Tuesday, March 7, 2000, is a very important day for the environment. California voters will decide the fates of Proposition 12, the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air, and Coastal Protection bond, and Proposition 13, the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection and Flood Protection bond. Both bond acts have strong bipartisan support in the California legislature, and impressive endorsements from conservation, civic, agriculture, labor, and even taxpayers organizations. Everyone seems to recognize the tremendous need California has for parks, open space, clean water, and more efficient use of water for its growing population and important natural areas.

Proposition 12, the Parks bond, is a $2.1 billion bond act that includes funding for state and local parks and agencies that protect open space and recreational resources. Harbor Park could be a beneficiary of this section of the bond. Funds will also be available for land acquisition, habitat restoration, coastal protection, open space protection in fast-growing suburbs, protection of wildlife areas in some of our fastest growing counties, as well as playgrounds, zoos, and soccer fields, urban conservation corps, and recreation for at-risk youth.

Proposition 13, the Water bond, is a $1.97 billion bond act that includes funding for water efficiency projects in urban and agricultural areas, water quality of urban streams and river parkways, wetland and watershed restoration, safe drinking water, and reducing storm runoff in urban areas.

The Association of California Water Agencies estimates this bond will improve California's water supply by one million acre-feet, without building any new dams. With all the talk about droughts, this prediction is welcome news.

Though voters approved similar park bond acts in the 1970s and 1980s, there has not been a park bond passed since 1988. A recent independent study reports that state and local agencies estimate unmet park needs for the next ten years at over $12 billion. California is growing at a rate of more than 600,000 people each year, and new and old Californians alike love to enjoy the outdoors. We will need new funding to provide space for people and for wildlife.

Proposition 12 and 13 have ENORMOUS potential for Audubon and its chapters. These bond acts provide funding and grants to state and local agencies that protect and restore land and wildlife habitat. Local projects that we support and our own projects will be eligible for bond funds.

Your help is needed to pass these important bond acts. To get more information, donate funds, or volunteer locally to help the campaign, please contact Kathie Schmiechen, Audubon's legislative advocate in Sacramento (kschmiec@quiknet.com or call 916-313-4522) and the Audubon-California website (http://www.audubon-ca.org/) or locally, you can contact Frances Spivy-Weber (frances@monolake.org or call 310-316-0041.

Register to vote by February 7. Vote Yes on Propositions 12 and 13 on March 7. THANK YOU!

This disturbing headline in the January 6th L A Times caught my eye: Recyclers are saying " Bin There, Done That." The article goes on to say "Environmental Programs See a Slump at the Dump." This is a most alarming trend that goes along with the U S overconsumption kick as more and more of us are buying gigantic SUVs and huge "monster houses  crowded into tiny lots. Do U S consumers have the right to overuse finite world resources as though there will be no future generations and no other people in underdeveloped nations who have a right to some of the world's resources? What if all six billion people now on this planet had our consuming habits? Would there be a forest or a tree left for animal or plant habitat?

Without our help, without our action, the steady destruction of fields, forests, wetlands, and other green areas that shelter our birds and wildlife will continue to wreak havoc on our world. Those of us with an environmental conscience must make a new millennium resolution to do more. "Live simply so others can simply live", would be a good motto to follow. Not only must we continue barraging our legislators with pro-environment messages, but our personal habits should be in synch with our philosophy. It is very important to recycle paper, plastics, and metals, to compost when we can, and to insist that our communities continue comprehensive curbside recycling. To keep recycling going, it is also necessary to buy recycled products whenever possible.

Let's not get sucked into the "bigger is better"propaganda being aimed at consumers. As a recent letter to the editor reads "There is nothing about the Excursion that warrants its massive use of resources...it screams massive waste". The Excursion is Ford's 19-foot-long, nearly four ton behemoth that gets 8 to 12 miles to the gallon, according to EPA estimates. Even the smaller sport utility vehicles use three times the materials to build, use twice as much gasoline, and emit twice as much pollution as the average car. In California, motor vehicles are the single  largest source of air pollution and global warming gases.

How can we get our relatives, neighbors, and friends to buy fuel efficient cars instead of SUVs? In the coming year you will be able to buy a 70-mile-per-gallon gas-electric hybrid coupe, the Honda Insight, or Toyota's 5 passenger, 60 mpg gas-electric sedan. The Union of Concerned Scientists is leading a campaign to show policymakers and automakers that consumers want more clean car choices, and that they support California's  Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program that helps to put those cars on the road.

You can send the UCS a copy of the following on a postcard to support their program:

I would like to see cleaner, advanced technology vehicles on the road as soon as possible. I urge California to maintain and strengthen its ZEV program. I pledge that my next vehicle will be a clean car that cleans up the environment and saves me money at the gas pump.

 You can send this message on post cards to;

Clean Car Campaign             Governor Gray Davis

Union of Concerned Scientists        State Capitol Bldg

2 Brattle Square                     Sacramento, CA 95814

Cambridge, MA 02238

For a more complete pledge form or for more information contact: cleancarpledge.org

The Summer Education Program at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park will resume this summer with a greatly expanded schedule. Under the direction of Education Chair Debbie Baker and Lead Teacher Holly Gray, Audubon in the Park will give a cross section of Wilmington and Harbor City school children a new understanding of the rich natural heritage which survives in their neighborhood. Among the many exciting activities the kids experience are: an introduction to birds, plants and wildlife in the park; how to use binoculars, microscopes and other optical aids; nature walks and observation; and mural painting on the boathouse next to the lake.

Contributions toward this important program are most welcome, and should be sent to P.O. Box 2582, PV Peninsula, CA 90274.

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Set aside the date of Saturday evening, May 6th, for this Audubon chapter's Y2K Conservation Awards Banquet. A crowd of more than 100 is expected for this annual event in honor of the South Bay's leading conservationists, educators and young activists. This year's focus on Harbor Park promises a not-to-be-missed gala evening.

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With the appointment of Ellen Oppenheim as General Manager of LA's Recreation and Parks Dept., an exciting new direction is being taken by the City's Park Rangers, who, for the last few years, have been made to serve as park police. Now, Park Rangers are going to return to their traditional naturalist roles. This Audubon chapter has been asked to propose a natural history training program for the entire Ranger Department staff. Our program does, of course, draw on the extensive and generously-offered expertise of all Audubon entities in the City. If the necessary funding is available, the program could be under way by the time the next issue of Hummin' rolls off the presses!

It's here--it's now--it's the 2000 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) hosted by Cornell University and National Audubon. You can be a "citizen scientist" for a weekend by participating in this year's GBBC, February 18-21-without  having to leave home. Developed by Cornell and Audubon, this program is a partnership between citizens and scientists which allows everyone to help monitor and protect birds. Last year, over 46,000 individuals participated throughout North America, and 163 species were reported in California alone (2nd only to Texas).

The GBBC involves people counting birds, either in their backyards or while taking a walk in a neighborhood park (no farther than one mile from your home) and sending this data to Cornell via the Internet. All a participant has to do is count the number of birds of a particular species (i.e. scrub jays or house finches) and write down the number they see and where they saw them. At the end of the day, go online to the Cornell website at http://birdsource.cornell.edu. Once you reach the Birdsource site, you will see several prompts. Click on the one that says "Great Backyard Bird Count." Fill out the preliminary data, followed by the checklist data. For each day you submit data, enter only the largest number of each species seen at one time, NOT the day's total number. Each day's data are entered separately.

If you don't have access to a computer, but still want to participate, contact Wild Birds Unlimited in Torrance (25416 Crenshaw--Rolling Hills Plaza). Drop by the store and pick up a package of  forms (one for each day), take them home and fill them out (and, if you are interested, take a look at last year's results from California).  If you can't get in, call WBU at (310), 326-BIRD (2473), and forms will be mailed to you. When you are done, return the forms by Feb. 23. WBU will input the data for you. Depending on how busy they are, they may be able to do it for you "live." Let them know if you want your forms returned; otherwise WBU will recycle the paper.

The drought continues, with very mild, dry conditions, which I think disperse the birds among the scanty resources. Nor may as many birds as usual make it this far south when conditions are so mild. Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskin and Purple Finch haven't been reported at all this winter! Nonetheless, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was a great success, thanks to the outpouring of help from all you dedicated volunteers! But the CBC'ers seemed to think there were fewer birds around overall. I'm always amazed at how many species not seen on the count are seen in mid-December or mid-January. If we'd just keep going out locally once a month all winter, we'd find just as many unusual birds as we do on the CBC, most of them wintering, too.

The CBC, held 12/26, turned up about 163 species, the lowest number of the decade, but right on the 34 year average. This of course doesn't count Peafowl and Yellow-chevroned or Mitred Parakeets. Though not seen count day, there were also about 8 count week (CW) species, so we did have a 170+ CW, which is nothing to be ashamed of. We didn't have tons of 4-star, bell-ringing rarities dripping out of the trees, like usual--but there were a few good ones!

By late Nov., after a fall absence, a couple of thousand Black-vented Shearwaters had finally showed up, and on 11/27, I saw a Short-tailed Shearwater at PV Pt., quite close in. This one, like many gulls and pelicans, was following a lobsterman just outside the kelp line, a behavior more typical of this species than of Sooty Shearwater, with which it may be easily confused.

Astounding was a flock of 30 White Pelicans I saw at the LA River mouth (LARM) for CW, on 12/24, soaring south along the Long Beach coast. Jerry Johnson (JJ) saw an American Bittern at Harbor Park (HP) 12/14, where they probably still winter. Alas, we couldn't find it on the count. A Cattle Egret flew over my house 12/2, but no others have been seen this winter.

Kevin Larson (KL) found a Ross' Goose at LAR-Willow St. area 11/21 which was still present in early Jan., just outside the circle. He also saw two at Ballona Creek, 12/4. The best goose locally was the minima type Canada Goose at Alondra Park (AP) from 12/12 (MH) to the CBC, at least, when KL last saw it. This duck-sized subspecies is a future 'split candidate', for which I propose the name 'Gooselet'. This is our first ever CBC record of the form, and only about the fourth, overall, that I know of locally. A 'regular' (large) Canada Goose was at HP 12/23. Eric & Ann Brooks (E&AB) found what was probably the same bird at Walteria Lake (Sump) on the CBC. It was back at HP in early Jan. Redheads numbered up to a dozen at AP in Nov., and early Dec., but departed prior to the CBC. Ring-necked Ducks were there, with 36 on 11/27 and 51(!) on the CBC (KL). Greater Scaup were at LARM, as usual, with 4 there on the CBC, and another in a flock of Lessers at HP 1/21 (KL). Rob Hewitt and Steve Tucker saw a female Hooded Merganser at HP 11/25, which, like the male there 10/31, was gone a few hours later. The near-zero visibility water precludes this kind of visual hunter from staying too long.

Almost unbelievable was an imm. Goshawk over my house in Torrance on 1/5, though it's not the first one I've seen here in early Jan.! Cooper's Hawks are a daily affair here--and may have taken both 'my' wintering Say's Phoebe and the Scrub Jay that ate from my hand daily for the last 3 years! Another thing almost missing is Turkey Vulture. None of the Dominguez Channel (DC) birds have returned, but 5 in Portuguese Bend showed up for the CBC!

Also mind-boggling was a Pacific Golden-Plover which flew over me on 12/29. It was going south, calling half-a-dozen times, while I was out at 10 p.m., walking the dogs! Two of the 4 Snowy Plovers wintering at Cabrillo Beach (CB) have color bands on their legs. I'll let you know where they're from when I find out. A record-high (locally) flock of 21 Semipalmated Plovers was at the LARM on 12/24 (MH) for CW, but not thereafter! A great CBC find was the Long-billed Curlew that flew over the DC (KL)!

Supporting my maxim 'the bird of the day always gets away', was a large, all-dark tern that flew close past Pt. Fermin--and an alert Katy Penland--on 11/20. Black Terns are neither here nor black in November. Also, it was Elegant Tern sized. Probability suggests it was a Sooty Tern (KL & I once saw a juvenile in Dec., going north at Pt. Vicente). The same day, I spent 8 hrs. seawatching around the peninsula! Ahhh, the joys of seabirding! Or is that no-see-birding??

Common Murres were the most evident of any year this decade, with some visible from shore virtually every time I looked during Nov., and Dec. One was seen on the CBC at Portuguese Bend. A Marbled Murrelet at Dockweiler St. Beach, just north of us in El Segundo, on 12/17 (KL), was seen by many the next day. Always an outstanding find this far south! Rhinoceros Auklets seemed to be in good numbers, too, this year, and were often seen from shore points. But lack of count day man/woman-power precluded us from having people on the whale boats this year for the CBC, so we missed it! OUCH!

A Barn Owl flew over my house calling for CW 12/24. We ended up bettering that, though, due to the incredible second-effort put forth by Ross Landry, Dave Bradley (DB), and Rusty Scalf. AFTER the CBC tally dinner at SCBG, they went out for more birding, and, at a stop at HP, got one for the day! WOW, huh!?!? Real men! The 'right stuff'!

Most frustrating was a juvenile (brown headed) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker I saw from 10' at Peck Park (PP) on 12/19, which was not found again. An adult male Red-breasted was there 12/21-early Jan. DB saw the only Yellow-shafted Flicker on the count, in RHE. At least 8 Cassin's Kingbirds were found on the CBC, indicating they are still on the increase as a winterer locally, and in the so. Cal. coastal area in general. This in contrast with NO Empidonax sps. found locally this winter. One each Tree and Barn Swallow were at HP on 11/30 (JJ), and I saw 3 Tree there 12/18, but no swallows were seen on the CBC. Three swallows at HP 1/21 were probably Tree as well (KL).

Spectacular was the Brown Creeper found by Don Sterba in the Wilmington Drain (WD) on the CBC, in a lerp-infested Euc.! No nuthatches paid a visit to us this winter though! Incredible was the flock (6+) of Western Bluebirds found by Kimball Garrett in PVE on Paseo del Mar at PV Intermediate School on 12/12. It is still present, was found for the CBC and is probably the same flock Martin Byhower had at HP the month before! Thanks Kimball! A burst of Varied Thrushes came through, with 3 (!) at PP on 11/23 (MH), 1 at SCBG 11/27 (KL), 1 at Sand Dune Park 12/10 (Dick Barth), and one on the CBC at the PV Reservoir. Waxwings were fewer than usual, probably because of mild weather and good food supplies further north. A Phainopepla was seen at SCBG on the third Wednesday walk 12/15 (fide Margaret Hoggan).

A Hutton's Vireo was at Wilderness Park on 11/27 (KL). The two at HP on the CBC were probably returnees. Non-returning vireos were really bigger, though not good, news. Three birds that should have been here, weren't. Plumbeous Vireos, that had been wintering at HP and WP for the last 5-6 years, did NOT return this winter. Nor did a gray-headed Cassin's Vireo that had wintered at PP the last 3+ years. A moment of silence.....

Warblers were rather scarce, except for Black-throated Grays, which seem to be at every decent green-spot as a winterer now. Even manicured parks, like Wilson in Torrance, have returning (!) winterers. Nary a Palm could be found, though, for the second winter in a row! A Nashville had returned to PP by 12/21 (JJ), and I saw it 12/28. The fanciest bird of the count probably was the Northern Parula Curtis Johnson (CJ, Orange County's CBC compiler) found in PVE along the 'fire trail' behind City Hall. Amazing were two (!) Black and White Warblers seen ON the CBC. The imm. male, at Banning Park since late Sept., was found, as was another at SCBG (E&AB). This is also likely to be a returning bird, as one was seen there last winter in Nov. and March. Several Wilson's Warblers were found, possibly an all time high number.

The male Summer Tanager that has wintered for the last three years on Paseo del Campo, along the north edge of the PV Country Club, in PVE, had returned by 11/27, when Kathy and I saw it. The surprise was THREE of them found at PP on the CBC by Lillian Light, Ollie Coker, and their group. They found an adult male, a sub-adult male, and a female. I saw the later two, but they were incredibly furtive. One called for KL on 1/21--probably wishing him a happy birthday! Two Western Tanagers were also there, as well as a Bullock's Oriole.

Another amazing bird story was the CBC specimen record! On 12/24, at the Tuler residence on Pony Lane, in RHE, a bird was heard to strike the window. They recovered the dead bird and called their 'Audubon friends' Lillian and Ollie, who called me. Fortunately the specimen was saved, and I gave it to Kimball who put it in the collection at the LACNHM. At least we shouldn't get 'dinged' by the CBC editors on this one! It was a beautiful first year male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, the third count record, but CW only, of course.

Sparrows were well represented on the CBC. A lone Chippy (MH & Neil Multack) was in a Junco flock at HP, and a small flock of them was at the "old PV landfill' site (E&AB). Two Lark Sparrows (MH & NM) were at the Navy Fuel Depot (NFD) on Gaffey, and more were at Friendship Park (Margaret Hoggan). A White-throated Sparrow, at the WD since 11/6 (KL), was still present CW (JJ & MH) but not seen count day. Shocking was my Christmas gift from the far north, on 12/25; between the two sections of Pt. Fermin, when I flushed Lapland Longspur! The next (count) day, I spotted it between Long Pt. And Pt. Vicente, flying along the bluffs! I'll bet it's still out there on the bluffs somewhere.....lots of nice open dirt.

A single scan of an NFD Western Meadowlark flock produced 120+ birds! At least we still have a few somewhere! The only CBC Bullock's Oriole was one in PVE (CJ). Another was heard in El Nido Park, in late Nov. (KL), that should have been a winterer. Add an elusive one at Peck, seen in Jan., and that makes 3 for the season, which is low.

Nearby Orange Co. has wintering Yellow-throated and Worm-eating Warblers, in Huntington Beach, and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Bolsa Chica, found in Nov. by a Brit!. The Malibu CBC turned up a Greater Pewee, a species I consider 'most overdue' in our circle. El Dorado Park in Long Beach has a Blue Mockingbird (!), of questionable origin, whose call sounds to me like ¡Inmigración! ¡¡¡Llame pronto a la inmigración!!!

Not of suspicious origins were the THREE Common Grackles Tom Wurster found on the El Dorado  count. The one passing over my house a couple of years ago during my 5 p.m. cigarette breaks--for 3 weeks running--is now no longer the only LA County record. Oh well, it couldn't last forever, but it was the only one of the 1900's.

Sooooo....a BIG special THANK YOU to all who helped on the CBC, and made it the special event it is! Next year's CBC will be 12/23, a Saturday, so mark it (and your territory) now! Thanks, too, to those who send me their reports so Jess doesn't have to scramble to fill a couple of blank pages. And it keeps me off the streets, too.....

Now you have two months to find all the unfound winterers before they leave. During March and April, be sure to hit 'the points' so you can see first-hand the spectacle of the northward seabird migration. Do so especially after a few days of strong NW winds. Please E-me and let me know what you've seen at: birdfish@earthlink.net

Think global, bird local

"What is that bird on the fence?," Stephanie, one of the participants on a recent walk, asked. Of course, subliminally I had heard the "zing-ricochet" call, so familiar to me elsewhere, but literally unheard (of) on the peninsula. Raising my Nikons, I confirmed, one, two...wow, FIVE Western Bluebirds(!), sitting on the fence by the driving range just east of the lake. As far as I know, this was only the second record of the species in the PV count circle. Extraordinary! But just another morning's birding at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park!

How do YOU like to spend Sunday morning? Sleeping in? Going out for a lazy brunch? Celebrating your spirituality? Watching competitive sports?

For me, birding Harbor Park on mornings like that are all of these things (Well, almost--the big brunch and delicious nap can come later to round out this kind of birding experience!) Nothing makes me feel more connected to the web of life, to my own purpose in it all, than being out on a misty (or sunny) morning, getting reacquainted with one after another of those lovely winged harbingers of the seasons, colorful little spirits that can fly, swim, and dive where I can not. And maybe, if I am lucky, I will encounter a rare or even new and unfamiliar species on my walk.

"Harbor Park?" you ask. Polluted. Surrounded by a refinery, freeways, a hospital, urban blight, and golf courses. Watered by storm drains! Is it even safe to go there?

Well, to paraphrase W.C. Fields, the rumors or KMHRP's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Several restoration projects are currently in the progress. Additionally, some large grants have been received to do even more, and others are being pursued. Many of us expect that, in the future, the park will be the Crown Jewel of the LA City Parks system.

It's always been the best place for birding in the South Bay--and maybe even well beyond! KMHRP has a whopping species list, and new rarities pop up all the time. Christmas counts typically produce 100 species there, plus or minus. Nearly every eastern vagrant or water bird ever spotted on the west coast has been seen in one of the park's many habitats: willow forests, lake margins, wetlands, upland tree habitats. A Little Gull and a Painted Bunting were there recently. A White Winged Tern before that, and the list of "regular" rarities (if that isn't an oxymoron) is endless.

But the more regular stuff is fun, too, and often easy to see. The last walk produced a real photo op when a Sora spent several minutes in full view, only a few feet away. On the next walk, perhaps you can help me sort through the gull flock on the east side of the lake to find Thayer's, Mew, and Glaucous-winged gulls. Let's see if we can spot the off-season Least Bitterns--again. How many species of ducks will be present? Perhaps there will be a Plumbeous Vireo, or a Yellow, Black-throated Gray, Wilson's or other migratory warbler. They often decide to winter at the park, along with the regular Audubon's, Myrtle, Townsend's, and Orange-Crowned Warblers. Then, there are the shorebirds, the grebes, blackbirds, herons and egrets. And kingfishers. And terns. And raptors--Peregrines, Merlins, White-tailed Kites, as well as the more common species. Nor should we neglect the possibility of uncommon wintering sparrows and other passerines, say a flycatcher or two, for good measure.

So what are you doing on the second Sunday this month? Come on out for a pleasant, easy, memorable walk with some nice people. You can always go home and catch the game on TV. Or some ZZZ's later on. Meet at 8 a.m., in the parking lot near Anaheim and Vermont in Harbor City.

Y'all come, now!

Your Audubon is at the epicenter of planning for the 30th anniversary activities for Earth Day 2000. There will be events throughout the South Bay area around the April 22nd date. For information on how you can help out at one of the Audubon displays, as a publicity person, or in any other capacity, call  Earth Day Coordinator Lillian Light at 310 545-1384 or send  an e-mail to: lklight@aol.com.

Of course, climate significantly influences bird migration. However, in this article, other climatic effects on birds will be discussed.

During 1939-1995, studies of the timing of avian egg-laying by 36 species have been made in the U.K. Among those bird categories are wrens, warblers, flycatchers, robins, finches, magpies, and more. Recently, the data from 92,828 records from those slightly over 56 years have been organized and analyzed. It has been found that the egg-laying date for 31 of the species was strongly related to the climatic temperature and partly to the amount of rainfall. As temperature rose, egg-laying occurred earlier. The current prediction is that by the year 2080, much earlier dates of egg-laying will exist for many avian species because of the rising trend in global temperature. As the dates have changed with climatic changes, nests have been constructed earlier in warmer 1-2 month periods, and later in cooler 1-2 month periods, especially in March and April, thus timely providing the facility for the egg-laying. The direct effect of climate on the birds has been one of the factors changing the egg-laying dates. Other factors have included: the effect of climate on environmental conditions, including food availability; plus habitat changes, such as conversion of open space into construction sites, which has affected many species oriented to farmlands and other open space areas. The largest of the birds, such as certain water birds, showed little lifestyle changes in response to local temperature.

Acid rain has been another weather factor affecting the lives of certain birds, especially the passerines, members of Passeriformes, the largest taxonomic order of birds. Passerines are small to medium-sized perching birds of widely varied plumage and shape. Their feet have four toes, three pointing forward and one backward, thus easing their perching. Their hatched babies, like human babies, are usually born naked, the bird babies without feathers and the human ones without hair.

Passeriformes order has 52 families, plus more than 5,000 species, 60% of the Aves taxonomic class; and they exist worldwide. The occurrence of acidified soil, causing significant reduction in calcium content, has resulted in eggs with thin and porous shells for many forest passerines, especially the great tits of The Netherlands, and forest passerines elsewhere in Europe. Calcium shortage has been the key ingredient reduction causing the egg defects. That shortage has been largely due to the absence of important prey, namely snails which become scarce on poor acidic soil. Snails were the main calcium source for the egg-laying female passerines in the analyzed European forest sites. The decline in snail population was due primarily to the calcium shortage in the bad soil areas resulting from acidic rain. Those snails require large amounts of calcium for reproduction and growth, and they obtain calcium through their normal plant food plus by ingesting soil or rock particles, and/or by absorption through their skin. To confirm what was observed in the passerine-populated areas, biologists captured a large group of passerines, and separated them into sections, each section being fed snails of different quantities and other foods of different calcium content. Those lab studies confirmed the field studies, thus proving that acid rain which truly reduces calcium food availability is the cause for loss of passerine hatchlings.

OK, to end this article concerning geographic areas, I'll tell you my thought about an atlas. An atlas contains geographic images but not images of mammals; so, if you have one, you have a catless, ratless, batless atlas.

Cabrillo Beach, a collection of 17 nature poems by Jess Morton, is now available from Audubon as a fund raiser for the Audubon YES! Program. Bound in yellow leather-finish stock, and printed on marbleized paper, this 24-page book makes a handsome gift for those who enjoy poetry and/or the natural world. The cost is $6 each, ($7, including tax and mailing).

Many of these poems celebrating the natural wonders of our area have appeared in Hummin' over the last few years. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to support YES!, our youth environmental service program, which gives young people the opportunity to make a difference by improving environmental health here, where we all live.

Sharing Nature With Children:  A few people willing to spend a few hours one day a month working with high school students and children are wanted to help with our educational program at Wilderness Park in Redondo Beach. This monthly program introduces youngsters to a variety of aspects of the natural world around them in a setting which includes meadow, woodland, streamside and marsh habitats. Docents help lead the children in various games, walks and crafts designed to show off the park and the plants and animals in it.

If you like working with children, this is an excellent way to become involved with chapter activities. We want to expand this program to Torrance, San Pedro and other cities. High school and other students who volunteer receive Audubon YES! Award credits.

Join this exciting program by calling Lillian Light at 545-1384.

Audubon supports Propositions 12 and 13 benefitting open spaces, parks and watersheds.

Please vote!

At our February meeting, EPA's Fred Schauffler will describe what is being done to remediate the extensive contamination of ocean sediments near the PV Peninsula. A large area of DDT- and PCB-laced sediment is located about one mile off shore between Point Vicente and Point Fermin. From two inches to two feet thick, it covers an area of more than 15 square miles, with the highest concentrations located in a 3-square mile band near the LA County Sanitation District outfall pipes at White Point. The contaminated sediments probably harm the marine environment and may pose a serious risk to individuals who regularly consume fish from the area. Currently, elevated levels of DDT and PCBs are found in organisms that live in the area, including bottom-feeding fish such as white croaker and water-column feeders such as kelp bass. Also possibly affected through the consumption of fish are marine mammals and birds.

In July '96, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began a Superfund investigation of the site. EPA is currently evaluating the need for cleanup action and how this could be done. The presentation will cover the initial screening of cleanup technologies, likely alternatives, and opportunities for public involvement.

Mr. Schauffler is a Remedial Project Manager in the Superfund Cleanup Branch at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 9 office in San Francisco. During his ten years with EPA's Superfund program, he has overseen the investigation and cleanup of soil, sediment and groundwater contamination at several Superfund sites in Arizona and California, and he is currently the project manager for EPA's work at the Palos Verdes Shelf in Los Angeles, CA.

Audubon-California's own Bob Barnes will be in town, March 28th, at 7:30 p.m., to speak at our monthly meeting on "Turkey Vulture Migration." After giving an overview of three of his Audubon responsibilities as State Director of Bird Conservation Programs, the IBA (Important Bird Area) program, the California Riparian Habitat Joint Venture, and Kern River Preserve and Valley Outreach program, Mr. Barnes will give a slide and lecture presentation on Turkey Vulture migration in the Far West and of the nearly 30,000 per year that pass over the Kern on their way south to Mexico for winter.

While Bob is here, we will ask him to assist us in nominating Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park for inclusion in the IBA program, which will greatly boost national recognition of this rich urban habitat area. In exchange, Bob will tell us how we can become involved in some of the volunteer programs centered in his Kern River Preserve. This is one meeting you won't want to miss. Incidentally, after a 22-year run, this will be the last regular meeting scheduled at the South Coast Botanic Garden! Beginning in April, we will be on the move to various locations around the South Bay.

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