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!
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