PLEASE JOIN US for the 2007 BURROWING OWLS CENSUS! "Tear up Your Field Guide and Paste It Back Together: What DNA Sequences
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Only Copy Please Do Not Remove The Newsletter of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society May - June 2007 PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE 2007 BURROWING OWLS CENSUS! Annual Potluck by Ruth Troetschler of the current statewide population Dinner at resides in these areas? As those of you who have read the last two issues oftheAvo c) How has the statewide McClellan Ranch cet know that protecting the Burrowing Owl locally has proven population changed since 1993 to be a difficult task, It is no surprise then, that the Burrowing Park when the last IBP census was Owl is a California Species of Special Concern. In order to completed? How has the state see Page 5 help protect our favorite owl via changes in the law, we need wide distribution of the species more data-change always requires data. changed, and what hav.e been the trajectories of the various Again this year, the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) is sub-populations in the state's constituent regions? continues its state-wide , volunteer-based survey to assess Bur rowing Owl distribution and abundance throughout the entire How The Survey Works breeding range of the species in California-including the 1PMhas divided the BUOWs California range into 11 geo Great Basin and desert areas . In order to do this they need the graphic regions, and then subdivided each region into 5-km by help of dedicated volunteers and volunteer coordinators from 5-km census blocks. 1PM selects a random sample of census Audubon Society chapters and other birding groups, to census blocks within each region, and then augment the sample with BUOWs throughout the state, to provide regional and statewide blocks that contain known Burrowing Owls breeding sites. It population estimates. The information collected should be an provides local volunteer coordinators with maps, data forms, important resource for Burrowing Owl conservation efforts in instructions, and other survey materials. The coordinators as California. They hope to answer: sign census blocks to local volunteers, who will conduct the a) Where specifically are the state's Burrowing Owls surveys . today? Up-to-date information on the locations of breeding Each volunteer should identify all patches if suitable habitat pairs is critical to carefully target future conservation efforts within the block, and then thoroughly search those patches for toward the places where they will do the most good. Burrowing Owls between dawn and 10 am or between 4 p.m. b) What is the status of Burrowing Owl populations in and dusk, when the owls are most active. Some blocks need to the Great Basin and desert regions of the state? What fraction be visited multiple times to achieve this goal. Surveyors will scan the area for owls, and plot General Membership Meeting the locations of any detections on their maps. "Tear Up Your Field Guide And Paste It continued on Page JO Back Together: ♦ Yuba Pass Weekend Field Trip What DNA sequences are teaching us - Page3 about the true relationships of birds" ♦ Brant(s) seen in P.A. with John Harshman - Field Notes, Page 6 Campbell Community Center ♦ Anza-BorregoHawk Watching Bascom & Winchester Rds. - Page 8 Wednesday, May 16 Doors open 7:30; program 8:00 ♦ Board Elections Join John Harshman for some amazing revelations , such as that the closest - Page 9 relatives of grebes are ... flamingos?! Learn how in recent years the new field of molecular phylogenetics -- the analysis of DNA sequences -- has revo ♦ Altamont Pass Settlement lutionized our knowledge of bird relationships . What is DNA? How do we - Page JO continued on pag e 7 TheAvocet I May - ,Tune '07 Field Trips (all of our Field Trips are also available on line at www.scvas.org) Please carpool if possible; bring binocu- lot, on the west side of Highway I mid- Saturday May 26, 8:00 AM lars, field guides, layered clothing. way between Half Moon Bay and Santa Monte Bello Open Space Preserve LO= Lunch optional Cruz (about 25 miles from each). LO. Half day. Leader: Kirsten Holmquist RC= Heavy rain cancels (408)747-0988. Froml-280 in Palo Alto NF= No facilities available Sunday May 13, 8:00 AM take Page Mill Rd west, toward Skyline Saturday May 5, 8:30 AM Grant Ranch Co. Park Blvd. (Hwy. 35), for approx. 7 miles and Mines Rd. and vicinity Half day. Leader: Rich Page (408) meet at the Monte Bello OSP parking Full day. Leader: Bob Reiling (408) 377-1092. From I-680 take Alum Rock area on the left. Possible Lazuli Bunting , 253-7527. We'll start this trip in Del Ave. northeast, tum right on Hamilton Black-throated Gray Warbler, Chipping Puerto Canyon, working our way west Rd. and go approximately 9 miles to the and Grasshopper Sparrows. Be prepared, to San Antonio Valley. From I-580 go park. Meet at Hall's Valley Lake park it can be cold, wet and foggy. LO. east over Altamont Pass, to 1-5, south ing lot, which is the first parking lot on on I-5, west at the Patterson exit (Diablo the left side of the road (do not enter the Sunday May 27, 7:30 AM Grande Pkwy) and then right on Del Main Park Entrance on the right). Fresh Smith Creek!I'win Gates Puerto Canyon Rd. Meet at the first pull water ducks, oak woodland birds and Birding by Ear out. Highlights include possible Costa's possible Golden Eagle. A Park entrance Half day. Leader: TBD (Questions, call Hummingbird, Phainopepla, Lewis's fee will be required for the last half of Bob Reiling (408) 253-7527). From 1- Woodpecker and Lawrence's Goldfinch. the trip. A moderate 2-mile walk, LO. 680 take Alum Rock Ave northeast, tum Bring a full tank of gas, lunch and liquids. right on Mt Hamilton RD. go past main Saturday May 19, 8:00 AM entrance to Grant Ranch County Park Sunday May 6, 8:30 AM Almaden Quicksilver County Park (approx. 9 miles). Continue uphill another Charleston Slough Half day. Leader : Ann Verdi (408) 266- two miles to Twin Gates parking lot on the Half day. Leader : Roxie Handler (408) 5108. We will follow a short loop of left. Probable birds include Homed Lark, 730-1745. Meet at Terminal Way at one-and-a-half miles taking Mine Hill, Grasshopper Sparrow, woodland and the end of San Antonio Rd. north off Guadalupe and Senador Mines Trails. riparian breeding birds. This is a mod Hwy 101 in Mountain View. A trip We will be on the trails while the birds erately strenuous hike over rolling hills. designed for beginning birders but are most active and before the hikers all are encouraged to attend. A good and joggers get going. Summer birds Saturday June 2 trip to checkout your spotting scope. will be our targets (W. Wood-Pewee, Palo Alto Summer Bird Count Ash-throated Flycatcher, W. Tanager , (see page 4 for more details) Wednesday, May 9, 8:30 A.M. etc.) as well as newly fledged birds (Oak Stevens Creek Park Titmouse, CB Chickadee , Juncos, wood Sunday June 3, 8:00 AM Half day. Leader, Jim Johnson (408) peckers , etc.). Take Almaden south past Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve 996-3506. From I-280 in Cuper Blossom Hill Rd and Coleman Rd; tum Half day . Leader: Frank Vanslager tino, take Foothill Expwy exit south 2.1 right at the next exit (McAbee Rd.) and (650) 961-1505 . Meet at the Vista miles (becomes Stevens Canyon Rd.) follow it until it dead-ends at the entrance Point Pullout located a little over a turn left into first park entrance and to the park. Pierce dairy farm will be mile northwest of Page Mill Rd, on the meet in Chestnut Picnic Area parking on your right and parking is along the Bay side of Skyline Blvd. (Hwy. 35). lot. Entrance fee required . Riparian street. Meet at the trail head entrance, RC. Bring extra layers of clothing in case habitat; migrants and breeding birds. it's foggy and cold. Possible Grasshop Sunday May 20, 8:00 AM per Sparrow and Lazuli Bunting. NF. Saturday May 12, 8:30 AM Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve South-coastal San Mateo County Half day. Leader : Bob Reiling (408) 253- Saturday June 9, 8:00 AM (Gazos Creek and Pescadero Marsh) 7527. Meet at the northeast comer of Sky Charleston Slough Half day plus. Leader : Al Eisner (650) line Blvd. (Hwy. 35)andPageMill Rd(the Half day. Leader : Nick Yatsko (408) 926-2018 days and voice mail, (650) comer nearest San Francisco and the bay). 247-5499. For directions see write-up 364-3686 evenings . Gazos Creek usually (Note: Do not park in the Russian Ridge for May 6th. has a good variety of breeding (and sing Parking Lot!) This is a moderately strenu ing) songbirds (possible MacGillivray's ous walk with some elevation change. Sunday June 10, 8:30 AM Warbler), while Pescadero Marsh and Highlights: possible Black-throated Gray Mt Madonna County Park vicinity should add some migrant shore Warbler, Western Tanager. Bring extra Half day. Leader : TBD (Questions, call birds and resident marsh birds. Meet at layers of clothing as temperatures can Bob Reiling (408) 253-7527). From the Gazos Creek Coastal Access parking vary wildly even at thi time of year. LO Hwy 101 in Gilroy take Hwy 152 West (Hecker Pass Hwy). After approximately TheAvocet 2 Sunday June 24, 8:00 AM continued Field Trips Rancho del Oso (coastal Big Basin EuentsCalendar State Park) 6.4 miles tum right into the Sprig Lake Half day plus. Leader: Rich Page (408) Wed. 5/2, 7:30 - 9 PM Bay Area Bird Photographers presents parking lot.