The Flyway

The Flyway Spring 2020 Quarterly newsletter for Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually and Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuges Contents Salt Marsh Mud Animals ................ 1 The Brown-headed Cowbird:................ 2 Scientist in the Classroom....... 3 Poem, “Little visitors”....... 3 Spring Guided Walks and Weekend Programs............... 4 Fostering a Visual Connection with Nature................... 6 Yellow Flag Iris...... 7 Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival....... 8 The 2020 Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival will be held April 24-26 in Hoquiam More Salt Marsh Mud Animals Means Healthy Estuaries By Lynn Corliss Associate Professor of Oceanography and Environmental Science, South Puget Sound Community College such as pea crabs, scale worms and even clams. Sometimes when you are digging for these shrimp, you end up digging up clams as well. There are so Take a shovel and many different species dig into the mud in of clams or bivalves an estuary and you in Puget Sound. Some might be surprised of the more common at all the organones that you will isms that live there. come across are the On the surface purple varnish clams, of the mud there little neck clams, and are microbes and the non-native maplankton that were nila clam. All of these left behind from macro-invertebrates the last outgoare filter feeders that ing tide. You will play an important role also see layers of between the plankton seaweed and algae that feed on nutrients on the mud. If you from our estuaries and dig deeper, you will the larger organisms find many different Top: Manila Clams. Photo by Jenny that we eat. Woodman. Below: Ghost shrimp. Photo types of worms, from Friends of Netarts Bay Watershed. So, why do benthos crustaceans and or organisms that live clams. Most of the worms you encounon the bottom of Puget Sound matter? ter belong to the phylum Annelida. Worms are excellent at bioturbation or Annelida includes the subclass Oligothe recycling of nutrients. They bring chaeta which includes the common oxygen down into low oxygen, anoxic earthworm that you find in your garden sediment, and create organic matter and many other marine worms. You from their waste. Their waste is food can identify different worm species for plankton and microbes. Mud shrimp by their worm castings or the pattern and ghost shrimp also cycle oxygen of how they get rid of their waste at down into their burrows as they move the opening of their burrow. Common their tails and create a current. These crustaceans that burrow in our estuaries shrimp also provide homes for many are both the blue mud shrimp and pink species and food for some our favorite ghost shrimp. These shrimp can have commercial fish in Puget Sound. One simple U shaped burrows in the winter of the most important seafood indusor very complex burrows in the sumtries in Puget Sound is our Shellfish mer months. These burrows provide homes for other commensal animals Continued on page 8 The Brown-headed Cowbird: A Recent Resident from the Great Plains By David True As springtime comes charging past winter, the woods and thickets around the Norm Dicks Visitor Center start to come alive with the voices of birdsong. It is not uncommon to hear the odd whistling “per-pree” sound of the Brown-headed Cowbird as the male sings his odd song on top of a small tree. Just as often, the cowbirds may make a harsh rattle as they fly past the trees to open fields where they may gather for feeding, often near agricultural areas where livestock can be found. For anyone who may have observed or heard this species, this may not be considered a joyous sound of spring. Cowbirds have a notorious reputation for a number of reasons, particularly for their role of laying their eggs in the nests of other birds (also known as brood parasitism), and they can sometimes be a pest around farmlands. Yet this subtly beautiful bird has a fascinating biology, and this aspect of their lives is worth presenting on how this species has learned to survive and succeed. Cowbirds are believed to have been originally a Great Plains species, a bird that was adapted to following large herds of grazing mammals, particularly bison. As Published quarterly by the Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Phone: 360.753.9467 Fax: 360.534.9302 www.fws.gov/refuge/billy_frank_jr_nisqually www.fws.gov/refuge/grays_harbor Volume 12, Number 1 Editor: Susie Hayes Editorial Advisors: Jennifer Cutillo, David True Graphic design: Lee Miller Save trees, think green. To receive The Flyway electronically, email nisqually@fws.gov 2 the large mammals walked, in their wake the grassland was disturbed for the Cowbirds to feed on seeds and insects. Since the large grazing animals would rarely settle down in one area long enough for the cowbird to raise a family in a nest, the bird adapted to laying its eggs in the nests of other birds. Fledgling cowbirds grow fast and large, and often they can outcompete the other young birds that may be in the nest. Some fledgling cowbirds may even roll the egg of a sibling out of nest that it is in! An occasional host songbird may learn to recognize the egg of a cowbird in their nest and knock the egg out or even build a new nest around it. But enough young cowbirds endure to keep the species thriving throughout the seasons. As mankind altered the Great Plains for agriculture and most of the large grazing mammals were eliminated, the new farms and open areas around the country were perfect opportunities for the cowbird to exploit. The birds moved east and west throughout North America utilizing livestock in place of bison and finding the open woodlands and agricultural areas perfect for their lifestyles. It’s likely that cowbirds arrived in eastern Washington in the late 1800’s. They became common in the Puget Sound areas more recently in the mid-20th century. Another interesting fact about cowbirds is how they learn their songs, since these birds are not raised by members of their own species. Many songbirds are believed to learn their songs somewhat from watching and listening to the songs of their own species as they go from fledglings to adults, but not the cowbird. Apparently they don’t need to learn their songs from their own species, and this has puzzled scientists on how this species can innately learn its song. The Brown-headed Cowbird may not be a favorite with many, but nevertheless you have to marvel at how it has learned to persist in our world. Watching the fields near the Twin Barns may give you the opportunity to find these unique survivalists. Cowbird photo by David True. The Flyway Scientist in the Classroom: Bringing the Refuge into Local Classrooms lesson we listened to bird calls and songs. As we played the “who-cooks-for-youuuuu” hoot of the Barred Owl and the pops and clicks of the Hooded Merganser, the classroom would erupt with joy and laughter at each recorded bird sound. For our second visit we collected live underwater insects and other creatures found in the freshwater wetlands on the Refuge and brought them into the By Davy Clark classroom. Coming back to one school, a student came into their classroom, saw Many visitors to the that we had returned Refuge know that this for another lesson, and is a popular destination shouted, “Yes! We get for local schools durto do SCIENCE today!” ing the spring. Groups Building these positive of students excitedly associations with science explore Refuge trails learning is a big goal of with our volunteers who what we do. During this are passionate about lesson students enjoyed sharing nature with catching and viewing children. During these insects using spoons, pispecial outdoor learning pettes, and microscopes. experiences memories Screams erupted as are formed that will they caught a glimpse of last a lifetime: baby dragonfly nymphs dartWood Ducks leaping ing through the water from a nest box, a Great Classroom Scientist. photo by North Thurston Public Schools. magnified 40 times their Horned Owl whipping normal size. One student its head around and caught a damselfly larva in a spoon and squinted as flashing its golden eyes, a Rufous Hummingbird feeding they carefully brought it near their eyes. “So gross!” and its young in that almost-impossible-to-find nest. These all the while smiling and leaning in for a closer look. are just a few of the moments that can help young We deduced that day that things can be cool and gross people form new and often powerful connections with at the same time. nature. In the words of Rachel Carson “It is not half so Continued on page 5 important to know as it is to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow”. Even in the coldest months of winter, when few schools plan a trip to the Refuge, our team of educators are hard at work bringing the wonders of the Refuge into local classrooms. This year we began a pilot program called “Scientist in the Classroom”, which involved visiting seven second grade classrooms four times each. During these visits students explored the wonders of local birds, frogs, insects, and the importance of habitat to all wildlife. Our first classroom visit introduced students to how special National Wildlife Refuges are, and how they are a place where wildlife comes first. They carefully observed taxidermy bird mounts that we brought into their classroom. The Northern Pygmy Owl, Northern Flicker, and Mallard were among their favorites. We challenged the students to identify these birds using field guides, and they quickly proved themselves to be keen birders! We were so impressed by how carefully students took time to notice the size, shape, and unique field markings of each bird. At the end of the Spring 2020 Little visitors at the refuge with the BIG name pink painted butterflies on pale green boots cardboard binoculars, hanging from yarn mittened hands, soggy hats plastic raincoats four-year-olds, at play in the rain more interested in kicking the puddles than the heron on the branch more interested in stomping the puddles than two eagles in the tree more interested in jumping in the puddles than geese flying high they loved the rain they loved the Refuge and went home wet —Helen Henry 3 Spring Guided Walks and Weekend Programs Spring is here and with it, spring interpretive programs have begun at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. There are no additional fees for participating in a program, only the cost of admission to the Refuge. Also keep a look out for our Critter Cart, which will be brought outside when volunteers are available. You’ll find animal skins, skull and egg replicas, and pictures. Come out and learn more about the world around you at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Note: All programs will begin next to the flagpole unless otherwise noted in the program description. April Sunday, April 5th Raptors of the Delta 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm The Peregrine Falcon, the Bald Eagle, the Northern Harrier, and the Great Horned Owl are amazing raptors found on the delta. Each story of these amazing birds has a story to tell. Experienced birder and Refuge volunteer Richard Cormier will reveal unique aspects of a raptor’s journey through life in this short, illustrated program. Meet in the Visitor Center auditorium. Saturday, April 11th Birds of a Feather: Take Flight on a Bird Walk 8:30 am – 12:00 pm Experience the thrill of seeing Peregrine Falcon (the world’s fastest bird) or hearing a woodpecker pecking away (up to 20 pecks per second)! Join experienced birder and Refuge volunteer David Richardson for a guided walk full of sights and sounds of one of the Refuge’s largest treasures—the birds! Meet at the landing overlooking the pond at the Visitor Center. Saturday, April 18th Beaver at Work 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Beavers are one of the few animals besides man that can change their environment. Beaver are mostly nocturnal but at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge the signs of beaver are common, even if the animal is not easy to observe. Join Refuge volunteer Mark Hunter to learn and watch for the signs of beaver activity and learn how beaver can affect all the other species in an area, including mankind. 4 Sunday, April 19th The Nisqually and Medicine Creek: Where Nature, Culture and History Converge 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Learn about the events surrounding the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty; explore how the Nisqually people came to the Nisqually delta and how their lives changed with the settlement of Europeans. Refuge volunteer Lynn Corliss leads you down history’s winding path, where you will discover important things about the people who enjoyed this land before you did. Sunday, April 26th Pollen Love with Pollinators 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Do you love insects, birds and bats? So do we! Come explore the Refuge with Refuge volunteer Amanda Higgs to try to learn about pollination from the perspective of a pollinator. This program will include a thirty minute guided walk to discuss the importance of various pollinators for flowering plants. We will also discuss the benefits of pollinator conservation and things we can do to protect these vital species. May Sunday, May 3rd The Nisqually and Medicine Creek: Where Nature, Culture and History Converge 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Learn about the events surrounding the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty; explore how the Nisqually people came to the Nisqually delta and how their lives changed with the settlement of Europeans. Refuge volunteer Lynn Corliss leads you down history’s winding path, where you will discover important things about the people who enjoyed this land before you did. The Flyway Saturday, May 9th A River Runs Through It Sunday, May 31st Home Sweet Home 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Do you know that the Nisqually River is the only river in the United States that begins in a National Park and ends in a National Wildlife Refuge? Join Refuge volunteers Amanda Higgs and Vic Merolla on a stroll along the Nisqually River as they interpret natural history along our beautiful river. 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Enjoy a short walk through the various habitats of the Refuge with Refuge volunteer Sue Stone, exploring all there is to see! Along the way, hear some tales of the Squalli Absch natives, farmer Brown, and the events surrounding the Medicine Creek Treaty. Saturday, May 16th How the Delta Was Formed 11:00 pm – 12:00 pm Join Refuge volunteer Mark Hunter for this interesting presentation on the natural history of our Nisqually Delta and how it has changed over time. This program will include a short walk along with an inside talk as well. Saturday, May 23rd Pollen Love with Pollinators 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Do you love insects, birds and bats? So do we! Come explore the Refuge with Refuge volunteer Amanda Higgs to try to learn about pollination from the perspective of a pollinator. This program will include a thirty minute guided walk to discuss the importance of various pollinators for flowering plants. We will also discuss the benefits of pollinator conservation and things we can do to protect these vital species. Scientist in the Classroom From page 3 For our third visit students worked in groups as teams of highly specialized scientists to become an expert in a local habitat. Some students took on the role of ornithologists, others entomologists, herpetologists, or botanists. Each group explored boxes filled with items from one particular habitat. For example, our “Riparian Forest” box included field guides, a North American Beaver skull, an American Robin nest, a Red-breasted Sapsucker wing, and a model frog. Students researched their habitat learning about all the plants and animals that lived there and how they are interconnected. For our final visit we decided to have our culminating activity be a celebration of wildlife through art. We asked students how art can help scientists learn about the world. Some of their responses included: “When you draw things it makes you look at them more closely.” Spring 2020 June Sunday, June 14th The Nisqually and Medicine Creek: Where Nature, Culture and History Converge 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Learn about the events surrounding the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty; explore how the Nisqually people came to the Nisqually delta and how their lives changed with the settlement of Europeans. Refuge volunteer Lynn Corliss leads you down history’s winding path, where you will discover important things about the people who enjoyed this land before you did. Sunday, June 28th Raptors of the Delta 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm The Peregrine Falcon, the Bald Eagle, the Northern Harrier, and the Great Horned Owl are amazing raptors found on the delta. Each story of these amazing birds has a story to tell. Experienced birder and Refuge volunteer Richard Cormier will reveal unique aspects of a raptor’s journey through life in this short, illustrated program. Meet in the Visitor Center auditorium. “If you draw an animal you’ll remember it forever, that way you don’t have to take it from its habitat.” “Drawings help you show other people what you saw.” Students then learned about native amphibians like the Pacific Chorus Frog and Long-toed Salamander. Each student carefully drew a native amphibian species of their choice. Many of their drawings will be entered into the Nisqually Watershed Festival Poster Contest. Every entry will be on display at the Refuge at the next Nisqually Watershed Festival, held on the last Saturday of September, so be sure to stop by and check out these works of art! Our “Scientist in the Classroom” program is new, and we look forward continuing to visit second grade classrooms in future years. We will grow this special opportunity for the wonders of the Refuge to find their way into classrooms. 5 Putting the Field Guide Down: Fostering a Visual Connection with Nature By Grace Demeo Students are asked both in the Grays Harbor Education Program and in the Scientist in the Classroom program a deceptively simple question: how can art help scientists? Most students come to the conclusion that art helps a scientist slow down and notice details. Particularly clever students note that art can help scientists monitor changes in the environment or help scientists learn identification markings and skills. Developing an appreciation for the visual aspects of nature can help foster a connection with nature that is unique from other forms of nature appreciation. In simpler terms: interesting sights create interesting memories. I am both an environmental educator and a freelance visual artist. While I find joy in scientifically categorizing species and tracking coveted birds to check off my list, most of my nature walks consist of looking for visually intriguing scenes. I leave my binoculars behind and explore the world of nature using an artist’s lens. Color The bright petals of a red-flowering currant in spring. A rainbow lurking in the iridescent feathers of a Bufflehead. The gentle white blanket of snow resting on dark-colored branches. Looking for evocative colors outside is one of the simplest joys on a nature walk, and arises at a very early age. One of my favorite memories during a preschool field trip was watching one student point at leaves and jubilantly yell, “GREEN!” It did not matter to them that the plant was a snowberry bush or that the leaves provide shelter for wintering song sparrows; the leaves were green! 6 Next time you are on a walk in nature, consider what colors are around you. Which ones do you like? Why do certain colors hold memories for you? Have any of the colors changed since you were last there? Shapes Students, like many adults, get frustrated by the fear of the blank page. Being asked to draw or describe an entire great horned owl brings to mind a phrase we have all said at some point: “It’s too hard, I’m not an artist.” When students pose this frustration, I ask them to look more closely at what they are trying to capture. While we look closely at a single talon on the bird’s foot, we notice that it is shaped like a crescent moon. Then I ask if they feel up to the challenge of drawing a crescent moon. We track down more shapes, and draw the bird one shape at a time. The hunt for shapes is a delightful chase through the outdoors. Photographers often speak of the miracle moment when birds are perfectly “framed” on a branch. During the winter time I love looking for “borbs”birds that have puffed up to the point that they are a perfectly round orb. Pick a shape next time you are outside and see if you can find it in nature. Can you find it in more than one place? Does it appear anywhere you don’t expect? Pattern A pattern is the reassuring idea that there is something regular or not random in nature. Patterns can be mesmerizing; following sedge’s zigzagging motion can lead to discovery at its base. Ripples in a pond are clues to a hunt for the creature that made them. Visual patterns can be just as valuable as chronological patterns. Seeing a flower emerge from the same tree as last year brings a reassurance that spring will continue to come. Next time you are outside, consider what patterns are there to hypnotize you. How long can you follow a rip- The Flyway ple in the water until it disappears? Do the shadows of leaves make patterns as you walk? What small patterns are there? What big patterns? Imagination When walking in the woods with her nephew, Rachel Carson would point at baby trees and together they would decide which trees would make excellent Christmas trees for squirrels. Without identifying the trees or the squirrel, they would use their visual imagination to create memories in nature. Using your visual imagination can lead to new discoveries and theories, regardless of if they are correct or not. At the Refuge, there is an enormous dead maple tree with a gaping hole in the center of the trunk. One of our volunteers says every time she sees it, that there must be a portal to another world in it. As soon as she told me this, I wanted to jump through the jagged cut just to find out! Set down your begrudging reason and give way to wonder next time you are in nature. What creatures are hiding just beyond the tree line? What epic battles are taking place underwater? The best part about looking for a visual connection with nature is that nature is always changing. One day the pond might be full of ripples, and another day it might be full of bubbles. We challenge our students in our education program to see “one brand new thing” every time they go outside, because we know that nature is in a constant state of flux. See what colors, patterns, shapes and imaginary scenes evoke joy and wonder for you. All photos by John Whitehead Yellow Flag Iris: A beautiful Menace By: Ryan Munes nearly impossible from land. Instead of walking in on foot, removal of Yellow Flag Iris often involves floating in by canoe to cut stalks, flowers, and seed pods. We estimate that through the efforts of our hard-working Washington Conservation Corps Crew members and volunteers that the following was accomplished in 2019 over nine days: Removing invasive species is an important step to managing habitat for wildlife. Plants brought to new places by people sometimes are so wildly successful that they outcompete the native species. These super-successful plants actually reduce the quality of habitat by decreasing diversity, threatening important food sources, and taking up important • 21,000 pounds of Yellow (and sometimes scarce) Flag Iris shoots nutrients. With the help of were removed our Washington Conserva• 10,000 individual Yellow tion Corps Crew and many Flag Iris stalks dedicated volunteers the were removed Refuge has made progress along the Black River Unit • 125,000 Yellow Flag Iris A Washington Conservation Corps Crew member south of Olympia in slowseed pods were enjoys removing Yellow Flag Iris, by USFWS ing the spread of one such removed plant: Yellow Flag Iris. This aquatic perennial plant has • 12,600,000 Yellow Flag long thin leaves that are similar to cattail with distincIris seeds were removed and will not be able to distive yellow flowers and large seed pods reminiscent of perse along the Black River giant snap peas. This is one step to managing a unique river system and ensuring that vital habitat will be available for the wildlife The Refuge manages property along the Black River whose lives depend upon it. In the years to come there as part of the Black River Unit of Nisqually National will be a continued effort to remove invasive species and Wildlife Refuge Complex. Removal of this species there increase the quality of habitat along the Black River. is labor intensive and often just getting to the plant is Spring 2020 7 25th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird and Nature Festival Celebrating the natural world and the spring shorebird migration Each spring, hundreds of thousands of shorebirds stop to rest and feed along the Washington Coast and the Grays Harbor estuary during their migration northward. Coming from as far south as Argentina, these Arctic bound shorebirds are among the world’s greatest migrants. Some birds travel over 15,000 miles round trip! The concentration of birds during spring migration offers people a great chance to view a number of shorebird species. With luck you will also see the birds fly together in beautiful formations while trying to escape a hungry Peregrine Falcon. Shorebirds, the name given to the group of birds usually found along the shoreline include: plovers, turnstones, sandpipers, dowitchers, and others. Some shorebirds can be found in Grays Har- bor County all year, others only during their migration. A good way to start learning the common shorebirds is to attend the Festival’s free shorebird identification class. The shorebird spectacle happens every year at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge and in other parts of the county. People from around the world come to view this event of hemispheric importance. The Festival works to bring people together for this incredible natural phenomenon. All proceeds from the Shorebird and Nature Festival help fund the Shorebird Education Program, which is free to participating schools. The dates for this year’s Shorebird and Nature Festival are April 24th–26th. See back page for additional information for this our 25th annual festival. From the Mud some type of filtration system with gravel, straw bales, or sand can filter out large volumes of toxins. All of these methods can help create cleaner water and healthy sediment for estuarine organisms. From page 1 industry. Shellfish have contributed over $184 million in economic benefits to the State of Washington in recent years (WA Shellfish Initiative, 2016). Shellfish are important to the economy and the environment. One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water in one day. The more shellfish, the cleaner our water is. Toxic storm water runoff is one of the biggest threats to water quality of Puget Sound. Much of those toxins that end up in our waters come from our daily activities. When we drive our cars we produce Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) from our car exhaust. PAHs are persistent organic compounds that bioaccumulate or magnify through the food chain. When we use herbicides we are producing carcinogenic chemicals. When we do not pick our pet waste we are producing pathogens or bacteria that can run into our waterways. By allowing these chemicals to runoff in our waters we are not only harming aquatic animals but ourselves. All of these activities are amplified in an urban environment where ninety percent of the surface can be impervious. Studies have shown that Coho salmon can die in as little as three hours when coming in contact with urban runoff. One solution is to make sure that these toxins do not make it into our waterways in the first place. Having buffers of vegetation that absorbs the runoff before it gets into our rivers can make a huge difference. Also having 8 All of the benthic organisms are indicators of how healthy Puget Sound is. The more biodiversity of macroinvertebrates (worms, crustaceans and bivalves) the better off we all are. If we have healthy sediment, then we have a healthy invertebrates and more commercial fish. It all comes down to the mud in the estuaries and what we do on a daily basis to our land and our lawns. Using a weed eater instead of herbicides, washing your car on your lawn instead of in the road, riding your bike or walking instead of driving your car, and picking up your dog waste can move us in the right direction for a healthier Puget Sound. What goes down your drain does matter. Toxic chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs should not go down the drain (see enclosed link for proper disposal). These small invertebrates that live in our estuaries and future generations are depending on all of us! Department of Ecology State of Washington. (n.d.) Toxics and Waste. Household Waste and Toxics. Find a Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Site. https://ecology.wa.gov/Waste-Toxics/Communitywaste-toxics/Household-hazardous-waste-MRW/Finda-household-hazardous-waste-site The Flyway New and Renewing Friends Members/Spring 2020 Student/Senior–$15 Allan & Norma Bordon Jeanne Crawford Tim Crawford Linda Darkenwald Wynn Hoffman Jean Phillips Richard Scranton Kay Smith Bonnie Benard & Peter Seidman Ruth E. Terlouw Individual–$25 Margaret Adams Janet Cady Georgie Douglas Red Edwards Curt Johnson Pamela Sulenes Family–$50 Lindella Brasche Beth Morrison & Geoff Crooks Larry & Peggy Erickson Steven Erly Susan Huck Ralph & Kate Maughan Mark McKeknie Stephanie Morris John & Judy Toone Michael Zeigler II Supporting–$100 Nancy Alden Christopher Bauermeister Cindy Fairbrook Michael Gillespie Verena & Basil Grieco Donna Ewing & Sue Minahan Karen Pauler David & Anne Richardson Partner–$250 Lindsey & Doug Ford Friends of Nisqually NWR Complex is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1998 to promote conservation of the natural and cultural resources and fund educational and outreach programs at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Join Friends of Nisqually NWRC! Name ___________________________________________ Address__________________________________________ City/State/Zip _____________________________________ Email ___________________________________________ Please send information on making Friends of Nisqually NWRC a beneficiary of my estate. Check here to receive an electronic version of The Flyway newsletter by email. Individual/Family Memberships $15 Student/Senior $25 Individual $50 Family $100 Supporting $250 Partner $500 Patron $1000 Benefactor Corporate/Business Memberships $250 Business Sponsor $500 Community Partner $1000 Sustaining Business $2500 Corporate Patron $5000+ Corporate Benefactor Please make checks payable to: Friends of Nisqually NWRC, 100 Brown Farm Rd, Olympia, WA 98516 Your tax deductible contribution will help preserve the unique habitats, fish, and wildlife of the Nisqually Delta and the Grays Harbor Tideflats. OFFICE USE Rec’d__________ Mo___________ New______ Renew______ Ent____________ Mld___________ Spring 2020 9 Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Non-Profit Org US Postage PAID 100 Brown Farm Road Olympia WA 98516 Olympia WA Permit #206 Return Service Requested ... conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people... 25th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird & Nature Festival April 24-26, 2020 • Keynote Speaker Gerrit Vyn, “The Global Life of Birds” Friday at 7:30pm • Annual Fundraising Dinner Speaker Barb Ogaard, “Tales from a Bat Cave” Saturday at 5:30 pm (Advanced tickets required) “Lone Bird on an Early Flight” by Ezri