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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAudubon Society Newsletter - June-JulyRUT"t'~ COL't+IT~' ~>3n~f1?~ac•rr.~l~r~r: :~ `.`~ ~ ~., . ~y,p. ~ `~ ~, / / aiiCe ~ ire ~~ NEWSLETTER OF THE ALTACAL AUDUBON SOCIETY Chapter of the. Natiort8_[ Audubon Society serving Butte. Glenn, and Teham~ ~QUntie~ Q tJorthern C~alifgrni~ JUNE 1 JULY 2013 ALTACAL Pr®grarns Program Meetings for the general community are normally held an the third Monday of each month at 6:3Q p.m., at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 79G8 F. 8th St. Chico. In December the meeting is held on the second Monday and in July and August there are no Program Meetings. ~ qA~'3 MAY 2 LU .~u~te ~, cAU~o~ Monday, June 17, 2013 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center ALTACAL AUDUB4N'S POTLUCK Wel! it's that time again! Tme for our annual potluck dinner. ome join us and celebrate friendships and our common love far birds and the natural world at our annual potluck dinner. Monday, June ~ 7, 6:30 p.m. at Chico Creek Na- ture Center. We will have a chance to visit with a!d friends and new ones; talk about birds and birding, share stories of recent and future adventures and travels. Also share with the group some interesting facts on one of your favorite birds. It's been another remarkable year for Aitacal Audubon and this will be our last chance to get together as a group until our next program in September. Remember, there are na programs during July and August so you don't want to miss this one. Bring a dish to share, a beverage for yourself. or to share, a plate and fork, and a chair if you like. ALTACAL'S POTLUCK -Chico Creek Nature Center -June 18, 2D12 "32 folks attended, a record number and new faces" Photo by Carolyn Short L-R (front) Cathy Carter, Kathryn Waod, Anthony Nicosia (next row) Ruth Kennedy, Jean Beed, Janet Weidel, Karen Lessard, Sandy Taylor, Mike Fisher, Nancy Nelson, {next row) Mike & Liz Boyd, Jennifer Patten, Mary Wrysinski, Kathy Trevino, Caaylord Grams, JT Lewis, Nancy Praizler, Margaret Rader, Liam Huber, Aliza Huber, Steve Overlock (back) Scott Huber, Carla Moreno, Steve King, Mac MacCarmick, Laurie Hutchinson, Annette Carey ALTACAL AUDUBON SOCIETY Board-of Directors President VACANT Vice President STEVE OVERLOOK 530-892-0835 stephenoverlock@sbcglobal.net Secretary RUTH KENNEDY 530-828-3837 chicoruth2@yahoo.com Treasurer 1 VACANT Finance Membership STEVE OVERLOOK 530 892-0635 stephenoverlock@sbcglobal.net Publicationsl DENISE DEVINE Newsletter 530 345-8444 dsrdevine@hotmail.com Publicity/ WAYLANDAUGUR Web Site 519-4724 wba@acm.org Field Trips KATHY TREVINO (interim) 530 872-8$37 kathytrev@sbcglobal.net Sanctuary 1 MIKE BOYD Lands /Refuge 345-0758 boydlm@comcast.net Conservation DAWN GARCIA 872-2165 mel.dawn@sbcg[obal.net Education VACANT Programs JENNIFER FATTEN 345-9356 jpchico@sbcglobal.net Sac NWR MARELYN GAMETTE Bookstore 343-3i 54 gamettec@aol.com Director - KATHRYN HOOD at-Large 321-2852 verdant@sunset.net BOARD MEETINGS 5:15 p.m. 2nd Wednesday of each month Altacal Audubon Society /Snow Goose Festival Office 635 Flume Street, Chico Altaca! Audubon members are welcome to attend NANCY NELSON and the Pacific Crest Trail by STEVE KING n April 6th, Nancy Nelson, Mike Fisher, Raina King, Steve King and Tyler Price left Chico for the Mexican border. Our plan was to bird our way down to the border where Nancy wculd start the 2,630 mile hike to the Canadian border. I did not keep good records of where we saw different birds but our total birds seen was 155 species. Our first night was at Isabella Lake. It was pretty windy there so we moved an. We birded the Kern River Preserve, Red Rock State Park to camp. From there, we headed to Joshua Tree Nation Park and spent two nights in Indian Cove Campground, two nights in Jumbo Racks Camp- ground and twc nights in Cottonwood Camp- ground. While camping in Jumbo Rocks Camp- ground, we birded Big Mo- rongo Canyon Preserve, which is outside the park (great place to bird in the area). We left Joshua Tree National Park with plans to camp at the Salton Sea but after a shower at one of the state parks at the Salton Sea, we continued birding down the east side of the Salton Sea and by the time we got to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, we decided to just keep heading for Anza Bor- rego State park and Camp there. We camped at Tamarisk Grove Campground. By April 16th, Nancy was ready to hit the trail. We went to Lake Morena County park where Nancy Made final preparations and on April 17th, we took Nancy to the Mexican border where she started the walk from Mexico to Canada. Her crew followed her progress and fixed her a few dinners for about the first week and then we left Nancy on her own and headed back to Chico. At the time of writing this, Nancy was well into her #irst 100 miles and picking up the pace as her legs continued to get stronger. As mentioned before, the Pacific Crest Traii is 2,630 miles long. If you were to add up all the places where you are hiking up, it would be about 330,000 feet. That is over 60 miles of uphill! Only a small percentage of people complete the whole hike from border to border. We all have our fingers crossed that Nancy makes it to Canada! Good luck Nancy! 2. Get to know U R NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES PART 3 by LORA HALI_~R, Visitor Services Manager u,~, ~ f you drive through the Sacramento Val- Frse ~w~~n~.~ s~xvic~ ~, ~ ,~~, ~ t wgnder- wf~at wildlife could possibly migrate here for the summer. !t is hot and natural wetlands are virtually dry. Right around the beginning ~,~¢ of June, tricolored blackbirds will often "in- vade" portions of Delevan National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to nest. This "invasion" can number anywhere from 1D,D00 to 200,D00 birds crammed into a few acres of thick bulrush or cattails! To an untrained eye, tricolored blackbirds look nearly identical to red-winged blackbirds. One of the easier distinguishing char- acteristics is in males which have a red over white wing patch or epaulet unlike the red over yellow of the red-winged blackbird (Hate: California does have the bicolored form or geographic variation of the red-winged blackbird that lacks the yellow bor- der). Tricolors also have a thinner and more pointed bill, fly in compact flocks (which during the summer red-wings are singu- lar on their 5ma11 individual territpries), and a different call. The tricolored blackbird's geographic range is restricted to the Central Valley and surrounding foothills far 99% of the popula- tion. They nest in large colonies in freshwater cattail or bulrush marshes and various upland and agricultural habitats. When foraging, birds will travel in flecks -~ to ~severaf Bailee from the colony and prefer dry uplands with insects including grasshoppers to feed to their young. Despite their large numbers within the colonies, there are onky a few dozen colonies that travel around the state to nest. They are considered a species of special concern by the state and federal government. Their reproductive success is affected by harvest- ing of crop silage during their nesting, habitat loss, and heavy predation on nesting adults, eggs, and nestlings: Delevan NWR is not open to the public for wildlife observation but sometimes the tricolored blackbirds nest on the south end of the refuge along Maxwell Road. Often Bob Meese, a researcher from University of California, Davis, comes out to band thou- sands of tricolored blackbirds to better understand their move- ments and populations. If the birds return and Bob's project is funded this year, the refuge will try to offer a tour of the breeding colony. Due to many variables, the date and time will not be known until a few days prior. If you would like to sign up to find out about the possible tour, please contact sacramentovalleyref uges@fws.gov or call 530-934-2801. The tour wil[ probably oc- cur in early June during the morning hours. LTACAL OUTREACH 3. Jennifer Patten at the OI'oviiie Wildflower Festival April 4, 2D13 UpC~~~ BircC~Yl~aChs any Girding ~r~s At! of our field trips are open to beginning birders. Anyone with a sense of wonder is welcome to participate. June 1, Saturday BIRDS & TREES WALK CSUC BUTTE CREEK ECOLOGICAL PRESERVE Trip leaders: Joseph O'Neil., Certified Arborist; Skip Augur and Pam Hansen We will explore the native trees, shrubs and the birds of Butte Creek. This is a 4 - 5 mile intermediate hike along the creek (and over some logs) down to the pond. Bank Swallows, Cooper's Hawks, Yellow-breasted Chats, and assorted warblers have been seen here in early summer. Turtles, otters and jumping salmon may also be seen. Bring sturdy shoes/boots, water, and snacks far this 3 hour hike. Meet at the parking lot of the preserve at 9 am. The preserve is on Honey Run Road about 3 miles off the Skyway, just past 1182. For information, contact Joseph O'Neil at josephoneil@earthlink.net. June 14 - i B, Friday -Sunday SIERRA VALLEY/YUBAPASS IS CANCELLED June 28 - 30, Friday -Sunday WILLOW LAKE Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams Come and enjoy Willow Lake, situated just outside Lassen Volcanic National Park. It's a natural lake (kayaks welcome) that features a floating bog (a fen} in a narrow valley-like setting. Piliated Woodpeckers nest in, and are common to the area; other birds include White-headed and Black-backed Woodpeckers, Sandhill Cranes, Western Tanagers, Evening Grosbeaks and a variety of warblers. We will camp on the edge of the lake - only a pit toilet is provided -and hike to the Terminal Geyser, Boiling Lake, and perhaps up to Little Willow Lake and bird the area along Willow Creek. Come for part of or the entire weekend. Contact Gaylord Grams at 530-533-1624 for more information, directions and meeting places. July 26 - 28, Friday -Sunday LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK Trip Leader: Mary Muchowski Beat the heat and head for the high country just up the road in Lassen Volcanic National Park. This will be a great weekend to bird and socialize with our neighboring Audubon chapters. We have reserved a site at Lost Creek Group Campground. This year, Wintu Audubon and possibly another chapter will have their Lassen trip on the same weekend. We'll explore various parts of the park each day. You can join us for one or more of the hikes, kayak or canoe on your own at Manzanita Lake, explore the park on your own, ar lounge in camp and let the birds come to you. The birding is great right in the campground area. We'll get together for dinner and campfire socializing in the evenings and perhaps take a night hike to look for owls. Come for all or part of the weekend. If you aren't interested in camping, you can join us just forthe day. There is a $10 fee per car to enter the park and we will share the campsite fee, Group size is limited. if you would like to join us or need more information, please contact Mary Muchowski at 530-228-0625 or mmuchowski @earthlink.net. For updated information check www. altacal. org 4. Willow Lake stitched photo by Steve Overlock GQQNEY BIRDS hose feathery things down by the riverside are not exactly gooney birds but ra#her goofy "LBJ birds!" Those sparrow-like "Little Brown Jobs" that are so tricky to identify are the local challenges, and although [have had gooney birds in my hands- pb- the Califor-nia rrtainland, they are not a regular fieatur-e inland! A February news item involved a nesting Laysan Albatross on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Hawaiian chain, indicating it was over 60-years-old, which would make it the oldest known wild bird in the American states. They named her "Wisdom," in that she was banded in 1956 and has survived storms and lead contamination to successfully raise chicks. She also survived the 2011 Japanese Tsunami that swept five feet deep aver the nesting grounds and killed 2000 adult albatross' and 110,000 chicks. The 2.4 square mile Midway Atoll island.was a key military post during World War ll, and the occupying albatross' were called `gooney' because the gentle=natured birds refused to leave their nests and were awkward on land and on landing. Laysan's have a wing spread of six feet, but some of the 12 albatross species have spans of 11 feed Their wings lock into position and they glide widely over the ocean, dipping to pick up fish or cephalopods. Even though Midway has been under USA oversight ever since Theodore Roosevelt stationed 21 marines there in 1903 to protect the birds from poachers, the navy built 90 buildings a5 a base, coating them with lead paint that is now flaking off and being eaten by the albatross and causing a high mortality rate. Midway Atoll is midway between North America and Asia, and over three million seabirds of 17 species nest on Midway, Spit Island, Sand Island, Eastern Island, and Lagoon Island. RIVER ? by Rex Burress When I worked at Lake Merritt Wildlife Retuge in Oakland, a pair of Laysan Albatross' had boarded a ship and ended up in S:F. 8ay. They were brought to the refuge and I was assigned to care for. them until they got stronger. li was so touching to see the pair bowing and clacking their large, pink bills while taking pounds of smelt from my hand. After two weeks, the Coast Guard took me and the birds beyond the Golden Gate to release the pair 20 miles oft-shore. Out in the sea wind, I tossed them in#a the air and their long wings locked in glide mode to carry them out of sight. A happy ending? Next aay they were found back near the bay in a Emeryville junk yard, so this time I put them on a Matson liner far release near Hawaii! A few days later, I was star#led to get a call that an albatross was walking around in a parking lot near Lake Merritt! I rushed over, but it was a pigeon! When albatross news is in the air, people's imaginations soar! The term, "an albatross hanging around his neck," is meant to indicate a heavy problem is on someone's mind, and it originated when Samuel Coolidge wrote "The Rime of theAncient Mariner." There was a section depicting a sailor who shot an albatross with a crossbow far no reason, and immediately the winds stopped. The superstitious crew blamed the deadly lull on the man shooting the bird, and as punishment hung it around his neck. "Ahl Wel-a-dayl What evil looks/Had I from old and youngl/ €nstead of the cross, the albatrosslAbout my neck was hung." -Samuel Taylor Coleridge 2nd Sat April 2013 Upper Bidwell Park by Steve Overlock 5. Tie Conservation Corner BILLIONS OF BIRDS VIIING THEIR VIIAY NORTH Audubon pips on How To help Migrating Birds very spring from March to June, billions of birds travel from their winter homes in the south to their summer breeding grounds as far north as the Arctic. They often fly at night, when skies are less turbulent, and air temperatures cooler for this high-energy exercise. Larger flocks are visible on radars; the green areas represent actual weather, which gener- ally moves east; the diffuse blue circles are massive numbers of small birds, moving north. You can do your part to help keep them safe from the many perils they encounter, including bright lights and tall buildings, cats and toxic lawns. Backyards and parks can become bird-friendly with a few simple steps. Audu- bon magazine lists 10Tips. 1. MAKE YOUR YARD A BIRD OASIS Share your passion for birds with family and friends. And expand your patch of bird habitat into a larger urban oasis by working with neighbors, managers of nearby parks, golf courses, and farms. You will help restore habitat in linked corridors, multiply- ing the effectiveness ofi each patch. Restoring bird habitat can also help mitigate a city's "heat island effect," absorb storm wa- ter runoff, and combat the spread of invasive plants. Consider starting or joining a program like Bird CityWisconsin, which Mil- waukee Audubon helped launch and that's modeled, in part, on the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA program. Sixty Wis- consin communities have been recognized as "Bird Cities" so far for habitat protection and forest management. 2, BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST Everyday bird observations provide crucial data for scientists studying the big and small questions about bird lives, from mi- gration to the effects ofi global climate change. You can help by becoming a citizen scientist, observing and noting the kinds of birds you see. Join Audubon's Hummingbirds At Home Citizen Science program. www.hummingbirdsathome.org by DAWN GARCIA, Conservation Chair 4. PORGO PESTICIDES Since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was published five decades ago, pesticide use. in North America has grown to exceed 1.1 bil- lion pounds annually. Roughly eight percent of that is applied to yards and gardens. One particular {awn-care pesticide, diazinon, has been implicated in more than 150 mass bird die-offs. A# the same time, U.S. researchers estimate that agricultural use kills 67 million birds each year. Pesticides also cause longer-term, potentially lethal effects ranging from eggshell thinning to neuro- logical damage, and may be linked to human food allergies. 5. SHOP FOR THE BIRDS Buy grassland-bird-#riendly hamburgers. Conventionally pro- duced beef comes from animals fed corn and soybeans, crops grown on what used to be the great American prairie. Buying grass-fed meat supports grassland birds, which, because of habitat loss, are showing the most sustained declines of any bird group in the United States. Switch to shade-grown coffee. Each cup preserves roughly two square feet of rainforest. 1=ven lumber can be bird-friendly; woodlands certified by the Forest Stewardship Council aim #a conserve biological diversity by pro- tecting old-growth stands, monitoring clear-cutting, and limiting pesticide use. 6, 301N "LIGHTS OUT" Glass-fronted buildings with bright nighttime lighting may be ar- chitecturally pleasing, but they're deadly. Up to a billion birds - mostly migrants -are killed in building collisions in North Amer- icaeach year. The U.S. Lights Out riicvement began in Chicago, where bird deaths atone building dropped by roughly 83 percent after the lights were turned off. Researchers estimate Chicago's program saves 10,000 birds each year. Audubon began a Lights Out New York program in 2005, and now many of the city's tow- ers, including the Chrysler Building and Rockefeller Center, turn off their lights from midnight to dawn during peak migration sea- son, September 1 to November 1. 3. CREATE COMMUNITIES Share your passion for birds with family and friends. And expand your patch of bird habitat into a larger urban oasis by working with neighbors and managers of nearby parks, golf courses, and farms. You will help restore habitat in linked corridors, multiply- ing the effectiveness of each patch. 7. SAVE ENERGY, CUT CARBON EMISSIONS The coal that fuels many power plants in the eastern United States comes from Appalachia, where mountaintop removal mining has obliterated more than 750,000 acres of forests, de- stroying habitat in an area larger than Rhode Island. The United States is still one of the biggest contributors to global warming: 6. Suffering and Death for CLIFF SWALLOWS attempting to-NEST under a Petaluma Bridge Overpass The average American is responsible for 22 tons of carbon di- oxide each year, more than six times that of the average person globally. Leaving your car at home twice a week and walking or biking instead can reduce your emissions by two tons a year, 8. PART WITH PLASTICS The first plastic bags were produced in 1957, according to Warldwatch Institute, and we now throw away 1 D0 billion a year. Many eventually wash into the ocean to join oceanic garbage pa#ches, drifting gyres of trash that spread over huge sea areas. Every year the floating "bladders" of these bags kill hundreds of thousands of seabirds-along with sea turtles and marine mam- mals-which mistake them for jellyfish and squid, and then starve to death after filling their guts with plastic. Using less plastic also . saves energy and, thus, bird habitat. Plastic is made from pe- troleum and requires energy- more fossil fuels- to go from oil to consumer good. 9. CURB YOUR CATS Keep your felines inside or in outdoor "kitty condos." America's estimated 150 million outdoor cats kill serious numbers of birds- up to 3.7 billion a year, according to a new report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Smithsonian's Migratory Bird Cen- ter. Tiny radio transmitters affixed to gray catbird nestlings in the Washington, D.G., suburbs by scientists from the Smithso- nian Institution and Towson University showed that predators killed about 80 percent of those birds after they fledged (more than was sustainable) and that cats were responsible for nearly half those deaths. House cats in the so-called "kittycam" study by University of Georgia and National Geographic Society re- searchers carried tiny videocameras. The footage shacked the cats' owners, revealing 44 percent of their pets were cutthroats; those cats averaged one kill every 17 hours outdoors. '10. ADOPT A-SPECIES Pick a bird species from your flyway (choose from a list at audm. aglAudPlan). Become an advocate for that species: work to pro- tect and restore its habitat, educate your community, talk with school kids, or volunteer at a preserve or nature center. Learn- ing about "your" species will enrich your connection with nature and give you a new understanding of the region where you live. ltacal Audubon Society Ais supporting Madrone Audubon Society and Native Songbird Care and Gonser- vation in their efforts to de- mand Caltrans to remove nets from under the Peta- luma Bridge. The plastic netting, installed to exclude Cliff SwaNows from nesting before a construction project begins, was placed improperly by C. C. Meyers, the Caltrans contracting biologist firm. The netting was installed loose under the bridge and has proven to be deadly to birds attempting to nest. Since late April, migrating swallows returning to their breeding grounds, get caught in the net and die a slow death if not picked off by predators. One observer saw a Cooper's Hawk grab an entangled Cliff Swallow -likely a much better way to die compared to perishing in the wind and sun for more than 24 hours. Gliff Swallows are protected under State and Federal law, but neither CA. Dept of Fish and Wild- life or USFWS, the agencies mandated to protect the species, have responded ta.concerns or shown any obvious actions, de- spite media coverage, letters and phone calls from concerned citizens, and protesters watching birds die This inaction has prompted Madrone Audubon, and independen#ly, Animal Le- gal Defense Fund (ALOE) to take legal action. Other methods like installing Teflon sheeting under the bridges, has been sug- gested. We will keep you apprised of the situation- hapefiully one That will benefit swallows and stop negligent practices to exclude #hem. Thank you to our membership for responding to protect Cliff Swallows. You can Gcagle either organization for more information or contact me (Dawn Garcia, 530-872-2165 or mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net). Visit Audubon online at www.auduban.org. Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore Seethe original Audubon magazine story by Susan Tweit online. the natural world. 7. Bird-~1N~aC-~ ana Girding ~r~ ~~®~T"~ March 23, 2013 RIVERBEND PARK & OROVILLE WILDLIFE AREA Trip leaders: Gaylord Grams and Nancy Nelson The Saturday Oroville Wildlife outing was an a wonderful sunny day. Sixteen participants enjoyed a leisurely walk along the Feather River in the Riverbend Park area. Later we explored the wildlife area off Pacific Heights Road, driving the levee then birding the interior ponds and forested pars. Birds were starting to pair and nest. We watched House Wrens, Oak Titmice, Bushtits and Osprey tend their nests and cavities as well as the ever present courting and song activity in general. Birds of special interest included Hooded Mergansers, Com- mon Goldeneye, Buffleheads, phainopepla, Belted Kingfishers, Cedar Waxwings, Osprey, Green Herons, and an abundance of woodpeckers. While in the wildlife area off Pacific Heights Road, we watched four active Osprey nests and were treated to a great view of a Barn Owl we disturbed, who then perched on a view friendly branch for al{ to see. ey the end of the day 67 species were recorded. Apri! 6, 2413 ~ ~ f - TEICHERT PONDS „ ~'', __ ~, ~~„` Trip Leader: Jon Aull -: e had a nice intimate group ~.--~, '~~°~'~; Wof about 10 people for our trip y~ to Teichert Ponds. My apologies on behalf of the 1=R for the news item on the trip that they ran with no contact info. We had.an adventurous group who came well-equipped with rubber boots suited far mucking about in the swamp, which is re- allythe fun of going to this somewhat neglected Gity-owned property. We are seeing some improvements in access with the bike path along the #reeway and bridge across Little Chico Creek, but if you really want to delve into the heart of the area, it is still pretty messy. We saw numerous nesting Canada Geese, practically stumbling on one nest, pond turtles, Great Blue and Green Herons, an Osprey, and the resident Wood Ducks. Beavers have been active there, and we saw a recently girdled cottonwood. Dick Cary, longtime advocate for the ponds also joined us for a little history of the Ponds. If you're interested in learning more about the Ponds, see our web- site at: http:I/chicoteichertponds.wordpress.coml. I do three or four guided hikes there a year for the public, so check the Nature Center calendar at bidwellpark.org for details (since 1 hardly ever update the Ponds site). Wood Duck by Jon Aull April 13, 2013 SECOND SATURDAY UPPER BIDWELL PARK Trip leaders: Ken Sobon and Joseph O'Neil , Another beautiful Second Saturday was attended by 20 people. Upper Bidwell Park was still green and had a few late winter flyovers. Seventy-five Snow Geese reminded us that spring had notfully sprung. Afew Dark-eyed Juncos were still poking around the lower elevation. A Hammond's Flycatcher and an Empidonax species had Mac McCormick and Ken Sobon in deep concentration to determine whatflycatchertheywere spying. Western King- birdswere back for the season as well. We were alerted to a Wild Turkey perched above us down an the Yahi Trail. It's always great to see a species in another farm of behavior. Ev- eryone goi a goad look at a Cooper's Hawk gliding through the trees. Other good looks were of aWhite-breasted Nut- hatch and Orange-crowned Warblers. Wrentit and. Hermit Thrush were great to see as well. It is always nice to have new members and guests along for the hike. Thanks to Mac McCormick, Ken Sobon, Steve Overlock, and Andy Tomaselli tar sharing their years of bird- ing experience to make all #eel comfortable and walk away learning many new facts about the 46 species of birds that we observed. 8. Wild Turkey in pine tree by Steve Overlock April 14, 2013 MORNING GREBE PADDLE AT THERMALITO AFTERBAY Trip Leaders: Jennifer Patten and Dawn Garcia The morning grebe paddle on ThermalitoAfterbay, started a bit unsure, since the wind was blowing pretty hard producing white caps. But with some discussion, all twelve paddlers decided to go for it. We could see that Larkin Cove was calmer. Paddling hard against the wind towards the cove we saw very few Western and Glark's Grebes. As we entered the cove all kinds of birds were taking advantage of the calm waters and suddenly, the wind had died down. With just a dozen or so grebe sightings, some paired up, some sleeping, not much courting behavior was taking place. We had great views though of the beautiful Yellow-headed Blackbirds, one flying right over our kayaks. On the mud flats along the shore, were two Black-bellied Plovers, and a Greater Yellowlegs, in breeding plumage! Aiso sightings of a couple of Eared-grebes, Buffleheads, lots of Coots, Canada Geese, Marsh Wrens, Mallards, Pied-billed Grebes, Great Blue Heron, Ruddy Ducks, Red-winged Blackbirds, and flyovers of White Pelicans, Red-tailed Hawk, and Turkey Vultures. To end our morning just before we started paddling back, a Great Horned Owl was sighted in a Cottonwood tree in a nest April 2i, 2013 RANCHO ESQUON Trip Leaders: Shane Romain, Dawn Garcia, Carolyn Short t was an ideal day for birding at Rancho Esquon on Sunday, April 21 -Earth Day! Though the illustrious Sandhill Cranes and mast other wintering watertowl had departed north along the Pacific Flyway a few weeks earlier, and the colony of Black-crowned Night Herons we'd hoped to see had also broke camp - we were able to identify 37 bird species, mos#ly songbirds and Spring migrants. Our group was welcomed by the ranch's Education Coordina- tor, Shane Romain, at the Green Wing Room, a classroom facility where he hosts weekly field trips for local grade school children and other youth organizations. He gave a brief history of the 9,000 acre private, working ranch which contains rice and almond crops, grazing pasture and a 900 acre wetlands) wildlife restoration area. He enthusiastically shared how his accredited California Science Standards based hands-on education program has given nearly 5,000 youth the unique opportu- nity to witness and learn the importance of land stewardship, farming and wetlands ecology since it began in 2004. To contact Shane Romain at 530-321-6715 or 5romain@cycmail.org. Shane gave us a tour of the ranch's egg salvage facility where each spring; goose, duck, pheasant, turkey and quail eggs rescued from ac- tivefarm fields are incubated and raised until the birds are old enough to be released (5 wks). Nearly 2,000 hatchlings were released fast year. Two of the many highlights of our trip were watching a gosling pip (crack the shell ofi the egg) when hatching inside an incubator, and viewing the ac#ive goslings and ducklings in the adjoining pens. To volunteer contact Loretta Gardiner at i-866-DUC-EGGS {1-866- 382-3447) or Igatrehatchery@yahoo.com. We carpooled about a mile on a gravel road through newly disked rice checks to the wetlands viewing platform where Dawn Garcia spotted a ~forthern Rough-winged Swallow (http:l/www. allaboutbirds.org/guidelnorthern_rough-winged_swallow/id) perched on a wire along with Tree Swallows. Everyone com- mented onthe brilliant red wing patches of the loudly reveling Red-winged Blackbirds and awed at the distant flocks of American White Pelicans to our north and Double-crested Cormorants flying west. As we hiked around the pond, a Black Phoebe perched on the airstrip windsock. Shane showed us the remains of a Great Blue Heron who appar- ently got zapped by the communication wires overhead but remained a useful (though smelly) specimen tp show his students. We spotted a pair of Gadwall and Mallards along with American Coot in the wetland. The air was a buzz with territorial calls from Marsh Wrens and distant calls from California Quail and aging-necked Pheasant. We caught briefi glimpses ofi Bullock's Oriole, Galifornia Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, Lesser and American Goldfinch, a male Northern Harrier, Wood Ducks, and the predictable Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. Heading back to our vehicles, Dawn ID'ed a Warbling Vireo call, spotted a Wilson`s Warbler and noticed an active Bushtit nest with a parent delivering food to the nest. 9. Grebe Paddle at Thermalito Afterbay by Jennifer Patten Bird-~aC~ ~~a Bird~ing ~r~ April 27, 2013 IDENTIFYING SPRING BIRD SONG BIG CHICO CREEK ECOLOGICAL RESERVE Trip Leader: Scott Huber Alovely albeit warm morning had the birds at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve providing plenty of opportunities far novice ear birders to practice audio identification. The bird song was so good that it took the group an hour just to leave the parking areal Almost aN of the expected spring migrants were present and vocal- izing, and good listens and looks were had of: Black-throated Gray Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wrentit, Hutton's Vireo, Western Tanager, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bullock's Oriole, Purple and House Finch, Warbling and Cassia's Vireos, and others. Especially exciting detections and views were had of Townsend's Warbler; Hermit Warbler and Lawrence's Goldfinch! Some participants were treated to an extended lank at Bushtits servicing babies in the nest. Jennifer fatten at Thermalito Afterbay by Dawn Garcia April 28, 2013 EVENING GREBE PADDLE AT THERMALITO AFTERBAY Trip Leaders: Jennifer Patten and Dawn Garcia The evening grebe paddle team, Jennifer, Margaret, George and me, braved jet skis, jet boats and lots of noise through the na wake zone to the quietness in the shallow waters in Larkin Cove. We were looking for grebes and were not disappointed in a 30-plus raft of individuals. Interestingly they moved closer to the deeper waters, human activity and noise!, and away from us paddling toward the shallower bays. We were delighted to watch a trio of Clark's Grebes, a female soliciting two males with begging calls to see who was the best provider: She was rewarded with a fish from one male and synchronous head bobbing behaviors ensued. A great surprise was numerous Yel- low-headed Blackbirds displaying and singing in forge islands of tules and along the share. The males were as bright as light bulbs and flashed white wing patches in flight. We paddled over to Ski Cove noting na grebe nesting on this date. Other highlights were Great-tailed Grackles (male and female} Bullock's Oriole, Forster's Terns,and aWhite-tailed Kite. It was a warm evening paddle and a great way to spend a Sunday evening! lt~~ Sightings !f you have interesting sighfings in the Butte, Glenn or Tehama counfies please send them fo dsrdevine~hofmail.com MARCH 10, 2013 ANDY TOMASELLI -Female Western Tanager at Butte Creek Ecological Preserve and American Avocet with partial breeding plumage at a large vernal pool on the Vina Plains. MARGH 23 MAC MCCORMIGK -Greater Roadrunner while working in my garden vn Dag Leg Drive late afternoon contemplating what was the best bird we saw on the trip, the best bird of the day showed up right on my front lawn. APRIL 8 ANDYTOMASELLI -Townsend's Soli#aire perched in a small wal- nut above a bench at the horseshoe pits in Lower Bidwell Park. APRIL 10 10. MIKE MILLIKAN -White-throated Spar- row at Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park Indian Fishery Day Use Area JOSEPHO'NEIL- Blue-winged Teal at the ;Chico Oxidation Ponds Wildlife Sanctuary GHRISTOPHER and GENENDAL BURCHFIELD -Killdeer sitting on their eggs. L®c I Cl~tr Membership Application PCease join us! YOUR MEMBERSHIP WILL HELP ALTACALAUDUBON SOCIETY CONTINUE ITS IMPORTANT WORK. Itacal Audubon Society (AAS) is a chapter of the National AAudubon Society. AAS is a separately incorporated non-profit organiza#ion with a local chapter membership. 14l}% of member- ship dues goes #o support local projects and activities. AAS is an all-volunteer organization that conducts all of its programs with unpaid staff. We offer regularly scheduled field trips that focus on birds and bird habitats; membership meetings with media presentations on birds and related topics; a bi-monthly newsletter, the White-tailed Kite; website www.altacal.argl; and advocacy to protect and conserve local habitats as well as special projects and programs. Submission of Articles to tl,e `l~ljhite-tailed'.7Cite Articles for publication should be sent to Denise Devine byemailta dsrdevine@hotmail.com an the first of the month, prior to the next issue. THANKS to all of you who contribute regularly by sending in reports, articles and photos for the White-tailed Kite -Denise, Editor. ~~` ~ ,~', F~j ~,` .; `,` ',, ~ Audui>on Society OTHER ALTACAL ACTfVlTIES Major sponsor, participant and fiscal agent for the annual SNOW GOOSE FESTIVAL 1=ounder and ongoing supporter of the CHICO CREEK NATURE CENTER Sponsor of the City of Chico OXIDATION PONDS WILDLIFE SANCTUARY Leading annual CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS in Chico and Oroville for over 55 years Focusing on our YOUTH through SCHOLARSHIPS and ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Advocating for BIRDS and WILDLIFE when they are threatened Conducting surveys and participating in AVIAN RESEARCH PROJECTS ALTACAL AUDUBON SOCIETY _ . ~. E SFII PLI TI ^ $20 Basic Membership ^ $50 Sponsor ^J $500 Patron ^ $35 Family ^ $100 Sustaining ^ $1000 Benefactor ^ $10 Low Income 1 Student 1 Retired Name Address City State Zip Phone email ^ Save Paperl Send me an email version only ^ email me Altaca! rn Actron Alerts ^ I would be interested in volunteering to help ^ New Member ^ Renewal ^ Gift ^ Cash ^ Check Date IMPORTANT: Membership in Altacal Audubon Scaciety does not include membership in the NationalAudubon Society. We encourage you to also support National Audubon in their important education and lobbying efforts. To join the National Audubon Society contact them at their website www.audubon.org/ Please make check payable to ALTACAL AUDUBON SOCIETY Mall to AAS, l'.O. BOX 3671, CHICO, CA 95927-3671