The 16th Annual Conference of the Washington Ornithological Society will be held at the University Inn and Conference Center in Moscow, Idaho, from Friday, June 4 through Sunday, June 6. Field trips, led by local and experienced birders, will be conducted on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The conference also features interesting local speakers who will address topics relevant to the Pullman/Moscow/Palouse area on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The University Inn and Conference Center is located in Moscow, Idaho, 10 minutes driving time east of Pullman. It is 288 miles east of Seattle, 193 miles east of Yakima, and 76 miles south of Spokane. The Conference Committee hopes you enjoy your visit to the Pullman/Moscow area. We are offering a number of excellent field trips - space is limited, so register early! Be sure to indicate alternate choices for field trips and designate the menu items you prefer.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MAY 20

Registrations postmarked after May 20 will be assessed a $10 late fee.

Registration begins April 15. Registration materials received as of April 15 will be processed in random order. Materials received after April 15 will be processed on a first come, first serve basis. Space on field trips is limited.

Registration at door - Applications for registration at the door of the Annual Meeting will have no guarantee of participation in the field trips or of breakfast or lunch meals. In addition, there will be a $10.00 late fee.

Cancellations received prior to May 20 will receive a refund, less a $10 processing fee. Additionally, cancellations received after June 1 will not receive a refund for any meals.

Lodging is not included in Conference fees. Please refer to the information provided and make your own arrangement.

FIELD TRIPS

 In order to optimize the birding experience for participants, there will be car-pooling for all field trips except three "on the way" to the conference (OF-1, 2 and 3) or "on-the-way home" (OS-1, 2 and 3). WOS will reimburse field trip drivers who carry at least three people in addition to themselves at the current federal government mileage rate. Unless noted in the description, all field trips will depart from the University Inn at 5:00 am.

On the Way: PALOUSE FALLS, LYONS FERRY AND CENTRAL FERRY - The Palouse River that once flowed through Washtucna was re-routed over Palouse Falls by the great Lake Missoula floods. The river joins the Snake River at Lyons Ferry where, for 108 years, a ferry crossed the river. It was an important link for the Palouse country and the Old Mullan Military Road. The road was built by Lt. John Mullan to move military troops between Fort Benton on the Missouri River and Fort Walla Walla on the Columbia River. Central Ferry, located upstream from Lyon's Ferry, is named for the ferry that linked Whitman and Garfield counties. Palouse Falls is the summer home of white-throated swifts and peregrine falcons. Lyons Ferry, and to a lesser degree Central Ferry, have produced some unexpected species during the past few years. These two areas serve as an oasis in the expanse of dry channels and agricultural land of eastern Washington and are a magnet for birds during migration. Friday's in-bound trip will begin in Washtucna at 10:00 a.m. Participants are to meet at Java Bloom. Sunday's out-bound trip will end in Washtucna. Bob Flores, leader (Friday); Charlie Wright, leader (Sunday) OF-1 Friday, OS-1 Sunday
On the Way: TURNBULL – Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge is located on the eastern edge of the Columbia Basin, in Spokane County. The refuge is situated within the “Channeled Scabland”, an area formed by glacial floods at the end of the last ice age. Turnbull NWR was established in 1937 to provide productive breeding and nesting grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife. The refuge encompasses approximately 16,000 acres of the scabland. The ecosystem that predominates the refuge is unique within the National Wildlife Refuge System and has characteristics that distinguish it from natural reserves worldwide. The combination of basalt outcrops, channeled canyons and ponderosa pine forests infused in a diverse landscape of over 130 marshes, wetlands and lakes, create an environment of aesthetic beauty as well as high quality wildlife habitat. The 3,036 acres of wetlands on Turnbull NWR represent some of the last high-quality breeding habitat available in eastern Washington. This is a "no carpool" trip. Friday's in-bound trip will begin in Cheney at 10:00 a.m. Participants are to meet at Gatto's Pizza. Sunday's out-bound trip will end in Cheney.  Gina Sheridan, leader (Friday); Cindy McCormack, leader (Sunday) OF-2 Friday Cancelled, OS-2 Sunday
NW WHITMAN COUNTY – This field trip takes us into the heart of Whitman County’s channeled scabland. Fifteen thousand years ago, during the last Ice Age, a glacial dam collapsed in what is now northern Idaho, releasing the waters of a giant inland sea known as Lake Missoula. Five hundred cubic miles of water rampaged westward at 60 miles an hour in a torrent flowing with ten times the volume of all the rivers on earth. The flood carved canyons, gouged out enormous plunge pools, made rivers like the Snake and the Willamette run backward and scoured the earth of eastern Washington right down to bare basalt rock. Today the landscape still bears the signs of these cataclysms: the flood-scoured scabland of eastern Washington, giant rocks near Portland transported all the way from Idaho by the flood, potholes and plunge pools dug by waterfalls that would have dwarfed Niagara many times over. The field trip will visit the shallow lakes near Sprague, where nesting populations of American white pelican, eared grebe, black-necked stilt and American avocet have been observed. The scabland in the Rock Creek drainage is also the home of grasshopper, Brewer’s, lark, vesper and savannah sparrows. The Palouse River area contains nesting populations of burrowing owl, long-billed curlew and ferruginous hawk. This trip will be offered on Saturday as well as in-bound and out-bound trips on Friday and Sunday. Friday's in-bound trip will begin in Sprague at 10:00 a.m. Participants are to meet at the Chevron station. Sunday's out-bound trip will end in Sprague. Tom Weber, leader (Friday and Saturday); Scott Downes, leader (Sunday) OF-3 Friday FULL, SA-3 Saturday, OS-3 Sunday FULL
FIELD SPRINGS STATE PARK – Fields Spring State Park is a 792-acre forested camping park remotely located in the Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington. A portion of the park sits at a height of 4,500 feet, offering a spectacular view of three states and the Grande Ronde River. This volcanically originated park was named after Mr. Fields, an early settler who developed a spring used by himself and neighboring settlers. The park is set along one of the Nez Perce Indian seasonal migration routes. Puffer Butte was named for Mr. and Mrs. Puffer, homesteaders who moved their livestock to the top of the butte whenever Indians were observed. In 1974, 70 percent of the park’s Douglas fir and white fir were damaged by a Tussock Moth infestation and were removed. This area is home to a wide variety of species including: northern goshawk; western screech owl; ruffed and blue grouse; pileated - white-headed - northern three-toed and Lewis’s woodpecker; red-naped and Williamson’s sapsucker; Clark’s nutcracker; 3 species each of chickadee and nuthatch; varied - hermit and Swainson’s thrush; mountain and western bluebird; Townsend’s solitaire; 7 species of warblers; Cassin’s finch; red crossbill; and lazuli bunting. Possibilities include: flammulated owl, mountain quail and green-tailed towhee. Ken Knittle, leader FR-2 Friday, SA-2 Saturday - FULL BOTH DAYS
CRAIG MOUNTAIN (ID, 160M) – Craig Mountain, located 20 miles southeast of Lewiston, is a rolling forested plateau perched between the steep break-lands of the Snake and Salmon Rivers. The 40- mile long route will take you along graveled and dirt roads, some of which require a high-clearance vehicle. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed to see the entire area. The route is usually snow-covered from November into April. Expect some great views into Hells Canyon and the Salmon River. Dry coniferous forest, mixed conifer forest and grassland are the major habitats of the region. Highlights include: chukar, Williamson's sapsucker, western bluebird, red-naped sapsucker, Lewis’s woodpecker, olive-sided flycatcher, northern goshawk, Lincoln sparrow and Clark’s nutcracker. Possible species include: great gray owl. Charles Swift, leader SA-1 Saturday FULL
HELLS CANYON - This field trip will board a jet boat in Lewiston for a birding trip into Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in the U.S. Our destination is Garden Creek Ranch, a part of the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, which supports Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, elk, mountain lion, wolverine, black bear, ruffed grouse, partridge and quail. To date, nine rare plant species have been identified in the vicinity, including Spalding’s silene, western ladies tress and stalk-leaved monkey flower. The Conservancy and its partners have protected over 90,000 acres here. Access is available to boaters from the Snake River. We will also travel on to the mouth of the Salmon River and return with a stop at the mouth of the Grande Ronde River. TBA, leader (Friday); Bart Whelton, leader (Saturday); Charles Swift, Leader (Sunday) A MINIMUM OF 10 REGISTRANTS IS REQUIRED FOR EACH TRIP. FR-4 Friday FULL, SA-4 Saturday, SU-4 Sunday CANCELLED
CHAIN LAKES – Benewah Lake, St. Maries, and Chain Lakes: This day long route begins in earnest at Heyburn State Park with views of dabbling ducks and close encounters with common yellowthroats.  In the forested areas bordering the lake, red-naped sapsucker are likely and pileated woodpecker are frequent.  From here we travel east towards St. Maries, stopping along the way to look for veery and red-eyed vireo.  In St. Maries we'll check for something besides ring-billed gulls and visit the sewage ponds for ducks, phalaropes, sandpipers and snipe. North from St. Maries, wild turkeys are almost guaranteed, and we'll check a feeder that has yielded purple finch on the last two trips.  The quiet backwater ponds have hooded mergansers, common and possibly red-breasted mergansers, and Clark's grebes may be seen at some of the deep water locations.  The Chain Lakes route is one of the only reliable sites in north Idaho for least flycatcher. Other passerines include American redstart, MacGillivray's and a multitude of other warblers, gray catbird, and cordilleran flycatcher. Our final stop will be near Cataldo - one of Idaho's most reliable bobolink sites.  Also in this area are flooded grain fields, which may yield a variety of shorebirds.  This route has the potential for well over 150 bird species, 80-100 are expected for the day. Jane Westervelt, leader SA-5 Saturday, SU-5 Sunday
PRAIRIE BUTTES AND MOUNTAINS – This field trip will visit 4 different habitats in the Palouse formation: Rose Creek, Kamiak Butte,     Steptoe Butte and Mary Minerva McCroskey Memorial State Park. The Nature Conservancy’s Rose Creek Preserve is recognized as containing one of the best black hawthorn/cow parsnip riparian areas left in the entire Palouse. This habitat type, which even prior to grazing and farming, covered less than five percent of Whitman County. On the preserve, black hawthorn grows to a height of 15 feet or more. The understory of cow parsnip grows to a height of six feet, creating a cool sanctuary for wildlife during hot summer months. The preserve is also home to more than 250 species of vascular plants. Rose Creek bisects the preserve, offering life-sustaining water to more than 100 species of birds. In winter, long-eared owls roost in the dense hawthorn thickets. Some of the less common eastern Washington birds, such as gray catbirds and black-chinned hummingbirds, are also attracted to Rose Creek. Kamiak Butte, recognized as a National Natural Landmark, reaches an elevation of 3,641 feet (second highest point in Whitman County) and offers visitors a panoramic view of the Palouse region.  The park plays host to over 150 bird, mammal and vegetation species.  Steptoe Butte State Park is a 150-acre, 3,612-foot-tall natural monument. Thimble-shaped, the quartzite butte looms in bald grandeur over the prevailing flat lands. Native Americans called the butte “the power mountain.” It was believed that a journey to the butte bestowed a gift of power from the mountain’s guardian spirit. The butte’s present name honors Colonel Edward Steptoe. The picnic area at the entrance to the park has always yielded a wide variety of species, among them warblers, catbirds, wrens, sparrows, orioles and grosbeaks. The butte itself has also produced sage sparrow and black-throated sparrow along with a multitude of raptors, rock wren, Brewer’s sparrow and lazuli bunting. Mary Minerva McCroskey Memorial State Park is a gift to the State of Idaho from Virgil McCroskey, a local pharmacist and rancher, in memory of his pioneer mother. The park's road follows the mountain top ridge through old growth timber and is the home of northern goshawk, ruffed grouse, pileated woodpecker, wild turkey and others. Cindy McCormack, leader (Saturday); Tom Weber (Sunday) SA-6 Saturday, SU-6 Sunday FULL BOTH DAYS
LEWIS and CLARK TRAIL – This field trip will explore some of the same regions seen by Lewis and Clark during the Corps of Discovery's extended stay in the area. From Spalding, home of the Nez Perce National Monument Visitors Center, we will explore the upper Clearwater River to Orofino and Dworshak Reservoir. We will then travel up on to the Camas Prairie to visit regions around Winchester. Probable species include wild turkey, ruffed grouse, osprey, bald eagle, nuthatches, warblers, western tanager, spotted towhee, chipping sparrow, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, black-headed grosbeak, lazuli bunting, Cassin’s finch, red crossbill, pine siskin and American goldfinch. Jerry Cebula, leader SA-7 Saturday CANCELLED, SU-7 Sunday
MICA MOUNTAIN – This field trip through low elevation mountain meadows will travel east of Moscow visiting habitat on Spence Road, Lenville Road, Spring Valley Reservoir, Mica Mountain, Vassar Meadows and the East Fork of the Potlatch River. Stops may involve some easy walking. If time permits, we will travel North from Bovill to the meadows near Clarkia. Probable species include: great blue heron, turkey vulture, wood duck, ruddy duck, osprey, northern harrier, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, wild turkey, spotted sandpiper, calliope hummingbird, rufous hummingbird, belted kingfisher, western wood-pewee, willow flycatcher, eastern kingbird, 5 species of swallow, 3 species of chickadee, gray catbird, cedar waxwing, orange-crowned warbler, yellow warbler, American redstart, northern waterthrush, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak and lazuli bunting. This trip also offers many possibilities including northern goshawk, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, great gray owl, Clark’s nutcracker and bobolink. Terry Gray, leader SA-8 Saturday FULL, SU-8 Sunday
CANYONS AND PARKS - This field trip will take us into the Snake River Canyon west of Pullman in search of local nesting species. The grade down Wawawai Canyon offers prime habitat for yellow-breasted chat, gray catbird, chukar, wild turkey, warbling vireo, red-eyed vireo and Bewick's wren. Wawawai County Park located in the Snake River Canyon approximately three miles upstream from Lower Granite Dam, is 49 acres in size and is the home for Virginia rail, sora, rock wren, poorwill, and common night hawk. Traveling up-river to Clarkston (canyon and rock wren) we will visit the nature area near Chief Timothy State Park and at Hell’s Gate State Park (saw-whet owl, warblers). If time permits the trip will return via Mann Lake, Lapwai, Spalding and Coyote Grade. Harold Ward, leader FR-9 Friday FULL

SPEAKERS

Friday night: Kas Dumrose, "Natural Histories of the Palouse and Clearwater Drainage" The Palouse area of eastern Washington and the nearby areas of Idaho contain a wide variety of habitats from the channeled scablands, to the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse, to the canyons of the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers and the Blue Mountains. Kas Dumrose is a Research Plant Physiologist with the USDA Forest Service at the University of Idaho. He has a degree in Forest Management from Michigan Technological University and a doctorate in Forest Resources from the University of Idaho. Kas is extremely knowledgeable of the habitats in Idaho and the Palouse region, teaches courses in landscaping for wildlife and with native plants, and is the co-editor of the ABA A Birder’s Guide to Idaho.

Saturday night: Erik Stauber, "Regional Raptors and Raptor Rehabilitation" Our Saturday night keynote speaker will be Erik Stauber. He is a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University in Pullman, and is the Director of the Raptor Rehabilitation Program. The program aims to: provide humane medical care to injured wild birds with the primary goal of release back into the wild, and to further conservation efforts through raising public awareness about wild animals and the environment via presentations using live raptors and visual aids. Erik holds a DVM from Purdue University and a PhD from Washington State University, and has shepherded the Raptor Rehabilitation Program for twenty years presenting a wide variety of talks to a wide range of professional and lay audiences.

MEALS

Meals include box breakfasts and lunches on Saturday and Sunday and a served banquet dinner on Saturday evening. If you order both breakfast and lunch, we recommend you bring a back-pack or bag to carry your boxes. Prices include tax and gratuity. Breakfast - $8.50 each, Saturday and Sunday morning: box breakfast includes hard-boiled egg, fruit cup, breakfast bread or pastry, box of raisins, bottled juice, and coffee and tea. Lunch - $8.00 each, Saturday and Sunday: box lunch includes sandwich (choose turkey, ham, roast beef, or vegetarian), carrot and celery sticks, potato chips, cookie, and fresh fruit. WOS will provide bottled water for the field trips. Dinner - $18 each, Saturday evening: dinner includes entrée (choose lemon herb chicken, roast sirloin of beef, or pasta primavera), salad, vegetable, potatoes, rolls and butter, coffee and tea, and dessert.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Rooms have been set aside for conference attendees at the University Inn and Conference Center, 1516 Pullman Road, Moscow, Idaho 83843, phone 208/882-0550, toll-free 800/325-8765. http://www.uinnmoscow.com

Conference attendees must make their own reservations by contacting the University Inn. You must mention the WOS conference room block to obtain the special rates. The conference rate is $59.50 plus tax for a room with a queen bed (1 to 2 persons per room) and $69.50 plus tax for a room with two double beds (2 to 4 persons per room). These special rates are guaranteed until May 3; after this date, neither the special rate nor rooms may be available, so your make your reservations soon!

See a report of the 2003 WOS Conference at Long Beach