SPEAKER SERIES Newsletter of the Marin Audubon Society. Vol. 60, No. 09 May 2018 Free and Open to the public Richardson Bay Audubon Center 376 Greenwood Beach Road, Tiburon Information: 415/789-0703 THURSDAY, MAY 10 7:30 PM Charadrius, Conservation, and Snowy Plovers With Matt Lau The MARIN AUDUBONRail SOCIETY MAS Annual Meeting, May 11 oin us for Marin Audubon’s Annual Meeting organization. Our special thanks to nominating which will be held at our May Speaker Series committee members Bob Hinz, Lowell Sykes Program on Thursday evening, May 10. and Susan Kelly. There is still an open position. J The purpose of our Annual Meeting is to We are looking for someone to help us engage elect members of our Board of Directors for the volunteers. Anyone interested should contact coming three years. The election will take place Bob Hinz. Matt Lau Matt just before the speaker presentation. This year We urge you to exercise your right to vote for Western Snowy Plover our speaker will be Snowy Plover Ecologist Board members who manage our organization There are 40 species of plovers in Matt Lau (see adjacent column for specifics on by joining us on May 10 and, as well, to hear the genus Charadrius, including six the speaker presentation). We will also have a what we expect will be an interesting program. in the U.S. Nearly 98% of species brief overview of our accomplishments for the in this genus face varying levels of past year. extinction due to a variety of natural As a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership TREAT MOM TO A WEST MARIN TRADITION and anthropogenic factors. organization, members of Marin Audubon elect The Western Snowy Plover is its Board members. The term for Directors is The Marin Audubon Society’s listed as Near Threatened on the three years. IUCN red list and Threatened on the This year our nominees are current Board Mother’s Day Picnic U.S. Endangered Species List. This Members who are up for reelection: Ed Nute to benefit Audubon Canyon Ranch species is troubled by many of the who has been our Property Management and Marin Audubon Society same threats that its congeners Chair, Jane Medley our Field Trip Chair, Phil face, including habitat loss, human The Martin Griffin Preserve disturbance, and nest predation. Peterson, Conservation Co-chair, and Barbara May 13, 2018, 11 AM – 3 PM Salzman, President and Conservation Co-chair. Breeding numbers have been steadily Tickets: www.marinaudubon.org increasing over the last several All have served well in their capacities and play years due to intensive management an important role in the functioning of our and monitoring by various federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and volunteer groups. We’ll review Conservation challenges facing Snowy Plovers, discuss their natural history and Fund-raising for Black Point Acquisition Begins breeding ecology, and look at their Marin Audubon is now in contract to pur- acquire undeveloped baylands parcels in the population status in Point Reyes. chase the 2.3-acre property at Black Point and, Black Point Area. We hope someday to have Matt Lau is the Snowy Plover Ecologist for Point Reyes National together with our partner in acquisitions, Marin enough to ensure a sizable landscape habitat is Seashore. He received both his B.S. Baylands Advocates, MAS will be working protected. We currently own five parcels in the and Master’s degrees from Humboldt to raise funds for the acquisition. To acquire Holly/Hemlock area as well as three around State University, where he has the property which is bounded by Holly and nearby Norton Pond and the pond itself. Our previously worked with Snowy Plovers Hemlock Streets, we need to raise $115,000. original acquisitions were of tiny parcels on and developed a love for birding. We will also be seeking grant funds and appeal- which owners defaulted on their taxes. We have ing to members and previous donors. combined some of these parcels to reduce the IN THIS ISSUE The property consists of two parcels that parcel taxes we must pay. support native oak-wooded hillside and diked President’s Message 2 baylands. The lowlands at the base of the HOW YOU CAN HELP Field Trips 2, 3, and 7 hills were subject to the tides until dikes were constructed along the bay-edge of the marshes. Send a donation to Marin Audubon Society, Conservation Report 4 During wet winters water still ponds in the P.O. Box 599, Mill Valley, 94942. Include a message that you want the donation used lowlands. The property needs enhancing, mainly Habitat Stewardship 6 for the Black Point property acquisition. broom to be removed and a minor amount of Birdlog 7 debris (car body parts) to be hauled off. This acquisition is part of our program to Conservation continued on page 4 LIKE US ON WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/MARINAUDUBON MAY 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 National Audubon Society, National Geographic Spring is here and a reminder about your Vice President Lowell Sykes 388-2821 yard work. Do not destroy any bird nests. Let Secretary Everett Clark 789-9224 Society and other conservation and research Treasurer Susan Winston 949/632-0908 organizations have designated 2018 the “Year of your yard trimming and tree cutting wait until Conservation Phil Peterson 828-4780 the Bird” in honor of the 100th Anniversary of after nesting season in August or September. The Barbara Salzman 924-6057 the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Migratory birds will benefit and you will be happy with Field Trips Jane Medley 559/760-1551 Bird Treaty Act was passed by Congress in yourself knowing that you may have saved some Membership William Legge 388-7883 2018 and was approved by many other nations baby birds. Some other tips to help wildlife Outreach Elyse Omernick 694-2320 in an effort to protect birds that migrated in your garden: choose plant species that are Fundraising Everett Clark 789-9224 between nations. The Act lists most of the bird native to your location (remember that Marin Speaker Series/Programs species we see in Marin. The need for vigilance has sub-habitats from the dry north county Susan Kelly 883-9505 to very moist areas around Mt. Tam and the Special Projects Jude Stalker 680-6291 continues in the light of the administration’s coast), put out water and do not use chemicals. Nominating Bob Hinz, 383-8688 weakening of the Act so that companies may Remember to reserve your place for the Editor, The Rail Bob Hinz, 383-8688 no longer be held accountable for harming Website Susan Kelly 883-9505 birds. See article on page 5 for Marin County’s Mother’s Day Picnic at Audubon Canyon Property Management Ed Nute 669-7710 resolution to protect birds. Ranch. See the flyer in the April Rail or sign up Publicity Barbara Freitas 924-7477 The Marin County Superior Court found at marinaudubon.org. BAAC Reps Lowell Sykes 388-2821 that the Open Space District (OSD) abused its Barbara Salzman 924-6057 discretion by failing to comply with California DIRECTORS MEETINGS Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) when Attend the Screening Meetings open to members. If you wish to attend please call 924-6057. it did not prepare an Initial Study on the of Albatross 6:30 PM, First Tuesday of the month Bob Middagh Trail project. In the words of Richardson Bay Audubon Center the court and CEQA, the OSD “in doing so MILL VALLEY: Sequoia 2, May 5, 6:15 PM 376 Greenwood Beach Road subverted CEQA’s fundamental purpose to SAN RAFAEL: Rafael 3, May 6, 7:30 PM Tiburon, California 94920 provide agencies and the public in general MAS telephone: 721-4271 (for messages only) with detailed information about the effect Shot on Midway, a remote North Pacific Marin Audubon Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) atoll and home to the world’s largest organization. All memberships and contributions which proposed project is likely to have on the are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. environment before deciding to approve the albatross colony, Albatross captures The Rail is published ten times a year by the project.” Failure to comply with CEQA has extraordinarily intimate footage of the Marin Audubon Society on 100% recycled been a claim in both of our suits against the birds, and features a hauntingly beauti- paper; edited by Bob Hinz [email protected], OSD. After four or five court decisions against ful score. Yet, as the birds feed their 383-8688; assisted by other members of MAS; and designed by Studio NaCl (www.studionacl. the OSD, it and the Supervisors should be young, we learn of a hidden danger that com). Deadline is the first of each month. getting the message that their approach violates implicates us all. Watch the trailer at ©2018 Marin Audubon Society CEQA and is not in the interest of the public. https://vimeo.com/260684528 Website: www.marinaudubon.org We invite and encourage members to attend MAS is a Community Partner in present- Members can receive The Rail electronically our Annual Meeting on May 10. There is still instead of a hard copy by emailing member- a Board opening for a member who can help ing this film. [email protected] with volunteers and our properties. DONATIONS APPRECIATED! Marin Audubon Society welcomes gifts of funds, stock, or property, and bequests in MAS BOAT TRIP ONLINE SIGNUPS BEGIN MONDAY, MAY 14, 2018 general, or in honor or memory of someone.