Lots is happening at Renton's Black River heron colony. Here's the latest
news.
Suzanne Krom, President
Herons Forever
Seattle


? Eagle update
? Field trip: This Saturday, March 19, 10:00 am to noon
? Work party: Immediately following 3/19 field trip
? Status of heron colony this season
? City Council vote on Hearing Examiner decision this Thursday
? BirdNote



Eagle Update
The body of the female eagle remains in her nest. Before she died, we
believe she had laid one to two eggs, which by now are no longer viable.
We estimate that she died sometime between 3/5 and 3/7.

The state and federal agencies responsible for protecting wildlife want
to make sure she was not shot. Unfortunately, more than two dozen bald
eagles have suffered this fate recently in British Columbia. I've learned
that several in our state have also lost their lives in the same way.

We also learned earlier this week that several spent bullet casings were
found along the path last year, next to the main viewing area for the
herons. The people reported they had seen one injured heron. Another
person reported seeing another injured heron in a different location in
the pond. Both birds died. Last year I found a spent bullet casing in the
same vicinity, as well, and saw an injured or ill heron across the pond.
The next day the heron had died,

This brings up the subject of safety. The Black River heron colony is an
urban wildlife sanctuary. It is visited by a few folks who are more
interested in its isolation than the wildlife. When you are there, don?t
let down your guard. If you see anything suspicious, or if you just have
an uneasy feeling about being there, leave immediately. The fastest way
out is via the main walking path. Do not take the paths across the upper
meadow. They are heavily rutted, little used, and definitely not a
shortcut back to the road. Call the police immediately after you?ve
reached safety to report anything you have seen. Ideally, carry your cell
phone with you when you are there. Above all, trust your instincts. I
recommend that women not spend time there alone. It?s simply too
isolated. Although people come and go all the time, there are times when
no one is around.

Back to the eagle -- We will let you know the cause of death once she is
retrieved. The agencies are waiting for the herons to move into their
next phase, which is incubation. Once they are incubating, they may be
very slightly less sensitive to disturbance than they are now. The
agencies have assured me that they are putting the interests of the
herons above retrieving the eagle. We are coordinating so that we can
observe to ensure the herons are not disturbed.

In the meantime, the surviving eagle mate continues to return to the
nesting trees. His behavior appears to have changed. The first couple of
days after she died, he rarely left the site. When he did, it was only
for a few minutes. When he was there, he vocalized frequently. His calls
appeared to have an urgency to them. He roosted within ~200 feet and
always faced her.

He now leaves the site for increasingly longer periods of time. His calls
seem to have lost their urgency and frequency. And he now frequently
faces away from her. He has been joined by two subadult eagles, in their
first and third years, which could be their offspring. Or, the older one
could be an unattached female. Some speculate that this eagle may attempt
to use this nest this season with a replacement mate.

We have no answers right now, only questions, which is why we are asking
for your help. We could really use your help monitoring this situation.
This is an extremely unusual opportunity to observe eagle behavior.
According to my sources, few eagles die on their nest. Many people are
very interested in this. Do you have some time to observe? Short periods
of time are fine. Whatever you can provide will be helpful. If you can
help, please send me an email.

Field trip
Plan to attend our Saturday, March 19, field trip, from 10 am to noon.
Seattle Audubon and Herons Forever are co-hosting this year?s event. It
promises to be one of the most interesting ever, with this eagle
situation. Bring binoculars and scopes if you have them. Children are
welcome. The path is wheelchair friendly. And it's accessible to those
with limited ability to walk. The total round-trip distance is the
equivalent of about four city blocks. Directions follow at the end of
this email.

Work party
A work party will immediately follow the 3/19 field trip to help complete
the restoration planting project next to the pump plant. Bring loppers,
shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows, and of course, garden/work gloves.
You'll want to wear boots if it's rained recently. Join us for an hour or
three or four. Whatever time you can spare. We very much need your help
to complete this project.

Status of heron colony this season
The herons are still in their earliest stages of nesting. Fewer than 25%
are incubating, many are still unattached, and more than 30 new nests are
being built. It's the time in their nesting season when everything is
possible, a time of great promise.

I?ve received several emails this week asking if the nesting eagles could
have caused problems for the herons. The answer is definitely yes. I've
come to think of heron colonies as eagles? fast food deli?s. The eagles
predate (prey on) the heron?s eggs and chicks. But the potential benefit
of a pair of bald eagles nesting next to a heron colony is that the
eagles would defend this area from other marauding eagles. For our Black
River herons, it could have resulted in their experiencing less predation
than in previous years. In the end, we simply can't predict the outcome.
The odds were about even for the colony surviving next to an eagle's
nest. Every colony is different and every year is different. It?s
unfortunately that so little habitat remains. In past years, the birds
had more habitat to choose from. If the herons experienced intense
predation in one location, they had other alternative where they could
go. This is no longer true. Black River is the best of what?s left. We
know this is true because it?s the largest colony in the tri-county
region, and the herons continue to choose it year after year after year.
2005 marks Year 19 for them. They started nesting here in 1986, the first
spring after the pond was built.

City Council vote on Hearing Examiner decision
A subcommittee of the Renton City Council will be voting on the second
part to the hearing examiner?s decision on Thursday, March 17. The
meeting takes place at 2 pm in Renton City Hall, 1055 Grady Way, Council
Chambers on the 6th floor. They will send their recommendation to the
full Council, which will vote on it later this month or early April.
Although this vote is important, it won?t change the fact that the City
Council overturned the first part of the examiner?s decision late last
year. As a result, we will be appealing this to Superior Court. If the
Council votes to further dilute the examiner?s decision later this
month/early April, this becomes part of our appeal. We will be filing our
appeal after this final vote by the City Council. Stay tuned... Much more
to come as this process unfolds. Please attend if you can.

BirdNote
If you haven?t discovered KPLU?s newest program, Bird Note, you are in
for a treat. At 8:59 weekday mornings, KPLU (88.5 FM) features a
one-minute spot about our local birds. It?s produced by Chris Peterson,
executive director of Seattle Audubon, who left this position to
establish this new program for KPLU. It is pure delight, offering
intriguing stories and informing us about their habits and mysteries.
Tune in and you may find yourself hooked. It?s terrific.

Watershed Stewardship Training
This is a terrific program, offered by Washington State University King
County Extension. Training begins April 1. For more information and an
application, contact Paul Racette at 206-205-3171 or
paul.racette at metrokc.gov or visit their website at
http://www.metrokc.gov/WSU-CE/Land&Water/

Directions to the Black River heron colony
You'll find several nearby parking lots. To get there --

>From Seattle: Take I-5 south to exit #157, Martin Luther King Way
East/900 East, which takes you east on Route 900. Stay on 900 for 2.9
miles.

The second stoplight is 68th Avenue South -- turn right. You'll go down a
windy wooded hill. At the bottom of the hill, you'll come to a stop sign.
On your left is the Black River Riparian Forest and heron colony. Drive
the equivalent of ~2 city blocks from the stop sign and you'll see the
"Black River Riparian Forest" sign on your left and the bicycle path next
to it.


>From the Eastside and Southend: Take 405 toward Renton to the
Interurban/West Valley exit and turn east onto Grady Way. Go to the first
traffic light and turn north (left) onto SW Oakesdale. Go through the
light at SW 7th, staying on Oakesdale. On your right is the Black River
Riparian Forest and heron colony. You'll see the "Black River Riparian
Forest" sign on your right and the bicycle path next to it.


**************

The field trip will start along the bicycle path next to the "Black River
Riparian Forest" sign. If you arrive late, follow the bicycle path to the
bottom of the short hill and turn left onto the grassy path (turn off the
paved path). Follow the well-worn grassy path the equivalent of ~one city
block.
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