DAMIAN MULINIX — East Oregonian Publishing Group Willapa Bay can be a good spot for birding, especially at the right time of year. “We’re on the tail end of shorebird migration, the bay is wonderful for that because of the mud flats,” says Rosemary Hallin. “I’ve read that at any one time, as many as 100,000 birds are out there in migration packs.” Here, Linda Bierma takes a look out at the bay.
Gayl West, center, is the president of the Shoalwater birders, and according to Rosemary Hallin is “so full of life.” “It’s always fun to go birding with Gayl,” she says. “She’s always up for an adventure. She’ll take off her shoes and slog through the mud.” Here, West talks water fowl with Hallin, left, and Martha and Pete Hammer. DAMIAN MULINIX — East Oregonian Publishing Group
On the Web
For more information on climate change and bird distributions, visit (www.audubon.org) or the American Bird Conservancy site at (www.abcbirds.org)
A special report: Effects on bird species bring climate change into focus Bird count shows some new species are appearing here
By ELIZABETH LONG East Oregonian Publishing Group
Like the canary in the coal mine, birds know when danger is near.
And birds in the Northwest are signaling that the world is changing.
People who count birds are seeing a difference in species appearing in the Northwest, a clear indicator of climate change. The annual Audubon Christmas bird count Dec. 16 proved that.
"There were birds that had shown up that have never been seen before," said Keith Mohay, who took part with his wife, Carlyn. The count at Leadbetter Point on the tip of the Long Beach Peninsula was a joint effort between the Discovery Coast and Willapa Hills Audubon Society chapters. Although the final numbers are not in yet, he estimates about 97 different species were spotted. "We learned a lot," he said. "It was a wonderful experience."
Not only does the annual count give individuals of all skill levels a chance to come together and share knowledge and enjoyment of birding, but the count has also become a powerful tool for tracking the changes in bird populations.
No more shooting
Begun in 1900 by ornithologist Frank Chapman as an alternative to the "Christmas side hunt," where participants would form groups and shoot every bird they saw, the count has now become worldwide. Instead of killing the birds, now participants count them, compiling lists of the various types and number of species. The results have shown some interesting trends.
Records show bird populations are changing. John James Audubon, the naturalist who inspired the formation of the Audubon Society to protect birds, would probably be surprised by the changes that have occurred in Washington bird populations.
For instance, Leadbetter Point's first Christmas bird count was held in 1978. Included on the list of birds spotted, among others, were four yellow-bellied sapsuckers, 93 black brants and 28 snowy plovers. Last year's count found no yellow-bellied sapsuckers, 12 brants, and seven snowy plovers. Given the endangered status of snowy plovers, those numbers were cause for celebration. There is also a relatively recent addition to the list, six Anna's hummingbirds.
Why is it happening?
The results beg the question, why are the bird populations changing?
Sometimes the causes are fairly straightforward. The passenger pigeon and the Carolina parakeet, vividly drawn by Audubon, disappeared because of overhunting, never to be seen again except in those lifelike pictures.
Others, such as the snowy plover, decreased in number because their preferred breeding and foraging grounds have been destroyed by the encroachment of human developments.
But then why are certain species, such as the Anna's hummingbird, now consistently found in areas where they had never been found before?
Many scientist believe those changes may be a result of the changing climate and rising temperatures.
A report issued by the American Bird Conservancy, and funded in part by the U.S. Geological Survey, states, "One pilot study of 35 North American warbler species found that the range of occurrence of 20 percent of the species has shifted significantly north in the past 24 years, by an average of more than 65 miles."
While that may mean some species, such as the Anna's hummingbird, black phoebe, California towhee and black-throated swallow, may become more common in Washington, other species may disappear altogether as a result. According to the report, some of those species include the mountain chickadee, sage sparrow, bobolink, red crossbill and evening grosbeak.
The report warns, "A high probability exists that global warming could cause changes in the climatic summer ranges of some of Washington's birds. These changes could occur (and probably are occurring) relatively quickly and may have widespread ecological effects and possibly economic effects."
What are the implications?
For the North Coast and Long Beach Peninsula, that could mean a loss of tourist dollars. Birdwatching has become a lucrative and increasingly popular hobby. People are willing to travel hundreds of miles, and even from other continents, to view birds considered relatively common locally, such as bald eagles and trumpeter swans.
Pacific County in particular is considered a haven for birdwatchers. The county boasts five of Washington's 53 Important Bird Areas, sites that are classified as essential habitat for one or more species of birds. Often, rare birds can be found at these sites, drawing birdwatchers like a magnet. In addition to Leadbetter Point, the other sites include Cape Disappointment, Sand and Gunpowder Island at the mouth of Willapa Bay, Shoalwater Bay in the south of Willapa Bay and Willapa River Estuary.
Birds have long been used as "indicator species," such as the canary in the coal mine, to monitor the health of an environment. Already one of the most powerful methods of collecting information on bird populations, the Christmas bird count will become increasingly important for monitoring those changes.
Fortunately, as the Audubon Web site states, "As long as there are birds to be counted, the Christmas Bird Count will go on being the most popular, fun, and rewarding bird census the world over."
Elizabeth Long is a staff writer for the Chinook Observer in Long Beach, Wash.
The debate over birds While some people may believe birds shifting their ranges will not effect birding, there will simply be different birds to watch, that may not be the case. Although some birds can adapt by shifting their ranges, other species will simply have no place else to go. Some species, such as the streaked horned lark, recently seen breeding at Washington's Leadbetter Point for the first time in years, have lost a large portion of their original range to development or other changes, such as the encroachment of dune grass. Fewer interesting birds lost to extinction, or driven out of their ranges means fewer birds, and fewer dollars spent in the region by bird watchers.
