Nature Mapping....What is it?

As you may know Mrs. Cassidy's science classes have been going outside to nature map this past spring. After reading this article we hope you will have a better understanding of what Nature Mapping is and what our classes have been involved in.

Here's a look at what we have been doing. First of all we went outside with our class in groups of four during first period, about five different times. We walked around and outside of the school campus to several different locations. A local bird watcher named Jan Reynolds helped us spot birds and other wildlife. This program was probably successful because each person in the group had a job. There were two people in charge of binoculars, a person responsible for a field guide, and a recorder. We recorded the data as a whole class so each group had the same information on their sheet. After we were done outside we discussed the data we gathered. After one person recorded a final copy for the class we sent the information to the University of Washington to be analyzed.

Nature Mapping is used for many things in the state of Washington. Many people look at the information, such as people in the government. Also, we can learn about new species and ones that are endangered. With Nature Mapping information we can also learn what kind of habitats we need to preserve so that the birds and other wildlife can live in our area. Another thing is that we can learn which birds migrate, where they go, and at what time in the year they leave the area.

Our class learned many things about Nature Mapping and how to use it. We now know how to spot birds and record them. We also know about the migration of birds. Our class found out what habitats different birds live in. There are many birds in our area, and we learned a lot about them.

Over all, Nature Mapping is a great program that we can all benefit from. We had a lot of fun in the process, too. Nature Mapping is a great opportunity to learn about our Glenrose Watershed area.

Neotropical vs. Non-neotropical Birds

Neotropical birds are birds that migrate to the tropics in the winter. Non-Neotropical birds stay in our area all year round. After carefully studying the graph we heave concluded that over the 3-year time period that Mrs. Cassidys classes have been studying birds, there has been a great increase in the number of Neotropical birds seen compared to resident birds. This means that there are not very many birds that stay in our area all year round, but a lot of birds migrate here from the tropics. In conclusion, the habitat that they live in is being preserved, and we will need to keep protecting it if we want Neotropical birds to keep coming back.

The General Concept

Based on an interview of Karen Dvornich

By Emmy Whitcomb and Emily Rawls

Chase Middle School has been involved in the NatureMapping Program for three years. The actual program has been around since 1993 when farmers and birdwatchers recorded wildlife sightings. The program was founded in part by the U.S Geological Survey, and run by the Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Washington. Karen Dvornich and Margaret Tudor of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, pioneered NatureMapping in 1993 to involve community members in environmental studies.

So what exactly is NatureMapping? Karen Dvornich describes it as a hands-on environmental biodiversity research and education program that links scientists and educators with the public. Their mission is to engage the citizens in data collecting and using it for scientific analysis and reporting. The data is used in the form of maps to show scientists where they think birds will stay when they build their nests and raise young. They are called predicted breeding distribution maps.

The data is organized in a large file and used in GIS maps. From the maps, questions can be asked such as where a species has been seen from month to month, or how many species have been seen in a specific area. The maps are put on the web and show which townships a species has been identified in.

People use the information because it is the only up-to-date information located in one place. It is a great way to see what kinds of species live in certain areas, including the area you live in. It gives anyone access to this wonderful world of plants and animals.

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Period One

Birds Seen at Chase Habitats

I AM A BIRD...

I am a tiny bird that's found,
mostly running on the ground,
My short legs help me run fast,
I lay my eggs in bushes and tall grass,
My little cry or song goes,
"CHICAAAGO, CHICAAAGO"
I have a little feather on my head,
And in hiding places my young are fed,
Near houses and parks for food I roam,
I feed my young then leave them all alone,
I stay on the ground more than I fly,
What type of bird am I?

NatureMapping Awareness

Every single day I walk by the pond on the way home from school. Before I did this project I didn't notice how many different birds are in that area. Now, when my friends and I walk to my house via Havana I can name all of the birds that we see. My friends listen and are actually interested in what they are. Not very many people are aware of all of the wildlife in our area. NatureMapping can make them aware.

If we can get the community involved more people would be able to identify the birds. They would also know that if someone buys the land at the pond and bulldozes it just to develop the area, then the amount of birds will greatly decrease. Many different types of wildlife depend on the area around the pond. If we get rid of it, they will either leave or die.

People don't realize how many different species of birds live in their own backyards. Most people know a magpie from a finch but not many can tell the different species of finches and what the differences are. In conclusion, NatureMapping is a great experience for people to have when they are interested in conserving wildlife.

GIS Day

On November 19th, 1999, several students from Mrs. Cassidy and Mrs. Gibson's science classes traveled to WSU Spokane, which hosted GIS Day 1999, at the Spokane Center. The point of this trip was to learn about a computer program know as Arc View. Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to map layers of information and create very specific maps about our region. Throughout the day, the students received extensive training on the computers for the map-making program. The training was a precursor for the NatureMapping project that took place later in the year. This training wouldn't have been possible without the expertise of Tracy Grover, WSU Spokane's GIS Coordinator, leading us through it. Madeline Blodgett says, "The day was fun and informative and hopefully it will become a tradition so the incoming students can experience the wonders of GIS also."

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Pond Experience

On our trip to the pond, located between 29th and 32nd Avenue on Havana, we encountered many different species of birds and plants. To identify the birds we had binoculars, field guides, and naturalist, Jan Reynolds, who is an expert in identifying birds in the local area.She could recognize the calls of the local birds and describe the features of the them for us to identify.

 
Red-winged Blackbird
Mourning Dove (Most Common)
Sharp-shinned Hawk
House Finch				
Ring-necked Pheasant 
Violet-green Swallow			
Song Sparrow 
Ring-billed Gull			
White-crowned Sparrow 
Pine Siskin				
Red-tailed Hawk 
Northern Flicker			
Red-naped Sapsucker 
Pygmy Nuthatch				
Black-billed Magpie 
American Goldfinch			
California Quail 
Killdeer 

FLOWERS
Arrow-leafed Balsamroot		
Shooting Star 
Blue-eyed Mary				
Gromwell (Pucoon) 
Long-plumed Avens			
Fringecup(Prairie Star) 
Grass Widow				
Wild Hyacinth 
Narrow-leafed Desert Parsley		
Common Cattail 
Large-fruited Desert Parsley
Long-leafed Phlox	
Spreading Phlox		

TREES
		
Black Cottonwood 
Wild Onion
				

SHRUBS
Camas					
Service Berry
Wild Strawberry			
Common Snowberry 

How can private citizens help birds and wildlife in our area?

Do want our wildlife to survive? Did you know that there are many ways that you, a private citizen, can make your backyard bird-and-wildlife friendly? Since many birds die because we take over their habitat for our residential areas, we can at least repay them by making them new areas to live. For example, try to make bird houses- this is a pretty simple task. You can buy them at any hardware store, or try to make your own. Next we should take care of water. Water will attract more birds than food will (see "Backyard restaurant" for more information). Since we have established skills that have created a world centered around humans, it is our duty to help birds survive.

Backyard Restaurant

By Katie Guyer and Madeline Blodgett

Welcome to the avian restaurant of your dreams. Here, we cater to birds' every needs. Our special today is fresh water -- attracting even more songbirds than our food!

Black oil sunflower seeds -- aimed especially at our Chickadee, Nuthatch, and House Finch customers, these classic treats are served in tube feeders, which are easily bought at any home improvement store.

Suet- especially imported from your local butcher, these delectable chunks are served in wire or plastic-coated mesh bags. Careful, though- if they overheat they will lose both their flavor and the ability to be eaten safely.

Peanut butter- mixed with our special cornmeal and aged flour slathered on pine cones and/or deep indentations in a long tree limb.

And the Winner is...

And you thought only you knew how good they are. Mrs. Cassidy and Mrs. Gibson recently won the prestigious Washington Software Foundation Award. This award is given to 5 Washington State teachers who expand the minds of their students, using technology and connections to the outside world. The Washington Software Foundation Awards program started three years ago, when Battelle and the Washington Software Foundation started working together. With a mutual interest in honoring technologically oriented math and science teachers, Battelle and the Foundation created this award. Battelle provided $10,000 so the WSF could give some money to the award-winning teachers. As winning partners for this year, Mrs. Cassidy and Mrs. Gibson will split a $400 gift certificate to the Kriess Collection and $2000 to spend on classroom technology. Eighth graders next year will benefit immensely from these computers.

To win this award, the teachers had to use technology innovatively and apply real- life knowledge in the classroom. The 11 experts who selected the winners were impressed by the fact the middle-schoolers could write and use technology as well as they do. "I was impressed to see how well written the web site and newspaper were, and how in-depth the content in them was," writes Keneta Anderson, Executive Director of the Washington Software Foundation, who also provided most of the information for this article via an e-mail interview. The board of experts were also amazed by the innovative real-world connections involved in working with scientists at U.W. and learning more about the neighborhood, as well as the literature tie-ins, like mixing poetry and bird facts. So congratulations, Mrs. Cassidy and Mrs. Gibson! Let's give our award-winning teachers a round of applause.

Plants and Habitat for The Birds

By Colin Wolcott and Robert Jenkins

On the morning of 4/24/00 Mrs. Cassidy's class went to the pond. On the way, while we were looking for birds, Mrs. Cassidy stopped us and showed us Serviceberry, a very beautiful plant. It has multiple branches, and very dark green leaves. Serviceberry is very important for bird habitat; it provides room for nesting and for shelter, and it also produces edible berries for the birds to eat. Serviceberry ranges from Southern Alaska to the California coast and East to the Dakotas.

Along the way we saw many other native plants. Fringecups are very small plants. They are heart shaped, and range form about 1-3" tall. They are mostly in forests in Eastern Washington. Arrow-Leaved Balsamroot is a spring sunflower with lively green leaves and has a heart shaped base. Soon after blooming, the leaves curl into twists. The plant can be found in low-middle elevations near the zone. The Long-Leaved Phlox is a beautiful spring flower. It has various colors. It's located in rocky terrain close to the Cascades, from lowlands to mountain forests. All of these plants have one thing in common; they provide a nice habitat for the birds and give the birds a place to feed and nest.

This is a graph that shows the most commonly seen birds from these eight days; 4/12, 4/13,4/17,4/19,4/24,5/1,5/5, and 5/9. Period 1,2,3,4 and 6's data from Mrs. Cassidy's class was combined and used for this graph. The ten birds most commonly seen during these eight days are shown in this graph.

By Chad Langlais & Michel Lundy

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Red-Winged blackbird

The Red-winged blackbird is a fascinating bird. We saw them siting on the Cattails at the pond.Red-winged blackbirds need Cattails.The Red-winged blackbird loves the Marshes.The red-winged blackbird uses it for nesting.The male blackbird is there first in the breeding area. The male isn't that far from another male.The mother chooses the nest.They will even attack humans if to close to there nest.They have up to three to five eggs.

Also the Cattails are used by people.The Native Americans used the Cattails for their thin leaves to make mats for the summer. They are also used for making walls for their homes.

The People's View of NatureMapping

Mrs. Cassidy’s seventh grade class went outside to do NatureMapping. We decided that we should get a view of what the kids and Jan Reynolds think. The first question that we asked the kids is:How do you like NatureMapping? Madeline Blodgett said, “ It’s interesting to know what birds and other species there are in the Glenrose Watershed.

The second question asked was:What was your favorite part about NatureMapping? Joel Wukelic said, “ The part I like is being able to go out and experience nature first hand.” Sara Chambers told us, “ I like going outside, going to the pond, and seeing wildlife.

The third question that was asked was:Why is NatureMapping important? Lindsey Person told us, “ It is to help people be aware of the wildlife in our area, and what will happen when we take away their environment.” Michael Lundy reported, “ So we can know the types of birds in our environment.

Next we asked students:How did you use technology in this project? Madeline Blodgett said, “ We used technology to get the weather, to create the newspaper, and to create the web page.” Ian Bray replied, “We used technology for the GIS mapping.

Then it came down to one of the most important questions:What did you learn from the experience? The answers we got varied from, “How to identify birds using their characteristics” to “wear shoes that are already somewhat brown when going to the pond and don’t wear shorts when you go out in the field."

After we finished interviewing the kids from our classroom we decided to interview the lady who helped us identify all the birds that we've seen, Jan Reynolds. The first question that popped up was:How lond did it take you to memorize the names and sounds of birds? Jan said, " I started bird watching in 1963. I was around 23 or 24. So that means that I've been NatureMapping for 37 years.

The next question was:What got you interested in birds? She reported, " In 1963 my husband and I climbed Mt. Dana in California, and at every elevation there were different species of birds, even at the rocky parts where there weren't any trees. When we got back down the mountain in Yosemite park I went and bought my first bird guide to look up the different species that we saw on our climb. Since then I've been hooked."

The third question that we asked was:Why is NatureMapping important? Her reply was, " To get kids involved with nature because they are the ones that end up being in charge of decisions that affect the environment. If children have an appreciation for nature then nature will benefit in the future."

Next we asked the question:How do you like working with kids? She said, " I love it! I've learned to work with kids of all ages from preschool through high school." As you can see above most kids enjoyed this project a lot.

Personally the two of us have enjoyed the experience. We thought that it was fun to get out into fresh air and identify birds. We still can recognize a certain species of birds.

Between us we learned how to identify different species of birds and how important our environment is to the birds.

Bird Migration

Did you know that 80% of North America’s 645 species of birds migrate? It is believed that birds migrate for warm weather, but birds are adapted to withstand extreme temperatures. Birds migrate to ensure food supply.

Did you ever wonder how birds find where they’re going? By navigation! No one knows exactly how they navigate, but there are theories. One theory is that birds orient themselves using celestial navigation, using the sun, moon, and stars for guidance. Another theory is that birds use landmarks. Some biologists think that birds use the earth’s magnetic field and the mechanical effects of its rotation for orientation in navigation.

Here are some birds to look for in our area during the breeding season, at the end of spring migration:the Killdeer, Violet-green Swallow, Western Bluebird, Mourning Dove, Brewer’s Blackbird, and the Brown-headed Cowbird. These are all migrating birds we saw at Chase this spring.

During migration, birds need a place to stop and rest. They usually stop in riparian areas, which are streams surrounded by trees. These habitats provide water, food and shelter. We need to preserve these areas so birds can keep migrating and living.

Pygmy Nuthatch and

Mrs. Cassidy's first period class saw a Pygmy Nuthatch in a hole in a dead tree. The bird was building a nest in the hole. Every once and a while the bird would peek out at us while working. She was really cute.

Pygmy Nuthatches can climb up the tree and turn around and go right back down. They have a needle-sharp bill for tearing into things. Their favorite foods are wasps, ants, beetles, moths, caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, spittlebugs, and pine seeds.

Pygmy Nuthatches use their long toes and sharp claws to head down tree trunks. They move with their body at an angle across the trunk of the tree. They go through the pine trees in flocks, calling to one another in a high pitched "ti-di, ti-di, ti-di."

Pygmy Nuthatches depend on s because that is where they make their homes. They need the trees to build their nests for the family. Pygmy Nuthatches are very interesting.

Buddy Birds

By Amanda Bolich

There is a bird named Jail,
Whose head had a little sail.
He had a very long tail,
And that's why we call him Quail.

His best friend's name is Barbarian Low,
Who isn't at all slow.
In winter the south he must not go,
That’s why we call him the American Crow.

Bird Graph of Number of Different Species Seen Each Year

by Brian Viramontes and Kenneth Hess

This graph displays the increase and decrease of sightings of different bird species. The sightings are based on the recordings within the last three years of the NatureMapping projects at Chase Middle School. The numbers varied little from year to year. There was a lower number in 1998 because the classes didn't go out as often in comparison to 1999. This year, the number of species sighted was between 1998 and 1999. The differences were due to the fact that the classes didn't go out as often in '98 and '00. Also the classes went on a field trip to a Department of Natural Resources Property in '99 and decided to go out on the NatureMapping field trips later in the year, which would increase the number of species seen.

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Bird's Eye View

It must be great to be a bird. You would never have to worry about which clothes you're going to wear to school or even how to do your hair. You wouldn't have to wait until you are sixteen to be able to get away on your own. You could just open your wings and fly into the sky. You would not need a summer job. Instead of work, you could play all summer.

We thought it would be cool to be a Violet-green Swallow. It would also be fun to be a Killdeer. First of all, the Violet-green Swallow is only 5 inches long. The Killdeer is 10 inches. That's twice the size of the Violet-green Swallow! Think of all the places that you could go if you were that small.

Both birds are very colorful. the color on the swallow's back is violet-green. That would be much more attractive than our skin color. The Killdeer has a pretty orange tail, and is brown and black.

All birds have neat voices, especially the Killdeer and the Swallow. The Killdeer has a really spiffy voice. It says "killdeer, killdeer" over and over again. Violet-green Swallows have nice twitters and a thin rapid "chit-chit-chit weet, weet" sound. It would take a very talented human to sing as well as birds do.

We saw both of these birds on various occasions when we were outside. Every time that we went outside around the school, we saw the Violet-green Swallow. The Violet-green Swallow was easy to spot because of its distinct violet-greenish color. The Killdeer was easy to hear because of its name.

Overall, being a bird would be really cool. These probably would be the two coolest birds to be because they are so different. They are also very common in our area.

Plants Used by Native Americans

When you're outside and you see lots of different plants every minute, have you ever wondered what they were used for 600 years ago by Native Americans? Well, if you have, then here are some common plants we saw while Nature Mapping. Nature Mapping was done when Mrs. Cassidy's classes went outside and studied plants and birds in our area. We researched the plants we saw and found out how they were used by Native Americans. Here are some of the plants.

1) Narrow-leaved Desert Parsley - The roots, stems and seeds were edible.

2) Arrow-leaved Balsamroot - The rich, oily seeds were eaten raw or mixed with deer fat and boiled. The roots were eaten raw or roasted in pits.

3) Wild Onion- It was edible when steamed.

4) Serviceberry - Berries were mixed with deer meat and fat to make pemmican.

5) Camas - When the bulbs were properly cooked they were sweet. They were formed into thin cakes which could be stored.

6) Common Cattail - They were used to weave mats and make walls.

7) Mullein - The leaves were crushed with other leaves to make tobacco. The stalks were used as spears.

8) Yarrow - It makes a strong but nutritious tea. It was rubbed on the body as bug repellent. The roots make the mouth numb.

Books we found useful were Trees, Shrubs,and Flowers to Know in British Columbia and Washington by C.P. Lyons and Wildflowers of Washington by C.P. Lyons

Killdeer

Killdeer are shore birds and members of the banded plover family. If you approach its nest it will pretend to be hurt and distract you away from its nest. They eat beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers. The killdeer is found in North America and parts of South America.Killdeer live in fields, rivers, lakes and other places that are wet and dry.

The Plant Poem

Serviceberry blowing in the nice spring sun,
finally they have come,
With their beautiful green leaves their life has just begun,
Serviceberry help birds live every day,
It helps them breathe, feed and sleep the night away,
When the birds wake up they must fell good,
they want to eat and we know they should.

Thoughts on Nature Mapping

Birds. You see them everyday, but how much do you really know about our feathered friends? Probably less than you think!

We started our nature mapping project with a bird quiz and a "bird packet". It had a complete list of all the birds in the Glenrose Watershed area, and we were quizzed to test our knowledge. With the help of the National Geographic Society and Peterson field guides, we were able to correctly color and identify the 36 species of birds. This made identifying birds much easier since we had already been studying them.

To start our adventure we had guest speaker, Jan Reynolds, come to talk to us about the wild life in the area. To venture outside, we divided into seven groups to explore the vast world of birds. Within our teams we had a recorder, an identifier, and two spotters. Jan Reynolds came along with the teachers to help us to recognize the birds. When a bird was first sighted or heard, our spotters frantically searched the area through binoculars to find the bird. Once found, the identifier looked up the bird in the field guide and shared its picture with the group. Next, the recorder put the bird on a list with a description of its activities. All together we spotted about 46 different species of birds.

Mostly we searched in the sites (A), the sand hill, (B), the ravine with trees, (C), the forest edge, and (D), our schoolyard and parking lot. But once we took a special visit to the pond where we found a completely different variety of birds than we had seen before. Our trip to the pond let us know that the habitat greatly affects the birds and other species that live there. We also saw a wide variety of plant life and water organisms.

Now that we are finished, our experiences with nature mapping have taught us many skills such as being able to identify birds, do GIS mapping, and working as a team. We hope these skills will be useful in our future. It was a great opportunity to both learn about and experience the wildlife of the Glenrose Watershed area and beyond!!

Killdeer

By Lauren Green

The call of the Killdeer is its name,
what ever it says is always the same,
Killdeer, Killdeer! It will always call,
It is the best bird of all!

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Period Two

by Brad Alice and Danny Urdahl

Habitats in the Chase area

Pond: The pond is the most undisturbed area that our class visited. It is the only one we visited with water so it had many different types of plants and animals that we had not seen before. There were common cattails, arrow-leaved balsamroot, spreading flox, black cottonwood, and service berry. Some of the birds were red-winged blackbird, pine siskin, and American goldfinch. The most common bird we saw was the violet-green swallow with an average of 5 times each day we went to the pond. In second place was the red-winged blackbird with an average of 4 times each day we went there.

Site A: Site A was the sand hill and it is east of Chase. The sand hill is sparcely covered with trees and underbrush. The sand hill has been altered by humankind. It is close to becoming back to natural because it has been left alone for about 10 years. The only thing that is keeping it from becoming completely natural is the dirt biking that is occurring. The bird that was most seen in site A was the European Starling with an average of 4 times each day we went out.

Site B: Site B was the edge of a hill it was also east of Chase. It was covered with underbrush, some pine trees and a few dead trees. The trees were widely spaced apart. Site B was altered by humans a long time ago but is returning to its natural state. The most commonly seen bird was the pygmy nuthatch we saw it an average of about 2 times each time we went out.

Site C: Site C is the edge of a forest northwest of Chase. It has some trees and some some underbrush. A long time ago people cut down trees for farmland Site C is on the edge of the forest they cut down. The area has been undisturbed for a long time and is returning to normal. There are many plants growing in the area that was farmed. The most commonly seen bird was the Black billed magpie.

Site D: Site D is the Chase field and parking lot. It is covered in grass and cement. Site D will probably never return to normal.

The Pond Ecosystem

by Dana Moeller and Monica Tripp

Violet-green Swallow by Dana Moller

An ecosystem is made up of a biotic (living) community and the abiotic (non-living) things that affect it. The pond at 29th and Havana is the perfect example of an ecosystem. It is home to many different species of plants and animals. All of these species work together to help each other survive. If you were to take away one organism the whole ecosystem would be affected.

At the pond, all of the animals depend on one another for many things. The Sharp-shinned Hawk eats the mice, small birds and snakes. This is an example of predation, the relationship between the predator and prey. The deer depends on trees and bushes for food. Also, many birds depend on the plants and organisms for food. These creatures all work together in the food chain. A food chain shows how energy passes from one animal to another.

Every living creature has its own niche, or role in an ecosystem. De-composers help to break down other organisms. Some examples of de-composers in and around the pond are bacteria, earth-worms, and mushrooms. Producers use the sun's energy to produce food through photosynthesis. Examples of these in the pond area would be algae, Wild Onions, and Arrow-leaved Balsamroot. Consumers are the animals that feed on other organisms or producers. Without them the population of other consumers and producers of other consumers and producers could get out of hand.

The pond is a seasonal pond, which means that it is only there part of the year. It forms in the spring as a result of the winter rains and snow.

photo of Mrs. Cassidy's Second Period Class

Biodiversity

What is Biodiversity? Biodiversity is the variety of life. For example, our Glenrose Watershed has over 50 different types of birds, a variety of plants, deer, coyotes, and other mammals. It is very biodiverse.

Biodiversity is key to the survival of life on earth. All living things rely on each other. For example, the Red-tailed Hawk hunts in our area. It eats other small birds, like Robins, and small mammals like field mice. The mice eat plants and insects. Insects feed off of plants and so do small mammals. The plants rely on soil. De-composers and other bacteria use the dead bodies of the the hawk and make it into soil. Life forms all rely on each other.

This circle isn't as simple as we just displayed it. Some life forms feed only on one type of plant. If one species goes into decline, everything is affected. For example, here in the Glenrose Watershed, if all the Red-tailed Hawks migrated away, the mouse population would start to grow, and so would the population of small birds. They would eat more insects, plants, and seeds. This would allow fewer trees to regrow.

Many things need to be done to save biodiversity. It requires much work and group effort. A few things you could do to preserve biodiversity and to preserve our environment are:

1. Put a bird feeder in your yard. This will attract birds.
2. Plant native trees and shrubs. Also, native plants will provide shelter and feed animals. Also, They are adapted to this area so they require fewer chemicals and less upkeep to survive.
3. Do not use any harmful chemicals on your yard. These drive away and kill species.
4. When hiking and biking do not walk or ride off any trails.
5. Keep cats inside your house. Do not let them out very often or they will kill birds.

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Mourning Dove by Jennifer Branson

The Little Dove

By Jennifer Branson

BIRDS

by Meredith Leva and Shannon Flaherty

During Chase Nature mapping our class saw many interesting birds. We went to many different sites near the Chase grounds such as; Chase parking Lot, Pond, Chase Field, and forest areas around Chase. These are some of the birds that were frequently seen around the Chase area.

Family - Woodpecker
The Northern Flicker is probably the best-known and most common woodpecker in America. They are built to peck at tree bark. By drilling holes into the trees, they find insects for food. They also lick up ants with their long, sticky tongues. The Northern Flicker nests in holes inside of trees. They are also seen along fence posts and telephone poles.

Family - Hawks
The Red-tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in America. They are year-round residents here. Ther are most commonly found in open wooded areas and plains. This bird eats smkall rodents, rabits, smkall birds, snakes, lizards, and large amphibians

Family - Plovers

The Killdeer is a shorebird. Around the Chase area they are mkost frequently seen around the pond and in the field. They are also found in parks and other areas near human habitation. They nest on open ground, usually on gravel. They lay their eggs right on the ground. The Killdeer eats insects. To recognize a Killdeer, you can look for a reddish brown back with a reddish brown rump tail, white chest and belly, pink legs, and two dark neck ;rings. They also mkake a kill-dee-dee-dee sound.

Pygmy Nuthatch by Ashley Hughes

Family - Nuthatch

The Pygmy Nuthatch is a resident in the forest ecosystem. This bird eats fruit and also hunts for insects. They nest in tree holes. With its piping voice and its talent to hang upside down these birds are easy to seek out.

It was a great experience nature mapping around the Chase area. It was exciting and fun to learn about all the great birds in Spokane!

Birds of NatureMapping Graph

by Andy Rumsy and Will Giardino

We averaged the number of birds that we saw each time at each habitat and that's how we got the numbers for our graphs. We visited the "pond" habitat twice, which is a wetland-like habitat with cattails, small streams, a main large body of water for birds to bathe, drink, and live in. We visited site 615 three times which is made up of three smaller habitat sites, a field, a forest edge, and a small ravine where we experienced many fly-overs by different birds. Site 221 was visited three times by our class also, and it is the area around Chase Middle School. It consists of the parking lot, the school itself, and the playing fields. There was the biggest variety of and highest number of birds in the pond habitat because it is the most natural and most undisturbed site that we visited. Unlike the other two sites that have been affected by the many people that occupy them, the pond is less populated by people. We need to continue protecting the habitat of these birds so they stay in this area.

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How can we help?

Killdeer by Meredith Leva

Each day you come to school and see the land surrounding Chase. The land is very healthy for the most part, but there are many damaging acts taking place that need to stop, and there is still much that can be done to help preserve the well-being of the Glenrose Watershed. People living in the vicinity of the watershed and concerned citizens can plant native flowers and shrubs to attract birds to the area, bird houses can be posted on trees to give birds a home to live in, and grass if possible should not be fertilized. When the grass is fertilized the insects that the birds eat are killed, and the bird don't come back to feed.

If the watershed keeps attracting people that way it has been in past years then overpopulation may become a large problem. When residents move to the watershed, development takes place on the very diverse land, it deteriorates land the land and the diversity . Somehow the point needs to be put across that if the land is built on with out prior planning to perserve the watershed, the wildlife and nature that attract the people will be gone.

Another issue, which is also very controversial, is dirt biking. The land around Chase offers very attractive dirt biking terrain, but the dirt biking is severely damaging the life around it. From an interview with Chris Moore, a Glenrose resident and preservation board member, we brought new light to the topic. The trails by the dirt biking area consist of deep ruts, which are stripping the land clear of vegetation and wildlife. The animals of the watershed such as deer, coyotes, porcupines, and other small animals that are being impacted by dirt biking. Dirt biking is very popular in the Spring and Fall. It has been a problem for years, and the location keeps changing places. Even with the different locations dirt biking is very harmful to our watershed, and we as a community should stop it. The noise pollution is also a large concern of the people living in the area. Spokane County is helping with zoning ordinances. They state that you must have at least ten acres before you can build dirt biking tracks, but the ordinances are not taking full effect. The water shed is still being ripped apart despite the county ordinances.

Overall there are many destructive things being done to the watershed, and the animal and plant life around it. We need to preserve this rare place now before it is gone forever. Residents like Chris Moore are seeing than more and more everyday.

Variety of Birds

Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura

To distinguish the Mourning Dove from other doves, this is what you should notice. Their long tail ends at a point, they have black spots on their upper wings, and a pink color on their belly. The white color on their wing tips and tail feathers show when they are in flight, and the sound they make when taking off is like a whistling sound. Their call sounds like a sad "oowoo-woo-woo-woo" and could be mistaken as an owl call. Mourning Doves can be found in farm areas, meadows, fields, bird feeders, towns, and suburbs.

Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus

The Ring-necked Pheasant is an introduced species from Asia. They have a large body, long, pointed tail, with short, round wings. Males have bronze coloring, with brown, black, and green. head colors come in dark green colors or a purple color with red eye patches and ear tufts. Males also have a distinct white band ring around their neck. Females are much smaller and duller than males, as to blend into the background and not be detected by predators. Pheasants are commonly seen in open country, farmlands, brushes, and woodland areas. Both males and females give a hoarse, croaking call. The male's call sounds like a "kok-cack."

Western Bluebird - Sialia currucoides

Western Bluebirds are not like Blue Jays. A male Western Bluebird has a deep purple-blue color on its upper parts and throat. The chest, sides, and flanks are chestnut, and the belly and under tail are gray. Most bluebirds show chestnut on their shoulders and upper back. The female Western Bluebird is a brownish-grey on upper body, chest and flanks tinged with chestnut, and a pale gray on the throat. They are often seen in woodlands, farmlands, and orchards. They nest in holes in trees, posts, and nest boxes. Their call is a soft "few."

Red-tailed Hawks

Red-tailed Hawks are also known scientifically as the Buteo Jamaicensis. They are one of the most common hawks in our area. On average, Mrs. Cassidy's second period saw at least two hawks per outing. Our class assumes that Chase has a resident pair of mating hawks.

Red-tailed Hawks have broad and fairly rounded wings. The signature mark of a Red-tailed Hawk is their reddish uppertail and pale red undertail.

You will most likely find these hawks in woods with nearby open land. These hawks also like plains, deserts, mountains, roadsides, woodlands and open country. Their range is from Alaska to Panama.

Red-tailed Hawks usually depend on small rodents and snakes for food. WATCH OUT!!!

If you ever want to spot a Red-tailed Hawk, go out with a good pair of binoculars and listen for an asthmatic squeal, keeer-r-r, which slurs downward. You can also search the sky for the hovering silhouette of this hawk searching for food.

HAVE FUN!!!

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Pond Trips

Our class made several trips to a seasonal pond by 29th and Havana. We recorded many birds during our trips. This graph shows all the birds and how many of them we saw. There are a couple of birds that we saw more often than others, like the mallard. That is probably because their habitat is ponds and wetlands. The Red-winged Blackbird was also seen more often than others because they like to build their nests in cattails near the pond.

Interesting Bird Behaviors

by Kali Beyerdorf and Charla Chatman

During Chase's NatureMapping sessions students discovered many interesting behaviors exhibited by the birds that live in this area. Here are some of those interesting behaviors.

Common Snipe by Marcus King

First in line is the Killdeer. The Killdeer is widely known for its ability to act. When predators approach a killdeer nest the bird will run away from its nest and fake an injury in order to distract the predator. The most common way a killdeer will fake an injury is by hopping on one leg, thus giving it a broken leg look. Secondly, it will drag its wings, giving it a broken wing look. The predator will think the bird easy prey and pounce on it, instead of the nest. Pretty cool, don't you think?

Secondly, is the Common Snipe. Students of Mrs. Cassidy's second period were able to witness snipe mating rituals. Jan Reynolds explained to students about the Snipe's winnowing courtship flight. The bird circles, loops, and dives endlessly in turn producing a whoo, whoo, whoo sound. The sound is not created by the bird, but by air passing through the bird's fanned tail. Another interesting fact is that the snipe "divorces" its mate after the chicks have hatched. In other words the chicks are split up among the parents, then the parents separate and care for the young on their own.

Finally, is the Red-naped Sapsucker, a species of woodpecker. Anyway, this bird has particularly strong muscles in the back of its head. This enables the bird to pound on trees in order to get sap, the bird's main source of food. These muscles prevent the bird from broken skulls and brain damage.

These aren't the only birds that have interesting behaviors. They are just three we thought were most intriguing!

Pond Bird Graph

by Matt Gollhofer and Nick Cozza

"Pretty Fly For A Magpie"

by Andy Rumsey

Parody of the Offspring's "Pretty Fly For a White Guy"

Now I'm a pretty cool bird, just put me to the test
I ain't no stupid Robin, I don't have red-orange breats
I'm not a flippin Cow-bird: that parasitic pest
He's always mooching off me - Well I make my own dang nest!


I'm a real nice guy, come and watch me fly
I've got a real long tail with soome yellow by my eye
Like my yellow beak? Ya' know it's really chic
My wings are blue, my wings are blue
We roost and feed in flocks, and share my home with Cocks
The barn is filled with "queg queg queg queg queg queg " when I talk
Just grab your bird field guide and...
Hey! Hey! do that bird call thing!

Chorus
How ya' doin' bird-e! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
How ya' doin' bird-e! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
How ya' doin' bird-e! Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
And all the squirells say I'm pretty fly: for a Magpie


The other birds are ugly, if you try to compare
Don't ask me how I fell "bout them, 'cause I don't really care
And if one tries to mess me, or come up around here
I just might get real vi-o-lent, and maybe go Kill-deer!

I protect my tree, and so do all the bees
I've got a really good connection with the Raven Mafa-e
I try to keep my coll, but when I see a fool
I blow my lid! I blow my lid!
On those cold, cold days, you know I fly away
I'm not a tropical migrant bird, but wish I was anyway
Grab your Peterson guide and... Hey! Hey! do that bird call thing!

Chorus

Camus by Andy Rumsey

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Period Three

NatureMapping

by MKaylene Garland, Heather Tayeb and Michelle Erickson

NatureMapping is where people go and look and study nature. It may sound easy, but it's not as easy as it sounds. First you need a field guide, binoculars, good shoes, and the urge to hike. We nature mapped all around the Glenrose Area. It's amazing how much data you can find in one class period. We saw many different kinds of birds and animals.

We also saw a lot of plants. We identified all the birds, animals, and plants that we saw during our nature mapping sessions over the last 2 1/2 -3 months. Some of our favorite birds are the Song Sparrow, Western Bluebird, Killdeer, Red-tailed Hawk, House Finch, Mallard Duck, and Mourning Dove.

One of the funniest things that happened while we were nature mapping at the pond near 29th and Havana. We saw a female Mallard nesting in a bush. As we walked by she flew out and started quacking at us and then she started following us around because she didn't want us near her ducklings.

NatureMapping is important because people need to know what plants and animals live around them. We also need to know what they need to exist in this world. We need to know what is killing the plants and animals all over, so that we can save the wildlife around our area.

We truly believe that NatureMapping is a great opportunity to teach seventh and eighth graders about birds and other species in the Chase area and in the pond area.

SKY

Blue, Clear
Drifting, Soaring, Raining
Birds, Clouds, animals, Plants
Swimming, Sparkling, Living
Green, Calm
POND

by Gabrielle Hartman

House Finch

by Heather Tayeb

While NatureMapping, Mrs. Cassidy's third period class saw many House Finches. We saw them the first time we went in the field, and we have seen them every time since then. The House Finch or Capodacus Mexicaus is a very friendly bird. Its range is rapidly expanding, expecially in the urban areas. That is probably why they are mostly found in the Chase area. House Finches kusually nest anywhere in open woods or inhabited areas. The female House Finch makes her nest out of twigs, grass, and debris. House Finches have short stout bills for eating seeds. They frequently visit bird feeders. House Finches love seeds, fruits, insects, suet, thistle, hemp, millet, anut meats, and peanuts. House Finches are my favorite bird.

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Water Critters

By Matt Wahl

We discovered these little water critters on our NatureMapping project field trip. We took samples of water from the pond and examined them under the microscope. Then we put the stuff in a tank of water and let the tadpoles grow and evolve into frogs. That's how I got the idea of writing about water critters.

Copepods

Scuds

Water Boatman by Matt Wahl

By Ben Roberg and Zach Coker

The Glenrose Watershed is in the Ecosystem. Some characteristics of are they can be 150 ft. tall, their average diameter is 2 to 4 ft. in width, they have very long needles, and they live best in arid areas. Also their bark is yellow and smells like vanilla.

The lives in very inhospitable areas where other conifer trees can't survive. The ecosytem is a hot, dry climate in the summer and cold in the winter. Grasses in the Ecosystem are Idaho Fescue and Bluebunch Wheatgrass, and the shrubs consist of Serviceberry, Bitterbrush, Ninebark, and Snowberry. A very common bird to the Ecosystem is the Red-breasted Nuthatch. The Ecosystem is home to many plants and animals. In the Ecosystem, plants and animals depend on each other to survive.

Water Beetle by Zack Sparks

The Glenrose Watershed is in the Ecosystem. Some characteristics of are they can be 150 ft. tall, their average diameter is 2 to 4 ft. in width, they have very long needles, and they live best in arid areas. Also their bark is yellow and smells like vanilla.

The lives in very inhospitable areas where other conifer trees can't survive. The ecosytem is a hot, dry climate in the summer and cold in the winter. Grasses in the Ecosystem are Idaho Fescue and Bluebunch Wheatgrass, and the shrubs consist of Serviceberry, Bitterbrush, Ninebark, and Snowberry. A very common bird to the Ecosystem is the Red-breasted Nuthatch. The Ecosystem is home to many plants and animals. In the Ecosystem, plants and animals depend on each other to survive.

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Cattails By Nick Rizzuto

Birds by the Pond

By Peter Tredici

Mallards are brightly colored birds that live near ponds and lakes. They are rarely found in grasslands and fields. They are usually seen in groups of 6 to 15. They like to eat seeds and leaves. They nest in tall grass for camoflage against predators. Adult males are brightly colored with greenish brown on the head on the head and neck. They have blue feathers near the base of their wings. We generally see them near local ponds basking in the sunshine.

Red-Winged Blackbirds are jet black and have a blazing red patch lined with yellow that is located on their shoulders. They live by marshes, fields, and grassy wetlands. They can be seen in groups of 3 to 4. They eat insects, seeds, and grains. They nest in cattails. They flap their wings ferociously to scare away predators.

The Common Raven lives near forests. They are usually seen in groups of 5 to 7. They like to eat mice, rats, and insects. They are clever birds and they nest on treetops so they can spot predators before it is too late.

Vaux's Swift

By Nich Kunz

By Wade Tinkham

The speedy bird flew by and then it was gone. That is all we saw of this quick little bird when we were at the pond with Jan Reynolds. It was a very rare experience. It was the only time that Chase students have ever seen this bird. They nest in hollow trees and sometimes in chimneys. They are found in woodlands near lakes, ponds, and rivers. Their call is loud and rapid; it sounds like ticking. The bird has been described at looking like a cigar with wings. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering adding Vaux's Swift to the Endangered Species list because their habitat and food supply is slowly diminishing.

Tadpoles

By David Craft

Ben Roberg studying pond water.

When we went out to our local ponds near Chase, we collected a number of pond organisms which we look after in our classroom. We found tadpoles on May 5, 2000 and we have seen changes occur in their physical appearance.

The Tadpoles started as eggs from a frog or toad and then they changed after about an week. During this time they grew bigger and bigger. After the changes from the first week, they started to form bigger tails and some tiny feet. Also the tadpoles became even bigger.

The Tadpoles eventually will lose their tails and start to grow legs. During the physical changes their brain becomes larger and the tadpole evolves into a frog.

They eat bacteria and algae from the pond water in our aquarium. Once they become frogs they will start to eat flies and insects. After we study them we will eventually will release them back in the pond.

Raven by Peter Rredici

I really like to see the tadpoles we caught in the pond. I like to see them change into something new and some times when we come in the classroom they sleep on the bottom of the tank and it looks likes they're dead. I really like the animals near us.

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Period Four

GIS Mapping

By Josh Rice-Sauer and Dan Garzzona

Making a map with the GIS program is no easy task. It takes computer skills and a knowledge of the program and what you are mapping. First we entered the data that we collected on our class trips outside. Then we added existing data for the Spokane are a, such as roads, schools, and city boundaries. Then we entered a key to help understand this map better.

We are the only school in our area that uses GIS to map data. Tracy Grover, a GIS Coordinator from WSU Spokane, came in and helped us with making our map. She came in at an earlier date too, to teach the whole class. Making a GIS map is extremely difficult. You must have worked with the program before or have someone to help. We had some knowledge of the program, but we needed help. Once you have the maps you can change things to make the map better.

WSU-spokane is offering a GIS camp this summer for grades 6th through 9th. (For more information see pages 8 and 9 in the newspaper). GIS is a great program. It is a difficult program but it is fun to use. We hope you have a chance to use it this summer or next year.

What in the world is NatureMapping?

Did you ever hear the phrase "NatureMapping" and ask yourself "what in the world does it mean?" We didn't understand it at first but after collecting data and getting information about NatureMapping we finally got it. NatureMapping means the same thing as it sounds. Nature stands for nature and mapping stands for mapping it.

Grass Widow by Liz Schilling

NatureMapping gives everybody a chance to learn more about the things they see around where they live. Many schools have been a part of the NatureMapping program. Chase Middle School has been participating in NatureMapping for about three years. Chase is not the only school that has been participating.

NatureMapping is important because it gives people from kindergarten to senior citizens an apportunity to research different species in that area. It's also important because it gives everybody a chance to see that it is important to save the habitat for animals and plants.

When you Naturemap you go out and observe different plants and animals around the school. Kids have an oppurtunity to use and touch the tools that are for NatureMapping which are binoculars and field guides. They use data sheets to write down all the information about the animals and plants.

The data collected from all the schools goes to The University of Washington. Karen Dvornich, Director of the NatureMapping program, takes this data and puts it on a huge map of Washington. This helps everybody in Washington see the kind of habitat that needs to be saved for the wildlife.

NatureMapping is not only for schools; everyone who likes wildlife can participate. If you love animals, this is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the different birds and wildlife that you see and also help The University of Washington.

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Blue Heron by Darrel Morris

Snipe Central

By Jared Wells

One day when we were out at the pond we heard a weird sound. We finally recognized it as a Common Snipe. As we looked at the skies we saw it, a little speck in the air zigzagging around. It was an amazing experience.

The Common Snipe is a fairly small bird who has a big beak. It has short legs and a white underbelly. It has a striped head and a rusty colored tail.

It's hard to see these birds when it is breeding season, but you can hear them. When they take off they make a very distinctive noise that sounds like, "Snipe."

The breed in marshes and bogs and when they are on a high perch they sing a "Wheet-Wheet" sound. When they do a display flight during the breeding season their tail feathers make a fluttering sound and this is called, "Winnowing."

This type of bird isn't that easy to find with my past experience, but go to a pond and listen for the sounds that are in this article and maybe you'll be lucky.

Biodiversity of Chase vs. the Pond

During the NatureMapping expeditions at Chase Middle School and the Pond on 29th and Havana, Chase students saw over 40 different bird species. We also saw numerous plant and other animal species. A majority of the birds, plants and animals seen were at the pond. This led me to the theory that the pond held more biodiversity than the four areas near the school; the sand hill, ravine/trees, forest edge and the parking lot and playing field around Chase.

Biodiversity is the variety of plants and animals in one area. One reason I feel that the pond holds more biodiversity than Chase areas comes from a trend I saw with the birds. Most of the bird encounters students had were flyovers or were identified by their call with the help of Jan Reynolds. The fact that most of them were flyovers leads me to believe that they don't normally live in that area and were either looking for food or flying back to their nests. Also, the fact that many of the species were identified through sound could mean that they weren't actually in the site we were studying, but were nearby.

We saw many animals such as coyote, white-tailed deer, and a gopher snake. We also saw the diggings of a northern pocket gopher and smelled a striped skunk. A majority of the animals seen were around the pond. As a matter of fact, out of the 16 animals species we saw, or smelled, only five of them were in the Chase area.

There are numerous plants around the pond area, and a few around Chase. The most common plant around Chase was the . The reason there is so little plant variety around Chase is that much of it was cleared to make room for houses and the school. It's also a maintained area so many plants that might normally grow are cleared.

The Pond holds a great plant variety with everything from wild onions and strawberries to common cattails and wild hyacinths. This variety of plants is a great reason for many birds and other animals to inhabit the area. It promotes biodiversity.

The great variety of plant life and animals leads me to the conclusion that the pond on 29th and Havana is more biologically diverse than the four areas around Chase that we studied. But both have their own ecosystems and organisms that live and interact with one another and both are great to study with NatureMapping. For this reason among many others, it is very important that we preserve the habitat in this area to study and provide homes to many different birds, plants and other animals.

Great Blue Heron

By Darrel Morris

One boring day of math class. It was about nine o'clock when Tyler Poole and I were looking out the window. I saw a huge bird with a huge beak and I thought it might have been a crane. Then I realized it was a Great Blue Heron. Tyler didn't think that I knew what I was talking about. Since we were looking out the window our math teacher said we had to write sentences. That day I told Mrs. Cassidy and she said that the bird was probably flying over because they eat gold fish and koi in people's ponds near the school.

A Nature Mapping field trip.

By Suzanne Ebey

It all started one day in science when my teacher, Mrs.Cassidy told us to get ready for a outside trip. She told us where the trip would be, this time it was a the pond. I was so excited. When we got outside and on the trail to the pond, we saw a few things. First we saw a forest of Ponderosa “Pines. Going further and up dirt hill, we came to a small, muddy pond that we all had to cross.On one more trail the class found some different plants. One was called Wild Onion.Some people tried eating it and didn't like it. Walking a little more we stumbled across a very pretty Blue-eyed Mary. That was one of my favorites. We also saw a Spreading Phlox. During that trip, we didn't just look for plants. We also saw birds, they were beautiful. The European Starling and Callipe humming birds; were really interesting. Mrs.Cassidy asked us to grab a plastic container and gather some water samples and then we went back to class. The next day, we lokked through micoscopes. What I found look very unusual; it was a mosquito larvae. The class found waterboat men, frog tadpoles, and the one that was really gross was the bloodworm. It was all very exciting. I couldn't wait for the next trip to the pond.

Bluebirds of Happiness

By: Amber McGee & Yee Lo

We interviewed Ginny Lathem, Chase counselor, on a very unusual sighting she had seen outside her office window on a very wintery day. This is what she told us.

"One blustery morning, about 10 A.M. before the buds were on the vine, I looked up, somewhat despondent, because my computer had crashed for the fifth time that morning. Low and behold, looking out my window, my heart exploded with joy. In the bark, just beyond the covered sidewalk, were four birds, resplendent in color. Unconsciously, I smiled, believing them to be Bluebirds of happiness..."

The day she saw these Western Bluebirds was Feb 14, 2000.

These bluebirds migrate here from the south. These birds were very early this year.

A Riddle

My name is a residence
I have a gray crown
My nickname is a form of language
My home is around big towns
Who am I?
House (English) Sparrow

I hatch in other birds' nests
I roll the others away
My voice is a harsh rattle whistle
But all around, I'm a mean little pest
Who am I?
Brown-headed Cowbird

My coat is bright and yellow
My hat is charcoal black
I am a little fellow
These colors I do not lack
My call is per-chik-o-ree
I'm widely known as a wild canary
Who am I?
A. American Goldfinch

By Matt Reed

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Snakes In Glenrose

By Tiffany Jorgensen

Recently, through E-mail, I contacted a Glenrose resident named Zita Myers.She has lived in Glenrose for almost 50 years. She shared some of her observations of snakes in the area, after I told her how we saw a Bull Snake while NatureMapping and I became interested in snakes.

"Hi Tiffany. There is a place on our hillside where, when one hiked by in spring, a rather handsome variety of snake was seen several times sunning itself where a large chunk of decomposed granite rock lay near the surface and probably gathered warmth. Its body was tannish-gray, without marking or even discernable texture, giving it the look of smooth rubber or plastic. The name Rubber Boa given in my snake book fit perfectly. Not a large snake, perhaps about two feet in length, and its largest girth perhaps about that of your dad's thumb.

As I remember, it was quite blunt at both ends, its head not much larger than its tail. Like a piece of clay you'd rolled out on a table.

I wonder if the Gopher Snake you mentioned might be the one we called a Bull Snake. A real big sort, surely over a yard long, basically a whitish yellow, very stylish dark brown markings. Those I had seen were dead ones apparently run over cars traveling Glenrose. Again, possibly sunning themselves on the pavement... bad decision.

There are more people, houses, and autos here these days and perhaps those remaining Bull Snakes (if any do remain) have been pushed back into less busy places. I haven't seen one for years.

I hope that some of these recollections may be of some help to you, Tiffany, but they are certaintly not very recent. On the other hand, there seems to be no reason why all the snakes have vanished from the area. These shy creatures are probably here, but have learned to avoid people, their autos, and pets.

I am looking forward to finding your delightful newspaper in my mailbox someday as I did a year or so ago."

-- Zita Myers

Diversity Graph

By Luke Stanek & Tyler Poole

Diversity is the variety of different species in an area. On the graph the level of diversity that is closer to 1 has a greater variety of species than the others. To get the level of diversity you divide the number of animals you saw by the total number of species.

The school property has the lowest diversity of all the habitats that we evaluated because it is in a more populated area than the other habitats. The grass gets fertilized and that can kill the birds. The school buses and the cars can scare off birds.

The other habitat is made up of the natural area around the school. It has a forest, a valley, and a sand hill. The area has a higher diversity because it can provide food, shelter, and water to many different species.

The pond has a middle level of diversity compared to the other habitat and the school property. The pond can appeal to many different animals unlike the school property. It can also serve as a water hole for small animals.

Chase Wildlife vs. Pond Wildlife

By Daniel Isherwood and James Anderson

The wildlife near Chase and the pond are at war. A war that the pond wildlife is doomed to lose. The widlife are engaged in a competition for food, water, and other resources. The pond is only seasonal so this competition can only come around once every year. The area near Chase has large animals such as coyotes, deer, skunks, and squirrels. The pond has birds, insects, microorganisms, and spiders. Unfortunately for these animals the pond will soon dry up.

Therefore some of the pond's wildlife will lose their habitat and some will move to other areas.

Wildlife at the Ranch

By Aaron Sokolis

Morning Star Boys Ranch owns over 500 acres of land in the Glenrose Watershed. They grow barley every year. They also have a couple of acres set aside for the horses, and will soon get pigs and more chickens. The Boys Ranch is located on the north side of Tower Mountain. The farming land and woods are homes to many types of wild life.

After an interview with Spencer, a supervisor at Morning Star Boy's Ranch, I have learned that there used to be a herd of elk that came down from the Q6 mountain to feed on the barley. In 1992 there was a fire that scared most of the elk away from the area. There are still some left, but very few. Also, before the fire there were many bear and cougars. The fire, also scared them away from the area. When Spencer takes boys on horse back rides, the boys can see the tracks of the remaining bears and cougars.

Brother Cookie often takes the boys out to look for antlers. He is usually the one to find them all, but it is fun. When the boys look for antlers, they often find where the deer bedded down for the night, and they find the fur of deer from when a coyote attacked it. So far, since I have been there, we have only found the remains of a stray dog. Actually, the dog was found by Josh Thain, a level two at Morning Star. The dog was found during the Glenrose Cleanup Day.

After interviewing Brother Cookie, I have learned that the deer around the area are attracted to salt licks. He says that he has seen the deer come closer to the ranch after they put out a salt lick for them. It is fun watching the deer come up to the patio, because it is peaceful. He also told me that he has seen more pheasants around the area during the winter, because there was a mild winter. Brother Cookie also told me he saw a coyote pretend to be hurt to lure Sophie, one of the ranch dogs, to him so the coyote could eat her. The dog did not fall for the trick, she started to, but decided not to. The dog was smart.

I think the animals come around the ranch because the boys at the ranch respect nature and the good source of food.

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-- page 16 --

Interview with Glenrose Resident

By Karen Thomason and Meredith Manning

We interviewed Joan Smith, the past president of the Glenrose Association. She has lived in the Glenrose Watershed for the past 28 years. She has many ideas about the Glenrose Watershed and what we are doing. Here are some questions we asked her and our summary of what she said:

How has development affected the Glenrose area?

• Increase in traffic = more pollution and noise
• Drop in the water table- seasonal wetlands and ponds decreasing
• Fewer bird species because of an increase of dogs and cats
• Houses begin to encroach on sensitive watershed areas

How can we prevent damage to the habitat?

• Awareness individually and collectively
• Document wildlife and plants; inform and educate citizens like Chase students have done
• Document and protect critical areas for wildlife that the county has identified
• Prevent urban sprawl- by keeping growth in urban areas where services like sewer and water already exist
• Preserve critical areas for parks, green belts, and open spaces
• Help and support passing laws like;
  GMA(urban sprawl)
  State Endangered Species Act 1999
  Clean Water Act

How has the Glenrose Watershed changed over time?

• New homes- more traffic- more noise
• Less wildlife- decline in elk herd
• More flooding because the hydrology of the area has been changed

What does the Glenrose Association do to help?

• Letters to the county and city about land issues
• Newsletters(3 a year) that inform the community concerning land use issues
• Informational meetings and one general meeting a year
• Inform and educate people about the Glenrose watershed and the environment
• For 25 years, the Glenrose Association has tried to keep the development in the designated urban areas where urban services are available

What do you see in the future for the Glenrose Watershed?

"I would like to see Glenrose as an open space corridor because of its regional significance and recreational opportunities. It has the highest and closest mountain to urban development. Tower Mt. is 3600 ft. high and it has abundant wildlife and plant species as well as scenic beauty."

How do you feel about the NatureMapping project?

"I think it's a wonderful way for students to learn about their environment and it is also a tremendous contribution to the Glenrose community data base. We hope to use your information in an area plan for Glenrose. Thanks for all your work. I am very impressed with your research."-Joan Smith

Hawk Encounter in the Sky

By Jonathan Agnew

April 27th I saw an amazing battle over the waters of the Glenrose Watershed. A hawk picked up what looked like a small snake. At first I though it was just getting some food for itself, but it was much more than that. After I saw the first hawk pick up the snake, I saw it again, except this time a there were three hawks and a fight over a female and territory had commenced.

By Nich Kunz

First they were screaming at each other continuously. Then the hawk without the snake plunged beak first into the other one. They entangled their wings and beaks in a ferocious battle. It lasted 3 to 4 seconds because the intruder had dropped the prize. Then both went into an all out nose dive to get the prize. I then observed a fourth hawk. One hawk was near the the ground and went quickly after the snake. When the first hawk reached the ground it tried to pick up the snake but it was going too fast. About a second later the third hawk landed, but then I could not see because a hill was in the way.

Triumphantly a hawk emerged with the snake and the other began its chase. It dropped the snake because of a bad grip. The other hawk took a small dive and caught the prize. Both made a climb to their original height, and they began screaming at each other again. I thought that another physical fight would break out because the fourth hawk was getting involved. As student Matt Reed said, it was the "homey" of the losing red- tail, but, as luck would have it, this "homey" flew away. It ended at a distance so far away we couldn't see the rest, but many students would agree it was the best in-flight show they've ever seen. 

Period Six

This is a map of ponds and their buffers. The buffers are unofficial areas that we should be careful in and should not build next to. The buffers are so that we can see how far it could possibly flood, and also show where habitat shoud be protected.

Interview with Tracy Morgan Grover

By Robert Wahlstedt and Larry Stoltenberg

Recently Robert Wahlstedt and Larry Stoltenberg had the opportunity to interview Tracy Grover about Arc-View GIS. Mrs. Grover is the GIS Coordinator at Washington State University Spokane. She came to Chase Middle School and helped us created a map.

Robert/Larry: What exactly is GIS?

Ms. Grover: GIS, Geographical Information System, is a computerized way of using layers on the computer to store information. It is the equivalent to having a whole pile of overhead sheets about natural and manmade features on the earth.

Robert/Larry: What is the purpose of Arc-View GIS?

Ms. Grover: It helps people find relationships in the different hard-to-look-at-features and see if they are interconnected or if there is a pattern. For example it compares animal species with vegetation.

Robert/Larry: What careers might use this?

Ms. Grover: People involved in ecology, biology, geology, and other related sciences. Another field that might use it is the city, county, and federal government agencies, people that plan emergencies. It also helps real-estate agents. The real-estate agents could type in the qualifications that their customers are looking for and it would display all of the houses that fit those qualifications.

Robert/Larry: How has it affected people's lives?

Ms. Grover: One of the many ways in which GIS has affected our lives is that it made our lives safer. In California somebody made a GIS map in which they plotted the fault lines. Then they plotted all of the hospitals, and they found out that all of the hospitals were built on fault lines. It helps people know better where to build their houses and buildings.

Robert/Larry: What might they do in the future to improve Arc-View GIS?

Ms. Grover: They could make it faster so we won't have to wait so long when we open up our map. They could also make it easier to show a three-dimensional fly through.

Robert/Larry: How can they pack so much information into Arc-View GIS and still have it not too complicated for the computer to handle?

Ms. Grover: There is a secret to it. Whenever you open a program it is actually telling the project where each different part of the data is. The software file takes up less room and the data file is much bigger.

Robert/Larry: When in the future can we download one of these programs at home?

Ms. Grover: Right now this program costs 255 dollars. There are programs other than Arc-View such as Map point and Automap. There is even a free program called Arc-explorer but you get what you pay for.

Bird Species Sighted

by Brian Polillo and Justin Houck

The graph below shows the number of bird species we have sighted in three years: 1998, 1999, and 2000. The number of birds varies from year to year. There are several reasons for this. One is that habitat loss alters the ecosystem that the animals and birds depend on. Another reason for this could be the students that are trying to identify the birds may be inexperienced and they don't know what to look for. Still, another reason could be pollution and chemical waste. Because of this, the birds and other wildlife may not want to stay in a harsh environment, so they leave. A simple but still important factor would be the weather. Some birds don't even come out, or they go to a place where you may not be. Another simple reason could be how many times each class went out and the time of day. This is because the migratory birds that migrate to our area come at different times and speeds.

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The Calling of the Meadowlark

As I was walking through the park,
I heard the sound of a meadowlark.
The sound was soothing and it gave me peace,
I wanted the sound never to cease.
Then I walked a little further, until I found the stream.
I looked in it, and found that everything was clean.
When I left, I didnÕt leave a trace.
I always remembered the beauty of that place.

By: Anonymous 6th Period student

Oregon Junco by Justin Houck

Interview with Jan Reynolds

By Bryce Currie and Matt Horrocks

Jan Reynolds has been coming to Chase Middle School for 3 years. She comes to help identify birds, animals, and wildlife clues for the NatureMapping program. Jan goes to several other schools to help their NatureMapping too. Some rare birds Jan has helped spot at Chase are the Solitary Vireo, Common Snipe, and Vaux's Swift. A few animals Jan has helped identify are the Bull Snake, Ground Squirrel, and Coyote. We caught up with Jan to ask her some questions about her job and lifestyle.

Q. What is a typical day for your job? A. There usually is no typical day but I go to many places such as camps and the Little Spokane River. We do ecology studies and watch birds most often.

Q. When did you develop an interest in nature and birds? A. In 1963 I was at Yosemite National Park and got a Peterson's Field Guide. I started to listen to the birds ,then identify them in the field guide. I just got hooked. I always have loved nature though.

Q. Why do you believe NatureMapping is an important thing? A. I believe it is important so I can take the classroom outside and show how everthing is inter-connected. I think it is important that even the most common birds get recorded.

Q. If someone wants to pursue a career similar to yours, what courses/classes should you take? A. All classes are important but here are some important ones for this career: ecology, biology, natural science, and most math classes.

Q. What can we do that helps us learn more about birds? A. Go out with a guide and teach yourself or become a member of the Audobon Society.

Q. Why did you choose this as a job? A. I had a passion for it.

Q. How long have you been working with the NatureMapping program? A. Four years

Q. What do you enjoy most about your job? A. Working with the kids at the different schools.

Q. Would you choose another occupation if it paid better? A. Absolutely not! I designed a way to get outside and explore nature. I would never be able to do any other job. I have to work outdoors.

Q. What is your favorite bird and why? A. The Raven because it symbolizes many Native American beliefs.

Q. Have you ever had any other jobs? A. I once worked at Hewlett Packard.

Q. What are some good ideas to get birds to come around your home? A. Plant shrubs, put out natural feeders, bird boxes, and water for birds to bathe in.

Q. What are some of the best places to go bird watching in the Spokane area? A. The trail along the Little Spokane River and near Indian Canyon Golf Course.

Q. What do you think about Chase students? A. You guys are the best and I had a lot of fun at the pond with your group.

Food Chains

By Matt Moeser and Tyler Schornick

In all the places in the whole world, in every nook and cranny, you will find a food chain. No matter how far or wide you look, there will be a predator eating its prey for survival and then that prey will maybe eat plants at the bottom of the food chain.

An example of this would start with the Red-tailed Hawk, a predator and the KING in our ecosystem. The Red -tailed Hawk usually eats small rodents like the Columbian Ground Squirrel . The Columbian Ground Squirrel feeds on plants. The plants are producers. They are producers because they make food from the sun's energy.

The sun will give the plants what they need to produce energy, the Columbian Ground squirrel will eat the plants , and the Red-tailed Hawk will eat the Columbian Ground squirrel. The Decomposers will also be needed to break down waste, creating a cycle we humans call a food chain.

Osprey by Bryce Currie

What I Think About NatureMapping

By E.J. Eykhval'd

NatureMapping helps students learn more about nature than they would learn by themselves. There are many things about nature a person can't learn from reading books. The best way to learn about nature is to go outside and see it, hear it, and learn from it. The NatureMapping program lets us experience it not just by reading books but going outside and learning the ways of nature.

Ecological Food Web of Chase

By Kerry Garrett

In this web of the Chase Middle School area, the coyote is the top of the food chain; he has the least enemies. The coyote is a scavenger and he searches for left-over carcasses of animals and food scraps in garbage cans. This makes the coyote, like all canines, an omnivore. He eats both plants and meats.

The Coppers hawk is also a large creature in this web. He catches up small critters like mice and rabbits or good-sized insects. In most cases, the coyote would only get his paws on a hawk if it was dead or busy collecting bugs on the ground.

The White-Tailed Deer is the largest animal in this web. He is a calm plant-eater which makes him vulnerable to meat-eaters like coyotes, *cougars and wolves [*not seen]. It’s defense is to stay in large groups. The striped skunk has a well-known defense- it’s awful smell!

But, the juice is very valued by the skunk, he only uses it in emergencies. He goes through a series of warnings [ like standing on his head or scratching on the ground] before he actually dispells his perfume. The skunk eats insects, plants and berries.

In this natural ecological web, are some introduced species. Knapweed is a pest to native plants because it moves out valuable plants. This weed grows everywhere like roadsides and throughout wilderness.

A less harmful, and enjoyable, introduced creature is the beautiful ring-necked pheasant. This colorful bird was introdced into the Americas for game hunting. He was brought from China.

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The HIPPO Dilemma

By Alexis Cziglenyi and Nicole

HIPPO stands for the five major problems threatening the earth's biodiversity.

H=Habitat Loss. The main reason that animals become extinct or threatened is because their habitat has been changed or destroyed. Their habitat contains all that they need to survive: light, space, food, water, shelter, and a place to breed. At Chase it is important to save habitat for wildlife.

I=Introduced Species. Introduced species, such as the Euorpean Starling come from another country. They take over nesting areas and can cause habitat loss.

P=Pollution. Pollution is a human-caused change in the environment. Our school's parking lot has oil spills, and carbon monoxide that comes from the cars that can endanger wildlife in our area. There are many types of pollution around Spokane, and they are all endangering our beautiful watershed!

P=Population Growth. Population growth is hurting our watershed greatly, by reducing habitat for plants and animals. Spokane County is expanding, and a lot of land is being taken over for building businesses and homes.

O=Over-Consumption. At Chase Middle School, we use TONS of paper. One way to help is to reduce our use of resources. Even though we recycle some paper, what about the other schools and homes?

There are many ways people can get involved in preserving biodiversity. If we all work together, we can save what is left.

7 Tips to help preserve biodiversity

1.) Join a community group and offer to do voluntary work, like picking up
garbage, planting trees, or pond cleaning. 2.) Avoid littering on school grounds.
3.) Find out which threatened species live in our area and what they look like,
what they eat, and where they live. 4.) Plant native trees and shrubs for wildlife.
5.) Take binoculars with you when you go hiking, and keep notes of the different
plants and animals you see. 6.) Put bird feeders on trees.
7.) Take pictures, not souvenirs.

Kenworthy.

White-tailed Deer by Sergey Kravtsov

Perched Wetlands

By Dustin Bise

The South Hill used to be covered by perched wetlands. These wetlands provided habitat for a large diversity of wildlife. They also are geologically unique. These wetlands are called perched wetlands because they sit on the very most eastern edge of a basalt plateau. This plain of basalt was formed by ancient flows of lava. Much of this basalt was covered by glacial debris deposited during the last Ice Age. But, the South Hill still has a large surface are of basalt for the wetlands to collect on. Every spring, depressions in the basalt give the runoff a place to sit forming a perched wetland.

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GIS

By Jacob Bale

GIS or Geographical Information System is a very interesting, yet complex system. It allows you to create digital and 3-dimensional maps and posters. Each map is composed of many complex layers of information. These maps are very important for the mapping and study of wildlife around the world. They allow people to enter data they have collected about species they have seen onto a map. These maps show how populations and habitats are changing with time. GIS is a key tool which scientists and biologists use to study the effects humans are having on certain species and what we citizens can do to help wildlive survive. There are many different types of GIS software, but Chase uses the best of them which is called Arcview GIS. We are very lucky to have this expensive, high tech, state of the art software and hopefully you all will get a chance to use it.

Migratory Or Not

By Allen Brazier and T.J Bolser

This pie chart shows the percentage of the birds we saw in the Glenrose Watershed that are migratory and non-migratory. The graph clearly shows that most of the birds we saw in the watershed are migratory. The birds were sighted by various classes on different days. On those days they went to either the sand-hill, field, forest edge, school area, or pond. Students spotted and recorded birds they saw and whether or not they were migratory. Then we were able to create this pie chart. The habitat in this area contributes to our migratory bird population. If this habitat is lost then there won't be as many migratory birds.

GIS Mapping and how it works

By Nathanial Adams

What is GIS Mapping?
GIS, or Geographic Information System was designed to help people to better understand and identify different geographical features of the world. It is a special tool for the capture, storage, and display of geographical data. GIS allows you to have better access to information, quicker and easier.

How does GIS work?
GIS Mapping consists of layers of information, from the many different species of creatures and their population in the United States, to roads and ponds. If you wish to see closer, you can zoom in and see the information in different areas up close.

Why is GIS mapping important?
GIS is very useful when researching for information or simply looking at for fun. It provides many different types of information, depending on what it is you are looking for. If you think about it, it would be really hard to get access to so many types of information using other resources.

130 Chase Middle School seventh and eight grade students participated in NatureMapping and the production of this publication.

For more information about the Chase NatureMapping Project please contact:

Heather Cassidy
Chase Middle School
4747 E. 37th Ave.
Spokane, WA 99223
509-354-5000
HeatherC@sd81.k12.wa.us