Annual Report 2020-2021

In 2020-2021, Vashon Audubon expanded our offerings with an array of creative and meaningful activities, and touched more islanders in new ways. Kudos to our loyal members, nearly 150 volunteers, and strong community partners.

As we all learn about Vashon’s birds and what they need to thrive, our community continues to step up. We embrace the value of enhancing native habitat, keeping feeders clean, participating in bird counts, supporting carbon reduction endeavors, and sharing what we know.

Islander’s passion to explore, protect and restore Vashon’s natural wonders is awe-inspiring.

(Bold type below denotes Vashon Audubon leadership group.)

Jen Steele and seven other volunteers completed Vashon’s Climate Watch counts in May. For our 12 sites, 208 individual birds and 44 different species were counted! Only one Red-breasted Nuthatch was seen, but also 16 Spotted Towhees—both species of concern under the program run by local chapters for National Audubon.

Early January brought challenging weather for Christmas Bird Count field teams plus feeder and yard watchers. The annual count took place during the Pine Sisken irruption. Ezra Parker organizes the annual CBC, a program of National Audubon, for the Vashon count circle.

With leadership from Vashon Nature Center, volunteers keep an eye out during summer for Pigeon Guillemots, Vashon’s only nesting seabird. It’s the fourth year of cliff bird nest surveys on Vashon, adding valuable breeding data to a project conducted throughout the Salish Sea.

Sylvia Soholt oversaw an array of classes and activities for birders of all levels: “The Advancing Birder” (Ed Swan), “Healthy Streams = Happy Birds” (Jim Evans), “Birding by Ear” (Sue Trevathan and Steve Caldwell) and “Fourth Grade Birding” (Harsi Parker and Chautauqua teachers).

Paulina Barry led birding field trips in the Judd Creek watershed in Paradise Valley and the Heron Meadow.

Once again, our chapter awarded two high school scholarships to environmentally focused students. Each received $750 toward their academic pursuits. Lindsay Hofman led the review team.

Jim Evans also introduced Land Trust interns to Vashon birds and the habitat they need. The Senior Center’s members also appreciated a short class by Jim about Vashon birds, organized by Cheryl Richmond.

A collaborative venture with Highway Haiku poets, island photographers, and a creative team lead by Sylvia resulted in a small, colorful brochure. This popular bird haiku piece celebrates the birds around us—with a reminder of the perils they face and how we can help. Contact us for a free copy.

All ages were thrilled to get out of COVID lockdown and safely attend the Night Light Drive-In for Four Seasons at Fern Cove video by Jim Diers on the O Space big screen.

Adria Magrath also offered several livestream programs: Heron Meadow: Relationships Between Birds, Plants, and Water, featuring Paulina Barry; Ocean Warming and Seabirds; How to Make Your Yard a Bird Haven, Dr. Kim Adelson; and Watching their World Melt Away, George Divorky.

Native Habitat Garden

Adria and others are putting the finishing touches on the Native Habitat Garden at the Vashon Heritage Museum. It’s designed to show the value of native plants that attract birds.

To prepare for the Natural Wonders exhibit at the Heritage Museum, gravel is being spread on paths and a new sign will soon be installed.

Climate change presents the single greatest threat to birds, and we threw our support behind Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon as he successfully pursued a number of bills. The approved legislation will reduce the carbon produced by transportation fuels, set a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions from major emitters, advance the use of electric vehicles, direct the state to prepare for a zero-emissions transportation future, and reduce climate impacts on low-income communities. Wow!

Closer to home, Steve Hunter has been working with the Land Trust to ensure that a pond will be free from dog disturbance while ducks are nesting. Activities include education for dog walkers and monitoring the health of the ducklings. Success so far on the Kneeshaw pond!

In partnership with the Vashon Land Trust, volunteer work parties are making a difference in the Judd Creek Preserve’s habitat under Jim Evans’ leadership.

In addition to digging blackberries and planting trees we’re managing a nest box program, planning educational events and materials, conducting community outreach, and more.

Danny Boyle’s Eagle Scout project resulted in five different types of bird boxes for use by Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Wrens; American Kestrels, Western Screech-Owls, and Northern Saw-whet Owls; Violet-green Swallows, Tree Swallows, and Western Bluebirds; American Robins and Barn Swallows; and Northern Flickers. They are newly installed in the Judd Creek Preserve.

We greatly appreciate Steve Caldwell and Susan Keats for cleaning the Purple Martin boxes. Their effort requires a boat and sure footing.

The highly regarded Vashon Audubon 2021 Bird Calendar, was, as always, a popular year-end purchase. It showcases stunning photos of birds in the month we’re most likely to see them along with great information.

It was produced by Sarah Driggs with an expert panel selecting the photos, but it’s the 25 island photographers that really made the calendar something special.

Sarah also publishes Wings, our online newsletter, to get the word out to members about programs, classes, work parties, and ways to advocate for birds.

Volunteer Hunter Davis delights readers of the Vashon Beachcomber with her monthly Bird of the Month feature. It’s a new favorite way to learn about birds on Vashon.

Cheryl Richmond keeps FaceBook flying with everything about birds. Increasingly, social media under Cheryl’s lead is a key way for us to communicate with our community and beyond.

Wilson Abbott
Rita Altamore
Jean Ameluxen
Jill Andrews
Doug Aukland
Sharon Aukland
Paulina Barry
Gary Beanland
Anne Bell
Margaret Bickel
Laura Bienen
Sherry Bottoms
Danny Boyle
Mary Brennan
Fran Brooks
Ken Brown
Leslie Brown
John Browne
Julie Burman
Alice Burns
Steve Caldwell
Carol Carlson-Ray
Jeri Jo Carstairs
Pamela Coons
Vera Cragin
Charlie Crow
Susan Daniel
Hunter Davis
Sue DeNies
Jim Diers
Sarah Driggs
Eric Dudley
Michael Elenko
Mary Kay Elfman
Jim Evans
Mike Feinstein
Gilbert Findlay
Jean Findlay
Katrin Fletter
Daniel Froehlich
Candy Gamble
Dianne Garcia
Wendy Gibble
Bob Gibbs
Bob Hawkins
Jody Hess
Chazz Hesselein
Shana Hirsch
Jon Hoekstra

Lindsay Hofman
Jay Holtz
Rayna Holtz
Steve Hunter
Victoria Hunter
Larry Jensen
Susan Keats
Bob Keller
Dale Korenek
Yvonne Kuperberg
Kyle Kusa
Donna LaCasse
Virginia Lohr
Mary Fran Lyons
Steve Macdonald
Terry Mace
Adria Magrath
Maggie Magrath
Mike Magrath
Mary Martin
Andy Mauro
Faye McAdams Hands
Susan McClellan
Andrew McCormick
Heidi McWatters
Sharon Metcalf
Joyce Meyer
Max Moore
Margie Morgan
Brit Myers
Sue Nebeker
Joy Nelsen
Eleanor Newman
Eric Newman
Molly Newman
Grace Oliver
Ollie Oliver
Fran O’Reilly
Ezra Parker
Harsi Parker
Laurel Parshall
Sarah Peden
Lisa Pedersen
Clara Perez
Bianca Perla
Gary Peterson
Linda Peterson
Ray Pfortner
Robert Piston
Bob Powell

Jody Pritchard, volunteer coordinator
Ken Pritchard
Ed Pullen
Dave Richardson
Cheryl Richmond
John Riegsecker
Carlyn Roedell
Michael Roedell
Shirley Rogers
Hannah Rohrbacher
Stephen Rose
Clark Rowland
Chris Rurik
Bob Sargent
Dana Schuerholz
Kip Schwarzmiller
Melissa Scott
Vivian Sewelson
Dennis Sherwood
Melissa Sherwood
Brad Shinn
Jerry Siegrist
Richard Siegrist
Ron Simon
Randy Smith
Sylvia Soholt
Ann Spiers
Jen Steele
Marcy Summers
Nancy Sutton
Ed Swan
Diane Sweetman
John Sweetman
Sarah Ann Thompson
Sue Trevathan
Kathryn True
Kirsten Tucker
Erica Turnbull
Randy Turner
Sara Van Fleet
Joe Van Os
Heather Voboril
Art Wang
Cheryl Weise
Mike West
Beth White
Kajira Wyn Berry
Diane Yorgason-Quinn