DOCSLIB.ORG

Madrone's Breeding Bird Atlas II

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Madrone's Breeding Bird Atlas II VOLUME 50 Summer 2017 Number 6 Madrone’s Breeding Bird Atlas II Survey Methods and Early Results by Gordon Beebe Beginning with this issue of Leaves, we will pres- and subsequent development have affected if you prefer). Both are similar, but there are dif- ent some of the results from our latest Breeding native species that reside in the county by re- ferences that need to be factored in. In the first Bird Atlas (Atlas) survey. Many Madrone mem- ducing the habitat available to many of them survey, there were 105 volunteers who dedicated bers are familiar with the Atlas, and quite a few for feeding and nesting. Other factors, such as 3,962 hours out in the field in the Atlas blocks, of them have participated in the surveys, but the recent drought, climate change, new intro- observing all of the birds they saw during the some members may not know what an Atlas is, duced species, and others, all have an effect on breeding season. In the second survey, there so a brief history and description is in order. Atlas the birds that we know and love. were 106 volunteers (some of them participat- surveys have been conducted in Britain and parts We can look at some figures from both Atlases ed in both surveys), who devoted 9,283 hours of the United States since the late 1970’s. The to get an idea of some of the changes, but first, in the field, well over twice as many hours! purpose of an Atlas is to acquire baseline data on a note of caution: at the moment, comparing Somehow, that will need to be adjusted for, the species of birds that breed in a certain area; in the two survey results is a bit like comparing as more time in the field usually (not always) our case, Sonoma County. As with other Atlases, apples and oranges (or Kinglets and Vireos, leads to more observations, so it can look like the entire county was divided into five kilometer Continued on page 2 (about three miles) square “blocks” in the 1980’s in preparation for our first Atlas, for which the GENERAL MEETING breeding bird survey work was completed be- tween 1986 and 1991. Monday, September 18, 2017, 7:00 PM First United Methodist Church • 1551 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa That’s right, this is the second Atlas to be com- “A Look into the Daily Lives of Herons and Egrets and Conservation of Bay Area Wetlands” pleted in Sonoma County. It took four more Herons and egrets are recognized around the world as symbols of years for the data from the first Atlas to be com- wetland health. Such symbolism is well-substantiated by the sensitivity piled and printed in book form. Here is an ex- of these birds to wetland quality and by their roles as powerful cerpt, from page two, “And what is next? One wetland predators. As a result, the habits and needs of herons of the main values of an atlas is the possibility and egrets provide key perspectives for protecting the wetland of comparing this baseline data with data from landscapes in our region. This program offers an inside look future studies. At its September 1992 meeting, into the lives of these elegant birds, with insights from ongoing the North American Ornithological Atlas Com- studies at Audubon Canyon Ranch (ACR) on the conservation mittee (NORAC) recommended repeating atlas of wetlands, the effects of climate change, and the protection studies every 25 years.” And so we have, and right of heronries. John P. Kelley, Director of Conservation Science at ACR, will also hare early updates on ACR’s new Heron and on time! Great Egret stretch display Egret Telemetry Project, which uses BPS transmitters and Courtesy of Keith Carver We are hoping to publish the data from the sec- observations of known individuals to track the daily lives ond Atlas sooner than four years from now, but of Great Egrets. In addition, John will discuss recent work on shorebird responses to tidal there is a lot of work to be done. Not only are we marsh restoration and the dependence of wintering waterbirds on the seasonal spawning working on publishing the results, we will also be activities of Pacific herring. comparing the results with the first Atlas. This John Kelly has been studying heron and egrets throughout the San Francisco Bay area for nearly 30 is no easy task, as there are many differences years. As ACR’s Director of Conservation Science, John manages ACR’s Cypress Grove Research between the two surveys. A lot has happened in Center on Tomales Bay, works on local and regional conservation issues, and serves as a scientific the last 25 years. Sonoma County’s population advisor for a variety of conservation agencies and organizations. His scientific work is focused on the in 1991 was 397,937. In 2015, it had grown habitat relationships, population ecology, behaviors, and energetics of coastal and estuarine birds. to 500,292. This increased population pressure MADRONE LEAVES BREEDING BIRD ATLAS II In the next installment, we will review two Continued from page 1 species to see if we can learn more about their Appreciated Donations population trends: Mourning Dove, and Eur- we actually found more birds breeding, when asian Collared-Dove. One thing we do know for In Memory of... what really happened was we had more time to sure is that the Eurasian Collared-Doves were find the ones that were already there. not in Sonoma County back in the 1980’s. They Betty Burridge by Bill & Paget Lenarz A good example were still working their way across the country from their introduction on the East Coast in of this is the Bob Dyer number of spe- the 1970’s. Also, it is quite clear to anyone hav- by Bill & Paget Lenarz cies confirmed as ing participated in the second Atlas survey, that breeding birds. one did not have to look hard to find evidence Donald McCarthy By the way, we of breeding Eurasian Collared-Doves, so in this by Pamela Conley had very specific case, at least, the greater number of hours spent Laurence Taylor criteria for deter- atlasing was not the reason why this new species by Pamela Conley mining whether popped up. Are they pushing Mourning Doves by Gloria Richardson a bird was actu- out of their habitat, and reducing their numbers, ally breeding as many people fear? We’ll see if we can answer Bushtit or not. It may that question, and others, next time. particular breeding behaviors, opened a new and rich Courtesy of Gordon Beebe world. Early on, I learned to keep track of loca- seem obvious, And now that we have finished collecting the tions of singing birds. By returning to these loca- but just seeing a pair of birds of the same spe- Breeding Bird Survey data, we thought it would tions, I might hear singing again, an indicator of cies together, or even seeing them mate, does be a good time to share some of the stories of ‘probable’ breeding. And more than that, it gave not itself confirm breeding. They might be in what it was like, and what we learned in the pro- me spots to watch to confirm breeding. Was that the final stages of spring migration, leaving the cess. Many of the volunteers who spent hours Pacific-slope Flycatcher carrying nesting materi- county before finally settling down to nest. We in the field seeking to confirm breeding birds in al? Where was its nest? What was that goldfinch need to find an active nest, or see parents car- their blocks agree: it was a transformative learning up to? What were those Steller’s Jays doing with rying food, or feeding the young, etc., for it to experience for them. Our first article is by David mud and detritus in their bills? I learned to be be confirmed as a breeding bird. With those Leland, who not only spent many hours atlas- criteria in mind, in 1995, the results were ing several blocks over the last few years, but is 148 species confirmed in Sonoma County. By currently working on maps that will show where 2016, we confirmed 161 species. Does this each species was found. If you participated in our mean that birds are doing better in the county, Breeding Bird Atlas update and are inspired by his since more species have been found, or is it article, please consider sharing your experiences simply that because we devoted so many more of any length, in a future edition of the Leaves. hours looking, we were bound to find some We look forward to hearing from you! new species? At any rate, here is a list of the new species confirmed between 2011-2016: Barred Owl, Bald Eagle, Black Rail, Band- How the Breeding Bird tailed Pigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Cattle Egret, Canyon Wren, Common Gallinule, Common Atlas Has Enhanced Murre, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Great-tailed My Birding Lesser Kiskadee Courtesy of Ken Wilson Grackle, Marbled Murrelet, Mandarin Duck, Mute Swan, Ridgway’s Rail, Rock Wren, Sooty by David Leland quiet and patient and let the birds show me what Grouse, Sora, and Swainson’s Hawk. The Sonoma County they were doing. Later in the cycle, with parents foraging and ferrying food back to nestlings, there One thing the Atlas does not tell us is much of Breeding Bird Atlas were many cues. I might hear nestlings begging, anything about numbers of birds. We do know, field work has drawn and use that to home in on a nest.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • JULY AUG Observer.Indd
    The OBSERVER Sacramento Audubon Society General Monterey Bay Coastal and Pelagic Trip Meeting September 24 and 25, 2005 Sacramento Audubon programs will be It’s time again to prepare for one of Sacramento Audubon’s most interesting adventures! This taking a break for the months of July and year’s two-day trip will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25. August. You can look forward to the next Normally protected from heavy sea swells, yet geographically situated to capture an amazing program in September. Our Program chair diversity of ocean-going birds, Monterey Bay is an exceptional place to visit. We will have a Sally Riggs has more exciting programs fast-paced tour of landbird hot spots and a day cruise on Monterey Bay. lined up for us including presentations on the condor and hiking and birding in the Led by Mark Cudney, Saturday’s boat excursion on the 71 foot fi shing cruiser Magnum Sierras. Force will highlight the weekend. This is the same comfortable boat as in the past several years. Monterey Bay is perhaps one of the most accessible and productive areas to learn Sacramento Audubon meetings are held the about and enjoy pelagic avifauna and marine mammals. Several species of shearwaters are third Thursday of the month. The public is usually present, not to mention the possibility of close-ups of marine mammals. On Sunday, welcome. Visit our website we will visit the key landbird and shoreline habitats on the Monterey Peninsula that may www.sacramentoaudubon.org for further yield many migratory and vagrant surprises.
    [Show full text]
  • Conference Highlights, Bird List and Photos
    Highlights of the 2013 WFO Conference in Petaluma, California WFO’s 2013 Conference was one of our most successful meetings ever. We set a new WFO record with over 270 registrants. Science Sessions included descriptions of a new species of seabird, Bryan's Shearwater. Ed Harper’s photo ID quizzes tested our skills with visual challenges and Nathan Pieplow enlightened us with his creative and educational arrangements of bird sounds. The headquarters of PRBO Conservation Science gave us the ideal venue for our opening reception where we enjoyed seeing some of the latest work of artists Sophie Webb and Keith Hansen. We offered six workshops covering a variety of field skills. Thirty-eight field trips, including four pelagic trips, produced a list 240 species. Details below… WFO 2013 Petaluma Science Sessions The Science Sessions kicked off with Peter Pyle presenting on the discovery and identification of a new seabird species, Bryan's Shearwater. Thanks to the efforts of Debbie Vandooremolen and Dave Quady, the session offered a wide variety of presentations including papers on west coast occurrence and identification of "Vega" gull and Common Eider, numerous papers on status and conservation issues involving shorebirds, raptors, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Vireo, Tricolored Blackbird, Black Rail, Bendire's Thrasher, grassland birds of the southwest, and more. Other presentations covered use of "citizen science" data including eBird data and Breeding Bird Atlas results. Russ Bradley's Keynote talk gave us all a good overview of the great work being conducted by PRBO Conservation Science on the Farallon Islands and revealed some fascinating data about changes in the ocean ecosystem affecting breeding seabirds.
    [Show full text]
  • Invasive Tunicate “Marine Vomit”
    VOLUME 46 February/March 2013 Number 4 Invasive Tunicate “Marine Vomit” in Drakes Estero Is Cause for Serious Concern By Jude Stalker Because it rapidly overgrows hard sur- (Reprinted with permission from Marin faces, structures and shellfish, Dvex in- Audubon) vasions across the country and the world have caused tremendous problems and Recent observations in Drakes Estero concern over the past decade for both of the behavior of the invasive tunicate natural ecosystems and aquaculture op- Didemnum vexillum (aka marine vomit) erations. There are populations of Dvex along with the threat that it presents on the East Coast that have infested huge worldwide, are cause for serious concern areas of seabed, smothered large numbers Didemnum vexillum for such an ecologically valuable, feder- of native marine plants and animals, and Photo courtesy of Gerald Moore ally protected marine wilderness area. Didemnum vexillum (Dvex) is a highly GENERAL MEETINGS invasive non-native colonial tunicate (sea First United Methodist Church squirt) that has a texture of wet leather. 1551 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa Each colony of Dvex consists of thou- sands of tiny soft-bodied individuals PLEASE NOTE: The February and March General Meetings will be held in the church sanctuary instead of the community room. Please remember to bring your ownContinued beverage oncup page 2 called zooids embedded in a common (save paper!) to enjoy tea and coffee. membranous matrix. Dvex colonies are unpalatable to most other marine organ- February Meeting isms or birds. “Restoration of the Farallon Islands” Monday February 18, 7:30 PM Dvex colonies grow subtidally in bays Melissa Pitkin, Outreach and Education Group Director for PRBO Conservation Science and coastal waters and readily attach to will give us an update on activities related to the Farallones Islands restoration efforts by US hard surfaces such as rocks, shell, gravel, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
    [Show full text]
  • Project and Restoration Management Plan Paula Lane Nature Preserve
    PROJECT AND RESTORATION MANAGEMENT PLAN PAULA LANE NATURE PRESERVE Prepared by: Paula Lane Action Network and the City of Petaluma Approved by: Sonoma Co. Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District - January 29, 2013 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 2 SECTION 1: Introduction and Background 3 - 4 SECTION 2: Project Structure 5 - 6 SECTION 3: Implementation Plan 7 - 11 SECTION 4: Education/Research and Conservation in Sonoma County 12 - 13 SECTION 5: Reporting 14 SECTION 6: Photo Collage 15 - 16 EXHIBITS Exhibit 1: Conceptual Plan – Paula Lane Open Space Project Exhibit 2: Matching Grant Agreement Exhibit 3: Conservation Easement Exhibit 4: City/PLAN Agreement Exhibit 5: Residential Lease Agreement Exhibit 6: Work Plan Exhibit 7: Overall Project Budget Sample Quarterly Reporting Form – Financials and Narrative APPENDICES Appendix A: Tree Report, McAnany Appendix B: American Badger Habitat Survey and Map, Bioconsultant LLC 2004 Appendix C: Avian Survey, Paula Lane Birds, Dan Nelson 2004 Appendix D: Wildlife Inventory List – Paula Lane (ongoing) Appendix E: Community Outreach – Inspiration & Examples Paula Lane Nature Preserve Management Plan page 1 Acknowledgments In keeping with connectivity of the Paula Lane Nature Preserve open space project to Sonoma County conservation efforts and broad support from citizens in the San Francisco Bay Area, we express gratitude for the support and guidance of Joan Vilms Consulting, Bodega Land Trust, Sonoma Land Trust, LandPaths, Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, Madrone Audubon Society, Russian Riverkeeper,
    [Show full text]
  • Dietary Surprises of Western Sandpipers by Irby J
    VOLUME 46 December 2012/January 2013 Number 3 Dietary Surprises of Western Sandpipers by Irby J. Lovette, that might allow the birds to graze on Living Bird magazine, biofilms. To test their suspicions, they Professor of Biology at Cornell University studied Western Sandpipers feeding on mudflats during spring migration. Have you ever watched a flock of sand- Using high-speed video, the research pipers pecking furiously at a mudflat team documented how these birds and wondered what they could possibly consume mudflat biofilms. be eating? As you might predict, most When eating biofilm, the birds move foraging shorebirds are gleaning small more slowly than they do when eat- Western Sandpiper invertebrates such as marine worms and ing invertebrates, because there is no Photo courtesy of Tomohiro Kuwae small crustaceans from the mud. But not need to sneak up on the immobile bio- always: new research on Western Sand- films. The birds simply place their open Even with the video evidence for this pipers has discovered that these birds bill tips on the surface of the mud and newly documented type of feeding, it rely heavily on a previously unsuspected collect a tiny ball of biofilm, then raise was still possible that the birds might food source. their still slightly open bill out of the really just be consuming minute inverte- This surprising sandpiper food is not a mud and swallow the droplet, leaving brates contained within these tiny mud- clam, a worm, or another small animal behind tiny doubled impressions of their balls. To prove that the sandpipers were but rather the so-called biofilm that bill tips on the surface of the mudflat.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Action Committee of West Marin's Point Reyes Birding
    Environmental Action Committee of West Marin’s Point Reyes Birding and Nature Festival Thursday, April 25th, 2019 Class Description 1. Special Keynote Thursday Outing & Lunch: Since the late 1990s, most of his attention has gone into the Kaufman Field Birding with the Kingbird Kenn Kaufman & Signed Book Guides. Countless hours in the field doing research and photography are Thursday, April 25, 2019 | 8:30 am – 1:00 pm followed up with countless hours of writing, editing, and design work, Difficulty/Length: Easy, 2-4 miles collaborating with experts in each subJect to ensure the highest quality in the Experience Levels/Ages: All finished books. Ticket Price: $175 | 16 participants Aside from the field guides, Kenn's best-known book is Kingbird Highway. Join author and well-known birder Kenn Kaufman and popular naturalist Published by Houghton Mifflin in 1997, it has become something of a cult David Wimpfheimer for this special morning of birding. We will sample several classic, especially among young birders. It tells the story of his adventures as a habitats as we travel from the wetlands of Tomales Bay to the interior teenager in the 1970s, thumbing rides all over North America in an obsessive search for birds. grasslands and oak woodlands near the town of Nicasio. In each habitat there will be different birds that we will learn about and identify by field marks and their vocalizations. From teal and yellowlegs to raptors, Lazuli buntings and Event Location: Various location around West Marin. Lark sparrows we will enJoy a large diversity of species. With any luck we may even see a kingbird, an iconic bird for Kenn.
    [Show full text]
  • Deepwater Horizon: Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico
    Newsletter of the Marin Audubon Society. Volume 52, No. 10 June – July – August 2010 THE ClapperMARIN AUDUBON Rail SOCIETY SPEAKER SERIES Free and Open to the public Deepwater Horizon: Disaster Richardson Bay Audubon Center 376 Greenwood Beach Road Tiburon, California 94920 in the Gulf of Mexico Information: 415/388-2821 This massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has WHAT YOU CAN DO FRIDAY, JUNE 4 8 PM been declared “a spill of national significance.” Volunteer Impressions of the Galapagos As of this writing, every day since April 20 If you wish to go to the Gulf to help, you With Jack Barclay several thousand barrels (1000 barrels = 42,000 can contact a number of organizations for Jack is a wildlife biologist with much gallons) of crude oil have gushed out of a information: experience in the effort to save British Petroleum well more than a mile below The American Bird Conservancy: endangered and special-status the Gulf. Fishing has been banned in an area 866/448-5816, abcbirds.org species. Perhaps that is why he was that covers 19% of the Gulf. Some oil has so impressed by all he saw in the reached a current that could bring oil to the International Bird Rescue Research Center Galapagos Islands, where everything is Gulf Stream. Oiled birds are showing up but which is helping with bird rescue and so special: the extraordinary tameness officials note that they are only a small part of rehabilitation and has daily updates: of the wildlife, the competition for the effects of the oil spill.
    [Show full text]
  • Birding Goes to Hollywood by Daphne Smith
    VOLUME 45 October 2011 Number 2 Birding Goes to Hollywood By Daphne Smith The Big Year is coming! The movie ver- presents a fairly accurate version of Audu- the boat can’t leave because of high waves, sion, that is. bon’s founding and its history. Clearly, it’s and, naturally, the story digresses into a not every day that a major film with high mini-review of that other famous film set Some of our members may have read profile talent injects birds and birding into in our area, The Birds. We know that Bo- the book–Mark Obamscik’s best-selling the pop culture mainstream. This is a rare dega Bay deserves better. chronicle of three colorful and obses- opportunity to engage both current mem- sive birders as they compete for the big- bers and new audiences.” Although the search for rarities is inher- gest “Big Year.” Well, after watching the ent in a competitive “Big Year,” North movie’s trailer, MAS Conservation Chair Our Local Birding “Scene” Bay birders who are only looking for a Diane Hichwa noted, “I don’t quite re- good day outdoors and maybe one spe- member the book being like this…” Bodega Bay may not appear in the film, cial sighting have no need to dash to far and it has just a cameo appearance in Alaskan islands and Florida swamps–So- Fox will release The Big Year on October Obamscik’s book in a chapter called, “Bo- noma County and the Sonoma Coast are 14. This is a major Hollywood motion dega Bluff.” Two competitors meet there great birding spots.
    [Show full text]
  • 4.9 MARIN CLAPPER RAIL REGION the Marin Clapper Rail Region Contains Small, Disparate Sites Scattered Throughout the Shoreline and Marshes of Marin County
    4. 2010 Survey Results 4.9 MARIN CLAPPER RAIL REGION The Marin Clapper Rail Region contains small, disparate sites scattered throughout the shoreline and marshes of Marin County. This region stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito to San Rafael in San Pablo Bay, including the large ISP complex of Corte Madera Creek (CMC). The shoreline is fairly well developed, with a variety of wetland habitat types, including several marinas, tidal lagoons, flood control channels, small fragmented patches of marsh vegetation, large restored marshes, invaded mudflats, and several creeks and sloughs. This region consists of 29 ISP clapper rails sites, 20 of which were surveyed by ISP staff in 2010 (Table 12, Figure 26). Nine sites were evaluated for clapper rail habitat (Protocol F), only one of which, Brickyard Cove (23a), was deemed as potential habitat and then actively surveyed for three rounds. This brought the total of Protocol C surveys to eight: College of Marin (04b), Beach Drive (23b), Greenwood Beach (23g), Strawberry Point (23h), Strawberry Cove (23i), Starkweather Park (23l) and Triangle Marsh - Marin (23n). ISP biologists passively surveyed (Protocol A) four other sites: CMC - Upper (04h), CMC - Lower (04i), Pickleweed Park (09a) and San Rafael Canal Mouth North (23d). Much of the Corte Madera Creek (CMC) complex, including the expansive marshes where the creek meets the bay, was surveyed by biologists with PRBO Conservation Science and Avocet Research Associates. Table 12: Summary results from California clapper rail surveys
    [Show full text]
  • Repairs at Shollenberger Park 2013 by Gerald Moore Shollenberger Park Was Built As a Dredge to Start
    VOLUME 47 December 2013/January 2014 Number 3 Repairs at Shollenberger Park 2013 by Gerald Moore Shollenberger Park was built as a dredge to start. Thus it is important to remove animal life that had lived for years in the spoils site in the 1970s to allow the City much of the river water and send it back channel providing wildlife sitings and joy of Petaluma to remove the silt that is to the river via a channel called the decant for all visitors. always building up in the river. The silt channel which is lower in elevation than The Petaluma Wetlands Alliance (PWA) comes from both the upstream side and the pond. To control this operation, the was concerned about this downturn in the downstream side of the river as a water must slowly be drained down via wildlife and contacted Ducks Unlim- result of commercial boat traffic, recre- a decant channel (connected to a Water- ited (DU) to consult with us about our ational boating, and the action of tides gate) and returned to the river. proposed cause of the problem and pos- pushing and pulling on the water in the By 2008 the pair of Watergates at Shol- sible corrections for the issue. DU sent a river like a giant bathtub. In order for lenberger were 30-odd years old and had biologist and an engineer to Shollenberger the river to remain navigable, the river eroded away like a pile of rust. To make to look at our problem. They quickly must be drained of silt every few years.
    [Show full text]
  • Jeopardizing Taxpayer Investment in Open Space
    VOLUME 44 March 2011 Number 6 Jeopardizing Taxpayer Investment in Open Space by Ted Eliot, Co-chair of the 2006 Measure F Campaign The Sonoma County Board of Supervi- The board essentially agreed to cover Two members of the majority were “lame sors’ vote on 14 December 2010 to “in- some of the developer’s costs of doing duck” Supervisors Kelley and Kerns. The terpret” an existing conservation easement business (that is, buying property for third was Supervisor Valerie Brown. Re- could jeopardize the public’s investment habitat protection). By doing so, it has plying to my disappointment with her in protecting open space and agricultural made a gift of our sales-tax dollars to ben- deciding vote, she wrote: “although there land in Sonoma County. efit a private individual. It is not hard was rhetoric - (at the board meeting) - to Since its founding in 1990, the Agricul- to imagine other developers lining up to formulate a policy about mitigation, it will tural Preservation and Open Space Dis- receive a similar subsidy. be a difficult policy discussion because the trict has protected nearly 10% of Sonoma Continued on page 3 County “in perpetuity” by conservation easements, giving the county a national MARCH GENERAL MEETING reputation for land preservation. “Ireland – Seasonal Birding, Pubs, and Traditional Music” Monday, March 21, 7:30 PM Conservation easements are contracts be- First United Methodist Church, 1551 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa tween a land-preservation organization and a willing landowner. The landowner To celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Diane and Bry- in a few pubs and enjoyed the traditional music gives up certain development rights and ant Hichwa will introduce us to the gorgeous of Ireland, which they will also share.
    [Show full text]
  • Albatrosses on Midway Atoll
    VOL 65 No. 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 THE QUAIL Mt. Diablo Audubon Society | www.mtdiabloaudubon.org 8 pm: Albatrosses on Midway Atoll Next Meeting: Home to the world’s largest albatross nesting colony, Midway Atoll also SEPTEMBER 5 hosts a team of volunteer “bird counters” each winter who determine just how many birds are nesting. This past winter, JD Bergeron joined the census team. The Mt. Diablo Audubon Bergeron, the executive director of International Bird Rescue, will share Society will meet Thursday, his experiences on the remote site, more than 1,300 miles northwest of September 5, in the Camellia Honolulu. He will explain how he spent his holidays helping to methodically Room of The Gardens at cover the island, which is also known for its population of endangered Hawaiian monk seals, Laysan ducks and Wisdom, the oldest known wild bird Heather Farm in Walnut Creek. in the Bird Banding Lab’s database. 6:30 pm Doors Open Scientists and volunteers have been conducting the annual albatross 7:00 pm Birding Info census on Midway since 1991, providing an unusually thorough record of this distinctive seabird colony. (Photos, 7:25 pm News courtesy of JD Bergeron). 7:40 pm Snacks & Raffle 8:00 pm Main Program “Albatrosses” Inside Co-Presidents’ Corner Final Print Edition 2 Bird Wide Web of THE QUAIL 3 Trip Reports 4-5 This is the last printed copy of The Quail you will receive. We Facebook 6 will transition to an eQuail In Memoriam 7 newsletter and use our new Wild Birds website and email alerts to 7 communicate with members.
    [Show full text]