Anyone who thinks Rancho Palos Verdes has seen enough landslide troubles to last into the fourth millennium hasn't heard the latest proposal for Portuguese Bend. In what is probably the most bizarre scheme to come along in years, the Army Corps of Engineers and the City are about to wrap up a multi-year feasibility study to build a dike in the Bend. Stretching a half mile from Inspiration Point to the Portuguese Bend Club, tons of rock are scheduled to be dumped on the sea floor in a swath up to 200 feet wide. And the cost of this? Just a paltry $27,000,000, give or take a bit, plus annual maintenance.

Now it must be understood that this project has nothing to do with stabilizing the landslide. In the Draft Feasibility Report (DFR), the Corps is very clear on this point, insisting it has no authority to do so. Rather, the stated reason for the dike is to restore marine habitats. An admirable purpose, indeed, if there were anything in the studies performed in support of this DFR to show such restoration would occur. But the studies show nothing of the sort.

There are, of course, some utopian conclusions, based on fragmentary data and conjecture, which point in that direction. The basic idea is that the dike will act as a catchment basin for sediments coming from the landslide, which is presumed to be the source of all turbidity and habitat loss in the PV near-shore zone. Once sedimentation is stopped, the sea will clear and kelp forests leap from a newly restored sea bottom!  If all goes according to plan. And if all the guesses about what could happen are right. Then, about 70 acres of sea bottom will be restored to its natural rocky state and up to 400 acres of kelp forest will be gained.

However,  no historical data are cited to justify such conclusions. In fact, 25 years of data gathered in marine population studies around the Peninsula by local scientists are not used. These studies might have led to very different conclusions, such as, that recent changes in PV marine life are much too widespread to be blamed on the landslide. There is also anecdotal evidence which ties the beginning of sea bottom habitat loss to reconstruction of a local beach, not to the landslide. But if the data are unclear on possible habitat gain from building the dike, the Corps openly admits that the dike will destroy 8 acres in the catchment basin. Remarkably, however, the Corps' study seems to ignore that another 10 acres will be buried by the dike itself. Thus we are being asked to destroy 18 acres of functioning marine habitat in return for a possible 70 acres of restoration. The projected gain in kelp bed habitat does not take into account the sensitivity of kelp beds to macro-environmental changes, such as the winter storms which, at times, have denuded the Peninsula of its kelp beds.

There are several other questionable aspects of this project. The dike itself will be an eyesore for local residents and others. Even though much of the dike will be submerged, its sides must be anchored on land. To quote the Draft Feasibility Report, "...an unavoidable impact is the change in aesthetics caused by the rocky dike and containment area which could be unacceptable to many interests."

Aside from the costs involved, which cut into funds that might be spent on environmentally useful projects, there are many engineering issues of concern. Some, have important environmental consequences, such as the effect of modified wave action on erosion of beaches to the east of the dike. Others, such as project interactions with the landslide itself, are beyond the scope of Audubon to answer. However, the DFR says all that needs to be said, "There are numerous uncertainties..." and though the Corps isn't sure of the slide plane or toe's location, they believe the dike is situated on stable ground, " ...accordingly, the engineering soundness of the dike foundation is considered reasonably certain."

Reasonably certain? We're absolutely certain that this project should not be built!

What are we doing, and where are we going? The answers to these questions are crucial to the success of every organization. In this article, I will venture answers for our Audubon chapter.

In the last issue of Hummin', I outlined a vision for our chapter in the future, one in which Audubon is synonymous with our natural heritage and its protection. A future in which Audubon offers a host of chapter activities, including community service, bird and wildlife education, and constructive activism, all radiating outward from a hub at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park. It is an exciting vision because it offers all of us so much--and it is within our grasp.

This vision can be realized because it is based on what Audubon is and does now. Our chapter has nearly 1000 member families with a vast array of talent. We already run a score of education and service programs on which to build. We have good relations with like-minded local groups and with the communities we serve. We draw on the resources of the National Audubon Society's state and national offices. Together these assets provide a firm and far-reaching foundation.

Before going on, let me analyze our main programs. First, there is education. More than 1300 copies of this issue of Hummin' will be distributed to members, libraries, public officials and others who want to know about Audubon. Eleven Sharing Nature With Children sessions this year will draw 150 or more children, where 40 to 50 adults and young people will teach them about the world around them. Our Summer Education Program at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park will reach another 50 inner-city children with two-week, in-depth courses on the park's resources and their care. Earth Day and other community events brought dozens of Auduboners and young people out to distribute environmental information to the public.

Probably most people associate Audubon with birds. The three dozen bird walks we sponsored this year drew 100+ different Audubon members and visitors. The weekly bird classes at the South Coast Botanic Garden pulled in another 50, while the Christmas Bird Count, Great Back Yard Bird Count and PV Butterfly Count accounted for 50 more. Then there are all of our marvelous contributors to Birdathon who swell participation to over 60.

Next we should consider our meetings, which feature talks on a wide range of natural history subjects. To start with, there were 11 regular meetings last year which drew 75 different individuals. I can't tell you how many will attend our next Star Party (You, perhaps?), but if the past is an indicator, there will be at least 50 star gazers out with us. Each year, at our Audubon Conservation Awards Banquet, we honor outstanding environmentalists and educators. This year, 80 people joined us.

Speaking of environmentalists, Audubon is an activist organization. Our Audubon YES! Program annually draws 300+ students who do community environmental service work--thousands of hours of it! One of the projects these youngsters work on is the Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly Habitat Restoration Program, which we cosponsor. Another is the Coast Week Clean Up, in September, where we help coordinate the work done at Harbor Park. A dozen volunteers are working in Alondra Park to create an Audubon-sponsored native plant garden. Dozens more write letters and testify, advocating for environmental protection.

When we add all this up, the answer is Audubon. In some capacity, we serve upwards of 2000 people directly each year, even when a family membership is counted as only one person. Each month there are 10 or more events sponsored by our chapter, and at least as many more where Audubon activists play an important role. It is an amazing record.

Yes, this is our Audubon. But it is an Audubon that no one knows! We must change that. We need to tell everyone who we are and what Audubon is. By doing so, we will create the public support we need to expand existing programs and institute new ones to bring Audubon into close contact with all the communities we serve.

It is clear to me that ours is a vital chapter; that we have the elements needed to bring about the vision I have put forward. In my next few columns, I will tell you about exciting plans the Board of Directors has for Audubon, both today and tomorrow.

The chapter's enthusiastically received Summer Education Program at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park wraps up in early August. The pilot program of a year ago was expended this year to test an intensive two-week format, which had habitat restoration training as one of its key components. The summer program will be complemented by fall and spring education sessions to give chapter leaders an idea of what kinds of programs will work in the park.

Students for the camp ranged from six to 15 years of age, and were drawn mainly from grade schools near the park, especially Fries, Hawaiian Avenue and Normont. Judging from eagerness for camp not to end, it is clear that these children are really excited about what they are learning. All are expected to come back for Audubon in the Park Day, on September 16th, and bring their families. The kids are looking forward to sharing their new found knowledge of birds, plants and restoration methods with the YES! students who come that day.

We will have a full report in the next issue of Hummin'. In the meantime, special thanks go to teachers Holly Gray and Debbie Baker, who have put so much in to make this program go. A big round of thanks is also due to Mitch Heindel, Bob Shanman and Dennis Weyrauch, who served as visiting experts, and to all the donors who made the program possible!

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Audubon has a new web site! After languishing for a couple of years, web page work is in progress to bring PV/South Bay Audubon up to date. Our new web address is <http://www.lmconsult.com/pvaudubon>, although our web pages can still be reached through our old address on National Audubon's pages.

Hummin', including this issue, is on line back through 1997. Eventually we plan to post all "Birds of the Peninsula" columns. This will put all of our bird data on line for rapid search of species occurrence, early and late dates, and notes on abundance. The research value is evident. We also plan  to have complete editions of one or two other features.

Please do not expect everything to be squeaky clean for a while. Nor will we have things like white papers, officer profiles and graphics on line for a some time--those will dribble in periodically. However, we will soon have links to many useful pages and activities.

Although not on line yet, Audubon YES! pages will soon be available. The address will be <http://audubonyes.org/> and current Activities Calendars, like the one on pages 6 and 7 of this issue of Hummin', will be posted each month.

Three dozen excited kids and adults searched canyons and parks under sunny skies to make our 20th annual Palos Verdes butterfly count one of the most fun ever. Held Saturday, July 22nd, counters got close looks at 26 species, including North America's smallest, largest an rarest butterflies. As always, the children had a marvelous time, chasing, capturing, learning about and then releasing these colorful animals. It isn't everyone who gets to look eye to eye at a blue butterfly sedately perched on the tip of one's finger.

Our total for the day was about average, and well below our peak count of 31 species a few years ago. However, a half dozen Giant Swallowtails were spotted, confirming local experts' opinions that this species is rapidly colonizing our part of southern California. The one family of butterflies conspicuously absent was the Pierid, the whites and sulfurs, with only the ever-present Cabbage White in evidence.

Thanks go to group leaders Mitch Heindel, Dave Moody and Jess Morton for making the day a success, and to all those who took part in the count. Every year we gather more and more data about the butterflies of our area, data which will one day be crucial to making a valid decision on some local land use proposal.

"Uneventful" would probably be the most apt one-word description for this year's spring migration passage. Everywhere! Not just for us way out west here, off the beaten flight path. It was slow everywhere. Of course this means the weather conspired against us bird seekers, but was probably good for the birds, allowing them to pass unhindered, and unseen. Many said it was the worst (for lookers) spring in a decade. So, considering that, we didn't do so badly after all. It was probably the best year in a decade for coverage of our migrant traps. Our few dedicated observers (or nuts), covered places like Banning Park (BP) nearly daily from early May to mid-June. Unfortunate, we don't always get that type of blanket coverage when there's LOTS of birds around to see!

Very late was a basic (winter) plumaged Eared Grebe at Harbor Park (HP) 5/31. One of the neatest things I've seen is a Least Bittern nest, which I found while doing a tule-nesting bird survey at HP. The male finds the perfect reed (a dried one from last year), then takes this 3'+ length through the tules to the nest. He starts one end, but leaves the incubating female to do the real weaving. The male has incubated as well. A round 5" leaf was apparently a special prize he presented her on another visit. To be able to watch this from a public area is astounding, and as our friend Rusty Scalf said to me "How many people have EVER SEEN a Least Bittern nest"? It's about 18" in diameter and just over a meter above water level. Such are the treasures of HP! Debbie Baker and Holly Gray saw a Cattle Egret at HP 6/28-29 during their summer camp classes.

Several species of waterfowl made local news here this season. Unexplainable was Suzanne Carota's sighting of 4 Canada Geese in the Dominguez Channel (just SW of Vermont and Artesia) on 6/26! She also saw a Black-tailed Jackrabbit (not a waterfowl) there about a week earlier, probably from the few remaining further down-channel at the Goodyear Blimp fields--a relict population that should be saved. Potential nesters, a pair of Blue-winged Teal was at HP for a couple of weeks from late May to mid-June. I don't think there is an irrefutable LA County record of nesting, but it's just a matter of time; they've summered at the LA River (LAR) and I saw young there once with adults, but was not believed. The same thing happened some years ago with Gadwall at HP when I saw what I was sure was a juvenile with an adult. This year, 3 freshly fledged Gads settled the matter. It is the first absolutely positive nesting of the species locally since early in the century.

Kevin Larson and Carol Selvey (KL, CS) saw a Turkey Vulture at Forrestal Quarry (FQ) on 6/18, an odd date. The White-tailed Kite mentioned last column, in early May, stayed into July and was often at HP, though seemingly alone. Cooper's Hawks were aggressively protecting territory at BP, and are certainly nesting. It is interesting that these were first-year birds (last years babies, not yet full adults) with vertical underpart streaking. If you haven't seen the dark morph Red-tail that has lived around Friendship Park (FP), for years now, take a look. It's one of the prettiest plumages you will see. Mind-boggling was the earliest ever fall (southbound) Merlin that flew over me here in Torrance on 7/1. We have had no records between May 15 and August 15--until now. Had anyone reported it to me, I probably wouldn't have believed them, just as I'm sure the LA County bird-record brass will not believe me on this one! Just shows to go ya, anything can happen.

Southbound Western Sandpipers were offshore on 6/30. By comparison though, that pales next to Bernardo Alps' (BA) Red-necked Phalarope feeding on the dam at HP on 7/6, perhaps the earliest local onshore fall migrant ever for this species. The LAR should be jumpin' with migrant peeps soon, especially around the Willow St. crossing.

The Caspian Terns which nest in LA Harbor (or Bolsa Chica) are feeding daily at HP. While nesting, they carry beakfulls of fish back toward the southeast. Sometimes, over a dozen were present. Others work their way around the peninsula until they're full, then head back across the 'peninsula cutoff'. I had 'em commuting over my place with food, and KL had them doing the same in 'upper' Torrance. I saw 2000 Elegants feeding between Cabrillo Beach (CB) and Royal Palms on 7/1. These are also commuting, flying east southeast with beakfulls of fish towards their nesting areas. There was a black-billed tern with them, which fed by skimming, not diving! It looked to me just like the thousands of Sandwich Terns I saw when I lived in Corpus Christi, TX. 'Sandies' have been seen in the Bolsa Chica ternery for years, and there is a Malibu sighting, the only officially accepted LA County record. On May 12, when I led a Park Ranger 'training' tour at HP, we were treated to a stunning alternate (breeding) plumaged Black Tern feeding over the lake! What beautiful, graceful birds these are! Early in the century they were common there.

On 5/30, BA saw a nighthawk over the parking lot at CB. It was likely a Lesser as Common are accidental here. All local nighthawks are Lesser until proven otherwise by irrefutable evidence. At HP, on 6/21, John Ivanov (JI) saw a Chimney Swift, rare but not completely unexpected. Downy Woodpecker was mentioned in the last column for nesting out of natural riparian areas--in the treed section of Manhattan Beach (MB); I have now found them nesting in another man-made urban forest, at BP! Three young were fledged and like the MB birds, the nest was in a maple tree. Two older holes indicate this wasn't their first nesting at BP. Yesteryear, this bird was called Willow Woodpecker, they are normally so closely tied to them.

Willow Flycatchers are generally the last migrant to show up, about mid-May. This year they were even later, with the first seen 5/31 at Sand Dune Park (SDP) in MB (JI). I saw my first the next day, 6/1 at BP. Then KL saw another at SDP 6/11, and, perhaps our latest ever spring sighting, I saw one at Vista de Vizcaino (at CB) on 6/17. Cassin's Kingbirds were carrying food (i.e. nesting) at FP and HP in June, and KL and CS saw a pair at 'Marineland,' using a palm tree. They hadn't nested at HP since 1985. A pair of Black Phoebes at my place in Torrance  moved their nesting to my garage eaves from a nearby flood control channel (Barn Swallow pressures?). They fledged 5 young on 7/5, and how they all fit in the nest I don't know! As evidenced by their ragged, worn, abraded rectrices (tail feathers), I think they must fledge with tails half-grown. There is simply no room to flick full-grown tails in the nest, a behavior initiated before they leave! Must drive the nestling behind you nuts!

After a single Bank Swallow at HP on 5/23 (me), JI saw 3 together on 5/26 and another 5/29. Five individuals that week suggests when to look for this species locally in spring. Four juvenile Barn Swallows fledged at my place on 6/16. As rarely occurs, migrant May Red-breasted Nuthatches were detected, reported at Chadwick on 5/12 by Martin Byhower. KL heard House Wren singing at HP in early May, and, on 5/31, I had two singing. One was still present and singing mid-June. I suspect nesting occurred. Floaters--non breeders looking for a mate--generally don't spend 6 weeks singing at the same site. After a couple of weeks without response, you move on. KL heard another singing at FQ on 6/18. He also had a tardy Ruby-crowned Kinglet in 'upper' Torrance 5/17.

KL photographed a Yellow-throated Vireo at El Nido Park, in Torrance, on 5/27, our only rare Vireo this spring. Freshly fledged juvenile sordida (Dusky) Orange-crowned Warblers hit local greenspots from peninsula nesting areas by late May. With gray-olive and dirty white underparts, and two cinnamon-buffy wingbars, they look nothing like any depiction of O-c's I've seen. One being fed by an adult at HP certainly hatched there. One pair of Yellow Warblers has returned to nest in the North-end Willows at HP this year. JI found a Chestnut-sided Warbler, at BP 5/20, which was there the next day (KL). On 5/18, JI saw a female Black & White Warbler at SDP. KL saw what was most likely a female Mourning Warbler at Wilderness Park, on 5/20. In May, JI, David Moody, and I each found non-local (migrant) Yellowthroats singing 'funny' songs. Was the Yellow-breasted Chat I heard singing at HP 5/26, the one KL had 5/5?

Blue Grosbeaks were singing above the Pt. Vicente Fishing Access parking lot from mid-April to mid-June, at least. They were probably pushed there by the destruction of their Ocean Trails habitat. Located just below RPV City Hall, they'll get pushed out of there, too, if the developers of Long Point have their way. Another was singing, and apparently nesting, in FP anise patches. A first-year male floater was found at HP twice in June, where it was fishing (i.e. singing) for a mate. HP is a former nest site for the species. A couple of Indigo Buntings were seen; one female at BP on 5/23 (me) and KL & CS had a male at FQ on 6/18. KL saw a Brewer's Sparrow at SDP on 5/6, a rare spring migrant here on the coast.

Tricolored Blackbirds fledged at least 40 young at HP this June, seemingly down slightly to me. Hopefully it's not those !#@^%*)$^&#**! Great-tailed Grackles which are taking over there. Almost 100 are present now, and the three reed patches they have selected for nesting are now devoid of Song Sparrow, Marsh Wren and Common Yellowthroat. Most of their nests, though, are in fan palm aprons. This species has only been able to cross the desert barrier from the Southeast due to man's alteration of the habitat. Now, within 25 years of the first one showing up, they are abundant and pushing out native species. Because they got here on their own power, they are legally classified as native (like Crows and Ravens), even though they aren't native here ( at least for the previous 25-2500 years). Why can't man take responsibility for this colonization by such an aggressive species? We should consider them non-natives for control purposes. After all, we DID bring them here by making it possible for them to cross the desert.

I confirmed the only local CBC circle nesting of Western Meadowlark I know of during the last several years, at the old Ascot Raceway site in Gardena, with adults and young there, 6/23 and after. Anyone else have another site for these in the circle? JI and I saw 2 male Yellow-headed Blackbirds at HP on 6/16, where they once nested. A female Orchard Oriole was at BP 5/23 (me). About a dozen pairs of Bullock's Orioles, and half that many pairs of Hooded Orioles, nested successfully at HP this year. Excellent! Seemingly down in numbers were Brown-headed Cowbird, with never more than 6-8 seen on any given day at HP during intensive surveys there. This is good news for birds whose nests they parasitize.

So, if you missed spring or early summer birding locally, now you have it. Not bad really, considering the dearth of reports from afar. We all saved a lot of gas and pollution by birdin' locally!

The LAR should be great for migrant shorebirds through Oct., as should the points be for seabirds. By August many of the regular western migrants will be showing up. By early Sept., anything may be! Note that our size range for lerp-eating birds now runs from Raven to Bushtit! And, if it's any consolation, birds should be easier to find in the denuded trees this fall. Thanks everyone for your reports. Let me know what you've had at: birdfish@earthlink.net

Think global, bird local!

Erratum: The flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds mentioned last column was over 25 birds, not over 100. Still, this total nearly equals a decade-worth of reports from our CBC circle, and is no less astounding.

Thanks to the generosity of actor, James Garner, and singers. Bonnie Raitt and Don Henley, we may get to save a 500 acre tract of unprotected redwood forest from the clear cutters.

In mid-July Judge Quentin Kopp blocked a plan by the Pacific Lumber Company to log 500 acres of redwood trees in the middle of the Headwaters Forest near Eureka. He also took the unusual step of requiring the environmentalists to post a bond of $250,000 before July 12th. After a frantic search, The Sierra Club and the Environmental Protection Information Center, who were trying to save the "Hole in the Headwaters", met the deadline with the help of large donations from three generous friends of the environment. Don Henley donated profits from one of his concerts supplying about half the amount of money needed. Bonnie Raitt and James Garner donated the rest.

The money will go to Pacific Lumber if the company prevails in a trial expected later this year. The bond allows environmentalists to press forward with a case that got a boost with Kopp's ruling. He stated that the state Forestry Department failed to consider the effects of using a logging road above Elk River salmon spawning grounds as well as the noise from helicopters hoisting trees from the steep hillsides. Let's all do our best to keep those redwoods standing.

Other good news is the unprecedented $2 billion contribution that the state of Florida will make to the Everglades Restoration Project over the next decade. Federal funding is expected to double this amount--thus helping to assure the recovery of this national treasure that is home to 68 federally endangered species.

Last summer we heard news that was not good when a story reported that pollen from Bt corn, which is genetically engineered to produce its own pesticide, was found to be toxic to monarch caterpillars, according to a laboratory study. In March, the US Department of Agriculture hosted  a meeting of scientists to plan research assessing the risk to monarch butterflies, and granted them $100,000 for field research. By fall we should have more information on how much of a threat Bt corn pollen poses to the butterfly and to other insects.

The agency that will evaluate these results, and regulate plants genetically engineered to produce pesticides, is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They also need to deal with the development of insect resistance to the pesticides that the plants produce. However, the EPA has not yet formally established its authority to regulate pesticidal crops. To do so it must pass a rule that indicates why these crops come under its jurisdiction. A recent report from the National Academy of Sciences supported issuing such a rule, and urged that the one proposed be strengthened. To make sure that this happens, Carol Browner, the EPA administrator, needs to hear from us conservationists that a forceful rule is needed to ensure protection of the environment and human health from the potential risks of pesticidal crops. Urge her to strengthen the plant-pesticide rule as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences.

Please write to:

Ms Carol Browner, Administrator

Environmental Protection Agency

401 M St.,SW.

Washington, D C 20460

Fax: 202-501 1450

When birds look at things, those are views of birds; and when living creatures look at birds, those are views of birds. This article covers both types of views of birds, and my computer's printer will type each type.

When you and I sleep, both eyes of each of us are closed. However, mallard ducks and quite a few other birds have been found to be sleeping with one eye open so as to view a predator as it approaches, or other meaningful sight. Four groups of mallard ducks, each with four ducks in it, were tested as follows while sleeping. Many of you know that a certain brain test is known as EEG (Electroencephalographic). That test on the mallard ducks showed that while one eye was open during sleep, the brain hemisphere power related to that eye was different from the power related to the closed eye, and that difference was sufficient to prove that the open eye was able to send the sight to the brain and have the brain wake the mallard to be aware of the predator's approach or of other important view. In fact, the brain power related to the one open eye was even more significant than when both eyes were open in a mallard not asleep. Thus, the brain power due to the sleeping mallard's one open eye was adequate to create gentle awaking accompanied by high alertness. Further bird tests have shown that either eye, but only one, can be open while the bird is asleep, plus that the same truths apply to many other kinds of birds. Yes, each of the brain's hemispheres and each of the bird's two eyes can function independently while the bird is awake.

Female birds usually select a mate by the sighted aspects of the male. The viewing ability of some birds is even greater than that of a human. The blue tit is a bird in The U.K., and the male and female look the same even to British ornithologists. However, special observations of those birds during the mating season prove that each blue tit clearly recognizes, by seeing color differences, whether the seen bird is male or female. Yes, each of those birds discerns the sexual dichromaticism (that's the color differences between males and females). Additional observations and technical analyses have shown that the color differences are ultraviolet, which can be recognized visually by the blue tits but not by the human ornithologists. Further studies in both England and Sweden have clearly indicated that the females of those birds in both countries selected males based on the individual male's crown color. The female ones in England selected males with the brightest colored crowns; but the female ones in Sweden each selected the male with the crown color closest to the female's crown color, thus demonstrating that each female knew its own crown's color and wanted to match it with its selection of a male mate.

Many mammalian predators are alerted to the easy escapism of many birds with bright coloration, and so it's rare for a mammal to try to predate a blue tit or other vigorous brightly colored bird. So, the primary non-human predators of blue tits are certain other birds, including for example sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). Those predators, with ultraviolet vision, can also detect the sexual dimorphism.

To close this article, I'll tell you that it recently occurred to me that even if a king of the beasts dealing with the stock market bought only one share of stock he'd have purchased a lion's share.

Bill Samaras, one of the regions great science teachers, will be Audubon's guest speaker at the monthly meeting, at 7:30 P.M. on September 26th, in Room G-2, at Carson High School. The subject of geology has always been close to his heart, though he is best known for his work with whales, first excavating their fossils from the local San Pedro Sands geologic formation, then recreating them annually, in the sands at San Pedro's Cabrillo Beach. His topic for the evening will be "The Geology of Palos Verdes," in a talk too good to miss!

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 16. 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 do 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 butterfly walks.

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. To help out with the day's activities, call Debbie Baker at 722-7777.

PUBLICITY CHAIRPERSON NEEDED: If public relations is your forte, our chapter needs your help. We are looking for someone who can give us three or four hours a month to put PV/South Bay Audubon in the public eye and mind. Among the tasks that now get done on a very haphazard basis is coordinating publicity about chapter events with both chapter members and the public at large. That must change. We need a person to prepare and distribute press releases on chapter actions, get chapter officers to write position statements, and do the other things that can make this chapter more effective. If you are the one we need, call Jess Morton at 832-5601.

Communities Council: Community activists are wanted for this group which will keep Audubon abreast of what is going on around the South Bay. If you keep tabs on your city council, planning commission, or parks department we need you! As a member of the Communities Council, you will be able to bring the weight of Audubon's prestige and experience to bear on your environmental concerns. Help us by letting Audubon know about issues before they become problems. Together, we can help local governments and agencies make informed, environmentally friendly decisions.

YES! COUNCIL

Student leaders are wanted for the Audubon YES! Council. If you want to help coordinate environmental activities between schools in the South Bay, including Audubon in the Park, join the council via e-mail. Send your name, address, phone number, school, grade and any club affiliation to <jmorton@igc.org>.

With the start of the new school year, Audubon YES! will enter its seventh year of operation. Serving ecology clubs, science classes and service clubs in a dozen South Bay Schools, YES! provides hundreds of young people with direction for their desire to improve the environment. The work these students do ranges from clean ups and habitat restoration to teaching children about nature and the environment. And, since the environment does not end with the school year, students remain active with YES! over the summer.

The August Activities Calendar, shown here, is typical. There are things to do every weekend, so that students can fit YES! into their busy schedules. When they have dedicated 50 hours of their time to environmental work, they earn the Audubon YES! Award.

One thing to note about this Activities Calendar is that it is not exclusive to Audubon. We encourage students to learn about, and work with, all of our local activist groups. Nor are students limited to what they find on this calendar. All environmental work counts toward the YES! Award. Our aim is to create an ethic in young people that says, "There's work to do, and we can get it done!"

Of course, you are invited to come out for these volunteer activities, too. There is so much to do. And we can use your help in other ways: with donations of field guides, equipment, money and time working with high school groups.

Join YES!Net by e-mailing jmorton@igc.org

7/28/00

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