In This Issue
Message From the Board
Soaring into October!
What a takeoff to our new year! A record 75 members packed our September meeting with incredible energy and a legendary potluck. Speaker Connie Sidles later told us, “I feel as though we had come home... It is an honor to belong to such a group.” Driven by your enthusiasm, our 2026 total attendance has already hit 538—surpassing full-year totals for both 2024 and 2025 before autumn has even officially arrived!
That shared energy fuels an extraordinary season ahead, curated by our Programs Committee—from migration and forest restoration to backyard habitats and species protection. We can't wait to see you at our next event!
Channel That Momentum: The Big Sit Needs You!
We need that same amazing energy for the Big Sit on Saturday, October 10. This one-day count funds our Skagit Valley College environmental scholarships, but right now we have only 3 volunteers signed up and 2 pledges.
Join us at Rosario Head for a 2–4-hour shift, count birds from your own backyard (your list still counts toward the chapter total), or sponsor the counters with a pledge of $1 or more per species. Every bit helps to grow our future leaders and keep this tradition alive! See full logistics in the Education section below.
Help Shape Our Next Steps
If you haven’t yet taken our brief, anonymous survey, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts on our chapter initiatives. We will be sharing the results in an upcoming issue!
To Protect Birds and Wildlife: Vote!
"I Bird, I Vote" is not just a statement of fact—it's a statement of power. Join bird lovers across the United States and pledge to vote in the 2026 elections. In addition to federal races, state and local elections will have an impact on what happens next: the future of communities, habitats, and the birds we love.
Cover photo: Snow Goose by Ann Kramer. October marks the return of these breathtaking wintering visitors, blanketing our local fields and estuaries through early spring.
Member Spotlight
Meet Pam – Skagit Bay IBA Pioneer
Pam at her favorite hotspot: Big Four Ice Cave
Meet Pam Pritzl, a long-time conservation champion and former Skagit Audubon President. Over her 21 years on the board, Pam served in numerous roles—including Secretary and Membership Chair—and spearheaded the multi-year effort to designate Skagit Bay as a globally significant Important Bird Area (IBA). Today, she continues to lead field trips, participate in community science surveys, and explore local biodiversity.
How did the Skagit Bay IBA designation come about?
Pam: "Padilla Bay was already an IBA, but Skagit Bay wasn't. WDFW biologist Ruth Milner suggested I gather data for Skagit Bay, and WDFW provided critical data and guidance. Gathering and compiling several years of data was a massive project, but earning that official designation is one of my proudest achievements on the board."
How has birding technology evolved since you joined the board in 2001?
Pam: "Back then, I took secretarial notes by hand, typed them on a desktop computer, and manually managed our chapter’s Bird Sightings list. Tools like eBird have completely transformed how we track and share sightings."
What are your favorite field trip spots and hobbies outside of birding?
Pam: "My all-time favorite place to introduce birders to is Big Four Meadows for its diverse marsh, river, and forest habitats and spring wildflowers. I also love doing community science surveys—including Climate Watch, Puget Sound Seabird Survey, Wetland Secretive Bird Monitoring, COASST, and the CBC. As a fun side hobby, I've spent the last 9 years studying local moths and am excited to start my 10th year next spring!"
What is one thing you want our members to know?
Pam: "I strongly encourage new members to jump in and volunteer for an educational event, participate in a bird survey, and write to your representatives about conservation issues that protect nature!"
Thank you, Pam, for over two decades of leadership and stewardship in our community!
Got someone to nominate for Member Highlight?
Field Trip - Andrew Spitznas
Upcoming Trips
All field trips are free and open to the public. We always welcome new trip leaders—mentorship is free. Contact Andrew if you are interested.
🐦 10/17 Saturday @ 8:30 AM — Washington Park, Anacortes
Targets: Seabirds, shorebirds, woodpeckers, and songbirds.
Difficulty: Easy. Paved loop road (closed to cars until 10:00 AM); first half-mile is wheelchair-accessible.
Leader: Paula Meckel, Mark Peyron, Andrew Spitznas
Meeting Spot: Parking lot near the restrooms, past the boat-trailer lot. Bring binoculars/scope and dress for weather (rain or shine).
Hiking - Jane Billinghurst
Upcoming Hikes
These are not birding hikes.
Weekly Hikes: Hikes depart Wednesdays. Join our hiking email list for weekly confirmation of locations.
New to chapter hikes? Find detailed information on our website.
October's hikes are all about fall color and include gentle strolls (Newhalem, Lake Whatcom shore), history favorites (Lime Kiln), and tough workouts (Hidden Hand Pass, Chanterelle Connector).
October 7 - East Bank Ross Lake
8:00 am–4:00 pm (to/from Sedro-Woolley)
Up to 8.5 mi, 1,548 ft gain – Moderate
October 14 - Newhalem-Area
8:00 am–2:00 pm (to/from Sedro-Woolley)
Variable mileage, minimal gain – Easy
October 21 - Lime Kiln
8:00 am–2:00 pm (from/to Mount Vernon)
7 miles, 987 ft gain - Moderate
October 28 - Lake Whatcom, Hertz Trail or Chanterelle Trail
9:00 am–2:00 pm (to/from Chuckanut Park & Ride)
- Hertz Trail: up to 6.25 mi, 100 ft – Easy
- Chanterelle Trail: up to 10 mi, 1,300 ft – Moderate to hard
Upcoming Programs - Ann Kramer
Regular October monthly meeting
Date & Time: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Location: Online via Zoom only. Program will be recorded.
The Topic: What drives our passion for birding? Scott Harris previews insights from his upcoming book, sharing interviews with legends like Kenn Kaufman, Sy Montgomery, and Pete Dunne. Discover their surprising, moving, and candid answers to five core questions: their Spark Bird, Nemesis Bird, Favorite Bird, 1st Field Guide, and Favorite Birding Day.
About the Speaker: Scott Harris became an avid birder, photographer, and author after retiring to South Carolina in March 2020. He is the author of RaptorQuest, host of the weekly NaturallyScott podcast focusing on birds and wildlife, and an internationally published nature photographer with a multi-book publishing deal.
5 Minutes with Scott Harris
Ahead of his 10/13 talk, Ann spoke with Scott about late-blooming birders and the questions that unite us.
You didn't start birding until you retired in March 2020. What was that transition like?
“It was a hobby I never imagined, but now I can’t imagine life without it. It began with the birds in my South Carolina yard and grew into photography, a weekly podcast, and books.”
What surprising insights will members hear in your talk?
“Despite our different backgrounds, birders share the same spark moments, nemesis frustrations, and deep emotional connections to nature. Asking 52 prominent birders the same five questions revealed that common bond—whether you’re a world-renowned ornithologist or a backyard watcher.”
Special event co-presented by SAS and partner groups.
Thanks to incredible community interest, tickets for this event are officially sold out!
Date & Time: Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 4-6:45PM
Location: Mount Vernon Library Commons
Ticket holders: We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
Didn't get a ticket? Join the waitlist now
Chris Morgan will share behind-the-scenes stories, photographs, and film clips from 30+ years studying large carnivores across six continents.
Find full details in the September issue.
The Holiday Photo Show is right around the corner! Start gathering your top photo submissions, and look for full details in next month’s issue.
REGIONAL PARTNER EVENTS
Bellingham Bird Week October 5–11, 2026
Celebrate Whatcom County’s 355+ bird species! Hosted by North Cascades Audubon Society and Audubon Washington alongside the annual Audubon Council of Washington (ACOW) conference, enjoy a week of field trips, bird trivia, documentary films, author talks, and family activities.
Conservation - Tim Manns
To Protect Birds and Wildlife: Vote!
To accomplish Audubon’s mission of protecting birds and other wildlife and their habitat, we need to restore the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA).
The first Trump administration overturned a century’s approach to implementing the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, reinterpreting it to protect birds only from deliberate harm. Inadvertent but foreseeable harms are no longer considered violations. The Biden administration restored the age-old interpretation; last year the second Trump administration reinstated the narrower reading.
For a century the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protected the great majority of bird species in the U.S. The $100 million fine BP paid for its 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill killing thousands of seabirds resulted from enforcing the law even for inadvertent harm. Now that incentive is gone. A local example: Puget Sound Energy is no longer legally required to install “firefly” devices that help swans avoid power lines in Skagit County—even though collisions are foreseeable and preventable.
The Endangered Species Act is also being weakened. On September 14, the administration finalized a rule removing habitat protection from the ESA’s scope and is moving to limit the law to only intentional harm. Most injuries to listed species are not deliberate. These radical changes to over 50 years of legal interpretation cut the heart out of endangered species protection—a severe blow to biodiversity. Environmental groups are bringing suit. What will the outcome be?
What can we do? — Vote!
Peregrine Falcon: Saved by the Endangered Species Act. (Photo: J.B. Smith)
As a 501(c)(3), Audubon cannot tell you how to vote, only urge you to do so. Let your elected representatives know you want strong protections for birds and their habitat.
For more on local issues (legacy forests, clean-energy siting, Grip Road gravel mine, Navy training EIS, and others), see the Conservation Notes.
Roadless Rule, Lights Out and Protect NSRA
Bittern photo credit: Ann Kramer
See the September issue for background, talking points, and submission steps on Roadless Rule and Protect NSRA, plus more information on Lights Out.
Roadless Rule Comment Period Extended to 10/6
Comment on the Administration’s proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule. The deadline has been extended to October 6 at 8:59 p.m. PST.
Support "Lights Out" During Fall Migration
Bird migration is underway! Remember to turn off unnecessary outdoor lights at night and shield essential fixtures to help night-flying birds.
Remind County Commissioners: Protect NSRA
Sedro-Woolley has not yet given up its idea of building ballfields on bittern habitat at Northern State Recreation Area. Remind Skagit County Commissioners we oppose this plan.
Save the Date: Padilla Bay Christmas Bird Count – Saturday, 12/26/26
Join Skagit Audubon for the 127th Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), National Audubon’s flagship community science project. Part of a hemispheric effort spanning 2,700+ 15-mile count circles from Dec 14–Jan 5, our local count centers on March Point and Padilla Bay.
Because this long-running effort feeds critical data to avian scientists, this is an all-day, rain-or-shine census rather than a casual field trip.
Experienced Birders Needed: Contact Tim Manns ([email protected]) to join the official count team.
Beginners & First-Timers: Skagit Audubon will host a separate introductory field trip on or near count day.
Education - Colleen Shannon
Outreach & Community Science
Happy Autumn!
With cooler days and the back-to-school season here, our education team is gearing up for a great fall:
Classroom Visits throughout the season in local elementary schools.
Tulip Valley Garden Club (Mid-Oct): special raptor program.
The Big Sit (Oct. 10) – see details below
Salish Sea School Bird Walks (Oct. 24, 10 AM–12 PM): we assist monthly with scopes and extra eyes for bird ID. Let us know if you’d like to help on the 24th!
Join the Education Volunteer List
Fall starts at a steady pace, but our schedule gets very busy by January with community tabling events. If you’re interested in helping, email me and I’ll add you to the interest list.
The Big Sit is Almost Here!
Photo by Jeff Osmundson
A one-day birding surge for Skagit Audubon scholarships.
On Saturday, October 10 (8 AM–4 PM), Colleen will be at Rosario Head all day. Join for a 2–4 hour shift or simply drop by—we’ll have a canopy for rain. It’s lively, social, and feels like a birding block party.
Why it matters Every species counted funds our Environmental Conservation Scholarships at Skagit Valley College. Last year we awarded three $1,500 scholarships. This year’s goal is three $2,000 scholarships. I know we can do this together!
How it works Teams identify every bird visible from one spot over an 8-hour window. You can also count from your own backyard, a park, or wildlife area (see thebigsit.org). Members pledge $1 or more per species seen by the team.
We still need help Right now we have only 3 people signed up and 2 pledges. Whether you volunteer at Rosario, register a backyard site, or make a pledge, contact Colleen. It’s fun, easy, and directly supports the next generation of conservation leaders.
Birder’s Digest - Kin Kou
The latest on where and how to see birds in Skagit County, plus other interesting bird-related news.
Back to School on the Salish Sea—Why Local Birds Wear Backpacks
The Crisis BirdLife International’s sixth "State of the World’s Birds" report (released September 11) delivers a stark warning: 45% of migratory bird species are in decline and 1 in 9 faces extinction. Shorebirds are hardest hit—54% showing severe drops from habitat loss, human disturbance, and climate change.
How "Backpacks" Help To track these losses, researchers outfit birds with miniature radio transmitters or geotags that emit automated signals. As they move along the Pacific Flyway, automated telemetry networks map their hidden routes, flight speeds, and vital stopover sites.
4 Local Stations Our local estuaries are a vital node on the Pacific Flyway. Skagit Bay is an internationally recognized Important Bird Area—a status built on decades of advocacy by leaders like Pam Pritzl. Today, 4 Motus receiver stations across Padilla Bay Reserve, Samish Island and Fir Island listen for tagged travelers. Maintained by the North Sound Motus Collaborative (local Tribes, Skagit Land Trust, WDFW, and partners), these antennas capture vital Salish Sea migration data.
Flight Snapshot: A Dunlin wearing a Motus tag was detected passing Fir Island, giving scientists precise data on its timing, route, and speed).
What you can do
Support estuary conservation: Advocate for wetland protection and local habitat restoration.
Give shorebirds space: Keep a comfortable distance from feeding or resting flocks on beaches and mudflats.
Support Lights Out: A dark night over the valley is one of the easiest conservation actions we can take this month for our visitors overhead.
Explore the data: Filter trends by flyway, habitat, and species group on the interactive 2026 State of the World’s Birds site, or read the full report.
American White Pelicans Expanding in Padilla Bay
Historically rare in the Salish Sea and extirpated from Washington between the 1940s and 1993, American White Pelicans are making a notable comeback west of the Cascades.
Population Growth: First confirmed in 2016–2017 with ~30 birds, observers now estimate ~200 pelicans live year-round in Padilla Bay. Late-August 2026 eBird checklists at March Point and Bayview reported 100+ in single sightings.
Origins: Expansion is driven by “scout” birds dispersing from southeastern Washington’s McNary National Wildlife Refuge, where the colony has grown to more than 5,500 breeding adults.
Breeding Challenges: Nesting attempts (18 chicks in 2017; 40–50 nests in 2021) were abandoned by mid-July. The species is listed as Threatened statewide by WDFW due to high sensitivity. Nest abandonments coincide with Fourth of July fireworks and boat traffic near March Point, leaving mostly juveniles.
Why it matters: Minimizing human disturbance could establish Padilla Bay as a permanent western breeding site—showing how recreational choices directly affect a recovering species.
What you can do: Keep submitting eBird checklists this fall and next spring, report your sightings, and enjoy the spectacle respectfully from a distance.
Watch a video of the pelicans in nearby Bellingham Bay here.
Spring Songs in October? The Secret Behind Autumnal Recrudescence
Have you ever wondered why local songbirds suddenly burst into a full spring chorus just as autumn leaves begin to fall? Known as autumnal recrudescence, this temporary hormonal surge is triggered when decreasing fall daylight mirrors early spring day lengths—a phenomenon formally documented by Townsend’s classic 1920 study in the flagship journal of the American Ornithological Society. Though no actual breeding occurs, it tricks birds into singing and defending territories as if April had arrived early. For a lighter, literary spin on this late-season spark, check out Susan Stiles' poem, The Autumnal Recrudescence of the Amatory Urge.
New Website Resources
Unveiling Two Major Website Upgrades!
We have been hard at work making skagitaudubon.org more informative and welcoming for every birder. This month we’re launching two major additions:
1. Brand-New: Skagit Audubon Accessibility Guide
We believe the joy of birding should be open to everyone. Our new Birding Accessibility Guide removes the guesswork so birders of all ages, mobility levels, and adaptive needs can head out with confidence. Because the WA State Parks Accessible Trails Map is not entirely comprehensive or up to date, each location profile on our site provides updated, verified information on trail slopes, surface firmness, ADA parking, and restroom availability.
Birding by Sound & Upcoming Events: SAS has offered "birding by sound" outings for blind and low-sight birders in the past and would love to host another trip for all interested members. Looking ahead, National Audubon will host a global Blind Bird-a-Thon in May 2027.
Key Resources & Feedback (also available on our Accessibility Guide page):
Birdability.org Map: Explore or submit crowdsourced reviews of accessible birding locations nationwide.
NLS BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download): Download digital braille and talking book titles via the BARD Mobile app (iOS/Android) or pair with Bluetooth braille displays. To register, contact your local cooperating library at loc.gov/nls/findyourlibrary or call toll-free 888-NLS-READ (888-657-7323).
Help Us Improve: We welcome your input! Please send additions or edits to [email protected].
2. New ID Toolkit & Redesigned Resource Page
Just in time for fall migration, the Resources page has been completely overhauled and clearly categorized.
The new “Beyond Merlin & Sibley” ID Toolkit focuses on behavior, proportions, and flight dynamics for real-world fall challenges (backlit hawks, distant waterfowl, molted shorebirds).
Featured Tools:
Flock & Flight Dynamics: including Ducks at a Distance silhouettes and the Raptor ID app.
Proportions & Sound: Printable shorebird size yardsticks and nocturnal flight call databases.
Local Practice: Custom eBird quizzes for Skagit hotspots.
Every resource now includes a clear description of what it is, why it’s useful, and how to use it.
That’s it for this month.
Keep getting outdoors, keep volunteering your time for birds and your community — and as always, bird happily!
Skagit Audubon Society
P.S. New here? Check these out:
Our New Member Guide - who we are, what we do, how you can get involved.
Wildlife Help Desk & Resource Directory - Save this quick-reference guide for reporting bird sightings or assisting wildlife in need across our region!
