Staff photo/Ian Gleadle
The East Lake Washington Audubon Society work day on the Marymoor Park Trail was aided last month by three generation of Rettigs: Jim Rettig, his son Devin, and his grandson Blaise. Work parties are held on the first Saturday of each month. The next will be April 7. Call (425) 402-1833 for details.

Birding is the fastest-growing outdoor activity in the country. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 51.3 million Americans report that they watch birds. And the number keeps rising, as more people discover this pastime.

Many are involved in the hobby for fun or because they enjoy getting outdoors for some healthy exercise. Others find that it is the ideal social pursuit and enjoy participating in birding clubs where they can share their discoveries with others.

But it is also the ideal solitary sport, fulfilling a need to get away from it all to open one’s senses and commune with nature.

“Birds are such a good way to get in touch with the environment,” says Jim Rettig, vice president of the East Lake Washington Audubon Society (ELWAS). “I think with the increased urbanization that has occurred over the years, people are finding the need to escape and birding is the perfect outlet. It also serves to satisfy a spiritual hunger for wild things.”

Rettig first became involved with the activity when he took part in an annual Audubon Society bird count over 15 years ago. He saw birds he never knew existed in his own neighborhood and that’s all it took for the Woodinville man to become hooked.

In 1990, he joined ELWAS and proceeded to serve as president of the society for eight years. ELWAS currently has over 1,100 members and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Last summer, the chapter received a $100,000 grant from King County and entered into an agreement with King County Parks and Recreation to enhance the current Interpretive Trail at Marymoor Park in Redmond and turn it into a premiere Bird Loop Trail.

The project, under Rettig’s direction, is to be completed by July 2008. It has numerous goals, including installing an informational kiosk at the entry to the trail, making needed repairs to the current bridge and boardwalk, installing a gate in the gap of the Serve Our Dog Area fence, installing interpretive signage and trail identification markers along the trail, removing invasive species, such as wild blackberry bushes and Scotch broom from the East Meadow, planting native species (black hawthorn trees, salal, Nootka rose) in the area and creating a new trail around the East Meadow.

Rettig explains that the trail is currently in poor condition and has been deteriorating over time.

He says, “It’s really very old and nothing’s been done to repair it. The signage has decayed and the pathway is eroding. The boardwalk is under water and the trail often gets flooded, which makes it impassable and unusable.” Rettig adds that the idea behind the trail is to aid people in interpreting the habitat that can be seen within the landscape. Over 176 species of birds have been spotted in this area by birders. These include such common species as Merganser ducks and chickadees, to rarer sightings of the short-eared owl and the Lapland longspur.

“This area is really one of the nicer places to see avian life,” comments Rettig. “The wetlands provide a good habitat for the birds, as they can find shelter, food and nesting spots. We want to continue to encourage the birds to come here by keeping this habitat in good shape. Birds are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem, so the benefits affect everyone.”

The goals of the project are ambitious, but the labor is being done by volunteers at a series of monthly work parties and thus far, according to Rettig, the turnout has been decent. He says, “We don’t foresee the labor as an issue. The real challenge has been in getting through the hoops of county government, especially with the wetland permit process. There’s some red tape, as you can imagine, and things don’t move along that quickly.”

Once the short-term goals for the project have been reached, ELWAS will apply for another grant to achieve long-term objectives. These involve constructing a viewing platform along the river, re-paving the asphalt trail, re-graveling the current entry trail, raising up the boardwalk and installing additional kiosks.

ELWAS will be responsible for maintaining the trails system for the next five years. Beyond that, Rettig doesn’t anticipate any problem getting people to continue to help with the maintenance.

He adds, “We have a high-level of interest and enthusiasm among dedicated people who are eager to make a commitment to helping out in this endeavor.”

ELWAS sponsors a work party at the trail on the first Saturday of each month, from 9-noon. Free parking passes are given to participants. “Join us for a healthy workout, meet new friends and feel good about helping our fellow creatures of the avian world,” encourages Rettig.

For more information, call Jim Rettig at: (425) 402-1833 or visit: www.elwas.org.