September 2016 Chirps and Squawks

Highlights from May and June 2016 Board Meetings

May Board Highlights 

  •  Approved adding Bruce Tannehill to accounts access to facilitate financial reviews.
  •  Heard report on Wiley Dike observation blind that the piers are now set although it took more than original-ly planned and that it is ready to begin construction of the superstructure.
  •  Approved a recommended $5 increase in dues subject to membership vote.
  •  Discussed details of use of the Whitefish Community Center meeting room for the May potluck.
  •  Heard report that the Warbler Weekend at Tally Lake is on track and that trip leaders are needed.
  •  Discussed Montana Audubon’s request for donation above what FAS has been giving each year. Decided that in addition to the normal $1000 donation FAS would donate $500 specifically for legislative affairs plus $500 specifically for Important Bird Areas.
  •  Heard report from the Education Committee describing proposed changes in the strategic plan.
  •  Decided to offer Denny Olson the Conservation Educator contract.
  •  Heard that a meeting is planned with the US Forest Service to work out details for next fall’s Hawk Watch.
  •  Heard report on website plans for the summer and approved a set of E-Commerce guidelines.

June Board Highlights 

  •  Heard and accepted Treasurer’s Report.
  •  Reviewed, discussed, and approved a budget for 2016-2017.
  •  Heard report that Birdathon is on track.
  •  Discussed need for vests with Flathead Audubon identification on them to increase visibility of our leaders and volunteers at various activities. Approved purchase of 3 vests.
  •  Discussed and approved FAS signing on as a supporter of the Quiet Glacier Coalition.
  •  Heard report that Hawk Watch meeting with the Forest Service went well and will be continuing next fall

Whitebark Ecosystem Foundation Annual Meeting

September 16-18, 2016   Whitefish, Montana

For more details on location, time, and content, call Rebecca Lawrence, Native Plant Restoration Program, Glacier National Park, 406-888-7836.

Go for the Electronic Post

Get the Pileated Post by email rather than snail mail! It saves trees and money that FAS can use to support our local projects. When you fill out the FAS Membership Form just leave the check box for “paper copy” empty; be sure to put your email address on the form. Or contact us directly to let us know you want email delivery: lindawin@centurytel.net

FAS does not share email addresses with anyone, so your address will be safe with us.

Sign up for the 2016-2017 Feederwatch Season

Project FeederWatch is a citizen science pro-ject that began in Ontario, Canada in the mid-1970s and partnered with Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology ten years later in the USA. It is a winter-long project starting in November and ending mid-April, in which participants periodically count birds at backyard feeders and/or other local areas. This en-deavor is designed to help scientists track broad scale movements of winter bird popula-tions and long-term trends in bird distribu-tion and abundance. This is the perfect pro-ject for anyone who likes birds, and wants to contrib-ute and share information about birds with fellow citi-zens and scientists.

No particular skill level or background is nec-essary to participate in the project. Participants will receive a research kit and resources to help attract and identify common winter species including an inter-active tool that allows participants to learn about the food and feeder preference of nearly 100 species and how to predict what birds can be attracted to your ar-ea. All you have to do is watch your feeder or area as much or as little as you want over two consecutive days as often as once a week, record what you see, and send your data in. There is a fee associated with this project for data analysis. It is $15 Special Cornell Lab Member price and $18 Regular Project Feed-erWatch price.

The data gathered by people like you will only become more important as predicted changes in cli-mate continue to occur. Check out www.FeederWatch.org where you will find an amaz-ing amount of information including how to sign up for the project, a list of the 25 most common winter birds, tips on tricky bird identification, participant stories and photos, and much more. You can also sign up by phone toll free by calling 800-843-2473; M-TH, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, F, 8:00 AM -4:00 PM ET.