March-April 2020 – the Phoebe Vol. 41 No. 2

The Phoebe Newsletter of the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society

Volume 41 Number 2 • March - April, 2020

President’s Corner SFAS GENERAL MEETING Rudy Darling, SFAS President Thursday, April 2nd at 7:00 pm Gene Albaugh Community Room, Madelyn Helling Library, Nevada City There are several Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC’s) held in the SFAS “area of influence.” Counts must be made on one day between December 14 and January 5 each year. Here are the reports for three of them.

First up was the oldest, the Auburn Area CBC, held on December 14. It attracted 48 participants, who found 22,548 birds of 122 species in the count circle. There was one new species reported – a confused Rufous Hummingbird that should have been sunning itself in Baja at that time. Other good finds were Woniya Thibeault is a naturalist, educator, and a wilderness en- Lawrence’s Goldfinch and Blue-gray thusiast. Her company, Buckskin Revolution, connects people Gnatcatcher. The 2018 CBC marked with the natural world around them by teaching ancestral the end of Deren Ross’s many years of skills. She grew up here in the Sierra foothills and the time she service as compiler of the CBC. Many spent hiking the mountains and canyons shaped the rest of her thanks go out to him and previous life, inspiring her to pursue a degree in biology and later a Mas- compilers Tom Rycraft and Brian ter's in Environmental Science. She is a graduate of the Weav- ing Earth program, where she studied bird language in order to Williams for keeping the count alive understand the larger patterns in the natural world. for forty years. This year the count was run by the SFAS board while She was given an opportunity to put her ancestral skills to the a search is made for a permanent test when she was invited to be a participant in Season 6 of replacement for Deren. If you are Alone on the History channel. The experience was utterly life interested, PLEASE let us know. changing. Her one regret is that the editing showed so little of the depth of her time out, and none of her interactions with Next up was the Lincoln CBC, led birds, her closest animal companions during her months of by Ed Pandolfino on December 30. solitude! Following is Ed’s summary: “Ninety- eight participants (a new high) She will be speaking at the April 2nd. meeting of Sierra Foot- were greeted by dense morning fog hills Audubon to share more about her experience surviving that persisted nearly until noon. Alone for 2 ½ months in the Arctic, and how birds were part of her story and fed her, both literally and figuratively, during That likely contributed to some that time.

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www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org President’s Corner...Continued from page 1 new low numbers for the count. then. Since 2012 Mourning Dove Our species total for the day tied numbers have all been below the our previous low count day total average. Coincidence? Prior to of 129. Five Count Week birds 2006 Virginia Rails were only brought the total up to 134, close reported in one year; since then to our historical average of 136. in every year. I suspect this is We recorded new lows for Mallard, not because they were not there, White-tailed Kite, Northern but because groups didn’t start Harrier, Belted Kingfisher, checking for them in earnest Loggerhead Shrike, Yellow-billed until 2006, plus leaders gradually Magpie, American Crow, Fox and found where they lived and started Golden-crowned Sparrows, and looking for them in subsequent Common Yellowthroat, a new Tricolored Blackbird. Of these, the species for the Grass Valley CBC years. Similarly, California most disturbing were Loggerhead Photo by Rudy Darling Thrashers were reported in the Shrike (just 4) and the magpie first three years of the count, then (35). Prior to the first major West once in 2008 and every year since Nile virus outbreak in summer Last up was the 26-year-old Grass 2011. Again I think that’s because 2005 we averaged well over 500 Valley CBC, held on January 4, leaders began looking for them magpies and 40 shrikes in this and led by myself, which attracted and learning the type of habitat circle. It appears that subsequent 52 observers who rousted out in which to find them. That was WNV outbreaks continue to affect 9,665 birds of 107 species, plus certainly the case with my group. magpies (https://tinyurl.com/ a Merlin during “count week.” Unlike in the Lincoln CBC, ravens wnvCVimpacts) and perhaps other The number of species was above have never outnumbered crows species. average (104) but the number of in the Grass Valley CBC. In fact, birds was below average (14,476) in the first six years we found no We did manage some new high for the third year in a row. In ravens in three of them. Since 2000 totals for Rock Pigeon (Yay??), fact, only one year was above the we have found them in increasing Dunlin (a wet fall/early winter average since 2010. Before that numbers to a high of 119 birds in usually gives up good numbers most years were above it, with a 2012; this year 108 compared to of this species), Peregrine Falcon, high of 21,552 species in 1997 – 150 crows. As in Lincoln, West Common Raven (ravens out- not a hopeful sign, but in keeping Nile virus appears to continue to numbered crows for the fifth with a nation-wide downward affect Yellow-billed Magpies. Prior consecutive year), and California trend of bird numbers. to 2005 we counted an average of Towhee. Some of the “best” birds 127 birds; from 2005 on, only 46. were, unfortunately, count week For me one of the highlights of finds that refused to show on this year was the involvement Special thanks to all the compilers count day: Eurasian Wigeon, of not one, but three fantastic and area leaders of these CBC’s for Redhead, and Iceland (formerly teenaged birders. A species new to their many years of participation. including Thayer’s) Gull. Two the count, Common Yellowthroat, would not happen without them. species that were around count day was found by the group that two were Lesser Scaup and Sandhill of them were in. Disturbingly, Crane. every common waterfowl species was found in lower than average We missed Golden Eagle for only numbers. On the positive side, the 5th time (out of the 18 Lincoln Tricolored Blackbirds were again Counts) and White-throated found in the Lake Wildwood Sparrow and Wrentit for 8th time. area for the second year in a row. Given that it has been a fairly good While looking over historical data winter for Red-breasted Nuthatch I noticed a few interesting tidbits. Rufous Hummingbird, a new in the Valley, we were surprised to Our first Eurasian Collared-Doves species for the Auburn CBC miss that one.” were found in 2011 and have Photo by Rudy Darling been reported every year since

2 www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org Nevada County Conservation Report q Don Rivenes, Conservation Chair Nevada County

CAL FIRE Proposes to environmental cost. While the new Collaboration Protects Remove Bird Habitat on a draft EIR proposes more biological 178,500 Tricolored Massive Scale mitigation for impacts than Blackbirds this Season previous versions, this remains CAL FIRE admits that removing inadequate. The treatments will This year Audubon protected 90 250,000 acres will be ineffective in leave vast areas susceptible to percent of threatened Tricolored protecting life and property from invasion by non-native weeds, Blackbird colonies. Audubon wind-driven fires. making the landscape more rather California found nesting colonies than less flammable. in 15 different farms and in four CAL FIRE just issued the 4th counties in the Central Valley. iteration of a draft “Environmental The Endangered Habitats League Saving the birds was a collective Impact Report” since 2013 on their (EHL), a conservation group in effort from Audubon California’s Vegetation Treatment Program Southern California, anticipates Tricolored Blackbird conservation (VTP) for fire prevention activities. litigation in hopes of scaling back team, donors, family farms, and The VTP is massively expanded – this program so that it is smaller, agricultural partners, including CAL FIRE now wants to “thin” or more strategic and effective, with the USDA’s Natural Resources remove, by various means, 250,000 a closer focus on proximity to Conservation Service, Western acres per year of native vegetation, communities, and less of a ‘blank United Dairymen, California Farm including chaparral and globally check.' Bureau, and DairyCares. This endangered coastal sage scrub was a huge win and a life-saving required by a federally threatened Audubon’s Migratory Bird breeding season for the species. bird, the Coastal California Initiative Will Help Drive Gnatcatcher instead of 50,000 per Conservation Where It’s Migratory Birds Gained year as in previous plans. Most Needed Vital Protections in California They base this on Executive Orders This year Audubon expanded its by the Governor, yet there is no Migratory Bird Initiative. Using Amidst rollbacks and a new underlying scientific rationale. the latest research on distributions governmental interpretation of and movements of 520 species of Very importantly, CAL FIRE the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, migratory birds and their annual the state of California has been a now admits that these massive cycles in the Western Hemisphere, treatments will be ineffective champion in demonstrating that Audubon intends to use this it can protect vulnerable bird in protecting life and property information to identify the most from wind-driven fires. Fires in species while enjoying a thriving important places for migratory economy. In September, California California forests may be driven birds. Additionally, the Migratory by fuel accumulation, especially Governor Gavin Newsom signed Bird Initiative will show how AB 454, an Audubon-sponsored on the forest floor, which can and where to focus Audubon’s accumulate after years of fire bill protecting California’s conservation investments in order migratory birds. The bill, authored suppression. In contrast, Southern to protect, restore, and manage California fires are largely driven by Assembly Member Ash Kalra key habitats. We will partner (D-San Jose), strengthens the by high velocity Santa Ana winds with research and conservation which usually blow in the fall. state’s protections for migratory organizations across the birds and closes loopholes by hemisphere, aggregate, consolidate The CAL FIRE VTP has now where California law defers to and elevate the best-available been entirely repurposed for non- federal law. migration science, inform policy wind-driven fires, even though advocacy at local, state, and federal these typically come under early levels, and strengthen connections control by firefighters and cause among key stakeholders like only a fraction of the damage government agencies and in comparison. It is a solution academic institutions. in search of a problem, at great

www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.orgwww.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org 3 Field Journal For field trip updates, changes or cancellations check http://sierrafoothillsaudubon.org/ Our field trips are free. Carpooling drivers appreciate participants offering to share fuel costs

Bird Walk for Beginners - Traylor Ranch, Penryn about two hours and walk a little more than a mile. and Pleasant Valley Road at 8:00 am, and we’ll Come on out, bring your binoculars and help us carpool from there. We’ll get back to Grass Valley Saturday, March 7, 2020 find some birds. The more eyes and ears, the at about noon, and the estimated driving time is 9:00 -11:00 AM more birds we'll see. Please contact leader if the about 30 minutes each way. Please contact the Leader: Heath Wakelee 916-870-5253 weather is questionable. Here's the Placer Co. leader if the weather is questionable. [email protected] web site for Traylor Ranch: http://www.placer. Meet in the parking lot off Humphrey Road at the ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/ southeast corner of Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve parks/traylor-ranch-nature-reserve Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at and Bird Sanctuary in Penryn. Note: the address Bridgeport for the Reserve is different. This trip is intended for beginners, but experienced birders are welcome Bird Walk For Beginners In Grass Valley Friday March 27, 2020 8:00 –10:00 AM and add to the experience for all. Traylor Ranch Sunday, March 15, 2020 (The Ides Of March) affords an opportunity to see the resident species Leader: Sylvia Wright 530-379-5124 8:00 -10:00AM [email protected] of the lower foothills and valley floor, usually Leader: Dan Stewart 530-265-4677 twenty or more different species. We'll spend [email protected] Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just across about two hours and walk a little more than a mile. the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley Road. Easy Come on out, bring your binoculars and help us This walk is designed for beginners, but more walking on a wooded trail and along Kentucky find some birds. The more eyes and ears, the skilled birders are helpful and welcome. We'll talk Creek and the Yuba River. We will see species more birds we'll see. Please contact leader if the about binoculars, how and where to find birds, common to an oak woodland/riparian habitat, weather is questionable. Here's the Placer Co. what to look for when you find one. We meet in such as Lark Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, web site for Traylor Ranch: http://www.placer. the parking lot of the Briar Patch Market on Sierra Black Phoebe, California Towhee, and Northern ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/ College Drive in Grass Valley. We walk for a little Rough-winged Swallow. There’s a possibility of parks/traylor-ranch-nature-reserve less than two miles and it usually takes about seeing an American Dipper. Please contact Sylvia two hours. Fifteen to twenty different species are if the weather is questionable. almost guaranteed, especially with enough sharp Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at eyes and ears. It's a nice walk up over the hill at Bridgeport Sierra College and back to the Briar Patch. Come Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at on out and help us find and identify some birds Bridgeport Saturday, March 14, 2020 and maybe even a soothsayer. Please contact Dan 8:00-10:00 AM if the weather is questionable Saturday, April 11, 2020 Leaders: 8:00-10:00 AM Bob Slyker 530-205-9011 [email protected] Leaders: Carol and Bruce Malnor (530-263-9392) City of Lincoln Wastewater Treatment Facility Bob Slyker 530-205-9011 [email protected] [email protected] Carol and Bruce Malnor (530-263-9392) Thursday, March 19, 2020 [email protected] Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just across 9:30-11:30AM the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley Road. Easy Leader: Heath Wakelee 916-870-5253 Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just across walking on a wooded trail and along Kentucky [email protected] the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley Road. Easy walking on a wooded trail and along Kentucky Creek and the Yuba River. Dress warmly. We will Due to a schedule conflict Heath regretfully, has to Creek and the Yuba River. Dress warmly. We will see species common to an oak woodland/riparian cancel this trip. habitat, such as Lark Sparrow, Golden-crowned see species common to an oak woodland/riparian Sparrow, Black Phoebe, California Towhee, and habitat, such as California Quail, Black Phoebe, Northern Rough-winged Swallow. There’s a Spenceville Wildlife Area Spotted Towhee, and Acorn Woodpecker, Wrentit, possibility of seeing an American Dipper. Steller’s Jay, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Yellow- Saturday, March 21, 2020 breasted Chat and also nesting cliff swallows. Please contact Bob or Carol if the weather is 8:00AM-Noon There’s a possibility of seeing Bald Eagle and questionable. Leader: Ted Beedy 530-274-7232 American Dipper. [email protected] Please contact Bob or Carol if the weather is Bird Walk for Beginners - Traylor Ranch, Penryn This field trip will be held in conjunction with the questionable. Sierra College lecture series “Who Lives in that Saturday, March 14, 2020 Hole?” Spenceville Wildlife Area is well known for 9:00-11:00 AM hosting a high diversity of woodpeckers, including Bird Walk for Beginners - Traylor Ranch, Penryn Leader: Howard Williams Lewis’s, Acorn, Nuttall’s, Downy, Red-breasted [email protected] Sapsucker, and Northern Flickers. Woodpeckers Saturday, April 11, 2020 Meet in the parking lot off Humphrey Road at the are usually the creators of holes that provide 8:00-11:00 AM southeast corner of Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve essential nesting cavities for secondary occupants Leader: Howard Williams and Bird Sanctuary in Penryn. Note: the address of these holes such as Ash-throated Flycatchers, [email protected] for the Reserve is different. This trip is intended for Western Bluebirds, House Wrens, White-breasted Meet in the parking lot off Humphrey Road at the beginners, but experienced birders are welcome Nuthatches, Oak Titmice, and Tree Swallows. southeast corner of Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve and add to the experience for all. Traylor Ranch We will attempt to find as many of these cavity- and Bird Sanctuary in Penryn. Note: the address affords an opportunity to see the resident species nesting species as we can, as well as looking for for the Reserve is different. See March 14, 2020 of the lower foothills and valley floor, usually wintering raptors and grassland birds. Meet at listing for trip description. Please contact leader if twenty or more different species. We'll spend the Park & Ride at the intersection of Highway 20 the weather is questionable.

4 www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org at a well established migratory rest and refueling emanating from those frustrating invisible birds in Bird Walk For Beginners In Grass Valley stop. We will be driving out Perimeter Rd to a the forest. Species we might hear include Hermit private residence to view hundreds of Anna's, Thrush, Mountain Quail, Pacific-slope, Dusky and Sunday, April 19, 2020 Black-chinned, Rufous, and the occasional Hammond’s Flycatchers, Pileated Woodpecker, 8:00-10:00 AM Calliope Hummingbirds. We will be leaving at and Fox Sparrow, as well as the usual common Leader: Dan Stewart 530-265-4677 5:00 pm from the Park and Ride lot behind the species. Call Rudy in the event of bad weather. [email protected] large church at the corner of Hwy 49 and Wolf Rd. Meet in the Briar Patch parking lot at 8:00AM. Rain will cancel - call Kate if weather becomes See March 15, 2020 listing for trip description. an issue. Bring binoculars, lawn chair, finger food Bird Walk for Beginners - Traylor Ranch, Penryn Please contact Dan if the weather is questionable. to share or your own picnic, wine, etc.; some Saturday, May 9, 2020 finger food and non-alcoholic beverages will 8:00-11:00 AM be available. Stay until near sunset to see the Leader: Howard Williams Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at greatest numbers of hummers. [email protected] Bridgeport Meet in the parking lot off Humphrey Road at the Friday, April 24, 2020 BYLT Black Swan Preserve southeast corner of Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve 8:00 –10:00 AM and Bird Sanctuary in Penryn. Note: the address Leader: Sylvia Wright 530-379-5124 Saturday May 2, 2020 for the Reserve is different. See March 14, 2020 [email protected] 7:00 - 11:00 AM listing for trip description. Please contact leader if Leaders: Steve and Diane Rose 530-615-9216 the weather is questionable. Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just [email protected] across the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley Meet at the Park & Ride at Hwy 20 and Rough Road. Easy walking on a wooded trail and along and Ready Hwy (Penn Valley) and carpool to Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at Kentucky Creek and the Yuba River. We will see Black Swan (about 15 minutes away). Bridgeport species common to an oak woodland/riparian habitat and the river, such as Band-tailed We will walk down a gently sloping Jeep track Saturday, May 9, 2020 Pigeon, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bullock’s that runs along Snake Creek to the Preserve's 8:00-10:00 AM Oriole, Cliff Swallows, Northern Rough-winged large pond (about one half mile). After birding Leaders: Bob Slyker 530-205-9011 Swallow, California Towhee, and Acorn Wood- the area of the pond, participants have the option [email protected] pecker. There’s a possibility of seeing Bald of returning on the Jeep track or continuing on Carol and Bruce Malnor 530-263-9392 Eagle and American Dipper. Please contact the loop trail (about another 1.5 miles), which [email protected] Sylvia if the weather is questionable. circles the pond while climbing (steeply in Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just places) around the hydraulic cliff face, giving across the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley spectacular views of the Preserve. In addition to Road. Easy walking on a wooded trail and Birding by Ear #1 (Lower Elevations) at many wildflowers, we may see or hear about 50 along Kentucky Creek and the Yuba River. Dress Bridgeport State Park bird species, including Pacific-slope Flycatcher, warmly. We will see species common to an oak Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, woodland/riparian habitat, such as California Saturday April 25, 2020 Hutton's and Warbling Vireos, Northern Rough- Quail, Black Phoebe, Spotted Towhee, Acorn 7:00-11AM winged Swallow, Phainopepla, Rufous-crowned Woodpecker, Wrentit, Steller’s Jay, Ash-throated Leader: Rudy Darling 530-272-6504 Sparrow, Bullock's Oriole, up to six species [email protected] Flycatcher and Yellow-breasted Chat. There’s of migrant warblers, Western Tanager, Black- also a possibility of seeing American Dipper. Moderate walking on a grade, limited in-park headed Grosbeak, and Lazuli Bunting. If you are driving. interested in attending please send an email with Please contact Bob or Carol if the weather is your contact information in case of questionable questionable. Meet at the Bridgeport north parking area weather. (across the bridge) of the South Yuba River State Park. We will visit a couple of different lower Bird Walk at South Yuba River State Park at elevation habitats and work on the songs and Birding by Ear (Conifer forests) Bridgeport calls of typical species, and possibly some rarer Saturday May 9, 2020 Friday, May 15, 2020 ones. Expect Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue-gray 7:00-Noon (or thereabouts) Gnatcatcher, Phainopepla, Chipping Sparrow, 8:00 –10:00 AM Leader: Rudy Darling 530-272-6504 Leader: Sylvia Wright 530-379-5124 Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow Warbler, and a cast [email protected] of thousands. Call if in doubt about weather [email protected] cancellation. Twenty-five miles round trip driving. Easy walking Meet at Bridgeport’s north parking lot (just on level ground. Mostly standing and listening. across the highway bridge) on Pleasant Valley Meet in the parking lot of the Rood Government Road. Easy walking on a wooded trail and along Hummingbird Extravaganza Center, 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City to Kentucky Creek and the Yuba River. We may see Sunday, April 26, 2020 carpool. Band-tailed Pigeon, White-breasted Nuthatch, 5:00-7:30pm Bewick's Wren, Bullock’s Oriole, Cliff Swallows, Leader: Kate Brennan, 530-268-1682 Breeding season is the best time to study bird Spotted Towhee, and Acorn Woodpecker. song. We will visit several habitat types up Hwy There’s also a possibility of seeing an American Do you love hummingbirds? Join us for an 20 from Nevada City. There we will learn how Dipper. Please contact Sylvia if the weather is evening with an astonishing number of hummers to make sense out of all the twitters and tweets questionable. continued on page 7

www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org 5 Education Committee Report q By Kate Brennan

IT’S BLUEBIRD TIME postpone any clearing of brush and Swallow eggs yielding 121 fledglings. dead snags until the fall when nesting [This is a GREAT place for an early I just returned from my daily walk on a is completed. For the bluebirds, that spring bird walk.] cold January morning in the Garden Bar means until after August. Survey your area. And cold it was – ice on my deck property now, determine what you want I would like to thank all of our moni- and on the shaded grasses. In spite of to remove, make a map perhaps, and tors who go out weekly to check on the cold, life was spilling out all over as have your plan in place, but wait until their trails throughout the spring and the sun began to warm the tree tops and fall. Fall is such a wonderful time to get summer and I would like to share with berry brambles. I saw many Scrub Jays the brush buster and chainsaw out, with you where we currently have trails, so flitting atop the oaks and Lesser Gold- those crisp mornings and cool evenings if you see a box alongside the road and finches beginning to munch on the star – not February through August. Give someone peeking in, you might want thistle. I also saw Acorn Woodpeckers, our feathered friends the best chance to stop and ask how their monitoring is Northern Flickers, Spotted Towhees, possible for a successful breeding season going. In Nevada County: Garden Bar and one group of 5 Western Bluebirds before attacking the understory or tak- Trail (Rita Birdsong), Dog Bar/Taylor checking out one of the SFAS nest ing down the dead snags that do not Crossing (Trish King), Jones Bar Rd boxes in the area – not sure if they were present an imminent danger to home or (Theresa Thomas), Western Gateway just emerging from their roost from the family. Park (Sylvia Wright), BYLT Black Swan cold night, or if they are already shop- Trail (Chuck Carroll), Alan Thiesen ping around for their 2020 nesting site. The 2019 season of Bluebird nest box Trail (Margaret Ervin new in 2020), monitoring was a bit of a mixed bag. I North Star House (Willie Hall), Wool- In my opinion, it’s always bluebird time had more reports from our monitors of man Campus (Theresa Thomas), BYLT in our area of Northern California. We nests being abandoned, dead babies in Rice’s Crossing Trail (Si Xyzio). In Plac- are lucky to enjoy Western Bluebirds in nests, and eggs left unhatched in nests er County: Traylor Ranch, Penryn (Bill the lower foothills all year round as they than I have in the past 5 years. For Covington, Charlene Messner, Ron are one of our resident songbirds. They example, Bill Covington has a bluebird Harton), Auburn Ravine Park, Lincoln love the open agricultural fields where trail in Lincoln, and in all of his SEC- (Bill Covington), PLT Taylor Ranch, there is grazed grass and trees on the OND nests in his boxes, all 29 eggs were Auburn (Ray Valone), PLT Canyon fringe where they can perch and watch abandoned. We don’t know the cause View Trail, Auburn (Ann Thomas), and for bugs. Once they begin rearing their of such failures, but can only guess that a new trail this past year American River young, they will need about 400+ bugs weather had something to do with it, Rim Trail (Fiona Gillogly, Elizabeth Gil- per day for a brood of 5 hatchlings. So because there certainly seemed to be an logly). Again, a HUGE THANK YOU if you have a large open grassy site with abundance of insects this year. Our nest to all of our monitors present, past and trees nearby, you may have the perfect box trail at Traylor Ranch in Penryn, future. spot for a bluebird nest box. Remem- as usual, was very productive, having a ber, we are losing natural nest sites total of 146 WEBL eggs and fledging So in establishing new trails in the SFAS (cavities in trees) as we lose more and 130 young, while also having 139 Tree service area, we are often directed to a more of our oaks, and as we all become particular spot by an Audubon member more concerned with making our or a member of one of the local land properties fire safe. trusts. Many of these trails are along frequently traveled roads throughout Just in case these bluebirds are begin- the area and that doesn’t seem to be a ning the selection process of their nests particular deterrent. For instance, drive for this year (in January), I would like out Jones Bar Road off of Newtown Rd. to urge all you eco-considerate folks This trail has been around a long time, to stop and think about the timing and continues to have good results – of nesting birds before you begin although the species have changed to your firewise clearing projects for this having more Tree Swallows than West- year. If at all possible, please, please ern Bluebirds, along with some Ash- Photo by Nancy Bascom Continued next page ...

6 www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org SFASSFAS Officers, Officers, BoardBoard and Committee Chairs Continued from previous page and Committee Chairs Field Journal- continued Bird Walk For Beginners In Grass Valley throated Flycatchers. But the habitat OFFICERS: Sunday, May 17, 2020 Rudy Darling, President 8:00-10:00 AM is open grassland surrounded with an [email protected] (530) 272-6504 Leader: Dan Stewart 530-265-4677 edge of trees – just the perfect habitat. William Hall, Vice President [email protected] And that’s what we are looking for in a [email protected] Meet in the Briar Patch parking lot at 8:00AM. new trail. Patti DeLuca, Secretary See March 15, 2020 listing for trip description. [email protected] Please contact Dan if the weather is questionable. Don Rivenes, Treasurer However, sometimes we think we have [email protected] (530) 477-7502 a perfect site, we put up the boxes, and Hammon Grove Park & Sycamore Ranch ELECTED AT LARGE BOARD MEMBERS: no one comes!! We had just such an Jim Groeser (2) Saturday, May 23, 2020 occasion this year, when Bear Yuba [email protected] 8:00AM-Noon Leader: Ted Beedy 530-274-7232 Land Trust invited us to put up nest Dan Stewart (2) [email protected] boxes at the North Rice’s Crossing Trail [email protected] Theresa Thomas (2) This field trip will be held in conjunction with near Bullard’s Bar. It is a rather isolated [email protected] the Sierra College lecture series “Spring Arrivals location, and I worried about finding a Heath Wakelee (2) and Birding By Ear.” Hammon Grove Park and monitor, but someone special stepped [email protected] Sycamore Ranch support lush riparian habitat along Dry Creek in Yuba County, and they attract forward right away eager to share the Dale Rubach (1) large numbers of spring migrants and breeding monitoring with her small children. Si [email protected] flycatchers, vireos, warblers, and orioles. We Xyzio was so excited to be able to help Jane Hall (1) will search both areas to view these birds and [email protected] will focus on “birding by ear” to locate and us with this project because she lived identify birds in the dense undergrowth. Meet at up on The Ridge, and the trailhead NOMINATING COMMITTEE CHAIR: the Park & Ride at the intersection of Highway Appointed each year just happens to be a beautiful picnic 20 and Pleasant Valley Road and we’ll carpool spot. She helped me install 4 boxes and STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS: from there. We’ll get back to Grass Valley at Don Rivenes, Conservation Chair (Nevada City) about noon, and the estimated driving time is we observed about 5 bluebirds in the [email protected] (530) 477-7502 about 30 minutes each way. Please contact the leader if the weather is questionable. area while we were there – but alas, the Jim Groeser, Education Chair (Nevada City) boxes were unused for the 2019 season. [email protected] Sometimes, our human-made boxes Patti DeLuca, Membership Chair simply are not needed – there are suf- [email protected] Dale Rubach, Field Trip Chair ficient natural cavities available for the [email protected] bluebirds, or so we assume. We’ll give Theresa Thomas, Program Chair it one more season to see if the boxes [email protected] are used; if not, we will relocate them to SPECIAL COMMITTEE CHAIRS: another site. Heath Wakelee, Scholarship Chair [email protected] Our total fledgling count for the 2019 Jane Hall, Publicity/Hospitality Welcome New [email protected] monitoring season was: OTHER POSITIONS: Members Kate Brennan, Database Manager Placer County – 204 Western Blue- [email protected] birds / 152 Tree Swallows / Other Emily Rivenes, Phoebe Publication species using our boxes included Ash- [email protected] throated Flycatcher, Violet-green Swal- Lincoln: John & Tammy Vanella low, Oak Titmouse, and House Wren Newcastle: Layton Birchell Nevada County – 313 Western Blue- The Phoebe is published five times per year on or about the first birds / 55 Tree Swallows / Other spe- of January, March, May, September and November. Newsletter cies included Ash-throated Flycatcher, submissions are due by the 10th of each month preceding Violet-green Swallow, Oak Titmouse, newsletter publication. White-breasted Nuthatch, and House Wren Continued on page 7

www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.org 7

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage P A I D Permit No. 25 Auburn, CA

P.O. Box 1937 Grass Valley, CA 95945-1937

The mission of the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society is to educate ourselves and others to the variety and the beauty of our natural environment and to protect our wildlife and natural places

Become a SFAS Member

Two levels of membership are available: SFAS Chapter Membership is $20 annually and includes a subscription to The Phoebe newsletter and an invitation to the many chapter activities. For $200 you receive a lifetime membership in the chapter. Send a check payable to Sierra Foothills Audubon Society, P.O. Box 1937, Grass Valley, CA 95945. An introductory membership to the National Audubon Society is $20 and includes automatic membership in the local SFAS chapter. Subscription to NAS includes the bi-monthly NAS Audubon Magazine and the SFAS Phoebe newsletter. Send a check payable to NAS, Membership Dept, PO Box 97194, Washington, DC 20090- 7194. Or you can join online at www.audubon.org and click on “JOIN.” For more information, contact Kate Brennan at 530-268-1682.