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THE WRENTIT Founded 1904 Pasadena Audubon Society A Chapter of National Audubon Society To bring the excitement of birds to our community through birding, Volume 66 — No. 1 education and the conservation of bird habitats. September–October 2017 California Least Tern ot long ago, my friend and I set out during the morningtide along the humble, Nwarm shoreline of Malibu. We were in the presence of a nesting bird haven, the Malibu Lagoon, observing its astounding assemblage of avifauna. One of the Lagoon’s visitors is the California Least Tern (Sterna antillarum browni); a dainty, orange­billed shorebird with a striking black crown and willowy wings. It is federally listed as endangered. Their range is limited to the southern Pacific coast and some inland regions. Courting Least Terns have a tenderly choreographed dance: the male offers the female food and they dance gently in nearly mechanical synchrony. The devoted parents are extremely protective of their young, and will relentlessly attack anything that poses a threat, including humans (I speak from experience!). You can help these birds by volunteering at your local bird conservation organizations, Photo and pencil drawing: and doing so has a huge positive impact on the future of California Least Terns ­ as well Cayenne Sweeney as other threatened birds ­ along the California coast. Cayenne Sweeney, 14 years President's Perch In This Issue ’ve been thinking a lot about Wilson’s Warblers. Such bright cheerful­looking birds with their Iyellow­green plumage and jaunty black cap. Every migration, I wait for them to visit my pond Programs 2 on their long journey north or south. When one does, I ponder the miracle of their migration, such Conservation 2, 4 a tiny thing weighing no more than a few paper clips somehow wending its way—mostly at night­­ from Mexico all the way to Canada or Alaska to breed. Talk about faith! Young Birders 3, 8 History 4 These marvelous little birds have been on my mind as I contemplate beginning my first year as Field Trips 5, 6 your president. I was nervous when I agreed to accept this honor, but downright terrified after my husband died suddenly on June 3, turning my world upside down. Could I still do this? It’s not Calendar 7 easy to follow in the magnificent footsteps of Deni Sinnott, and now I had lost my bearings. Announcements 9 New Members 10 Then I went to the National Audubon Society’s convention in Park City, Utah, and I was reminded what’s at stake for our birds, locally, nationally, and globally. And I was reminded of the tiny, fearless Wilson’s Warbler. How can I do any less? We have much to do, and the birds are counting on us. Happy Fall Migration! Laura Garrett 2 The Wrentit MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETINGS: UPCOMING PROGRAMS Mickey and Jon’s Bird Magical Monarchs The Socorro Islands: ID Quiz October 18, 7:30 pm ­ 9:00 pm Endemics on the Edge Kristy Brauch September 20, 7:30 pm—9:00 pm November 15, 7:30 pm—9:00 pm Mickey Long and Jon Fischer Loretta Williams veryone knows birds migrate, but s is traditional, we will kick off our Esome insects, such as butterflies hat does it take to return a bird AFall season of meetings with and dragonflies, undertake equally Wextinct in the wild to its ancestral Mickey Long and Jon Fisher hosting an impressive movements each year too. home? A small group of ornithologists evening of bird identification Probably most famous of those have been working for more than three challenges. This year we will be migrations is that of the Monarch decades to return the Socorro Dove that including fun and games that involve an Butterfly. In Fall this species undertakes went extinct in the wild in 1978, to expert panel of PAS’s birding glitterati a migration of thousands of miles, from home on an island off the Mexican (Dessi Sieburth, Darren Dowell and breeding sites as far north as Canada to coast. Last July, public radio journalist Mark Scheel). We will get into the wintering sites along the California Loretta Williams spent a month on swing of fall migration by helping coast and into Mexico. Recent years Socorro Island tracking the plans to sharpen your ID skills and have some have seen worrying declines in this return the dove to the island in the laughs along the way. incredible butterfly species. coming year. Come join in the fun! Come learn from PAS member Kristy Loretta Williams is an award­winning Brauch about these amazing butterflies public radio journalist. She has worked and discover what we can do to help on stories that range from wildlife them on their journey. conflict to cochlear implants to the mysteries and promise of genetic science. She is currently working on a Monthly chapter meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month at Eaton Canyon Nature book about the reintroduction of various Center (1750 N. Altadena Drive in Pasadena). Refreshments and socializing begin at 7:00 pm birds back to their ancestral homes. and programs are presented from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Programs for youth begin at 6:30 pm. CONSERVATION Big Dig Plan Needs Your Comments This pipeline project means that the county designed a sediment removal project larger than needed for flood control, This is my first article as the PAS Conservation Chair, in order to serve this water banking and pipeline. The County replacing Laura Garrett, who is now President of the chapter. will treat all of Hahamongna primarily as a reservoir, not a And there's no shortage of things to work on! park. Most of the basin will be flooded in winter and will be scraped to bare dirt in fall. The current rich habitat will be Last February, the Arroyo Seco Foundation and Pasadena destroyed, harming the birds and other wildlife that depend on Audubon Society won a battle in the fight to stop the overly it. Areas of Hahamongna that are regularly used by aggressive, destructive plan to scrape bare much of equestrians, hikers, runners, and others Hahamongna Watershed Natural Park. A Superior Court judge will become degraded or inaccessible. ruled that the L.A. County environmental impact report was flawed and that three portions of the plan must be revised and In contrast, the City of Pasadena supports recirculated for public comment. That new plan is now a plan that reduces sediment in a way that available for public comment until September 7, so you only is less destructive and less harmful to have a few days to send comments. neighborhoods that surround Hahamongna. Although these revisions offer some concessions to original critics of the project (cleaner diesel engines, better habitat Visit web site www.savehahamongna.org for more information mitigation), the project is still highly destructive to about alternative plans. Then send your comments to the Hahamongna. In addition, the County announced, in July, that County by emailing [email protected] (or it plans to impound storm runoff behind Devil's Gate Dam send regular mail to the address listed on the web site). Tell each rainy season. It will then pump that water through a them that you want a Hahamongna project that is less planned new cross­town pipeline to Eaton Canyon, where the aggressive, less harmful to habitat and wildlife, and more water will be percolated through spreading basins into the sustainable. The current project is too big, too fast, and too Raymond Aquifer groundwater supply. After community destructive. objections to tearing up streets, the pipeline was put on hold, Mark Hunter but not killed. It's still lurking out there. September–October 2017 3 YOUNG BIRDERS REPORT FROM THE FIELD Afternoon in the Pampas from under its quizzical bold brow, and it flaunted its Teodelina Martelli, 15 years decorated saddle of a mantle before dashing off through the reeds with a flash of crimson undertail coverts. The Many­ he steel sky encroached ominously overhead, but I saddled Colored Rush­Tyrant, Tthe Shetland and trotted west for the birds. The pampas, or Sugar­Rush Tyrant the mother of grazelands, is all horizons ­ you get on your (which is how it horse and there's no mountain to circumnavigate, no hills to makes you feel!) is investigate. Instead, the birds gather in the marshes and sumps, one of my favorite or flock in the giant stands of eucalyptus that mark gaucho Argentine birds. lodgings and familial corrals. In between these, Southern Locals call it "El Lapwings and nameless pipits populate the razed soyfields. Sietecolores de The odd Spotted Nothura will explode out from underfoot and Laguna", or "The whirr away with the sound of a violently thrown axe. Seven­colors of Lagoons". Given a Such are the outskirts of Buenos Aires, where endless grazing moment to Maguari Stork © Teodelina Martelli fields and marshes are intercrossed with cobwebs of barbed contemplate the wire, patched with eucalyptus, and decorated with the "Sietecolores", I wonder if I'll ever find its seventh color ­ I occasional water mill ­ once you've ridden too far, the can only see six on it, but this cannot possibly detract from the landmarks blur as one and all directions seem equal. Early honor of its presence. The little gem is the result of evolution June in Argentina sent bright sun one day and dull clouds the gilding the lily, and it knows it ­ bouncing between the reeds other. I scrawled in my field notebook, hindered by the with tangible attitude, just visible enough to show off for a homesick pony, which like all my grandmother's Shetlands is second or two, pow! only too eager to go back into its corral.

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