Heron Habitat Helpers

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Get Involved – You Can Make A Difference!

October 24, 2017 By Marla Master

Whether you have an hour a month — or an hour a week — consider using your skills to impact your community and natural environment.

Volunteering with Heron Habitat Helpers is fun — and goes beyond weeding and planting. Some options are writing a guest blog, helping us with social media communications, creating fundraising ideas and events, and general assistance for projects we already have underway. Have ideas of your own? That’s what we’re looking for… email us today: [email protected]

Check out our Volunteer Page for Restoration Work Parties!
http://c7i.065.myftpupload.com/volunteer

Filed Under: BLOG, Volunteer

Male Herons Begin the Breeding Season

January 28, 2017 By Debbie Jacobsen

Hunched like fishermen gathered outside on a wintry day, six great blue herons recently stood on the abandoned fuel dock east of Commodore Park in Magnolia. Perhaps they discussed the upcoming fishing season, descending tides, and the art of catching fish and fowl. These herons are harbingers of 120 + herons that will hopefully breed for the 5th year next to the Ballard Locks in Seattle.

The herons gave each other space on the dock because, like fishermen, they are competitors.   Herons compete for a mate, territory, and food, and fights are common during the pre-nesting and courtship stages. Unlike some fishermen, there is no fellowship between herons beyond their mate.

Males are already flying to the 30 alder trees at Commodore Park and are choosing one of the 60 dilapidated nests.   The first males to fly to the colony can choose the safest nest from the main predator, the eagle, or choose to build a new nest. Then, slowly, females appear and check out the males and their nests.  Courtship rituals will begin which I will describe in another post.

For now, if you’d like, take your binoculars and look for herons standing (or “staging”) at the abandoned fuel dock on the Magnolia side of the Ballard Locks. You can also look for herons on top of tall trees in the Carl English Gardens, or stand under the trees at Commodore Park and look for the first males choosing nests.  See if you can find three herons in the attached photo.  

Heron monitors assist by observing and recording the nesting activity and growth of colony herons, and results are sent to WA Fish and Wildlife as well as to other interested organizations. If you are interested in volunteering as a heron monitor, please email

[email protected] and I’ll send you the job description.

Filed Under: BLOG, Herons, Nesting, News, Volunteer

Volunteer with Heron Habitat Helpers on Green Seattle Day – Saturday November 12

November 1, 2016 By Marla Master

Green Seattle Day is the biggest party of the year – join hundreds of volunteers planting thousands of plants in parks throughout The Emerald City. All community members are welcome!

Volunteer with Heron Habitat Helpers from 9am – noon. We’ll be weeding, trail clearing, and planting at Commodore Park and our other restoration sites in Magnolia – and of course, having fun at the same time. Coffee, tea, and light snacks provided.

Sign up today: http://seattle.cedar.greencitypartnerships.org/event/8628/

Questions: [email protected]

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Interested in working in other parts of the city?

Check out the full list of events:
http://greenseattle.org/get-involved/green-seattle-day/

Filed Under: BLOG, Volunteer Tagged With: herons, planting, volunteer

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Volunteer Opportunities

It's not all digging in the dirt!

Let us know what piques your interest and skill set. We're open to your ideas so don't hesitate to contact us to chat. Some current needs are:

• Monitor the colony - We’re looking for enthusiastic citizen scientists who will volunteer to observe and record data on a large colony of great blue herons next to the Ballard Locks in Seattle. Volunteer hours will be a minimum of once/week, three hours/day during heron breeding season – March to early August. No previous experience necessary. We will train.

• Content creation - We'd love to post your articles and photos on our website and social media pages. We're open to subjects about birds - especially herons, native plants, your nature volunteer experiences, etc. Submit your ideas or contact us for more info!

• Reaching out - Help us increase our presence in the community. We plan on having a table at a few farmers markets over the summer and hosting special events. We could use a hand!

• Signage at the Locks - We're working on information signs about herons that will be posted at the Locks. Got design skills?

• Get on Board - HHH is looking for passionate people who want to be on the Board. Work with us to promote our mission and grow HHH into the future.

Get Social

Membership

By becomming a Member and supporting HHH, you are directly contributing to conservation initiatives, habitat restoration efforts, and educational programs. Join now!

Volunteer

There are many ways to get involved with HHH! Please email us for a list of current opportunities. 
[email protected]

Contact Us

Heron Habitat Helpers
4574 36th Avenue West
Seattle, WA  98199-1146
[email protected]

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