WIXLIB

NOVEMBER 2014NEWSLETTERAudubon’s Birds and Climate Initiative—and Us:314 North American Bird Species on the Brink ofExtinctionBy Amy CilimburgPerhaps you have already heard about the “AudubonReport” on birds imperiled by climate change. Theresults from that study, released in early September,are alarming—314 North American bird species onthe brink. What are the implications for Montana birdsand what can we in Montana do about it? How cancitizen scientists help, and how can we use “climatesmart conservation”—in western Montana andbeyond—as part of the solution?VOLUME 29, NO. 3likely—and unlikely—to survive in the future. We’lllook at the future of swans, curlews, chickadees, owls,hummingbirds, and more, and we’ll circle around tothe status of climate change solutions. Much can bedone locally to create a better future for all.Courtesy Bob MartinkaMountain ChickadeeCourtesy Karl Martens, National GeographicBurrowing OwlJoin Bitterroot Audubon Monday, November 17th tohear Montana Audubon’s Amy Cilimburg. She willpresent a slide show that highlights not just answers tothese questions, but also a deeper look into theAudubon report, the largest and most comprehensiveexamination of birds and climate change everundertaken in North America. Over the past sevenyears, Audubon’s team has analyzed more than 30years of bird observations from the North AmericanBreeding Bird Survey, Audubon’s Christmas BirdCount, and data from leading climatologists in the USand Canada. This assessment gives us anunprecedented ability to project where birds are mostAmy Cilimburg is the Director of Bird Conservationand Climate Policy for Montana Audubon, where sheworks to educate and inspire action around issuesrelated to climate change, birds, wildlife, and energyin Montana. She spearheads, along with her colleagueAmy Seaman, the Important Bird Areas (IBA)Program in Montana and collaborates with others toprotect Montana's birds and their habitat. Amy has anM.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University ofMontana, and prior to coming to Audubon, was theAssistant Director of the University of Montana AvianScience Center. This fall she received theSustainability Advocate of the Year award fromMissoula’s Sustainable Business Council for her workto craft and implement municipal and communityClimate Action Plans for Missoula. Amy lives withher husband, daughter, and dog in Missoula andstrives to reduce her carbon footprint.

Courtesy Kate StoneBitterroot Audubon members at the Festival of the DeadParade in Missoula.Squirrel, a Mountain Bluebird, owls, a PineMarten, a raccoon and a Black Bear marching inthe parade. We handed out over 900 educationalAudubon stickers to parade bystanders.Courtesy Bob MartinkaRufous HummingbirdThe Bitterroot Audubon meeting will be held at7:00 P.M. Monday, November 17 in the NaturalResources/Forest Service Building at the north endof Hamilton, on the west side of Highway 93. Enterthe building on the west side. The public is invited.Contact Kay Fulton at 642-3794 for moreinformation.Sponsors needed for Audubon Adventures!!This year marks the 31st season of the NationalAudubon program Audubon Adventures. The themefor this year is “Birds, Bees, and NeighborhoodBiomes.” Bitterroot Audubon is thrilled to offerAudubon Adventures to teachers around the valley atNO COST.Because the program has gone digital, the cost tosponsor a classroom has been drastically reduced toonly 16.00. To sponsor a classroom, please makeyour check payable to Bitterroot Audubon and send itto Bitterroot Audubon, Attn: Audubon Adventures,P.O. Box 326, Hamilton, MT 59840. For moreinformation, please contact Rachel Ingram atzephyrmer@gmail.com.Festival of the DeadBy Kate StoneOver 20 friends and members of Bitterroot Audubonparticipated in Missoula’s Festival of the Dead Paradeon November 2nd. This event honors life and deaththrough community involvement in the arts. BitterrootAudubon paraded the streets of Missoula to honordead trees and the role they play as habitat for birdsand other wildlife. Along with several dead trees, wehad two bats, two Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, a FlyingCourtesy Kate StoneBitterroot Auduobon members at theFestival of the Dead Parade inMissoula.Survey of Forest CarnivoresThis winter, the MT Wilderness Association andDefenders of Wildlife will use volunteers to monitorforest carnivores in the Bitterroot and SapphireMountains. Field work will including setting up amonitoring station with a staff member and visiting itagain with a partner every 3-4 weeks over the winter.This will involve snowshoeing and/or cross countryskiing in the backcountry, with some stations closerthan others. Or you can be involved by helping to sortimages taken with remote cameras. There's a kickoffmeeting/party on DEC 4 in Missoula. Contact KyliePaul at kpaul@defenders.org or 406-728-8800.

Bitterroot Audubon 2015 CalendarBy Becky PetersWhat’s something that involves our Bitterroot Valleybirds, local photographers, local children, and localbusinesses all the while bringing in money for localprojects for our birds’ habitats? Why, that can only beour locally made Bitterroot Audubon 2015 Calendar!!And it is a beauty! You already have a 2015 calendaryou say? Well, was it locally made and does themoney stay local to help local residents? Probablynot! Besides you need more than one calendar!You’ve got more than one room in your house! Andwhat other calendar tells you where you can findwhich birds during each month? And what othercalendar gives you space to write down the birds yousee for each month? For a bird lover, there isn'tanother calendar as unique and useful as this one!This is the third year we have made a BitterrootAudubon Calendar and some say it is the best oneever! Out of the 400 submissions from a lot oftalented, generous Bitterrooters, we laboriouslynarrowed our calendar photos down to 55, and wouldhave gone for more if we could have.What does your 15 go for when you purchase one, ortwo?! (They make great boasting gifts to give to nonparadise residents unlucky enough not to live here!)Well, your money stays here in the Valley. BitterrootAudubon uses the funds to support our ConservationProjects, Education Projects and Scholarship Fundsfor Montana college students in EnvironmentalSciences. We are truly thinking of the future for ourbirds and our children. Help us help them.You can purchase the calendars at the November BASmeeting and at the Christmas Bird Counts. You canalso find them at local stores in Hamilton: ChapterOne, Paper Clip, Picturesque, Robbins’, BitterrootDrug, Art Focus, Sam’s Spade and Lakeland Feed; inStevensville at the Lisa Archer Silks/Antique Storeand in Missoula at Naturalist’s Mercantile. If thoseplaces are not convenient, by all means buy themonline at bitterrootaudubon.org. 18 will cover thecalendar and postage, etc. You will enjoy thiscalendar much longer than a year.Highway CleanupJoin us to help clean up our two mile stretch ofHighway 93 on Saturday, November 16th at 2PM.Contact Kay Fulton at 642-3794 to participate.Wildlife Grants Available—Apply TodayMontana Audubon is offering small grants ( 500maximum/ 1,700 total) for wildlife research andeducation projects, with an emphasis on non-gamewildlife. Grants come from our Audubon WildlifeFund of Montana endowment. The funds can be usedfor mileage, equipment, printing, andcommunications; the funds cannot be used for salaries,stipends, and personal equipment. In 2014, grantspurchased equipment for research and educationprojects at Salish Kootenai College, helped fund aresearch project on Montana’s vulnerable wetlands,and aided a Northern Hawk Owl study in westernMontana.To apply for an Audubon Wildlife Fund grant, visitour ).Applications must be emailed (preferred) or postmarked by Friday, December 12, 2014. Grantrecipients will be announced by February 1, 2015.Nov 15-Beginner Bird Walk at Lee MetcalfNWR, Stevensville, MT 10AM-12PMNov 16-Highway clean-up rescheduled. ContactKay Fulton at 642-3794 to participate.Nov 17- Audubon Meeting, Audubon Meeting,Forest Service/DNRC Building, Hamilton, MT7PM, Board Mtg. 5PM.Dec 12- MT Audubon Wildlife Grant Applicationdue dateDec- Christmas Bird Counts, dates TBD

Bitterroot Audubon Society is going GREENBy Sara Ashline and Karen Griffing, BAS EditorsBeginning Fall 2013, Bitterroot Audubon begandelivering monthly newsletter electronically. If youhaven't already done so, please send us your emailaddress to receive your newsletter via email. Startingfall 2014, we'll be sending the newsletterelectronically only, and it is always available atwww.bitterrootaudubon.org. For those withoutcomputer access, we will continue to mail you anindividual copy of the newsletter; please send a noteto Bitterroot Audubon, PO Box 326, Hamilton, MT59840 requesting this service. Please send your emailaddress to Susie Duff ataudubonmembership@gmail.com to begin receivingyour newsletter electronicallyFacebook, please look for Bitterroot Audubon and“Like” us!Call for Photos Bitterroot Audubon is seeking imagesof birds for a feature in our newsletter: Bird Shots. Ifyou have taken a great photo and would like to submitit for consideration, please email the jpeg image, witha brief description, to BASeditors@gmail.com.Lee Metcalf NWR, Stevensville, MT New tobirding? Beginner Bird Walks at the refuge sponsoredby Bitterroot Audubon and Five Valleys Audubon areheld the third Saturday of each month. Meet at theRefuge Visitor's Center on November 15th at 10AMfor a two hour bird walk. Bring binoculars if you havethem. Contact the refuge at (406) 777-5552 for moreinformation.Bitterroot Audubon is on Facebook! If you useCourtesy Judy HoyCommon Raven.

BITTERROOT AUDUBONPO BOX 326HAMILTON MT 59840-0326OfficersPresidentKay Fulton*Vice-Pres. & Conservation ChairFred Weisbecker*SecretaryJohn Ormiston*TreasurerJim Story*642-3794375-9317363-5464961-4689Directors & Committee ChairsIBA ProgramWebsiteField TripsEducationNewsltr Eds &DistributionHospitalityMembershipPublicityRep. to MTAudubonAt largeScholarshipAt largeAt largeSherry Ritter777-7409Kate Stone*381-1115Sherry Ritter777-7409Rachel Ingram* zephyrmer@gmail.comSara Ashline* baseditors@gmail.comKaren Griffing*961-0181Rosan StoverSusie Duff*961-5455Dave Lockman777-2929Becky Peters*Judy Hoy*Skip Horner*Campbell MasseyAlex Shaffer*777-2487642-6840381-0197* Board MemberEMAIL: contactus@bitterrootaudubon.orgWEBSITE: www.BitterrootAudubon.orgChapter Only MembershipThe Bitterroot Audubon Chapter Only Membership is 15/year. These members will be supporting localchapter activities, receive the full color e-newsletter, andenjoy Chapter benefits. To join as a Chapter OnlyMember, complete this form.Name:Address:City:Zip:State:Email:Send this application with 15 to:NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETYMEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONBecome a member of the National Audubon Society andBitterroot Audubon [Chapter Code C1ZN580Z]. Youwill receive Audubon magazine, Bitterroot AudubonNewsletter and a membership card. Introductorymembership is 20.Name:Address:City:State:Zip:Send this application and your check to:Bitterroot Audubon SocietyPO Box 326Hamilton, MT 59840-0326Membership Data CenterPO Box 422250Palm Coast FL 32142-2250

Missoula. Survey of Forest Carnivores This winter, the MT Wilderness Association and Defenders of Wildlife will use volunteers to monitor forest carnivores in the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains. Field work will including setting up a monitoring station with a staff member and visiting it again with a partner every 3-4 weeks over the winter.