Twenty Years Photographing Mount Diablo Stephen Joseph
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Volume 56, Number 6 March 2011 Twenty Years Photographing Mount Diablo Castle Rock. Photo by Stephen Joseph© ◆ Stephen Joseph Stephen Joseph will present a retrospec- Since 1970, Stephen Joseph’s career has at the Regional Center for the Arts in Wal- tive slide show of his panoramic images of been devoted to landscape photography. In nut Creek. Then, twenty-three enormous Mount Diablo State Park taken over the 2008 he was chosen Centennial Photogra- photos will show at museums and galleries last twenty years. Stephen’s photos of our pher for Muir Woods National Monument around the country and, next year, in John mountain leave us gasping as he captures its in Marin County. We enjoyed a slide show Muir’s birthplace in Dunbar, Scotland. beauty and its many moods. His love for the of Stephen’s photos, which took us into For 45 years, Stephen Joseph has been mountain has been life long and culminates the “hidden” Muir Woods, areas that the a photographer. In the 1970s, he received in the March publication by Mount Diablo general public may not see. a BFA from California College of Arts and Interpretive Association of his book, Mount In November of 2006, we were privi- Crafts and, later, an MFA in Photography Diablo, The Extraordinary Life and Land- leged to see a presentation based on and Printmaking. His interests include scape of a California Treasure. Stephen’s first book Nature’s Beloved the history of photography and vintage Son, Rediscovering John Muir’s Botanical cameras. He collects and restores antique Meeting Schedule Legacy. In August of 2011, the Oakland cameras of all types including panoramic The next general meeting of Museum will be opening an exhibit about and stereographic cameras. Stephen is Mount Diablo Audubon Society John Muir, which will include Stephen’s also committed to creating and preserving will be Thursday, March 3, in the original photos of John Muir’s botanical open space and has spent the last 18 years Camellia Room of The Gardens at prints and some of Stephen’s very large working with land trusts throughout the Heather Farm, Walnut Creek. Yosemite panoramic photos. The Muir Bay Area. 7:00 pm Birding Information botanical prints are on permanent ex- 7:25 pm Announcements BIRDING INFORMATION 7:40 pm Refreshments,* door prize hibit at Cavallo Point in Marin County’s 8:05 pm Speaker: Stephen Joseph Fort Baker and the John Muir National Dan Stanton, Youth Education Manager * Please remember to bring a cup. Historic Site in Martinez, California. The of the Gardens at Heather Farm will discuss Thursday, April 7: Michael Moran John Muir Botanical Project is showing the many programs and events sponsored through March 27 at the Bedford Gallery by The Gardens. DEDICATED TO HABITAT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION the Quail —1— March 2011 By Jimm Edgar they receive a donation, which is set aside President’s Corner to educate and cultivate the love of birds We just finished the Pacific Flyway Fes- most of us who belong to Audubon do so in young people. The Los Angeles Phil- tival at Mare Island. It is one of the best bird because we love birds. I know that is why I harmonic gets a check as does the Braille festivals on the west coast. We have had a belong. Yes, we are deeply concerned about Institute, but alongside the Los Angeles booth for as long as the Festival has been local and global environmental issues and Audubon contribution is a simple annota- going. About a dozen or more of our faithful lots of other problems, but my conclusion tion, “Johnny loved birds.” volunteers man the booth over the 3 days. from scores of conversations over the years People love birds for a lot of reasons. If We have a lot more volunteer opportu- is that people who belong to Audubon do you read Gary Bogue in the Contra Costa nities available this spring. I hope you can so because they love birds. This love may Times he often writes about people who help at one of them. manifest itself in a lot of ways: chasing a “follow the nest activity of the Mourn- I read a very interesting article in the rare vagrant, adding a new bird to your ing Dove” in their yard, or “I can’t figure Western Tanager, the newsletter of the life list, first of the season, a new yard bird, out why this bird (Mockingbird) sings all Los Angeles Audubon. Their president, etc. Johnny Mercer, the great American night?” People are intrigued by birds. Car- Travis Longcore, wrote about a couple of composer, named Los Angeles Audubon ing about birds is at the core of the NAS and estates that named Los Angeles Audubon Society as one of the charities to be funded the MDAS. All the field trips, programs, as a recipient. He talked about the fact that by the royalties on his music. Every year check lists. We are here because we love birds. With this in mind we begin again our Observations By Maury Stern spring program of “No child left inside.” We will touch the lives of hundreds of school children this spring with classroom pre- Submit Contra Costa County sightings to WK has an Anna’s Hummingbird sentations, with Native Bird Connections, [email protected] or (925) 284-5980 or building a nest near her Rossmoor home. bringing live birds to classrooms and will send to EBB [email protected]. 1/23 take all the students on a half-day field trip. Q The firstAllen’s Hummingbird of the We want more kids to learn to love birds. year was reported by JC at her Moraga One last note. On December 23, 2010 This will be a short column as I will home 1/24, and another was at Jewel Lake a Least Bittern was seen at the EBRP be away for 3 weeks. The Least Bittern at in Tilden RP on 1/25. MF, KL. Martinez Shoreline. Word got out quickly Martinez Shoreline was last seen on 1/16. A Lewis’s Woodpecker was seen on and within a few days scores and scores of FS saw 3 Greater White-fronted the Corcoran Trail in Black Diamond Mines people got great looks at this very elusive Geese, one Snow Goose and a Ross’s RP on 1/16 by BM. and rare bird. It remained until about Janu- Goose at Heather Farm park on 1/11. MS Five pairs of Western Bluebirds in ary 15, 2011. It is only the second Contra saw them on 1/12. Concord were reported by MR on 1/26. Costa County record; the first was in 1994. There was a Ross’s Goose at Miller– A Townsend’s Warbler was in Walnut This restored wetland, which was once a Knox RP in Point Richmond on 1/12. DS. Creek yard of L-MH on 1/31. toxic landfill, is now a thriving marsh. Eurasian Wigeons were at Miller– A pair of White-throated Sparrows Knox on 1/14, LL, and the Albany mudflats were seen in Wildcat Canyon area by AK near the Richmond side on 1/15. MP. on 1/31. There was one at Heather Farm This is a bird that is not A Northern Pintail drake spent sev- on 1/31, HH, and Contra Loma RP by SF Q often seen, as it spends eral weeks at Heather Farm Pond during on 1/31 also. most of its time on or January. CE. near the ground where there is dense A Slate-colored Junco spent the cover. It is non-migratory and is found Hooded and Common Mergansers morning with the usual Oregon Juncos in were on the Rossmoor Golf Course pond MS’s yard on 1/29. only in California and Baja. It has a 1/17,BW, and at Jewel Lake in Tilden RP melodious and varied song. P&NS saw some Tricolored Black- on 1/25. MF, KL. birds with other blackbirds at Contra Loma Unscramble these letters, or turn to SS saw 14 American White Pelicans RP 1/27, as did SF on 1/31. Page 6 to learn more. on Lafayette Reservoir on 1/28. JC Judy Cooper, CE Carol Evans, SF AAACEFHHIILNORRRST An Osprey was at Contra Loma RP Stephanie Floyd, MF Mary Foley, HH Hugh 1/31. SF. A Prairie Falcon flew by on 1/27. Harvey, L-MH Liede-Marie Haitsma, AK P&NS. Alan Krakauer, WK Win Kryda, LL Laura Virginia Rails and an out of season Look, KL Kay Loughman, BM Bruce Mast, The Quail is published monthly except January and August by Mount Diablo Caspian Tern were at Martinez Shoreline MP Michael Park, MR Mike Robertson, Audubon Society, P.O. Box 53, Walnut on 1/22. KS. FS Fred Safier, KS Ken Schneider, PS Paul Creek, CA 94597-0053. The Quail A pair of Burrowing Owls have been Schorr, P&NS Paul and Nancy Schorr, DS is printed on 30% post-consumer at the entrance sign area to Contra Loma Dan Sidle, MS Maury Stern, SS Susan Stern, waste recycled paper. The deadline RP for about a month. PS, SF. BW Bev Walker. for the April issue is March 15. the Quail —2— March 2011 Western Burrowing Owls T h e W e s t e r n and garner signatures NEWS Burrowing Owl has and supporters. FROM been witnessing steep You can do this WILD BIRDS declines in Califor- easily by clicking on UNLIMITED nia, owing perhaps http://burrowing- primarily to habitat owlconservation. Backyard Birdfeeding loss, which in turn org/SignCAPetition.