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Summer Stream Clean-up August 1 |
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Summer stream cleanup and birding social
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 8:00 AM – ~11:00AM
Koppel Farm and Community Gardens, Pullman, WA
Join Palouse Audubon for our second South Fork Palouse River cleanup and birding social for this year. We will start with a bird walk at 8AM in the birdiest areas near Koppel Community Gardens, then pick up trash along our nearby river section. Coffee, donuts, cold drinks and fellowship with other birders will be available throughout the morning. Please register here and read more about the ADOPT A STREAM program, below. |
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Are you concerned about bird population declines and wondering what you can do to help?
Palouse Audubon Society has a NEW hands-on project YOU can join to help make a difference for our local bird species!
Our chapter has joined the Palouse Conservation District's "Adopt-A-Stream" project for 2026, and we're excited to steward the section of the South Fork Palouse River along the Pullman Community Gardens as our project area. For more about this PCD program, look here:
https://www.palousecd.org/pullman-aas
We'll host a stream clean-up event along this segment at least 3 times a year, and we encourage all members, friends and their families to join us to help improve this favorite local bird habitat! PCD provides trash/recycle bags and gloves if needed, PAS will supply snacks, drinks and fun swag/prizes for participants - - YOU supply the energy and enthusiasm to get garbage out of our community's river habitat! |
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I had heard of Duck Stamps, but had not ever bought one. I figured it was just for hunters of waterfowl. Sorting through my husband’s books,I found the book The Wild Duck Chase by Martin J Smith published in 2012. The book is a fascinating read and I learned a lot more about the Federal Duck Stamp Program. It began in 1934 during the Dust Bowl and Depression. Amazing that there were visionaries who thought about the need to preserve wildlife when so many people were hurting and trying to survive. The book, using as an example of the Duck Stamp Contest of 2010 explains how it is run, but more importantly, how the money raised by it is used to purchase land for Federal Wildlife Refuges. The program has raised more than $1.3 billion to conserve more than 6 million acres of wetland habitat. Ninety eight percent of the funds from the sale of duck stamps goes to acquiring wetlands and conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge system. The duck stamp can also be used as an annual pass to national wildlife refuge that charge entrance fees.
In the past, some hunters used to purchase two stamps. One to sign and attach to their hunting license and the other to keep pristine. Many people have a great collection of duck stamps. The purchase of Duck Stamp is one of the easiest way to support bird habitat conservation. It is more important now than ever since number of hunters have gradually decreased. In the 1950s and 1970s, over 2 million duck stamps were sold every year. More recently, the number has hovered around 1.6 million. In order to increase interest in the Duck Stamp Program, the Fish and Wildlife Service instituted a Junior Duck Stamp Contest. This contest is the culmination of Junior Duck Stamp education program. Students learn about waterfowl anatomy and habitat. Then students draw, paint or sketch one of the North American waterfowl species. The artwork by these young people K-12 is amazing! These Junior duck stamp is sold for $5 to support conservation education program.
The Wild Duck Chase has been updated, and is available in the Whitman County Library system. The author’s goal from the beginning was to raise awareness among birders about the effectiveness of the program in preserving habitat. The cover story about the Federal Duck Stamp Program in the July-August 2014 issue of the Audubon Magazine was suggested by the book. There is a film on AppleTV called the Million Dollar Duck which features many of the people in the book. The author of that Audubon article accompanied the filmmaker. Thus the book was turned into a documentary. Thus the book succeeded on that most fundamental level. Since it’s been over a decade, I thought a note in our newsletter might ignite some interest now among birders who did not know or remember that article.
This year, Duck Stamp First Day of sale was June 26. You can purchase them at your local post office or at duckstamp.com. Purchase of a duck stamp is a simple and great way to support habitat conservation.
Submitted by Palouse Audubon Society member, Charlotte Omoto
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Field Trips and Bird Walks |
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Peter Meserve passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 14, 2026, surrounded by family, after a brief illness.
Peter was born on September 22, 1945, in Buffalo, NY, to Reverend Harry Meserve and Louise Bloomfield Dunmire, and grew up in San Francisco, CA. When 9 months old, he contracted spinal meningitis, which caused him to lose most of his hearing, and he used hearing aids from age 4.
He attended The University of California, Davis, where he met Jan Holmberg, and they were married in 1969. After receiving a MA in biology at The University of Nebraska – Lincoln and a PhD in biology at The University of California, Irvine, he was appointed Professor of Biology at La Universidad Católica in Santiago, Chile. While there, he fell in love with Chile and its people. His research on small mammal populations began there and continued throughout his life. He spent his academic career at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, going to and from his northern Chilean research project.
He is survived by his wife, Jan, sons Jeffrey (Rhykka) and Stephen (Carie), and grandson Noble. He will be remembered for his scientific curiosity and love of the natural world. His work in Chile is a lasting legacy; he is respected and honored by friends and colleagues in around the world. His findings helped to deepen our understanding of climate change and phenomena such as El Niño.
A memorial service is planned on July 18th at 2 pm, at the Community Congregational UCC in Pullman, WA. Donations can be sent to Palouse Audubon Society in honor of his love and wonder for nature. Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow, ID is in charge of arrangements. |
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At 80 years young, Peter joined members of the Audubon Society on a trip to the Zumwalt Prairie in 2025. Seen here the second from the right, and below, the tent Peter erected and slept in all weekend. We were all impressed with his young at heart attitude.
Peter served on the board of directors as the treasurer for many years. "Peter will be missed for his service, kindness and his vast knowledge of birds and all mammals" Marie Dymkoski, President PAS. |
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In Case You Missed It..... |
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PAS Birds and Berries Event
June 27th dawned partly sunny and cool for our 1st (annual?) Palouse Audubon Society Birds & Berries trip, held at the Kreikemeiers' rural property north of Palouse, WA. PAS board member Monique Slipher hosted this special members-only event with the owners' blessing, and the birds showed up for us!
Highlights from around the house and barn area included Western and Willow Flycatchers and Wood-Pewees, a big flock of resident Cliff Swallows, lots of Pygmy Nuthatch and House Wren families, Cedar Waxwings and Chipping Sparrows, plus a couple Western Tanagers flying in and out of a big willow along the creek, and one Bullock's Oriole.
We then walked about 1.5 miles south out the private field track along the RR line, where we heard a Hammond's Flycatcher, Common Yellowthroat, and Meadowlarks among many others. A gang of Savanna Sparrows, two Killdeer, and two Horned Larks appeared right on cue in their expected locations along the RR tracks.
We ended up down at the North Fork Palouse River, with a nice view back at the basalt cliffs and down the river valley. A big dark garter snake made a brief appearance in the meadow there, along with a couple Red-tailed Hawks soaring overhead.
Heading back to the house, a couple of us spotted an adult Bald Eagle overhead, while a Belted Kingfisher zipped across in front of another group. All together we tallied 40 species for the morning, and everyone agreed it was "bird central"!
Upon returning to the house, some people took time for coffee and homemade rhubarb-berry pudding cake, while others got right to the pleasant task of picking some of the abundant organic strawberries in the large garden patch. This both helped the vacationing owners and provided free berries to take home - a definite win on both sides!
We may plan a return trip in the fall sometime; Monique has birded this location year-round since 2021, with about 70 species to date, so there are plenty more birds yet to find here in this beautiful corner of the Palouse. |
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SAVE THE DATE! Fall Equinox Sunday, September 20. More information to come soon.
2026-2027 Membership Drive will begin August 2026. |
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Our chapter’s 2025 Annual Report has been approved, and the Palouse Audubon Society is now recertified with the National Audubon Society.
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THANK YOU for your donations, your participation and for being part of a community of birders, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts.
We are so glad to have you with us.
Marie Dymkoski, President and Newsletter
Tom Fischer, Vice President
Position currently open, Treasurer
David Pierce-Garnett, Secretary
Mike Costa, Events and Conservation
Casey Lowder, Field Trips
Monique Slipher, Events and Outreach |
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