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Volume 29, Issue 9 may2005

INVASIVE ZEBRA MUSSELS

FOCUS OF MAY PROGRAM
Tony Stahl, Environmental Scientist with
the Kansas Department of Health & Environment
will present “Invasion of the Zebra Mussels” at the
Jayhawk Audubon Program on Thursday May 12,
2005 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center,
8th and Vermont Streets in Lawrence, Kansas. The
program is free of charge and open to the public.
Zebra Mussels are a highly invasive mol-
lusk that have found their way to Kansas waters.
Large colonies can form containing numerous in-
dividuals and interfere with the operations of water
intake facilities, irrigation systems, and recrea-
tional boat motors. This informative session will
provide information on the environmental and so-
cioeconomic problems associated with zebra mus-
sels, historical distribution and invasive migration,
and tracking and mitigation in Kansas. Ultimately
the program will cover the four reasons to care
about aquatic exotics.
As part of the program, Pamela Chaffee,
Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Staff
Officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Eighth
Western Rivers District Division 31, will briefly
present preventative measures that can be taken by
recreational boaters to prevent the spread of zebra
mussels.
— Pamela Chaffee, Program Chairperson
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Spring is arguably the best time of year to go
birding, but the abundance of species that the season
offers can be intimidating for beginning birders
trying to make sense of it all. If you're a beginner,
or a long-time, low-intensity birder wanting to brush
up on your knowledge of bird identification by sight
and/or sound, please join us to partake of this
bounty! We'll meet at 8:00am, on Sunday, 15 May
2005, at the main entrance of the Baker University
Wetlands and walk from there. This entrance is lo-
cated off the south side of 31st Street, midway be-
tween Louisiana Street and Haskell Avenue. Bring
whatever you need to be comfortable for a morning's
hike (a hat, water, snack, and waterproof footwear are
recommended). For more information about this field-
trip, call Alexis Powell (evenings, 749-4461).
--Alexis Powell
IN THIS ISSUE:
Birds and Pesticides 2
Chicago Turns Lights
Down for Birds 2
Bluebird Report 3
 2 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY
Jayhawk Audubon
Supports Pesticide-
Free Parks
Jayhawk Audubon supports the Pesticide
Free Parks Project currently before the Lawrence
City Commission. This proposal, advocating the
reduction and eventual elimination of routine use of
pesticides in our city parks, has been led by Marie
Stockett of the Old West Lawrence Association
who can be reached at moonmama@swbell.net
<mailto:moonmama@Swbell.net> or 832-1345.
Documents included in the proposal to the City
Commission will be posted in the minutes of the
3/29/05 commission meeting and on Mike Rundle’s
website, www.mikerundle.org <http://
www.mikerundle.org>.
The proposal requests implementation of an
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program rather
than reliance on pesticides. IPM is explained on
the Birds and Pesticides fact sheet in this newslet-
ter. A real life example would be to ignore a few
aphids on your native honeysuckle. If the popula-
tion explodes, squash them with your fingers
(gardening is not for wusses!) or wash them off
with the hose. If the hordes are still sucking the life
from your plant, as a last resort spray with insecti-
cidal soap, not a product like Sevin or Malathion.
The latter two will kill everything else in the vicin-
ity including beneficials like honeybees and the la-
dybugs that prey on aphids. Sevin and Malathion
will also be potentially damaging to you, your chil-
dren and your pets. Homeowners are responsible
for an outrageously high percentage of all pesticide
use in this country. Do your research on pesticides
and you will realize that perfect green lawns and
parks are not worth the risks from these poisons.
Go green and try IPM methods.
We send you the Birds and Pesticides fact
sheet with the gracious permission of Lawrence
Waste Reduction & Recycling. See their website
at www.lawrencerecycles.org <http://
www.lawrencerecycles.org>. Other good re-
sources are:
The Audubon at Home section of the Na-
tional Audubon website: www.audubon.org
<http://www.audubon.org>.
The pesticide section of the EPA website:
www.epa.gov <http://www.epa.gov>
The Pesticide Action Network Pesticide
Database at www.pesticideinfo.org/Index <http://
www.pesticideinfo.org/Index>
For IPM tips:
www.montgomerycountymd.gov <http://
www.montgomerycountymd.gov> then search for
IPM.
— Susan Iversen
Lights Out
Chicago
A voluntary partnership effort that saves more than ten
thousand birds each year
Chicago is the first U.S. city to dim tall building
lights to save birds' lives. Through the "Lights Out" pro-
gram, Chicago's tall buildings have all turned off their
decorative lights during spring and fall bird migration,
putting them in the forefront of American cities taking
action to help birds. In a great display of civic concern
and responsibility, all buildings cooperate with the pro-
gram by dimming their decorative lights for almost 5
months of the year, making 'Lights Out' a real success.
Field Museum researchers estimate that the program
saves the lives of more than ten thousand migratory
landbirds each year.
Coordinated by Audubon Chicago Region, the
program is a cooperative effort between the City of
Chicago, the Building Owners and Managers Associa-
tion of Chicago, and the Field Museum.
 JAYHAWK AUDUBON SOCIETY 3

JAS officers & Board Members

Report from the Kaw President Jennifer Delisle

Vice President Pamela Chaffee
Recording Joyce Wolf
Secretary

Valley Bluebird Association Corresponding Susan Iversen

Secretary
Treasurer Jennifer Delisle
Member Chapter Chuck & Ruth Herman
Change Report
Membership Dayna Carleton
The Kaw Valley Bluebird Association, started by Wes Promotion
Seyler and Tom Rodhouse in 1978, has grown from having one Newsletter Julie Maxwell
Editor
trail at Clinton Lake State Park to overseeing over a dozen Newsletter Susan Iversen
trails throughout the Kaw Valley area. The shortest trail has 5 Distribution
boxes and the longest 64 boxes, with most trails having 20-25 Conservation Susan Iversen
boxes. Many KVBBA members also maintain individual nest- Program Pamela Chaffee
ing boxes at their homes. Education Rex Powell
Field Trip Alexis Powell
Publicity Harley Winfrey
Our newest trail was installed this spring at the Rotary Electronic Karyn Baker-Riney
Club Arboretum near the Clinton Lake Sports Complex. No Communications
bluebirds have moved in as of this report, but some have been Bird Seed Linda Lips
sighted in the area, and evidence of nesting starts has been ob- Sale
Birdathon Richard Bean
served. This trail has 15 boxes. Look for the numbered nest- Coordinator
ing boxes the next time you take a walk or ride your bicycle Christmas Galen Pittman
along the trails at the Arboretum. It is a lovely park with trees Bird Count
and ponds, and we think having bluebirds nesting in the area Migratory Phil Wedge
will make it even nicer. We are grateful to the Lawrence Park Bird Count
Eagles Day Ed & Cynthia Shaw
and Recreation Department and the Rotary Club for their coop- Hospitality Vacant
eration in getting this new trail started. Historian Ron Wolf
Books and Joyce & Ron Wolf
Last year the Association monitored 189 total boxes Feeders
and counted 821 fledgling bluebirds. We have just started Board Member
Board Member Dayna Carlton
monitoring this spring and will be happy to report the final total Board Member Bunnie Watkins
to the Jayhawk Audubon Society after our October meeting Board Member Harley Winfrey
when all the trails have reported for the year. We were inter- Board Member Sarah Winfrey
ested in the data from the Society’s Christmas Bird Count of
218 Eastern Bluebirds as members had reported seeing blue-
birds this past winter, and some boxes that were checked had
signs of birds having used them since last fall. The boxes were
reported to smell faintly of cedar, and we think the bluebirds The mission of the Jayhawk
may have had a winter diet of cedar berries since insects were
Audubon Society is to encourage
scarce.
Tammy Steeples, President enjoyment of, to promote
Kaw Valley Bluebird Association understanding of, and to advocate
conservation of the natural world.
Jayhawk Audubon Society Nonprofit Organization
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National Audubon Society members receive four issues per year of the Audubon magazine and are also
members of the Jayhawk Chapter. All members also receive 10 issues of this newsletter per year and are
entitled to discounts on books and feeders that are sold to raise funds to support education and conservation
projects. Please send this completed form and check to Membership Chairs at the following address:
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