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PALOS VERDES/SOUTH BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY --- JUN/JUL 2003 Vol. XXV #3
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PALOS VERDES/SOUTH BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY --- JUN/JUL 2003 Vol. XXV #3
The Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society awarded 26 Audubon YES! Awards and two Audubon YES! Council Awards during Earth Day activities at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium on April 26th. The awards ceremony was a fitting climax to a busy day's events that began with a beach clean up, featured speakers, and exhibits on a wide range of environmental topics.
Hundreds of visitors crowded through the Aquarium's patio and outdoor areas, learning about local environmental issues and organizations. Exhibitors included activist groups, like Audubon, municipal agencies, including several that Audubon is working with at Harbor Park, and student groups, such as the San Pedro High School Earth Club and south LA's Edison Middle School. The Aquarium's John C. Olguin Auditorium was just as busy, opening with the EPN's Saving Planet Earth forum, that featured outstanding speakers like Assemblymembers Jackie Goldberg and Alan Lowenthal, and winding up with the YES! Awards.
This year, both Audubon YES! and Audubon YES! Council Awards were given. The YES! Award requires a minimum of 50 hours of community service in environmental projects. Some of the qualifying YES! activities include serving as a docent for school classes at Harbor Park or on a tidepool walk, working at the native plant nursery on the PV blue butterfly project, planting native vegetation at White Point or Madrona Marsh, and helping with Sharing Nature With Children at Wilderness Park.
The YES! Council Award can be achieved by those who have already earned the Audubon YES! Award. However, substantial community service is required in each of five different categories: advocacy, education, leadership, outreach and stewardship of natural resources. It is a tough award to earn, and so far only five students have done so.
Five high schools and one middle school were represented by award-winning students. Chadwick High and Middle School students garnered eight Audubon YES! Awards. The winners were Ara Cho, Ashley Kramer, Erica Larsen, Alex Lovell, Jessica Owen, Vincent Poturica, Danny St. Lawrence, and Andrew Vickers. The Environmental Charter High School is only in its second year but now can boast of five students with YES! Awards. They are Sara Diaz, Misty Ludlow, Sadie Martinez, Daniela Rizo and Miguel Ruiz, all Sophomores who will be part of the school's first graduating class. Seven Peninsula High School students earned awards this year. Seniors Katie Moore and Urchna Morar qualified for the prestigious Audubon YES! Council Award, while Denise Der, Doug Deroy, Alicia Lee, Huma Siddiqui and Ellen Zuckerman all received the Audubon YES! Award.
San Pedro High School, as always, was well represented at the awards ceremony. Seven students, including at least one from each grade, were honored. They were Alex and Gus Cabanas, Jeremy Farinas, Veronica Guerra, Emily Ingram, Viridiana Martinez-Canales, and Therese Quintana. Torrance High School Senior David Wight rounded out the Audubon YES! Awards list.
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(The second of two articles)
"Hi-tech" studies of atmospheric chemistry, thermal diffusion, and glacial chronometry are not the only means to detect climate change and its consequences. Birds and bird researchers are in the forefront of studies of climate change and its effects on living systems. Generations of birders have kept detailed records of the numbers, distribution, timing of migrations, nesting, and fledging schedules for hundreds of species around the globe. Now, those records are being used to demonstrate systematic, progressive changes in avian behavior in response to global climate change.
Birders here in the South Bay, such as Mitch Heindel, have tracked the movements of hundreds of bird species through our area for decades. Other studies have tracked particular species or sets of species. A study of thirty-five North American warbler species, for example, found that 20% of the study species had shifted their ranges northward, by an average distance of 65 miles, over the preceding 24 years; not a single species had shifted southward. Another study has documented a four-mile-per-decade northward shift in the ranges of sample bird species. Parallel displacements are being documented in a range of species from squirrels to insects; several checkerspot butterfly species, for example, have shifted their ranges northward by 60 miles or more since 1900. Even plant species are "migrating" as, seed by seed, they shift their ranges northward, or uphill, to follow temperature and rainfall conditions that meet their requirements.
Some species are adapting to climate change by altering the timing of key activities as winters shorten and summers lengthen. In one region with birding records extending back over a century, various bird populations were found to be migrating, nesting, and hatching their young from 5 to 24 days earlier in 2000 than in 1900. Similarly, an intensive study of tree swallows has documented a nine-day advance in their nesting times.
American robins are presently migrating two weeks earlier than they did just 23 years ago_but does the early bird still get the worm? Ominously, there is growing evidence that different species are adjusting to climate change at different rates and by different strategies, creating disjunctures in many ecosystems. If adult birds and their fast-growing young need intensive supplies of insect larvae, seeds, berries or nectar at particular times, what happens if these foods are no longer available in the right place at the right time for the birds? In some cases, the shifts provide new resources; but in other cases the changes reduce resources and increase competition and predation. In Costa Rica, for example, the uphill migration of toucans has led to increased toucan predation on rare resplendent quetzal nestlings.
Rising sea levels are expected to have a significant impact on seabirds, shorebirds, and estuarine species. Projecting from recent trends, ornithologists project declines of up to 30% in the diversity of neotropical bird species in some regions. This, in turn, is expected to generate troublesome ripple effects from the loss of "natural services"— beneficial activities ranging from plant pollination and seed dispersal to insect population control_that in the past have been provided gratis by birds and other creatures.
Looking at the wider ecological picture, shifts in the distribution of species and the scheduling of critical life cycle events—such as plant flowering and fruiting, insect metamorphoses, and higher animals' reproductive timing_may lead to serious ecological disturbances. What happens when a plant flowers on a different timetable than its pollinators?
A 1999 survey conducted by the respected Louis Harris and Associates polling firm found that 70% of biologists--the profession with the best understanding of living systems--believe we are in the midst of an historic wave of mass extinctions of species.
Furthermore, biologists don't believe we are immune from the effects of this mass extinction episode; they project that, barring a dramatic change of course, humans themselves will suffer grave impacts by the year 2100 from the decline of natures services. This is apart from other phenomena linked to climate change such as reductions in the quality and quantity of our water supplies.
Aldo Leopold once wrote that the first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the pieces. Man-made climate change is becoming an increasingly serious form of tinkering with the living systems of planet Earth, and we are extinguishing species at the rate of at least three every day. Each species, once lost, is irreplaceable; we can destroy life forms, but we can't create them_and we can't reconstruct viable ecosystems if we don't have all the pieces.
What Are We Doing?
International agreements such as the Montreal Protocols and the Kyoto Accords have outlined strategies to reverse the course of global climate change. The government of the United States, however, has refused to ratify the Kyoto Accords and to commit itself to reducing greenhouse gases like CO2. This is particularly problematic because we are the single biggest source of greenhouse gases. The U.S. alone—with less than 5% of the world's population—is responsible for at least 20% of the Earth's total CO2 emissions.
The Bush administration has acknowledged that global climate change is underway, and in January trumpeted a "breakthrough" in negotiations with major greenhouse gas-emitting industries in the U.S. In fact, however, the agreement actually only commits its signatories to voluntary reductions in the rate of increase of greenhouse gas emissions. Slowing the rate of increase does not reduce greenhouse gases, it only makes them increase more slowly. So ,global climate change can be expected to continue to intensify in proportion to the steady increase in emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
Given that the government and mainstream corporate interests are not going to provide leadership on this issue, it is left up to grassroots individuals and organizations to reverse global warming and leave a viable planet to our descendants. To reduce the severity of global climate change and its consequences, we need to increase the efficiency of our energy use, and where possible convert from fossil fuels to renewable, sustainable energy sources like solar and wind power.
This may sound like a hopeless prospect, but there are surprisingly simple steps that can be taken. For example, if every household in the United States replaced its most heavily used incandescent light bulb with a fluorescent light, CO2 emissions would be cut by 125 billion tons a year_and each household would save at least $25 over the lifetime of their fluorescent light. Not every reform measure is that painless, but there are a range of alternatives worth exploring.
Audubon's work at Harbor Park is entering a new phase. Since our chapter first became deeply involved in the park, we have found declining habitat values, infrastructure and investment by the City of Los Angeles. Recently, those disturbing trends began reversing. Today, Harbor Park is at the top of the city's priorities for parks and open space. It is a most welcome change, and I believe it is time for us to focus on establishing the Audubon Center that will pull all the threads of our activities in the park together. A project manager is to be brought on staff to shepherd this center through its initial stages.
For the last five years, Audubon has labored to bring outstanding education programs to the park, spoken out for improved management practices, sponsored a better scientific understanding of the park's natural resources and created effective pro-park advocacy.
Our chapter also has been the driving force behind the park's Public Advisory Board, and has been instrumental in launching an inter-agency task force, which is now coordinating all efforts in the park. For the first time, dozens of governmental departments and agencies responsible for various aspects of the park and its infrastructure are moving together. These agencies now are focused on securing the substantial amounts of funding that will be needed to make Harbor Park the important community asset it should be.
For this, Audubon applauds the many dedicated public employees who have made this a reality. We especially must single out the staff at Recreation and Parks, spearheaded by General Manager Manuel Mollinedo and Assistant GM Tony Coroalles, as well as Councilwoman Janice Hahn and her staff, particularly Claudio Gallegos and Elise Swanson.
I believe that most of the credit for making Audubon an important part of the decision-making process belongs to a few dedicated Audubon workers. Our chapter is recognized widely for education leadership at the park because of the work Debbie Baker and Holly Gray have done.
Our contributions to the scientific understanding of park resources and the nuts and bolts of their proper management have been significant because of the incredible dedication of Martin Byhower and Mitch Heindel. And Audubon is taken seriously as a stakeholder in the park's affairs because several of us share the task of being present at every task force or advisory meeting.
Thus, I feel, the park is now on the road to recovering from decades of neglect by past city administrations. Now it is time for Audubon to begin the process that will result in the establishment of an Audubon Center at the park. This is a huge undertaking, but we have the city and the community behind us. We also enjoy the support of Audubon-California, which will provide the expertise and organization that this project will take.
The first step in moving the Natural Heritage Center forward will be to bring on board a project manager. This person will be responsible for the day-to-day operations needed to guide the project through approval and funding processes. It's a big task, and calls for a full-time person who knows how to work with government, the public and granting sources. We are setting our sights on raising $100,000 to fund this position. Please consider making a major donation toward the effort. Thank you!
Early results suggest that this year's chapter Birdathon was an enormous success. Here's a quick summary of our three team's results.
The Bush-Whackers, composed of Martin and Eileen Byhower, Kevin Larson, Carol Selvey, and Steve Dexter, counted 125 species beginning at 6:00 am at Point Vicente and ending after sunset at Ballona Creek.
The Wild Bunch included Lillian Light and Ollie Coker, Lena Gasperov, Anne Morris, Dave Steed, John and Illona Ivanov, Stephanie Byran, Dennis Weyrauch, and Christine Hardy. On April 27th, this team sighted 117 species of birds.
Finally, the grand prize goes to the Wirdbotchers, who included Bob Shanman, Dave Moody, Kevin Larson, Ron Melin, and David Lindo. Beginning at 5:00 am at Polly's at the Pier in Redondo Beach, the Wirdbotchers didn't stop counting until 7:30 pm at Ballona Creek. In all, the Wirdbotchers counted 139 species.
During March and April, the bird life here is in a state of change. Most of the winter visitors depart during this time. We also see the arrival and passage of many migrants. Through much of March and April this year, numbers of migrant passerines were low. A good wave of migrants was finally seen on 25 Apr as a result of the passage of a weather front. Despite the fact that it is often difficult to find rare or unusual birds here during these two months, we had many remarkable sightings.
A Red-throated Loon on the lake at Alondra Park (AP) on 26 Mar (David Moody-DM) was inland from the coast, where rare. The first Pink-footed Shearwaters seen locally this year occurred after a strong onshore wind event. From Pt Vicente (PtV), 38 were seen on 22 Apr and 80 were seen on 23 Apr (Kevin Larson-KL). Sooty Shearwaters arrived early in small numbers. Seen from PtV, 5 birds on 14 Mar, and 12 on 17 Mar were northbound (KL). A Manx Shearwater was seen moving with Black-vented Shearwaters from PtV on 17 Mar (KL). The date was remarkably similar to the timing of sightings of single Manx Shearwaters off the Palos Verdes Peninsula in each of the past two years- i.e., 17 Mar 2001 and 23 Feb 2002. The highest daily total of migrating Brant seen from PtV was a modest 237 on 12 Apr (KL). The wintering Canvasback flock at AP dwindled to 6 birds on 19 Mar; on 20 Mar, they were gone. Their arrival was first noted on 3 Nov, and the high count for the winter was 63 birds on 13 Feb (DM). A number of these Canvasbacks have undoubtedly returned for several winters, and have become remarkably tame. I have seen one be so bold as to snatch a slice of bread from a child's hand! During the several mornings that I spent at PtV, the number of migrating Surf Scoters was very low, and no White-winged Scoters were seen. A female Black Scoter flew past PtV on 19 Apr (KL). Ian Ott saw an adult male Black Scoter in the harbor at Marina del Rey on 8 Mar. The Long-tailed Duck in the upper Dominguez Channel was last seen by Suzanne Carota on 9 Apr. A migrant female Common Goldeneye was at Ballona Cr. on 14 Mar (KL).
Notable as a spring migrant, a male Northern Harrier was over Torrance on 14 Mar (Mitch Heindel_MH); the distinctive male of this species is rarely seen in our area. Our coastal location puts us at a disadvantage to see certain migrants which favor an inland route in spring. The Swainson's Hawk seen by MH over Torrance on 8 Apr was one such migrant that is rarely seen here. Migrant Lesser Yellowlegs were at Madrona Marsh 13-16 Mar (DM), at Ballona Cr. on 29 Mar (KL), and at the L.A River (LAR) on 27 Apr. Much less likely to be found in spring than in fall, a Solitary Sandpiper was found by Martin Byhower (MB) at Harbor Park (HP) on 13 Apr; another one was at HP on 25 Apr (KL). The first-year Laughing Gull that was found at Playa del Rey 11 Apr (KL), and still present through at least 2 May (Barbara G. Johnson-BGJ), was unexpected; few have ever been seen in Los Angeles County. An imm. Black-legged Kittiwake at PtV on 1 Mar (KL) was the third sighting in the area over the course of the winter. Black Skimmers were regularly seen at Cabrillo Beach; 170 there on 27 Apr was a high count (KL). Two Xantus's Murrelets on 17 Mar, and two on 25 Mar, were seen flying north past PtV (KL). 154 Rhinoceros Auklets moving north past PtV during the morning of 14 Mar was a high count (KL). A Band-tailed Pigeon flew over Banning Park (BP) on 25 Mar (KL). Migrant Rufous Hummingbirds were somewhat scarce; only five were reported from 8 Mar to 6 Apr.
Jon Feenstra (JF) alerted me to his sighting of a "Western" Flycatcher at BP on 2 Feb. A Pacific-slope Flycatcher that I saw and heard there on 20 Mar was either this same wintering bird, or our first migrant of the spring. Rarely recorded in CA as a spring transient, an Eastern Phoebe was at Madrona Marsh (MM) on 30 Mar (KL). The date of the sighting coincides closely with those of a small number of spring sightings in the state over the past ten years. This northbound migrant may have been pushed towards the coast as a result of two days of offshore wind. A northbound Say's Phoebe seen at PtV on 6 Apr was a late migrant (KL). A pair of Loggerhead Shrikes continued above Royal Palms County Beach. Since only one bird was seen there after mid-April, the other bird may have been on a nest. One Loggerhead Shrike was seen occasionally in the PtV area near where a pair nested last year. Unexpected in spring, a well-described Plumbeous Vireo was at HP on 27 Apr (MB). A Bank Swallow was at LAR south of Del Amo St. on 24 Apr (KL). The male and female Varied Thrushes which wintered at Sand Dune Park (SDP) were last seen on 28 Mar (KL); the male was first seen on 30 Oct by Mark Conrad. These spectacular birds were enjoyed by many over the course of the winter.
Once again, a California Thrasher was seen and heard singing on the hill above the Forrestal Quarry (FQ) area in RPV on 1 Mar (KL). One was found in the same area by Jess Morton on 18 Apr 1987. For many years, it was the only known resident California Thrasher on the PV Peninsula. The bird was seen through the 1990's, and was last seen in 1999. If this is the same bird, it has an astounding age of at least 16 years. If not the same bird, then either nesting occurred in the area that went undetected, or another bird came in to occupy the same area. There are only three other records of California Thrasher in the PV/South Bay area: one at the South Coast Botanic Garden 25 Jan _ 11 Feb 1974; one at the L.A. River, near PCH 17 Jan 1993; and one in Purple Cyn., Rolling Hills 27 Dec 1997.
The wintering Magnolia Warbler that was found in Culver City on 5 Jan was still present on 19 Apr (Don Sterba). The occurrence of three spring migrant Palm Warblers was exceptional since they are normally fairly rare; one was at AP 15-21 Apr (DM); one was at MM 23-24 Apr (DM); and another was at Deforest Park (DP) 25-27 Apr (KL). The wintering Hermit Warbler and American Redstart at Wilderness Park were still present on 11 Apr (DM). Gratefully received information came in pertaining to our first local winter record of Yellow-breasted Chat. The bird was present in the area later than was reported in the Feb/Mar 2003 Hummin'. First seen at SDP on 12 Nov 2002 (KL), the bird was last seen on 20 Jan 2003 by JF. Why the bird was not seen in February or March is a mystery; it may have been too elusive, or perhaps it was sick, and/or it was the victim of a cat. The wintering female Summer Tanager at SDP was last seen on 16 Mar (KL). A "Bells" Sage Sparrow (A. b. belli) was at FQ 30 Mar-12 Apr (KL). The last four sightings of Sage Sparrows in our area, from 1992 to 2002, have all been in fall. These recent records do not indicate which subspecies of Sage Sparrows were seen. There are three subspecies of Sage Sparrows which occur in CA, none of which are residents or breeders in the PV/South Bay area. The status of Sage Sparrows occurring here is poorly understood on the subspecies level. Carl Etow informed me that a male Yellow-headed Blackbird was at the PtV Lighthouse on 8 Apr. In late April and early May, there was a remarkable number of Yellow-headed Blackbirds at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh (BFM); I counted 40 birds there on 3 May. Recently opened to the public, this cattail marsh restoration project may have habitat that is suitable enough to entice this species, which normally nests in the interior east of the coastal mountains, to breed near the coast.
Summarized here are some first arrival dates of spring migrants: Pink-footed Shearwater—22 Apr PtV (KL); Sooty Shearwater—14 Mar PtV (KL); Vaux's Swift—17 Apr HP (KL); Black-chinned Hummingbird—11 Apr AP (KL); Costa's Hummingbird—12 Apr FQ (KL); Western Wood-Pewee—23 Apr SDP (KL); Hammond's Flycatcher—6 Apr SDP (KL); Ash-throated Flycatcher—30 Mar SDP (BGJ); Warbling Vireo—11 Apr MM (DM); Swainson's Thrush—27 Apr DP (JF); Nashville Warbler—6 Apr HP (KL); Hermit Warbler—20 Apr SDP (JF); MacGillivray's Warbler—25 Apr MM (DM) ; Black-headed Grosbeak—5 Apr George F. Cyn (KL); Blue Grosbeak—15 Apr SDP (KL); Lazuli Bunting—11 Apr HP (MH).
Here are some late dates of migrants or winterers: Say's Phoebe—6 Apr PtV (KL); Tree Swallow—27 Apr LAR (KL); American Pipit—26 Apr BFM (KL).
Thanks to all who reported sightings during the period. Please send your sightings to cbirdr@attbi.com for the Palos Verdes/South Bay and vicinity, including areas east to the L.A. River, north to about the 105 fwy, and along the coast up to Marina del Rey.
Since I am presently witnessing the incredible migration of warblers and other songbirds north across Lake Erie, affording me very little opportunity to follow current events, I cannot bring you up to date on the latest outrages being perpetrated against our environment. Instead, I will indicate some of the ways that the present Administration and Congress are attempting to dismantle the framework of environmental protection that has been in place for the last 30 years.
In its unprecedented assault on our nation's air and water quality and on its public lands, the Bush Administration has issued more than 200 changes in environmental and conservation policies. Our national monuments have been opened to logging, our national forests to oil drilling, and our national parks and wilderness areas to road-building.
Recently, for instance, the Department of the Interior adopted a rule to facilitate the giveaway of federal lands to local governments or private interests by allowing "highways" across public lands. Under the new rule, the Bureau of Land Management can "disclaim" federal footpaths and waterways to be turned into paved highways even if they are in national parks. The Bureau claims that the rule is exempt from environmental rule under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Meanwhile, radical revision of forest policy would open all 155 national forests to logging, drilling, and mining by eliminating the fundamental rule that protects native wildlife and by scaling back environmental reviews and the public's right to participate.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as most other agencies in the Bush Administration, has been undermining enforcement of our environmental laws. The EPA's two most senior career enforcement officials resigned in 2002 after decades of service. Both cited the Administration's refusal to enforce environmental protections as the reason for their departure. President Bush has cut enforcement budgets and prosecutions by nearly half compared to Clinton-era levels.
The EPA has succeeded in replacing the "polluter pays" principle with "the tax-paying citizen pays." In 1980, Congress established a federal trust fund for cleaning up 30% of the nation's worst toxic waste sites by levying a tax on polluting industries. Last February, the EPA proposed shifting cleanup costs to citizens rather than continue taxing corporations. Superfund is now facing an $82 million shortfall and polluting companies are off the hook. By the end of 2002, the EPA had completed only 42 Superfund cleanups, compared to an average of 76 sites cleaned up per year during President Clinton's last term in office.
In its failure to deal with the thousands of toxic chemicals that Americans are exposed to, the EPA has been abdicating another important function. This agency has a shameful record of failing to regulate pesticides, weed-killers, organic pollutants, PVCs, perchlorate, and lead. Even though lead poisoning has been causing seizures, learning disabilities, and occasional deaths among young people living in older homes, the EPA sought to loosen federal regulations and to give the states more leeway for screening lead poisoning. Intense criticism from health experts and Congress forced the abandonment of this plan.
On Sunday, April 20th, the Los Angeles Times published a long and disturbing article about a group of toxic contaminants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs. These chemicals are used to reduce the spread of fire in clothing, upholstered furniture, and electronic equipment. Scientists say that they haven't seen as rapid a chemical build-up in human bodies and in the environment as they have seen in the case of PBDEs in 50 years. These compounds have the same properties as PCBs and DDT, which are known to harm human health and were banned in the 1970s. The European Union has banned the two most toxic PBDEs and the levels in the breast milk of European women have begun to decline.
On average, Americans carry 10 to 70 times as much PBDE in their breast milk, tissues, and blood as Europeans do. Studies show that concentrations of these contaminants double in the human population every few years. Yet, EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman continues to refuse any regulation of these toxics.
President Bush's fiscal year 2003 federal budget slashed overall spending for environment and natural resources departments by one billion dollars. He did propose $404 million in subsidies to support timber sales in national forests.
Only an active and aroused citizenry can begin to reverse these anti-environmental policies. Every person reading this column must start to take action to protect our health, our air, our water, our forests, and our wildlife. If you join the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society conservation committee or the Environmental Priorities Network, you will be contacted about how and when to communicate with your legislators, your president, and other government officials.
The future of our country, our descendants, and our Earth depend upon your participation now!
The southern California Chapters of the National Audubon Society will be jointly sponsoring a retreat and workshop weekend in Orange County on November 1 and 2. Participation in this weekend is NOT limited to members of southern California Audubon Chapters. We sincerely hope that all California Audubon Chapters will avail themselves of this experience, which has been coordinated jointly by this group.
The purpose of the weekend will be to address the issues facing Audubon chapters today. There will be concurrent morning and afternoon sessions about chapter development, fundraising, education and conservation. These workshops will specifically address chapters with small memberships, small volunteer staffs, and/or small bank accounts. The workshops and panels will be given by Audubon and other volunteers who have a proven track record of success in the area they will be presenting. At a late lunch on Sunday, we will discuss the topics for the next retreat/workshop weekend. There will also be plenty of time to network and discuss the possibility of joint ventures.
Every chapter and Audubon member is invited to attend this meeting. There will be opportunities for some early morning birdwatching on Saturday and Sunday, a barbecue with night hiking at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, and daily snacks - all included in the registration fee. The cost will be $15.00 for Saturday, including the barbecue, and $10.00 for Sunday. Sea and Sage Audubon is sponsoring a wine and cheese reception for the group on October 31 at their Audubon House with a night hike to follow.
The executive staff of Audubon California will be doing a portion of the program, and will help guide the chapters through the problems of declining dues splits and what, specifically, the chapters in California can expect from Audubon California in terms of resources and help.
Please consider coming to this meeting. For questions, please contact Bev McKenzie (lbmac2@earthlink.net) of Pasadena Audubon or Catherine Waters of Sea and Sage Audubon (robcatwaters@earthlink.net or 562-869-6718). You may pay for registration on site, but you must preregister.
(From Phainopepla, newsletter of San Fernando Valley Audubon.)
Match the species to the statements. See below for the correct answers.
Statements
Species
Preserving animal habitats is the focus of National Geographic's annual conservation public-awareness campaign this year. "Geography Action 2003! Habitats: Home Sweet Home" hopes to persuade a million kids to become "Habitat Heroes" by taking action to preserve the wild places that birds, animals and plants call home.
Today as many as a third of all plant and animal species in the United States are at risk of becoming extinct, but simple actions, such as recycling just one aluminum can a day, can help save their habitats — and their lives.
Students, teachers and parents will find a wide range of habitat-related information and activities, including in-depth discussion of what habitat loss means, how it can be prevented and what individuals can do to help, at the program's website, nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction. The site encourages students to learn about habitats firsthand by visiting one of the 540 National Wildlife Refuges in the United States, a 95 million-acre network of protected lands. Also included on the Web site are hands-on habitat-conservation activities, contests, games and links to other conservation Web sites. A comprehensive calendar lists habitat-conservation activities nationwide.
This Web site suggests ways kids can protect the environment, such as recycling magazines or cans, planting a butterfly garden, pulling up invasive species or carpooling to school — preferably in a hybrid car.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service are partners in this year's Geography Action! program. The FWS manages the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The 28th Annual meeting of the Western Field Ornithologists is to take place July 24 - 27th in Silver City, New Mexico. The meeting will be held at Western New Mexico University and hosted by the New Mexico Ornithology Society. The meeting will highlight the birds and biology of the U.S./Mexico borderlands. Descriptions of the expected birds, speakers, social events, etc. is available at the Western Field Ornithologist website, wfo-cbrc.org or by contacting Roland Shook, the meeting coordinator at shookr@silver.wnmu.edu, by calling Catherine Waters at 562-869-6718, or by contacting robcatwaters@earthlink.net.
Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting, which will include morning birding field trips, afternoon programs highlighting the birds of the western US/Mexico borderlands, evening social events and nightly programs.
There will be a post-meeting fundraising field trip into Mexico for Thickbilled Parrot and other Chihuahua/Sonoran specialties. See the website for the details. Space is limited and there will be a lottery for this trip with no more than two people per application.
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.
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.
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Sunday, June 1, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Bl., Palos Verdes. Leader: Ollie Coker or Margaret Hoggan. Charge for nonmembers of the SCBG Foundation;join at the entrance. (Also July 6.) Sunday, June 1, 9-noon: Restoration of PV Blue Habitat, Defense Fuel Support Point, 3171 N. Gaffey, San Pedro. If you plan to attend, call or email Jess (310-832-5601, jmorton@igc.org). (Also, July 6.) Saturday, June 7, 10-12:00: Friendship Naturalists classes for 6-13 year-olds at Deane Dana Friendship Park, San Pedro. $10 per session. Call Connie Douglas, 310-519-6115 (Also July 5.) Saturday, June 7, 10:00: Nature Walks through the Canyon, George F Canyon Nature Center, Corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and PV Drive East in Rolling Hills Estates. Sunday, June 8, 8:00 am: Bird and nature walk at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park. Leader: Martin Byhower. Meet in parking lot between Vermont and Anaheim St. above the boathouse, about l mile west of 110 Freeway on Anaheim Street. (Also July 13.) Sunday, June 8, 9:00 am: Volunteer Weeding at Forrestal Nature Preserve sponsored by the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy. Meet at the end of Forrestal Drive by the Ladera Linda parking lot. (Also, May 13.) Wednesday, June 11, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at Madrona Marsh. 3201 Plaza del Amo (west of Madrona Ave.), Bob Shanman, leader. (Also July 9.) Saturday, June 14, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at Deane Dana Friendship Park, San Pedro. Meet at the Nature Center classroom. Contact: Connie Douglas, 310-519-6115. Wednesday, June 18, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at South Coast Botanic Garden. Leader: Georgene Foster. (Also, July 16; see June 1 for directions.) Tuesday, June 24, 7:30 pm: Monthly meeting. South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes. For information, call Jess (310-832-5601). Saturday, July 5, 10:00 am: Nature Walks through the Canyon, George F Canyon Nature Center. (See June 7 for directions.) Saturday, July 5, 7:30 pm: Star Party, Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza del Amo (west of Madrona Ave.). Sunday, July 6, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at South Coast Botanic Garden. Leader: Ollie Coker or Margaret Hoggan. (See June 1 for directions.) Sunday, July 6, 9-noon: Restoration of PV Blue Habitat, Defense Fuel Support Point. (See June 1 for directions.) Wednesday, July 9, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at Madrona Marsh. Leader: Bob Shanman. (See June June 11.) Saturday, July 12, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at Deane Dana Friendship Park, San Pedro. (See June 14.) Sunday, July 13, 8:00 am: Nature Walk at Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park. Leader: Martin Byhower. (See June 8.) Sunday, July 13, 9:00 am: Volunteer Weeding at Forrestal Nature Preserve. (See June 8 for directions.) Wednesday, July 16, 8:00 am: Bird walk at South Coast Botanical Garden. Leader is Georgene Foster. (See June 18.) Wednesday, July 16, 7:30 pm: Board meeting, PV/South Bay Audubon, Whole Foods Community Room, Rolling Hills Plaza, Crenshaw near PCH. Contact Jess (310-832-5601) Saturday, July 19: BUTTERFLY COUNT. Contact Jess Morton. Tuesday, July 29, 7:30 pm: Monthly meeting. South Coast Botanic Garden (See June 24 for directions.) For information, call Jess (310-832-5601). Sunday, August 3, 8:00 am: Bird Walk at South Coast Botanic Garden. Leader: Ollie Coker or Margaret Hoggan. (See June 1.) Sunday, August 3, 9-noon: Restoration of PV Blue Habitat. (See June 1.) |
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The Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society, of which PV/SB Audubon is the local chapter, are dedicated to the understanding and preservation of our natural heritage.
Hummin' subscriptions for non-PV/SB Audubon members are $7.50 per year. For back issues and chapter info, go to www.LMconsult.com/pvaudubon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This page is part of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society website.
email: jmorton@igc.apc.org
