News and Calendar for July 2007

This is the time of year for thousands of volunteers to get out and participate in the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The BBS is a long-term, large-scale, international avian monitoring program initiated in 1966 to track the status and trends of North American bird populations. The BBS is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the Canadian Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Research Centre. Following a rigorous protocol, BBS data are collected by dedicated participants along thousands of randomly established roadside routes throughout the continent. Professional BBS coordinators and data managers work closely with researchers and statisticians to compile and deliver these population data and population trend analyses on more than 400 bird species, for use by conservation managers, scientists, and the general public. You can find out lots more about Breeding Bird Surveys on their website www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge’s 20^th annual Summer Lecture Series will be held every Wednesday evening in July and August starting July 11. Topics include butterflies, fire, earthquakes, forest canopies, dragonflies, climate change, whales, and wildlife. For complete schedule and more information, go to www.fws.gov/nisqually or call 360-753-9467.

The City of Olympia Parks and Recreation Department has some great outdoor activities planned for this summer. You can easily include bird watching into these events. For instance, try exploring Puget Sound from a sea kayak. There is a trip on Saturday July 21 to Ketron Island and on Saturday Aug 25 on the Nisqually Delta. The Outdoor Adventures staff will be leading these fun and educational kayak tours. The tours are beginner-oriented and are in calm, protected areas. Surprise visits from wildlife friends is promised. The cost of each trip is $49.

If kayaking isn’t your thing then join the outdoor staff on a fun and scenic day hike trip. There are several planned to the Olympic National Forest including one on Sunday July 22 to the South Fork Skokomish River and one on Saturday August 18 to Lower Lena Lake. Bring your camera, binoculars, lunch and hiking boots! These trips are rated between easy and moderate. The cost for the hiking trips is $29.

For more information on the kayak or hiking trips, call the parks department at 360.753.8380 or go to their website www.olympiawa.gov/cityservices

On Sunday, August 26, enjoy spectacular natural splendor on a float trip of the lower Nisqually River. Birds and other wildlife are often seen along the riverbanks. Experienced guides steer professional quality rafts. The $79 fee includes all rafting equipment and a fantastic buffet lunch. This trip is sponsored by Tumwater Parks and Recreation so for more information call them at 754-4160. www.ci.tumwater.wa.us

For a complete listing of the contact information mentioned here, e-mail us at TCTVbirdwise@yahoo.com .