december 2008 sandpiper newsletter - redwood region audubon society

8/8/2019 December 2008 Sandpiper Newsletter - Redwood Region Audubon Society

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Saturday, December 6:Loleta/Ferndale Raptor Survey. Thiswill be the second year of this survey that is part of the HawkMigration Association of North Americas winter monitoringprogram. The 30-mile route runs through the Loleta and FerndaleBottoms and last year produced Ferruginous Hawk, PrairieFalcon, and many other species. Meet project coordinator KenBurton ([707] 825-1124) at the beginning of Ranch Road (near theHookton Road exit) at 8 a.m. Well finish by 2 p.m. Participantsmay be expected to help record data. Carpools: Trinidad 7:15

a.m., HSU 7:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 14: Humboldt Bay National WildlifeRefuge. This is a wonderful 2- to 3-hour trip for people wantingto learn the birds of the Humboldt Bay area. It takes a leisurelypace with emphasis on enjoying the birds! Beginners are morethan welcome. Meet at the Refuge Visitor Center at 9 a.m. CallJude Power or David Fix ([707] 822-3613) for more information.Carpools: Trinidad 8:10 a.m., HSU 8:25 a.m., Eureka 8:45 a.m.,Fortuna 8:45 a.m.

levels are encouraged to participate and revel in the beautyof the park and its avian inhabitants on this easy 2- to 3-hourwalk. Binoculars are not provided, and dogs are not allowed;field guides are usually available, but please bring your own ifpossible. Steady rain cancels. Meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot onKimtu Road in Garberville. Carpools: Trinidad 7:00 a.m., HSU7:20 a.m., Eureka 7:35 a.m., Fortuna 7:55 a.m.

Thursday, January 1:Humboldt Bay. Jump-start your year list

on this trip to some of the diverse habitats around the bay. Thegoal will be to see as many species of Anatidae (ducks, geese, andswans) as possible, but other species will not be ignored! Meet at9 a.m. at the Fields Landing boat ramp. Well finish by 1:30 p.m.,probably in Arcata. Contact Larry Maurin ([707] 825-9012) formore information. Carpools: Trinidad 8:15 a.m., HSU 8:30 a.m.,Fortuna 8:45 a.m.

Saturday, January 3: Loleta/Ferndale Raptor Survey. SeeDecember 6.

Sunday, January 11:Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See December 14.

Saturday, January 17: Winter Gulls with Rob Fowler. Honeyour gull identification skills with one of our best local birders.Various plumages of the common local species will be pointedout while searching the flocks for rarer species at the mouths ofthe Mad and Little rivers and Redwood Creek. Meet Rob ([707]822-5095) at the Hiller Park parking lot at 8 a.m. Pack a scope ifyou have one and lunch. Be prepared for some beach walking.Carpools: Trinidad 7:45 a.m., HSU 7:50 a.m., Eureka 7:25 a.m.,Fortuna 7:10 a.m.

Sunday, January 18: Palco Marsh. See December 21.

Sunday, January 18: Southern Humboldt Community Park. See December 21.

Sunday, February 1: Loleta/Ferndale Raptor Survey. SeeDecember 6.

www.rras.org

FIELD TRIPS

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The andpiperS

DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009

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Carpooling to and on RRAS field trips is strongly encouraged.Its economical, its fun, and its the right thing to do! Impromptucarpools to trips meet in the following parking lots at the timesindicated in the trip announcements: Trinidad (Park & Ride,Main Street exit, west side of Hwy 101), HSU (northwestcorner of Harpst and Rossow streets, opposite Student Services),Eureka (Park & Ride, Herrick Avenue exit), and Fortuna (Park& Ride, Kenmar Road exit). Be there a few minutes early, andsee if anyone else is there for ridesharing. If you would like toprearrange a carpool, try using the RRAS listserv. Please offeryour driver some gas money.

Every Saturday: Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.Theseare our famous rain-or-shine field trips at the marsh; take yourbinocular(s) and have a great morning birding! Meet in the KloppLake parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Call Kerry Ross ([707] 496-0764)for more information. Carpools: Trinidad 8:10 a.m., Eureka 8:05a.m., Fortuna 7:45 a.m.

DECEMBER PROGRAMNorth Coast Wildlife Areas:

Little-Known Treasures

More than 25 special wildlife areas are managed by theDepartment of Fish and Game (DFG) in northwesternCalifornia. Discover what DFGs goals and objectives are inland management in coastal Humboldt and Del Norte countiespertaining to habitats, birds (particularly migratory water birds),and other wildlife, listed species, and public use. Learn about

the agencys changing landscape (literally and figuratively)over the past 25 yearsits successes, challenges, and inan ever-demanding environment, how they seek to balancehunting, farmer protection, and habitat preservation andenhancement. Local DFG staff Karen Kovacs, Bob Smith, andCharles Bartolotta provide an entrancing picture presentationand discussion to inform us about local wildlife areas.

This program will be held on

Friday, January 9, 2009, starting at 7:30 p.m.,at the Humboldt County Office of Education near the

Burre Center at Myrtle and West in Eureka.Bring a mug (or purchase one there) and enjoy shade-grown coffee.

Thank you for ensuring that our meetings are fragrance-free.

Redwood Region Audubon Society

JANUARY PROGRAM Ways to participate:

1. Give counters access to your property2. Keep a list of birds that visit your yard

on that day (be a feeder watcher)3. Join a team to cover a territory near

your home. (New birders are pairedwith veterans, so you dont have to bean expert.)

Gary Bloomfield

Sunday, December 21: Palco Marsh. These monthly walks offer some greatbirding in downtown Eureka. We spend an hour or 2 on a flat loop that takes usthrough a variety of habitats from bay and mudflat to riparian and marshland. Meet

in the parking lot at the west end of West Del Norte Street at 8:30 a.m. Call PabloHerrera ([707] 845-8166) for more information. Carpools: Trinidad 7:55 a.m., HSU8:10 a.m., Fortuna 8:05 a.m.

Sunday, December 21:Southern Humboldt Community Park. Jay Sooter ([707]444-8001) and Robert Sutherland lead this monthly walk. All ages and experience

109th Christmas Bird Counts

Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS) sponsors 4 local Christmas BirdCounts (CBCs), this year to be held between December 14, 2008, and January4, 2009. The counts are part of the annual citizen-science birding extraganzathat involves over 50,000 observersmost of them amateursthroughout theUnited States and the world.

Visit www.rras.org/cbc/cbc_full_extent.htm to view maps of the localcount circles imposed over major streets and roads. Such boundary delineationswill let you know whether your property lies within a count area.

As a prelude to the counts, RRAS will present a bird identificationbrush-up slide show on Friday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the HumboldtCounty Office of Education at Myrtle and West in Eureka. David Fix, well-knownHumboldt County birder and frequently published author, is the speaker.A potluck dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. precedes the review session. Bring a dish toshare, a mug to enjoy shade-grown coffee, and come fragrance-free.

Del NorteSunday, December 14: Compiler Alan Barron([707] 465-8904, [email protected]) and Gary Lester([707] 839-3373, [email protected]). The count circleincludes Crescent City, Smith River, Fort Dick, Lake Earl,Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park/Redwood NationalPark, and the western portion of the Smith River NationalRecreation Area.ArcataSaturday, December 20: Larry Maurin ([707] 825-9012, [email protected]) and compiler Kerry Ross([707] 839-4365, [email protected]). The count circleis centered on Arcata and extends north to McKinleyvillesouth of Murray Road, west to Samoa and Manila, east toBayside up to the golf course, and south to Eureka along thewaterfront to Bayshore Mall.

Willow CreekSaturday, December 27: Compiler GaryLester (see Del Norte). The count circle, centered on WillowCreek, includes Salyer and the southern Hoopa Valley.CentervilleSunday, January 4: Compiler Gary Lester (seeDel Norte). The count circle, centered on Loleta, is dividedinto geographic sectors of (1) Fields Landing, King Salmon,College of the Redwoods; (2) TableBluff; (3) Loleta; (4) Fortuna; (5)Ferndale; (6) Centerville Road; (7) PortKenyon Road; (8) Grizzly Bluff Road;(9) South Spit; (10) Centerville Beach;(11) Elk River Valley; (12) HumboldtHill; and (13) Salt River.

All are welcome. If youve ever thought, Maybe itd be fun to learn birds, heres a great opportunity.Call the contacts listed below to participate at any level.


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Keep Up-to-Date Through

RRAS ListserveBe reminded about field trips and programs andlearn about upcoming meetings, public hearings,and symposia of interest to RRAS membersand other concerned nature lovers. Subscribe in1 of 2 ways: through a Web page link at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rras or by e-mail to [email protected]. Postings shouldhave complete information. This listserv is notfor posting bird sightings.

Thinking of Joining theNational Audubon Society?

If so, please use the coupon below. By sending in yourmembership on this form, rather than replying to solicita-tions from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS.This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruitingnational members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share pernew member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you.

Chapter Membership Application

Yes, Id like to join.Please enroll me as a member of the National AudubonSociety and of my local chapter. Please sendAUDUBON magazine and my membership card to theaddress below.

My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer)

NAME_______________________________

ADDRESS___________________________CITY _______________________________

STATE____________ZIP______________email _______________________________

Local Chapter Code: C24 7XCHAPlease make checks to the National Audubon Society.

Send this application and your check to:

National Audubon SocietyChapter Membership Data Center

P.O. Box 51001Boulder, Colorado 80322-1001

--------------LOCAL CHAPTER-------------

REDWOOD REGION AUDUBON SOCIETYP.O. BOX 1054

EUREKA, CA 95502

CHAPTER LEADERS

OFFICERS

President Pablo Herrera..........................845-8166

President-Elect-- Ken Burton......................825-1124

SecretaryAdam [email protected]

Treasurer.......................HELP.................................

DIRECTORS

Susan Calla ..........................................465-6191

Sean McAllister ............................................496-8790Lew & Judie Norton.....................................445-1791

Kerry Ross ..........................................839-4365

C.J. Ralph ..........................................822-2015

Jay Sooter ..........................................444-8001

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Arcata Marsh DocentsKerry Ross..........839-4365

ConservationChet Ogan ............442-9353

Education -- David Tompkins......................443-6959

Field TripsKen Burton ...........................825-1124

HistorianJohn Hewston ...........................822-5288

MembershipLew & Judie Norton...........445-1791

NEC RepresentativeC.J. Ralph...............822-2015

ObservationsStan Harris ............822-3802

ProgramsC.J. Ralph.................................822-2015

PublicitySue Leskiw.................................442-5444

SandpiperJan Andersen ............444-3501

Gary Bloomfield ............822-0210

Volunteer Coordinator

Jennifer Tompkins......443-6959

Lake Earl BranchSue Calla.....................465-6191

Birds in the BalanceRob Hewitt..............269-0271

RRAS Web Page...................................www.rras.org

Arcata Bird Alert ...................822-LOON (822-5666)

The Sandpiper is published ten times each year byRedwood Region Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502.

Childrens Writing Contest

Students in grades 4 through 12 are invited to enter the4th annual writing (essay or poem) competition sponsoredby RRAS. Prizes will be awarded to up to 3 winners,depending on number and quality of entries, and the first-place winner will have his or her essay published in theMay 2009 Childrens Issue of the Sandpiper.Entries shouldbe 200-300 words on the subject of What Nature Means toMe. Participants are encouraged to explore topics rangingfrom bird feeding to duck hunting to animal rescue and

observations of the natural world.The deadline for receipt of essays is March 23,

2009. One entry per person. Send submissions to TomLeskiw, 5440 Cummings Road, Eureka, CA 95503, ore-mail: no attachments; send as text within e-mail bodyto [email protected]. Include entrants name,home address, phone number, teachers name, grade, andschool.

RRASs Sad Loss

The RRAS board of directors was stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the death ofour treasurer, Sarah Sam Price, on November 1 at the age of only 28. Sam moved toHumboldt County in 2006 and quickly became a dedicated volunteer for several localgroups, including Friends of the Dunes and AmeriCorps as well as RRAS. She hada gentle spirit and a profound concern for our natural world. Sams quiet, thoughtfulpresence at our meetings and her devoted service to the chapter will be sorely missed.

Thank You, David Fix!

Readers of the Sandpiper have no doubt noticed that theBird of the Month column, by David Fix, has not beenseen in these pages since October 2006. After many yearsof providing this column, David has moved on to otherwriting endeavors. The Sandpiper staff, on behalf of itsreadership, wishes to extend a belated thank you to Davidfor his delightful and informative contributions to thesepages.

And Its Tax-Deductible!

RRAS is just beginning to think about our fun-filled 2009Annual Banquet and Auction. Its too early to mark the

date on the calendar (sometime in March), but not tooearly to ask for donations. So if you get 2 birding guidesfor Christmas or have some lovely artwork that could beappreciated by someone else, consider donating your itemto waiting Audubon bidders. Contact Jennifer Tompkins at(707) 443-6959 or [email protected] to arrange pickupand get that RRAS tax deduction form.


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If were already spending 2 weeks in South Africa, Suesuggested, why not go to Madagascar, too? So beganour trip planning to this largeTexas-sizedislandthat many have dubbed the eighth continent. Thereare many ways to explore Madagascar. After intenseresearchand many e-mailswe opted for a 12-daytour, car and driver included, for just the 2 of us withMadagascar Grace Tours.

Madagascar, separated from the Africancontinent for 165 million years, contains a plethoraof endemic plant and animal species; that is, they canbe found nowhere else on earth. More than half ofMadagascars 209 breeding species of birds are endemic.The bills of its most-celebrated endemic family, thevangas, are an excellent example of avian adaptiveradiation. Clearly, if Darwin had visited Madagascarinstead of the Galapagos, this family would have servedas the cornerstone of his theory of evolution. Anticipation

for our travels heightened as I studied up on the islandsflora, chameleons, and more than 80 recognized varietiesof lemurs, which range in size from the diminutive mouselemur to the indri, whose wailing dawn song soundseerily like a humpback whale.

As the plane descended into Tana, the capital,the view out the window was of rugged red mountains,terraced nearly to their summits with rice and maniocpaddies. Most native Malagasans eat rice 3 times aday, our driver Romance (pronounced Romans) laterinformed us.

The next day, we traveled eastward to theNational Park of Perinet (Analamazaotra). Wed scarcely

settled into our bungalow at Feonny Ala Hotel beforeI was eagerly striding the grounds in search of birds.There is nothing quite like touching down in a far-awayland where every creature is newand the rainforestsurrounding the lodge did not disappoint: MalachiteKingfisher, Souimanga Sunbird, Madagascar Wagtail,and Spine-tailed Swift.

That night, we joined our guide Saholy for awalk in search of lemurs, frogs, and chameleons. Asour headlamps penetrated the darkness, the rainforestcroaked, hissed, and buzzed with life. Occasionally, theswaying of branches betrayed the movement of lemurs.It was a new skill for merefining my search image for

tiny frogs, various-sized chameleons, and lemursandit was a while before I was finding them on my own.We had far too many adventures to recount

here. So Ill fast-forward to one of our final days on theisle, amid the spiny forest, just inland from our beachbungalow in Ifaty. Wed traveled to Reniala Reserve in arough wooden cart pulled by zebuthe Malagasy skinny,hump-backed cattle. At the entrance stood noted birdguide Moussa. His brothers, Jean-Marie and Gila, wouldactually be the ones to guide us. When it comes downto tracking Long-tailed Ground Roller and SubdesertMesitethe marquee, range-restricted birds Id come toseethese guides are the real deal, following the birds

tracks in the sand to ensure a sighting.By 8 a.m. I was soaked in sweat, and Sue haddraped an extra shirt, Lawrence-of-Arabia-style, to wardoff flies. Jean-Marie conjured up and pointed out birds:White-headed and Sickle-billed Vanga, MadagascarLesser Cuckoo (finally, a visual!), and MadagascarHoopoe; then plants: euphorbia, octopus trees (Didiereaspp.), and strangest of all, bulbous, swollen-trunkedbaobab trees. One by one, we tallied denizens of thespiny desert that included Green-crested Coua (on nest),spotted lemur in a tree cavity, and finally, Long-tailedGround Roller. The roller, after cooperating for photos,skinked its way into the desert underbrush with its head

A Visit to the Eighth Continent

down and long tail, bore a striking resemblance to ourroadrunner: a poster bird for convergent evolution.

Although Jean-Marie carried a battered fieldguide, the other guides wed hadSaholy, Hita, Flower,Leonardohad neither field guides nor binoculars. Despitethese drawbacks, they were extremely skilled. In thirdworld countries such as Madagascar, the rise of ecotourismthat includes endemic birding makes a significant economiccontribution, which in turn provides an encentive to protectthe forests that are left. So much for the false dichotomy of

jobs vs. the environment.I savor the idea of a worldwide network of

knowledgeable local guides that is sustained by ourtravels. I encourage everyone to explore places likeMadagascar. Imagine how awesome the guides willbe when they can afford field guides and optics!

Tom LeskiwNovember 23, 2008

L-R Guides Gila, Jean-Marie and Tom near Ifaty (Sue Leskiw)

Long-tailed Ground-roller Tom Leskiw

photo by Sue Leskiw


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december 2008 sandpiper newsletter - redwood region audubon society

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