In early August, a group of government staff and local citizens received a rude surprise as they walked along the Dominguez Channel near Avalon Boulevard. Rather than seeing an open channel, members of the newly formed Dominguez Channel Watershed Advisory Committee found the channel blocked by an earthen dam and beset by heavy equipment.

Many of the participants in the field trip worked for regulatory agencies who should have known of the obstruction of the channel. "Well, their eyes just bugged out," says Suzanne Carota, an Audubon member and volunteer monitor of the channel. "They all whipped out their cell phones and started calling their offices, asking what the heck was going on."

As it turned out, a contractor had begun work on a project first proposed by CalTrans in the 1980s: To construct a bridge across Interstate 405 and the Dominguez Channel, in order to connect two segments of Del Amo Boulevard. The project had had an on-again-off-again history, In 1993, the Army Corps of Engineers issued a finding of no significant impact from the project, which reduced the required level of analysis of environmental impacts. More recently, the contractor for the project contacted responsible agencies in order to receive final permission to proceed. The project apparently slipped through the bureaucratic crack.

The Dominguez Channel near Vermont and Artesia, showing the island stranded by a downstream dam.

The tour of the channel by the advisory committee was meant to familiarize members with the watershed. "There was CalTrans. There was the Regional Water Quality Control Board. There was the Department of Public Works. There was the Army Corps of Engineers," says Suzanne. "And we just happened to be going for this walk. Had we not gone on that walk, no one would have known about the diversion. And this is a large project.

"So many regulatory agencies and nobody watching the channel. Is anyone monitoring?" asks Suzanne.

A Hotspot for Birding

The Dominguez Channel runs south from near Hawthorne Airport to the East Basin of the Los Angeles Harbor near Anaheim Street and the Alameda in Wilmington. For most of its 17-mile length, the channel is clad in concrete. However, near the intersection of Vermont and Artesia, where water from the Gardena Willows enters, silt and sand have collected on the channel bottom creating a small island. Surrounded by acres of asphalt, this little patch of wilderness is a hotspot for birds.

"It is among the most important habitats we check during the annual Christmas Bird Count," says Mitch Heindel. "This is because it's a tidal brackish habitat that doesn't exist anywhere else within the 176-square mile circle that is our count area. Fifty species may be in the Dominguez Channel on count day. We would likely lose several species and several hundreds of individual birds in our count if we were not able to `do the channel.'"

Some species that regularly visit the channel area near Vermont and Artesia are otherwise rare in the South Bay. Bird count volunteers annually recorded a Lesser Yellowleg in the area from 1990 to 1998. "Site fidelity is well known amongst wintering birds, just as it is in breeding birds," says Mitch. "There is little doubt this was the same individual returning those nine years to the site for winter."

The area also supports the northernmost wintering population of Short-billed Dowitchers in California. Once believed to winter no farther north than Orange County's estuaries, as many as 380 Short-bill Dowitchers have been recorded in the channel during the Christmas Bird Count sponsored by the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society.

Suzanne Carota has been visiting the island area near Vermont and Artesia once a week during her lunch hour for more than a year.

"I was driving by one day and noticed a pair of White-tailed Kites up on the power lines," says Suzanne, who began birding after a trip with her aunt to Upper Newport Bay in 1995. "They were having a field day eating rodents that they were pulling out of the field. I was amazed that in this grungy little urban area next to the freeway, there were these two White-tailed Kites.

"I looked into the channel and there were lots of birds like Black-necked Stilts. So, I started coming here as a place to get out of the office and look at some birds," says Suzanne. "It's become a hobby of mine."

Suzanne Carota has been observing the wildlife on the Dominguez Channel for the last year.

For months, Suzanne has carefully recorded her observations. Besides small mammals such as ground squirrels and jack rabbits, Suzanne has observed more than 40 species of birds, including Pied-billed and Western Grebes, Green Herons, Snowy and Great Egrets, Northern Pintail, Ruddy Ducks, Red-shouldered Hawks, American Kestrel, Greater Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, Belted Kingfishers, Black Phoebes, and several species of Swallows.

"I sat here for an hour one day with a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk that had been bathing and sat up here and preened," says Suzanne. "I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk sit on the railing on the bridge, completely oblivious to the traffic, looking for prey in the creek."

This stretch of the channel is so attractive to wildlife partly because its waters are a brackish mix of freshwater from the upper stretches of the Dominguez Channel and from the Gardena Willows and of salt water that moves nine miles up the channel at high tide. (Several years ago, a California Sea Lion was reportedly seen near the bridge that crosses the channel at 182nd Street!)

In a note to Tony Rizk of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, Suzanne reported that beginning in June last year she observed a large school of fish in the channel, all facing upstream. By October, they had left the area, but reappeared on March 30, 2001.

"That lasted until May 17, 2001, since which time I have not seen any fish," wrote Suzanne after the DCWAC field trip. "About that time, I started noticing that the water level in that area of the channel seemed unusually low....I began to record the water level on my wildlife log. As soon as I saw the `diversion' on the day of our field trip, it all made sense."

By blocking the tide, the dam had eliminated a source of water for the upper channel. As the water level dropped, the silt island was joined to the shoreline, and the birds that had relied on the island lost their protection.

"The trash is piling up and the water quality is declining," wrote Suzanne. "The fish have not returned. The birds are still there, although fewer in numbers than last summer."

The wildlife of the Dominguez Channel face other threats from human activities than bridge construction. Water that flows from surrounding land into storm drains and then into the channel carries a wide range of pollutants. According to records of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, organisms in the channel have shown elevated levels of chlordane, DDT, PCBs, aldrin, dieldrin, and lead in their tissue. Sediments are contaminted with zinc, PAHs, chromium, and DDT.

Diversion dam in the Dominguez Channel where the Del Amo bridge is being constructed.

The wildlife and waters of the channel also suffer from widespread indifference. A sign attached to the cyclone fence above the channel urges that any illegal dumping be reported to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works at 1-800-303-3003. Standing next to the sign, Suzanne recounts her own experience with the Department of Public Works.

"One day, I saw the stream filling up with white suds. I called the 800-number posted on the fence, and they couldn't be bothered. It was a very frustrating experience," says Suzanne. "I called everybody I could think of. I finally called the Fire Department. They really thought I was crazy to be concerned about the suds. They said, `You know lady, if there was anything toxic in there, the birds would move away. Have you seen anything dead?'

"Do we have to wait for something to die?" Suzanne asks.

Hopes for the Return of an Island

Suzanne credits Tony Rizk of the Regional Water Quality Control Board with responding quickly. Shortly, representatives of the water board, city and county agencies, the contractor, and the California Department of Fish and Game met to discuss a response.

"I am really looking forward to the removal of the `diversion' and the return of the tidal activity. It will go a long way to restoring the area to a healthier state for the wildlife," Carota wrote Rizk.

"I have developed a real connection with this little piece of the channel," Suzanne wrote. "Some people may see a trashy storm drain, but I've come to appreciate the area and have a real sense of its value as a place that supports an incredible amount of wildlife. I hope to see the fish back soon."

As part of our Audubon chapter's long-term strategy to become far more effective as an environmental advocate and educator, we have recently completed incorporation, a necessary step for any organization with an ambitious agenda. This incorporation has necessitated the revising of our extant bylaws to provide room for growth. In this article, I will outline the major changes for you. Should you wish to look at the bylaws in detail, they are available at our web site <www.lmconsult.com/pvaudubon>. The bylaws will be brought for adoption by the general membership at our annual meeting, November 27th.

The name, Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society, remains unchanged, as do the qualifications for membership, member voting rights, meeting dates, and our relationship to the National Audubon Society. Purpose and powers are formally codified. Our purpose is to provide "general education and scientific information on biological and environmental matters relating to birds, wildlife and their habitats and associated subjects." To accomplish these purposes, we may "acquire or obtain interests in real property for their educational, historic, open space, recreational or scenic values, and construct or acquire facilities to enhance their educational and other values." The latter is especially important, as it allows us to pursue our main goal of the next five years, the establishment of an Audubon Natural Heritage Center at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park.

Major changes have been made with respect to our Board of Directors. Until now, we have had a minimum of four Board members, each of whom could serve a maximum of four consecutive one-year terms. After four years, if the member was not elected an officer, he or she was required to step off of the Board. The new bylaws call for 12 at-large Board members; four each serving three-year terms in classes whose terms expire in 2002, 2003 or 2004. Board members may serve two consecutive terms and, subsequently, may be elected an officer. Subject to approval by the Board as a whole, two young people, who are appointed by the Audubon YES! Council, also serve on the Board of Directors. If minors, these members are prohibited from voting on legally-related issues.

The officers remain unchanged under the new bylaws. However, an Executive Committee, consisting of the five BOARD officers, is set up as part of the Board of Directors. While the Board will continue to meet bi-monthly to consider matters of policy and substantive operating issues, the Executive Committee will meet monthly to deal with the day-to-day operations of the chapter. In addition, a majority of the Executive Committee plus two other members of the Board will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a Board meeting.

Procedures for calling special meetings of the Board remain as before, however, notification may now be made by electronic means. Board members need not be physically present at a meeting, provided they can hear everyone in the meeting and everyone can hear them. Minor technical changes have been made in annual and special meetings notification timings and quorum requirements to reflect the reality of newsletter schedules and meeting attendance.

The President is now required to make an annual report to the Board of Directors. This report is to include the status and changes in assets and liabilities of the chapter, income and expenses and any transaction during the previous fiscal year involving five thousand dollars or more in which any Director or Officer was a party. Two signatures are required on any check of $2500 or more. The new bylaws specifically allow the chapter to provide liability insurance for officers, Board members and employees. Other additions have been made to allow officers and Board members to be compensated for their work, making them "interested parties," but place clearly defined limits so that a majority of the Board is never composed of "interested parties." The bylaws also establish an "arms-length" criterion by which, when the chapter contracts with an officer or Board member, there is a way to be certain that the contract is a fair one.

The plethora of committees required under the old bylaws has been reduced and redrawn. The Nominating and Finance Committees remain. To them have been added the Executive Committee, noted above, and a Youth Committee, which is tied to our Audubon YES! program. For now, the Youth Committee is the Audubon YES! Council, which is restricted to those who have earned the Audubon YES! Award through their community service work. By mandating this committee in the bylaws, we are acknowledging the important role young people play in our Audubon chapter. The Conservation, Harbor Park, Membership and other committees will remain in operation as standing committees of the chapter. However, they have not been specifically called out in the bylaws, largely because their roles are expanding and being redefined by our long-term strategic planning. When our committee structure has settled itself into an efficient configuration, we may wish to amend the bylaws to formalize that revised structure.

I think you will agree that we have made some valuable changes to our bylaws. If you have comments or suggestions, please send them to me at <jmorton@igc.org>. And do come out for our first annual meeting under our new corporate status. After we formally adopt our new bylaws, we'll elect a new slate of officers and Board members, who will begin their terms on January 1st.

In a far-sighted move to improve the coastal strand, Redondo Beach City Councilman Gerard Bisignano has announced a program to restore native dunes vegetation along the beach. Under the plan, the iceplant that now provides a somewhat straggly cover for the sandy slope between the beachlevel bike path and street above would be replaced over time by native coastal dunes' plants. The benefits to wildlife, including the Endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly (ESB), will be substantial.

The restoration project would be carried out by the non-profit organization Urban Wildlands, a group which has funding to increase habitat for the ESB. UCLA professor Travis Longcore, who heads the effort, sees this as the first stage of a long-term program to expand dunes habitat northward along the coast from its tenuous refuge on the peninsula. Not only will the butterfly benefit, but an increase in habitat will allow populations of other rare dune species to burgeon.

We heartily applaud this effort by Redondo Beach, and hope that it not only succeeds, but serves as a model for Torrance and Palos Verdes Estates, both of which have remnant dunes habitat and small populations of the ESB. A few hundred of these butterflies survive along our coastal bluffs. They are protected by law, so care must be taken when dealing with habitats where they are either known to be present, or could be. Fortunately, there are ways to work with the species which protect both property values and the butterfly.

Six years ago, some Riviera homeowners expressed an interest in a similar project for their Torrance properties. Audubon, the California native Plant Society, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and ESB experts met to discuss how this could be done. It was agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) could be drawn up to protect homeowners who wished to see butterfly populations increase on their properties. Unfortunately, the MOU languished because of funding cuts, personnel transfers and other factors. Now, at the urging of Urban Wildlands, the MOU is being drafted so habitat enhancement and restoration projects can go forward.

If Urban Wildlands and local residents can work together to bring the Torrance project to fruition, it will make a fine complement to the work proposed for Redondo Beach. It is Audubon's earnest wish that the City of Palos Verdes Estates consider joining this effort. Not only does PVE have a good population of ESB, it has extremely valuable dunes habitat that should be connected to the habitat along the bluffs. The synergy of all these ventures would be highly beneficial, not only for the plants and animals that would call them home, but for their scientific and educational values.

With enlightened projects such as these under way, one day people will no longer have to ask each other, as they do now, "Where have all the butterflies gone?"

In one of those quirks of late-night budget politics, the logging industry managed to get itself a nice little tax break as the state legislature maneuvered to pass a budget in the midst of the state's energy crisis. With no fanfare, the legislature exempted the purchase of logging equipment from the 4.75% sales tax beginning September 1. The legislature also exempted the purchase of agricultural equipment and race horses from this tax, which is a key source of general funds. At the same time that the legislature "found" the funds for these tax breaks, it stripped out funding for our Audubon Natural Heritage Center at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park and other similar projects.

This summer was the coolest I can recall in some time, often 3,5, or even 8 degrees below normal. The marine layer often present in June, was often present in July, and even much of August! The birds stay more active longer into these types of days, since they, like us, don't overheat so soon. Suits me fine; I love the Catalina Eddy!

First, we have all the local nesting activity May-July. We then have shorebird migration starting in July, and reaching a mild roar in August, which continues into September. And, finally, landbird migrants start to trickle in late July, become obvious in August and are really roaring by September.

I recall the days when it was thought that migration was in October! By the time Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warblers and White-crowned Sparrows get here, the majority of migrants have passed by! Remember they are often arriving on their winter grounds when they show up here (in numbers) in late September/early October. So, many species that winter in Mexico, or further south, passed by a long time ago! How `bout the bird word, eh?

First I want to mention a bird that somehow fell through the cracks, and didn't get the mention it deserved: a Swainson's Hawk was at HP on 5/8 (Mitch Heindel-MH et.al.)

Loons are irregular as summering birds here, usually found in the harbors, and less than annually. So it was interesting that Frank and Lena Gasperov had two Red-throated and a few Pacifics at Cabrillo Bch. (CB) this summer. Not unheard of, but noteworthy.

I counted at least 2,500 Black-vented Shearwaters from Pt.Fermin (Pt.F) to Ocean Trails (OT) on 8/24 in a long feeding frenzy. Some Pink-foots and Sootys were there too. The Annual LAAS "Tropicbird trip" in August found NINE Red-billed Tropicbirds on 8/18, mostly south of San Nicholas Isl., from 50-70 miles out.

I am finally reasonably convinced Pelagic Cormorants do and did nest on the vertical cliff-face at Pt.F with a couple fresh juvenile birds found there in August. While I have long suspected this, hard evidence is hard to come by. There is no mainland nesting of the species in the county that I am aware of.

Gadwall again summered and apparently nested at Harbor Pk. (HP) this year, and the Ruddy Ducks did raise a fair crop of young, but no Teal were found nesting this year.

Martin Byhower (MB) saw a White-tailed Kite at HP on 7/15, an expected return date.

A Solitary Sandpiper was at HP 8/31 (MH), and another was at the LA River (LAR) on 9/1 (Kevin Larson _KL- et.al.). MB had 2 Willets fly over HP on 8/12 _ good birds there. The first of fall (FOF) Wandering Tattler (Pt.F) and Black Turnstone (Royal Palms) were seen on 8/24 (MH). KL saw 3 Red Knot at the LAR on 8/25 and another there on 9/1. Andrew Lee (AL) reported 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers there on 8/11. KL's shorebird surveys at the LAR showed Least and Western numbers went from none to a thousand (combined) from July 1st to 7th, showing when they arrive. Incidently last year he found a color flagged Western there which was banded in Ecuador! He found two color-flagged individuals there this year, and is waiting on word on where they were banded. Great work Kevin !!! Richard Barth (RB) saw a Baird's at the LAR on 8/19, and I saw one fly past Pt.F. on 8/24. RB had 2 Pectorals at the LAR on 8/2 (prob. adults), a juvenile there 8/25, and he and KL had another juv. on 9/1. Their real excitement on 9/1 was the discovery of a juvenile Ruff, which was still there 9/8. KL's LAR Phalarope count on 8/25 was 40 Wilson's and one Red-necked.

Whilst Elegant Terns were way down in numbers with few feeding offshore PV as usual, Least Terns had an excellent season up and down the coast. My high count was 13 at once at HP, where the adults bring the fledglings to learn how to fish. A dozen at once were using three of the PVC platforms I "invented", illustrating how a safe roosting place was a missing habitat element they couldn't wait to use. Many other species of birds are using them as well. RB found a Black Tern at the LAR, present 8/21-25.

Migrant Costa's Hummingbirds were here in the flatlands of Torrance on 7/11 & 8/21-22. Migrant Black-chinned's here 7/19-20. At least one pair nested at HP as usual. A couple of Rufous were seen in August. FOF Belted Kingfisher were two at Madrona Marsh (MM) (David Moody, DM) and one here at "T-flats" on 8/4 (MH), and Margaret Hoggan (MaHo) et.al. SAW one at So.Coast Botanic Gdns. (SCBG) on 8/5.

A FOF Willow Flycatcher was at Banning Pk. (BP) on 8/25, as well as one of those gray colorless "Western" Flycs., sometimes of the Channel Islands race, insulicola. An Eastern Kingbird was at the Wilmington Drain (WD) on 8/31. It was distressing not locating the pair of Loggerhead Shrikes normally at HP this summer, but pairs did nest at OT and Angel's Gate (AG). John Ivanov reported a Red-eyed Vireo at MM on 8/31.

KL had an early FOF Bank Swallow at the LAR on 7/29. AL saw one there 8/11, while I had one at HP 8/8, and another on 9/1. Mind-boggling was a California Gnatcatcher in an anise patch at AG on 8/24, for it was in a non-native habitat migrant trap _ unheard of! I could not confirm Swainson's Thrush nesting at HP this year though two were singing in July. I fear the droves of homeless in the north-end Willows are pressuring them and many other birds out, with their dogs and cats. Certainly CA Towhee and Song Sparrow numbers are down there, also ground foragers. Alas, if the city of LA cared...

Orange-crowned Warblers of the race sordida nested again at HP and BP, with the latest fledging date ever at BP, on 8/10. A Virginia's Warbler was at BP on 8/25 (MH), and Bob Beckler had one at AG on 9/5. Up to 6 (!) territorial male Yellow Warblers were at HP this summer, with a male still singing and feeding young on the late date of 8/24! A Black-throated Gray was at MM 8/10, and DM briefly saw a Waterthrush sp. there on the early date of 8/8. Seven Western Tanagers were at BP on 8/4 (MH), showing how early they can be moving through. Ed Stonick and Bill Meyers had a female type (green) Summer Tanager at BP on 9/2.

The FOF Chipping Sparrow was at AG on 8/24, and 4 were there on 9/1. Unbelievable was a Song Sparrow at OT singing a song of another species on 8/24 (MH). In general, songbirds learn their songs, and there are many records of songbirds learning the wrong species songs. This seemed to me to be the song of a CA Gnatcatcher !!!

Georgene Foster reported a male Rose-breast at SCBG on the 7/18 walk, as well as an early, nesting, or lost Pacific-slope Flycatcher. Thanks Georgene! KL saw a pair of Indigo Buntings at LAR 7/29, and since adults with juvs. were found feeding young in August in Org. Co., it is quite possible these two could have bred at the LAR as well.

Hooded Orioles seemed to have a great season, with many everywhere, and many young. Cin-ty Lee found a Scott's Oriole at the Forrestal Quarry on 7/28, and I saw it or another at AG on 8/24. Both were juveniles _ young of the year. On the introduced bird front, Mitred Conures sure seem to be doing very well locally…they're all over the place!

So, there you have it …. pretty cool summer, eh? Enough to make you wish you were out locally checking all this cool stuff out? Thank you everyone who sent me reports, like those who help on the Christmas Bird Count, YOU make it what it is! Send me your best stuff to: birdfish@earthlink.net !!! The CBC this year will be 12/23, so keep that weekend clear! It really helps if y'all R.S.V.P. ASAP when you get your letter!

Think global, bird local !

Errata:

In the August/September issue of Hummin', page 4, right-hand column, final paragraph: The sixth sentence should read: "At WP on 5/16 DM had a Empidonax giving a hard emphatic double-note call and was probably a Least."

In the June/July issue of Hummin', page 4, righthand column, final paragraph: The fourth full sentence should read: "On 4/6 I last recorded the first-year male Summer Tanager that wintered at BP...."

You can now search Mitch's columns on line for references to any species or group of birds seen during the last several years. By going to Audubon's web site <http://www.LMconsult.com/pvaudubon>, you can use Webmaster Lewis Morton's unique BirdSearch engine to hunt up every reference to the bird you select. Check out the rest of the web site while you're there—you'll be amazed at how much Audubon actually does. And how many ways you can help out.

I was away birding in the beautiful Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona when the House of Representatives passed President Bush's Energy Policy Bill by a vote of 240 to 18—to their eternal shame. When I returned and learned about the details of this odious bill, I recoiled in disgust, and now I want to urge every single reader of this page to take action to stop it.

This "dig, drill, and destroy" approach to energy policy must be stopped, since it puts some of America's most treasured wilderness areas at risk. Twenty pristine wildlands and nine U.S.coastal areas are being targeted for oil and gas extraction and coal mining by President Bush and Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Among the special places at risk are six national monuments. The Bush Administration's plan would "review public lands withdrawals" and "impediments to oil and gas leasing" on our public lands. National monuments at risk include the Carrizo Plain National Monument - the largest example of the San Joaquin Valley grasslands as they existed 300 years ago, and home to endangered species like the Kit Fox and the California Condor. The California Coastal National Monument, which provides habitat for sea otters, many seal species, and migratory birds, is vulnerable to offshore oil drilling. Even a rich legacy of cliff dwellings, kivas, and rock art is not enough to protect the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado from proposals for drilling. Why are they threatening to drill near the Hanford Reach National Monument in Washington when it encompasses one of the last free-flowing stretches of the Columbia River and is vital to the survival of the Chinook Salmon?

In the past, many places were protected from destructive development through administrative actions, as agencies recognized the irreparable harm that energy development would impose on these fragile landscapes. Under the administration's energy plan, these protections could be stripped away. There isn't space in this article to list all of the wild places that will be tragically impacted by the oil spills and degradation that such large-scale operations cause.

The most ignominious part of the energy bill passed by the House of Representatives was the vote to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. The House voted to disturb a native culture, risk the loss of rare wildlife species, and destroy America's last great wilderness for a possible six-month oil supply ten years down the road. The oil development would occur in the biological heart of the refuge, harming polar bears, migratory birds, and caribou. The Department of the Interior estimated that caribou populations would decline by 20-40%; muskoxen by 25-50% and wolverines by 50%.

Increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (CAFE) by 60% over the next 10 years could save 67 billion barrels of oil or 10 to 20 times the potential oil available in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This would set standards of 44 miles per gallon for cars and 33 miles per gallon for light trucks by 2012. Right now you can buy a Toyota Prius and get 44 miles per gallon! Why can't Detroit do it?

The plan also calls for an expansion of nuclear power. President Bush is raising the specter of nuclear power at the same time that he is trying to deny or defer payment to those who have suffered from nuclear accidents. Scientists have not yet determined how to store the dangerous radioactive wastes that will be toxic for thousands of years, from existing nuclear plants. Huge federal subsidies are needed for each new nuclear reactor, money that would be better spent on wind, solar, geothermal, or other renewable technologies that can help meet our energy needs and protect the environment.

The Senate is our only hope to protect the environment from this travesty. Senators are under great pressure to vote for an energy "quick fix" just as our congresspersons were. Every single one of us must notify our senators that we strongly oppose this harmful Energy Bill. Contact your relatives and friends to write to their senators. Many of our pro-environment senators are wavering. They must be contacted. If the bill has already been passed when you are reading this, contact President Bush. He will continue to bash the environment unless he hears complaints from enough people. The Earth that you save is your own, and is the only one we have.

• Senator Dianne Feinstein
• 331 Hart Senate Office Building
• Washington, DC 20510
• 202-224-3841
• senator@ feinstein.senate.gov



• Senator Barbara Boxer
• 112 Hart Senate Office Building
• Washington, DC 20510
• 202-224-3553
• senator@boxer.senate.gov

I've been birding ever since an Ash-throated Flycatcher made a pit stop at my backyard compost pile. And I have been leading bird trips and doing private bird guiding for more than a decade. But this article isn't about me. It's about you, especially if you have felt intimidated by technical-gear-toting, avian name-dropping birders you encountered on your first birding field trip.

Or maybe you just had a "bad bird day" when that one pretty yellow bird you just spotted flew away before you had time to pick it out from the myriad other pretty yellow birds in your dusty and probably seriously outdated field guide, after which you decided you would rather be identifying orchids or sedimentary rocks in your back yard.

Or maybe you haven't tried birding yet because you are under the impression that you belong to the wrong Demographic. Birding is the province of little old ladies in tennis shoes, or nerds with thick glasses who have lives of little consequence, right?

Maybe your first trip leader put you off. I have heard of people going on birding trips with leaders that were far more interested in, say, lizards, or tiny little plants that you have to crawl on your belly to see, or getting a simultaneous aerobic workout, or perhaps the phone number of a participant (of a specific gender) in the crowd.

The point? Give it another shot! Birding is fun, it can be relaxing, educational, social, aesthetic, good for your cardiovascular system and spiritually uplifting. And most of all, you get to make your own rules for the game, so it can be incredibly easy! Or intensely challenging, if that's what you want.

Don't let anyone tell you that you have to get up before the crack of dawn and drive four hours to see anything "good". We have all the birds, trips, and excellent guides you could ever want right here in the PV/South Bay area, and you can see a lot of great birds after a leisurely Sunday brunch. Of course, if you want to hike Mt. Baden-Powell in search of high altitude specialties, explore the wonders of the Costa Rican cloud forest or take a birding cruise to Antarctica, you can have fun, too. The great thing about birding is that it is something you can enjoy wherever you go, however exotic or mundane.

Birding is like Life. You can enjoy it on your own, or you can seek out partners and teachers. I recommend tagging along at first with someone who knows at least a bit more than you. Most good leaders will set up a spotting scope. Scopes are especially helpful for newer birders in a group, as well as for participants who are on either end of the age spectrum and might find binocular use challenging.

I think it is the binocular thing that puts people off. As a teacher, I notice that kids, at least, generally prefer "direct observation" (unassisted observing using only the five senses) to toting around a scientific instrument that needs to be adjusted, mastered, nurtured. I wonder whether some prospective birders have felt like they would just as soon hang an albatross around their necks as have to find the bird through binoculars, then try to focus them while it flies out of view? Well there are even some new binoculars that stabilize the view no matter how shaky your hands are. And they really work!

And what the heck is the difference between roof and porro prisms, and why aren't my $50, 10-power binoculars as good as the other guy's $1200 8-powers? I mean, for goodness sake, I have twice the magnification of the next guy who is describing the details of feathers on the bird's eye, for goodness sake, and for the extra money I could have bought some mighty fine golf clubs.

Whether you borrow someone's binoculars or get help in purchasing a pair, a little time spent learning to use binoculars will bring a new world into view. Suddenly, you will see beautiful intracacies in plumage and behavior that you can use to distinguish different species and to appreciate the marvelous diversity awaiting your discovery.

A guide to birds is also useful. At Bob Shanman's Store, Wild Birds Unlimited, in the Rolling Hills Plaza, you can find a field guide that suits your interests and needs, whether it is the traditional mainstay National Geographic Guide, the regional Peterson Guide, the newer, comprehensively illustrated Sibley guide or the new Kaufmann guide, which is geared more toward beginners who prefer photographs over illustrations.

If you are planning a bird walk in the South Bay, pick up a copy of the ABA's "A Birder's Guide to Southern California." I wrote a chapter in there about the birds of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Madrona Marsh, Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach, and the L.A. river. The phone numbers of local hotlines are in the book, too.

I like to read about what I might see before going to a new place. Many parks and refuges publish checklists that help in preparing for an outing. Mitch Heindel's website at <http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/pelagics/> is an invaluable source of information on local areas. Another useful web site is <enature.com>, which offers pictures and descriptions of most birds. Audubon maintains a site at <www.Socalaudubon.Org/socal/trips.htm> which offers information on birding trips in southern California and elsewhere. Finally, my website, <www.qi-whiz.com/birds>, also offers information you might find useful, including a section on how to attract birds to your yard.

A good trip leader can make a world of difference, and greatly increase the slope of your learning curve. A good leader can amuse you and tell you where to look and what you just saw. There is no book that can convey anything near the pleasure and information that an expert in his or her element can generate.

If you live in the South Bay, you are fortunate. People like Eric Brooks, Bob Shanman, Ollie Coker, Georgene Foster, Jess Morton, and I regularly lead bird walks in the South Bay. Mitch Heindel will amaze you with his pelagic prowess if you venture offshore on an LA Audubon trip. If you go on a bird walk with one of us and find our style doesn't work for you, try another trip leader. Bird guides are as diverse as the birds they watch.

OK, you have drunk some coffee, gathered your binoculars, bird guide, sun screen, hat, bug repellent, appropriate shoes, layers of clothing, water, and some snacks. Where might you go?

Mitch Heindel thinks the restored areas of Ocean Trails is going to turn up some good birds soon. My favorite local haunt is the Forrestal Canyon Quarry bowl, but Madrona in season can be awesome. Harbor Park and other areas will just get better and better as they are fully restored. Any canyon in PV can be fun. Scoping for offshore species from Pt. Fermin or the local piers can be rewarding, if you are patient. You can't beat Banning Park for picking up eastern vagrants and rarities! Little Wilderness Park in Redondo has turned up an amazing list of migrants and eastern vagrants.

Within a short drive are some truly spectacular birding locations. I am partial to Orange County, with Bolsa Chica, Upper Newport Bay, the San Joaquin Wildlife Reserve and so many more prime locations. The Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains offers an entirely different assemblage of great birds, and is a great place to go during the summer doldrums. Exotic places like Big Morongo, the Carrizo Plain, even the Salton Sea are all within a day's drive. Every place I mentioned here is discussed in detail in the ABA guide.

Sold on giving it another chance? Check out the calendar in this issue for our upcoming walks. I think this chapter offers more birding opportunities than just about any other (and without sacrificing all of the other important objectives of the Audubon Society, too!) Good birding!

In a program that incorporates Audubon's work on watershed planning at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park, the newly-formed Dominguez Channel Watershed Advisory Committee (DCWAC) has tackled cleaning up water pollution in the South Bay. During the next two years, a Watershed Management Planwill be developed that lays out a program to remove the majority of pollutants now discharged into the Los Angeles Harbor. Not only will the harbor benefit, but so will public health everywhere in the South Bay, as our storm drains cease to be the near-sewers they are today.

Audubon is taking a leading role in DCWAC. We are working to make certain that Harbor Park (and all other parts of the watershed) shares fully in the benefits of the plan. The full program will take years to complete. The costs, high though they will be, will be more than offset by the jobs created, improved infrastructure, lowered health care costs and increased quality of life. The development of this plan is a fully public process. Your views and ideas are important to the planning, and we in Audubon encourage your participation. For information, call Jess Morton at 832-5601.

Are you frustrated how difficult it is to identify gulls? Join the club. Or better yet, attend a November 10 workshop on gulls sponsored by L.A. Audubon and led by Jon Dunn and Kimball Garrett. Cost for the workshop is $30. On November 11, Dunn and Garrett will lead a field trip (cost: $35) for some of those who have attended the workshop to Doheny State Beach in Orange County. For those on a budget, Nick and Mary Freeman will lead a gull field trip on November 17 at a cost of $10, and Larry Allen will lead a gull trip on November 18. Each budget field trip costs $10.

Participation in the workshop and field trips is limited, so contact L.A. Audubon at 323-876-0202 soon for more information.

Restoration of South Bay Habitats: We can use your energy and some more equipment! If you are prepared to dig and pull and plant, join PV/SB Audubon's restoration of PV Blue Habitat (every first or second Sunday, 9-noon, at the Defense fuel Support Point, 3171 N. Gaffey, San Pedro). See Calendar for details. We also need shovels, rakes, hand trowels, and clippers. For more information, call Debbie, 722-7777.

Sharing Nature with Children: Spend one Saturday a month, 8:30-12:30, as a docent at Wilderness Park, 1102 Camino Real (near Prospect) in Redondo Beach. Docents help an expert on nature introduce youngsters, ages 6-12, to the park's meadow, woodland, streamside, and marsh habitats and to wildlife and habitats throughout the region Docents help lead the children in games, walks, and crafts designed around each month's special theme. For more information, call Lillian Light at 545-1384.

Audubon YES!: If you are already active with a school or youth group in the area, consider becoming a chapter liaison with Audubon Yes! Audubon Yes! students are the backbone of local restoration projects, and assist with Sharing Nature with Children. They attend Audubon field trips and walks. Students with 50 hours of service receive an Audubon Yes! award. Volunteers encourage participation in Audubon's youth-oriented programs.

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