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The Prairie Owl: Vaux'S Swift
The Prairie Owl: Vaux'S Swift
The Prairie Owl: Vaux'S Swift
EVENT CALENDAR
VAUX’S SWIFT
SEPTEMBER
Vaux’s Swift, a slightly smaller counter- out of the sky and disappearing into the
5—Mann Lake Field Trips, part of the eastern North American Chim- roost tree.
every Saturday morning ney Swift (Chaetura pelagica), breeds Like other swifts, the Vaux’s is almost
during the month from southwestern Canada through the entirely insectivorous—a strainer of aerial
16—Program: Status of western United States to Mexico, Central plankton—hawking a variety of ants, bugs,
North American White America, and northern Venezuela. In win- flies, moths, spiders, and aphids from the
Sturgeon ter, northern migrant populations of this air. An adult feeding young collects bo-
species overlap southern residents. Best luses of food in its mouth and carries these
OCTOBER
known for its quick flight back to its nes-
3—Mann Lake Field Trips, and dazzling aerial agility, tlings. Each par-
every Saturday morning this bird seldom perches ent makes up to
during the month except when nesting or 50 trips per day,
21—Program: Digital roosting, and it probably delivering more
Photography for Bird- mates on the wing. Hollow than 5,000 small
ers trees are its favored nest- insects from dawn
ing and roosting sites to dusk.
(chimneys are used on oc- This swift is
casion), making this swift named for William
vulnerable to loss of old- S. Vaux (1811–
growth forest. Indeed, re- 1882), a member
PALOUSE AUDUBON
cent declines in Vaux’s Swift populations of the Academy of Natural Sciences of
have been documented in the Pacific Philadelphia and a friend of John K.
President: Terry Gray, (208) 882- Northwest where mature forest is dwin- Townsend, who described this species in
1585, clgtlg@moscow.com
dling. Its nest, an open half-circle of 1839 from specimens collected on the Co-
Vice-President: Sarah de la Rue, loosely woven twigs, is glued together and lumbia River.
sarah.delarue@vandals.uidaho.edu
to the inside of a hollow tree or chimney Many of the life history traits of this spe-
Secretary: Diana Jones, with the bird’s sticky saliva. In migration, cies are still unknown, although extensive
joneses01@gmail.com large flocks of this species circle roosts at studies in forests of NE. Oregon have pro-
Treasurer: Henry Willmes (208) dusk, feigning entry until the first few vided information on nest and roost site
882-2649, hwillmes@verizon.net birds take the plunge—then the whole characteristics (Bull and Cooper 1991; Bull
flock follows abruptly, literally pouring and Blumton 1997; Bull 2003a), (see page 3)
Board Members: Laura Bloomfield,
laurabloomfield22@yahoo.com, (206)
Conservation: VACANT nator and also help out in any way I can
Summer has gone by way too fast this with PAS projects. I will be asking the
Education: Donal Wilkinson, donal- PAS board to set up a search committee in
wilkinson@yahoo.com, (208) 310- year. I hope everyone has had a wonderful
3010 summer. accordance with the PAS bylaws.
I have been a member of Palouse Audu- It is time for new leadership in our group
Field Trips: Terry Gray, (208) 882-
1585, clgtlg@moscow.com bon Society (PAS) since the spring of 2001 and I know that other chapters have presi-
and a member of the board since August dents that are not avid birders as their
Membership: James Storms, (509) president so anyone can take on this re-
635-1272, nbutte@pullman.com
2002. I was elected as co-president of PAS
along with Charles Swift in May 2004. sponsibility. If anyone is interested in
Newsletter/Programs: Tom Weber, Charles resigned in the fall of 2006. Since stepping up to the plate with new ideas to
tweber@wsu.edu, (509) 334-3817 help this group continue to provide a ser-
I have been the PAS president since 2004, I
Publicity: Tina Deines, (785) 317- feel that it is time to resign as president of vice to this area, please let us know.
2427, tinadeines@gmail.com PAS at the end of this term, next spring. I Terry Gray
PAGE 2 V O LU ME 3 8 IS SUE 1
October 21—Digital Photography for Birders— The grant ends on August 16, 2010 and will be used to
Daniel Poleschook, Jr., Adjunct Field Scientist, BioDi- further improve and develop the state line wetlands as a
versity Research Institute community wildlife park. The chapter also wishes to
acknowledge the work of our president, Terry Gray for
broadcasting the availability of various grants to the
community.
If you are interested in observing hundreds of VAUX’S SWIFT (continued from page 1)
swifts diving into a chimney to roost—they still
may be found entering the chimney at the Old diet and foraging activity (Bull and
Martin Tire Store in downtown Moscow. This Beckwith 1993), and nesting chro-
spectacular display may last for a few weeks yet. nology (Bull and Collins 1993).
Comparative studies in other parts
If you wish to see them, arrive at the parking lot of its range are desirable.
across the street around 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY MORNINGS
AT MANN LAKE—
Baird’s Sandpiper
(juvenile)
photo by Terry Gray
Includes National Audubon Society and Palouse Audu- Financially supports the programs and activities of the
bon Society membership and subscriptions to AUDU- Palouse Audubon Society and includes an annual sub-
BON MAGAZINE and THE PRAIRIE OWL newsletter. scription to THE PRAIRIE OWL newsletter. Send your
Send check payable to National Audubon Society check payable to Palouse Audubon Society
Student & Senior Citizen (62+) $15.00 For additional information call: (509) 635-1272
Return this form with your check to: Palouse Audubon Society, PO Box 3606, Moscow, ID 83843-1914
WAALSOHUI N
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