With a habitat preserve map that un-preserves our largest, most important remaining habitat by shattering it into two isolated fragments, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes released its "preferred alternative" design for the Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP). Similar to an alternative put forward by the two main landholders on the south side of the PV Peninsula, the City version leaves the door open for the development of dozens of homes in the Landslide Moratorium area and for the construction of two golf courses, one on the coastal bluffs around Point Vicente, and the other in the most active part of the Portuguese Bend landslide. In addition, the Point Vicente golf course would eliminate 30 acres of agreed-upon mitigation for the current development there and effectively wipe out any meaningful chance for a wildlife corridor between RPV and PVE.

The proponents of this plan will say, of course, that this is the only really practical plan. That it provides a relatively inexpensive means to acquire land that is not currently in public ownership. They will maintain that the minuscule strips of habitat to be placed in the golf courses should afford ample connections between habitat areas. They will also claim that fully functional habitat can be restored to areas that have been blitzed during obligatory grading. And that it can be done successfully in a short enough period to prevent permanent environmental disruption. They will state further that, just because a map allows for development, there is no certainty that development will be approved.

That may be, but the environmental community and, I suspect. the wildlife agencies which are overseeing the NCCP process, shudder at maps like this one. The RPV alternative map illustrates everything the most extreme critics of the NCCP say is wrong with the program. It goes against basic principles of sound habitat planning, bisecting our one large block of habitat and disrupting wildlife corridors. It allows developers to capitalize lands they would have given away otherwise, and exchange them for developable properties of great value elsewhere. Moreover, the critics insist, we would preserve more if we were to do away with the NCCP and fight projects on a case by case basis.

It's possible the critics are right when it comes to the PV NCCP. After five years of effort, we have a City-sponsored preserve design that cannot work as shown. Only if the City steadfastly refuses to allow building in the Landslide Moratorium can enough land be added to the mapped preserve to create a single large habitat block. Only if the City keeps its agreement with the US Fish and Wildlife Service around Point Vicente and lives by the spirit of the agreement under which the City Hall property was deeded from the Air Force, will there be a chance of maintaining a habitat connection between RPV and PVE.

The local success of the NCCP depends on how closely the final preserve comes to the alternative design prepared by the local environmental community. If the City lives up to its agreements noted above, and then does not break the Landslide Moratorium, there is a real chance for success. If it does not, the NCCP must fail.

We have an opportunity to really make a difference and to help solve environmental problems here in California. Spending a few minutes contacting your state legislators before the present session ends in September can do a lot of good for all of us and for the environment.

SB 1277 is vitally important legislation needed to protect California's state parks from major highway construction. Roads that would destroy Chino Hills State Park and San Onofre State Beach in order to build the Foothill Toll Road are already on the drawing board. Plans to build major highways through Malibu Creek State Park and Topanga State Park could be reactivated at any time. Tom Hayden's Senate Bill 1277 would protect our parks from this all too real threat. Senators Debra Bowen and Betty Karnette support this bill. If you live in Lawndale or Gardena, and Teresa Hughes is your senator, it is very important to urge her to vote for SB 1277.

Two bills are pending that propose bond issues for the acquisition or improvement of parks and natural resource areas. While congratulating our senators for their support of SB 1277, let's urge them to vote for SB 57 [Hayden] so that a few more green areas can be saved from development.

Our Assembly members, too, need to hear from us. AB 18 [Villaraigosa] is another bill that proposes a bond issue for parks and wild areas. We need to urge our representative to support this vital measure. Most of you live in Districts 53-55 (Nakano, Lowenthal and Floyd respectively). If you have a doubt about who your Assembly member is, call me at 310 545-1384 and I'll find out for you.

While we're talking to him or her, let's also urge them to vote for AB 717 and AB 748, both authored by Fred Keeley, the Assembly Speaker Pro Tem. These bills ameliorate the following negative impacts that timber harvesting is having in our state:

1.Logging is accelerating the decline in coastal salmon and steelhead runs, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

2. The US Forest Service has linked sedimentation caused by logging to downstream flooding and property damage.

3 The Environmental Protection Agency and the California Water Resources Control Board cite logging-related erosion as an important factor in the decline of California's water quality. Unfortunately, most of the state's water originates in areas where logging occurs. AB 717 and AB 748 make necessary and long-recommended changes in the Forestry Practices Act to correct these far-reaching and costly problems. California can have clean water, thriving fisheries, healthy tourism, and a truly sustainable timber industry, if we ensure improved accountability in the regulation of logging practices. These moderate and reasonable bills will assure sound forest practices to help our state reach these goals.

The address to write your State Senator or Assembly Member is:

The Honorable ____________

State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814

An excited bunch of kids inaugurated our Summer Education program this July at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park. They crowded around the microscopes at their base by the boathouse, enthralled by the rich life in a drop of water from the lake. They looked at the nearby tules with new eyes, imagining themselves in a village long ago using them to build a home. They searched the lake for coots, ducks and cormorants, and watched swallows hawking insects above lurking herons, getting their first taste of how fascinating and rich their natural heritage really is. And to top of the excitement, they used their new knowledge to create a mural of lake life on the walls of the boathouse!

Drawing on the rich natural resources of the park for inspiration, teachers Debbie Baker and Holly Gray have built a basic curriculum of natural lore, science and crafts which can be varied from week to week as the cycles of life and seasons change. With it, they are helping children from Wilmington and other local grade schools learn about nature. By the end of each week-long session, these youngsters have established a new appreciation for their own abilities and for nature.

The Summer Education program is intended to give residents of the area near Harbor Park an awareness of its importance and potential. Through the program, we hope to build strong local support for an Audubon Center there. Although run and funded by Audubon, the program is cosponsored by the KMHRP Public Advisory Board and the LA City of Recreation and Parks.

Our thanks go to the many Audubon donors who are making this Summer Education program possible. So far, two dozen donors have given $1700 directly to the program. Bob Shanman, of Wild Birds Unlimited, Audubon California, and the many people who gave to the Birdathon, provided more than $3000. We have also received many in-kind donations, including binoculars, microscopes and materials. If you would like to contribute, please send your donation of money, optical aids and/or educational materials to PV/South Bay Audubon, P.O. Box 2582, PVP, CA 90274.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

The LA County Breeding Bird Atlas in its final season. Pass all data on county nesting birds to regional coordinator Claudia Freitas, 562 420-2689, or Mark Wimer at (213) 745-BIRD.

Come on out to the park--Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, that is, for a day of birds, butterflies, fun and family activities on Saturday, September 18. Audubon will host a day full of park lore to acquaint Audubon members and residents surrounding the park with its rich resources. The action starts at 8 in the morning with a nature walk. At 9, we will take advantage of Coast Week and LA City's Park Appreciation Day to stage a full park clean up. Later in the day, we will have a booth near the boathouse with a children's nature hunt and games. There will be more walks focusing on various aspects of the area--from lake life, to birds of the marsh, to butterflies.

Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, located in Wilmington west of the 110 Freeway, is the third largest park in Los Angeles and home to an amazingly rich variety of plants and animals, including more than 300 species of birds. If you are not acquainted with this park, you owe it to yourself to come out and see it. If you would like to help out with the day's activities, call Fran Spivy-Weber at 310 316-0041.

But what season was it? A later (and bigger) than usual spring migration peak was obvious. And what seems to be a good summer breeding season is underway. On the other hand, there was snow in the local mountains the first week of June, and rain here the first week of July--which seem more like winter. Perhaps the odd weather had something to do with all the odd bird occurrences. There was certainly no shortages of those, whatever the season was (including some great "fall outs")!

Uncharacteristically, I'll start with an out-of-area bird. On June 12, a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel was seen by Kevin Larson (KL), Arnold Small and myself (MH) on the annual LA Audubon trip to Santa Cruz Is. to look for that jay-on-steroids, the Island Scrub-Jay. The Blue Whales were cooperative too. Do try to get up there to see these magnificent animals before they leave in August or September. The Condor just might be the best boat. It's out of Santa Barbara, docked at 'Sea Landing'.

It sure pays to go on those monthly bird/nature walks at HP. In July, participants were treated to fantastic views of Least Bitterns, even feeding their young (7/11)!

Interesting was a Harlequin Duck report in late March from Playa del Rey which, since it wasn't found the next day, most people dismissed. Then our own Bob Shanman relocated it 5/16! It is still present (7/12) and should stay a couple more months if it follows the pattern set by previous ones in Southern California. So much for the nay-saying doubting toms. Five migrant Turkey Vultures were over Manhattan Beach 5/18 (KL). I presume the ones here in early June, such as one at Peck Park 6/6 (MH/KH), are late migrants, or prospective nesters. The late June birds regularly found near Dominguez Hills, are returning winterers. They leave here in late Dec. (some schedule huh?). My wife spotted one of these over Torrance Blvd. at Vermont 6/28.

As mentioned in the last column, fall migrant shorebirds are returning by early July. This year, my annual early July survey at the LA River (LAR) turned up 2 Wilson's Phalaropes, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 200 Western and 2 Least Sandpipers on 7/3. Back from the arctic already! Of course the regular nesting Avocets and Black-necked Stilts were present, as was a pair of Gadwall, which probably attempted nesting, but no young were with them. The signs say the bike path will reopen July 31. A late migrant flock of gulls over my house 5/18 contained one each first-summer (AHY-after hatch year) Thayer's and Glaucous-winged Gulls, and an even tardier Glaucous-wing flew past Point Vicente 5/30. Interesting are the Caspian Terns nesting in LA Harbor. They feed at Harbor Park (HP), then carry food from there to feed their chicks. Up to over a dozen were present at once through most of June. KL even saw one carrying food over Banning Park (BP)! KL also had a Least Tern at HP 6/13. These too nest in the harbor and use HP as a food source.

Incredible was TWO Yellow-billed Cuckoos found by my buddies in LA Co. this spring. One was spotted just south of Gorman by Dr. Barney Schlinger (BS) in late May. The other was closer to home, over Mar Vista, flying south (our way) on 6/14 (KL). These are nearly unrecorded this decade in the county.

Perhaps the most phenomenal event of the whole migration was the 'Swift slam'--all 4 regular U.S. species simultaneously--over HP 5/22. The number of Black Swifts was unprecedented, with over 200 just in the mile surrounding HP! They were all over Harbor City, in the park itself and on Normandie Ave, sometimes at car-level. I checked the ground, in case one had been hit, for Kimball's collection at the museum. To no avail, though. Later, Kathy and I met KL and CS at HP for an hour-long show of shows--Blacks zinging past us at 10', sometimes even below eye-level. Mixed in were Chimney's, Vaux's and White-throateds! We then went to Madrona Marsh (MM) and found Black Swifts there too! Later in the afternoon Kathy and I were at Malaga Canyon (MC), and AGAIN had all 4 species of swifts over our heads simultaneously!! The day before, 5/21, 2 Blacks were over my house, and one was in Carson. The day after, 5/23, only 20-30 Blacks were over HP, but I did see copulation. Later that afternoon, Jerry Johnson (JJ) had the same number (same flock?) of Blacks over San Pedro! The first Chimney Swifts seen were 5/15, with 3 at HP followed by 5 over my house, along with 2 Blacks, that afternoon! On 5/30, 3 Chimney's were at HP. On June 2, I saw 4 more Blacks there, with at least 8 Chimneys, some of which were calling and displaying! That 200+ flock of Blacks is probably the largest ever recorded in the LA basin lowlands in spring!

A Western Pewee in MC 6/19 is past even this late migrant's normal window, and is potentially nesting. We have no prior record for such. Pacific-slope Flycatchers (to which the 'Western' moniker should again be assigned, as it seems an ill-defined species, at best) were in fair numbers. They were singing in MC through mid-June, and are likely nesting there, as well as in George F Cyn. A Dusky Flycatcher was at BP 5/14, very rare coastally in spring. Nearby were a Gray and two Hammond's for comparison! Ash-throated Flycatcher is another 'no proven nest on the hill' species, so interesting was a couple at Forrestal Quarry (FQ) 6/18 (KL), and another 6/19 in MC. We've seen prospectors inspecting nest holes, but, to our knowledge, they've never stuck around to do the deed. Perhaps we're missing some unknown but required habitat element. Summering pairs of Cassin's Kingbirds are at the usual sites at DH and FQ, and they have been seen at HP carrying food towards the ball diamonds adjacent to the Navy Fuel Depot. One was seen weekly from late May on. All together, perhaps four or more pairs are present locally.

Bank Swallows were seen at HP as usual: 2 on 5/21, 1 on 5/22, and 2 on 5/23. The Rock Wren pair at FQ must be nesting, but I would sure like to see some young! One was carrying food on 7/10. A House Wren sang for a month along Malaga Creek. It was even seen with food in it's mouth. However, no other bird was seen, and then it disappeared. Was it trying to 'bait' a mate in and, when that didn't work, it left?

Swainson's Thrush was abundant as usual. During a couple nights, they were going overhead  at midnight at a rate of several per minute. That may have continued till dawn, as they were still going over at same rate at 5 a.m. I heard two singing at HP, on 6/18, where they've nested before, so they may be trying again this year. I was excited about my Hermit Thrush at BP 5/14, but KL set the local late-migrant record, with one at Sand Dune Park (SDP) on 5/28! The California Thrasher was singing above FQ in May/June (KL), and I saw it in July. Phainopepla is nesting up MC, further north than previously known on the hill.

The big waves of warblers, vireos, and such were slightly later than average, with near-daily fallouts from 5/14 to 5/22. The cold wet April probably held things up to the south, concentrating them into a narrower window as they passed through here. The numbers were often astounding, with a hundred migrants at BP or HP on many late May days. The tardiness is best exemplified by the 16 individuals of 8 species of migrants at BP on 6/11, a very late date for such numbers and diversity. Of course the excitement of vagrants is at it's peak late May to early June, and we were not let down, due to some intensive coverage. Over 90 individual passerine migrants were concentrated in the willows along the southeast side of Machado Lake (HP) on 5/14, and 140 more were at BP the same day! Over 75 were at MM 5/22, half of which were Wilson's Warblers.

In my last column, I mentioned finding an agitated Hutton's Vireo at MC. On 6/19,  I found it feeding young-but the young was a Brown-headed Cowbird! Two additional Hutton's were found further up creek, as well. Hopefully, they'll have better luck! They are breeding on the hill, but not successfully, so far as we know. John Ivanov (JI) found a singing Yellow-throated Vireo at MM, on 5/25, which Neil Multack and I were lucky enough to see that afternoon. Kathy and I found a singing Northern Parula along MC 5/22, and the same day JI had a male Bay-breasted Warbler at Wilderness Park! We now have 3 spring records spanning 20 years for this species--all males, and all found by John! He must be living right! KL, not to be left in the dust, came up with a female Black-throated Green Warbler, at BP 5/31, incredibly rare as a spring vagrant in CA, especially on the coast! Black and White Warblers were at MM 5/12, and at BP 5/23 (both JI). Tardy, was a male Audubon's and a female MacGillivray's, at BP, after a nocturnal shower on 6/2. A Yellow Warbler was singing at HP on 6/18, and heard again 7/13, so is probably attempting to nest this year. A Yellow-breasted Chat sang for participants of PV/SB Audubon's monthly walk at HP on lucky 7/11, the first summer record there in maybe two decades. This was followed there, two days later, by a PAIR in the willows at the north end, along 'the cut,' on 7/13! Are they nesting?

Nearby, Orange Co. had early June Black-throated Blue and Magnolia Warblers, and Bernardo Alps saw a Canada at Leo Carrillo State Beach! Spring vagrants are usually 'one day (or hour) wonders,' so chasing them is fruitless. The best way is to go to the right places at the right times and FIND them yourself while you're counting numbers of common things, like Wilson's and Yellows for the record.

An exciting find was a singing male Summer Tanager in MC on 6/19 (MH). On 6/11, a male Western Tanager at BP had a sizeable red patch on it's breast - the same color as it's head! We did finally manage to muster a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It was at Friendship Park on 6/6--in a tree with a Great Horned-Owl (MH). A confusing bunting at MC on 5/29 looked like an Indigo, except for a very bold upper wingbar. It was probably an Indigo-Lazuli hybrid. KL had a good female Indigo at SDP on 5/24.

Outstanding was the Black-throated Sparrow Martin Byhower (MB) found at FQ 5/31. It was followed by KL finding 2 Black-chinned there 6/17! Neither species. is known to nest on the peninsula, but further monitoring may reveal another secret of the hill. MB also had a Chipping Sparrow at FQ, on 5/31, which, you'll recall, I confirmed nesting there last summer. I could find none of these three FQ sparrows on 7/10, though. The latest White-throated Sparrow ever was still attending a feeder in mid-May (fide BS)!

Tricolored Blackbirds were successful at HP again this year, with at least 40 juveniles produced! BS found 4 Yellow-headed Blackbirds at MM mid-May, which Kathy and I saw 5/15. Two were sub-adult males, but unfortunately they did not stay. A male Great-tailed Grackle was there the same day. If you haven't noticed, the grackles are taking over HP, with over a dozen or two nesting pairs! On an upbeat note, a singing Baltimore Oriole, in the HP north-end willows, on 6/18, was a rare treat (MH). This may be our first June record for the species.

Surely, scores of official bird-record committee 'NO' votes are based on the ridiculous premise that, if a sighting doesn't fit the expected pattern, it can't be correct. I wonder, then, how they'll vote on the Red--Tailed (not red-billed!) Tropicbird at Bolsa Chica on 7/10? It was found by JI, and seen by several other A-1 birders! On shore!! With a Bridled Tern standing there, too!!! Stick that in your pattern and smoke it.

All in all, the vagrant total this year was astounding for spring, when we really have to work for them. Now that season's done, and what's most important is to use these next few weeks to acquire the missing breeding records for the LA County Breeding Bird Atlas. Please do some digging in your local patch and report to Mark Wimer at Atlas Central (wimer@bcf.usc.edu OR 213-745-2473 ). This is your last chance to make a contribution to this very important project.

Think global, bird local

Due east of Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora, lies the great Sierra Madre mountain range. In 1992, carretera (highway) 16 opened a door to a largely unexplored area. The value of this region in terms of biodiversity and scenery are unrivaled in northwestern Mexico. The barrancas (canyons) that were opened to travel contain a wide variety of tropical highland bids/ Some of these are at the northern limit of their range.

This list is quite impressive by any standard: military Macaw, White-striped Woodcreeper, Gray-collared Becard, White-eared and Berylline Hummingbirds, Orange-billed and Russet Nightingale Thrushes, Slate-throated Redstart, Crescent-chested, Fan-tailed and Rufous-capped Warblers, Rufous-capped Brush Finch, Rusty and Five-striped Sparrows, Hooded Siskin, Blue Mockingbird, Aztec Thrush and Mottled Owl have all been recorded here.

We will leave LAX via Aero California Airlines, Thursday, Sept. 2, and return Labor Day, the 6th. Total cost, excluding meals, will be about $500. This includes a $100 donation to PV/South Bay Audubon and assumes motel rooms are shared.

Though the birding should be excellent, the trip itself will not be strenuous and hiking will be minimal. Call Neil Multack at 310 547-0404 for reservations and trip details. Participants must carry passports or equivalent identification.

In a sign that the Smart Growth movement is gaining momentum in the State Capitol, both houses of the California Legislature recently passed resolutions formally endorsing Smart Growth principles and calling on state agencies to use them when devising policies, programs, and infrastructure investments. Both resolu­tions emphasized the importance of smart growth approaches to land use as funda­mental to promoting economic prosper­ity, social equity and environmental quality.

The wide appeal of smart growth is ev­ident in the sponsorship of the resolu­tions. Assembly sponsor Keeley repre­sents a Central Coast district in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. In the Senate, sponsor Solis represents an urban district in Los Angeles with a large and ethnically diverse population that is increasingly concerned with key quality of life issues. They were joined by colleagues representing a broad array of urban, suburban and rural districts throughout the state.

The Smart Growth principles en­dorsed by the Legislature are based on those of the California Futures Network, as endorsed by its affiliates, including Audubon. These principles are:

1. Planning for the future by making government more responsive, effective and accountable by reforming the land use planning and public finance systems.

2. Promoting prosperous and livable communities by making existing commu­nities vital and healthy places for all resi­dents to live, work, obtain an education, and raise a family.

3. Providing better housing and trans­portation opportunities by provid­ing effi­cient transportation alternatives and a range of housing choices affordable to all residents without jeopardizing farm­land, open space and wildlife habitat.

4. Conserving green space and the natural environment by focusing new de­velopment in areas planned for growth while protecting air and water quality and providing green space for recreation, water recharge, and wildlife.

5. Protecting our agricultural and forest lands from the effects of sprawl and the pressure to convert farmland for development.

The resolutions acknowledged the im­portance of achieving social equity, the significance of agriculture to Cali­for­nia's economy, needs for reform in state/local fiscal relationships, and the importance of urban reinvestment. In in­troducing his resolution to the Assembly, Speaker Pro Tem Keeley stated, "Smart Growth is an idea whose time has come. California's population is expected to grow by 15 million people in the next 20 years. Unless we're smart about planning our communities, growth will damage our environment. This resolution recog­nizes the fundamental challenge we face and the important role that state government can play to preserve our environment."

The Resolution calls on state officials to apply these Smart Growth principles wherever possible. It also encourages them "especially to reach out to people of color, low-income communities, inner-city resi­dents, and rural communities to help with devising state 'Smart Growth' priorities."

For the text and votes of HR 23 or SR 12, visit the Senate web page at:

 http://www.senate.ca.gov

State Treasurer Philip Angelides recently began an effort to direct state spending towards revitalizing cities and limiting urban sprawl with the release of a special edition of the California Debt Affordability Report. The report, Smart Investments, is more than an analysis of California's debt capacity. It includes the Treasurer's recommendations on how to ensure the long-term viability of the California economy by improving quality of life.

The annual Debt Affordability Report is statutorily required of the Treasurer"s office. This year, the report calls on the state to approach infrastructure needs with a well thought out vision for California's future and to make strategic infrastructure investments. In introducing his report, Mr. Angelides testifies that, "The State's intelligent investment of its public resources in a manner that supports environmentally respectful, well-planned growth and promotes equality of opportunity is vital to our sustained economic progress." The report calls for the following actions:

Investments that support livable communities, sustainable development and sound environmental practices that strengthen the economy.

Re-investment in declining communities to reverse a dangerous trend toward two Californias, one in poverty and the other in an economic boom.

A smarter fiscal approach to investment which looks at cost-effective alternatives to the construction of conventional facilities.

Strong and meaningful planning at the regional level to direct state infrastructure investments.

Majority vote for communities to approve investments in schools and other critical local needs.

The Treasurer's office has little direct control over how infrastructure investments are made. Nevertheless, Angelides has been using his position as Treasurer to promote Smart Growth. He chairs the commission that allocates tax credits for low-income housing projects statewide. Former Treasurer, Matt Fong, used a lottery to help choose which qualifying projects would receive  funds. Angelides' office instead rewards projects that are located in existing neighborhoods or within walking distance of schools, parks and shopping.

The Smart Investments report is the first in a series of contributions the Treasurer's office plans to make to the deliberations over infrastructure spending. For the full text of the Treasurer's Debt Affordability Report, visit:

 http://www.treasurer.ca.gov

Senses include taste, smell, touch, hearing, and vision. Birds may not have the sixth sense, E.S.P., right? In this article there is information about taste, hearing, and smell of various birds.

In the spring of 1898 (2 years before any "Y1.9K" problems, as we now face potential "Y2K" problems), a study was made as to how starlings develop a taste for honey. The scientist on avian matters in New Zealand saw the newly- introduced starlings killing local humble-bees, taking them to their nests, and feeding them to the nestlings. Later, when those nestlings were grown-up and thus self-feeding, he saw them sucking honey from richly honeyed flowers. He then concluded that when those birds were nestlings and had eaten the bees, the honey-sac in each bee stimulated the taste for honey in each starling, thus creating the desire to suck honey from the mellifluous flowers.

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) can have breeding sites where as many as 300,000 of them gather. When its parents go to sea or leave the chick for any other reason, and then return to somewhere in the crowded site, a chick must be able to hear, identify, and acknowledge hearing its male or female parent's call, despite the high sound level created by the huge number of other penguins at the site. Surprisingly for us, a chick does recognize its parent's call in that type of environment, and it rushes to that parent.  The scientists doing a study recorded the calls of a number of parent king penguins. When the chicks of those parents were left alone in the penguin crowd, the sound of each parent was emitted at various distances, using the scientists' sound emitting device. It was found that each chick responded to its own parent's played-out call from a maximum of about 20 yards away, with the sound amplitude at the same level as when emitted by a parent king penguin. When the calls of several parents were played-out simultaneously from different places on the site, it was found that even though the chicks of those parents could hear all the played-out recorded calls, each chick only turned toward its own parent's sound and ran to that source. New studies have begun, to determine how each chick can so easily and accurately recognize its parent's call, and the direction from which it comes, while also hearing many other penguin calls, thus having a remarkable sense of sound discrimination.

The king penguins' sites are on islands near the Antarctic Circle. Other birds in southern oceans include albatross, petrel, and other marine bird members of the taxonomic order Procellariiformes. They are characterized by tubelike nostrils on their beaks. Those nostrils aid in having such birds as storm petrels smelling dimethyl sulphide, a chemical emitted by phytoplankton approached by grazing zooplankton. Thus, the southern ocean Procellariiformes birds that eat zooplankton, including Antarctic krill, are attracted to those tiny creatures by smelling the chemical emitted by the nearby phytoplankton. It has been found that dimethyl sulphide is indeed an olfactory clue for the birds by overlying the southern oceans water.

I'll now switch to a story about an insect as closure to this article. I saw some ants in my driveway a few days ago. I thought that if I saw a male ant hug a female ant and run away with her, it'd be like seeing a mammal, because I'd see an ant elope.

California's state parks not only provide recreation for millions, they embrace natural areas of world significance. These lands, kept in their natural state, confer important benefits through protecting air and water quality, providing habitat for wildlife, and providing recreational opportunities for residents and tourists. As pressure to develop throughout California intensifies, our state parks will play an ever-increasing role in providing crucial habitat for hundreds of plants and animal species, as well as providing recreational and economic benefits for all Californians. However, they can only play that role if the parks themselves remain immune to outside development interests. Hence state Senate bill SB 1277.

Introduced this year by Senator Tom Hayden, SB 1277 would prohibit the construction of roads through our state parks which do not further park purposes. While roads for fire prevention and utilities would not be affected, other non-park road construction would be prohibited. Since our state parks are managed specifically for preservation, wildlife values and recreation, the need for this law might seem strange. However, outside agencies often look at parklands and open space as easy targets for new highway corridors.

Transportation agencies in particular are targeting our public lands for road development. Our parklands are being viewed as the "path of least resistance" for new highways. However, several adverse outcomes arise from the improper use of our state's public lands. Construction of roads through our state's public lands will cause the loss of aesthetic, wildlife, and recreational values, as well as negatively impact economic revenues gained from the protection of public lands.

 Habitat fragmentation, which leads to loss of biodiversity, is another adverse consequence of unwanted roads. These roads through undeveloped open space are almost always a prelude to new and costly suburban sprawl.

Two recent cases serve to point up the problem. The Chino Hills State Park is the primary recreational land for the populated region at the junction of San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. The state park was purposely designed to preserve ridgeline to ridgeline viewsheds. In 1998, the Southern California association of Governments proposed a four-lane toll road through the middle of Chino Hills State Park. Even more outrageous is the example of the proposed tollroad through San Onofre State Beach, the 10th most popular park in the State Park system. This park includes two thousand acres of critical habitat for seven endangered species. Part of the park's draw is the San Mateo Campground. Its 160 campsites, which sit along the banks of San Mateo Creek, attract over 70,000 campers a year. However, after fragmenting other extremely valuable natural and ranch lands to the north, the toll road would literally obliterate much of the park, and leave what's left with much reduced, if not marginal, value. Impacts to endangered species would be severe.

Clearly, Senator Hayden's bill, SB 1277, is needed, and should be supported by all Audubon members. Please write your state Senator now to voice your support for SB 1277.

In early June, several acres of critical coastal habitat at the nearly-complete Ocean Trails golf course slid seaward, burying tidepools and stripping away vital bluff vegetation. Along with it went much of the 18th hole, substantially delaying the golf course's opening. Clearly, this was a calamity for all concerned.

Since then, there has been much controversy and finger pointing, which is of little concern to Audubon. What does concern us is that habitat is preserved per the terms of agreements which Ocean Trails has made with the Coastal Conservation Coalition, of which this Audubon chapter is a member, the Coastal Commission, and the wildlife agencies. Although causes for the landslide are not yet determined, there are clear indications that the developers of the Ocean Trails project will make every effort to honor those agreements.

However, the serious loss of habitat caused by this landslide should serve as a warning signal to all of us, especially those who live in Rancho Palos Verdes. Other development projects are being discussed in RPV for the bluffs near Point Vicente, for tracts within the Landslide Moratorium and, amazingly enough, on the active Portuguese Bend landslide itself. The attendant threats to habitat hardly bear contemplation.

Audubon YES! is entering its sixth year! School teachers, service club or ecology club sponsors and student group presidents are asked to enroll their school classes or groups  in Audubon YES! Participating students earn recognition for the community environmental service projects they do. Students who make a substantial contribution to their school and community will join the select rank of self-motivated, forward-looking young men and women who have received the Audubon YES! Award, which can be used on  scholarship and school applications. Call Jess Morton at 832-5601, or e-mail jmorton@igc.org for information on the Audubon YES! program.

We are looking for birding equipment to use for our Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park and other education programs. If you have binoculars, scopes, hand lenses or microscopes you no longer need, please donate them to our Audubon chapter for recycling. We will recondition and repair used equipment, so please don't hesitate to give older things just because they no longer work. Everything will be of value, even if only for spare parts. Call Fran Spivy-Weber at 326-0041 or Jess Morton at 832-5601 to arrange for collection. Or drop things off at the next Audubon meeting. Thank You!

You can make a lasting contribution to conservation in Palos Verdes and the South Bay by making a bequest to the Audubon chapter in your will.  Please consult your attorney about the appropriate language, but you may consider the following: "I give $____ to the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society, a non-profit organization which exists under the laws of the State of California, with a current address at P.O. Box 2582, Palos Verdes, CA 90274."

This page is part of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society website.