SPEAKER SERIES Newsletter of the Marin Audubon Society. Vol. 60, No. 08 April 2018 Free and Open to the public Audubon Center 376 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon Information: 415/789-0703

THURSDAY, APRIL 12 7:30 PM Recovery of the Condor With Richard Neidhardt The MARIN AUDUBONRail SOCIETY Anchor-out Update USFWS California Condor

The recovery of California Condors from near-extinction is one of the inspiring stories of American conservation. Richard Neidhardt will describe the California Condor Recovery Project's past and present The two hundred anchor-outs work restoring populations of this in Richardson Bay have iconic raptor. He'll also share his damaged more than fifty personal experiences working as a acres of valuable eelgrass habitat. A new effort has volunteer with the condor program at begun to consider how to Pinnacles National Park. deal with the unauthorized

Richard Neidhardt was born and Robert Hinz boats. raised in South Carolina. He grew up on a lake, obsessed with everything pproximately 100 people attended discussion covered debris and derelict boat that crawled, hopped, slithered, the Richardson Bay Regional Agency removal. There were four or five voices swam or flew. This obsession has (RBRA) workshop on March 6 to hear supporting the need to remove occupied stayed with him throughout his Aa review from RBRA Executive Director, Beth anchor-out boats, which is more support than life. After a 40-year career as a Pollard, of the Opportunities and Challenges usual. Thank you to those supporters of the Bay. construction manager/estimator, report. There was a lively discussion ranging A summary will be produced and discussed Richard retired in 2009 and began from enforcing existing laws to modifying rules at the April 5 hearing date. It still feels like the volunteering with the Pinnacles approach is to attempt to modify or weaken the condor program in 2010. Richard is to allow for some permanent liveaboards in a board member of the Pinnacles the Bay, and then attendees were divided into restrictions on the length of stays required by National Park Foundation and serves groups to discuss specific topics. boats rather to enforce the existing laws. as the chair of the Pinnacles Condor The new Audubon California San Francisco Marin Audubon continues to be concerned Fund. He is also a board member of Bay Program Director, Rebecca Schwartz that boats moored in eelgrass beds not only the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. Lesberg, gave a preliminary overview of the damage the beds themselves, but coverage of Marin Audubon will host a results of a GIS analysis quantifying the the Bay by their permanent mooring makes it follow-up trip to Pinnacles National damage to eelgrass from the anchor-outs. impossible for birds that forage in bay waters Park to view the condors. Led by The data indicates that the damage from to use those areas of the beds. The moored Rusty Scalf, it will take place on the anchors attached to boats is worse than boats move on their anchors in circular motion Saturday April 14th. previously known—more than 50 acres have driven by the wind and tides and leave large been directly damaged. A 2013 survey found circular gaps in the eelgrass beds. 354 acres of eelgrass. Rebecca reminded the IN THIS ISSUE RBRA of the cost of eelgrass restoration, which HOW YOU CAN HELP President’s Message 2 would range from $50,000 to $100,000 per It is important again for folks to attend acre, if an entity were found liable. Although Field Trips 2 and 3 the upcoming RBRA meeting to speak out. the RBRA members seemed receptive to this Attend the next meeting on Thursday, April Conservation Report 4 information, members of the anchor-out 5, from 5 to 7 PM at Tiburon City Hall. Habitat Stewardship 6 community challenged the results and even Come and speak up for the birds and wild- criticized the survey methods. life by urging enforcement of existing laws Birdlog 7 There were valuable discussions in the to remove the anchor-outs from the Bay. break-out groups. The small-group enforcement

LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON APRIL 2018 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS All phone numbers are in the 415 area code President’s Message unless otherwise noted. Questions? Please By Barbara Salzman contact the appropriate Board member. President Barbara Salzman 924-6057 This past month has been busy with many our conservation and property acquisition. We Vice President Lowell Sykes 388-2821 activities focused on sea level rise and dealing began acquiring properties in 1999 and, before Secretary Everett Clark 789-9224 Treasurer Susan Winston 949/632-0908 with complaints about the aesthetics of our that, did restoration projects on properties Conservation Phil Peterson 828-4780 habitat restoration in Corte Madera. I had owned by public entities, Marin County Open Barbara Salzman 924-6057 meetings about our Tiscornia Marsh project Space District, California Department of Fish Field Trips Jane Medley 559/760-1551 with Chris Choo of the county BayWave staff, and Game and the Tamalpais Union School Membership William Legge 388-7883 with the Resilient by Design Bionic Team and District. Outreach Elyse Omernick 694-2320 with San Rafael’s new Community Services We’ve decided to raise our chapter Fundraising Everett Clark 789-9224 Director. I also attended Joint Venture and membership fee to $35 beginning in July of Speaker Series/Programs BCDC meetings focused on sea level rise. this year. Raising our dues a modest amount Susan Kelly 883-9505 See article on page 4. If any of our members will enable us to be more effective in our Special Projects Jude Stalker 680-6291 want more information about opportunities to conservation, habitat protection and restoration Nominating Bob Hinz, 383-8688 Editor, The Rail Bob Hinz, 383-8688 engage with others on the topic of sea level rise, work and bring you more of the programs and Website Susan Kelly 883-9505 let me know. field trips you enjoy and learn from. See page 5 Property Management Ed Nute 669-7710 Some residents of Corte Madera think for a more complete explanation. Publicity Barbara Freitas 924-7477 the new cyclone fence on our Corte Madera BAAC Reps Lowell Sykes 388-2821 property is ugly, and they don’t like the berm, MAS NEEDS YOU! Barbara Salzman 924-6057 either. The purpose of our project is to protect If you love birds, want to protect them and DIRECTORS MEETINGS the endangered California Ridgway’s Rail and want to help educate others about them, Meetings open to members. If you wish to habitat. In addition to providing high tide consider becoming an MAS Board Member. attend please call 924-6057. Contact a member of the Nominating 6:30 PM, First Tuesday of the month refugia habitat for Rails, the berm will support Committee: Chair Bob Hinz, Lowell Sykes or Richardson Bay Audubon Center vegetation that will be nesting, foraging and Susan Kelly. 376 Greenwood Beach Road cover habitat for other special status species, Tiburon, California 94920 including San Pablo Song Sparrow and MAS telephone: 721-4271 (for messages only) Common Yellowthroat. It’s curious that there JOIN US FOR THE NEXT PHASE Marin Audubon Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) are no reports of complaints about the maze OF OUR TISCORNIA NATURE-BASED organization. All memberships and contributions of cyclone fencing on adjacent property or ADAPTATION GRANT are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. about the cyclone fence on the south end of Walking Tour: Meet at the Pickleweed The Rail is published ten times a year by the Community Center on Saturday, April 21 Marin Audubon Society on 100% recycled the Bridge that visitors have to from 11 AM to 1 PM paper; edited by Bob Hinz [email protected], look right through to see the Bay. Undoubtedly 383-8688; assisted by other members of MAS; the explanation for the Bridge fencing would Community Meeting: Meet at Bahia Vista and designed by Studio NaCl (www.studionacl. be that it is to protect people. Our fence is to School on Thursday, April 26 from 6 to 8 com). Deadline is the first of each month. PM. Hear our engineers present options for protect wildlife and their newly restored habitat. addressing sea level rise by modifying the ©2018 Marin Audubon Society Our Board has initiated a process in which low levee and erosion of the marsh. Website: www.marinaudubon.org we will be taking a closer look at our program CORRECTION: The Tiscornia Marsh public Members can receive The Rail electronically meeting will be on April 26, NOT April 21 instead of a hard copy by emailing member- areas to ensure we understand our history and as was stated in last month’s newsletter. [email protected] current practices and are on the same page DONATIONS APPRECIATED! going forward. At our last meeting we looked at Marin Audubon Society welcomes gifts of funds, stock, or property, and bequests in general, or in honor or memory of someone. RETURN OF THE TERNS REGISTRATION OPENS: MARCH 27, 2018, 8:30 AM Gifts may be directed to any MAS project. Unspecified gifts of more than $500 will be placed in the Endowment Fund for conserva- Crab Cove Visitor Center accessible just once a year with limited space tion, the protection of wildlife species, and the costing $9 for Alameda County residents or preservation and enhancement of wildlife habi- Saturday, June 9, 2018 $11 for non-residents. Experts aboard the bus tats. Since MAS is an all-volunteer organization, 11 AM to 12 PM, 12:15 PM to 1:15 PM, or will interpret bird behavior. 100% of your donation goes to its projects. All 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED for the bus gifts are tax-deductible and will be acknowl- With East Bay Regional Parks District ride to this tern colony with REGISTRATION edged in The Rail, as well as personally on Join with other Marin Audubon members for OPENING ON March 27, 2018 at 8:30 AM. behalf of the Society. Checks should be made this special visit sponsored by the East Bay Three bus tours will be offered—11 AM, 12:15 out and mailed to: Marin Audubon Society, P.O. Regional Parks District to a nesting colony PM, and 1:30 PM. Marin Audubon members Box 599, Mill Valley, CA 94942. of the endangered California Least Terns in may wish to reserve spaces together on the Alameda. We will meet at the Crab Cove Visitor 11 AM tour but are free to reserve space on Center for a slide show illustrating the tern’s any of the three tours. Arrive an hour before the bus ride to view the slide show, then board MISSION STATEMENT long migration journey and fascinating behavior. This will be followed by a bus ride to the the bus at 11, 12:15, or 1:30 for the visit to To conserve and restore natural proposed Alameda National Wildlife Refuge to the tern colony. Gather after the tour for a view a nest site teeming with several hundred picnic lunch near the visitor center. Reserve ecosystems, focusing on birds pairs of terns and their chicks. To avoid your space on this unique tour at: https:// and other wildlife and their habitats, disturbing the endangered terns, visitors must apm.activecommunities.com/ebparks/ for the benefit of humanity and stay on the bus to view activity. The site is Activity_Search/return-of-the-terns/20818. the earth’s biological diversity.

2 THE RAIL LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON MAS FIELD TRIPS No need to sign up for one-day trips, just join us. Bring lunch, snacks, water, field guide, and binoculars. For information, Open to the public accessibility, and weather check: Jane Medley, 559/760-1551, [email protected]. CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST RECENT UPDATES.

THE PONDS AT THE LAS GALLINAS VALLEY phone number for each person interested in DIRECTIONS: Driving time to the Pinnacles SANITARY DISTRICT (LGVSD) participating in this boat trip. from Marin is approximately 2-1/2 to 3 hours. San Rafael We will enter the park from the east side, Thursday, April 5, 2018 PIPER PARK south of Hollister. Hwy 25 southward from 8:30 AM to noon Larkspur Hollister is recommended. Go through the town With Sande and Bob Chilvers Wednesday, April 11, 2018 of Hollister and continue about 30 miles to Beginning birders are especially welcome 8:30 to 11:30 AM Hwy 146. Turn right on Hwy 146. Turn left into on the first Thursday of each month for a With Rich Cimino & Janet Bodle the Pinnacles Campground to check in at the leisurely walk around the Las Gallinas ponds. This morning trip to Piper Park provides an Pinnacles Visitor Center (5000 CA-146, We will be searching for waterfowl, waders, opportunity for local birding during the early Paicines, CA) where we will meet. The park songbirds, raptors, and shorebirds. With days of spring migration. Located in Larkspur entrance fee is $15. You may wish to stay over- night in Gilroy or Hollister the night before. concerns about drought still foremost in our on Doherty Drive behind the Larkspur Police SIGN UP FOR THIS TRIP; contact Jane Medley minds, there were no complaints about our Station, Piper Park has a paved trail, making at [email protected]. We will limit the March trip being rained out. The Las Gallinas for an easy walk. We’ll bird a mix of pine, group to 15 people. trip is never boring, so perhaps you should oaks and ornamental trees, a wet meadow think about joining us this month. (sports field), and the Corte Madera tidal MUIR BEACH, REDWOOD CREEK AND We welcome bird enthusiasts of all levels. marsh. Join our group as we search this We all help each other to find and identify the SLIDE RANCH small urban park for a variety of resident and No. 4, Birding in Marin (BIM) Series birds, so come assist in our search. You don’t migratory birds. even have to arrive on time because we Saturday, April 21, 2018 spend the first 30-60 minutes studying the DIRECTIONS: From the north, take Hwy 101 8:30 AM to mid-afternoon birds around the first pond and the group is and exit at Lucky Dr. Turn left from Fifer Ave to With Jim White and Bob Battagin easy to find. Heavy rain cancels. Lucky Dr. and then turn right at the school Starting the morning at Muir Beach, we will onto Doherty Dr. Coming from the south, you scan the ocean where we usually find Pigeon DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 101, exit at Smith can exit on Tamalpais Dr., turn right onto Guillemots, Common Murres, Pelagic and Ranch Rd. Drive east on Smith Ranch Rd Magnolia Ave for one mile, turn right onto Brandt’s Cormorants, grebes, loons, and toward McInnis Park. Turn left immediately Doherty Dr, and look for the park on your left. Black Oystercatchers. We will check out the after crossing the railroad tracks and drive We will meet on the green area next to the restored riparian area at Muir Beach before about 0.5 mile through the LGVSD gates electric car charging stations on the left as you birding along Redwood Creek where we hope and into the parking lot at the end of the to hear the beautiful songs of Swainson’s road. Meet the group by the bridge just past enter the Piper Park parking area. Thrushes, Black-headed Grosbeaks and the parking lot. There is an outhouse in the PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK Pacific Wrens, along with Warbling Vireos, parking area for public use or you can use the San Benito County Wilson’s and Orange-crowned (perhaps even bathrooms at nearby McInnis Park. Saturday, April 14, 2018 MacGillivray’s) Warblers. OLOMPALI STATE HISTORIC PARK 9 AM to mid-afternoon Afternoon will find us at the Muir Beach Overlook before heading down to Slide Ranch Novato With Rusty Scalf with hopes of seeing a Wandering Tattler or Saturday, April 7, 2018 If you wish to participate in this field trip, Surfbird. We plan to walk three miles. Bring 9 AM to noon we highly recommend that you attend the bins, scopes, lunch, dress in layers and With Rich Cimino and Janet Bodle Marin Audubon Speaker Series on Thursday carpool if possible. Located on the east-facing slopes of 1,558 evening, April 12 (see page 1), which will DIRECTIONS: We will meet at the Muir Beach ft. Mount Burdell, the Olompali State Historic feature a presentation by Richard Neidhardt, parking lot. From Hwy 101 take the Mill Valley/ Park was continuously occupied by Coast founder of the Pinnacles Condor Fund, Hwy 1/Stinson Beach Exit. Follow the signs to Miwok from as early as 6000 B.C. until the now a part of the Pinnacles National Park Hwy 1 and then to Muir Beach. early 1850s. In addition to its historical Foundation. Richard’s evening program will prepare you for our Saturday field trip to be significance, the park’s oak woodlands and INDIAN VALLEY COLLEGE/INDIAN VALLEY led by his long-time friend Rusty Scalf. oak savannahs provide important habitats OPEN SPACE PRESERVE We will begin our day of birding with Rusty for a rich variety of birds. We will be watching Novato both for resident species as well as any at the Pinnacles Visitor Center (east side Saturday, April 22, 2018 - Earth Day recently arrived spring migrants such as of the Park) with an hour of birding in the 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Hooded Oriole, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and chaparral, riparian and gray pine woodland With Wendy Dreskin and Lucas Corneliussen Olive-sided Flycatcher. American Kestrel habitats. The group will then travel to Bear Once a part of the Pacheco family dairy and Barn Owl nest here, and an occasional Gulch (possibly by NPS shuttle) where we ranch, this 653-acre open space preserve Golden Eagle soars overhead. will hike 1.7 miles one way up the Condor was acquired in 1975. It is mostly oak/bay/ Gulch Trail to the observation area for condor DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 101 to the Atherton madrone woodland with two creeks and a Ave/San Marin Dr. exit in Novato. Head west, watching and lunch. We cannot guarantee a man-made pond. crossing over Hwy 101, then turn north onto condor sighting, but the likelihood of seeing Join Wendy and youth birder Lucas for Redwood Blvd to the park entrance on the one is good, possibly with the assistance of an Earth Day hike as we look and listen for west side of the highway. We will meet in the a condor tracker present in the observation spring migrants like Pacific-slope Flycatchers, large parking lot. Park day use fee is $8 per area. On our 2016 trip to this area with Rusty, Warbling Vireos, and Orange-crowned vehicle. Payment is by credit card only. There we were lucky to get lengthy close-up views of Warblers, as well as singing resident birds. is a portable toilet in the parking lot. four condors as well as distant views of four Wear sturdy hiking shoes and be prepared to additional condors. Super cool!! We will be hike for several miles. YOUTH BIRDERS ARE BOAT TRIP hiking through distinctive geological terrain ESPECIALLY WELCOME! Bring water, lunch, Departure/return in Petaluma formed by rhyolite volcanism. Geologists as MAS sunscreen, hat, and dress in layers. TRIP FULL – WAITLIST ONLY MEMBERS well as birders are invited to join us to see DIRECTIONS: Take Hwy 101 to the Ignacio Monday, April 9, 2018 ONLY and interpret this unique park feature. Blvd exit. Go west and follow Ignacio Blvd into 8:15 AM to 1:30 PM You must be in good hiking shape to the Indian Valley Community College campus. With Peter Colasanti participate in this trip. The Condor Gulch Trail Our hike starts from the athletic field near the Those confirmed on the trip will receive is quite steep and involves an elevation gain police station close to parking lot #3. You will directions to the Petaluma Turning Basin of approximately 1,100 feet. We will hike need to purchase a daily $4 parking permit at and other instructions prior to the trip. If approximately 4 – 5 miles total during the day. a parking permit dispenser, which will accept you wish to be placed on a wait list, please EACH PERSON IN THE GROUP MUST CARRY credit cards and exact change only. contact Jane Medley at janermedley@gmail. PLENTY OF WATER. Also, bring sunscreen, a com. Provide the name, email address, and hat, a lunch, and dress in layers. MORE FIELD TRIPS ON PAGE 2

LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON APRIL 2018 3 Conservation

Marin Audubon Conservation Committee reviews critical issues related to wildlife habitats and comments to cities, agencies, and other jurisdictions. To attend, phone Barbara Salzman at 415/924-6057.

SEA LEVEL RISE ACTIVITIES tool to outline Joint Venture priorities as well This month a UC Berkeley professor’s work as identify agencies and processes for Joint on subsidence and sea level rise threats to the Venture partners to engage. Marin Audubon is Bay Area received much attention in the press. a Joint Venture partner. Maps were published showing vulnerable The Resilient by Design Bionic Team areas. Marin County did this last year with working on San Rafael has been meeting the publication of BayWave, a vulnerability with community members, including MAS assessment that included maps and descriptions and MCL. They presented an array of very of sea level rise (SLR) risks for each community conceptual designs that included various along San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. options of moving communities and/or The Bay Conservation and Development businesses around and to higher ground. Commission’s “Adapting to Rising Tides” One alternative had a wider expanse of diked (ART) project has been conducting meetings marsh extending into the Bay from our with interested communities around the Bay to Tiscornia Marsh. They are interested in having address SLR. The project is based on the imme- information from hydrologists on our Tiscornia diate need to develop a more comprehensive Marsh design team (see below). regional understanding of threats posed by cli- Our own Nature-Based Sea Level Rise mate change and sea level rise across the Bay Adaptation Grant team has been hard at 13 Area and identify appropriate adaptation strate- work. We’ve met with Brenda Goeden of gies. So far, they have had three meetings, the BCDC, on regulatory implications of our last one in Novato. They will be meeting every various alternatives and with San Rafael’s 14 10 two to three months and reports are accessible new Community Services Director, Susan online. The ART Bay Area project will conduct Androdi-Wax, about designs for our levee as a regional vulnerability assessment of the trans- it would interface with a tiny city park. Our portation infrastructure, Priority Development consultants, Siegel Environmental, is nearing Areas and Priority Conservation Areas as the final version of memos on sediment supply identified in the Sustainable Communities and sources, and ESA is moving along on Strategy (ABAG’s Plan Bay Area), and vul- conceptual design alternatives. nerable and disadvantaged communities. In short, there are many efforts underway. Learn more at: www.adaptingtorisingtides. There are undoubtedly some I missed or that org/project/art-bay-area. Join or register for are focused on areas other than Marin. As updates here: www.adaptingtorisingtides.org/ recognized in the Joint Venture White Paper, art-bay-area-working-group-registration. while there are many efforts underway to Sea level rise is also being considered in the address sea level rise and increased flooding, Highway 37 discussions primarily as a result of the approach remains fragmented. If you input from the Baylands Group, which consists would like more information or to become of landowners (including MAS) organizations more involved with sea level rise issues, contact and regional scientific and environmental Barbara Salzman. MARIN AUDUBON PROPERTIES interests. The current focus of the efforts to 1. Petaluma Marsh 180 acres address the traffic congestion along 37 is no ANOTHER SPOTTED OWL NEST SITE 2. Bahia 60 acres longer on a toll road (although the toll road AT RISK 3. Simmons Slough 144 acres has not gone away) but is on modifications The latest threat to nest sites for Northern 4. Norton Avenue Pond 4 parcels that can be made in the short term, like a bus Spotted owls in Marin County is from a 5. Black Point Parcels 2 parcels route, and roundabouts and realignment of the private home proposed for a property adjacent 6. Arroyo San Jose 2 parcels interchanges to make for more efficient passage, to a NSO nest in Larkspur. The owners are 7. Tidelands at 34 acres Murphy’s Rock and on alignments that address environmental proposing to demolish much of the existing 8. Corte Madera Marsh 1.8 acres constraints and sea level rise in the long-term. structure, construct a new house that is almost 9. Triangle Marsh 31 acres At the last MTC Workshop with Baylands twice the size of the existing house, cut down 10. San Clemente Creek 4.34 acres Group members, the message was heard loud two redwood trees (6 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 11. Tiscornia Marsh 20 acres and clear that an alignment that gets 37 out of 9 inches in circumference), possibly damage 12. Arroyo Corte Madera 2 acres the baylands to the maximum extent possible other redwoods during construction, exceed the del Presidio needs to be considered. allowable floor area ratio and obtain a variance 13. Cal Park <1 acre A sub-committee of the San Francisco Bay to exceed the parking requirements. 14. Corte Madera Ecological 5.2 acres Joint Venture has been hard at work producing The city staff attempted to address the Reserve Expansion Site a White Paper on Sea Level Rise. The White project as Categorically Exempt under CEQA, Paper is intended to be used as an advocacy apparently not recognizing CEQA Exemption

4 THE RAIL LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON 15300.2 “A categorical exemption shall pointed out the CEQA difficulties and that Membership Fee not be used for an activity where there is a an Initial Study is required. The Commission Increase for Chapter- reasonable possibility that the activity will have voted to continue the project to a date a significant effect on the environment due uncertain. Commissioners generally seemed to Supporting Members to a special circumstance.” The presence of a agree that that additional information should We want to inform Chapter nest site for a fully protected species certainly be acquired. Following up after the hearing, Supporting Members that we will be qualifies as a special circumstance. we learned that the city intends to require an increasing our individual annual mem- One hearing has been held before the Initial Study be prepared in compliance with bership fee from $25 to $35 per Planning Commission during which MAS CEQA. annum from July 1, 2018 onwards. We do not take this decision lightly. The increase reflects Marin Audubon’s growing expenses of main- taining our programs and properties. How Climate Change is Impacting Local Birds The increase will better ensure our continued strong advocacy work and How We Can Help including funding for scientific and legal input when needed, enable us By Susan Kelly to expand our field trip, speaker series and workshops and maintain Dr. Wendy Schackwitz, Executive Director • Create bird-friendly habitat in your yard. and restore the land that we own and of Napa-Solano Audubon, recently gave an The average American yard does not provide protect in Marin. excellent presentation about birds and climate This is Marin Audubon’s first much for birds to eat; instead, exotic “pest-free” change to a large audience at our monthly increase in membership fees ever plants dominate the landscaping industry. Yet speaker series. She began by providing an and it will bring our individual these habitats are critical for birds and can be Chapter Supporting Membership overview of the science behind the greenhouse fees in line with the individual mem- gas effect, then discussed National Audubon’s improved by replacing non-native plants with native species. bership fees of the neighboring study, “Birds and Climate Change Report,” Golden Gate Audubon and Santa and finished by sharing ideas about how we Our native birds have evolved with native Clara Audubon chapters. However, can help birds in our areas. In particular, she plants, and the natives provide both resident we will maintain the $25 individual discussed the importance of native plants and and migrating birds what they need, when they annual membership fee for seniors need it, all year long. Natives generally require (those aged 65 years old and above) displayed beautiful photos of native gardens. and for students (aged 18 years or Dr. Schackwitz explained that scientists less water and pesticide use, and, perhaps most younger). We are very fortunate that from National Audubon analyzed the important of all, they support pollinating more than fifty percent of current observations of thousands of birdwatchers insects, often dramatically better than non- Chapter-Supporting Members already (including Christmas Bird Count data) and natives. Since all but 4% of land birds feed contribute in excess of $35 in information from leading climate scientists annual membership fees for which insects to their chicks, this is critical. we are truly grateful. and concluded that the message birds are Native plants and insects co-evolved over Thank you for your past support. telling is “stark and clear”: about 50% of millions of years and 90% of the insects that Your support for this increase will North American bird species are seriously eat plants can only eat the native plants with enable MAS to continue our important habitat protection and restoration threatened by climate change. You can read which they co-evolved. To illustrate this, Dr. this report at www.audubon.org/climate. work and for furthering our advocacy Schackwitz described a scientific study that With Wendy leading the charge, Napa- of birds and wildlife in Marin. was done on the East Coast to determine Solano Audubon interpreted this study with a focus on California species in four how chickadees used natives vs. non-natives. THANKS FOR YOUR DONATIONS ecoregions: the Central Valley, the Mojave A chickadee pair brings 390-570 caterpillars and Sonoran Deserts, the Sierra Nevada, and to the nest per day, amounting to over 9000 Judy Ardzrooni, Autodesk Foundation, caterpillars over the 16 days from hatching to Marjorie Belknap, John Crawford, the California Coast. Entitled “California Leslie Ellison, Fonseca Data Science Birds in a Changing Climate, 170 Species at fledging. The study found that native oaks host Inc., Gena Galenski, Google Matching Risk” you can download this report in PDF over 550 species of caterpillars while Ginkgo, a Gifts Program, Elizabeth Graham, format (free of charge) on their website: www. commonly planted landscaping tree from Asia, Greg Haskins, Valerie Hetherington, napasolanoaudubon.com/Main/Climate. supports only 5 species of caterpillars. Robert & Karen Kustel, William Lary, Among our most endangered bird species Mardi Leland, Lincoln Financial Dr. Schackwitz concluded with a discussion Foundation, Inc. (donor match), are Burrowing Owls, Swainson’s Hawks, Allen’s of tools that can be helpful in choosing native Rockwell Lowe, Robert & Sandra Hummingbirds, and Black Oystercatchers. plants for your area, including National Mauceli, Sharon McCloskey, Cynthia For example, the breeding range of the Allen’s Audubon’s Native Plants Database (www. Meigs, Nancy C. Merritt, Network for Good (donations), Elizabeth Onesto, Hummingbird, along the coast of California audubon.org/native-plants). Enter your zip and Oregon, is quite small and could shrink by PG&E Corporation Foundation (donor code and email address and you’ll receive a match), Noah Pollaczek, Retirement 68% by 2050 and 93% by 2080. Unless they suggested plant list that includes the birds Capital Strategies, Sonoma Country can expand into new territories, the species that will be attracted to each plant. Napa Antiques (In memory of E. Judson may not make it. Weller), The Seelenfreund Family Solano Audubon also provides a native So, what can we do to help? Take action! Fund, Cameron Torcassi, United plant chooser, along with a list of Bay Area Healthcare Group (donor match), • Become a Citizen Scientist nurseries that specialize in native plants www. United Way California Capital Region • Reduce your carbon footprint napasolanoaudubon.com/Main/NativePlants. (donor match), Jerald & Sharon Young

LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON APRIL 2018 5 Habitat Stewardship HABITAT STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM BAHIA Some of the invasive plants still remain and Now that the rainfall situation On volunteer workdays in February and March another day’s work will be needed. has greatly improved, the warmer Jude Stalker’s crews removed Harding Grass weather that is soon to follow will If you are interested in helping, please accelerate the blooming season and radish. The work of volunteers and hired contact Jude Stalker, [email protected] for for many plants, both native and crews during previous years has been rewarded information on the time and place for the next non-native. Radish, mustard and with a noticeable reduction in this year’s radish work day. French broom are already blooming, population. and thistles will start flowering TRIANGLE MARSH very soon. Pulling them now will be CORTE MADERA RESERVE SITE On a showery first Saturday of March volunteers relatively easy. We don’t have a big Jude Stalker and volunteer crew began this year’s persisted long enough to remove weeds, mostly population of broom but old seeds non-native invasive sea lavender (Limonium thistles, Harding grass and various other non- are still germinating to produce ramosissimum) removal effort at the Corte some seedlings every year-probably Madera Ecological Reserve. The group consisted native grasses, from the sheet-mulched area where for many years to come. of folks from the Greenbrae Boardwalk and stu- purple needlegrass and yarrow were planted Act locally and join us on a dents from the Mark Day School in San Rafael. this winter. The substantial March rains will be workday. Come out into the early invaluable in allowing the needlegrass, yarrow spring air. Witness restoration first- All went well and the group removed several hand and be a part of it. We all hundred plants from the area that is north and and all the other new plantings on MAS’s proper- make a difference. east of the Marin Audubon restoration area. ties to establish themselves before the summer. We have the tools, gloves and snacks. We generally work until about 1 PM, but even an hour is valuable help. Everyone is welcome. Protecting the Corte Madera Restoration Bring a friend. March 19 must have been a slow news day— needs of wildlife and designing marshes. VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS the IJ chose to print a front-page article about But some do not want to wait to see what Triangle Marsh, East Corte Madera: complaints from a few Corte Madera residents this property looks like when it matures. They about fencing at our Corte Madera marsh First Saturdays: April 7, May 5 want it to be the way they want, right now, Meet at 10 AM on Paradise restoration project. Yes, we installed a cyclone according to their standards. Some want a split- Drive directly across from the main fence for the specific purpose of keeping people rail fence such as is on the north boundary of Ring Mountain trailhead near the from walking through the formerly well-used the property. With a split-rail fence along the Montessori School. western boundary of our property. We needed western boundary, the split rails would bisect Bahia, Novato: to ensure this boundary was blocked to the the view and the fence would be too low to keep Monthly workdays are continuing but maximum extent possible because for many people out. Agile folks would just leap over it. on a more irregular schedule. If you years people used it to access the Ecological The photo on the front page of the IJ would like to help, please contact Reserve marsh. They walked their dogs, misrepresents the current condition. The fence Jude at [email protected]. sometimes on-leash, more often not, and is not “in your face” as the photo suggests. The Invasive Limonium Removal, various many times allowed their dogs to run through photographer and subject had to walk off the locations: the marsh and after wildlife. People would fly SMART-owned trail to stand next to the fence. For information on the dates and model airplanes and drones, ride bikes, walk locations to pull invasive Limonium The fence is actually 50+ feet from the public and run, set up encampments, and traipse trail. from high tide areas, please contact through the site to kiteboard on the Bay. Given We created a viewing area specifically for the Jude at [email protected]. its history of access misuse, the restoration public to see the marsh. From this overlook, area needs a secure fence to best ensure people THANK YOU TO OUR people have a full, unobstructed, view of the STEWARDSHIP VOLUNTEERS cannot follow their previous paths, disturb marsh and its wildlife from the north. We are Debbie Ablin, Bob Bundy, Katharine wildlife and destroy habitat. keeping vegetation low so people can see over it. Cagney, Dave Chenoweth, Ross The purpose of the project is to restore Flewelling, Bob Hinz, Jennifer habitat primarily for the endangered Ridgway’s The project was designed to ensure the most Hitchcock, Gerry & Martha Jarocki, Rail. We have created berms on all of our protected habitat for the Ridgway’s Rail. This is Sandra Marburg, Sharon McCloskey, marsh restoration projects at Triangle Marsh, private property and we purchased it to restore Lucas Metzger, Flinn Moore Bahia and Petaluma. Berms serve important habitat for the rails, not to provide a public Rauck, Jude Stalker, Lowell Sykes, purposes. They form a transition zone where park or to please everyone in the community. Thomas Ullman, Marla Ulrich, Kenji We would be irresponsible to agency funders Yamamoto endangered rails can hide from predators, buffer impacts from adjacent uses, buffer sea and all of our donors, and to the endangered level rise and enable us to use the material species, if we did not take all steps necessary to excavated from the marsh. The berm will protect the evolving habitat. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS compact and subside over time. According to In time the vegetation will grow up and Margaret Baer, Richard DiLuzio, the UC professor recently quoted in the press, block access more naturally, as it has at our Tamara Fehrenbacher, Valerie all lands around the bay are subsiding. In time, Triangle Marsh property. Then, we can Hetherington, Dale Kuhn, Rockwell vegetation will grow and obscure the fence. reevaluate the situation. We cannot let the Lowe, Patricia Mahoney, Cynthia A. To design our projects, we depend on profes- complaints of a few residents hold sway over Meigs, Kurt Rademacher, Dede sional engineers and biologists and on granting the ever more vital task of protecting habitat Sabbag and permitting agencies experienced with the for Marin’s endangered species.

6 THE RAIL LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON Marin Birdlog: February 2018 Birding in Marin By Noah Arthur Turns Five To non-birders in coastal California, February By Jim White may be the dullest, rainiest, and gloomiest month of the year, but for us birders it is populated with Birding in Marin, Marin such things as northern gulls, ducks, loons, and Audubon’s monthly local birding grebes. This February, theArctic Loon at Abbotts field trip series led by Bob Lagoon continued through the 20th (RS), and Battagin and me, entered its fifth some other nice deep-winter waterfowl included a season with our usual, modest Long-tailed Duck and 8-10 Red-necked Grebes goal of finding and sharing 200 on on the 3rd (DW). species. In our first four years, Much more unexpected for late winter was a we have witnessed an astonishing Palm Warbler

at Las Gallinas on the 8th, likely G. Schechter Greg total of 240 species! We try to wintering in the area. The continuing Eurasian Glaucous Gull, first-cycle point out the distinguishing Green-winged Teal was also still present there features and get everyone a view (BB). of each species. We hope that our Rare gulls aren’t often reported in Marin, which (except larger goals of sharing the beauty during herring spawns) is a surprisingly poor gulling area and diversity of nature to inspire for a coastal county, with no good places to consistently find caring for our planet have been as large numbers of loafing gulls. However, a stunning 1st-cycle successful. Glaucous Gull flew by (north of Muir Beach) on a We visit many of the windy Feb. 11th, flying north into the wind with other gulls exceptional parks and preserves (DK). It’s quite possible that winter gull-watching at points in Marin throughout the seasons. along our outer coast—especially during or just after foul Many fine folks, ranging from weather, when large numbers of gulls are pushed in close to beginning to advanced birders, shore and can be seen flying by at close range—will turn up join us, and we have had the more rarities. pleasure of the company of several A very early Rufous Hummingbird was caught and banded youngsters on some trips. If you at the Palomarin Field Station on the 12th (MD). care to join us, we meet at 8:30

Andy Reago and Chrissy McLarren Reago Andy Two more waterfowl rarities were a Redhead on Corte AM on the third Saturday of each Rufous Hummingbird Madera Creek on the 13th (LS), and an even rarer female month. We usually bird until Tufted Duck at on the 14th, seen mid-afternoon (Staying for the along with modest numbers of Greater and Lesser Scaup and thousands of Canvasback (LH, entire trip is not mandatory.). JM). Another Long-tailed Duck was off in the on the 22nd (WL). Mark your calendar now with the dates and destinations for Observers and Acronyms BB: Bob Battagin, DE: Durrell Kaplan, DS: David Sexton, DW: David Wimpfheimer, remaining 2018 BIM trips. EC: Everett Clark, JM: Janet McGarry, LH: Lisa Hug, LS: Langdon Stevenson, WL: William Legge 2018 Birding in Marin Schedule with Jim and Bob march 10 field trip 04/21 Muir Beach, Redwood Bodega Bay Creek, Slide Ranch By Gene Hunn 05/19 Mount Burdell, Stafford Lake or Rush Creek On March 10 a dozen or so birders joined me for a field trip around Bodega Bay. The weather 06/16 Five Brooks/Bear Valley was excellent for birding, cool with a low 07/21 Big Rock/Las Gallinas overcast. Highlights included a number of species 08/18 Limantour/Muddy

developing their fancy alternate plumage, Tuffli Miles Hollow including Common Loons, Horned, Red- Ruddy Turnstone 09/15 Drakes Beach/Fish necked, and Eared Grebes, and Pelagic and Docks/Outer Brandt’s Cormorants. We spotted our first of We found eight Snowy Plovers on the outer season Pigeon Guillemots off Bodega Head, beach at Doran and three Ruddy Turnstones at 10/20 Abbotts Lagoon Spotted Sandpiper several pairs in alternate plumage. Search as we The Tides (with a single ). 11/17 Las Gallinas/Hamilton might we could not locate the Rock Sandpiper A male Allen’s Hummingbird performed his Wetlands there, but we did study several Surfbirds at pendulum display for us at the Rail Ponds. close range, enjoyed the Black Oystercatcher A lone male Cinnamon Teal at the entrance 12/01 Bahia/Rush Creek (early performance, and watched a pair of Peregrine ponds at the base of Doran Spit was somewhat date due to CBCs) Falcons patrolling the cliffs. unusual at this location.

LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON APRIL 2018 7 SAVE THE DATE May 3 Field Trip: Las Gallinas With Sande & Bob Chilvers May 4 Field Trip: China Camp With Matt Perry May 6 Field Trip: King Ridge Road With Jeff Miller May 10 Field Trip: Bird Songs at Five Brooks With Lisa Hug May 12 Field Trip: Pine Flat Road With Lisa Hug May 13 Mother’s Day Picnic at Martin Griffin Preserve With Marin Audubon Society May 14 Field Trip: Marin Art & Garden Center With Meryl Sundove & Roger Harris May 17 Field Trip: Bird Songs at Big Rock With Lisa Hug Check website for updates and details

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8 APRIL 2018 LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON