesy of Chintimini Wildlife Center - play the migration game, make your own Osprey mask, and see live raptors!

• 5:30pm, we'll have light refreshments while we get set up for our evening program. 

• 6:00pm: Roy Lowe will share his Snowy Plover knowledge, adventures, and photographs with us. Following Roy, the Lincoln City Audubon Osprey team will share our photos and adventures with the Osprey of Lincoln City! 

More info…

NOTE: We could still use some volunteers to help from 3:30 to 7:30pm at the college. Let me know if you’d like to help. 

Other Migratory Bird Day events on May 13th:

• Lower Nehalem Community Trust: Bird walks, bird watching stations, and kids’ activities. 

• Oregon Coast Aquarium: Bird watching, crafts, and bird habitat presentations

• Yaquina Head & Yaquina Bay Estuary: Park interpretation, kids’ activities, and bird walk at Yaquina Bay

• Cape Perpetua will have birders with spotting scopes stationed at Yachats Viewing Deck, Thor's Well, and Heceta Head Lighthouse from 11am to 1pm. There will also be a guided hike from the visitor center to the Giant Spruce at 11am.

17th (Wednesday): Yaquina Birders & Naturalists’ monthly meeting will feature “Land of the Midnight Sun” presented by Roy W. Lowe, 6:30pm at the OSU Extension Lincoln County. More info…

ON THE CONSERVATION FRONT

Mark Your Calendars! At its meeting in Sisters on June 7th, the Oregon Board of Forestry will offer a key opportunity for public testimony. The timber industry is intent on derailing a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for state forests that’s been years in the making. This is our chance to speak up for fish and wildlife habitat, wild rivers, outdoor recreation, clean drinking water, and sustainable forestry practices -- all of the things we Oregonians treasure. The most powerful way to support the HCP is by testifying in person or online on June 7. In the coming weeks, we will share talking points with you and let you know how you can register to testify. 

ROCKY HABITAT

As you know, the Land Conservation and Development Commission unanimously approved our Marine Conservation Area (MCA) proposals for Cape Foulweather and Cape Lookout. We’ve just received some additional funding to continue our work to create stewardship, education, and community science opportunities at these sites with a goal to protect nearshore habitats while still allowing access and appropriate use. 

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

April 2023

Dear Reader,

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for these winter storms to pass us by! In spite of the weather, our local birds are pairing up and some are building nests. Keep an eye out for birds with nesting material in their beaks. And, best of all, the Osprey are back! In Lincoln City, we have reports in from 9 of the 14 nests being watched - all but one have pairs at the nests! We’re working on an interactive map so we can share the results with you and let you know where to go to find them. 

APRIL EVENTS

5TH: Yaquina Bay Estuary Open House and listening session. Join us at the Newport Public Library, tomorrow, Wednesday, April 5 between 4pm and 7pm to learn more about the Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan! More info… 

6TH: MidCoast Watersheds Council’s monthly meeting will feature Paul Engelmeyer talking about Big Trees and Endangered Species: Conserving Wilderness from Cape Perpetua to Heceta Head. Thursday, April 6 at 6:30pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center or by Zoom. More info…

7TH: Thanks to Lincoln City Parks and Recreation, we have two ASLC bird walks this month! 

ASLC bird walk: Join us this Friday as we walk through The Villages Open Space to Road’s End SP in Lincoln City on Friday, April 7 at 9am. More info…

8TH: ASLC bird walk: This Saturday, we will visit Two Rivers Loop trail at the Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Join us at the main parking lot Saturday, April 8 at 10am (please note later time). More info… 

Also on Saturday, April 8, Hatfield Marine Science Center brings us Marine Science Day with activities all day. More info…

COMING IN MAY!

Once again, we’re excited to host an in-person Migratory Bird Day festival on Saturday, May 13, at Oregon Coast Community College in Lincoln City. I’m looking for a few volunteers to help with children’s crafts, serve refreshments, or set up and clean up. Please message me if you’re available and would like to help! 

SWIFTY REPORT

SWIFTY is working hard to get our dozen projects in the ground as the Tree and Violet-green Swallows have already started arriving and the Purple Martins (PUMA) will be here soon. All except one Swallow box project (Ona Beach) is complete. We have installed the PUMA pole for the Waldport docks and for Beaver Creek State Park. The last PUMA project is going in on Wednesday at Hatfield Science Center.  If you are curious and want to watch, come by between 10am and 11:30am. We’ll be gathering at the far east end of the parking lot across from the Hatfield Visitor Center where the jetty juts north to the pump house.

SWIFTY is doing two projects with MidCoast Watersheds Council in the Beaver Creek valley with boxes for swallows and ducks. Their efforts to restore wetlands and support habitats for wildlife and trees is critical. If you would like to learn more about their efforts, please attend remotely or in person the presentation they are giving in Newport (see above).

ON THE CONSERVATION FRONT

MARINE RESERVES

We were thrilled to have over 60 people attend our celebration of ten years of Oregon’s Marine Reserves! Dr. Lindsay Aylesworth gave a great presentation and the audience had very good questions for her. We all enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and beverages and had a great time mingling among the Marine Reserve booths with the other guests. 

ROCKY HABITAT

Our Cape Lookout and Cape Foulweather Complex proposals are reaching the final stretch! 

The Land Conservation and Development Commission will be considering and possibly voting on our rocky habitat Marine Conservation Area (MCA) proposals for Cape Foulweather and Cape Lookout. These two cherished places along our coast are home to thousands of nesting seabirds, kelp forests, and a rich biodiversity of marine life from tiny nudibranchs to behemoth whales, and these designations will provide stewardship, education, and community science opportunities to protect nearshore habitats while still allowing access and appropriate use. 

You can make a difference by emailing casaria.taylor@state.or.us at the Department of Land Conservation Development to express your support for the Cape Foulweather and Cape Lookout MCAs. Public comments must be emailed by April 10 in advance of the Commission meeting on April 19-21. The Commission will also be looking at four other proposed site designations: MCAs at Ecola Point, Fogarty Creek, Blacklock Point, and a Marine Garden Area at Chapman Point.

YAQUINA ESTUARY MANAGEMENT PLAN

What is the Yaquina Estuary Management Plan? 

The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, in partnership with Lincoln County, the City of Newport, the Port of Newport, the City of Toledo, and the Port of Toledo is updating the 1982 Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan to address changes in bay conditions and in Lincoln County, as well as issues not previously accounted for in 1982 such as climate change. The Plan guides where and how future development occurs in the estuary as well as identifies what natural areas and resources need to be protected..

Why it matters

Estuaries are among the most productive — and threatened — ecosystems on the planet. In Oregon, they link the state’s famed forests, rivers, and coasts and sustain marine wildlife, including salmon, seabirds, Dungeness crab, oysters, and forage fish— which, in turn, support Tribal Nations and Oregon’s economy. These areas also help reduce the effects of climate change by storing greenhouse gasses, lessening the effects of ocean acidification, and safeguarding coastal communities from more intense and frequent storms and floods.

That’s the news for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

February 2023

Dear Reader,

It’s February and it’s cold! I’ve taken to wearing heavy sweaters or sweatshirts, even around the house. And when Caren and I go on our winter raptor surveys, we both are wearing 4 or 5 layers. Brrr! But plant and seed catalogs are arriving and spring is just around the corner. And, as always, we’ve got some fun things lined up! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

We have several events coming up this month and next. We hope to see you at some of them! 

• Science at the Pub

We’re excited to be hosting our first ever “Science at the Pub” event. We’ve invited Tom Calvanese, founder of the Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA), to talk about efforts to restore and maintain healthy kelp forests on the Oregon coast. Join us at Pelican Brewing in Pacific City, Wednesday, February 8th at 6pm. More info…

• February Bird Walk

Join us as we walk through Friends of the Wildwood open space in Lincoln City on Saturday, February 11 at 9am. More info...

• Naturalist Presentation

On Thursday, February 16 at 6:30pm, Robert Bailey will join the Yaquina Birders and Naturalists in Newport for a presentation on Sea Otters in Oregon: the Road to Return. More info…

• Great Backyard Bird Count

This fun, free, family event takes place from February 17-20. Everyone is welcome to participate! It takes as little as 15 minutes, or you can count each day for as long as you like. More info...

If you're interested, but not sure you can identify the birds in your backyard, there's a special webinar on Wednesday, February 15th at 11am. Click here to register... (Note: this is not an ASLC webinar). 

We will report the Lincoln and Tillamook county results after the count so let's see how well our two counties can do!

• Oregon Marine Reserve Awareness

On Wednesday, March 15 at 5:30pm, Dr. Lindsay Aylesworth will help us celebrate 10 years of Oregon Marine Reserves! Join us for a social hour with complimentary snacks and beverages, during which you can browse the Marine Reserve tables, followed by her presentation. Join us and pick up your own set of our Marine Reserve decals! More info… 

ACTION ALERT!

We are joining our Forest Coalition partners to advance a critical piece of climate legislation in the current session of the Oregon legislature — the Natural Climate Solutions bill (SB 530). Natural climate solutions are critical for fighting climate change and protecting our forests, farms, grasslands, and wetlands.  This legislation will support simple, proven solutions for reducing the future impacts of climate change.

• Planting more trees in urban areas;

• Protecting and recovering drinking watersheds and wetlands;

• Planting cover crops on agricultural lands; 

• Supporting longer logging rotations on private lands;

• Protecting mature and old-growth forests on public lands; and 

• Protecting coastal communities from sea-level rise and storm surge.

Please help us get this bill safely over the finish line this session. Tell Representatives David Gomberg and Cyrus Javadi, and Senators Dick Anderson and Suzanne Weber how important it is to coastal residents that they act now to address climate change and its impacts on our communities. 

YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE REPORT

Our annual year end drive was a huge success with 10 new members and 30 renewal upgrades. We sent out 17 calendars, 8 sets of our new ASLC bird stickers, and 6 sets of our new Oregon Marine Reserves decals. Our membership is the highest it’s ever been, with 139 memberships (compared to 121 last year). We are excited by the growth and the opportunity to make a difference for birds and their habitats in our two-county service area! Thank you for continuing to support us! 

COMING SOON!

Our World Migratory Bird Day festival is back! We have activities and presentations lined up for Saturday, May 13th. If you’d like to help us plan or volunteer to help with the event that day, let me know!

Let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

January 2023

Dear Reader,

2023 is here and we are hoping for a year that is a little less challenging than the past two or three have been. Our Audubon chapter has so much going on this year - we really hope that one or two of our projects catches your interest so you can help us do great things for birds in 2023! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOTE: The planned Lincoln City birdwalk at Regatta Park, originally scheduled for tomorrow, January 6th, has been cancelled. 

Saturday, January 7, 9-11am - ASLC Bird Walk:

Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) Nature Trail and Yaquina Bay South Jetty

Please note: this walk replaces our usual “second Saturday” walk.

Yaquina Bay regularly hosts thousands of wintering waterfowl. After walking the trail, we’ll drive to the south jetty as time permits. We should see Harlequin and other diving ducks, loons, and other wintering birds. This trip offers short easy walks to viewing areas.

Location: Meet in the HMSC visitor center parking lot.

Thursday, January 19, 6:30am - Yaquina Birders and Naturalists Presentation:

The Beach Birds of Monomoy Just 3,290 miles east of Newport, OR lies Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge.  It's a barrier beach system off of the elbow of Cape Cod and it harbors a wide diversity of beach nesting birds. Join speaker Kate Iaquinto and learn more about the management of common, least and roseate terns, piping plovers, and American oystercatchers. Iaquinto is the Deputy Project Leader for the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. She has worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service for 15 years, most recently as the refuge manager at Bandon Marsh NWR. Previously, she served for ten years as the Wildlife Biologist for Monomoy NWR on Cape Cod in Chatham, Massachusetts.

Location: OSU Extension Lincoln County, 1211 SE Bay Blvd, Newport, OR

Wednesday, February 8, 6:30pm - Science at the Pub in Pacific City

Tom Calvanese of the Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA) will present their work on saving the kelp forests on the Oregon coast. 

Location: Pelican Brewing, 33180 Cape Kiwanda Dr, Pacific City, OR

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT REPORTS

Tillamook Bay CBC Saturday December 17th: The 58th Tillamook Bay CBC had the highest number of species in 11 years! Our 34 volunteers of all ages, experts and beginners, found 144 species. Last year, with terrible weather, we only had 119 species. 

New high counts for many species including Anna’s Hummingbird with 176 (previous high 75 in 2018), Bald Eagle - 90 (previous high 83 in 2018), Red-shouldered Hawk - 13 (previous high 8 in 2015), and Black Phoebe - 52 (previous high 31 in 2021). Five owl species were reported: Barred, Short-eared, Northern Pygmy, Barn, and Great Horned.

Lincoln City CBC Sunday December 18th: We had 27 field counters and 12 backyard counters this year - a really great turnout. Our tally was 127 total species this year! This is the 2nd highest we've had since we started the count in 2013. 

Best birds for the count were a White-tailed Kite spotted by one of our backyard counters, Jane Boyden, two Tundra Swans on Devils Lake, and Phil Pickering ID'd our first ever Franklin's Gull during his seawatch. 

Yaquina Bay CBC Wednesday December 28th: The Yaquina Bay CBC had 33 participants and totalled 142 species. 

Highlights included a very cooperative American Golden Plover along South Jetty Way, a Marbled Godwit at Hatfield Marine Science Center, two Snow geese along Beaver Creek, and a White-breasted Nuthatch along the North Bay road. 

We had decent weather for all three of the counts and we had a great volunteer turnout. We hope to see you at the counts next year! 

YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

We have enough calendars to extend our year-end membership drive through January! Upgrade your membership or give a gift of a Wood Duck $50 or more ASLC membership and your gift recipient will get your choice of: 

• a beautiful 2023 calendar, or

• a set of four 3” ASLC bird stickers, or 

• a set of five 3” Oregon Marine Reserve decals. 

All of these items were designed and illustrated by our own Nora Sherwood, local scientific wildlife illustrator! More info...

We have lots of exciting projects and events coming up this year - stay tuned for more information on these! And we need volunteers in several areas - please reach out if you want more information. 

I’ll be sending out a separate email with updates on our Marine Reserves, Rocky Habitat, and other conservation-related efforts. 

Let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

December 2022

Dear reader,

We had a great time on our family vacation - we took our grandson to Disneyworld for his birthday then we all headed to Nassau in the Bahamas to relax. None of the family had been there before so it was a new experience. Desi and I took a half-day birding trip to the west end of the island with a wonderful guide and added 20 new birds to our life list, then met at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for a sunset cruise. But the best part was spending time with our kids and grandson - a priceless experience!

ROCKY HABITAT CONSERVATION UPDATE

We are almost there!

Do you want to help protect ecologically important rocky habitat? The Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) will meet on December 9 to vote on our proposals to designate nearshore rocky habitat at Cape Foulweather and Cape Lookout as marine conservation areas. You can show your support by attending via Zoom or in-person at the Mill Casino in North Bend. The agenda for the December 9 meeting and Zoom registration information is here. We could not have gotten this far in our efforts to protect these special places without your help. OPAC will also be voting on designating four other rocky habitat sites on our beautiful Oregon coast. These designations will ensure these astounding sites are there forever to provide habitat for seabirds and marine life while also maintaining access for their responsible use and enjoyment. More info… 

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS

You can be part of the oldest Community Science effort in the United States! We have three Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) in our area - Tillamook Bay, Lincoln City, and Yaquina Bay. If you live in one of the count circles, you can participate from your own backyard. If not, come on out and join one of our teams.

• Tillamook Bay CBC Saturday December 17th, contact Kathy Krall krallfamily@comcast.net

• Lincoln City CBC Sunday December 18th, contact Halle Renn aslcoregon@gmail.com

• Yaquina Bay CBC Wednesday December 28th, contact Kai Frueh kaifrueh2@gmail.com  

More info...

JANUARY BIRD WALKS

We are again contracting with the city of Lincoln City to offer additional walks in 2023. In January, we start with Regatta Park and Devils Lake on Friday, January 6, 9-11am. The next day we’ll have our regular second Saturday walk. This one will be at OSU HMSC Nature Trail and Yaquina Bay South Jetty, Saturday, January 7, 9-11am. Mark your calendars!

INTRODUCING THE SWIFTYs

SWIFTY (Swallows in Flight to Yachats) is a group, based in Yachats, who build and monitor nesting boxes for birds. Their main focus has been on boxes for swallows (tree and violet-green), but they also do boxes for chickadees, ducks, owls and purple martins. Partnerships in the coming year include Lincoln City Audubon, Oregon State Parks, US Fish and Wildlife, Hatfield Science Center, City of Waldport, and Port of Alsea. They are seeking volunteers and donations to support these projects. If you’re interested in helping with money or time or have a project in mind, contact Jim Welch 970-217-4424 (text or voice) jameswelch1009@gmail.com or Wally Orchard 541-606-0055 wallyorchard@outlook.com. View their video here.   

BIRTHDAY PARTY POTLUCK

We had a great time celebrating our 17th birthday and raising some money for our programs! Sarah Swanson presented her new coastal bird guide and signed copies, while Nissa Parker, our new Digital Media Coordinator, revealed our new website. More info..

WE HAVE A NEW LOOK!

Check out our redesigned web page! Our new digital media coordinator, Nissa Parker, did a fantastic job of giving our web page a new look. It is now even easier to find out about events, outings, and coastal conservation news. 

!YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!

It's time again for our year-end membership drive. Give a gift of a Wood Duck $50 or more ASLC membership and your gift recipient will get your choice of: 

• a beautiful 2023 calendar, or

• a set of four 3” ASLC bird stickers, or 

• A set of five 3” Oregon Marine Reserve decals. 

All three are designed and illustrated by our own Nora Sherwood, local scientific wildlife illustrator! Prefer to have your own? Upgrade or renew your own membership to Wood Duck or higher! More info...

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

November 2022

Dear Nissa,

We are heading out for a family vacation this week so I'm emailing this a little early! We'll be joining my son and his family to visit my daughter in Orlando, then the whole gang will head to Nassau for a few days. After that, my hubby and I will spend a week in the Keys - can't wait for some family time! 

NOVEMBER BIRD WALK

This is our traditional visit to the mouth of the Salmon River! Join us Saturday, Nov 12th at 9am at Knight Park. This walk is also part of the Lincoln City Exploriences program - come with us and earn your EXPLORIENCE passport! More info...

TRACKING FALL MIGRATION

There's a cool new migration tracking tool that everyone can access - and you can zero in on your own county to see how many birds are flying overhead as they migrate, mostly at night. Last night, an estimated 66,500 birds flew over Tillamook County! 

Lincoln County tracking...

Tillamook County tracking...

OREGON AUDUBON COUNCIL

We had a fantastic meeting last weekend hosting the Oregon Audubon Council. The council, consisting of two representatives from each of the 13 Oregon chapters, meets each year to set our joint conservation priorities. We met at Oregon Coast Community College all day, then went to St James Santiago church for a catered dinner followed by a fun presentation by Cameron Cox, owner of Avocet Birding Courses.

SAVE THE DATE: ASLC Birthday Party Potluck

Saturday, November 19th

Our ASLC chapter was founded in November 2005, and it's time to celebrate our birthday! Join us as we launch our new website and take a tour of its features. Noted author Sarah Swanson will talk about her new book, Best Little Book of Birds: The Oregon Coast, and sign copies! Finally, we'll have a fundraising raffle--you'll be able to purchase tickets to win original artwork, a telescope with tripod, and other fantastic prizes.

We hope to make this an annual birthday event. Mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Lincoln City Cultural Center the evening of November 19th.

!YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!

It's time again for our year-end membership drive. Give a gift of a Wood Duck $50 or more ASLC membership and your gift recipient will get your choice of either

• a beautiful 2022 calendar, or

• a set of 4 ASLC bird stickers. 

Both are designed and illustrated by our own Nora Sherwood, local scientific wildlife illustrator! Prefer to have your own? Upgrade or renew your own membership to Wood Duck or higher! More info...

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President

Audubon Society of Lincoln City

October 2022

Dear Reader,

Fall migration is happening - have you heard the Cackling Geese flying over? Or the Swainson's Thrush high-pitched music at night?

OCTOBER BIRD WALKS

Join us tomorrow, Friday, Oct 7th at 9am for one of our most popular walks through The Villages Open Space to the beach! Come with us and earn your Lincoln City Explorience passport!

This Saturday, Oct 8th is our popular driving/walking tour of Lincoln rocky habitats from Boiler Bay to Devil's Punch Bowl.

ACTION ALERT ~ LIGHTS OUT FOR BIRDS!
“Up to a billion birds die in window strikes every year because of daytime reflections or nighttime lights,” writes Margaret Renkl in a recent guest essay in The New York Times.

Here on the coast we’re right smack in the middle of the fall migration. What can you do to help ensure a safe passage for the thousands of birds flying by at night? Take one simple action: Turn off the lights! And keep them off for the next two weeks, starting tonight!

According to Renkl, turning off lights reduces bird mortality significantly. She offers these tips for homeowners: 1) turn off decorative lights; and 2) switch to a lower wattage bulb for necessary lights (or install lights triggered by motion detectors).

Lights-out initiatives are spreading across the country. Many cities, large and small, are working to create safe passage for migrating birds. It’s time for communities along the Oregon coast to do the same -- and remember to Turn off the lights!

ROCKY HABITAT PROPOSALS ONE STEP CLOSER

Last week, we presented our two site proposals for rocky habitat designations to the Ocean Advisory Policy Council (OPAC). We are proposing Marine Conservation Area designations for the nearshore rocky habitats at Cape Foulweather and Cape Lookout as part of Oregon’s Rocky Habitat Management Strategy. We shared with OPAC members the wild beauty and rich biodiversity of seabirds and marine life of these two special places. We also talked about how community-based education and stewardship programs, rather than regulatory restrictions, will guide management to ensure current and future generations can enjoy these sites. OPAC will vote on these two proposed MCAs along with four other proposals later this year. For more information about ASLC’s rocky habitat proposals, visit our page the Oregon Coast Rocks.

STATE OF THE COAST CONFERENCE COMES TO NEWPORT
This year’s State of the Coast Conference will be held on November 5 in Newport at the Hatfield Marine Science Center’s new Gladys Valley Marine Science Studies building. Scientists, artists, fisher folks, and community members will gather to share fun learning opportunities about Oregon’s marine environment and current related conservation issues.

Keynote speaker Dr. Charlotte Coté is an Associate Professor in American Indian Studies at the University of Washington. She has dedicated her personal and academic life to creating awareness around Indigenous health and wellness issues and in working with Indigenous peoples and communities in revitalizing their traditional foodways. Her most recent book, A Drum in one Hand, A Sockeye in the Other. Stories of Indigenous Food Sovereignty from the Northwest Coast, explores how traditional foods play a major role in physical, emotional, spiritual, and dietary wellness.

Other programs include a guided walk of Yaquina Bay estuary, the role of beavers in climate change, Sitka Center Art and Ecology workshop, an update on the first ten years of the marine reserves, and many more exciting programs. Registration is required. Hope to see you there!

BIRD STICKERS

Don't forget to show your Audubon pride with our beautiful new 3" bird stickers, featuring illustrations by our own Nora Sherwood, available in sets of 4 for $10! Purchase online or mail a check. More info...

OREGON AUDUBON COUNCIL

Next week we're hosting the Fall Conservation meeting of the Oregon Audubon Council. The council, consisting of two representatives from each of the 13 Oregon chapters, meets each year to set our joint conservation priorities.

SAVE THE DATE: ASLC Birthday Party Potluck

Saturday, November 19th
We're launching a new website and want to celebrate while we show you the new features, and introduce you to Nissa Parker, who designed our new website and is joining us as our new Digital Media Coordinator.

We hope to make this an annual birthday event. Mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Lincoln City Cultural Center the evening of November 19th.

!YEAR END MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!

It's time again for our year-end membership drive. Give a gift of a Wood Duck $50 or more ASLC membership and your gift recipient will get a beautiful 2022 calendar designed and illustrated by our own Nora Sherwood, local scientific wildlife illustrator!

Prefer to have your own? Upgrade or renew your own membership to Wood Duck or higher! More info...

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President Audubon Society of Lincoln City

September 2022

Dear Reader,

The months keep sneaking up on me! Can you believe it's already time for school!?! Fall migration is already in full swing and much is happening.

SEPTEMBER BIRD WALKS

Join us this Friday, Sept 9th at 9am while we meander through Cutler City Open Space. If we have time, we'll walk over to the bay and try to pick out some migrating shorebirds! Come with us and earn your Lincoln City Explorience badge!

On Saturday, Sept 10th we will travel east to Baskett Slough, meeting at 9am. Bring a picnic lunch and those who want to can drive over to Mill Creek park for a bring- your-own picnic and a little more birding!

SAVING OUR KELP FORESTS

As part of our Rocky Habitat Campaign, we're working with the Oregon Kelp Alliance to cull purple sea urchins from some of our fragile kelp forests. Last month, we were excited to team up with them and other partners at Cape Kiwanda. Read about it here!

FARMERS MARKET APPEARANCES

We had a booth at the Newport and Lincoln City farmers and crafters markets in the past few weeks - we enjoyed meeting lots of new people and sharing our programs, especially our Coastal Habitat work (rocky habitats, marine reserves, and estuary management). We have one more planned in Manzanita this month. We had such a good time that we plan to do this more next year in our two counties!

NEW BIRD STICKERS

We have beautiful new 3" bird stickers, featuring illustrations by our own Nora Sherwood, available in sets of 4 for $10 (or purchase individually for $3 each). They make a great addition to your water bottle or notebooks and are a great way to help us raise money for our programs while showing your ASLC pride! Purchase online or mail a check. More info...

OREGON AUDUBON COUNCIL

Next month we're hosting the Fall Conservation meeting of the Oregon Audubon Council. The council, consisting of two representatives from each of the 13 Oregon chapters, meets each year to set our joint conservation priorities. Thanks to Oregon Coast Community College, St James / Santiago Espiscopal Church, and Connie Hansen Gardens for hosting the various events.

SAVE THE DATE: ASLC Birthday Party Potluck

Saturday, November 19th
We're launching a new website and want to celebrate while we show you the new features. We hope to make this an annual birthday event. Mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President Audubon Society of Lincoln City

August 2022

Dear Reader,

Well, somehow I missed July - and now August is here! I hope you enjoyed the summer issue of The Kingfisher and want to thank all of you who were able to attend our annual potluck! We had a great time and enjoyed good food and some fond reminiscing with Caren.

BILL HENDERSON

We were sad to lose our good friend Bill Henderson last month. Read our brief tribute to Bill here.

AUGUST BIRD WALK

Join us on Saturday, August 13th at 9am for one of our most popular bird walks! We'll meet at the Alder Island Loop Trail parking lot just south of Lincoln City, an easy 1 mile trail. Come with us and earn your Lincoln City
Explorience badge!

BIRDS OF LINCOLN & TILLAMOOK

I hope you've had a chance to visit our new Facebook group and join the fun sharing the latest photos and sightings of birds, whales, deer, elk, and other wildlife! Every month we share a report from each county thanks to members Kathy & Michael Krall (Tillamook county) and Liz Laver-Holencik (Lincoln County). If you use Facebook, you'll want to try it!

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

We are happy to announce our new board members and officers. Joining us as directors are Evan Hayduk (MidCoast Watersheds Council), Jim Carlson (Coast Range Association), and Rick Marks of Lincoln City. Janet Bleck is our new Secretary and Ruth Shelly is our new Vice-president. I was reelected and will continue to serve as President/Treasurer. Also reelected were Steve Griffiths, who will continue to serve as Conservation chair, and Nora Sherwood, who will take over as Education coordinator. Meet our board members...

COMMITTEES UPDATE

We have three core programs and would love to have your participation on one of them!

Education: Nora Sherwood is taking over for Caren Willoughby as our education coordinator. Caren will continue to teach, and will also continue to serve as our Bird Walk coordinator. Our education program features classroom and field programs for adults and children.

Conservation: Steve Griffiths will continue as our conservation chair. Our conservation action team focuses on climate change and its effects on coastal habitats, forests, water, and wildlife.

Community Science: Our coordinator position is currently vacant. The community science team manages our Christmas Bird Counts and partners with Portland Audubon and local groups such as Friends of Otter Rock on monitoring and surveying along our coastline. If you have an interest in serving as our Community Science coordinator, let me know.

In addition to our core programs, we have projects such as our 2023 Lincoln City Osprey Campaign to celebrate the successful nesting of more than a dozen pair of Osprey in our home city, and events like our annual World Migratory Bird Day festival which we will be holding next spring after a brief hiatus.

If any of the above pique your interest, please contact me and I'll put you in touch with the coordinator!

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President Audubon Society of Lincoln City

June 2022

Dear Reader,

It's June already! Our newsletter, The Kingfisher, is at the printer and should be in your mailbox soon! Meanwhile, we are gearing up for our annual meeting and potluck on the 23rd! Busy and productive, as always, but we could sure use your help! We need a couple of folks who are organized and like things like taking notes to serve on our Board as secretary or treasurer. No need to be a bird-nerd, just a friendly and willing person! Our monthly meetings are hybrid, so you don't have to live in or commute to Lincoln City. Please consider it and let me know.

SUMMER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY:
OTTER ROCK MARINE RESERVE
Friends of Otter Rock is holding a training session for their interpretive volunteer program tomorrow, Saturday, June 4th. The link in the bottom-right corner of the flyer takes you to a Google Form, where people can sign up and read a longer description of the event and our program. View information flyer or visit bit.ly/OtterRockTraining2022 for more information and to sign up.

JUNE BIRD WALKS

Once again, thanks to Lincoln City Parks & Rec, we have two walks this month! Our special Lincoln City bird walk is next Friday, June 10th at 9am. We had to make a last minute change because the boardwalk at Hostetler Park is still closed, so we will be visiting Regatta Park and Devils Lake again, but this time enjoying spring migrating and nesting birds!

Our regular Second Saturday walk is next Saturday, June 11th at 9am. We'll meet at Ona Beach in Newport and enjoy the birds in the park and beach, then on to Beaver Creek for more bird action.

COASTAL BIRD MONITORING OPPORTUNITIES

On another note - Are you interested in monitoring Black Oystercatchers or Snowy Plover on the North or Central coast?

The Snowy Plover monitoring requires in-depth training, but the rewards of seeing those tiny chicks are great!

The Black Oystercatcher monitoring requires very little training and an obligation of weekly monitoring of one or more nest sites.
Interested?

LINCOLN CITY JULY 5TH BEACH CLEAN-UP

Help get one of our beaches back in tip-top shape after this summer’s July 4th celebration when thousands of visitors come to town and unfortunately leave trash behind. We are partnering with Lincoln City Parks and Recreation to collect and remove as much trash as we can. Bring gloves, a large trash bag, a bucket, and a long-handled grabber (can be purchased at Dollar Store). Plan to be there an hour to an hour and a half. Meet at NW 15th beach access at 10am to check in. Please let us know that you plan to attend by emailing Steve Griffiths at steveg@lincolncityaudubon.org

ANNUAL POTLUCK

Our annual potluck will be June 23rd at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. Potluck will be at 5pm followed by a brief business meeting and Year-in-Review presentation. Stay after the meeting to reminisce with old friends and to meet new ones!

CONSERVATION UPDATE

The Spring Rocky Habitat workshops are under our belt, and we are excited about the results! We met with the agencies that have nearshore responsibilities to discuss our proposals to designate Cape Foulwather and Cape Lookout as Marine Conservation Areas (MCAs). We went over the modifications we proposed last spring and developed a few more to facilitate management should the site proposals be approved.

Next steps:

We will continue to be working with agencies such as Parks and Recreation and Oregon Fish and Wildlife over the coming months to refine the proposed management recommendations for both sites.
The Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) will review the six remaining proposals, including our two, at their next meeting and make a final decision at a subsequent meeting this year.

We were scheduled to give presentations on our two rocky habitat proposals at the June Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) meeting, but that meeting has been postponed.

That's it for this month - let's keep working together for birds and nature!

--

dawn villaescusa, President Audubon Society of Lincoln City