Greater Sage-Grouse Alan Krakauer

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Volume 58, Number 2 October 2012 Greater Sage-Grouse ✦ Alan Krakauer Sage-grouse breeding congregations, or leks, are one of the great marvels of nature. Imagine waiting in a blind with the howls of coyotes and songs of open country birds drifting down the cold pre-dawn air. Suddenly staccato wing beats herald the daily arrival of male sage-grouse. The lek comes alive with all manner of sounds—swishes, coos, whistles, pops, guttural clacking from the males, along with quacks and whines from the females. As the sky lightens, you can finally see the action: males looking like alien ambassadors, inflat- ing their vocal sacs and flashing white breast feathers, confronting other males on territory boundaries and battling with their wings. All the while, the much smaller females wander Greater Sage-Grouse. Photos by Alan Krakauer. through the commotion like shoppers at a Davis will introduce us to some of the work bazaar, assessing each male in turn in their he and his collaborators have been undertak- Ornithology. He also worked as a field biolo- search for Mr. Right. ing to answer some of these questions. For gist in Guam and Venezuela before moving For decades, animal behaviorists have example, new recording technology has led to the Bay Area in 1998 to start graduate been studying the male displays and female to the discovery of “two-voiced” vocaliza- school at the University of California Berkeley. mating patterns of sage-grouse, yet many tions that previous researchers had assumed Although the allure of studying birds in the mysteries persist. Females seem to attend to were the overlap of multiple males’ calls on a tropics was strong for him, Alan turned his at- the sounds that males make during court- busy lek. Males also make sounds by rubbing tention to a fascinating local species, the Wild ship; however, sage-grouse are a complicated feathers together, yet seem to do this in a way Turkey. He spent several years at UC Berke- “instrument”, and we still have a lot to learn unique to birds. ley’s Hastings Natural History Reservation about the ways males make sound. Dr. Alan Unfortunately sage-grouse are more often in upper Carmel Valley, observing turkeys Krakauer from the University of California in the news these days due to the many threats and collecting DNA samples to unravel the to their declining populations. Among the mysteries of the turkey’s social system. His challenges faced by the birds is development study of cooperation among males is now Meeting Schedule in sage-brush habitat. The birds can fare featured in several textbooks for ornithology poorly in areas with intensive energy devel- and animal behavior. Alan is now a lecturer The next general meeting of and project scientist at UC Davis, and has Mount Diablo Audubon Society opment, but what is less clear is what aspects been working there since receiving his Ph.D. will be Thursday, October 4, in of the development are responsible for these the Camellia Room of The Gardens population declines. Alan will describe an in 2005. He has published close to twenty at Heather Farm, Walnut Creek. impressive three-year experiment that shows scientific articles and book chapters. 7:00 pm Birding Information noise from development can cause a range of BIRDING INFORMATION 7:25 pm Announcements problems for this species. 7:40 pm Refreshments,* raffle Brian Murphy will talk about why it is Alan is originally from the east coast 8:05 pm Speaker: Alan Krakauer so difficult to see Wood Ducks in our local (North Carolina and Virginia) and received * Please remember to bring a cup. wooded creeks and what we are going to his B.S. from Cornell University. During his Thursday, November 1: do to change that. Saturday, October 6th Jack Barclay: Galapagos studies he was fortunate to work with bird biologists at the famed Cornell Laboratory of Continued on Page 2 » DEDICATED TO HABITAT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION the Quail —1— October 2012 President’s Corner By Jimm Edgar Welcome back to the new fall season Society have teamed up in the “Cats Indoors” Welcome for MDAS. Our first meeting on September campaign to protect both birds and cats. (Cats 6 was well attended and our speaker was that are outside do not live anywhere as long New Members extremely interesting. His talk about the com- as indoor cats)} I hope they have an impact. Dolores Butkus Walnut Creek plexity of bird song was just fascinating. Also, Then, to add more to the problem I read Jolynn Lacasse Pittsburg Dia DeRose, our first recipient of the Jean this article in the Wall Street Journal in June, Richmond scholarship award spoke during 2012. The title was “Dousing lights to save birding information. She attended a birding birds.” The lights spoken of are the red lights Mount Diablo camp near Yuba Pass this summer. She did a on communication towers and it is estimated great job and had a wonderful week. that there are 84,000 towers in North Ameri- Audubon Joins I think all of you ca. It is estimated that Watershed Council every year 6.8 million know how tough it is Mount Diablo Audubon has joined with birds are killed when for all of our birds to Save Mount Diablo, Muir Heritage Land they hit these towers. get through life and Trust, East Bay Regional Park District and They are drawn to it seems to be getting other organizations as a member of the the red lights during tougher. I cut an ar- newly formed Walnut Creek Watershed night migration and ticle out of a magazine Council, a voluntary, non-regulatory group either hit the tower a couple of years ago that supports a healthy and sustainable or wires or fly around entitled “The trouble Walnut Creek watershed. The Council's and around the tower with cats.” Again, I task is to work to protect and enhance Sketch by Meg Sandri light until they die think all of us know the watershed and to facilitate actions from exhaustion. 70% what an impact cats that increase awareness of the watershed, of the deaths occur on about 2% of the tallest have on bird populations. It is estimated implement watershed projects and serve as towers. The good news is that if the red lights that in the US and Canada 1 billion birds a forum for sharing information and activi- are blinking, which are just as visible to pilots, are killed each year by cats! Now Bettie and ties that affect the watershed. I have a wonderful cat, Frida, but she never the birds leave almost immediately. Good There are currently more than 25,000 goes outside. We have three or four cats in our news on that front. acres in the Walnut Creek watershed that neighborhood that I see often and I know that The article in the WSJ showed these are owned and managed by various entities they have killed birds. The article I read said a grim figures: deaths of birds per year: cats, for open space purposes. This represents New Zealand study determined eight species 1B; buildings and windows, 1B; power lines, more than a quarter of all the space within of birds had become extinct in New Zealand 130M; hunting, 120M; pesticides, 67M; cars, the watershed. The open space areas pro- and another 40 species eliminated. Feral cats 60M; towers, 6.8M; wind turbines, 400,000; tect and preserve habitat value, riparian are probably the most devastating, but our airplanes, 25,000. vegetation, wildlife corridors, aesthetic pets do damage also. Some say a bell on a cat Sorry to start our year out with some grim vistas, stormwater quality and storage, and or well fed cats do not kill wildlife, but stud- news, but know that Audubon is in the middle recreational opportunities. More acreage is ies confirm they do. The article said that the of all of this trying to make an impact. Your added each year and The Watershed Coun- American Bird Conservancy and the Humane membership and support make a difference. cil provides an overview of the open space areas in the watershed. Birding Information » Continued from Page 1 is Walnut Creek Com- This species is restricted munity Service Day and in its range to the State of we have a project to in- Q California, although a few stall eight Wood Duck are also reported in Baja. boxes around the pond The juvenile female bird at Heather Farm Park. resembles its father—not its mother. Wood Ducks should be Unscramble these letters, or turn to returning to the pond Page 6 to learn more. to nest in the spring. On ACDEEKLLNOOPRSTTUW the large pond, Wood Ducks are less nervous and people should have The Quail is published monthly except the opportunity to enjoy January and August by Mount Diablo Audubon Society, P.O. Box 53, Walnut watching them at that Creek, CA 94597-0053. The Quail is printed location. on 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper. Mother and ducklings The deadline for the November issue is October 9. the Quail —2— October 2012 the 51st Street entrance to Meeker Slough in Richmond. SL, 8/25. By Maury Stern Observations On 8/17, HH saw an unusual Ameri- can Kestrel in the area of Heather Farm. Submit Contra Costa County sightings to A Wood Duck was seen by a group led A Black-necked Stilt was at the base of [email protected] or (925) 284-5980 or by DW on 9/4 at Upper San Leandro Res- the Lafayette Dam on 9/1. MS. send to EBB [email protected]. If ervoir. Fifty-two Greater Yellowlegs were at you report sightings to eBird, please also AL saw 4 Blue-winged Teal at the Iron the Iron House area in Oakley 9/9. AL. send to Maury Stern. House Sanitary Ponds on 9/9. Red Knot was at Meeker Slough 8/24, SL, Q On 8/25 SHu saw young Wild Turkey and 8/31 at Ferry Point in Pt. Richmond, TB. AL saw 44 Long-billed Dowitchers at The major event of the month was at poults that were smaller than a tennis ball Iron House 9/9. Vollmer Peak about a quarter mile from the near his Alamo home. staging area near the steam trains when BF Ten American White Pelicans were at Red-necked Phalarope was at Iron House 9/8, JR, and 9/9, AL. found a Green-tailed Towhee. While arriv- Upper San Leandro Reservoir 9/4. DW ing at the staging area people began seeing The Green Heron youngsters watched A first Eurasian Collared-Dove was up to 20 Red Crossbills feeding on the co- by HH at Heather Farm Pond continued along the Contra Costa Canal near Heath- nifer cones in the parking lot. 8/20. EL saw one at Martinez Shoreline. er Farm on 9/4. FS. Several Rufous Hummingbirds were There was also a two-day visit in Mor- Two Golden Eagles flew by Vollmer in KF’s yard in Brickyard Landing in Point aga of an adult male Baltimore Oriole. LS Peak on 9/6. BM. Richmond on 9/3. 8/18. A hatch-year Peregrine Falcon was at Continued on Page 7 » Duck Stamps and Audubon Action Mount Diablo Audubon Society advo- IN THE HOUSE OF cates purchase of Migratory Bird Hunting REPRESENTATIVES and Conservation Stamps as a responsible H. R. 3009 way of contributing to conservation of To amend the National Wildlife habitat for birds. Commonly called Duck Refuge System Administration Act of Stamps, this national program funds the 1966 to require that any new national acquisition of additional lands for National wildlife refuge may not be established Wildlife Refuges. except as expressly authorized by At our September meeting, 16 members statute. bought stamps. Stamps will also be available Be it enacted by the Senate and at the October meeting. As an incentive for The first Duck Stamp was issued in 1934, House of Representatives of the your support of wetlands, MDAS includes showing a drawing of Mallards by Jay N. "Ding" United States of America in Congress an optional plastic key chain to display your Darling, whose idea it was to sell stamps for assembled, stamp and to use as an identification tag for the purchase of wetlands. Sales of Federal Duck SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. your binoculars. There may not be a better Stamps have generated more than $750 mil- This Act may be cited as the `Na- or easier way for everyone to make a dif- lion to purchase or lease over 6 million acres of tional Wildlife Refuge Review Act of ference for wildlife conservation. wetlands habitat in the United States. 2011'. So here's the dilemma: The National SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON ES- Wildlife Refuge System, a cornerstone of http://www.audubonaction.org and click on TABLISHMENT OF NEW NATION- bird conservation in America, is facing an Congress Attacks National Wildlife Refuges AL WILDLIFE REFUGES. unprecedented attack. Since 1903, National HR 3009 is a blatant attempt to halt (a) In General- Section 4(a) of the Wildlife Refuges have been created both by any growth of the Refuge System and is National Wildlife Refuge System Ad- the President and by Congress, but a new retroactive from September 30, 2011: under ministration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. bill would change all that. HR 3009 would this law the newly established Everglades 668dd(a)) is amended by adding at the make it impossible for the President to es- Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge would end the following: tablish new refuges. That's a huge problem, cease to be a refuge. '(6) The Secretary may not es- because the Executive branch—including Please urge your U.S. Representative to tablish any national wildlife refuge every President since Theodore Roosevelt— vote NO on HR 3009. Your member of Con- except as expressly authorized by a has established 90 percent of all refuges. gress needs to hear your opposition to this law enacted after September 30, 2011.' National Audubon has asked that you ill-conceived plan that would undermine (b) Existing Refuges Not Affected- write to your U.S. Representative today and the entire National Wildlife Refuge System The amendment made by subsection voice your support for our National Wildlife and its many benefits to birds, wildlife, and (a) shall not apply with respect to any Refuges. Your letters right now are criti- American communities. national wildlife refuge established on cal, and Audubon makes it easy for you at Buy Duck Stamps! or before September 30, 2011. the Quail —3— October 2012 Field Trip Schedule By Hugh Harvey October 6-7 Saturday-Sunday . . Monterey Bay Pelagic Birding Weekend ➊ – Wednesday, October 10 10 Wednesday...... Berkeley Emeryville Shoreline Berkeley–Emeryville Shoreline 13 Saturday...... Hawk Hill Leader: Eugenia Larson, 806-0644. 27 Saturday...... Abbott's Lagoon November Carpool leaves at 8:00 am from El Nido Ranch Road. Meet 10 Saturday...... Southeast Solano Raptors and More at 8:30 am in the parking lot at the north end of the Emeryville 13 Tuesday...... McNabney Marsh/Mountain View Sanitary Marina. Take SR 24 to I-580 west, turn north onto I-80. Take 17 Saturday...... Limantour Powell Street exit, turn left on Powell, go out to Emeryville December Marina, park in last lot near pier. May be cold and windy, dress 1 Saturday...... Charleston Slough/South Bay in layers. Loons, grebes, bay ducks and shorebirds.. 8-9 Saturday-Sunday ...... Sacramento Refuges 13 Thursday...... Niles Area 18 Tuesday...... East County Christmas Count ➋ Saturday, October 13 22 Saturday...... Central County Christmas Count Hawk Hill Leader: Fred Safier, 937-2906. ➋ Saturday-Sunday, October 6‒7 Carpool leaves El Nido Ranch Road at 8:00 am. Meet in Monterey Bay Pelagic Weekend parking lot upper Rodeo Lagoon at 9:15 am. From southbound Leader: Terry Colborn, [email protected], 530-758-0689. US 101 take last Sausalito exit, Alexander Avenue, just before the Golden Gate Bridge. From San Francisco, pass the Vista This trip was first announced last April for Mount Diablo, Point and take the Alexander Avenue exit. On west side of Ohlone and Yolo Audubon chapters. The weekend will feature freeway, turn left toward the Marin Headlands and go up a Saturday pelagic trip. Sunday will consist of land birding the hill (Conzelman Road); at the intersection go right and at a variety of possible locales including Carmel River State down hill (McCullough Road). Turn left at the stop sign onto Beach, Moss Landing, Moonglow Dairy, Elkhorn Slough Bunker Road and continue to the parking lot on the right just and others. The cost is $95 for the boat trip. All 25 spaces before the bridge. We will bird the lagoons before going up have been booked well in advance. There is a waiting list. to the hawk watch site. At noon the staff gives a talk on their work and usually demonstrates the actual banding. Car- Come birding with us! ry lunch and liquids. The walk up the hill Field trips are open to members and non-members, beginners is only a few hundred and advanced birders, but not dogs. Weather or other contingen- cies may require changes. For updates, visit the MDAS website at yards, but it is steep. www.diabloaudubon.com/index.php. Phone area codes are 925 unless specified otherwise. Because most trips do not return until River Otters at late afternoon, bring a lunch and drink and join us during our Rodeo Lagoon midday break. Category ➊: Easy, little or no walking, smooth paths Category ➋: Moderate, one mile +, possibly rough terrain ➌ Saturday, October 27 Category ➌: Difficult, extensive walking on rough terrain. Abbott's Lagoon Our Mount Diablo Audubon Chapter is a conservation Leader: Gary Fregien, 916-708-0636. organization. As such, we encourage members to consider Carpool leaves Sun Valley at 7:00 am. Meet at 8:30 am meeting at the carpool point to pick up or ride with others. at Bear Valley Visitor Center, Point Reyes National Seashore. It is important that given the cost of gasoline, those who ride From I-80 in Vallejo, follow SR 37 19.1 miles to Atherton with others offer to pay some of this cost. Don’t forget about Avenue, exit and turn left, cross US 101 to San Marin Drive any bridge tolls or park entry fees on some of our longer and continue for 3 miles. Turn right on Novato Blvd for 6 trips. Carpool locations: El Nido Ranch Road—Exit SR 24 miles to stop sign, then turn left on Point Reyes-Petaluma at St. Stephens Drive east of Orinda. El Nido Ranch Road Road for 7 miles to another stop sign. Turn right across the is parallel to and north of the freeway. Park just east of the bridge, go 3 miles to SR 1. Turn left into Point Reyes Station. intersection with St. Stephens Drive. Sun Valley—Southwest After a stop at the Bovine Bakery for coffee and pastries, corner of the Sun Valley Mall parking lot at Willow Pass Road continue out of town towards Olema, then turn right onto and Contra Costa Boulevard in Concord. Bear Valley Road. Visitor Center is off Bear Valley. Be pre- pared to carry lunch and liquids. Lots of walking in sand. the Quail —4— October 2012 Trip Reports Fund-raiser for Native Bird Connections Bodega Bay, August 18. Warm sun, fog Native Bird Connections (NBC) is vital All of the proceeds from this first-ever and wind, just what one might expect at to the on-going success of Mount Diablo rummage sale and feeder cleaning will go Bodega Bay at any time. Many birds were Audubon's No Child Left Inside program, to NBC. You are invited to participate by: seen across the harbor from The Tides, which reaches hun- 1. Donating sal- our starting point, so our group of 11 dreds of school chil- able items that may birders drove around the harbor to find dren each year with be of value to people them. Along the way we stopped to hear a a positive influence who visit the store. Virginia Rail at the Rail Pond, but by then on their knowledge 2. Bringing in your fog appeared over the Head, so we took of our natural envi- bird feeder in need some time to check Gaffney Point and Owl ronment. NBC also of care to be cleaned Canyon. By the time we arrived at Bodega takes their birds and by volunteers on that Head, it was clear again, but windy. Even so, classroom lessons to day for a $10 charge. we found Common Murres, Red-necked schools and other 3. P u r c h a s i n g Phalaropes, a Pigeon Guillemot, Black venues throughout items that have been Turnstones and Black Oystercatchers. the Bay Area and donated to the sale. After a lunch break, we checked Gaffney even farther. 4. Telling your Point again, as well as Porto Bodega and Native Bird Con- friends and family Smith Brothers Road. We compiled our nections is an organi- about the event. checklist at the latter spot, then we checked zation in dire need of the entrance to Doran County Park and funds owing to new Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) in the Diana and Jenny the bushes below Diekmann's parking lot, federal regulations care of Native Bird Connections. of NBC support this where we added three more species for and fees which add event and will be on a total of 57 seen or heard. Hugh Harvey unnecessarily to the complexity of wild- hand with live birds for your education and life rescue and care. In cooperation with enjoyment. Wild Birds Unlimited will also Mount Diablo Audubon, Mike and Annie have prize drawings and other fun stuff hap- Eliot decided to hold an event at Wild Birds pening on that day for you and your family. Unlimited on November 10 to help raise the Learn more on the WBU website: www. funds they need. pleasanthill.wbu.com MDAS Art Show Lange's Metalmark butterfly. USF&WS. Best of Show honors were awarded to Antioch Dunes Wildlife Refuge, Sep- Gloria Cannon at the Art4Antioch exhibit tember 8. The only unit of the National which featured artists from Mount Diablo Wildlife Refuge system in Contra Costa Audubon and the Delta Science Center. County is the Antioch Dunes. Five mem- Her painting The Birdwatchers is a scene bers made the short trip to see and learn reminiscing a trip to Panama. Julia Starr, about the Dunes. One of those members last year's Best-of-Show winner, garnered had attended her first meeting just two days the First Place prize for her painting Catena, previous. Michael Krieg, a veteran docent and Paul Schorr also placed in the winner's for ten years, walked us around a portion of circle, receiving Honorable Mention for his the property for more than an hour. During photograph Autumn at a New Hampshire that time we learned some of the life his- pond. tories of Antioch Dunes Evening Primrose, The exhibit was shown at the Lynn Contra Costa Wallflower and Lange's Met- House Gallery in Antioch from September almark Butterfly, all three of which are en- 8‒29. Entries from Delta Science Center dangered species. Intimately connected was were also to be considered for calendar the story of Naked Stem Buckwheat, the illustrations for the Center. Gloria Cannon and The Birdwatchers host plant for the butterfly. We also learned the checkered history of the property, from Jewel Lake/Tilden Regional Park, Sep- and Townsend's Warblers, Hutton's and the formation of the original dunes to the tember 6. Six members spent several Warbling Vireos, Brown Creeper, Red- somewhat degraded state of the property hours birding the area around the Tilden breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut-backed today. None of the endangered butterflies Nature Center and Jewel Lake. The weather Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, and Pacific- was seen, but we did see 8 species of birds. was comfortable after the morning fog slope Flycatcher. We also heard many The best of the bunch was a Say's Phoebe burn-off. We saw 39 species including Swainson's Thrushes and Wrentits. We which sat atop some weedy stalks and a a couple of flocks of gleaners, including saw 2 immature Western Tanagers also. fence post for extended views Hugh Harvey Yellow, Wilson's, Black-throated Gray, Maury Stern the Quail —5— October 2012 J. K. Townsend » Continued from Page 8 from where Portland, Oregon is now, in terer disappears beneath the mass of September, he and Nuttall explored the bushes. In this way, dozens of beautiful surrounding area for birds and plants. He birds are taken, and they are brought depended on Native Americans to help lo- to us living and uninjured." cate and capture the most elusive birds. They Perhaps one of those called Townsend kalak'alah tie, bird chief. honeycreepers is the specimen now For six months in 1835 Townsend acted in the collections of the Smithson- as Fort Vancouver's surgeon. Then, " anxious ian, the Ànianiau, endemic to the to escape the wet and disagreeable winter higher elevations on Kauaì. Although of this region", he and Nuttall embarked Thompson found this bird in 1835, the for the Sandwich Islands, the Kingdom of next specimen of Ànianiau was not Hawaiì. After six weeks on Oàhu, they described until 1888. Honeycreeper specimen collected by J. K. Townsend spent another six weeks on Kauaì. While In December 1836 Townsend left there, Townsend learned, according to his Oregon. He spent three months in Hawaiì and a visit to the Sandwich Islands, Chili, journal, that "The native boys here have on this second trip, then traveled via Tahiti, &c. They are a delight to read. adopted a singular mode of catching the Valparaiso, Chili and around Cape Horn Among the discoveries credited to honey sucking birds. They lay themselves back to Philadelphia. After arriving in Oc- Townsend are Western Bluebird, Chestnut- flat upon their backs on the ground, and tober, 1837, he sold ninety-three birds to backed Chickadee, Hermit Warbler, Com- cover their whole bodies with bushes, and Audubon who described them in his Birds mon Poorwill, Audubon's Warbler, Black the campanulate flowers of which the birds of America. He was hired as curator of the Oystercatcher, Mountain Plover, Vaux's are in search. One of these flowers is then collections of both the Academy of Natural Swift, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Sage held by the lower portion of the tube be- Sciences and the National Institute for the Thrasher, Lark Bunting, and Oregon Junco. tween the finger and thumb; the little bird Promotion of Science in Washington, D.C. John Kirk Townsend died in 1851 at inserts his long, curved bill to the base of Townsend published his travel journals age 41 from exposure to the arsenic in the the flower, when it is immediately seized in 1839 as Narrative of a journey across the powder he used for preservations of his by the fingers of the boy, and the little flut- Rocky Mountains, to the Columbia River, specimens. Nuttall's Woodpecker ◆ Picoides nuttalli Ornithology If you provide food, you Opportunities have a good chance of at- 16th Annual Lodi Sandhill Crane tracting a Nuttall's Wood- November 2‒4. http:// pecker to your garden. They Festival, Lodi, CA. www.cranefestival.com/. Long before Lodi eat adult and larval beetles, existed, Sandhill Cranes descended into insects and spiders, and they are fond the rich delta wetlands at the end of a long of peanut butter and suet. Their favorite snacks also include poison-oak berries and migratory journey, some from nesting some fruits. While their habitat is the oak grounds as far away as Siberia. As they woodlands, they do not eat acorns. They greeted California’s earliest explorers, these probe beneath the flaking bark of the trees magnificent birds darkened the skies over for larva. winter marshes. In awe-inspiring numbers, and with a prehistoric call, stately gait, and Nuttall's Woodpeckers are primary elegant choreography, the Sandhill Crane cavity nesters, so they drill holes in the continues to attract and inspire visitors. dead wood of cottonwood, alder, willow General admission to the Sandhill Crane or sycamore trees, or telephone poles. A Festival is free. There is no charge for most number of other birds will take advantage of the woodpecker's carpentry skills, such of the events including the Reception, Art as House Wren, Western Bluebird and Nuttall's Woodpecker, male. Show, workshops and presentations, and White-breasted Nuthatch. The Breeding Photo by Albert Linkowski Exhibit Hall, although there are charges for Bird Atlas of Contra Costa County reported portions of Southern California and the the tours. For information, cost, and times, Nuttall's Woodpeckers to breed throughout Southwest to Texas. It was once called please see the tour schedule on the web site. much of the county, and because they do the Cactus Woodpecker. Our other small The Central Valley Bird Club will host not migrate, you are likely to be able to find woodpecker is the Downy, which has a the Central Valley Bird Symposium, them any time of year. It is not likely that broad white stripe down its back. The rat- Stockton, CA November 15‒18. To look you will mistake this bird for any other. tling call of the Nuttall's Woodpecker as it over the line-up of speakers, workshops, It's only look-alike is the Ladder-backed comes swiftly with undulating flight to your and field trips check visit the website at: Woodpecker, whose range is in the drier feeder is always a delight www.cvbs.org the Quail —6— October 2012 Observations Young Western Tanagers were also wide-spread. DW, BB, BF, BM, LLa, FS, HH. » Continued from Page 3 "A bird in the bush is worth The Green-tailed Towhee generated Several newly hatched Nuttall’s Wood- two in the hand." peckers were in MS’s Lafayette backyard the most excitement when first seen on 9/5 on 8/30. by BF. After that it was seen by ES, BB, MP, —Frank Chapman HN, PR, AL, KP, AH, and DW. Two Olive-Sided Flycatchers were at (1864‒1962) Vollmer Peak 9/5. BF. A possible Brewer’s Sparrow was at Valle Vista Staging Area 8/23. DW. Western Wood-Peewees were at Up- Mount Diablo Audubon Society per San Leandro Reservoir on 9/4, DW; A Lincoln’s Sparrow was at Vollmer Peak 9/10. HN. meets on the first Thursday of each month, Vollmer Peak 9/5. BF. except July and August, in the Camellia Willow Flycatchers were in the willows HH had baby Dark-eyed Juncos in his Room of The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 at Jewel Lake in Tilden RP on 8/29. BB. Walnut Creeek yard 8/25. Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek. Everyone FS saw a Cassin’s Vireo near Heather Eight Lazuli Buntings were at Vollmer is invited. Farm 9/4. Peak 9/5. BF Warbling Vireos were part of many KF saw two Hooded Orioles in her gleaning flocks of migrating songbirds. Point Richmond yard 9/3. 8/29 PR, 9/5 BF, in Tilden RP. A Baltimore Oriole was in a Moraga BMc and JR saw a Bank Swallow at the yard for two days around 8/18. LS. Iron House Sanitary Ponds 9/8 and AL saw Up to 20 Red Crossbills were found 9/6 3 the next day. through 9/11 at the Vollmer Peak Staging Flocks with all three local Nuthatches Area in Tilden Park. KP, BM, TF, AL, HN, were seen by DW at Valle Vista Staging C&TK, LT, RD. area; Wildcat Canyon, JC; and BM along HN saw Pine Siskin 9/7 at Vollmer Skyline Trail. Peak. A House Wren was seen by DW and RD saw Lawrence’s Goldfinches 9/8 group at Upper San Leandro Reservoir 9/4. also at Vollmer Peak. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were at Wild- LA Lee Aurich, TB Tony Brake, BB Bob cat Canyon Belgum Trail, JC, and Upper and Barbara Brandriff, JC Jim Chiropolos, San Leandro Reservoir 9/4, DW. RD Robert Dailey, DD Davor Desancic, SH MDAS Board of Directors Swainson’s Thrushes were still present Sylvia Haley, HH Hugh Harvey, AH Allen (Area code 925 unless specified) at Jewel Lake calling quietly on 8/29. PR. Hirsch, AHo Alan Howe, SHu Steve Hutch- President: Jimm Edgar, 510‒658‒2330 Warblers were abundant in migra- craft, LLa Lynn Lakso, EL Elizabeth Leite, Vice President: Paul Schorr, 757‒5107 [email protected] tion in mixed flocks throughout the area. AL Albert Linkowski, SL Stephen Long, LL Treasurer: Steve Buffi, 938‒0929 Orange-crowned, Yellow, Black-throated Laura Look, BM Bruce Mast, BMc Brooke Board Secretary: Diana Granados Gray, Townsend’s, Hermit, MacGillivray’s, McDonald, HN Harold Newman, MP Mi- [email protected] and Wilson’s were seen. BF, SH, KF, DW, chael Park, KP Kathy Parker, MR Mark Rau- Programs: Ariana Rickard FS, HH, BB, MP, DD, HN, C&TK, LL, BM. zon, PR Phila Rogers, JR Jennifer Rycenga, 347‒754‒0143 Three Black-and-white Warblers were FS Fred Safier, JS Judi Sierra, MS Maury Field Trips: Hugh Harvey, 935‒2979 along the trail from Inspiration Point to Stern, LS Lou Stoddard, ES Emilie Strauss, Corresponding Secretary Barbara Vaughn 376‒8732 Jewel Lake in late August. LLa. LT Larry Thompson, DW Denise Wight. Sales Manager: Diane Malucelli, 674‒0920 Membership: Beverley Walker, 952‒9925 MDAS MEMBERSHIP/RENEWAL APPLICATION [email protected] c Please enroll my family and me as a member of Mount Diablo Audubon Society Volunteer Coordinator: for $25 for one year. Your membership dues are tax deductible. Moses de los Reyes, 755‒3734 c I’m enclosing an additional tax-deductible donation of $______. Hospitality: Nina and Leary Wong, 930‒7024 Jean Halford, 313‒9255 c For an additional $20 (new NAS members only), please enroll me in the National Education: Cecil Williams, 376‒1631 Audubon Society. [email protected] c c Please send The Quail by: US mail E-mail______Webmaster: Betts Sanderson [email protected] Name______Christmas Count: Jimm Edgar, 510‒658‒2330 Address______EBB Sightings Monitor: Ethan Chickering [email protected] City, State______Zip______Member‒at‒Large: Brian Murphy, 937‒8835 Phone ( ____ )______E-mail______Jean Richmond, 837‒2843 Mike Williams, 376‒1631 Please make your check payable to: [email protected] MT. DIABLO AUDUBON SOCIETY and mail with this application to: Quail Editor: Ellis Myers, 284‒4103 Membership Chair 1932 Golden Rain Road #4 Walnut Creek, CA 94595 [email protected] 215 Calle La Mesa, Moraga, CA 94556‒1603 the Quail —7— October 2012 Mount Diablo Audubon Society, Non-Profit Org. P.O. Box 53 U.S. Postage Walnut Creek, CA 94597-0053 PAID Return Service Requested Permit No. 66 Concord, CA

Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) at Dimond Park, Oakland.. Photo by Glen Tepke.

John Kirk Townsend Kalak'alah tie ✦ Bird Chief John Kirk Townsend had the good for- covered a new species. He showed the bird tune to be born in Philadelphia in 1809. This to John Audubon and wrote a description, was the year after Thomas Nuttall arrived naming it Audubon's Bunting. But the de- there from England. Just three years after scription was somehow not published, and the return of the Lewis and Clark Voyage of in 1834, Audubon renamed it Townsend's Discovery, it was an Bunting. No other era of America's awak- specimen of this bird ening to the beauty has ever been found and natural wonders Townsend joined of the lands beyond the Academy of Natu- the Mississippi. ral Sciences of Phila- Of Quaker par- delphia and the Amer- entage, when he was ican Philosophical 10 Townsend entered Society in 1833, The the Friends' Board- following year, bota- Townsend returned from a hunting sortie to ing School at West- nist Thomas Nuttall find Nuttall and Wyeth relishing one of his town, 25 miles east of Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) invited Townsend to specimens, an owl, for lunch. Another time, Philadelphia, a school at Black Diamond Mines RP.. join Nathaniel Wy- his traveling companions were so desperate with a reputation for Photo by Beth Branthaver eth's expedition to for a drink that, while the naturalist was emphasizing science. Oregon as an orni- away, they dipped into the alcohol he used He early became interested in ornithology, thologist. The two left Philadelphia in March to embalm reptiles. and while he was still in school he began col- 1834, joining Wyeth's party in St. Louis. When Townsend arrived at Fort Van- lecting the birds of West Chester County. He During the overland trip Townsend collected couver, on the Columbia River just across becamethe Quail adept at taxidermy. In 1833, he dis- numerous new species.—8— On one occasion, ContinuedOctober on Page 2012 6 »