august 2007 white tailed kite newsletter, altacal audubon society

8/8/2019 August 2007 White Tailed Kite Newsletter, Altacal Audubon Society

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Mission: To promote the awareness, appreciation and protection of native birds and their habitats

through education, research and environmental activities.

Program meetings for the general community are held on the third Monday of each month (exceptfor July and August) at 6:30 p.m., at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 E. 8th St.

September Program Members Slide Show Monday, September 17, 6:30

p.m. at the Chico Creek Nature Center

Come see what Altacal members have been up to as they show off their photos for ourannual members slide show! There are always some great new, and sometimes old,(thats OK too) pictures to see and tales to hear. Feel free to bring some of your ownslides (35 mm or electronic) if you like. Well try to work it out so everyone gets achance to participate. The meeting will be at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 East8th Street.

Upcoming Bird Walks and Birding Trips

All of our field trips are open to beginning birders. Anyone with a sense of wonder iswelcome to participate.

August 4/5, Saturday/Sunday - Farallon Islands Pelagic Trip (Shearwater Journeys)

Organizer: Scott Huber - The date of the Altacal fieldtrip to the Farallon islands is posted on DebiShearwater's website. The trip is open to all, not justAltacal members, so it is important that we book early toensure ourselves a place on the boat. Below is Debi'sdescription of the trip as well as instructions forreservation and payment. PLEASE BOOK AS SOONAS POSSIBLE so that we can all go together! Pleasecall Scott with any questions and let him know if you dobook it so he can keep track of how many may becarpooling down. So far, six have verbally committed tothe trip. Some of us will be doing optional birding onthe 4th (the Shearwater pelagic trip out of Monterey).

Others will probably do bird walks closer to Sausalito on the 4 th. The Monterey pelagictrip on the 4th may still have openings and if you are an Altacal member you can take thetrip for $100 instead of $125. It was an afterthought, though, and is not an official,announced Altacal trip.

White-tailed KiteAugust/September, 2007
http://www.northvalley.net/naturecenterhttp://www.northvalley.net/naturecenterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Islandshttp://www.shearwaterjourneys.com/index.shtmlhttp://www.shearwaterjourneys.com/index.shtmlhttp://www.shearwaterjourneys.com/index.shtmlhttp://www.shearwaterjourneys.com/index.shtmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Islandshttp://www.northvalley.net/naturecenterhttp://www.northvalley.net/naturecenter


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Tufted Puffins and the Farallon Islands

This pelagic trip will visit the waters surrounding theFarallon Islands to view the many species of nestingseabirds, as well as marine mammals. It is scheduled forSunday, August 5th, the prime time to see Tufted Puffins.

These incredible islands host the largest seabird coloniessouth of Alaska on the west coast, and are entirely protectedas a marine sanctuary. Altacal Audubon has teamed up withShearwater Journeys for this trip which will depart fromSausalito at 7:30 a.m. aboard the Salty Lady for an 8-houradventure. Weather permitting, we'll continue to theContinental Shelf to look for deepwater species ofseabirds and marine mammals.

See www.shearwaterjourneys.com for trip reports from previous exciting trips. TheAudubon Society-member discounted rate is $100/person (NON-REFUNDABLE FORANY REASON except weather cancellation by captain); non-members rate is $125 perperson. Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Send a check or moneyorder and self-addressed, stamped envelope for return confirmation to: ShearwaterJourneys, PO Box 190, Hollister, CA 95024. This trip sells out every year, well inadvance. To date, we have a 100% success rate of seeing the puffins.

August 10-12, Friday-Sunday Yosemite National Park Great Gray Owl Hunt -

Trip leaders: Mike Fisher and Jennifer Patten - The Great Gray Owl is North America'slargest-appearing owl (the Great Horned Owl has 15% more body mass but less feathermass) and has been designated an Endangered Species by the State of California. Thepopulation in the Yosemite region is perhaps the healthiest within the state and is themost southern population in North America. There are an estimated 40 within the park.

Although the likelihood of spotting a Great Gray Owl is small, we will visit a number ofsites and give it our best shot. Jennifer will already have been on site for a few weeks asa volunteer for the park and will be collecting possible sightings of owls and other rarebirds for us to check out when we arrive. Other species we will look for include SootyGrouse(formerly, Blue Grouse), Black,Vauxs and White-throated Swifts, NorthernGoshawk, and Black-backed Woodpecker. We will leave early Friday morning andcamp Friday and Saturday nights in the park. Park entrance fees and camping fees willbe required. This birding trip may include a lot of walking and hiking. Contact MikeFisher (624-4777) or Jennifer Patten (345-9356) for more information.

September 23, Sunday - Upper Bidwell Park - Trip Leader: Skip Augur - We'll start bywalking along North Rim, Upper, or Middle trail early to beat the heat; as the day warms

up we'll head down and return along the Yahi trail. Some migrants are a possibility, aswell as our resident species. No experience necessary. Bring your binoculars, a fieldguide if you have one, hiking shoes, water, and snacks if you need them. Meet at thenewly constructed parking lot by Horseshoe Lake at 8 a.m. and walk until about 11:30a.m. (2-3 miles). Difficulty Level: Some moderately steep trail sections. For moreinformation, contact Skip at 893-9222.

September 28-30, Friday-Sunday - Fall Vagrants at Point Reyes National SeashoreTrip Leader: Jennifer Patten - We'll camp at Samuel P. Taylor State Park or OlemaRanch campground Friday and Saturday night. Our first stop will be at Point ReyesBear Valley Visitor CenterSaturday morning to pick up a copy of the Field Checklist of

Birds for Point Reyes National Seashore ($2.50) and then take a hike along the
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tufted_Puffin.htmlhttp://www.yosemite.national-park.com/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Gray_Owl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue_Grouse.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue_Grouse.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/232/overview/Black_Swift.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/232/overview/Black_Swift.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vauxs_Swift.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-throated_Swift.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-backed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://rce.csuchico.edu/evolution2003/bidwellparkmap.pdfhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htmhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469http://www.olemaranch.com/http://www.olemaranch.com/http://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htmhttp://www.olemaranch.com/http://www.olemaranch.com/http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=469http://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htmhttp://rce.csuchico.edu/evolution2003/bidwellparkmap.pdfhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-backed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-throated_Swift.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vauxs_Swift.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/232/overview/Black_Swift.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue_Grouse.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Blue_Grouse.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Gray_Owl.htmlhttp://www.yosemite.national-park.com/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tufted_Puffin.html


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Earthquake Trail. We'll then bird the outer Peninsula to the Lighthouse, Fish Docks,and Drakes Beach. After that, well move on to the Historic Ranches. Sunday we'll driveto the Tomales Bay State Park and Abbotts Lagoon areas. Bring camping gear, moneyfor a camping site and carpooling. Contact Jennifer so transportation and camping can becoordinated; 345-9356 [email protected]

October 13, Saturday, Oxidation Ponds/Indian Fishery - We will meet at the Park-n-Ride on Hwy 32 in the lot nearest Hwy 99 at 7:30 a.m. and will carpool to the Chico CitySewage Treatment Plant. There we will spend a couple of hours walking the leveesaround the oxidation ponds where we hope to find many species of local and migratingwaterfowl and other birds and mammals. We will then go over to the Indian FisheryDay Use Area of Bidwell-Sacramento River State Park and walk the half-mile guidednature trail. The trail winds through an oak woodland forest adjacent to an oxbow lake.Woodpeckers abound along with woodland and aquatic birds. In addition we may seeRiver Otters, Beavers and Western Pond Turtles. We should be back at the Park-n-Ride by 12:30 pm. Call or e-mail Mike Fisher for more information at (530) 624-4777 [email protected] . Rain cancels.

June Program Report Members Potluck Dinner - Monday, June 18,

6:00 p.m. at the Chico Creek Nature Center

Altacal Audubons summer season started off with the annual Members Potluck Dinneroutdoors at the Chico Creek Nature Center on Monday, June 18th. With a

good crowd of members along with friends and family, it was a fun-filled evening centered on socializing, games and great food.

The potluck consisted of delicious fresh food from hors doeuvres todesserts, including many dishes made from local produce from our

farmers market. We played bird trivia and memory games and our all-time favorite, the

water-balloon toss. Three lucky winners enjoyed getting their prizes which included aSibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America and the mallard and turkey fromthe Audubon toy bird collection.

But mostly, we enjoyed visiting and sharing stories with each other. It was nice to seenew members attending along with some long-time members. A special thanks to allwho participated. Mark your calendars now for next years Members Potluck. Youdont want to miss it.

May Program Report Lassens Amazing Birds, May 21, 6:30 p.m.

Chico Creek Nature Center

Ranger Steve Zachary drove down from his home in Red Bluff to talk and show slides ofLassen Volcanic National Park, located just 45 miles east of Red Bluff. Steve is ateacher as well as a Park Ranger and has been the Education Specialist at the park for 16years. It quickly became clear that he has developed a vast wealth of knowledge aboutthe park during this time and was able to share much of it at the presentation.

Lassen Park contains the largest concentration ofthermal features west of Yellowstone.Steve said most people visit Lassen to see its volcanic and thermal features but that this is just one aspect of the park. The park is located in the center of three biologicalprovinces: the Cascades, the Sierras, and the Great Basin. At just over 100,000 acresLassen is considered small as National Parks go, but has a large diversity of things to seeand do. Ranging in elevation from 5000 to 10,457 feet and containing over 100 lakes and
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=XFA036-012http://www.ptreyeslight.com/lthouse.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/pore/historyculture/people_ranching.htmhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=470mailto:[email protected]://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=463http://www.luddist.com/otter.htmhttp://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/beaver.htmhttp://www.pacificbio.org/ESIN/ReptilesAmphibians/WesternPondTurtle/WesternPondTurtlepg.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.nps.gov/lavohttp://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs101-02http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs101-02http://www.nps.gov/lavomailto:[email protected]://www.pacificbio.org/ESIN/ReptilesAmphibians/WesternPondTurtle/WesternPondTurtlepg.htmlhttp://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/beaver.htmhttp://www.luddist.com/otter.htmhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=463mailto:[email protected]://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=470http://www.nps.gov/pore/historyculture/people_ranching.htmhttp://www.ptreyeslight.com/lthouse.htmlhttp://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=XFA036-012


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thousands of acres of old growth forest, Lassen provides many habitats that are home to awide range of flora and fauna.

Switching to birds, Steve focused much of his presentation on the Manzanita Lake area.From the trail around the lake it is possible to see over 100 different species of birdsincluding Bald Eagle and Osprey. The lake is home to many neotropical migrants such

as warblers and flycatchers and also offers a year-round home to resident birds such asRed-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee and Brown Creeper. All threeaccipiters can be seen around the Manzanita Lake Campground area; Sharp-shinnedHawk, Coopers Hawk and even Northern Goshawk. One of the many interestingfacts related by Steve was the disappearance of the American Cootas a breeding bird onthe lake. Although very common ten years ago, today it is seldom seen. Nobody knows just why they left but this change has resulted in an increase in the numbers of otherducks at the lake. One such new arrival is the Bufflehead, rarely seen in the past but nowa regular breeder at Manzanita Lake. In fact, Manzanita Lake is one of the only places inCalifornia where Bufflehead breed.

Of special interest to many in attendance was a recent sighting of the Gray-crownedRosy-Finch, a rare bird of high elevations. These birds were seen foraging in patches ofsnow around the Lassen Peak trailhead parking lot recently. It just may be time foranother visit to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Sister Society (Cape Cod Bird Club) News

On May 12 and 13, the 2nd Annual Birding Cape Cod Weekend was held. Membersof the Cape Cod Bird Club led walks to top birding hotspots throughout the Cape Codarea. There was one walk in each town on both Saturday and Sunday and participantswere welcome to stop by the Pilgrim Heights Hawk Watch in Truro both days.Saturday was partly cloudy and cool with temperatures ranging from mid 40s to low50s. With Sunday the 13th being Mothers Day, the participation for the event decreased

from last years event with 155 people attending the walks, 95 on Saturday and 60 onSunday. The total number of species seen was 134 for the weekend, 103 on Saturday and111 on Sunday. Birds seen included Common Eiders (20), Northern Bobwhites(7),Common Loons (56), Northern Gannets (12), Great Cormorants (2), Glossy Ibises(3), Mississippi Kite (1), Piping Plovers (15), Solitary Sandpiper (1), RuddyTurnstone (1), American Woodcocks (11), Laughing Gulls (45), Great Black-backed Gulls (49+), Whip-poor-wills(3), Chimney Swifts(3), Fish Crows (8), BrownThrasher (1), Warbler Species (17) Grasshopper Sparrows, (5), Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow(1), and Seaside Sparrows (2).

Some of the sightings that Mary Keleher, President of the Cape Cod Bird Club, reportedto the Massachusetts Audubon Society for the period of June 14-20 were:
http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Lassen/Lassen5.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bald_Eagle.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Osprey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-breasted_Nuthatch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mountain_Chickadee.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mountain_Chickadee.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Creeper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Coot.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Coot.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bufflehead.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray-crowned_Rosy-Finch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray-crowned_Rosy-Finch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.massbird.org/ccbchttp://massbird.org/ccbc/BirdingCapeCodWeekendResults2007.pdfhttp://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet/hawkwatch.phphttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Eider.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Bobwhite.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Loon.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Gannet.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Gannet.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Cormorant.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Glossy_Ibis.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mississippi_Kite.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Piping_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Piping_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Solitary_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Woodcock.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Laughing_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Black-backed_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Black-backed_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whip-poor-will_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whip-poor-will_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Chimney_Swift.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Fish_Crow_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Thrasher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Thrasher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Thrasher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Grasshopper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=BD0779http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=BD0779http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=BD0779http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Seaside_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Seaside_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=BD0779http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=BD0779http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Grasshopper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Thrasher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Thrasher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Fish_Crow_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Chimney_Swift.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whip-poor-will_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Black-backed_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Black-backed_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Laughing_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Woodcock.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Solitary_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Piping_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mississippi_Kite.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Glossy_Ibis.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Cormorant.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Gannet.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Loon.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Bobwhite.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Eider.htmlhttp://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet/hawkwatch.phphttp://massbird.org/ccbc/BirdingCapeCodWeekendResults2007.pdfhttp://www.massbird.org/ccbchttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray-crowned_Rosy-Finch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray-crowned_Rosy-Finch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bufflehead.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Coot.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Goshawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sharp-shinned_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown_Creeper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mountain_Chickadee.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-breasted_Nuthatch_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Osprey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bald_Eagle.htmlhttp://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Lassen/Lassen5.html


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An Atlantic Puffin was among the seabirds seen from theRace Point parking lotin Provincetown on June 14. Also seen off-shore from that vantage point were 4Wilson's Storm-Petrels, 4 Greater Shearwaters, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 8Manx Shearwaters, 280 Northern Gannets, 20 Laughing Gulls and 20Common Terns.

An unusual spring sighting of a Western Tanagerwas reported on June 16. Themale in breeding plumage was seen on an oriole feeder on Barn Hill Lane in WestChatham.

An apparent pair of Acadian Flycatchers was seen in the Mashpee RiverWoodlands in Mashpee on June 16.

Birds seen in the area during the week of June 27 were:

From North Monomoy and South Beach: Black-bellied Plovers,Semipalmated Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots,Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, White-rumped

Sandpipers, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitchers, and one Wilsons Phalarope. Other birds in the area were 1 Parasitic Jaeger, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Black Tern,

and 30 Salt-marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows. On June 26, a lone Whimbrel madean appearance at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. While several observersenjoyed excellent looks at the whimbrel, two Royal Terns were spotted inProvincetown. The ocean birds were also making their way back to their waters.Wilsons Storm-Petrels, and Sooty Shearwaters were starting to makeappearances. Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, and Finback Whales werealso present during the week.

On July 8, Susan Witzellof Falmouth noted that two pairs of breeding BaltimoreOriolescame to their syrup feeder very frequently. They had been around sincelate spring. One had just fledged a single Oriole chick and the other, a Brown-headed Cowbird . In all the years she had seen cowbirds in her yard, she hadnever seen one being raised by birds of other species. But this year there are two,the second being raised by Song Sparrows.

AviQuiz(Estimated Difficulty Level: Difficult)

Q: What do the names of the birds in the following photos have in common?

The answer appears at the end of the Opportunities and Events section of thisnewsletter.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Atlantic_Puffin.htmlhttp://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2827826-race_point_beach_cape_cod-ihttp://www.earthlife.net/birds/hydrobatidae.htmlhttp://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=011059http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/620/_/target.aspxhttp://www.neseabirds.com/shearwatermanx.htmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Gannet.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Laughing_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Tern_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Tanager.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/West-Chatham-Massachusetts.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/West-Chatham-Massachusetts.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Acadian_Flycatcher.htmlhttp://www.thetrustees.org/pages/318_mashpee_river_reservation.cfmhttp://www.thetrustees.org/pages/318_mashpee_river_reservation.cfmhttp://www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/onLoc/onLocDirs/CAPECOD/bg/BNMSB.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-bellied_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Semipalmated_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Greater_Yellowlegs.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Knot.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sanderling.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Semipalmated_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Least_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-rumped_Sandpiper_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-rumped_Sandpiper_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dunlin.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Short-billed_Dowitcher.htmlhttp://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=057033http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/491/overview/Parasitic_Jaeger.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Arctic_Tern_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black_Tern.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltmarsh_Sharp-tailed_Sparrowhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whimbrel.htmlhttp://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet/index.phphttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Royal_Tern.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Royal_Tern.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_Petrelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooty_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooty_Shearwaterhttp://www.acsonline.org/factpack/humpback.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_Whalehttp://www.acsonline.org/factpack/finwhl.htmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Baltimore_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Baltimore_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Baltimore_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown-headed_Cowbird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown-headed_Cowbird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Song_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Song_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown-headed_Cowbird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown-headed_Cowbird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Baltimore_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Baltimore_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.acsonline.org/factpack/finwhl.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_Whalehttp://www.acsonline.org/factpack/humpback.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sooty_Shearwaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_Petrelhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Royal_Tern.htmlhttp://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Wellfleet/index.phphttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Whimbrel.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltmarsh_Sharp-tailed_Sparrowhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black_Tern.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Arctic_Tern_dtl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/491/overview/Parasitic_Jaeger.aspxhttp://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=057033http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Short-billed_Dowitcher.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dunlin.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-rumped_Sandpiper_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-rumped_Sandpiper_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Least_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Semipalmated_Sandpiper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Sanderling.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Knot.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruddy_Turnstone.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Greater_Yellowlegs.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Semipalmated_Plover.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-bellied_Plover.htmlhttp://www.virtualbirder.com/vbirder/onLoc/onLocDirs/CAPECOD/bg/BNMSB.htmlhttp://www.thetrustees.org/pages/318_mashpee_river_reservation.cfmhttp://www.thetrustees.org/pages/318_mashpee_river_reservation.cfmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Acadian_Flycatcher.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/West-Chatham-Massachusetts.htmlhttp://www.city-data.com/city/West-Chatham-Massachusetts.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Tanager.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Tern_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Laughing_Gull.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Gannet.htmlhttp://www.neseabirds.com/shearwatermanx.htmhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/620/_/target.aspxhttp://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=011059http://www.earthlife.net/birds/hydrobatidae.htmlhttp://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2827826-race_point_beach_cape_cod-ihttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Atlantic_Puffin.html


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Rex Burress

The Brink of the Bank Swallow

The environmentally aware manager of the Avenue 9 Gallery in Chico, Maria Phillips,reminded me of the dilemma of the Bank Swallow. One of her photographs, taken byDawn Garcia, showed a colony occupying an embankment, a rare sight in recent years asit seems a scarcity of banks has developed, much like animals finding fewer tree-crevicehomes.

The Bank Swallow, (Riparia riparia), is the most stressed of the swallow family and hasbeen listed as threatened in California, primarily because its major habitat, theSacramento River corridor, has fewer bare banks because they have been extensively rip-rapped with rock for flood control. Up to 80% of Californias Bank Swallows are foundalong the Sacramento, and 50% are threatened by river projects.

The tiny Bank Swallow, the smallest of 74 swallowand martin species found around the world, gallantlyundertakes a laborious task of digging a three to fourfoot tunnel into an embankment where a nest istended in darkness at the end at end. The birds aresensitive to intrusion, and since they often build theirtunnels near the top of a bank, they can cave in underheavy weight. The packed dirt is pecked and claweddeterminedly until the nest is built. They are the only

swallow to dig a hole. In California, Cliff Swallowsbuild mud nests under bridges, Rough-wingedSwallows

A Bank Swallow Trio on the Sacramento River

- Photo by Dawn Garcia

use found holes, Tree Swallowsuse tree cavities, and Barn Swallowsbuild a mud/fibernest on man-made structures, but they all soar and swoop for a living, spending moretime in the air than perching...and they all consume large numbers of insects caught onthe wing!

I observed one pair of Bank Swallows construct a hole/nest in a rough flood-eroded bankopposite the Oroville Dam one year. Usually they gather in colonies, but this one pair
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bank_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Cliff_Swallow.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tree_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tree_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.audubon.org/bird/BoA/F6_G1d.htmlhttp://www.audubon.org/bird/BoA/F6_G1d.htmlhttp://www.audubon.org/bird/BoA/F6_G1d.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tree_Swallow.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Cliff_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bank_Swallow.html


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chose a difficult site to dig their hole. Tall, sheer, dirt banks are rare along the FeatherRiver watershed, forcing them to use a less-than-perfect place. I could lean over the edgeof the bank and run my arm into the finalized excavation, and I marveled that I couldntreach the end of the narrow run through pebbly soil. Once in my Missouri boyhood whenI was an egg collector, I scaled a cliff to reach back into a bank swallow burrow to obtain

a pearl-white egg.I have seen the excavations of the colony at Fort Funston on the beach cliffs just south ofthe San Francisco Zoo. In 1988, a 12-acre refuge was made of that cliff area to help savethe birds that were being affected by human intrusion. They also contend with the severewinds that buffet the sea edge, and starlings sometimes steal their holes. Numbersdecreased from 500 to 140 between 1993 and 1996. They feed over nearby Lake Mercedand share the air with gulls and hang gliders. The only other coastal colony is at AnoNuevo State Park.

The tiny bank swallow is a neotropic bird, migrating to South America each year, andreturning in mass to northern nesting sites in April. The energetic life of a swallow isdevoted to flying as if spiritually obsessed to living on the wing. And what greaterprivilege than to have wings able to lift the bird above earthly conflicts and mingle withthe heavenly chorus!

"Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away

and be at rest."

Psalm 55:6

Conservation Corner

Dawn Garcia, Conservation Chair

Bank Swallows (Riparia riparia) continued.

Since you have read Rexs fine essay in this issue regarding the Bank Swallow (ScientificName: Riparia riparia, Bird Banding Code: BANS) you understand the populations

unfortunate decline in CA. Thedecline of this species is veryreal and current, BUT issomething that we can change. Itis difficult to be passionate oreven aware of the plight of thisspecies because, due to theirriparian habitats, they are

inaccessible and rarely seenunless you float down the riverregularly.

Active Bank Swallows on the Banks of the Sacramento RiverPhoto by Dawn Garcia
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bank_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bank_Swallow.html


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This species is under continuedthreats due to decline as thecolonies and their habitat arethreatened by bank-armoringprojects. Nobody wants to see

orchards or other assets fallinto the river, but as we are allaware, the natural state of ahealthy river ecosystem is tomeander, ebbing and flowing,eroding its banks. Those friable,eroded banks are the veryhabitat a Bank Swallow colonyneeds to survive.

Bank Swallow Colony on the Banks of the Sacramento RiverPhoto by Dawn Garcia

Summary of Documented Decline

I was fortunate to help conduct the 2007 BANS annual surveys along the 100-mile stretchof the Sacramento River from Red Bluff to Colusa, which has been surveyed by theCalifornia Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) forthe last 20 years. This is the population that maintains from 50-80% of the remainingCalifornia population!

Data from the last 20 years of surveys (DFG, USFWS) show the highest nesting pairestimate from the initial 1986 survey of 13,170 pairs had declined to a low of 4,990 pairsin 1998, rebounded to 9,590 in 2001, but continued a decline to 7,380 pairs in 2005.Surveys in 2006 were not conducted due to the survey boats engine failure. In 2007, Iwas part of the team that documented 38 colonies - just over 50% of the 72 coloniesdocumented in 1986. Due to our continued rocking practices, the California populationof the Bank Swallow is on the brink of extinction.

What to do?

Please stay posted to our newsletter and local papers for river bank armoring activities.

For example, soon an Environmental Impact Review (EIR) to armor a bank across fromthe washout or Indian Fishery, a popular birding spot, will be out for review. Thisproject which will be submitted by M&T Ranch, will rock-over habitat that BankSwallows used in 2007 and have used in the past, and if available will use in the future, ifit is left intact. AAS will keep you posted, but let us know of your observations andconcerns as well. Stayed tuned and ACTIVE!


9/19

Bird Walk and Birding Trip Reports

May 18-20 Friday-Sunday Sierra Valley / Yuba Pass Trip Leader: MacMcCormick

By Liam Huber - age 10

We took a wonderful trip to Sierra Valley. Our campground was the most splendid andmost marvelous campground, the Salmon Creek Campground. We first arrived there at7:45, May 18. There was a small creek near our camp.

On Saturday morning Mac McCormick joined us for coffee andmuffins. We went to a large marshland in Sierra Valley andsaw: Wilson's Phalarope, Yellow-headed Blackbird,Wilson's Snipe, Vesper Sparrowand Brewer's Sparrow.

Later that evening we went to a high elevation spot called YubaPass. There we saw Warbling Vireo, MacGillivray's

Warbler, Black-backed Woodpecker, White-headedWoodpeckerand Red-breasted Sapsucker.

On Sunday we drove along a dirt road a few miles from YubaPass. The elevation was 6800 feet. There we saw Gray andDusky Flycatchersand a Green-tailed Towhee. At 2:00 p.m.we returned to our campground to pack up, and left at 3:00.

The author in the FieldPhoto by Kathleen Huber

May 27, Sunday - Upper Bidwell

Park Trip Leader: Skip Augur - A

group of ten birders met for anenjoyable morning of birding inUpper Park. We had several nicesightings from the Horseshoe Lakeparking lot - Violet Green andNorthern Rough-winged

Swallows, Bullock's Oriole,Western Kingbird, Phainopepla,and Western Bluebird all put in anappearance. The road leading toUpper Park had also yielded Cliff

and Barn Swallows, and we gotTree Swallows later, so it was agood day for swallows.

Birding Middle Trail, Upper Bidwell ParkPhoto by Skip Augur

We chose to begin the hike on Middle Trail to cover the exposed habitat before the daygot too warm. Ash-throated Flycatchers serenaded us from several trees along the walk,but none actually showed themselves for about half-an-hour. There was a lot of whatappeared to be territorial harassment going on - an American Kestrel mobbing a Red-tailed Hawk and later, a Common Ravenand a Red-tail engaging in aerial combat. Itseemed like the Red-tails were on the receiving end of most of it. We also got a nice look
http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/sierra05http://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=057033http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow-headed_Blackbird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wilsons_Snipe.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vesper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/244/_/Brewers_Sparrow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Warbling_Vireo_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/MacGillivrays_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/MacGillivrays_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-backed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://whatbird.duncraft.com/obj/185/_/White-headed_Woodpecker.aspxhttp://whatbird.duncraft.com/obj/185/_/White-headed_Woodpecker.aspxhttp://whatbird.duncraft.com/obj/185/_/White-headed_Woodpecker.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-breasted_Sapsucker.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/330/_/Gray_Flycatcher.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dusky_Flycatcher_dtl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/617/_/Green-tailed_Towhee.aspxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Parkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Parkhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Violet-green_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Violet-green_Swallow.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bullocks_Oriole.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Kingbird_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Phainopepla.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Bluebird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Cliff_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Barn_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tree_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ash-throated_Flycatcher_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Kestrel.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Raven.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Raven.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Raven.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-tailed_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Kestrel.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ash-throated_Flycatcher_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Tree_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Barn_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Cliff_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Bluebird.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Phainopepla.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Kingbird_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bullocks_Oriole.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/190/overview/Northern_Rough-winged_Swallow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Violet-green_Swallow.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Parkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidwell_Parkhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/617/_/Green-tailed_Towhee.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dusky_Flycatcher_dtl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/330/_/Gray_Flycatcher.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-breasted_Sapsucker.htmlhttp://whatbird.duncraft.com/obj/185/_/White-headed_Woodpecker.aspxhttp://whatbird.duncraft.com/obj/185/_/White-headed_Woodpecker.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-backed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/MacGillivrays_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/MacGillivrays_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Warbling_Vireo_dtl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/244/_/Brewers_Sparrow.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vesper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wilsons_Snipe.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow-headed_Blackbird.htmlhttp://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=057033http://www.pbase.com/tgrey/sierra05


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at one of the kestrels in the same binocular view as a Phainopepla - not something yousee every day. As the day heated up, we headed down the hill, and scared up a smallflock ofWild Turkeys - always nice to see. There were two adults and several young.We got a few more looks at their heads moving through the tall grass and one flushingfrom a tree where it had taken refuge.

Hiking back along the Yahi trail we found more of the local breeders near the wetterhabitat. Black-headed Grosbeak, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hutton's Vireo, andDowny Woodpecker all put in an appearance. Near the end of the hike we heard, butnever saw, a quite vocal Yellow-Breasted Chat that teased us for about 15 minutes. Asmall family ofCommon Mergansers (a hen and ten handsome chicks) elicited someAwwws from the group. The total for the morning was 42 species.

Common Merganser and Ten Ducklings, Big Chico Creek, Upper Bidwell ParkPhoto by Skip Augur

June 29/30-July 1, Friday-Sunday - Willow Lake - The Willow Lake trip on June 29-

July 1 weekend was filled with great moments. Here are a few.

Participants, Willow Lake Birding TripPhoto by Phil Johnson
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wild_Turkey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wild_Turkey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-headed_Grosbeak.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Orange-crowned_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Huttons_Vireo.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Downy_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Downy_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow-breasted_Chat.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Merganser.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Common_Merganser.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow-breasted_Chat.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Downy_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Huttons_Vireo.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Orange-crowned_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-headed_Grosbeak.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wild_Turkey.html


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12/19

Opportunities and Events

August 11, Saturday - Kern Valley Hummingbird Celebration Weldon, CA

The Southern Sierra's Kern River Valley is one of the premier migration routes for six species ofhummingbirds. Join us for a day (9 a.m. 4 p.m.) of hummingbird appreciation at our feeders.

Contact: Kern Valley Nature Festivals, PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283;http://kern.audubon.org/hummer_fest.htm

September 21-23, Friday-Sunday - 3rd

Annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival- Fall is a magicaltime of year for birding along the Monterey Bay. Over 400 species of shorebirds, ducks, geese,seabirds and songbirds gather along this beautiful coast to overwinter among our wetlands, sloughs,shores and woodlands. With the Monterey Peninsula to the south and Santa Cruz to the north, thePajaro Valley is at the heart of one of the premier destinations along the Pacific Coast, providing greatdiversity and abundance to the visiting birder.

The festival, headquartered in Watsonville, California, will feature expert-led field trips (WatsonvilleWetlands, Monterey Bay, Elkhorn Slough, Pajaro River and

Dunes, Moss Landing State Beach, Big Sur, Sunset Beach, theSanta Cruz Coast, Pinnacles National Monument andthe Carmel River), guided walks for children, specialized birdingactivities for beginners and outings led by a bilingual birdingexpert. Additional excursions to the Big Sur Ornithology Lab andguided outings to see the endangered California Condor arealso available.

Visit www.montereybaybirding.org for the festival schedule or to register. Visit www.birding.travelfor additional information on lodging or general travel information.

For more information about the festival, take a look at the archives of 2006. You may also e-mail

questions to Nanci Adams, festival co-chair:[email protected] 29/30, Saturday/Sunday - Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival - The Kern River ValleyTurkey Vulture Festival celebrates the height of fall Turkey Vulturemigration through California's"Valley Wild", the Kern River Valley, one of the two largest known migration sites in North America(north of Mexico). The magnitude of the migration over this southern Sierra Nevada count site is aweinspiring - field trips, exhibits, workshops.

October 7-9, Sunday-Tuesday, Audubon California Assembly 2007, Asilomar ConferenceGrounds, Pacific Grove, CA For over 100 years, Audubon has conserved and restored naturalecosystems. Now, we prepare to face the challenge warming temperatures present to our belovedlandscapes and species. The 2007 Assembly will examine the problems of global warming from a

wildlife and ecosystem perspective and help us understand how global warming should affect our landmanagement decisions. The Assembly will spotlight climate solutions from conserving energy withsimple changes around the home, to reaching an 80 percent national reduction of greenhouse gases.

The Audubon California Assembly brings together over 300 chapter leaders, birders, scientists,volunteers, grassroots activists and staff for three days on the Monterey Bay. At the AsilomarConference Grounds in Pacific Grove, participants will have an opportunity to attend a wonderfulvariety of interactive workshops on restoration, policy and education and meet renowned speakersemphasizing the importance of effective conservation of California's birds, wildlife and habitat. World-class birding, pelagic and California Condor fieldtrips, and more, will make the Assembly anunforgettable experience. We welcome old friends and first time attendees!
http://kern.audubon.org/hummer_fest.htmhttp://natureali.org/hummer_id.htmhttp://natureali.org/hummer_id.htmhttp://kern.audubon.org/hummer_fest.htmhttp://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.montereyinfo.org/page/monterey_bay_mapshttp://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/http://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/MtyBay.htmlhttp://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/elkhornslough.htmlhttp://scbirdingguide.org/Pajaro%20Valley/Pajaro%20Dunes.htmhttp://scbirdingguide.org/Pajaro%20Valley/Pajaro%20Dunes.htmhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=574http://jrabold.net/bigsurhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=544http://santacruzbirdclub.org/http://santacruzbirdclub.org/http://www.nps.gov/pinnhttp://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/crm.htmlhttp://www.ventanaws.org/conservation_bsolhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.birding.travel/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/index2006.htmlmailto:[email protected]://kern.audubon.org/tvfest.htmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Turkey_Vulture.htmlhttp://valleywild.org/birding.htmhttp://www.audubon-ca.org/audubon_assembly.htmlhttp://www.audubon-ca.org/audubon_assembly.htmlhttp://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.visitasilomar.com/http://www.audubon-ca.org/audubon_assembly.htmlhttp://www.audubon-ca.org/audubon_assembly.htmlhttp://valleywild.org/birding.htmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Turkey_Vulture.htmlhttp://kern.audubon.org/tvfest.htmmailto:[email protected]://www.montereybaybirding.org/index2006.htmlhttp://www.birding.travel/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.ventanaws.org/conservation_bsolhttp://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/crm.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/pinnhttp://santacruzbirdclub.org/http://santacruzbirdclub.org/http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=544http://jrabold.net/bigsurhttp://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=574http://scbirdingguide.org/Pajaro%20Valley/Pajaro%20Dunes.htmhttp://scbirdingguide.org/Pajaro%20Valley/Pajaro%20Dunes.htmhttp://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/elkhornslough.htmlhttp://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/MtyBay.htmlhttp://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/http://www.wetlandsofwatsonville.org/http://www.montereyinfo.org/page/monterey_bay_mapshttp://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://www.montereybaybirding.org/http://kern.audubon.org/hummer_fest.htmhttp://natureali.org/hummer_id.htmhttp://natureali.org/hummer_id.htmhttp://kern.audubon.org/hummer_fest.htm


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Registration Fees: $275.00 per person before July 9; $325.00 per person after July 9; includes twonights/three days, double occupancy; six meals; workshops. For questions and more informationcontact: Claudia Eyzaguirre, [email protected] ext.3

September 1 through October 15, 2007 Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO)'s 30th Annual

Bird-A-Thon - Grab your binoculars, your field guide and get ready for PRBOs 2007 30th Bird-A-Thon, the longest-running event of its kind in the US. Each year, PRBO's Bird-A-Thon raises over$100,000 to help fund our critically acclaimed research and education programs. Our largest fundraiser,the Bird-A-Thon, is a fun way to support PRBO's programs. Participate this Fall and help us reach ourgoal of $130,000!

A Bird-A-Thon is a fundraiser, similar to a walk or jog-a-thon where individuals, or teams, count thetotal number of bird species seen or heard in a 24-hour period. Each counter solicits pledges, or one-timegifts from friends, relatives, neighbors, businesses and/or corporations for each bird species identifiedduring their chosen 24-hour period.

By participating you will:

Have fun while raising critical funds to conserve birds, other wildlife and their ecosystemsthroughout the West, Latin America and Antarctica!

Have the chance to win lots of great prizes spotting scopes, binoculars and more!

Enjoy getting outdoors while you visit your favorite birding area!You can participate by becoming an individual counter, creating or joining an existing team, or bysponsoring a counter! For more information, or to register, visit: http://www.prbo.org/birdathon orcall Ann Joly, PRBOs Bird-A-Thon Coordinator, at 707-781-2555 ext. 320 or email [email protected].

Citizen Science

Want to count birds and contribute to the Cornell Lab of Ornithologys research by way of CitizenScience? The purpose of Citizen Science is to create a partnership between the public and professionalscientists. People across the continent are gathering data to better understand and conserve birds. Youcan participate in their Spring/Summer Projects (The Birdhouse Network, Birds in ForestedLandscapes, the Golden-winged Warbler Atlas Project) or Year-Round Projects (House FinchDisease Survey, Urban Bird Studies,eBird, PigeonWatch). Its easy! Check out their web site athttp://www.birds.cornell.edu and click on Lab Programs.
http://www.prbo.org/cms/index.phphttp://www.prbo.org/birdathonmailto:[email protected]://www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhousehttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/bflhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/bflhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/gowaphttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofihttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofihttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirdshttp://ebird.org/content/ebirdhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirds/ubs_PIWMainEN.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirds/ubs_PIWMainEN.htmlhttp://ebird.org/content/ebirdhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/urbanbirdshttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofihttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofihttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/gowaphttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/bflhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/bflhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhousemailto:[email protected]://www.prbo.org/birdathonhttp://www.prbo.org/cms/index.php


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AviQuiz Answer

Both are named after Charles Emil Bendire. The common name of the bird on the left is BendiresThrasher. The scientific name of the bird on the right isMegascops kennicottii bendirei, a subspeciesofWestern Screech-Owl that is found in California and which used to be called California Screech-Owl, Otus asio bendirei. (Photo by Dawn Garcia).

Bendire was an interesting guy. He was born in Germany in 1836 as Karl Emil Bender. Whilestudying for the ministry in Passy, France his youthful peccadilloes supposedly required him towithdraw. He left for the United States in 1853, spent more than 20 years in the army working his wayfrom Private to Major, and was decorated for bravery several times. In the late 1860s he becameparticularly interested in birds. He took copious and detailed notes on what he saw and he collectedtheir eggs (a common scientific practice in his day) while stationed in Arizona and Oregon. From thenuntil his death in 1897 he was among the more highly considered field ornithologists and oologists (aperson who studies birds eggs) of the time. His private collection of birds eggs numbered around 8000and is the basis of the Smithsonian Institutions collection. He wrote Life Histories of North AmericanBirds which is thought to have set the standard for such descriptions. Two other birds are named afterhim: Bendires Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra bendirei), a subspecies ofRed Crossbill; and a species he

discovered on June 10, 1872 near what is now Tucson, Arizona, Bendires Summer Sparrow, latererroneously thought to be extinct and now known as Rufous-winged Sparrow (Aimophila carpalis) Ed

Sightings(If you have any interesting sightings in July, August and early September you can send them to the Newsletter Editor at

[email protected] by September 7 for possible inclusion in the next newsletter.

May 26 Mike Fisher found three Black Ternsalong Agua Frias Road in southern Butte County whiledoing Burrowing OwlSurveys.

June 17- At the Bidwell Sacramento River State Park/Washout, Phil Johnson saw a Bald Eaglechasingan Osprey that had a fish in its talons. The Osprey dropped the fish, and the Bald Eagle instantlygrabbed it out of the air and flew off with it.

June - Gay Mitchell has a Cooper's Hawk nest in her backyard in Chico with five fledged hawkshanging about. She extended an invitation in June to interested birders to visit and view the familybefore they are gone. To see if theyre still in her yard, you may call her at 566-1023.

July (first week) In Chico, the Keechs had three juvenile Green Heronsin their backyard. Theyshowed up in the morning and stayed a couple of hours and then came back the next morning and stayedagain.
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/741/overview/Bendires_Thrasher.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/741/overview/Bendires_Thrasher.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Screech-Owl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Crossbill_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Rufous-winged_Sparrow.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black_Tern.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Burrowing_Owl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bald_Eagle.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bald_Eagle.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Osprey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Green_Heron.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Green_Heron.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Coopers_Hawk.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Osprey.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Bald_Eagle.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Burrowing_Owl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black_Tern.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Rufous-winged_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Crossbill_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Western_Screech-Owl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/741/overview/Bendires_Thrasher.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/741/overview/Bendires_Thrasher.aspx


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July (first week) - Dawn Garcia was visiting Julie Nelson in the Sierra National Forest near ShaverLake where Julie is studying Mountain Garter Snakes (Thamnophis elegans elegans) and YosemiteToads(Bufo canorus)in high-elevation meadows. Dawn took these photos of a female Pine Grosbeak(Pinicola enucleator) doing what this species is named for (enucleator is Latin for "one who takes thekernel out, i.e., de-shells). They watched this grosbeak bite several sedge stems, so they would bend,making it easier to remove the achenes (a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species offlowering plants). In the second picture you can see the grosbeak in the process of bending the stemsand several bent (broken) stems.

Pine Grosbeak, Sierra National Forest near Shaver Lake - #1 Pine Grosbeak, Sierra National Forest near Shaver Lake -#2Photo by Dawn Garcia Photo by Dawn Garcia

Peregrinations

[Perigrinations reports on birds seen on trips outside the Butte/Glenn/Tehama counties area except for those sponsored bythe Altacal Audubon Society or other local birding groups Ed.]

Greetings! We (Scott, Kathleen, Liam and Alita Huber)

returned in June from a U.S. Southwest adventure to GreatBasin National Park, Nevada (our favorite stay), BryceCanyon National Parkand Zion National Park in Utah,and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Parkin Arizona.

Though the birding was nothing like Texas or S.E. Arizonawe still eked out 5 lifers and 134 species total. The lifersincluded: Virginias Warblerat the bottom of the NavajoLoop Trail in Bryce Canyon, numerous Graces Warblerson Wildcat Canyon Trail in Zion, Red Crossbillat TropicReservoir near Bryce, Gray Vireo in Coal Pits Wash atZion, and stupendous 50-yard views of flying, landing,perching and taking-offCalifornia Condor(s) at KolobReservoir near Zion.

Kathleen, Liam, Scott and Alita Huber, The Narrows, Zion N.P.Photo Scott Huber
http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.e.elegans.htmlhttp://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/b.canorus.htmlhttp://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/b.canorus.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pine_Grosbeak.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_planthttp://www.nps.gov/grbahttp://www.nps.gov/grbahttp://www.nps.gov/brcahttp://www.nps.gov/brcahttp://www.nps.gov/brcahttp://www.nps.gov/zionhttp://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/grand_canyon/north_rim.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/247/overview/Virginias_Warbler.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/311/_/Graces_Warbler.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Crossbill_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray_Vireo_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/California_Condor.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Gray_Vireo_dtl.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red_Crossbill_dtl.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/311/_/Graces_Warbler.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/247/overview/Virginias_Warbler.aspxhttp://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/grand_canyon/north_rim.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/zionhttp://www.nps.gov/brcahttp://www.nps.gov/brcahttp://www.nps.gov/grbahttp://www.nps.gov/grbahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruithttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pine_Grosbeak.htmlhttp://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/b.canorus.htmlhttp://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/b.canorus.htmlhttp://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.e.elegans.html


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Other highlights were Painted Redstart(rare) in Zion Canyon, American Three-toed Woodpecker onthe Kaibab Plateau near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, many Gray-headed Juncos, PygmyNuthatches,Black-capped Chickadees and Vesper Sparrows.

We had some nice herp (herpetofaunal) action including a Great Basin Rattlesnake, three other 'yet tobe identified' snakes and two Horned Lizards.

Alita embraced her role as the wildflower expert on this trip and we have wonderful photos of more than50 wildflower species which seemed to be at the peak of their bloom in the desert canyons and

mountains. At this point we have about a third of them identified (there are a lot more flower speciesthan bird species!)

California Condor (A9) Overhead, Kolob Reservoir, near Zion N.P.Photo by Scott Huber

The other delight was the number of birds we observed on nests: nests with eggs; nests with chicks;fledglings interacting with adults; a Warbling Vireoon a nest with eggs, then young;

Cordilleran Flycatcher on Nest American Dipper YoungnsPhoto by Scott Huber Photo by Scott Huber
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/353/_/Painted_Redstart.aspxhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/353/_/Painted_Redstart.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Three-toed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dark-eyed_Junco.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pygmy_Nuthatch.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pygmy_Nuthatch.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-capped_Chickadee.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vesper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/brca/naturescience/gbrattlesnake.htmhttp://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/pianka/phryno.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Warbling_Vireo.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Warbling_Vireo.htmlhttp://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/pianka/phryno.htmlhttp://www.nps.gov/brca/naturescience/gbrattlesnake.htmhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Vesper_Sparrow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Black-capped_Chickadee.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pygmy_Nuthatch.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Pygmy_Nuthatch.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dark-eyed_Junco.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Three-toed_Woodpecker.htmlhttp://identify.whatbird.com/obj/353/_/Painted_Redstart.aspx


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Yellow Warbler eggs and young in nest; American Dippernest with young; Barn Swallow young innest; Northern Flicker young in nest and a Cordilleran Flycatcheron a nest of eggs! Well sharesome of the photos with you now and perhaps more at a future Altacal meeting.

Scott Huber

Warbling Vireo on Nest Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on NestPhoto by Scott Huber Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Submission of Articles

(Notices or articles submitted for publication consideration should be sent by e-mail message to the newsletter editor asMicrosoft Word (if possible) attachments by the 7th of the month prior to the next issue of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May,

Jul, Sep and Nov 7th) - [email protected] Thanks, Ed.)

Altacal Board of Directors

President: Phil Johnson 570-7139/[email protected]

Co-Vice-Presidents: Jennifer Patten 345-9356/[email protected]

Mike Fisher 624-4777/[email protected]

Secretary: Kathryn Hood 342-9112/[email protected]

Treasurer: John Oswald 342-1651/[email protected]

Membership: Carolyn Short 345-4224/[email protected]

Newsletter: Tim Ruckle 566-9693/[email protected]

Publicity/Web Site: Wayland Augur 893-9222/[email protected]

Field Trips: Scott Huber 321-5579/[email protected]

Sanctuary: Dave Tinker 824-0253/[email protected]

Conservation: Dawn Garcia 872-2165/[email protected]: Ruth Kennedy 899-9631/[email protected]: John Merz 345-4050/[email protected]

Jackson Shedd 342-5144/[email protected]

Marilyn Gamette 343-3154/[email protected]

Board meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The usual meetingplace is the Altacal Audubon Society/Snow Goose Festival office at 635 Flume St., Chico. The public iswelcome to attend.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow_Warbler.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Dipper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Barn_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Flicker.htmlhttp://whatbird.wbu.com/obj/833/_/Cordilleran_Flycatcher.aspxhttp://whatbird.wbu.com/obj/833/_/Cordilleran_Flycatcher.aspxmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:899-9631/[email protected]:342-5144/[email protected]:342-5144/[email protected]:899-9631/[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://whatbird.wbu.com/obj/833/_/Cordilleran_Flycatcher.aspxhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Flicker.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Barn_Swallow.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Dipper.htmlhttp://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Yellow_Warbler.html


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Local Chapter Membership ApplicationPlease join us! Your membership will help Altacal Audubon Society (AAS) continue its important work.

Altacal is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. In addition, it is a separately incorporated non-profit organization.With a local chapter membership, 100% of your membership dues goes to support local projects and activities. AAS is anall-volunteer organization that conducts all of its programs with no paid staff. We offer regularly scheduled field tripsfocused on birds and bird habitats, our own website, www.altacal.org/, a bi-monthly newsletter (White-tailed Kite), monthlymembership meetings which include lectures and media presentations on birds and other natural history-related topics, andadvocacy to protect and conserve local habitats as well as special projects and programs. Other AAS activities include:

sponsoring and participating in the annual Snow Goose Festival sponsoring and participating in the annual Endangered Species Fair founding and providing continued support to the Chico Creek Nature Center owning and managing the Arneberg Sanctuary as a wildlife habitat and research area helping to monitor the bird populations at the Del Rio Wildland Preserve near the Sacramento River paying to maintain public access and a wildlife viewing blind at the Chico Oxidation Ponds leading annual Christmas Bird Counts in Chico and Oroville for the past 50 years

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Welcome to the Altacal Audubon Society! Please indicate your choice of membership options:

$20 Basic Membership $10 Low Income/Student $35 Family

$50 Sponsor $100 Sustaining $500 Patron $1000 Benefactor

Payment method: Cash Check Date: ______________

Important: Membership in Altacal Audubon does notinclude membership in the National Audubon Society. We encourageyou 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/

Name: Phone: (_____) _______________

Address: _________________________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________

City: ________________State: ____ Zip Code: _______

Save paper! Send me an e-mail version only

Notify me by E-mail about upcoming programs and events

I would be interested in volunteering to help

Please make checks payable to Altacal Audubon Society, and mail to: AAS, P.O. Box 3671, Chico, CA 95927-3671


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Dates to Remember

August 5, Saturday Farallon Islands Pelagic Trip

August 8 Board Meeting

August 10-12, Friday-Sunday Yosemite Camping/Birding,Great Gray Owl Hunt

September 12 Board Meeting

September 17, Monday AAS Members Slide Show

September 21-23, Friday-Sunday 3rd Annual Monterey BayBirding Festival

September 23, Sunday Birding Upper Bidwell Park

September 28-30, Friday-Sunday Pt. Reyes, Birding/Camping

October 7-9, Sun-Tue Audubon California Assembly 2007Asilomar

October 13, Saturday Birding Oxidation Ponds/Indian Fishery

august 2007 white tailed kite newsletter, altacal audubon society

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