National Audubon’s Washington, D.C. government affairs office recently issued the First 100 Days Campaign, an action plan for the federal administration’s initial months. The plan seeks to educate members of Congress about Audubon’s purpose and goals, particularly focusing on:
Investing in Conservation: Supporting watershed restoration and nature-based solutions to strengthen community resilience, reduce flood risks, and protect coasts and wetlands.
Keeping Working Lands Working: Ensuring conservation funding in the Farm Bill to support farmers, ranchers, and birds through responsible land management.
Protecting America's Wildlife and Public Lands: Fully fund the National Wildlife Refuge System and other federal land agencies and uphold protections for migratory birds and critical habitats.
Advancing Clean Energy and Transmission: Supporting responsible clean energy growth while ensuring that development is done in a way that protects wildlife and benefits local communities.
In light of national political conditions, these are strikingly optimistic goals, but pessimism doesn’t breed success, and Audubon’s goals do have champions in Congress. Rick Larsen, who represents many Skagit Audubon members, is an example as are other members of the Washington State delegation.
World Migratory Bird Day on May 10 comes at the end of the First 100 Days, and on that day we want to draw special attention to celebrating the amazing phenomenon of bird migration and stress the importance of protecting the habitat birds need everywhere along their migratory paths. This year’s theme emphasizes the importance of co-existence between humans and birds:
Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities. (Home - World Migratory Bird Day)
Here are seven simple actions we can take to help both migratory and resident birds right where we live:
1. Plant native: Native plants provide birds with the food and shelter they need. Remove invasive plants that can take over. For advice, read Douglas Tallamy’s books. Check out the National Audubon website (Native Plants | Audubon) and that of Washington Native Plant Society (Birds, Bees, and Wildlife). Read John Marzluff’s Subirdia.
2. Dim the lights at night: Our lights may disrupt birds’ needed rest cycle, affect their migration, and impact breeding.
3. Make windows visible: Birds don’t recognize pane glass and readily collide with it.
4. Protect insects: 95% of birds depend on insects during at least part of their life cycle, especially for feeding nestlings. Avoid using pesticides and other chemicals that kill caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects birds eat.
5. Restrain your pets: Free-roaming cats and dogs can disturb and sometimes kill birds. Get a catio, leash your pets, and provide them with entertainment indoors.
6. Reduce use of plastics: Reuse shopping bags, avoid single-use plastic bottles and utensils; buy non-plastic toys, …
7. Buy sustainable foods: Shade-grown coffee and chocolate protect tropical agroforests that preserve native tree diversity and tree canopy and reduce pollution where migratory birds winter.
The Conservation Report in April’s Skagit Flyer describes other things you can do locally to protect birds and the habitat they need. To celebrate the return of the migratory birds that have been away all winter, attend one of Skagit Audubon’s two birding trips scheduled for May 10th. See the Field Trips section on Page 5 of this newsletter and sign up today.
