Hello Tweeters:
You and your friends are invited to a Rainier Audubon meeting in S King
County, Wed, Jan 18 featuring special speaker Ed Swan of Vashon Island. Ed
has written a
book that has just been published called,"THE BIRDS OF VASHON ISLAND". The
book helps readers know more about the island's bird species and how and
where to find them. Secondly, the book works to illuminate the
connectedness of the birds to the condition of the land and water on which
we all depend. It includes a site guide of the best birding hot spots
around the island. Recently on Tweeters there have been reports about
interesting birds on Vashon, and good reports about Ed's book. Here is some
more information about the meeting, and about our speaker.

January General Membership Meeting
Rainier Audubon Society
Wednesday January 18, 2006 6:30pm, refreshments. 7:00pm, program.
Federal Way Senior Center

"Natural History of Vashon Island and It's Birds"

Have you ever wondered about how habitat changes effect the bird
populations? Ed Swan has and will discuss the changes in habitat
experienced by the bird populations of Vashon since 1850 at our January
membership meeting. He will describe the original habitat existing before
European-American settlement and how the waves of habitat change since that
time have brought many new species to the island, eliminated several others
and affected many others to varying degrees.

The history of habitat alteration on Vashon is similar to that which
occurred throughout the Puget Lowlands. Over half the species on the island
list experienced major changes. Old-growth forest covered the island only
to be completely eliminated in the space of fifty years. Hardwood thicket
and forest and mixed woods attracted many new species to the island as
several were eliminated by the loss of old-growth coniferous woods. The
growth of agricultural and open areas drew many more species. Few ponds
existed before settlers created them as part of the agricultural period,
encouraging yet more new species. Over the last fifty years, agricultural
areas declined significantly and forest grew to recover two-thirds of the
island. Residential area also expanded. All of these changes have led to
interesting developments in the numbers of bird species present and the size
of those populations.

Ed has been a birder for about 25 years and went through the first or second
class of SAS' Master Birder program back in 1990. He subsequently led field
trips for SAS until moving to Vashon Island. He has been active on the
board of the Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society for the last six years and
currently serves as the President. Ed plans to
have books available after the talk.

Please join Rainier Audubon for an interesting look at the natural history
of Vashon Island and it's birds.

The program starts at 7pm,
but refreshments and conversation are available before and after the
meeting. Doors open at 6:30.
Federal Way Senior Center is located south and east of Federal Way and can
be accessed from Military Road. Here is the address and directions:

FEDERAL WAY SENIOR CENTER
4016 S 352nd St
Directions: Take I-5 to hwy 18 in Federal Way. From hwy 18 take the
Weyerhaeuser Way exit, and turn south.
Take an immediate left turn at S 344th Way, into a high rise business park.
Follow S 344th to Military Rd. Turn right (south) on Military Rd. Turn
right onto S 352nd St. The Fed Way Sr Ctr will be about 1/2 mile down on
the right.

Reported by Carol Schulz
DesMoines