September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon

8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon

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During junior high school,

my favorite radio

announcer, Dave Hull, the

Hullabalooer laughed over the name of

the Swallow-tailed Kite. I sent him

a drawing of one on a piece of scrappaper and told him it was a real bird!

He kindly sent me a reply and was

impressed with the interest I showed

in birds at that young age. I also

remember another favorite radio

announcer, Charlie Tuna, who would

call the Los Angeles Audubon bird

tape report just for kicks, and

broadcast Jean Brandts voice over the

radio waves announcing birds seen in

the Los Angeles area!

Back in 1974, at Abraham Lincoln

high school in Lincoln Heights, Los

Angeles, my high school teacher and I

shared a common interest - he was a

bird watcher! He gave me a

membership form for Los Angeles

Audubon, which was my key to

organized birding, and a new way of

life the past 30+ years. I was

nicknamed Bird Lady, a name that

has stuck through a number of high

school reunions!

In 1977, I volunteered at Plummer

Park for Los Angeles Audubon where

I met some of the chapters most

prominent birders. I recall an evening

my father and I were invited by Arnold

Small to a gathering at his home. In

retrospect, I suspect that even back

then young members must have been a

scarce commodity. I have also been

leading field trips since the late 70s,

including the Owens Valley Grouse

Weekend, and the more recent

Southern Sierras Owling Weekend

(see highlights in this issue)! Since myinitial involvement, I have been the

social chair and recording secretary for

the chapter. I have recently completed

my fourth year as Programs Chair, and

now my first year as President of the

chapter. I guess you could say I have

grown up with the chapter.

During my first year as Presiden

I have been lucky to work with great

volunteers that share similar visions

for the chapter: recreation,

conservation, education, and

restoration. I cant tell you how mucthe staff at Audubon House has made

the year a success. Martha Balkan

and Susan Castor with their

knowledge of bird books and optics

are always there to lend advice abou

the Nature Store and Member

Services. Susan Castor has helped

with the bi-monthly layout of the

Western Tanager newsletter as well.

For those who have donated their

invaluable time as volunteers,

experience and knowledge towards

Los Angeles Audubon, whether it be

the board, the nature store, field trip

leading, or working on our numerous

conservation projects I would like t

extend a heartfelt thank you from

myself, the birding community, and

the greater community that we strive

to serve.

We have just completed our boar

retreat with many goals for the

coming year. Each board member

was asked to submit a list of goals fo

the year. Many areas discussed were

common goals of many board

members, in areas of membership,

education, outreach, conservation,

website and fundraising.

Volume 75, Number 1 September/October 200

WESTERNTANAGER

a publication of Los Angeles Audubon www.laaudubon.org

From Where I came, and Where We Are Going


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Linda Oberholtzer is working on

membership along with our staff

member, Susan Castor. They are

happy to report that we continue to

show an increase in new chapter-only

memberships. I am very delighted to

hear this, and welcome all members

new and old - to take full advantage of

more of our chapters activities.

We have updated and improved

the layout and security of the Los

Angeles Audubon website. The web

publishing software & hosting

technology we were using had

become outdated and was leaving

the site vulnerable to hackers.

Stacey Vigallon has been principal

proposal writer for our current

conservation projects at the Venice

Beach Least Tern colony, and the

Snowy Plover surveys. With her

excellent submissions, she has

garnered funding for these important

Los Angeles Audubon conservation

efforts, as well as for the Baldwin

Hills Overlook project the first

California State Parks partnership with

any Audubon chapter. We will be

initiating a naturalist docent program

at Baldwin Hills shortly, so if you

have even just a few hours a week to

spare, contact Eleanor Osgood the

Volunteer Coordinator, and find out

how you can make a difference!

Another recent conservation

project that Los Angeles Audubon has

spearheaded in cooperation with a

number of regional biologists, is the

Los Angeles County Birds of Special

Concern. This project will prioritizelocal species of concern, and will spell

out where future conservation efforts

will do the most good. This will

hopefully guide bird conservation in

the region for some time to come!

Our outreach continues strong

with the second of fourAudubon Film

Fridays, recently pulling in more than

100 interested children and parents

from the neighborhood surrounding

Debs Park, to see the bilingual nature

movie, Oceans Oasis. Audubon

California and Pasadena Audubon are

co-sponsors of this program.Moviegoers were also treated to a

short entitled Sharing the Beach with

Western Snowy Plovers, prepared by

the Dorsey High School Eco-Warriors

and Dorsey Film Program, a short that

has made the rounds on YouTube.

The Eco-Warriors, from the south side

of Los Angeles, represent the other

arm of our outreach program. Stacey

and her husband, Robert Jeffers, have

banded this high school

environmental club together, and

exposed them to the intertwined

natural world that surrounds them by

working with the Least Tern Nesting

Project. It is hoped that a small group

of student interns will be given a more

significant and intensive role in the

project this coming year with a

scholarship program.

2010 marks our 100th

anniversary! This promises to be a

grand celebration! Plans are starting

now for the gala event. We should all

be good stewards of the land by

advocating for the conservation and

restoration of wildlife habitat

whenever possible, which is not an

easy task. In this age of constant

development in and around our wild

lands, the survival of healthy wild

habitat and the animals it supports

becomes a much bigger battle. Thinkglobally and act locally with all the

passion you can muster. With its

tradition of bird watching and

commitment to preserving habitat, I

invite you to join Los Angeles

Audubons vision for the future.

E2 Western Tanager

WESTERNTANAGERPublished by

Los Angeles Audubon Society,

a chapter of

National Audubon Society.

EDITOR: Vacant

LAYOUT: Susan Castor

CONSERVATION: Garry George

FIELD TRIPS:Nick Freeman

PELAGIC TRIPS: Phil SayrePROGRAMS: Mary Freeman

ORNITHOLOGY CONSULTANT:

Kimball Garrett

PRINTING: G2 Graphics Services, Inc.

Opinions expressed in articles or letters

herein do not necessarily express the

position of this publication or of

Los Angeles Audubon Society.

PRESIDENT:

Mary Freeman

1st VICE PRESIDENT:

David De Lange

2nd VICE PRESIDENT:

Paul Fox

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:

Linda Oberholtzer

RECORDING SECRETARY:

Eleanor Osgood

TREASURER:

Lisa Fimiani

EXECUTIVE PAST PRESIDENT:

Dexter Kelly

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Mary Loquvam

Membership in Los Angeles Audubon is $25

Individual, $35 Couple, $50 Family, $100

Donor or $250 Donor per year. Members

receive the Western Tanagernewsletter and

other benefits. Donations and membershipscan be made online at www.laaudubon.org

Make check payable to Los Angeles Audubon.

Los Angeles Audubon Headquarters, Library

and Nature Store are open to the public

Monday Thursday

9:30 AM 4:00 PM

Plummer Park

7377 Santa Monica Boulevard

West Hollywood, CA 90046-6694

(323) 876-0202 office

(323) 876-7609 fax

(323) 874-1318 bird tape

[email protected] e-mail

[email protected] e-mail

www.LAAudubon.org website

Printed on Recycled Paper

by Mary Freeman


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Los Angeles Audubon

partnered with Pasadena

Audubon for our second year

of Audubon Film Fridays at the Audubon

Center at Debs Park.

Summer solstice on June 20 was our

first night of the nature films outdoors

under the stars on a big, wide screen with

fantastic sound. We screened Artic

Tale in Spanish with English subtitles, a

documentary on a family of endangered

polar bears trying to survive with the

onset of global warming. On July 11, we

had a big turnout for two films: first, the

three minute film made by students at

Dorsey High School titled SnowyPlovers on Los Angeles County

Beaches which is now airing on the Los

Angeles Audubon channel on YouTube.

(www.youtube.com/losangelesaudubon)

Three of the students attended the

screening with Los Angeles Audubons

Director of Interpretation Stacey

Vigallon and her husband Robert Jeffers,

who leads the film program at Dorsey.

Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass

sent certificates of recognition for the

students to acknowledge their

contribution to the environment. Next

was Oceans Oasis, a film shot inIMAX cameras for the Museum of

Natural History in San Diego under the

Sea of Cortez and on the Baja Peninsula.

Tons of nesting terns, gray whales,

pocket mouse, and manta rays

entertained the kids at Audubon Film

Fridays, while the Mexican researchers

told their stories in Spanish.

Prior to the film screenings, Los

Angeles Audubons Board membersEleanor Osgood and Dexter Kelly led

bird walks for kids and adults with

Audubon Californias Gabriela

Castaeda. The June 20 bird walk was

accompanied by a reporter from KPCC-

FM which aired a report on July 11 to

400,000 Los Angeles area listeners just

before the event that featured Eleanor

and Audubon Film Fridays.

A transcript can be read and the

program can be heard at

www.scpr.org/news/stories/2008/07/1

08_spanish_birds_070508.html.

After the bird walk, Trader Joesdonated refreshments and snacks for th

film fans, while Pasadena Audubons

Will and Lois Fulmer, and Laura Garre

handed out information on their chapter

programs, and Eleanor Osgood and

Dexter did the same for Los Angeles

Audubon.

Two more screenings, Wild in

America (Friday, August 8) and Wha

Rider (Friday, August 22), will roundout the series in August.

What a great way to reach out and

connect new conservationists to nature!

Thanks to all who helped and

participated.

September/October 2008 E3

Audubon Film Fridays

(l.to r.) Ranger Al Davis, L. A. Audubon Dir. of Interpretation Stacey

Vigallon, Dorsey High film teacher Robert Jeffers, Dorsey filmmakers

Christopher Simmons, Abelino Romo and Alma Alegria, L. A. Audubon

Board members Eleanor Osgood, Lisa Fimiani, Dexter Kelly and Mary

Freeman at Audubon Film Fridays.

Audubon Film Fridays inspires a new conservationi

by Garry George


4/24

Herb Clarkes life-long

interest in and love of

birds began as a Boy

Scout while earning his Bird Study

merit badge on his way to becoming

an Eagle Scout. He met the other loveof his life, Olga, while stationed in

Louisiana with the Air Force. The way

I understand it, their honeymoon was

mostly a birding trip along the Texas

coast. This was Olgas first exposure

to birding, but she quickly became

hooked and has shared Herbs passion

for birding and nature ever since. Herb

and Olga traveled all over the world

together, including a recent 50th

wedding anniversary trip a few years

ago to Papua New Guinea. They livedin Glendale since 1958 when he was

discharged from the Air Force.

Herb was a long time active Los

Angeles Audubon Society member

and served as its President from 1969-

1972. He was probably best known for

his wonderful bird and nature

photography and gave many slide-

illustrated talks to Audubon and other

conservation groups. He also led many

field trips for the Society.

I first met Herb and Olga not long

after I moved to California some 35

years ago while birding Sycamore

Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains.

I continued to run into both of them

searching for various rare birds all over

California.a cold winter sunrise near

Chico to find a Bewicks Swan (which

was later lumped with Whistling Swan

as the Tundra Swan), a boiling morning

at the Salton Sea to find a White Ibis or aThanksgiving weekend in Death Valley

chasing whatever turned up. He was

always there with his camera, ready to

document some rarity or get a better

photo of some bird he had photographed

ten times before. I also attended many

presentations he gave, marveling at his

magnificent bird pictures from California

and all over the world.

I got to know him better as I

became more involved in the Los

Angeles Audubon Society. Olga, who

managed the bookstore for many

years, attended most board meetings

and Herb was always along to support

her as well as provide his input from

his many years of experience.

Although I got to know Herb fairly

well over the years, I cant say wewere really close. Eleven years ago

that started to change when Herb

asked if he and Olga could come along

on the Mount Baden-Powell Butterfly

Count and try his hand at

photographing butterflies. Herbs

focus had always been birds. However

in California, except for an occasional

accidental, it was almost impossible

for him to find a bird for which he

didnt already have a superb picture,

and thus he was looking for a newchallenge. Butterfly photography

would be a completely new experience

with different lenses and techniques

required and better still, each butterfly

would be a new life species for Herb!

Although the day was a success with

Herb getting some great photos, what

followed next was to be a life-

changing experience for both of us,

bringing us together as friends and

getting Herbs creative juices flowing

To understand what happened, we

have to take a step backward in time.

Herb had co-authored a book wi

Arnold Small in 1976,Birds of the

West, with their bird photography.

Herbs photographs appeared in man

other books and magazines over theyears, but he was looking to

showcase his southern California bir

pictures when he found a book

published by Mountain Press,

Roadside Plants of Southern

California. He contacted Mountain

Press and suggested a similar book o

the birds of southern California. The

publishers thought it was an excellen

idea and his book,An Introduction t

Southern California Birds, was

published in 1989. This book, whichappealed to beginners and experts

alike for its wonderful photos, was a

great success and has been reprinted

nine times to date. It was followed in

1995 byAn Introduction to Norther

California Birds, also published by

Mountain Press.

E4 Western Tanager

Herb Clarke, doing what he loved best: Getting that photo.

In this case, a Bitterroot flower in the White Mountains of California.

Photo by Fred Heath

Herb Clarke 1927-2008, A Personal Remembranc


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After a year of butterfly

photography, Herb was getting his

techniques down pat and taking some

phenomenal pictures, when he came

to me with the idea of doing a

butterfly book of southern Californiabutterflies similar to the one he had

done for birds with his photography

and my text. Because of his

credibility with Mountain Press, they

were more than happy to green light

the project. And then, what started

out as a casual endeavor of going

here and there with Herb

photographing whatever butterflies

we found became a mission to find

and photograph all of the common

and some not so common, but uniquebutterflies of southern California.

This started in earnest in mid-2000.

Early on, Herb had a setback

which I assumed would cancel or at

least delay the book. We had both

gone in for a colonoscopy during the

same week in the summer of 2000. A

few days later, I called Herb to plan

our next field trip. I politely asked

how his procedure had gone and he

said, Not too well and proceeded totell me they had found colon cancer

and removed a third of his colon. I was

saying something like, How awful

when Herb cut me off and said, But

we are still going ahead with the

book. The book was the furthest thing

from my mind at that point. Herb had

a lot of chemotherapy over the next

several months, which was not kind to

his body. He would tire easily and we

were making frequent pit stops, but he

insisted on pushing ahead that summerand early fall. I was feeling very guilty

and expressed my concern to Olga

during a pit stop on a particularly bad

day for Herb. She told me then that the

anticipation of finding and

photographing the target butterflies

was keeping Herb going, giving him

the will to get out of bed no matter

how he felt.

Herbs passion to capture a bird or

butterfly on film is what I will

remember most about him. Whenever

we went on a trip, he always wanted to

have at least one target butterfly

species. Just heading to a destination

and wandering around to see what we

could find was termed spinning

wheels by Herb. This single-mindedness could be a downer for

Herb when the target butterflies

werent located. Like a little kid, he

would pout and before long, especially

on days when the weather was not

cooperating or it was obvious that the

butterflies werent flying, he would

say, You got to know when to hold

them and when to fold them followed

by, We should be heading back to the

barn. However, more often than not,

we would find the target butterfly andafter getting some knockout photos, a

loud, excited Yip! yip! would

emanate from Herbs direction. We

would usually celebrate with an ice

cream on the way home. Desserts were

right up there with Olga and nature

photography as the loves of his life.

Even in the last couple months o

his life, when he was not able to walk

without assistance, we mounted an

expedition to San Luis Obispo Count

to photograph a butterfly that had

eluded him up until then. There,

sprawled across a back country road

with a pillow propping his head, he

photographed several puddlingMargined Whites. In his last days, we

commemorated this and many other

successful outings with mint chocola

chip ice cream.

Herb passed away this past April

5th after a hard fought battle with

colon cancer. Those of you who were

fortunate enough to know Herb Clark

personally can certainly recall his

enthusiasm and zest for life. Whenev

he was asked how he was doing, he

usually replied, Outstanding!! Her

will live on in the memory of all who

knew him as well as those that only

know him through his magnificent

photographs, for which we can all say

Outstanding!!


Herb Clarke, Photo by Larry Sansone

by Fred Heath


6/24

There are many places that

folks claim as a patch: a

backyard, a park, a lake, a

vacant lot, a state park. But it is a rare

thing when you can mix business withpleasure, which I can, for my patch is

where I work: the campus of UCLA.

I have been watching birds since I

was a toddler; my parents were

outdoorsy types and they always did

things like day trips to parks and

camping trips in the summer. Birds

were always around somewhere and I

developed a casual acquaintance with

them as I grew up. I got my first birdguidea Petersonswhen I was 12

and it helped me learn more about the

birds I was seeing.

As an adult I spent as much time

as I could outdoors hiking, camping,

and fishing. But bird watching was

always an adjunct to the other

activities. I saw a fair amount of birds

during my outdoor forays and kept a

life list, but it remained a casual affair.

All that changed in December of

2006, when I was lucky enough to

land employment at UCLA. Id always

loved the campus, especially because

of its grounds. There are many trees,

as well as large lawn areas and

abundant shrubbery. Many of the trees

are exotics, such as several species of

Australian gum tree (eucalyptus),

several species of fig, Aleppo Pine,

Canary Island Pine, Lemon Bottle

Brush, and Coral trees. There are also

abundant specimens of California

Sycamore and oak.

Unbeknownst to me, however,

was UCLAs equally abundant bird

life. The first hint that such things

were afoot was when I spotted a Red-

shouldered Hawk taking off after a

flock of pigeons, picking one out,

wearing it down, then plucking it right

out of the air. And I watched this little

drama unfold while eating lunch on

the patio outside my building!

In my first few weeks of

employment, I slowly became aware

that there were even more birds

around me, ones that I never knew I

could see in the city, such as wrens

and chickadees. It was a revelation

when I began to identify what I was

seeing: Bewicks Wren, Dark-eyed

Junco, Spotted Towhee, and Mountain

Chickadee. It was all so amazing to

me and I started keeping a journal in

small notebook.

Over the past year and a half I

have spent a lot of time before work

and during lunch hours exploring the

upper (north) campus where I work,

deliberately looking for birds. They

showed themselves quite readily, too

and my notebook steadily grew full o

sightings: Cliff Swallow, Western

Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, Common

Raven, Red-tailed Hawk, Coopers

Hawk, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet,

American Robin, Nuttalls

Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Oak

TitmouseI could hardly believe it

E6 Western Tanager

m y p a t c h T h e U C L A C a m p u s

UCLA Eucalyptus Grove, Photo by Linda Navroth


7/24

most of the time! Many of the birds

were life birds, too.

But my special favorite is the

Bewicks Wren. Something about thissaucy little sprite just captivates me

and makes me smile every time I see

one. I started keeping a separate

journal just for sightings of Bewicks,

in which I have recorded many

interesting things. Ive seen one dust

bathing, defend territory, singing the

loveliest songs, and collecting nest

materials. One of the most amusing

observations was strictly auditory: one

was working its way through someshrubs (I could see the foliage moving

as it went) and it was making a very

soft singing and chittering noise as it

went, almost as if it was humming to

itself. Another time I was fortunate to

see an adult and fledge. The adult was

up in a low branch, the fledge on the

ground. When the adult saw me, it

gave the raspy warning call and the

fledge stopped, hunkered down into

the duff and stayed still. The adult then

flew down to it and escorted it quickly

into the shrubs.

A relatively new area Ive begun

birding at least once a week, is down

below the Anderson School of

Business at Stone Canyon Creek. This

is the last remnant of the perennial

stream that flowed along a north-

south route at the bottom of the

campus. Its terminus is now a big

drainage grate. The small section that

is accessible here is currently being

restored by Heal the Bay; the StreamTeam has been removing the non-

native plants and trees and planting

willows and other vegetation more

suitable for the habitat.

Over the past couple of months of

visiting the creek I have seen Bushtit,

American Robin, Oak Titmouse,

Spotted Towhee, Black Phoebe, and

Bewicks Wren, and a mom Mallard

with young.. The Black Phoebes hav

a nest up under the drain culvert and

have raised one batch of young this

season. Ive also located two Bushtitnests in the nearby oaks.

Because I love this place so much

I always arrive in the morning at leas

45 minutes before 8, so I can walk to

various areas of campus to see what

birds are around. Its fairly quiet at

that time and I often have some of my

best sightings. Many people dread

going to work, but not me because,

well, my workplace is my patch!

Linda Navaroth is a ne

member of Los Angeles Audubon an

is on our Conservation Committe


by Linda Navrot

Bewicks Wren, Photo by Larry Sansone Yellow Chevroned Parakeet, Photo by Larry Sansone

m y p a t c h T h e U C L A C a m p u s


8/24

My friend, MaryFreeman, called merecently and the talk

turned to opinions on andexperience with fees associatedwith field trips, volunteerism, andfund raising for Audubon Chaptersand the frustration created by same.For volunteers like Mary, or Dexter

before her, or the legions ofgenerous-of-spirit Los AngelesAudubon past presidents andvolunteers, the Chapter is all-important. They have accepted theresponsibility of not only guidingthe Chapter but keeping it viable,active and in the black. Volunteersand funds are just two of the TopTen List of Challenges that facesevery Audubon president and

board. Also included in that top ten,possibly top twenty, list, in noparticular order, are:

Free activities for members Free services for members

Community wide outreach

Active conservation projects

Adult and youth education

Monitoring bird species of

special concern

Maintaining a membership base

Hands-on Inventory and

expertise from the staff and

volunteers of the Nature Store

As we talked, I thought itmight make a difference if Italked to each of you about the

programs offered by Los AngelesAudubon and examine why someof them carry fees so each of uscan give some thought to thewhole picture. After all, as an LosAngeles Audubon member youare part of something that has

been developed for you, and youshould use it and be proud of it.

Whats free with yourmembership?

THE LOS ANGELES AUDUBONWEBSITE

www.laaudubon.org

Maintained on a daily basis,this site is incredible and anincredible tool. On it you will findthe Rare Bird Alert (operated by avolunteer); all Chapter activities,including programs plus field trips,travel, and workshops. There is a

calendar, links to other sites, andpresent and past newsletters plus anexpanding archive. You can tapinto the site from your homecomputer. If you dont have acomputer but would like to use thewebsite, go to your local libraryand ask them to help you set up afree email account that will allowyou to use their computer. It mayopen up a new world for you!

LOCAL BIRD WALKS

These walks are a part of everyAudubon Chapter, and Los

Angeles Audubon offers frequentfree local bird walks organized anled by experienced birders whovolunteer their time to take

beginning and seasoned birders toour local birding locations. Thesewalks are fun, and open up LosAngeles in a way many of us havenever seen before.

RESEARCH LIBRARY

Los Angeles Audubonmaintains for its members awonderful library where you canresearch birds for your next trip,check out a field guide, or learnabout the region or the country towhich you are planning to travel.

LECTURE SERIES AND MONTHLYMEETINGS.

Los Angeles Audubon offers

one of the best natural historylecture series in the region. Themeeting begins at 7:30 PM on thesecond Wednesday of the month,with the lecture following societynews and business, andrefreshments and an opportunity tomeet the speaker after the lecture.Meetings/Lectures are at theconveniently located WestHollywood Community Center on

Santa Monica Blvd. betweenFairfax and La Brea. Send Mary anemail if you want to try her drivingshortcut that always gets her thereon time and in less than 30 minute

E8 Western Tanager

L o s A n g e l e s A u d u b o n a n d M o n e y


9/24

AUDUBON FILM FRIDAYS

Los Angeles Audubon Societysjoint project with PasadenaAudubon and Audubon Californiais a free bilingual summer filmseries (with popcorn) at theAudubon Center at Debs Park. Ifyou have not volunteered to helpwith this or have not been to theCenter, this is a wonderfulopportunity to see a unique LosAngeles architectural treasure, takea nature walk, watch a good naturemovie and eat free popcorn - all inone evening.

VOLUNTEER TO MAKE ADIFFERENCE

Los Angeles Audubon offersopportunities for each of you tovolunteer and be part of something

bigger. Coordinated by a volunteer,Eleanor Osgood, we offeropportunities to volunteer to dosomething interesting for as little asone hour one day a year. We havean interesting job for everyoneregardless of physical limitations orthe time constraints of a busy life.Make a difference. Volunteer.

Fee Associated Activities for

members:

PELAGIC FIELD TRIPS

Los Angeles Audubon plans the

best pelagic trips with the Wests bestleaders. There is no profit marginassociated with these trips but avolunteer plans them anyway

because birders want thisopportunity. The leaders volunteertheir time for these sought after trips.Any one of you can avail yourself ofthis service and have the opportunityto go out with the best pelagic birdleaders along the California coast.There is no getting around the costsof boat rental and diesel fuel, but youdefinitely get a bang for your buckwith Los Angeles Audubon pelagics!

REGIONAL FIELD TRIPS

Try and go on a trip like thiswith a for-profit field triporganization and see what you pay.Our Field Trips chairs, theFreemans, plan and lead a series ofamazing field trips throughout

southern California. These tripsnormally include birding, owling,herps, flora, fauna, and

photographic opportunities. Theyare absolutely amazing and akin togoing to (adult) camp for a day or aweekend. The trips take incredible

planning and a huge timecommitment to lead, all of which isvolunteered. Modest costs per

person are collected for these

amazing trips to defray some of theexpenses of the volunteers whogenerously donate their time tolead them. The Chapter alsounderwrites insurance for all Los

Angeles Audubon activities, orthey would not be possible.Compare the $35.00 we charge fosome trips to the $300.00 charged

by others for same.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

Our international travelopportunities are structured to raisunrestricted funds for the Chapteroperation. Every trip you take witLos Angeles Audubon includes adonation to the Chapter. OlgaClarke, generously volunteers hertime and energy so that the Chaptcan benefit. In exchange, ourmembers can avail themselves ofthe best and safest travel to birdwatch and see some of the mostexotic and exciting locations in thworld.

We are a growing, dynamic

Chapter and we really seek tomaintain a balance. If you haveideas or suggestions that willimprove our endeavors, just let usknow by sending an email throughthe website or writing a letter.

A life-long Audubon memb

and Audubon volunteer, Catherin

Waters is also the incomin

president of Western FOrnithologists. She and h

husband Robert, both avid birder

live in Downey.

Her contact i

[email protected]


by Catherine Waters

L o s A n g e l e s A u d u b o n a n d M o n e y


10/24


11/24

only a couple steps away from my

home, and provided most of the

natural world I grew up in. I learned

to ride my bike, balance on roller

skates and throw a softball at Jim

Gilliam. Kenneth Hahn was the park

where most of our family get-

togethers would take place. It was

the special occasion go-to, and it

was also where I learned to hop

stones in a running stream, and catch

tiny fish with my bare hands. As

accessible as these urban oases are,

the people in my neighborhood are

extremely unaware and apathetic

about the natural world that gives

substance to their everyday lives.However, with programs such as

Susan Miller Dorsey High

Schools Global Warriors (a

student eco-club established in

2007), awareness and compassion

towards the environment around

the Baldwin Hills area is

increasing as a new generation of

young people spring to action.

My turning point in myinvolvement with environmental

action ensued when I became a

Dorsey Global Warrior in the spring

of 2007. Since then, I have

completed two years of work

towards making Dorsey High a

greener place. The Global

Warriors work to promote healthy

environmental habits that range

from throwing trash in the can to

using re-usable bags when shopping.Our proudest moment was the work

we did at the Least Tern colony at

Venice beach, helping to restore

habitat by removing invasive plant

species. Our work even attracted the

Los Angeles Times, leading to a half

page article in the paper. Apart from

assisting in Cornell Universitys

Great Backyard Bird Count in

Spring 2008, and creating Dorseys

first ever native plant garden, the

Global Warriors succeeded in a way

that surpasses many other

endeavors: having a large population

of Dorsey students and teachers

walk away from the trash can and

towards the recycling bin by

establishing a campus recycling

program. To have educated and

persuaded even one person to

change their habits and expand their

knowledge about the environment is

our greatest accomplishment so far.

My formal interest in the

natural world came about my junior

year of high school. In retrospect, I

fervently wish that I had been

encouraged to take an interest in the

environment, both inside and

outside the classroom, at a much

younger age. My elementary and

middle school years were full of

captivating topics such as plant and

animal anatomy, however, therewere hardly any opportunities for

me to sustain that interest and

motivation outside the classroom.

Games of tag always took

precedence over wildlife watching.

I often feel that if I had immersed

myself in the natural world from

early on, I would have a much better

understanding of my home, our

world. I believe that it is of utmost

importance to make involvement inenvironmental education a priority

for small children.

Although I left my old

neighborhood to pursue a

university education, the Baldwin

Hills will always be home. If I were

to look ten years into the future of

my neighborhood, I would hope to

find a community of peace and

empathy, happiness and

compassion, social wellness and

environmental action. Recycling

bins would be accessible, the Jim

Gilliam Recreation Center would

be a safe haven for everybody, and

friendly diversity would reign.

Instilling a sense of empathy might

be the most important factor in

relieving my neighborhood, and

others, from the perpetual apathy

towards our natural world. Let me

cite a prime example. I currently

work part-time at a movie theaterwhere we are screening Wall-E, the

new animated film from Disney

and Pixar. This film provides social

commentary and dire warnings

about the sensitivity of our Earth.

Its most potent example is the trash

that fills the cities in the movies

futuristic vision of the Earth. The

films message is crystal clear, and

yet when I walk in to the screening

room at the films end, I cant helpbut to shake my head in dismay and

incredulity at the trash people leave

behind on the floor and in the

theater seats. That these were the

same people that were diligently

watching the movie and cheering

for the movies main character not

two moments previously astonishes

me. This highlights the extreme

importance for environmental

education opportunities to be aseasily accessible as the TV remote

control, to people of all ages, but

especially children. I hope that those

opportunities can soon be a reality in

my Baldwin Hills neighborhood.


Rosemary Virula,

Interpretation Intern

I n t e r p r e t i n g n a t u r e


12/24

We spend so much

time watching birds,

its easy to take for

granted the fact that they can

flywe dont think twice about it.

But for birds the advantages of

flight are phenomenal. It

obviously allows birds to travel

hundreds or even thousands ofmiles to exploit the seasons and

available resources, cross natural

barriers, avoid events such as

fires, and flood and drought, and

escape many potential predators.

Flight also provides them the

ability to live in plain sight and

even thrive in close proximity to

humans in ways most other

animals cant. Thats clearly agood thing for birders in

overpopulated Los Angeles

County where even small patches

of remaining habitat on the coastal

slope offer good birding

opportunities.

As some proof of that, with all

the numbers finally in, this patch

of land we inhabit was once again

Americas Birdiest County in2008. Birders found 256 species

over the three day competition in

late April, edging out San Diego

County by eight species and

Nueces County in Texas by a mere

three. Even with its wide range of

habitats, its indeed remarkable

that Los Angeles County is able to

support such an array of birdlife

despite rampant urbanization.

May saw migration that

continued to be sluggish when

compared to our better years, and

only a few vagrants had turned up

by the end of May. Once the last

northbound migrants had passedthrough and before the significant

southbound push of fall birds,

most of June and early July was

slow as is to be expected in fact

they were abnormally slow.

Reports from the mountains, while

they seemed improved over last

year, were not terribly

encouraging in spite of a much

wetter winter. Were still very dry

and predictions are that our futurewill bring more of the same.

Of course, there were still a

few birds around

Were used to individual Rosss Geese

taking up long-term residence at any

decent sized body of water, but a

Snow Goose that lingered at Apollo

Park in Lancaster through June 4 was

unusual and late (Steve Glover).

Always rare in the county was an

immature Little Blue Heron that was

found at the Ballona Freshwater

Marsh on May 17 (Kevin Larson).

This bird continued to be seen at a

number of locations in the Ballona

area well into July as it gradually

transitioned from white into slate blu

adult plumage.

Aside from the expected Sooty, Pin

footed and Black-vented Shearwater

the lone report of a tubenose was

Bullers Shearwater, both early an

unusually close to shore, off Poi

Dume on June 14 (Kimball Garrett)

The only shorebird of note was a goo

onea very unusual America

Golden-Plover was found at Cabril

Beach on May 14 (David Ellsworth

A concentration of twenty-seve

Franklins Gulls at Piute Ponds o

May 14 gives some indication of ho

many of these birds pass through o

deserts each spring (Mike SaMiguel), while an immature Blac

legged Kittiwake at Malibu Lagoo

on May 17 (Dan Cooper) was the on

other gull of note.

Quite rare inland was a Least Tern

Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on Ma

20 (Mike San Miguel). One was al

reported there a week earlier (Sus

Steele). More expected were Blac

Terns still moving through the deseron June 4 with one at Piute Ponds an

three at the Lancaster Sewer Pon

(Steve Glover).

Alcids seen off Point Dume include

a Common Murre on June

(Kimball Garrett) and two Pigeo

Guillemots: an adult on July

E12 Western Tanager

birds of the season


13/24

(Kimball Garrett) and a juvenile on

July 9 (Mike San Miguel).

A Spotted Owl first found at Placerita

Canyon on April 20 (Ann & Eric

Brooks) soon turned into a pair with a

juvenile. The family of owls was seen

by a number of appreciative observers

through the middle of June. While

widespread in the San Gabriels, these

owls are relatively scarce and it

requires effort or luck to find them.

Turning to passerines, one of the nicer

finds of the spring was a Yellow-

throated Vireo at Zuma Creek on

May 24 (Kimball Garrett).

Mountain Chickadees typicallydisperse from their montane breeding

areas quite early, but two reports were

a reminder that nesting should also be

watched for in the lowlands.

Chickadees feeding young were

discovered at Alhambra Golf Course

on May 9 (Dick Purvis) and at Debs

Park in Montecito Heights on May 31

(Richard Barth).

Another breeding record away fromregular areas of occurrence was a

White-breasted Nuthatch at Griffith

Park on June 17 (Richard Barth). This

species is remarkably scarce as a breeder

away from the foothills and mountains.

A single Purple Martin was seen over

Zuma Lagoon on May 25 (Andy Birch).

Vagrant warblers could be counted on

one hand. A Northern Parula was atthe Village Green Condominiums in

Los Angeles on June 14, while a very

rare Prothonotary Warbler was at

the Ballona Freshwater Marsh on June

6 (both Don Sterba). Elsewhere, a

Black-and-white Warbler was at

Ladera Park in Baldwin Hills on May

24 (Richard Barth).

After a number of unrewarded

attempts to refind and study it, a bird

that was either a Northern or

Louisiana Waterthrush in the

Walker Ranch area of Placerita

Canyon on May 16 &17 had to be left

unidentified to species (Neil Losin,

Alex Kirschel).

Two male Summer Tanagers along

Soledad Canyon Road on May 11

may well be breeding locally

(Kimball Garrett). Another was in an

odd place the Piute Ponds near

Lancaster on May 20 (Mike San

Miguel). Also unusual was a pair of

Summer Tanagers at the Rancho

Santa Ana Botanic Garden in

Claremont from May 25-July 8,indicating possible breeding there

(Will & Lois Fulmer).

Red Crossbills left over from last

winter continued at Apollo Park in

Lancaster through June 4 with twenty

still present at that date (Steve Glover)

and at least one nesting attempt

confirmed earlier this spring.

July, August and Septemberwill bring with them the certainty

of long hot days, but in spite of the

weather, August and September are

always great months for birding in

southern California.

In addition to steadily

increasing numbers of our

common shorebirds, theres always

the possibility of a few rare ones.

By August, early waterfowl willbegin to show up Northern

Pintail, Northern Shoveler and

Green-winged Teal among them.

Southbound passerines will also be

on the move in August, with their

passage initially most obvious

through the mountains. As we

head into September, passerine

migration will be widespread and

those icons of a southern

California winter Yellow-

rumped Warblers and

White-crowned Sparrows will

appear.

While spring produces its sha

of rarities, fall tips the scales in it

own favor by generally offering a

wider variety of vagrants and som

simply amazing records.

Consider last falls list which

included the countys first Arctic

Warbler in Long Beach and an

Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Malibu

Lagoon. Other rarities included

two Cooks Petrels in Los Angel

County waters and Buff-breastedSandpipers at the Ballona Creek

mouth and Piute Ponds. The

previous fall produced the

countys first ever Upland

Sandpiper and Ruddy Ground-

Dove as well as Masked and

Red-footed Boobies along the

coast. With birds like these,

theres little need to hype the

potential for vagrants.

With the sting of gas prices

pushing five bucks a gallon, many

of us may be adjusting our birdin

habits. A 100 mile birding trip is

starting to feel like a luxury. The

Brits, however, are paying nearly

twice what we are, so I tell mysel

I shouldnt whine too much.

Fuel prices aside, the pastime

of looking for birds will present awide range of options in the next

few months wherever you go, b

it your backyard, a local patch or

some far flung vagrant trap, here

to good birding and great vagrant

this fall.


by Jon Fisher


14/24

CONSERVATION CONVERSATION

Now that my duties as

Executive Director have

been handed over to my

capable successor Mary Loquvam, I

am once again a Los Angeles Audubon

volunteer. Because Mary Freeman has

appointed me Conservation Chair for2008-2009, I can continue building up

one of the four legs of our mission that

can have a lot of impact on our birds

and habitat. Since Sandy Wohlgemuth

passed the baton to me in 2003, I have

taken the job very seriously, and

hopefully, have extended Los Angeles

Audubons reach into Los Angeles

County and a little beyond as he would

have liked.

As Conservation Chair, I am

building the Conservation Committee

in a three part process:

1. INVITE LOS ANGELES AUDUBON

MEMBERS TO JOIN THE

CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.

I have been lucky to find

energetic conservationists from all

parts of the County eager to work on

issues and actions in their local areas

and beyond. Some of them have

called Los Angeles Audubon asking

us to take action and Ive

empowered them to take the action

on behalf of Los Angeles Audubon!

This is a great form of recruitment.

I am inviting interested members

of Los Angeles Audubon to join the

current committee of David

DeLange of Marina del Rey, Linda

Navroth of Westwood, Eleanor

Osgood of Culver City, Judy Raskin

of Echo Park, Tom Williams of ElSereno, Lisa Fimiani of Culver City,

and myself. All of these members

have made an enormous contribution

to protecting birds and other wildlife

throughout the Los Angeles Area by

taking on difficult urban

conservation issues such as tree

trimming, feral cats, development of

natural areas; the persecution and

protection of birds through

identifying sensitive species, and

monitoring and protecting the

endangered and threatened birds in

Los Angeles County.

2. HOLD REGULAR COMMITTEE

MEETINGS

IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

Starting in September we will

meet on the second Monday

(September 8, 2008 will be the first) of

every month. The first meeting will be

at Audubon House in Plummer Park,

and on the agenda will be locations for

future meetings, which could include

Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Park,

Kenneth Hahn Community Center,

Echo Park, Audubon Center at Debs

Park, and other locations to ease the

driving for the Committee members.

3. COMMUNICATE

REGULARLY AND OFTEN.

I have started a conservationconversation blog at

laaudubonconservation.blogspot.co

where I will post the latest news,

public meetings, and other fast

breaking news on conservation action

and issues. You can subscribe to the

blog and be notified by rss feedwhen

there is a new post. Los Angeles

Audubon is coming into the 21st

century! If you cant remember the

web address, just go to the upgraded

Los Angeles Audubon website and

link to the blog in that way.

Please join our committee!

Lets come back from our

vacations with renewed vigor and

dedication to our mission to enjoy an

protect birds and their habitat through

recreation, education, conservation

and restoration.

E14 Western Tanager

by Garry George


15/24


16/24

Iwas very lucky this year to

have five days off from work!

The first thing I did when I

saw this period of time in our calendar

was to suggest to Nick we offer

another owling trip to the southernSierra. For the second time in four

summers, we organized a camping trip

to Quaking Aspen Campground. This

beautiful Sierran forest is located

about 40 miles west of Porterville and

just nine miles past Camp Nelson.

The first year we led this very

successful and fun trip in 2003, we

stayed in rental cabins.

Each time we have organized thisfield trip, Margo Degrosse, a long-

time friend who has participated on

many L. A. Audubon trips, helped

with the logistics. She and her sister

Melissa have a long history in Camp

Nelson, and her knowledge of the

trails and roads in and around this

area has been indispensable. So with

that help, we set out to search for the

owls residing in this part of the

Sierra Nevada.

Having a special place in our

hearts, owls were of course the target

of this field trip. Nick and I have been

surveying owls in the San Gabriel

Mountains since 2000. We have

learned a great deal about the

personalities of the Northern Saw-

whet, Flammulated, Spotted, Northern

Pygmy and Western Screech Owls.

Weve led trips to southeast Arizona

where we have also been very

successful searching for owls, both

large and small. So we decided to take

our love and knowledge of owls with

us to search the Giant Sequoia forest

of my much-loved Sierra Nevada with

a group of adventuresome participants.

The day before we departed on

this Julys trip, I came down with a

bone-chilling 102 fever! Luckily, I

received medication to combat

whatever bug hit my system. As I lay

in bed, I worried that I wasnt going to

be able to lead this trip. But no matter

what, I was going! I mean, I couldnt

let Nick have all the fun! Even if it

meant snoozing in the tent all day and

owling by night, you betcha, I was

going anyway! Came the morning we

had to leave, my fever was gone! I

was about 95% my ol self. So, after a

bit of running around for groceries for

the potluck and weenie roast nights,

we departed Glendale Thursday

morning. We made a stop at the

ranger station where we met up with a

ranger who has helped us in the paston the whereabouts of some of the

owls they keep tabs on. She said a

pair of Northern Spotted Owls had

actually raised young just recently, and

felt we had the best chance

encountering this pair.

We met up with our participants

at the campsite. By this time, my

energy was ready for some owling! A

we started to unload our camping

stuff, a long-tailed weasel scampered

along the road across from us what

sight! After some light campground

birding and dinner, we were ready to

charge out for our first encounter wit

Flammulated Owl. We worked our

first spot for a bit, and just a little afte

dark, lo and behold, we found our fir

Flammulated! Boop was its call. A

is typical for this cryptic-colored sma

owl, it perched next to the trunk. We

had a great time following it as it flew

from tree to tree in the quiet of the

night. Then we found another Flam

across from our campground. What

great views of this little forest gnome

The next morning, one of our

participants heard a conversation fro

our neighbors in the next campsite

over. They wondered why after an

afternoon fire, we headed out after

eating; only to return at midnight

stargazers they thought. They wer

E16 Western Tanager

Flammulated Owl, Photo by Larry Sansone

The Quaking Aspen Owl Prowl, July 3-6, 2008


17/24

a group of mountain bikers. We had a

chat with them over our nocturnal

foray. After that, word got around the

campground that we were owlers.

People would come by asking if we

saw any owls the night before.During the day, we were all quite

content watching Green-tailed

Towhee, Dusky Flycatcher,

MacGillivrays and Wilsons warblers

darting around our tents as they fed.

The sound of Cassins Finch,

Mountain Chickadee and Western

Tanagers filled the mountain air. And

the weasel or his family - made a

number of appearances!

The second night we drove up to

Sequoia Crest. Here amongst a

beautiful Giant Sequoia grove, we

located a family of Northern Saw-whet

Owl fledglings. A soft, cricket-like

sst was heard. When I first detected

their faint calls, I jumped up so, so

excited. Once again, another find of a

family of saw-whets for this trip. It

was our third find since we first led

this trip. The first time in 2003, we

came across a group of six

rambunctious fledglings flying over

our heads in the trees! This year, asmuch as we searched the tangles on

the slope, the little fledglings chose to

not show their faces, but everyone was

very excited having heard their calls.

On our last night, we had our last

dinner together as a group. We all had

a nice time chatting over dinner. Then

the final call came up by the leaders,

LETS GO! Off we went to Black

Mountain. It was a beautiful drive up

through the cedars, firs and sequoias.

We found the spot where the ranger

gave advice to find the evenings

targeted Spotted Owl. As we geared

up for owling, many woodland birds

were delivering their last song of the

day: robins, tanagers, pewees,

woodpeckers, chickadees, finches.

Finally, the last notes of the robin went

silent. The sky was dark but the Milky

Way spread across the night sky. We

listened for the Spotted Owl, nothing.

We drove down the road to the next

spot. We listened again, we heard the

Spotted Owl WHO COOKS for

YOU as its call sounded through the

Sierran night. To hear this loud, gruff

sound out of a bird is unreal! We

found it perched on top of a tall cedar

snag. We saw it in our bright

flashlight for a minute or so, and then

it took flight. A couple of minutes

later, we heard it giving a loud, eerieKOW, KOW, KOW. Just as we

were ready to depart, it returned to a

nearby tree. This time it gave hoots

along with screams and other eerie

sounds. This time, we didnt use any

flashlights to view the owl. We just

listened. We were all satisfied and

both Nick and I were delighted with

the owls we had found. And to think

just three days ago, I was aching with

a 102 fever! I think the lovely forest

and mountains rejuvenated me.

The next morning, back to realitywe packed up our tents and said our

goodbyes and traded off contacts to

keep in touch. We had a great group

great scenery, great birds and most of

all, wonderful owls both large and

small.

Before hopping on the road bac

home and to keep up our tradition wi

this trip, Nick and I stopped by a side

road in the flatlands below Springvill

to pick fresh wild blackberries. The

owls may be but fond memories, but

there are still two pies in the fridge!


Giant Sequoia, Photo by Mary Freeman

by Mary Freema

Group at Giant Sequoia,

Photo by Mary Freeman

The Quaking Aspen Owl Prowl, July 3-6, 2008


18/24

Gina AlbiKatheryn & David BartonJohn Bassett

Donna BrayAllan R. Compton & MiriamTasiniCarola EdwardsLisa Fimiani

Nancy FreemanMaria B. GawronskiJoanne P. GlazerAllen and Carol GoldsteinEthan GreenspanJulie Hanson

Hanna R. HaymanJim Jennings

E18 Western Tanager

thank You!The Membership Department wishes to thank all of our members and donor

both new and renewed! Your memberships help us to fulfill our mission...

The mission of Los Angeles Audubon is to promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and other wildlife

through recreation, education, conservation and restoration.

Western Foundation ofVertebrate ZoologyBarbara Willahan

David Youel

We thank the following people tha

made heartfelt donations in honor

of loved ones:

In Memory of Herb Clarke,

Sea & Sage AudubonClair & Susan DeBeauvoirBarbara Eliades

Frank LavacMaggie LewisDennis D. Lewis

Susan MogilkaAndrew NielsenLeo OhtsukiRobin PratherVivian & Alfredo RamirezSue SandiforthBruce SpringRichard SuttonDonna TimlinRobert Roy Van de HoekVic Warren & Laurel Scott

Catherine Waters

Have you ever wondered

where your donations to

Los Angeles Audubon

go? As treasurer of the chapter, I

have the responsibility to assist staff

in making decisions on the quarterly

management of cash flow. I alsowork with board members and

committee chairs on setting long

term goals and yearly budgets. Los

Angeles Audubon is a very busy

chapter, with a one-of-a-kind

bookstore to run, continuous

education, conservation and outreach

programs all of which require

intensive staff, board and volunteer

participation. As one of the most

active chapters statewide, settingpolicies and representing Audubon

interests, we make our voice heard at

public hearings, meetings with

political leaders, government

officials and companies that impact

birds and wildlife.

We have a very lean part-time staff

and are continuously looking for

increased volunteer involvement and

participation to keep our

administrative costs down. So, when

you are out on one of our free bird

walks or field trips, just know thatyour generous donations may go to

specific programs or to the

maintenance and administrative

requirements of those programs.

Either way, your money is well spent

Recently, we decided to increase

suggested donations for fee based fie

trips to specifically benefit our Ralph

M. Schreiber Research Grant fund fo

needy students and non-professionalsdoing avian research. Thanks to you

donations on these field trips, our

Field Trip Income has increased by

82% from last fiscal year. Thank you

members!

A lot of our funding comes in as

restricted which means we are

obligated to spend it only on

specifically designated programs by

the donor. Unrestricted money that

comes in from individual and

corporate donations is just asimportant and necessary. Unrestricted

funding for the day-to-day operations

of the bookstore and administrative

responsibilities of the society, which

includes administering incoming and

outgoing grants such as our outgoing

Schreiber Grants, is vital to keeping

the doors open and the restricted funds

doing their job.

Most of our assets go intoconservation programs for birds and

wildlife, and to education and

recreational programs to engage the

public. A lot of time and effort goes

into scheduling speakers for our

membership meetings, and into

finding interesting and informative

articles to include in our newsletter.

Where Does Your money Go?

by Lisa Fimiani, Treasur


19/24


First Sunday of every month

Sunday, September 7Sunday, October 5

Sunday, November 2

Topanga State Park Birdwalk

Leaders: Ken Wheeland and

Chris Tosdevin

Ken and Chris will lead participant

through this beautiful and diverse coastal

mountain area. An ideal trip for a

beginning birder or someone new in the

area. From Ventura Blvd, take Topanga

Canyon Blvd 7 miles S. Turn E uphill onEntrada Rd. Follow the signs and turn

left into Trippet Ranch parking lot. From

Pacific Coast Hwy, take Topanga Canyon

Blvd, 5 miles to Entrada Rd. Parking fee.

Time: 8:00 a.m.

Contacts: Ken:310-455-1401,

[email protected]

Chris: 310-455-1270

Third Saturday of the month

Saturday, September 20Leader: Eleanor Osgood

Saturday, October 18

Leader: Eric and Ann Brooks

Saturday, November 15

Leader: TBA

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

This trip covers landscaped parkland and

natural coastal scrub habitats and is paced

for beginning birders and members of the

Baldwin Hills community. Expected

birds are hawks and falcons, residentsparrows, herons, summering orioles and

migrating warblers and flycatchers. The

park entrance is off of La Cienega Blvd.

between Rodeo Rd. and Stocker St. After

passing the entrance kiosk ($4.00 parking

fee) turn left (leading to the Olympic

Forest) and park in the first available

spaces. Binoculars provided.

Time: 8:00 a.m.

Third Sunday of the month,

August through MaySunday September 21

Sunday October 19

Sunday November 16

Ballona Wetlands Bird Walk

Join us for a walk through one of the

remaining saltwater marshes of Los

Angeles, and the adjacent rocky jetty.

Migrating shorebirds and terns should

be coming through plus the resident

Black Oystercatchers frequent the

rocky shores of La Ballona Creek.Meet at the Del Rey Lagoon parking

lot. Take the Marina Fwy (90) to

Culver Blvd and turn left for a mile,

turn right on Pacific Ave. The lot is on

the right. Lot or street parking is

usually not a problem. Three hour

walk. scopes helpful. Time: 8:00

Contact: Bob 310-326-2473;

[email protected]

Sunday, September 14Upper Franklin Canyon

(Sooky Goldberg Nature Center),

Beverly Hills

Join us as we walk around this local

urban oak woodland nature preserve

with pond, lake and creek. We are

guaranteed to see the resident Wood

Ducks and chaparral bird species such

as California Quail, Spotted and

California Towhee, California

Thrasher, Also expect to see somemigrating songbirds and flycatchers

.This canyon is a hidden treasure

where the surrounding urban

residences of Sherman Oaks and

Beverly Hills disappear from view.

Meet in the parking lot of the Sooky

Goldberg Nature Center and bird for a

few hours in the cool of native trees

and the ponds. Time: 8:30 a.m.

Directions: From the101 Freeway, tak

Coldwater Canyon Blvd. south to theintersection of Coldwater Canyon an

Mulholland Drive. Make a 90 degree

right turn onto Franklin Canyon Driv

There is no street sign; the turn at

Franklin Canyon Road reads Road

Closed 800 Feet and Sunset to

Sunrise; this is the park entrance. Do

not make a U-turn for this will bring

you into Mulholland Drive instead of

Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved

surface to reach the Sooky GoldbergNature Center. From Sunset: take

Coldwater Canyon to Mulholland Dr

Turn right on Mulholland. Make righ

turn onto Franklin Canyon Dr. (refer

directions from 101 Freeway).

Binoculars provided.

Saturday, October 4

Earvin Magic Johnson

Recreation Area

Leader: Larry AllenJoin Larry for a walk around this

large, inner city oasis. A large lake

attracts ducks, herons and shorebirds

The grassy, open areas with scattered

mature trees attract flycatchers and

warblers. We might even get to see

the Peregrine Falcon that preys on th

local Rock Pigeons. Directions: Me

at the Earvin "Magic" Johnson

Recreation Area, 120th St. parking lo

From either direction of the 105Freeway, exit on Central Ave. Procee

south on Central to 120th St (first

signal), then right (west) on 120th St

to Avalon, turn right and right again

into the parking lot on left. Binocular

provided. 9:00 a.m

B i r d W a l k s

Bird Walks are geared for the beginner/intermediate looking for an introduction to local birds ora less strenuous excursion. Appropriate for young bird watchers age 8 years and older.

Binoculars are provided on some walks as noted below.


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$

Sunday, August 24

Sweltering Salton Sea Field Trip

Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman

Anticipate 95-115F, rotting stench and

dust-a-plenty. Don't show up without lots of

water (1 gallon each per day), good health,

and a reliable car with AC. This is the

gauntlet of SoCal car birding. So why

come? We should see Yellow-footed and

Laughing gulls, Wood Stork, Black Tern,

Lesser Nighthawk, Abert's Towhee, Gila

Woodpecker, and possible Least Bittern,

Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Stilt

Sandpiper. Perhaps most exciting is the slim

but real possibility of real rarities such as

Brown and Blue-footed boobies,

Frigatebird and even stranger stuff that has

popped up in August. Limit 8 paid cars with

two or more each. Find a friend, as singles

are discouraged, and will be wait-listed until

they can carpool. Send $30 per person with

one SASE per vehicle to our P.O. Box to

reserve and for the information mailer. Too

hot to camp. Meet near Brawley at CattleCall Park at 5:30AM, and bird until about 2

PM. Scopes and FRS radios helpful.

Suggested lodging at Calipatria Inn

Birders Discount, or Brawley Inn, in

those towns.

Sunday, August 31

Huntington Central Park and Bolsa

Chica Wetlands Field Trip

Leader: Irwin Woldman

Start at the park, then on to the wetlands.

Huntington Central Park is excellent for

migrating songbirds. The Bolsa Chica

Ecological Reserve wetlands were recentl

opened to increased tidal flow, dredged in

the back channel for more wetland habitat

and the walkways were elevated for

improved wildlife viewing. Flocks of

shorebirds should be heading south, with

leftover terns, early gulls, herons, and

resident Beldings Savannah Sparrow.

Bring a lunch for a full day of birds. Meet

7:30 AM in the park parking lot on the

south side of Slater Ave. just east of Golde

West St. in Huntington Beach. No sign up

$

September 13 & 14 Weekend

Galileo Hills and Beyond Field Trip


Galileo is arguably the best fall migrant train the state. Western warblers and

flycatchers should headline. Reptiles may

be encountered! For those who stick aroun

for Sunday, we may return to Galileo Hill,

visit Piute Ponds, or venture farther afield,

as dictated by our rambling hearts and bird

reports. Take Hwy 14 about 4 miles past

Mojave, then turn right on California City

E20 Western Tanager

f i e l d t r i p s

BIRD WALKS are geared for the beginner / intermediate looking for a

introduction or less strenuous excursion. FIELD TRIPS often require more tim

or effort, and delve more deeply into identification, natural histories an

interactions observed in the field. All are welcome on either type of trip. Reser

per directions in the gray box on this page.No pets or small children, please.

FIELD TRIP FEES benefit the Los Angeles Audubon's Ralph M. Schreib

Research Grantfund. Grants for avian research projects are given to students a

non-professionals having limited access to research funding. Envelopes f

voluntary donations to the fund will be distributed on some non-fee trips.

$ Fee Event, SASE

Field Trips & Pelagic Trips,

Reservation Policy and Procedure

for limited participation/fee events.

Reservations will be accepted only if all the

following information is supplied:

1) Separate checks payable to LAAS

for exact amount for each trip. (no cash

please, Credit Cards not accepted at this

time.)

2) SASE (Self-addressed stamped

envelope), for booking confirmation

and associated trip flyer.

3) Date & Name of Field Trip or

Pelagic Trip desired.

4) Name of each person in your party.

5) Phone numbers:

(a) usual and(b) evening before event, (in case

of cancellation)

(c) email addresses (if used).

Our Mailing Address:

Los Angeles Audubon - Reservations

P.O. Box 931057

Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057

If there is insufficient response, the trip

will be cancelled two Wednesdays prior

to the scheduled date (four weeks for

pelagics). You will be so notified and

your fee returned. Your cancellation

after that time will bring a refund onlyif there is a paid replacement. Our

office staff is available Monday

through Thursday for most reservation

services.

(323) 876-0202.

REFUND POLICY FOR

PELAGIC TRIPS

If a participant cancels 31 days or moreprior to departure, a $4 service charge willbe deducted from the refund. There is noparticipant refund if requested fewer than30 days before departure, unless there is a paid replacement available. Call LAASfor a possible replacement. Please do notoffer the trip to a friend as it would be

unfair to those on the waiting list.

All pelagic trips

must be filled 35 days prior to sailing.

Please reserve early.

NOTE: Destinations may be changed in

order to maximize bird sightings, or

minimize rough seas. In order to meet

unexpected increases in fuel costs, there can

be a $5 to $10 energy surcharge per person.


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include the Tijuana River marsh and nearby

farm fields. Take the 5 Fwy S about three

miles past Route 52 to the Clairemont Drive

offramp and head W into the small lot

adjacent to the Mission Bay Information

Center. Meet E of the kiosk at 8:00 AM.

Bring a lunch. Send $25 fee to our P.O.

Box.

Saturday, October 4

Malibu to McGrath Field Trip

Leader: Dexter Kelly

Late passerines and shorebirds should be

moving through coastal migration spots,

mixed with early wintering birds. Possibly

100 species. Take PCH N over the bridge in

Malibu, and turn right on Cross Creek Road

for street parking (and Starbucks). Cross

PCH, and meet in the lagoon parking lot at

7:30 AM for a full day of birding (bring

lunch). There may be one or two access fees

at McGrath, elsewhere. Fee for those

parking at the lagoon. No sign-up for the

trip. Nominal donation suggested.

Saturday, November 1

Oxnard Plain

Leader: Larry Allen

Meet at the Hueneme sod fields at 8:00 AM

to look over the American Pipits for the

Red-throated variety, as well as longspurs.

Golden-Plovers are also possible. There

may be eastern vagrants to chase. Mugu

estuary, Sycamore Canyon, and local

tamarisk stands are also possibilities. From

the 101 N, drive S on Las Posas Rd., then

turn Rt. onto Hueneme Rd. Meet on the N

side of Hueneme Rd. about 1 mile W of

PCH, and just before Casper Rd. Scopeshelpful. Bird 'till we drop.

Sunday, November 23

Lake Perris Area

Leader: Howard King

The Little Gulls, Ruddy Ground Dove, and

Least and Vermilion flycatchers of past

years may not be back, but surely

Blvd. Drive through town about a mile past

the shops, turn left past the golf course on

Randsburg-Mojave Rd., and veer right on

20 Mule Team Rd. Turn left on Rutgers Rd.

at the Silver Saddle sign before the hill, take

your first paved right, your first right again,

into the Silver Saddle Country Club,

followed by two paved lefts into the lot.

Park by the first pond. About 2 hrs driving

time from Los Angeles. Send $25 fee and

SASE to our P.O. Box. 12 max. Bring

lunches, sun block. Reserve rooms for both

nights in Mojave. Meet at 7:00 AM

Saturday, finish up perhaps 3-4ish Sunday.

$

Saturday, September 20

Piute Ponds

Leader: Todd Battey

A good mix of shorebirds, waterfowl and

songbirds, with a chance at LeContes

Thrasher, and Bairds and Pectoral

sandpipers at this limited access military

facility. Possible extension to Apollo Park,

sewage ponds or elsewhere afterwards.

Carpool at Golden Valley Road Park &

Ride on Fwy 14, meeting at Avenue S Park

& Ride in Palmdale at 7:45AM. Bringlunch, water and sunblock for a full day of

birding. Typically hot weather, and often

afternoon wind. To reserve, send SASE by

September 15 with name, phone number,

check for $15, and e-mail address

(optional), to our P.O. Box.

Limited sign-up of 15, so you are not

registered without confirmation. No drop-

ins. High clearance vehicles, scopes and

FRS radios a plus. No cameras on base!

$


San Diego Area Field Trip


A good portion of the morning will

certainly be spent at Pt. Loma. Some odd

birds have been known to pop up here

during late migration. Other possible areas


something will take their places! Take the

10 or 60 Fwy E to the 215 Fwy S, exit E

onto Ramona Expressway, continue E jus

past Perrris Blvd., and meet at the Farmer

Boys Restaurant on the S side of the road.

Leave from here at 8:00 AM. Bring lunch

warm clothing and footwear for possible

mud. Possible entrance fee.

Saturday, December 13

Newport Back Bay

Leader: Mary Freeman

Meet on the boardwalk along the NW bay

at the Sharp-tailed Sparrow Spot

accessible from the end of University Driv

(small street) at 8:00 AM for the 7.1 high

tide, and a full day of birding in the area.

High tide at the mouth is 8:37, but may no

peak in the back bay until after 9:00 AM.

Three rails, Nelsons Sharp-tailed Sparrow

and Short-eared Owl (both rare) will be

target birds. Eurasian Wigeon, Blue-winge

Teal, California Gnatcatcher, and Bittern

expected. Take the 405 Fwy S to the 73 To

Road (free this far) to the Campus Dr. exit

which becomes Bristol St. Turn right on

Irvine Ave., drive 1.4 miles, then turn left o

a small street called University Drive. Parkat the end, walk down the hill, over the

bridge, and to the end of the boardwalk.

Bring lunch. Scopes helpful.

Sunday, December 14

Malibu Christmas Bird Count

Contact compilerLarry Allen at:

(626) 288-2701 or

[email protected] participate

Saturday, December 20

Lancaster Christmas Bird Count

Contact compilerNick Freeman at:(818) 247-6172 [email protected]

to be placed on a team or be given an area.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Los Angeles Basin Christmas Bird Coun

Contact compilers

Eleanor Osgood (310) 839-5420,

Barbara Courtois (310) 379-4669,

Cindy Harding, (310) 301-0050 or email t

[email protected] be placed on a

team or be given an area.

f i e l d t r i p s


22/24

E22 Western Tanager

Last Two Pelagic Trips 2008

Save $5.00 with an early sign-up

60 days prior

to the trip departure.

Field Trips & Pelagic Trips,

Reservation Policy and Procedure

for limited participation/fee events.

Reservations will be accepted only if all the

following information is supplied:

1) Separate checks payable to LAAS

for exact amount for each trip. (no cash

please, Credit Cards not accepted at this

time.)

2) SASE (Self-addressed stamped

envelope), for booking confirmation

and associated trip flyer.

3) Date & Name of Field Trip or

Pelagic Trip desired.

4) Name of each person in your party.

5) Phone numbers:

(a) usual and(b) evening before event, (in case

of cancellation)

(c) email addresses (if used).

Our Mailing Address:

Los Angeles Audubon - Reservations

P.O. Box 931057

Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057

If there is insufficient response, the trip

will be cancelled two Wednesdays prior

to the scheduled date (four weeks for

pelagics). You will be so notified and

your fee returned. Your cancellation

after that time will bring a refund only ifthere is a paid replacement. Our office

staff is available Monday through

Thursday for most reservation services.

(323) 876-0202.

REFUND POLICY FOR

PELAGIC TRIPS

If a participant cancels 31 days or moreprior to departure, a $4 service charge willbe deducted from the refund. There is noparticipant refund if requested fewer than30 days before departure, unless there is a paid replacement available. Call LAASfor a possible replacement. Please do notoffer the trip to a friend as it would beunfair to those on the waiting list.

All pelagic trips

must be filled 35 days prior to sailing.

Please reserve early.

NOTE: Destinations may be changed in

order to maximize bird sightings, or

minimize rough seas. In order to meet

unexpected increases in fuel costs, there can

be a $5 to $10 energy surcharge per person.

Saturday, October 18

Northern Channel Islands

Monument Trip

This 9 hour trip, 8am-5pm, departs

from the Island Packers dock in the

Ventura Harbor at 8:00 a.m. on the

fast catamaran Islander. After

dropping off campers on Santa CruzIsland, we will have the boat to

ourselves and cruise around Santa

Cruz Island to the Santa Cruz Passage

by Santa Rosa Island, and along the

Santa Rosa Flats to the deeper water

near San Nicholas Island. Then, we

will return by Arch Rock at Anacapa

Island. Birds seen on prior trips:

Northern Fulmar; Pink-footed Sooty

and Black-vented Shearwaters; Black

Storm-Petrel; comorants (3); Pomarineand Parasitic Jaegers; Sabines Gull;

rocky shorebirds ( up to 5); Common

Murre; Craveris and Xantuss

Murrelets; Cassins Auklet. Rarities:

Bullers and Flesh-footed Shearwaters;

South Polar Skua; Long-tailed Jaeger.

Blue, Finback and Humpback whales

have been seen on this trip. In 2002, a

Streaked Shearwater, and in 2003 a

Brown Booby and 2 Manx

Shearwaters were seen.

Leaders: Todd McGrath, Jon

Feenstra, David Pereksta.

$130 There is a snack-type galley

with beverages.


A deep water trip to Cherry, Tannerand Cortez Banks.

This trip departs from the Santa

Barbara Harbor at 7:00 a.m. on the

fast catamaran Condor Express and

returns approximately at 8:00 p.m. We

are far offshore in 3 counties Santa

Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles.

Birds expected: Northern Fulmar; One

Cooks Petrel was seen in 2005; Ashy

and Leachs storm-petrels; South Polar

Skua; Parasitic, Pomarine and Long-tailed jaegers; Sabines Gull; Arctic

Tern. Red-billed Tropicbirds are

usually seen on this trip. Rarities seen:

Black-footed Albatross; Bullers

Shearwater; Least Storm-Petrel and

Craveris Murrelet. Blue, Fin and

Minke whales as well as several

species of dolphins can be seen.

Leaders: Todd McGrath, Jon

Feenstra, Dave Compton, and

David Pereksta. $198. The trip will

be cancelled if there is insufficient

response 35 days prior to departure.

There is a complete galley that serves

breakfast, lunch and dinner.


23/24

If you have been considering visiting and birding inCosta Rica, wait no longer! We have an itinerary that offersix of the major locations that are distinctive, each offeringmarvelous profusion of tropical birds. Costa Rica has a wedeserved reputation as a tiny country sincerely interested inconserving its natural resources, and one that is invariablyon all birder's wish lists. Tropical forests harbor howlermonkeys, Resplendent Quetzals, poison-dart frogs, giantmorpho butterflies, over 830 species of birds, and the beauof thousands of plant species.

Habitats encountered will range from semiarid ranchland, to misty cloud forest, the transition zone between thedry and moist forests of the Pacific lowlands, the treeless

paramo, and what may well be the highlight of our trip, a

visit to La Selva, a lowland rainforest where nearly 400birds have been recorded. As part of our small group, enjosome of the best tropical birding in Costa Rica, where youwill be accompanied by outstanding leaders throughout.Space is limited.


The Best of Costa RicaMarch 6-18, 2009

Crowned Woodnymph, Photo by Herb Clarke

Red-capped Manakin, Photo by Herb Clarke

For information and itinerary, contact:

Olga Clarke, Los Angeles Audubon, Travel Director

2027 El Arbolita Dr., Glendale, CA 91208-1805

Ph/Fax: 818-249-9511 [email protected]


24/24

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Dr. Jordan Karubianpresents:

Ground-cuckoos, Umbrellabirds and other rain forest delights: highlights from

five years of research and conservation work in the Ecuadorian Choco.Dr. Karubian spent four years living and working in the Choco rain forests of

northwest Ecuador from 2001 - 2005. Choco rain forests house a stunning diversity of

flora and fauna and are a world- wide conservation priority. For example, the Choco

has the highest number of endemic species of bird (62) of any habitat type in the

western hemisphere. Many of these species are spectacular, very poorly known, and

at risk of extinction due to habitat loss.Dr. Karubian devoted his time in Ecuador to

the research and conservation of several of these species, including the Long-wattled

Umbrellabird, the Banded Ground-cuckoo, Macaws, and the Brown Wood-rail. He

also started a training, education, and sustainable development program that has made

significant advances for the conservation of these species and the habitat they depend

on. Now an Associate Researcher at UCLA,Dr. Karubian will summarize his researchand conservation work on these and other species, with lots of pretty pictures and

video to boot!

mONTHLY pROGRAMSMeet at 7:30 PM in the Community Building in Plummer Park

7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046

Documents

September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon