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8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
1/24
During junior high school,
my favorite radio
announcer, Dave Hull, the
Hullabalooer laughed over the name of
the Swallow-tailed Kite. I sent him
a drawing of one on a piece of scrappaper and told him it was a real bird!
He kindly sent me a reply and was
impressed with the interest I showed
in birds at that young age. I also
remember another favorite radio
announcer, Charlie Tuna, who would
call the Los Angeles Audubon bird
tape report just for kicks, and
broadcast Jean Brandts voice over the
radio waves announcing birds seen in
the Los Angeles area!
Back in 1974, at Abraham Lincoln
high school in Lincoln Heights, Los
Angeles, my high school teacher and I
shared a common interest - he was a
bird watcher! He gave me a
membership form for Los Angeles
Audubon, which was my key to
organized birding, and a new way of
life the past 30+ years. I was
nicknamed Bird Lady, a name that
has stuck through a number of high
school reunions!
In 1977, I volunteered at Plummer
Park for Los Angeles Audubon where
I met some of the chapters most
prominent birders. I recall an evening
my father and I were invited by Arnold
Small to a gathering at his home. In
retrospect, I suspect that even back
then young members must have been a
scarce commodity. I have also been
leading field trips since the late 70s,
including the Owens Valley Grouse
Weekend, and the more recent
Southern Sierras Owling Weekend
(see highlights in this issue)! Since myinitial involvement, I have been the
social chair and recording secretary for
the chapter. I have recently completed
my fourth year as Programs Chair, and
now my first year as President of the
chapter. I guess you could say I have
grown up with the chapter.
During my first year as Presiden
I have been lucky to work with great
volunteers that share similar visions
for the chapter: recreation,
conservation, education, and
restoration. I cant tell you how mucthe staff at Audubon House has made
the year a success. Martha Balkan
and Susan Castor with their
knowledge of bird books and optics
are always there to lend advice abou
the Nature Store and Member
Services. Susan Castor has helped
with the bi-monthly layout of the
Western Tanager newsletter as well.
For those who have donated their
invaluable time as volunteers,
experience and knowledge towards
Los Angeles Audubon, whether it be
the board, the nature store, field trip
leading, or working on our numerous
conservation projects I would like t
extend a heartfelt thank you from
myself, the birding community, and
the greater community that we strive
to serve.
We have just completed our boar
retreat with many goals for the
coming year. Each board member
was asked to submit a list of goals fo
the year. Many areas discussed were
common goals of many board
members, in areas of membership,
education, outreach, conservation,
website and fundraising.
Volume 75, Number 1 September/October 200
WESTERNTANAGER
a publication of Los Angeles Audubon www.laaudubon.org
From Where I came, and Where We Are Going
8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
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Linda Oberholtzer is working on
membership along with our staff
member, Susan Castor. They are
happy to report that we continue to
show an increase in new chapter-only
memberships. I am very delighted to
hear this, and welcome all members
new and old - to take full advantage of
more of our chapters activities.
We have updated and improved
the layout and security of the Los
Angeles Audubon website. The web
publishing software & hosting
technology we were using had
become outdated and was leaving
the site vulnerable to hackers.
Stacey Vigallon has been principal
proposal writer for our current
conservation projects at the Venice
Beach Least Tern colony, and the
Snowy Plover surveys. With her
excellent submissions, she has
garnered funding for these important
Los Angeles Audubon conservation
efforts, as well as for the Baldwin
Hills Overlook project the first
California State Parks partnership with
any Audubon chapter. We will be
initiating a naturalist docent program
at Baldwin Hills shortly, so if you
have even just a few hours a week to
spare, contact Eleanor Osgood the
Volunteer Coordinator, and find out
how you can make a difference!
Another recent conservation
project that Los Angeles Audubon has
spearheaded in cooperation with a
number of regional biologists, is the
Los Angeles County Birds of Special
Concern. This project will prioritizelocal species of concern, and will spell
out where future conservation efforts
will do the most good. This will
hopefully guide bird conservation in
the region for some time to come!
Our outreach continues strong
with the second of fourAudubon Film
Fridays, recently pulling in more than
100 interested children and parents
from the neighborhood surrounding
Debs Park, to see the bilingual nature
movie, Oceans Oasis. Audubon
California and Pasadena Audubon are
co-sponsors of this program.Moviegoers were also treated to a
short entitled Sharing the Beach with
Western Snowy Plovers, prepared by
the Dorsey High School Eco-Warriors
and Dorsey Film Program, a short that
has made the rounds on YouTube.
The Eco-Warriors, from the south side
of Los Angeles, represent the other
arm of our outreach program. Stacey
and her husband, Robert Jeffers, have
banded this high school
environmental club together, and
exposed them to the intertwined
natural world that surrounds them by
working with the Least Tern Nesting
Project. It is hoped that a small group
of student interns will be given a more
significant and intensive role in the
project this coming year with a
scholarship program.
2010 marks our 100th
anniversary! This promises to be a
grand celebration! Plans are starting
now for the gala event. We should all
be good stewards of the land by
advocating for the conservation and
restoration of wildlife habitat
whenever possible, which is not an
easy task. In this age of constant
development in and around our wild
lands, the survival of healthy wild
habitat and the animals it supports
becomes a much bigger battle. Thinkglobally and act locally with all the
passion you can muster. With its
tradition of bird watching and
commitment to preserving habitat, I
invite you to join Los Angeles
Audubons vision for the future.
E2 Western Tanager
WESTERNTANAGERPublished by
Los Angeles Audubon Society,
a chapter of
National Audubon Society.
EDITOR: Vacant
LAYOUT: Susan Castor
CONSERVATION: Garry George
FIELD TRIPS:Nick Freeman
PELAGIC TRIPS: Phil SayrePROGRAMS: Mary Freeman
ORNITHOLOGY CONSULTANT:
Kimball Garrett
PRINTING: G2 Graphics Services, Inc.
Opinions expressed in articles or letters
herein do not necessarily express the
position of this publication or of
Los Angeles Audubon Society.
PRESIDENT:
Mary Freeman
1st VICE PRESIDENT:
David De Lange
2nd VICE PRESIDENT:
Paul Fox
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:
Linda Oberholtzer
RECORDING SECRETARY:
Eleanor Osgood
TREASURER:
Lisa Fimiani
EXECUTIVE PAST PRESIDENT:
Dexter Kelly
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Mary Loquvam
Membership in Los Angeles Audubon is $25
Individual, $35 Couple, $50 Family, $100
Donor or $250 Donor per year. Members
receive the Western Tanagernewsletter and
other benefits. Donations and membershipscan be made online at www.laaudubon.org
Make check payable to Los Angeles Audubon.
Los Angeles Audubon Headquarters, Library
and Nature Store are open to the public
Monday Thursday
9:30 AM 4:00 PM
Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90046-6694
(323) 876-0202 office
(323) 876-7609 fax
(323) 874-1318 bird tape
[email protected] e-mail
[email protected] e-mail
www.LAAudubon.org website
Printed on Recycled Paper
by Mary Freeman
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Los Angeles Audubon
partnered with Pasadena
Audubon for our second year
of Audubon Film Fridays at the Audubon
Center at Debs Park.
Summer solstice on June 20 was our
first night of the nature films outdoors
under the stars on a big, wide screen with
fantastic sound. We screened Artic
Tale in Spanish with English subtitles, a
documentary on a family of endangered
polar bears trying to survive with the
onset of global warming. On July 11, we
had a big turnout for two films: first, the
three minute film made by students at
Dorsey High School titled SnowyPlovers on Los Angeles County
Beaches which is now airing on the Los
Angeles Audubon channel on YouTube.
(www.youtube.com/losangelesaudubon)
Three of the students attended the
screening with Los Angeles Audubons
Director of Interpretation Stacey
Vigallon and her husband Robert Jeffers,
who leads the film program at Dorsey.
Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass
sent certificates of recognition for the
students to acknowledge their
contribution to the environment. Next
was Oceans Oasis, a film shot inIMAX cameras for the Museum of
Natural History in San Diego under the
Sea of Cortez and on the Baja Peninsula.
Tons of nesting terns, gray whales,
pocket mouse, and manta rays
entertained the kids at Audubon Film
Fridays, while the Mexican researchers
told their stories in Spanish.
Prior to the film screenings, Los
Angeles Audubons Board membersEleanor Osgood and Dexter Kelly led
bird walks for kids and adults with
Audubon Californias Gabriela
Castaeda. The June 20 bird walk was
accompanied by a reporter from KPCC-
FM which aired a report on July 11 to
400,000 Los Angeles area listeners just
before the event that featured Eleanor
and Audubon Film Fridays.
A transcript can be read and the
program can be heard at
www.scpr.org/news/stories/2008/07/1
08_spanish_birds_070508.html.
After the bird walk, Trader Joesdonated refreshments and snacks for th
film fans, while Pasadena Audubons
Will and Lois Fulmer, and Laura Garre
handed out information on their chapter
programs, and Eleanor Osgood and
Dexter did the same for Los Angeles
Audubon.
Two more screenings, Wild in
America (Friday, August 8) and Wha
Rider (Friday, August 22), will roundout the series in August.
What a great way to reach out and
connect new conservationists to nature!
Thanks to all who helped and
participated.
September/October 2008 E3
Audubon Film Fridays
(l.to r.) Ranger Al Davis, L. A. Audubon Dir. of Interpretation Stacey
Vigallon, Dorsey High film teacher Robert Jeffers, Dorsey filmmakers
Christopher Simmons, Abelino Romo and Alma Alegria, L. A. Audubon
Board members Eleanor Osgood, Lisa Fimiani, Dexter Kelly and Mary
Freeman at Audubon Film Fridays.
Audubon Film Fridays inspires a new conservationi
by Garry George
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Herb Clarkes life-long
interest in and love of
birds began as a Boy
Scout while earning his Bird Study
merit badge on his way to becoming
an Eagle Scout. He met the other loveof his life, Olga, while stationed in
Louisiana with the Air Force. The way
I understand it, their honeymoon was
mostly a birding trip along the Texas
coast. This was Olgas first exposure
to birding, but she quickly became
hooked and has shared Herbs passion
for birding and nature ever since. Herb
and Olga traveled all over the world
together, including a recent 50th
wedding anniversary trip a few years
ago to Papua New Guinea. They livedin Glendale since 1958 when he was
discharged from the Air Force.
Herb was a long time active Los
Angeles Audubon Society member
and served as its President from 1969-
1972. He was probably best known for
his wonderful bird and nature
photography and gave many slide-
illustrated talks to Audubon and other
conservation groups. He also led many
field trips for the Society.
I first met Herb and Olga not long
after I moved to California some 35
years ago while birding Sycamore
Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains.
I continued to run into both of them
searching for various rare birds all over
California.a cold winter sunrise near
Chico to find a Bewicks Swan (which
was later lumped with Whistling Swan
as the Tundra Swan), a boiling morning
at the Salton Sea to find a White Ibis or aThanksgiving weekend in Death Valley
chasing whatever turned up. He was
always there with his camera, ready to
document some rarity or get a better
photo of some bird he had photographed
ten times before. I also attended many
presentations he gave, marveling at his
magnificent bird pictures from California
and all over the world.
I got to know him better as I
became more involved in the Los
Angeles Audubon Society. Olga, who
managed the bookstore for many
years, attended most board meetings
and Herb was always along to support
her as well as provide his input from
his many years of experience.
Although I got to know Herb fairly
well over the years, I cant say wewere really close. Eleven years ago
that started to change when Herb
asked if he and Olga could come along
on the Mount Baden-Powell Butterfly
Count and try his hand at
photographing butterflies. Herbs
focus had always been birds. However
in California, except for an occasional
accidental, it was almost impossible
for him to find a bird for which he
didnt already have a superb picture,
and thus he was looking for a newchallenge. Butterfly photography
would be a completely new experience
with different lenses and techniques
required and better still, each butterfly
would be a new life species for Herb!
Although the day was a success with
Herb getting some great photos, what
followed next was to be a life-
changing experience for both of us,
bringing us together as friends and
getting Herbs creative juices flowing
To understand what happened, we
have to take a step backward in time.
Herb had co-authored a book wi
Arnold Small in 1976,Birds of the
West, with their bird photography.
Herbs photographs appeared in man
other books and magazines over theyears, but he was looking to
showcase his southern California bir
pictures when he found a book
published by Mountain Press,
Roadside Plants of Southern
California. He contacted Mountain
Press and suggested a similar book o
the birds of southern California. The
publishers thought it was an excellen
idea and his book,An Introduction t
Southern California Birds, was
published in 1989. This book, whichappealed to beginners and experts
alike for its wonderful photos, was a
great success and has been reprinted
nine times to date. It was followed in
1995 byAn Introduction to Norther
California Birds, also published by
Mountain Press.
E4 Western Tanager
Herb Clarke, doing what he loved best: Getting that photo.
In this case, a Bitterroot flower in the White Mountains of California.
Photo by Fred Heath
Herb Clarke 1927-2008, A Personal Remembranc
8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
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After a year of butterfly
photography, Herb was getting his
techniques down pat and taking some
phenomenal pictures, when he came
to me with the idea of doing a
butterfly book of southern Californiabutterflies similar to the one he had
done for birds with his photography
and my text. Because of his
credibility with Mountain Press, they
were more than happy to green light
the project. And then, what started
out as a casual endeavor of going
here and there with Herb
photographing whatever butterflies
we found became a mission to find
and photograph all of the common
and some not so common, but uniquebutterflies of southern California.
This started in earnest in mid-2000.
Early on, Herb had a setback
which I assumed would cancel or at
least delay the book. We had both
gone in for a colonoscopy during the
same week in the summer of 2000. A
few days later, I called Herb to plan
our next field trip. I politely asked
how his procedure had gone and he
said, Not too well and proceeded totell me they had found colon cancer
and removed a third of his colon. I was
saying something like, How awful
when Herb cut me off and said, But
we are still going ahead with the
book. The book was the furthest thing
from my mind at that point. Herb had
a lot of chemotherapy over the next
several months, which was not kind to
his body. He would tire easily and we
were making frequent pit stops, but he
insisted on pushing ahead that summerand early fall. I was feeling very guilty
and expressed my concern to Olga
during a pit stop on a particularly bad
day for Herb. She told me then that the
anticipation of finding and
photographing the target butterflies
was keeping Herb going, giving him
the will to get out of bed no matter
how he felt.
Herbs passion to capture a bird or
butterfly on film is what I will
remember most about him. Whenever
we went on a trip, he always wanted to
have at least one target butterfly
species. Just heading to a destination
and wandering around to see what we
could find was termed spinning
wheels by Herb. This single-mindedness could be a downer for
Herb when the target butterflies
werent located. Like a little kid, he
would pout and before long, especially
on days when the weather was not
cooperating or it was obvious that the
butterflies werent flying, he would
say, You got to know when to hold
them and when to fold them followed
by, We should be heading back to the
barn. However, more often than not,
we would find the target butterfly andafter getting some knockout photos, a
loud, excited Yip! yip! would
emanate from Herbs direction. We
would usually celebrate with an ice
cream on the way home. Desserts were
right up there with Olga and nature
photography as the loves of his life.
Even in the last couple months o
his life, when he was not able to walk
without assistance, we mounted an
expedition to San Luis Obispo Count
to photograph a butterfly that had
eluded him up until then. There,
sprawled across a back country road
with a pillow propping his head, he
photographed several puddlingMargined Whites. In his last days, we
commemorated this and many other
successful outings with mint chocola
chip ice cream.
Herb passed away this past April
5th after a hard fought battle with
colon cancer. Those of you who were
fortunate enough to know Herb Clark
personally can certainly recall his
enthusiasm and zest for life. Whenev
he was asked how he was doing, he
usually replied, Outstanding!! Her
will live on in the memory of all who
knew him as well as those that only
know him through his magnificent
photographs, for which we can all say
Outstanding!!
September/October 2008 E5
Herb Clarke, Photo by Larry Sansone
by Fred Heath
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There are many places that
folks claim as a patch: a
backyard, a park, a lake, a
vacant lot, a state park. But it is a rare
thing when you can mix business withpleasure, which I can, for my patch is
where I work: the campus of UCLA.
I have been watching birds since I
was a toddler; my parents were
outdoorsy types and they always did
things like day trips to parks and
camping trips in the summer. Birds
were always around somewhere and I
developed a casual acquaintance with
them as I grew up. I got my first birdguidea Petersonswhen I was 12
and it helped me learn more about the
birds I was seeing.
As an adult I spent as much time
as I could outdoors hiking, camping,
and fishing. But bird watching was
always an adjunct to the other
activities. I saw a fair amount of birds
during my outdoor forays and kept a
life list, but it remained a casual affair.
All that changed in December of
2006, when I was lucky enough to
land employment at UCLA. Id always
loved the campus, especially because
of its grounds. There are many trees,
as well as large lawn areas and
abundant shrubbery. Many of the trees
are exotics, such as several species of
Australian gum tree (eucalyptus),
several species of fig, Aleppo Pine,
Canary Island Pine, Lemon Bottle
Brush, and Coral trees. There are also
abundant specimens of California
Sycamore and oak.
Unbeknownst to me, however,
was UCLAs equally abundant bird
life. The first hint that such things
were afoot was when I spotted a Red-
shouldered Hawk taking off after a
flock of pigeons, picking one out,
wearing it down, then plucking it right
out of the air. And I watched this little
drama unfold while eating lunch on
the patio outside my building!
In my first few weeks of
employment, I slowly became aware
that there were even more birds
around me, ones that I never knew I
could see in the city, such as wrens
and chickadees. It was a revelation
when I began to identify what I was
seeing: Bewicks Wren, Dark-eyed
Junco, Spotted Towhee, and Mountain
Chickadee. It was all so amazing to
me and I started keeping a journal in
small notebook.
Over the past year and a half I
have spent a lot of time before work
and during lunch hours exploring the
upper (north) campus where I work,
deliberately looking for birds. They
showed themselves quite readily, too
and my notebook steadily grew full o
sightings: Cliff Swallow, Western
Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, Common
Raven, Red-tailed Hawk, Coopers
Hawk, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet,
American Robin, Nuttalls
Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Oak
TitmouseI could hardly believe it
E6 Western Tanager
m y p a t c h T h e U C L A C a m p u s
UCLA Eucalyptus Grove, Photo by Linda Navroth
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most of the time! Many of the birds
were life birds, too.
But my special favorite is the
Bewicks Wren. Something about thissaucy little sprite just captivates me
and makes me smile every time I see
one. I started keeping a separate
journal just for sightings of Bewicks,
in which I have recorded many
interesting things. Ive seen one dust
bathing, defend territory, singing the
loveliest songs, and collecting nest
materials. One of the most amusing
observations was strictly auditory: one
was working its way through someshrubs (I could see the foliage moving
as it went) and it was making a very
soft singing and chittering noise as it
went, almost as if it was humming to
itself. Another time I was fortunate to
see an adult and fledge. The adult was
up in a low branch, the fledge on the
ground. When the adult saw me, it
gave the raspy warning call and the
fledge stopped, hunkered down into
the duff and stayed still. The adult then
flew down to it and escorted it quickly
into the shrubs.
A relatively new area Ive begun
birding at least once a week, is down
below the Anderson School of
Business at Stone Canyon Creek. This
is the last remnant of the perennial
stream that flowed along a north-
south route at the bottom of the
campus. Its terminus is now a big
drainage grate. The small section that
is accessible here is currently being
restored by Heal the Bay; the StreamTeam has been removing the non-
native plants and trees and planting
willows and other vegetation more
suitable for the habitat.
Over the past couple of months of
visiting the creek I have seen Bushtit,
American Robin, Oak Titmouse,
Spotted Towhee, Black Phoebe, and
Bewicks Wren, and a mom Mallard
with young.. The Black Phoebes hav
a nest up under the drain culvert and
have raised one batch of young this
season. Ive also located two Bushtitnests in the nearby oaks.
Because I love this place so much
I always arrive in the morning at leas
45 minutes before 8, so I can walk to
various areas of campus to see what
birds are around. Its fairly quiet at
that time and I often have some of my
best sightings. Many people dread
going to work, but not me because,
well, my workplace is my patch!
Linda Navaroth is a ne
member of Los Angeles Audubon an
is on our Conservation Committe
September/October 2008 E7
by Linda Navrot
Bewicks Wren, Photo by Larry Sansone Yellow Chevroned Parakeet, Photo by Larry Sansone
m y p a t c h T h e U C L A C a m p u s
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My friend, MaryFreeman, called merecently and the talk
turned to opinions on andexperience with fees associatedwith field trips, volunteerism, andfund raising for Audubon Chaptersand the frustration created by same.For volunteers like Mary, or Dexter
before her, or the legions ofgenerous-of-spirit Los AngelesAudubon past presidents andvolunteers, the Chapter is all-important. They have accepted theresponsibility of not only guidingthe Chapter but keeping it viable,active and in the black. Volunteersand funds are just two of the TopTen List of Challenges that facesevery Audubon president and
board. Also included in that top ten,possibly top twenty, list, in noparticular order, are:
Free activities for members Free services for members
Community wide outreach
Active conservation projects
Adult and youth education
Monitoring bird species of
special concern
Maintaining a membership base
Hands-on Inventory and
expertise from the staff and
volunteers of the Nature Store
As we talked, I thought itmight make a difference if Italked to each of you about the
programs offered by Los AngelesAudubon and examine why someof them carry fees so each of uscan give some thought to thewhole picture. After all, as an LosAngeles Audubon member youare part of something that has
been developed for you, and youshould use it and be proud of it.
Whats free with yourmembership?
THE LOS ANGELES AUDUBONWEBSITE
www.laaudubon.org
Maintained on a daily basis,this site is incredible and anincredible tool. On it you will findthe Rare Bird Alert (operated by avolunteer); all Chapter activities,including programs plus field trips,travel, and workshops. There is a
calendar, links to other sites, andpresent and past newsletters plus anexpanding archive. You can tapinto the site from your homecomputer. If you dont have acomputer but would like to use thewebsite, go to your local libraryand ask them to help you set up afree email account that will allowyou to use their computer. It mayopen up a new world for you!
LOCAL BIRD WALKS
These walks are a part of everyAudubon Chapter, and Los
Angeles Audubon offers frequentfree local bird walks organized anled by experienced birders whovolunteer their time to take
beginning and seasoned birders toour local birding locations. Thesewalks are fun, and open up LosAngeles in a way many of us havenever seen before.
RESEARCH LIBRARY
Los Angeles Audubonmaintains for its members awonderful library where you canresearch birds for your next trip,check out a field guide, or learnabout the region or the country towhich you are planning to travel.
LECTURE SERIES AND MONTHLYMEETINGS.
Los Angeles Audubon offers
one of the best natural historylecture series in the region. Themeeting begins at 7:30 PM on thesecond Wednesday of the month,with the lecture following societynews and business, andrefreshments and an opportunity tomeet the speaker after the lecture.Meetings/Lectures are at theconveniently located WestHollywood Community Center on
Santa Monica Blvd. betweenFairfax and La Brea. Send Mary anemail if you want to try her drivingshortcut that always gets her thereon time and in less than 30 minute
E8 Western Tanager
L o s A n g e l e s A u d u b o n a n d M o n e y
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AUDUBON FILM FRIDAYS
Los Angeles Audubon Societysjoint project with PasadenaAudubon and Audubon Californiais a free bilingual summer filmseries (with popcorn) at theAudubon Center at Debs Park. Ifyou have not volunteered to helpwith this or have not been to theCenter, this is a wonderfulopportunity to see a unique LosAngeles architectural treasure, takea nature walk, watch a good naturemovie and eat free popcorn - all inone evening.
VOLUNTEER TO MAKE ADIFFERENCE
Los Angeles Audubon offersopportunities for each of you tovolunteer and be part of something
bigger. Coordinated by a volunteer,Eleanor Osgood, we offeropportunities to volunteer to dosomething interesting for as little asone hour one day a year. We havean interesting job for everyoneregardless of physical limitations orthe time constraints of a busy life.Make a difference. Volunteer.
Fee Associated Activities for
members:
PELAGIC FIELD TRIPS
Los Angeles Audubon plans the
best pelagic trips with the Wests bestleaders. There is no profit marginassociated with these trips but avolunteer plans them anyway
because birders want thisopportunity. The leaders volunteertheir time for these sought after trips.Any one of you can avail yourself ofthis service and have the opportunityto go out with the best pelagic birdleaders along the California coast.There is no getting around the costsof boat rental and diesel fuel, but youdefinitely get a bang for your buckwith Los Angeles Audubon pelagics!
REGIONAL FIELD TRIPS
Try and go on a trip like thiswith a for-profit field triporganization and see what you pay.Our Field Trips chairs, theFreemans, plan and lead a series ofamazing field trips throughout
southern California. These tripsnormally include birding, owling,herps, flora, fauna, and
photographic opportunities. Theyare absolutely amazing and akin togoing to (adult) camp for a day or aweekend. The trips take incredible
planning and a huge timecommitment to lead, all of which isvolunteered. Modest costs per
person are collected for these
amazing trips to defray some of theexpenses of the volunteers whogenerously donate their time tolead them. The Chapter alsounderwrites insurance for all Los
Angeles Audubon activities, orthey would not be possible.Compare the $35.00 we charge fosome trips to the $300.00 charged
by others for same.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Our international travelopportunities are structured to raisunrestricted funds for the Chapteroperation. Every trip you take witLos Angeles Audubon includes adonation to the Chapter. OlgaClarke, generously volunteers hertime and energy so that the Chaptcan benefit. In exchange, ourmembers can avail themselves ofthe best and safest travel to birdwatch and see some of the mostexotic and exciting locations in thworld.
We are a growing, dynamic
Chapter and we really seek tomaintain a balance. If you haveideas or suggestions that willimprove our endeavors, just let usknow by sending an email throughthe website or writing a letter.
A life-long Audubon memb
and Audubon volunteer, Catherin
Waters is also the incomin
president of Western FOrnithologists. She and h
husband Robert, both avid birder
live in Downey.
Her contact i
September/October 2008 E9
by Catherine Waters
L o s A n g e l e s A u d u b o n a n d M o n e y
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only a couple steps away from my
home, and provided most of the
natural world I grew up in. I learned
to ride my bike, balance on roller
skates and throw a softball at Jim
Gilliam. Kenneth Hahn was the park
where most of our family get-
togethers would take place. It was
the special occasion go-to, and it
was also where I learned to hop
stones in a running stream, and catch
tiny fish with my bare hands. As
accessible as these urban oases are,
the people in my neighborhood are
extremely unaware and apathetic
about the natural world that gives
substance to their everyday lives.However, with programs such as
Susan Miller Dorsey High
Schools Global Warriors (a
student eco-club established in
2007), awareness and compassion
towards the environment around
the Baldwin Hills area is
increasing as a new generation of
young people spring to action.
My turning point in myinvolvement with environmental
action ensued when I became a
Dorsey Global Warrior in the spring
of 2007. Since then, I have
completed two years of work
towards making Dorsey High a
greener place. The Global
Warriors work to promote healthy
environmental habits that range
from throwing trash in the can to
using re-usable bags when shopping.Our proudest moment was the work
we did at the Least Tern colony at
Venice beach, helping to restore
habitat by removing invasive plant
species. Our work even attracted the
Los Angeles Times, leading to a half
page article in the paper. Apart from
assisting in Cornell Universitys
Great Backyard Bird Count in
Spring 2008, and creating Dorseys
first ever native plant garden, the
Global Warriors succeeded in a way
that surpasses many other
endeavors: having a large population
of Dorsey students and teachers
walk away from the trash can and
towards the recycling bin by
establishing a campus recycling
program. To have educated and
persuaded even one person to
change their habits and expand their
knowledge about the environment is
our greatest accomplishment so far.
My formal interest in the
natural world came about my junior
year of high school. In retrospect, I
fervently wish that I had been
encouraged to take an interest in the
environment, both inside and
outside the classroom, at a much
younger age. My elementary and
middle school years were full of
captivating topics such as plant and
animal anatomy, however, therewere hardly any opportunities for
me to sustain that interest and
motivation outside the classroom.
Games of tag always took
precedence over wildlife watching.
I often feel that if I had immersed
myself in the natural world from
early on, I would have a much better
understanding of my home, our
world. I believe that it is of utmost
importance to make involvement inenvironmental education a priority
for small children.
Although I left my old
neighborhood to pursue a
university education, the Baldwin
Hills will always be home. If I were
to look ten years into the future of
my neighborhood, I would hope to
find a community of peace and
empathy, happiness and
compassion, social wellness and
environmental action. Recycling
bins would be accessible, the Jim
Gilliam Recreation Center would
be a safe haven for everybody, and
friendly diversity would reign.
Instilling a sense of empathy might
be the most important factor in
relieving my neighborhood, and
others, from the perpetual apathy
towards our natural world. Let me
cite a prime example. I currently
work part-time at a movie theaterwhere we are screening Wall-E, the
new animated film from Disney
and Pixar. This film provides social
commentary and dire warnings
about the sensitivity of our Earth.
Its most potent example is the trash
that fills the cities in the movies
futuristic vision of the Earth. The
films message is crystal clear, and
yet when I walk in to the screening
room at the films end, I cant helpbut to shake my head in dismay and
incredulity at the trash people leave
behind on the floor and in the
theater seats. That these were the
same people that were diligently
watching the movie and cheering
for the movies main character not
two moments previously astonishes
me. This highlights the extreme
importance for environmental
education opportunities to be aseasily accessible as the TV remote
control, to people of all ages, but
especially children. I hope that those
opportunities can soon be a reality in
my Baldwin Hills neighborhood.
September/October 2008 E11
Rosemary Virula,
Interpretation Intern
I n t e r p r e t i n g n a t u r e
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We spend so much
time watching birds,
its easy to take for
granted the fact that they can
flywe dont think twice about it.
But for birds the advantages of
flight are phenomenal. It
obviously allows birds to travel
hundreds or even thousands ofmiles to exploit the seasons and
available resources, cross natural
barriers, avoid events such as
fires, and flood and drought, and
escape many potential predators.
Flight also provides them the
ability to live in plain sight and
even thrive in close proximity to
humans in ways most other
animals cant. Thats clearly agood thing for birders in
overpopulated Los Angeles
County where even small patches
of remaining habitat on the coastal
slope offer good birding
opportunities.
As some proof of that, with all
the numbers finally in, this patch
of land we inhabit was once again
Americas Birdiest County in2008. Birders found 256 species
over the three day competition in
late April, edging out San Diego
County by eight species and
Nueces County in Texas by a mere
three. Even with its wide range of
habitats, its indeed remarkable
that Los Angeles County is able to
support such an array of birdlife
despite rampant urbanization.
May saw migration that
continued to be sluggish when
compared to our better years, and
only a few vagrants had turned up
by the end of May. Once the last
northbound migrants had passedthrough and before the significant
southbound push of fall birds,
most of June and early July was
slow as is to be expected in fact
they were abnormally slow.
Reports from the mountains, while
they seemed improved over last
year, were not terribly
encouraging in spite of a much
wetter winter. Were still very dry
and predictions are that our futurewill bring more of the same.
Of course, there were still a
few birds around
Were used to individual Rosss Geese
taking up long-term residence at any
decent sized body of water, but a
Snow Goose that lingered at Apollo
Park in Lancaster through June 4 was
unusual and late (Steve Glover).
Always rare in the county was an
immature Little Blue Heron that was
found at the Ballona Freshwater
Marsh on May 17 (Kevin Larson).
This bird continued to be seen at a
number of locations in the Ballona
area well into July as it gradually
transitioned from white into slate blu
adult plumage.
Aside from the expected Sooty, Pin
footed and Black-vented Shearwater
the lone report of a tubenose was
Bullers Shearwater, both early an
unusually close to shore, off Poi
Dume on June 14 (Kimball Garrett)
The only shorebird of note was a goo
onea very unusual America
Golden-Plover was found at Cabril
Beach on May 14 (David Ellsworth
A concentration of twenty-seve
Franklins Gulls at Piute Ponds o
May 14 gives some indication of ho
many of these birds pass through o
deserts each spring (Mike SaMiguel), while an immature Blac
legged Kittiwake at Malibu Lagoo
on May 17 (Dan Cooper) was the on
other gull of note.
Quite rare inland was a Least Tern
Piute Ponds on Edwards AFB on Ma
20 (Mike San Miguel). One was al
reported there a week earlier (Sus
Steele). More expected were Blac
Terns still moving through the deseron June 4 with one at Piute Ponds an
three at the Lancaster Sewer Pon
(Steve Glover).
Alcids seen off Point Dume include
a Common Murre on June
(Kimball Garrett) and two Pigeo
Guillemots: an adult on July
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birds of the season
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(Kimball Garrett) and a juvenile on
July 9 (Mike San Miguel).
A Spotted Owl first found at Placerita
Canyon on April 20 (Ann & Eric
Brooks) soon turned into a pair with a
juvenile. The family of owls was seen
by a number of appreciative observers
through the middle of June. While
widespread in the San Gabriels, these
owls are relatively scarce and it
requires effort or luck to find them.
Turning to passerines, one of the nicer
finds of the spring was a Yellow-
throated Vireo at Zuma Creek on
May 24 (Kimball Garrett).
Mountain Chickadees typicallydisperse from their montane breeding
areas quite early, but two reports were
a reminder that nesting should also be
watched for in the lowlands.
Chickadees feeding young were
discovered at Alhambra Golf Course
on May 9 (Dick Purvis) and at Debs
Park in Montecito Heights on May 31
(Richard Barth).
Another breeding record away fromregular areas of occurrence was a
White-breasted Nuthatch at Griffith
Park on June 17 (Richard Barth). This
species is remarkably scarce as a breeder
away from the foothills and mountains.
A single Purple Martin was seen over
Zuma Lagoon on May 25 (Andy Birch).
Vagrant warblers could be counted on
one hand. A Northern Parula was atthe Village Green Condominiums in
Los Angeles on June 14, while a very
rare Prothonotary Warbler was at
the Ballona Freshwater Marsh on June
6 (both Don Sterba). Elsewhere, a
Black-and-white Warbler was at
Ladera Park in Baldwin Hills on May
24 (Richard Barth).
After a number of unrewarded
attempts to refind and study it, a bird
that was either a Northern or
Louisiana Waterthrush in the
Walker Ranch area of Placerita
Canyon on May 16 &17 had to be left
unidentified to species (Neil Losin,
Alex Kirschel).
Two male Summer Tanagers along
Soledad Canyon Road on May 11
may well be breeding locally
(Kimball Garrett). Another was in an
odd place the Piute Ponds near
Lancaster on May 20 (Mike San
Miguel). Also unusual was a pair of
Summer Tanagers at the Rancho
Santa Ana Botanic Garden in
Claremont from May 25-July 8,indicating possible breeding there
(Will & Lois Fulmer).
Red Crossbills left over from last
winter continued at Apollo Park in
Lancaster through June 4 with twenty
still present at that date (Steve Glover)
and at least one nesting attempt
confirmed earlier this spring.
July, August and Septemberwill bring with them the certainty
of long hot days, but in spite of the
weather, August and September are
always great months for birding in
southern California.
In addition to steadily
increasing numbers of our
common shorebirds, theres always
the possibility of a few rare ones.
By August, early waterfowl willbegin to show up Northern
Pintail, Northern Shoveler and
Green-winged Teal among them.
Southbound passerines will also be
on the move in August, with their
passage initially most obvious
through the mountains. As we
head into September, passerine
migration will be widespread and
those icons of a southern
California winter Yellow-
rumped Warblers and
White-crowned Sparrows will
appear.
While spring produces its sha
of rarities, fall tips the scales in it
own favor by generally offering a
wider variety of vagrants and som
simply amazing records.
Consider last falls list which
included the countys first Arctic
Warbler in Long Beach and an
Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Malibu
Lagoon. Other rarities included
two Cooks Petrels in Los Angel
County waters and Buff-breastedSandpipers at the Ballona Creek
mouth and Piute Ponds. The
previous fall produced the
countys first ever Upland
Sandpiper and Ruddy Ground-
Dove as well as Masked and
Red-footed Boobies along the
coast. With birds like these,
theres little need to hype the
potential for vagrants.
With the sting of gas prices
pushing five bucks a gallon, many
of us may be adjusting our birdin
habits. A 100 mile birding trip is
starting to feel like a luxury. The
Brits, however, are paying nearly
twice what we are, so I tell mysel
I shouldnt whine too much.
Fuel prices aside, the pastime
of looking for birds will present awide range of options in the next
few months wherever you go, b
it your backyard, a local patch or
some far flung vagrant trap, here
to good birding and great vagrant
this fall.
September/October 2008 E13
by Jon Fisher
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CONSERVATION CONVERSATION
Now that my duties as
Executive Director have
been handed over to my
capable successor Mary Loquvam, I
am once again a Los Angeles Audubon
volunteer. Because Mary Freeman has
appointed me Conservation Chair for2008-2009, I can continue building up
one of the four legs of our mission that
can have a lot of impact on our birds
and habitat. Since Sandy Wohlgemuth
passed the baton to me in 2003, I have
taken the job very seriously, and
hopefully, have extended Los Angeles
Audubons reach into Los Angeles
County and a little beyond as he would
have liked.
As Conservation Chair, I am
building the Conservation Committee
in a three part process:
1. INVITE LOS ANGELES AUDUBON
MEMBERS TO JOIN THE
CONSERVATION COMMITTEE.
I have been lucky to find
energetic conservationists from all
parts of the County eager to work on
issues and actions in their local areas
and beyond. Some of them have
called Los Angeles Audubon asking
us to take action and Ive
empowered them to take the action
on behalf of Los Angeles Audubon!
This is a great form of recruitment.
I am inviting interested members
of Los Angeles Audubon to join the
current committee of David
DeLange of Marina del Rey, Linda
Navroth of Westwood, Eleanor
Osgood of Culver City, Judy Raskin
of Echo Park, Tom Williams of ElSereno, Lisa Fimiani of Culver City,
and myself. All of these members
have made an enormous contribution
to protecting birds and other wildlife
throughout the Los Angeles Area by
taking on difficult urban
conservation issues such as tree
trimming, feral cats, development of
natural areas; the persecution and
protection of birds through
identifying sensitive species, and
monitoring and protecting the
endangered and threatened birds in
Los Angeles County.
2. HOLD REGULAR COMMITTEE
MEETINGS
IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
Starting in September we will
meet on the second Monday
(September 8, 2008 will be the first) of
every month. The first meeting will be
at Audubon House in Plummer Park,
and on the agenda will be locations for
future meetings, which could include
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook Park,
Kenneth Hahn Community Center,
Echo Park, Audubon Center at Debs
Park, and other locations to ease the
driving for the Committee members.
3. COMMUNICATE
REGULARLY AND OFTEN.
I have started a conservationconversation blog at
laaudubonconservation.blogspot.co
where I will post the latest news,
public meetings, and other fast
breaking news on conservation action
and issues. You can subscribe to the
blog and be notified by rss feedwhen
there is a new post. Los Angeles
Audubon is coming into the 21st
century! If you cant remember the
web address, just go to the upgraded
Los Angeles Audubon website and
link to the blog in that way.
Please join our committee!
Lets come back from our
vacations with renewed vigor and
dedication to our mission to enjoy an
protect birds and their habitat through
recreation, education, conservation
and restoration.
E14 Western Tanager
by Garry George
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Iwas very lucky this year to
have five days off from work!
The first thing I did when I
saw this period of time in our calendar
was to suggest to Nick we offer
another owling trip to the southernSierra. For the second time in four
summers, we organized a camping trip
to Quaking Aspen Campground. This
beautiful Sierran forest is located
about 40 miles west of Porterville and
just nine miles past Camp Nelson.
The first year we led this very
successful and fun trip in 2003, we
stayed in rental cabins.
Each time we have organized thisfield trip, Margo Degrosse, a long-
time friend who has participated on
many L. A. Audubon trips, helped
with the logistics. She and her sister
Melissa have a long history in Camp
Nelson, and her knowledge of the
trails and roads in and around this
area has been indispensable. So with
that help, we set out to search for the
owls residing in this part of the
Sierra Nevada.
Having a special place in our
hearts, owls were of course the target
of this field trip. Nick and I have been
surveying owls in the San Gabriel
Mountains since 2000. We have
learned a great deal about the
personalities of the Northern Saw-
whet, Flammulated, Spotted, Northern
Pygmy and Western Screech Owls.
Weve led trips to southeast Arizona
where we have also been very
successful searching for owls, both
large and small. So we decided to take
our love and knowledge of owls with
us to search the Giant Sequoia forest
of my much-loved Sierra Nevada with
a group of adventuresome participants.
The day before we departed on
this Julys trip, I came down with a
bone-chilling 102 fever! Luckily, I
received medication to combat
whatever bug hit my system. As I lay
in bed, I worried that I wasnt going to
be able to lead this trip. But no matter
what, I was going! I mean, I couldnt
let Nick have all the fun! Even if it
meant snoozing in the tent all day and
owling by night, you betcha, I was
going anyway! Came the morning we
had to leave, my fever was gone! I
was about 95% my ol self. So, after a
bit of running around for groceries for
the potluck and weenie roast nights,
we departed Glendale Thursday
morning. We made a stop at the
ranger station where we met up with a
ranger who has helped us in the paston the whereabouts of some of the
owls they keep tabs on. She said a
pair of Northern Spotted Owls had
actually raised young just recently, and
felt we had the best chance
encountering this pair.
We met up with our participants
at the campsite. By this time, my
energy was ready for some owling! A
we started to unload our camping
stuff, a long-tailed weasel scampered
along the road across from us what
sight! After some light campground
birding and dinner, we were ready to
charge out for our first encounter wit
Flammulated Owl. We worked our
first spot for a bit, and just a little afte
dark, lo and behold, we found our fir
Flammulated! Boop was its call. A
is typical for this cryptic-colored sma
owl, it perched next to the trunk. We
had a great time following it as it flew
from tree to tree in the quiet of the
night. Then we found another Flam
across from our campground. What
great views of this little forest gnome
The next morning, one of our
participants heard a conversation fro
our neighbors in the next campsite
over. They wondered why after an
afternoon fire, we headed out after
eating; only to return at midnight
stargazers they thought. They wer
E16 Western Tanager
Flammulated Owl, Photo by Larry Sansone
The Quaking Aspen Owl Prowl, July 3-6, 2008
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a group of mountain bikers. We had a
chat with them over our nocturnal
foray. After that, word got around the
campground that we were owlers.
People would come by asking if we
saw any owls the night before.During the day, we were all quite
content watching Green-tailed
Towhee, Dusky Flycatcher,
MacGillivrays and Wilsons warblers
darting around our tents as they fed.
The sound of Cassins Finch,
Mountain Chickadee and Western
Tanagers filled the mountain air. And
the weasel or his family - made a
number of appearances!
The second night we drove up to
Sequoia Crest. Here amongst a
beautiful Giant Sequoia grove, we
located a family of Northern Saw-whet
Owl fledglings. A soft, cricket-like
sst was heard. When I first detected
their faint calls, I jumped up so, so
excited. Once again, another find of a
family of saw-whets for this trip. It
was our third find since we first led
this trip. The first time in 2003, we
came across a group of six
rambunctious fledglings flying over
our heads in the trees! This year, asmuch as we searched the tangles on
the slope, the little fledglings chose to
not show their faces, but everyone was
very excited having heard their calls.
On our last night, we had our last
dinner together as a group. We all had
a nice time chatting over dinner. Then
the final call came up by the leaders,
LETS GO! Off we went to Black
Mountain. It was a beautiful drive up
through the cedars, firs and sequoias.
We found the spot where the ranger
gave advice to find the evenings
targeted Spotted Owl. As we geared
up for owling, many woodland birds
were delivering their last song of the
day: robins, tanagers, pewees,
woodpeckers, chickadees, finches.
Finally, the last notes of the robin went
silent. The sky was dark but the Milky
Way spread across the night sky. We
listened for the Spotted Owl, nothing.
We drove down the road to the next
spot. We listened again, we heard the
Spotted Owl WHO COOKS for
YOU as its call sounded through the
Sierran night. To hear this loud, gruff
sound out of a bird is unreal! We
found it perched on top of a tall cedar
snag. We saw it in our bright
flashlight for a minute or so, and then
it took flight. A couple of minutes
later, we heard it giving a loud, eerieKOW, KOW, KOW. Just as we
were ready to depart, it returned to a
nearby tree. This time it gave hoots
along with screams and other eerie
sounds. This time, we didnt use any
flashlights to view the owl. We just
listened. We were all satisfied and
both Nick and I were delighted with
the owls we had found. And to think
just three days ago, I was aching with
a 102 fever! I think the lovely forest
and mountains rejuvenated me.
The next morning, back to realitywe packed up our tents and said our
goodbyes and traded off contacts to
keep in touch. We had a great group
great scenery, great birds and most of
all, wonderful owls both large and
small.
Before hopping on the road bac
home and to keep up our tradition wi
this trip, Nick and I stopped by a side
road in the flatlands below Springvill
to pick fresh wild blackberries. The
owls may be but fond memories, but
there are still two pies in the fridge!
September/October 2008 E17
Giant Sequoia, Photo by Mary Freeman
by Mary Freema
Group at Giant Sequoia,
Photo by Mary Freeman
The Quaking Aspen Owl Prowl, July 3-6, 2008
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Gina AlbiKatheryn & David BartonJohn Bassett
Donna BrayAllan R. Compton & MiriamTasiniCarola EdwardsLisa Fimiani
Nancy FreemanMaria B. GawronskiJoanne P. GlazerAllen and Carol GoldsteinEthan GreenspanJulie Hanson
Hanna R. HaymanJim Jennings
E18 Western Tanager
thank You!The Membership Department wishes to thank all of our members and donor
both new and renewed! Your memberships help us to fulfill our mission...
The mission of Los Angeles Audubon is to promote the enjoyment and protection of birds and other wildlife
through recreation, education, conservation and restoration.
Western Foundation ofVertebrate ZoologyBarbara Willahan
David Youel
We thank the following people tha
made heartfelt donations in honor
of loved ones:
In Memory of Herb Clarke,
Sea & Sage AudubonClair & Susan DeBeauvoirBarbara Eliades
Frank LavacMaggie LewisDennis D. Lewis
Susan MogilkaAndrew NielsenLeo OhtsukiRobin PratherVivian & Alfredo RamirezSue SandiforthBruce SpringRichard SuttonDonna TimlinRobert Roy Van de HoekVic Warren & Laurel Scott
Catherine Waters
Have you ever wondered
where your donations to
Los Angeles Audubon
go? As treasurer of the chapter, I
have the responsibility to assist staff
in making decisions on the quarterly
management of cash flow. I alsowork with board members and
committee chairs on setting long
term goals and yearly budgets. Los
Angeles Audubon is a very busy
chapter, with a one-of-a-kind
bookstore to run, continuous
education, conservation and outreach
programs all of which require
intensive staff, board and volunteer
participation. As one of the most
active chapters statewide, settingpolicies and representing Audubon
interests, we make our voice heard at
public hearings, meetings with
political leaders, government
officials and companies that impact
birds and wildlife.
We have a very lean part-time staff
and are continuously looking for
increased volunteer involvement and
participation to keep our
administrative costs down. So, when
you are out on one of our free bird
walks or field trips, just know thatyour generous donations may go to
specific programs or to the
maintenance and administrative
requirements of those programs.
Either way, your money is well spent
Recently, we decided to increase
suggested donations for fee based fie
trips to specifically benefit our Ralph
M. Schreiber Research Grant fund fo
needy students and non-professionalsdoing avian research. Thanks to you
donations on these field trips, our
Field Trip Income has increased by
82% from last fiscal year. Thank you
members!
A lot of our funding comes in as
restricted which means we are
obligated to spend it only on
specifically designated programs by
the donor. Unrestricted money that
comes in from individual and
corporate donations is just asimportant and necessary. Unrestricted
funding for the day-to-day operations
of the bookstore and administrative
responsibilities of the society, which
includes administering incoming and
outgoing grants such as our outgoing
Schreiber Grants, is vital to keeping
the doors open and the restricted funds
doing their job.
Most of our assets go intoconservation programs for birds and
wildlife, and to education and
recreational programs to engage the
public. A lot of time and effort goes
into scheduling speakers for our
membership meetings, and into
finding interesting and informative
articles to include in our newsletter.
Where Does Your money Go?
by Lisa Fimiani, Treasur
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September/October 2008 E19
First Sunday of every month
Sunday, September 7Sunday, October 5
Sunday, November 2
Topanga State Park Birdwalk
Leaders: Ken Wheeland and
Chris Tosdevin
Ken and Chris will lead participant
through this beautiful and diverse coastal
mountain area. An ideal trip for a
beginning birder or someone new in the
area. From Ventura Blvd, take Topanga
Canyon Blvd 7 miles S. Turn E uphill onEntrada Rd. Follow the signs and turn
left into Trippet Ranch parking lot. From
Pacific Coast Hwy, take Topanga Canyon
Blvd, 5 miles to Entrada Rd. Parking fee.
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Contacts: Ken:310-455-1401,
Chris: 310-455-1270
Third Saturday of the month
Saturday, September 20Leader: Eleanor Osgood
Saturday, October 18
Leader: Eric and Ann Brooks
Saturday, November 15
Leader: TBA
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
This trip covers landscaped parkland and
natural coastal scrub habitats and is paced
for beginning birders and members of the
Baldwin Hills community. Expected
birds are hawks and falcons, residentsparrows, herons, summering orioles and
migrating warblers and flycatchers. The
park entrance is off of La Cienega Blvd.
between Rodeo Rd. and Stocker St. After
passing the entrance kiosk ($4.00 parking
fee) turn left (leading to the Olympic
Forest) and park in the first available
spaces. Binoculars provided.
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Third Sunday of the month,
August through MaySunday September 21
Sunday October 19
Sunday November 16
Ballona Wetlands Bird Walk
Join us for a walk through one of the
remaining saltwater marshes of Los
Angeles, and the adjacent rocky jetty.
Migrating shorebirds and terns should
be coming through plus the resident
Black Oystercatchers frequent the
rocky shores of La Ballona Creek.Meet at the Del Rey Lagoon parking
lot. Take the Marina Fwy (90) to
Culver Blvd and turn left for a mile,
turn right on Pacific Ave. The lot is on
the right. Lot or street parking is
usually not a problem. Three hour
walk. scopes helpful. Time: 8:00
Contact: Bob 310-326-2473;
Sunday, September 14Upper Franklin Canyon
(Sooky Goldberg Nature Center),
Beverly Hills
Join us as we walk around this local
urban oak woodland nature preserve
with pond, lake and creek. We are
guaranteed to see the resident Wood
Ducks and chaparral bird species such
as California Quail, Spotted and
California Towhee, California
Thrasher, Also expect to see somemigrating songbirds and flycatchers
.This canyon is a hidden treasure
where the surrounding urban
residences of Sherman Oaks and
Beverly Hills disappear from view.
Meet in the parking lot of the Sooky
Goldberg Nature Center and bird for a
few hours in the cool of native trees
and the ponds. Time: 8:30 a.m.
Directions: From the101 Freeway, tak
Coldwater Canyon Blvd. south to theintersection of Coldwater Canyon an
Mulholland Drive. Make a 90 degree
right turn onto Franklin Canyon Driv
There is no street sign; the turn at
Franklin Canyon Road reads Road
Closed 800 Feet and Sunset to
Sunrise; this is the park entrance. Do
not make a U-turn for this will bring
you into Mulholland Drive instead of
Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved
surface to reach the Sooky GoldbergNature Center. From Sunset: take
Coldwater Canyon to Mulholland Dr
Turn right on Mulholland. Make righ
turn onto Franklin Canyon Dr. (refer
directions from 101 Freeway).
Binoculars provided.
Saturday, October 4
Earvin Magic Johnson
Recreation Area
Leader: Larry AllenJoin Larry for a walk around this
large, inner city oasis. A large lake
attracts ducks, herons and shorebirds
The grassy, open areas with scattered
mature trees attract flycatchers and
warblers. We might even get to see
the Peregrine Falcon that preys on th
local Rock Pigeons. Directions: Me
at the Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Recreation Area, 120th St. parking lo
From either direction of the 105Freeway, exit on Central Ave. Procee
south on Central to 120th St (first
signal), then right (west) on 120th St
to Avalon, turn right and right again
into the parking lot on left. Binocular
provided. 9:00 a.m
B i r d W a l k s
Bird Walks are geared for the beginner/intermediate looking for an introduction to local birds ora less strenuous excursion. Appropriate for young bird watchers age 8 years and older.
Binoculars are provided on some walks as noted below.
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$
Sunday, August 24
Sweltering Salton Sea Field Trip
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman
Anticipate 95-115F, rotting stench and
dust-a-plenty. Don't show up without lots of
water (1 gallon each per day), good health,
and a reliable car with AC. This is the
gauntlet of SoCal car birding. So why
come? We should see Yellow-footed and
Laughing gulls, Wood Stork, Black Tern,
Lesser Nighthawk, Abert's Towhee, Gila
Woodpecker, and possible Least Bittern,
Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Stilt
Sandpiper. Perhaps most exciting is the slim
but real possibility of real rarities such as
Brown and Blue-footed boobies,
Frigatebird and even stranger stuff that has
popped up in August. Limit 8 paid cars with
two or more each. Find a friend, as singles
are discouraged, and will be wait-listed until
they can carpool. Send $30 per person with
one SASE per vehicle to our P.O. Box to
reserve and for the information mailer. Too
hot to camp. Meet near Brawley at CattleCall Park at 5:30AM, and bird until about 2
PM. Scopes and FRS radios helpful.
Suggested lodging at Calipatria Inn
Birders Discount, or Brawley Inn, in
those towns.
Sunday, August 31
Huntington Central Park and Bolsa
Chica Wetlands Field Trip
Leader: Irwin Woldman
Start at the park, then on to the wetlands.
Huntington Central Park is excellent for
migrating songbirds. The Bolsa Chica
Ecological Reserve wetlands were recentl
opened to increased tidal flow, dredged in
the back channel for more wetland habitat
and the walkways were elevated for
improved wildlife viewing. Flocks of
shorebirds should be heading south, with
leftover terns, early gulls, herons, and
resident Beldings Savannah Sparrow.
Bring a lunch for a full day of birds. Meet
7:30 AM in the park parking lot on the
south side of Slater Ave. just east of Golde
West St. in Huntington Beach. No sign up
$
September 13 & 14 Weekend
Galileo Hills and Beyond Field Trip
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman
Galileo is arguably the best fall migrant train the state. Western warblers and
flycatchers should headline. Reptiles may
be encountered! For those who stick aroun
for Sunday, we may return to Galileo Hill,
visit Piute Ponds, or venture farther afield,
as dictated by our rambling hearts and bird
reports. Take Hwy 14 about 4 miles past
Mojave, then turn right on California City
E20 Western Tanager
f i e l d t r i p s
BIRD WALKS are geared for the beginner / intermediate looking for a
introduction or less strenuous excursion. FIELD TRIPS often require more tim
or effort, and delve more deeply into identification, natural histories an
interactions observed in the field. All are welcome on either type of trip. Reser
per directions in the gray box on this page.No pets or small children, please.
FIELD TRIP FEES benefit the Los Angeles Audubon's Ralph M. Schreib
Research Grantfund. Grants for avian research projects are given to students a
non-professionals having limited access to research funding. Envelopes f
voluntary donations to the fund will be distributed on some non-fee trips.
$ Fee Event, SASE
Field Trips & Pelagic Trips,
Reservation Policy and Procedure
for limited participation/fee events.
Reservations will be accepted only if all the
following information is supplied:
1) Separate checks payable to LAAS
for exact amount for each trip. (no cash
please, Credit Cards not accepted at this
time.)
2) SASE (Self-addressed stamped
envelope), for booking confirmation
and associated trip flyer.
3) Date & Name of Field Trip or
Pelagic Trip desired.
4) Name of each person in your party.
5) Phone numbers:
(a) usual and(b) evening before event, (in case
of cancellation)
(c) email addresses (if used).
Our Mailing Address:
Los Angeles Audubon - Reservations
P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
If there is insufficient response, the trip
will be cancelled two Wednesdays prior
to the scheduled date (four weeks for
pelagics). You will be so notified and
your fee returned. Your cancellation
after that time will bring a refund onlyif there is a paid replacement. Our
office staff is available Monday
through Thursday for most reservation
services.
(323) 876-0202.
REFUND POLICY FOR
PELAGIC TRIPS
If a participant cancels 31 days or moreprior to departure, a $4 service charge willbe deducted from the refund. There is noparticipant refund if requested fewer than30 days before departure, unless there is a paid replacement available. Call LAASfor a possible replacement. Please do notoffer the trip to a friend as it would be
unfair to those on the waiting list.
All pelagic trips
must be filled 35 days prior to sailing.
Please reserve early.
NOTE: Destinations may be changed in
order to maximize bird sightings, or
minimize rough seas. In order to meet
unexpected increases in fuel costs, there can
be a $5 to $10 energy surcharge per person.
8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
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include the Tijuana River marsh and nearby
farm fields. Take the 5 Fwy S about three
miles past Route 52 to the Clairemont Drive
offramp and head W into the small lot
adjacent to the Mission Bay Information
Center. Meet E of the kiosk at 8:00 AM.
Bring a lunch. Send $25 fee to our P.O.
Box.
Saturday, October 4
Malibu to McGrath Field Trip
Leader: Dexter Kelly
Late passerines and shorebirds should be
moving through coastal migration spots,
mixed with early wintering birds. Possibly
100 species. Take PCH N over the bridge in
Malibu, and turn right on Cross Creek Road
for street parking (and Starbucks). Cross
PCH, and meet in the lagoon parking lot at
7:30 AM for a full day of birding (bring
lunch). There may be one or two access fees
at McGrath, elsewhere. Fee for those
parking at the lagoon. No sign-up for the
trip. Nominal donation suggested.
Saturday, November 1
Oxnard Plain
Leader: Larry Allen
Meet at the Hueneme sod fields at 8:00 AM
to look over the American Pipits for the
Red-throated variety, as well as longspurs.
Golden-Plovers are also possible. There
may be eastern vagrants to chase. Mugu
estuary, Sycamore Canyon, and local
tamarisk stands are also possibilities. From
the 101 N, drive S on Las Posas Rd., then
turn Rt. onto Hueneme Rd. Meet on the N
side of Hueneme Rd. about 1 mile W of
PCH, and just before Casper Rd. Scopeshelpful. Bird 'till we drop.
Sunday, November 23
Lake Perris Area
Leader: Howard King
The Little Gulls, Ruddy Ground Dove, and
Least and Vermilion flycatchers of past
years may not be back, but surely
Blvd. Drive through town about a mile past
the shops, turn left past the golf course on
Randsburg-Mojave Rd., and veer right on
20 Mule Team Rd. Turn left on Rutgers Rd.
at the Silver Saddle sign before the hill, take
your first paved right, your first right again,
into the Silver Saddle Country Club,
followed by two paved lefts into the lot.
Park by the first pond. About 2 hrs driving
time from Los Angeles. Send $25 fee and
SASE to our P.O. Box. 12 max. Bring
lunches, sun block. Reserve rooms for both
nights in Mojave. Meet at 7:00 AM
Saturday, finish up perhaps 3-4ish Sunday.
$
Saturday, September 20
Piute Ponds
Leader: Todd Battey
A good mix of shorebirds, waterfowl and
songbirds, with a chance at LeContes
Thrasher, and Bairds and Pectoral
sandpipers at this limited access military
facility. Possible extension to Apollo Park,
sewage ponds or elsewhere afterwards.
Carpool at Golden Valley Road Park &
Ride on Fwy 14, meeting at Avenue S Park
& Ride in Palmdale at 7:45AM. Bringlunch, water and sunblock for a full day of
birding. Typically hot weather, and often
afternoon wind. To reserve, send SASE by
September 15 with name, phone number,
check for $15, and e-mail address
(optional), to our P.O. Box.
Limited sign-up of 15, so you are not
registered without confirmation. No drop-
ins. High clearance vehicles, scopes and
FRS radios a plus. No cameras on base!
$
Saturday, September 27
San Diego Area Field Trip
Leaders: Nick & Mary Freeman
A good portion of the morning will
certainly be spent at Pt. Loma. Some odd
birds have been known to pop up here
during late migration. Other possible areas
September/October 2008 E21
something will take their places! Take the
10 or 60 Fwy E to the 215 Fwy S, exit E
onto Ramona Expressway, continue E jus
past Perrris Blvd., and meet at the Farmer
Boys Restaurant on the S side of the road.
Leave from here at 8:00 AM. Bring lunch
warm clothing and footwear for possible
mud. Possible entrance fee.
Saturday, December 13
Newport Back Bay
Leader: Mary Freeman
Meet on the boardwalk along the NW bay
at the Sharp-tailed Sparrow Spot
accessible from the end of University Driv
(small street) at 8:00 AM for the 7.1 high
tide, and a full day of birding in the area.
High tide at the mouth is 8:37, but may no
peak in the back bay until after 9:00 AM.
Three rails, Nelsons Sharp-tailed Sparrow
and Short-eared Owl (both rare) will be
target birds. Eurasian Wigeon, Blue-winge
Teal, California Gnatcatcher, and Bittern
expected. Take the 405 Fwy S to the 73 To
Road (free this far) to the Campus Dr. exit
which becomes Bristol St. Turn right on
Irvine Ave., drive 1.4 miles, then turn left o
a small street called University Drive. Parkat the end, walk down the hill, over the
bridge, and to the end of the boardwalk.
Bring lunch. Scopes helpful.
Sunday, December 14
Malibu Christmas Bird Count
Contact compilerLarry Allen at:
(626) 288-2701 or
[email protected] participate
Saturday, December 20
Lancaster Christmas Bird Count
Contact compilerNick Freeman at:(818) 247-6172 [email protected]
to be placed on a team or be given an area.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Los Angeles Basin Christmas Bird Coun
Contact compilers
Eleanor Osgood (310) 839-5420,
Barbara Courtois (310) 379-4669,
Cindy Harding, (310) 301-0050 or email t
[email protected] be placed on a
team or be given an area.
f i e l d t r i p s
8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
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E22 Western Tanager
Last Two Pelagic Trips 2008
Save $5.00 with an early sign-up
60 days prior
to the trip departure.
Field Trips & Pelagic Trips,
Reservation Policy and Procedure
for limited participation/fee events.
Reservations will be accepted only if all the
following information is supplied:
1) Separate checks payable to LAAS
for exact amount for each trip. (no cash
please, Credit Cards not accepted at this
time.)
2) SASE (Self-addressed stamped
envelope), for booking confirmation
and associated trip flyer.
3) Date & Name of Field Trip or
Pelagic Trip desired.
4) Name of each person in your party.
5) Phone numbers:
(a) usual and(b) evening before event, (in case
of cancellation)
(c) email addresses (if used).
Our Mailing Address:
Los Angeles Audubon - Reservations
P.O. Box 931057
Los Angeles, CA 90093-1057
If there is insufficient response, the trip
will be cancelled two Wednesdays prior
to the scheduled date (four weeks for
pelagics). You will be so notified and
your fee returned. Your cancellation
after that time will bring a refund only ifthere is a paid replacement. Our office
staff is available Monday through
Thursday for most reservation services.
(323) 876-0202.
REFUND POLICY FOR
PELAGIC TRIPS
If a participant cancels 31 days or moreprior to departure, a $4 service charge willbe deducted from the refund. There is noparticipant refund if requested fewer than30 days before departure, unless there is a paid replacement available. Call LAASfor a possible replacement. Please do notoffer the trip to a friend as it would beunfair to those on the waiting list.
All pelagic trips
must be filled 35 days prior to sailing.
Please reserve early.
NOTE: Destinations may be changed in
order to maximize bird sightings, or
minimize rough seas. In order to meet
unexpected increases in fuel costs, there can
be a $5 to $10 energy surcharge per person.
Saturday, October 18
Northern Channel Islands
Monument Trip
This 9 hour trip, 8am-5pm, departs
from the Island Packers dock in the
Ventura Harbor at 8:00 a.m. on the
fast catamaran Islander. After
dropping off campers on Santa CruzIsland, we will have the boat to
ourselves and cruise around Santa
Cruz Island to the Santa Cruz Passage
by Santa Rosa Island, and along the
Santa Rosa Flats to the deeper water
near San Nicholas Island. Then, we
will return by Arch Rock at Anacapa
Island. Birds seen on prior trips:
Northern Fulmar; Pink-footed Sooty
and Black-vented Shearwaters; Black
Storm-Petrel; comorants (3); Pomarineand Parasitic Jaegers; Sabines Gull;
rocky shorebirds ( up to 5); Common
Murre; Craveris and Xantuss
Murrelets; Cassins Auklet. Rarities:
Bullers and Flesh-footed Shearwaters;
South Polar Skua; Long-tailed Jaeger.
Blue, Finback and Humpback whales
have been seen on this trip. In 2002, a
Streaked Shearwater, and in 2003 a
Brown Booby and 2 Manx
Shearwaters were seen.
Leaders: Todd McGrath, Jon
Feenstra, David Pereksta.
$130 There is a snack-type galley
with beverages.
Saturday, September 6
A deep water trip to Cherry, Tannerand Cortez Banks.
This trip departs from the Santa
Barbara Harbor at 7:00 a.m. on the
fast catamaran Condor Express and
returns approximately at 8:00 p.m. We
are far offshore in 3 counties Santa
Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles.
Birds expected: Northern Fulmar; One
Cooks Petrel was seen in 2005; Ashy
and Leachs storm-petrels; South Polar
Skua; Parasitic, Pomarine and Long-tailed jaegers; Sabines Gull; Arctic
Tern. Red-billed Tropicbirds are
usually seen on this trip. Rarities seen:
Black-footed Albatross; Bullers
Shearwater; Least Storm-Petrel and
Craveris Murrelet. Blue, Fin and
Minke whales as well as several
species of dolphins can be seen.
Leaders: Todd McGrath, Jon
Feenstra, Dave Compton, and
David Pereksta. $198. The trip will
be cancelled if there is insufficient
response 35 days prior to departure.
There is a complete galley that serves
breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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If you have been considering visiting and birding inCosta Rica, wait no longer! We have an itinerary that offersix of the major locations that are distinctive, each offeringmarvelous profusion of tropical birds. Costa Rica has a wedeserved reputation as a tiny country sincerely interested inconserving its natural resources, and one that is invariablyon all birder's wish lists. Tropical forests harbor howlermonkeys, Resplendent Quetzals, poison-dart frogs, giantmorpho butterflies, over 830 species of birds, and the beauof thousands of plant species.
Habitats encountered will range from semiarid ranchland, to misty cloud forest, the transition zone between thedry and moist forests of the Pacific lowlands, the treeless
paramo, and what may well be the highlight of our trip, a
visit to La Selva, a lowland rainforest where nearly 400birds have been recorded. As part of our small group, enjosome of the best tropical birding in Costa Rica, where youwill be accompanied by outstanding leaders throughout.Space is limited.
September/October 2008 E23
The Best of Costa RicaMarch 6-18, 2009
Crowned Woodnymph, Photo by Herb Clarke
Red-capped Manakin, Photo by Herb Clarke
For information and itinerary, contact:
Olga Clarke, Los Angeles Audubon, Travel Director
2027 El Arbolita Dr., Glendale, CA 91208-1805
Ph/Fax: 818-249-9511 [email protected]
8/8/2019 September-October 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon
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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Dr. Jordan Karubianpresents:
Ground-cuckoos, Umbrellabirds and other rain forest delights: highlights from
five years of research and conservation work in the Ecuadorian Choco.Dr. Karubian spent four years living and working in the Choco rain forests of
northwest Ecuador from 2001 - 2005. Choco rain forests house a stunning diversity of
flora and fauna and are a world- wide conservation priority. For example, the Choco
has the highest number of endemic species of bird (62) of any habitat type in the
western hemisphere. Many of these species are spectacular, very poorly known, and
at risk of extinction due to habitat loss.Dr. Karubian devoted his time in Ecuador to
the research and conservation of several of these species, including the Long-wattled
Umbrellabird, the Banded Ground-cuckoo, Macaws, and the Brown Wood-rail. He
also started a training, education, and sustainable development program that has made
significant advances for the conservation of these species and the habitat they depend
on. Now an Associate Researcher at UCLA,Dr. Karubian will summarize his researchand conservation work on these and other species, with lots of pretty pictures and
video to boot!
mONTHLY pROGRAMSMeet at 7:30 PM in the Community Building in Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046