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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 2018)
February 16, 2018 T he C olumbia P ress 5 Birding: The Great Backyard Bird Count is both global and local Continued from Page 1 opens my eyes and my ears to the birds around us and it’s a kickoff for spring, when the birds are more active, singing and calling more.” It also provides an excellent worldwide snapshot of where the birds are as people report their sightings, she said. Anyone can participate and join in on any of the days, and longer than just 15 minutes. Register and add sightings at gbbc.birdcount.org. The information gathered by individuals worldwide helps track changes in bird populations on a massive scale. Freeman has participated nearly every year and it has made her notice small chang- es. For instance, this year she hasn’t noticed the varied thrushes around Fort Clat- sop’s parking lot, which have been abundant in previous years. To get a real understand- ing of birds, their sounds and movements as well as how to spot them, Freeman recom- mends visitors join Mike Pat- terson on his Saturday bird- ing walk. Here are activities at Fort Clatsop this weekend: • A “Birds of Fort Clatsop” display is in the visitor cen- Left: A pink flamingo hides in brush along Youngs Bay. Courtesy Fort Clatsop Above: A group in West Bengal, India, spot and photograph birds. Courtesy Great Backyard Bird Count ter along with a 1,000-piece puzzle of state birds and state flowers. • Birding crafts, puzzles and bird face-painting at various times throughout the three- day weekend. • A great pink heron scaven- ger hunt is ongoing using the Netul Trail along the Lewis and Clark River. For kids - and those who are really bad at spotting birds - this ensures participants will all have at least one sighting. Since great blue herons are prevalent, the park encourag- es folks to imagine the plastic pink flamingos are a version of the large species that has eaten a special color-altering fish or perhaps “overindulged in Swedish fish that have turned them into great pink herons for a while,” Freeman said. Those who participate get a small prize. • Mike Patterson will lead a birding walk at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, from the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center lobby. Although leashed dogs are welcome at most of the park’s outdoor programs, dogs are not allowed at this morning walk. Participants should dress for the weather. The walk is wheelchair accessible, al- though nonmotorized users might need assistance for about 200 yards. • A talk about California condors’ return to their his- Condor: Making a comeback in Oregon Continued from Page 1 If you go began as a rehab/release in- • What: “California Con- tern at the South Plains Wild- dors: An Oregon Treasure” life Rehab Center in Lubbock, • When: 1 p.m. Sunday, Texas. Then, at the Dallas Feb. 18 World Aquarium he worked • Where: Netul River with South American raptor species including the harpy, Room in the Fort Clatsop ornate hawk and black-hawk Visitors Center eagles. • Admission: Free He was named bird supervi- sor in 2014 at the San Antonio a pair of king vultures. Koons Zoo, where he managed bald moved to the Oregon Zoo po- and bateleur eagles, as well as sition in May and manages the zoo’s bird collection and butterfly programs. Oregon Zoo has a remote condor propagation facility that houses 34 birds, includ- ing 11 breeding pairs. Off- spring are released to native home-range environments, he said. Koons’ talk is part of the monthly “In Their Footsteps” free speaker series sponsored by the Lewis and Clark Na- tional Park Association. toric range along the Columbia River. The program is at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 in the Netul River Room at Fort Clatsop’s Visitor Center. • A birding walk in Spanish will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 19, starting in the Visitor Center lobby. No dogs will be allowed, and participants should dress for the weather. This walk is wheelchair accessible. Park hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 per adult and free for those 15 and younger. Passes to National Park Service sites are accepted. A variety of bird field guides are available for purchase at the bookstore in the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center. For more information on the worldwide bird count, or to submit bird counts from your home, go to gbbc.bird- count.org.
