SPEAKER SERIES Newsletter of the Marin Audubon Society. Vol. 62, No. 5 January 2020 Free and Open to the public Richardson Bay Audubon Center 376 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon THURSDAY, JANUARY 9 7:30 PM Little Known Great Birding Locations in Northern California With Ruthie Rudesill The MARIN AUDUBONRail SOCIETY Deadly Competition Between Owl Species By Elyse Omernick Ruthie Rudesill Ruthie Swainson’s Hawk ou may have been Most birders visit the famous lucky enough to spots: Pt. Reyes National Seashore; come across a YNorthern Spotted Owl Bodega Bay; Golden Gate Park; Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area; Klamath, while hiking through a Tule Lake, and Sacramento NWRs; forest in Marin County. To Monterey Bay; Arcata Marsh; etc. be in the presence of this But there is a growing number of species is a true gift, and a lesser known spots, hidden gems for reminder that a healthy birding and scenery. Ruthie Rudesill ecosystem is a delicate will share birding stories and discuss a few special places for those who matter. The Northern want to travel to new exciting areas Spotted Owl is a threatened of Northern California. species, protected by both Ruthie is Past President of the state and federal Redwood Regional Ornithological governments under the Society. She has a Wildlife degree Endangered Species Act. Omernick Owl, Elyse Spotted Northern Shults; Ken owl, Barred from Humboldt State University. She More importantly, Marin Barred Owl Northern Spotted Owl has led and participated in many County, the Northern Christmas Bird Counts, surveys and Spotted Owl’s southernmost range, supports field trips for over 30 years. Ruthie declining all over the Pacific Northwest, and maintains the records for rare birds in one of their last stable populations in the why has Marin been able to maintain a stable Sonoma County and sends quarterly world. population until now? Although habitat loss reports to North American Birds (part Why are Northern Spotted Owls drastically continued on page 2 of the American Birding Association). See page 3 for details on the January 9 follow-up field trip to this MAS Endorses TPL Campaign for San Geronimo Valley presentation. The purpose of the Trust for Public Land’s Defeating the measure will have several Next month’s speaker: (TPL) campaign for the former golf course benefits: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13 7:30 PM lands in San Geronimo Valley is to defeat • It will ensure TPL, the current owner of the Iconic Tower, Iconic Bird – Measure D that will be on the March ballot 157-acre property, will be able to proceed Peregrines on the Campanile and would require that the entire county vote with planning to restore important habitats With Alan Fish on changes to the San Geronimo Community including instream habitat to benefit Plan. The ballot measure, sponsored by a endangered Coho salmon. narrow special interest group, seeks to require • It will preserve the right of communities to IN THIS ISSUE that the entire county vote to change the San control their general plans and the character President’s Message 2 Geronimo Community Plan to make golf the of their communities. Not all communities only allowable use. The owner of the property, have general plans but residents of those Field Trips 3 & 5 TPL, does not want to operate a golf course that do, including San Geronimo, Santa Conservation Report 1 & 4 and recent history shows there is no buyer Venetia, and Strawberry, should control the wanting to do so either. If Measure D passes, vision and character of their community— Habitat Stewardship 6 it would put at risk any other community that not people from elsewhere in the county. Birdlog 7 has a community plan as opponents would use TPL is engaged in a community process the same approach to get what they want. continued on page 4 LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON JANUARY 2020 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Most phone numbers are in the 415 area code President’s Letter unless otherwise noted. Questions? Please contact the appropriate Board member. By Barbara Salzman President Barbara Salzman 924-6057 Vice President Lowell Sykes 388-2821 To those who have already donated to MAS’s to take over these positions, and we greatly Secretary Ann Thomas 914-9559 winter appeal we thank you, but it’s not too late appreciate their willingness. Treasurer Barbara Demeter 707/479-1124 if you haven’t. We especially need your financial Now our Board needs a person to manage Conservation Phil Peterson 828-4780 support this year because we have a new our website. The update of the website is Barbara Salzman 924-6057 ongoing expense to hire a contract bookkeeper, almost finished, and the completed update will Field Trips Jane Medley 559/760-1551 because no volunteer came forward to do all simplify the process of adding text material to Membership Ann Thomas 914-9559 of the work required to manage our finances. the website. So, if you are interested in websites Outreach, Social Media This is an expense we have not had previously, Elyse Omernick 694-2320 and keeping on top of current happenings, let and until we have some experience with the Speaker Series me know. This is a Board position that also Doug Waterman 415/506-4675 new procedures, we’re not quite sure how much includes sending out occasional action alerts to Special Projects Jude Stalker 680-6291 it will cost. Our great appreciation to Susan our members. Also, see page 6 for the Mother’s Nominating Winston for her three years as Treasurer, doing Day Picnic need for a chairperson. Editor, The Rail Bob Hinz 383-8688 the work of Treasurer and bookkeeper. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Website We’re fortunate to have Board members Property Management Ed Nute 669-7710 who came forward and volunteered to meet holiday season! Get out and enjoy our Volunteer Coordinator our needs. Barbara Demeter has volunteered overwintering waterfowl, shorebirds and BAAC Reps Lowell Sykes 388-2821 upland species. Our field trip chair, Jane Barbara Salzman 924-6057 to move from Membership Chair to Treasurer, and Ann Thomas has agreed to take over Medley, has arranged an array of field trips that DIRECTORS MEETINGS will take you to the best sites to see birds and Meetings open to members. If you wish to Membership Chair in addition to her job as attend please call 924-6057. Secretary. Barbara has long experience in the increase your bird identification skills. Or go 6:30 PM, First Tuesday of the month banking industry and Ann is an expert recorder out and see birds on your own. Richardson Bay Audubon Center 376 Greenwood Beach Road and has extensive experience with non-profits Happy New Year from all of us at Marin Tiburon, California 94920 in many capacities. Both are well-equipped Audubon! MAS telephone: 721-4271 (for messages only) Marin Audubon Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Owls continued from page 1 On federal lands organization. All memberships and contributions Bill Merkle are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. from logging old growth forests remains one of the owl’s two primary threats, the second is the National Parks Service Wildlife Biologist The Rail is published ten times a year by the [email protected] Marin Audubon Society on 100% recycled invasion of the Barred Owl, which has become paper; edited by Bob Hinz [email protected], a complex threat to the Northern Spotted Owl. On county lands 383-8688; assisted by other members of MAS; Serena Hubert and designed by Studio NaCl (www.studionacl. Originally found only in eastern North com). Deadline is the first of each month. America, the Barred Owl has made its way to Marin County Parks [email protected] ©2020 Marin Audubon Society the west coast due to changes in habitat and climate. The first known sighting of a Barred On other lands Website: www.marinaudubon.org Owl in Marin was recorded in 2002, and sadly, Members can receive The Rail electronically Renée Cormier instead of a hard copy by emailing the sightings are rising. The Barred Owl is Point Blue Avian Biologist [email protected] larger, more aggressive, more adaptable, and an [email protected] DONATIONS APPRECIATED! opportunistic hunter. Because of these traits, Marin Audubon Society welcomes gifts of they are competing with the Spotted Owl’s Provide the size, eye color, ear tufts, mark- funds, stock, or property, and bequests in food source, disrupt nesting, and are pushing ings, behavior and location. If possible, also general, or in honor or memory of someone. provide photo and/or recording. Although the Gifts may be directed to any MAS project. the Spotted Owls out of their territory. The Unspecified gifts of more than $500 will Northern Pygmy Owl and Western Screech two owl species look quite similar, the easiest be placed in the Endowment Fund for Owl are also losing habitat to, or being killed way to differentiate the two is the feather pat- conservation, the protection of wildlife species, tern on their chest. The Spotted Owl will have and the preservation and enhancement of and eaten by the Barred Owl. wildlife habitats. Since MAS is an all-volunteer While Marin County does not have to a spotted brown and white pattern, while the organization, 100% of your donation goes to its worry about the threat of logging, we do need Barred has a barred brown and white pattern. projects. All gifts are tax-deductible and will be acknowledged in The Rail, as well as personally to worry about Barred Owls, and what their Please note the photos that illustrate these dif- on behalf of the Society.