EVENT CALENDAR - Fresno Audubon Society
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
General Meeting – Shorebirds Count! 7:00 pm
General Meeting – Shorebirds Count! @ Zoom
Oct 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Shorebirds Count! ⏤ Virtual General Meeting Blake Barbaree Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting October 12th 7:00pm This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom  Register to receive login information. New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting. Point...
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom) 9:00 am
Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom) @ Zoom
Oct 30 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom) Register for Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom) Saturday 30 October 2021. 9-10 am This virtual field trip will be broadcast online via Zoom. Register to receive login information. New to Zoom? Check out all you need...
31
Oct
12
Tue
2021
General Meeting – Shorebirds Count! @ Zoom
Oct 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Shorebirds Count! ⏤ Virtual General Meeting

Blake Barbaree

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting October 12th 7:00pm
This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom
 Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

Point Blue Conservation Science has become a leader in the conservation of migratory shorebirds and their habitats across the Pacific Flyway. During this talk, Blake will review the history of shorebird-focused programs at Point Blue, which date back to the founding of the organization in 1965 as Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He will highlight results from recent and ongoing efforts with a focus on the Central Valley, including the Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey that has been supported by members of Fresno Audubon since its inception in 2010. Blake will wrap up the talk by looking forward at emerging programs for shorebird conservation, which highlight the increasing recognition by land managers and policy makers that these magnificent world travelers are sentinels of our rapidly changing environment.



Membership Drive now underway!
If you haven’t yet joined Fresno Audubon this season, please join here for a low cost annual membership. NEW this year you’ll receive a copy of our ‘Birding Resource Guide’ which provides tips about local area birding along with a Fresno Audubon sticker!

Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.
Oct
30
Sat
2021
Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom) @ Zoom
Oct 30 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom)

Register for Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant Virtual Field Trip (Zoom)
Saturday 30 October 2021. 9-10 am
This virtual field trip will be broadcast online via Zoom. Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

COVID-19 cases have plateaued in our area at 25 cases per 100,000 so in-person field trips are still on the back-burner for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, FAS will continue to bring you the next best thing: live virtual field trips! Join us as we take you to some local birding hotspots to show you some of the birds on site and teach you ways to identify them. This is the perfect opportunity to see a diverse array of local birds and interact with the hosts in real time, all from the safety of your home!
The next virtual field trip is scheduled for Saturday, 30 October  2021 at 9:00 am. We will be visiting the Madera Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility, which is a great spot for herons, egrets, ducks, geese, sandpipers, and many others! You definitely do not want to miss this!

You can see an example of what you will experience below, where Rachel gives tips on identifying Least Sandpiper.



For Facebook users, the event can also be accessed here: Facebook Event

Membership Drive now underway!
If you haven’t yet joined Fresno Audubon this season, please join here for a low cost annual membership. NEW this year you’ll receive a copy of our ‘Birding Resource Guide’ which provides tips about local area birding along with a Fresno Audubon sticker!

Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.
Nov
6
Sat
2021
Saturday Field Trip – Kearney Park @ Kearney Park
Nov 6 @ 7:30 am – 1:00 pm

Male Nuttall’s Woodpecker by Rachel Clark

Join FAS on Saturday, November 6 as we go birding at Kearney Park (6725 W Kearney Blvd, Fresno, CA 93706). Kearney Park is a great local destination that attracts a wide variety of bird life. Our target species include Spotted Towhee, White and Golden-crowned Sparrows, Red-shouldered Hawk, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, and many more. This is definitely one of those locations where fun and unexpected birds tend to show up, so you never know what you might see! There is a $5 park entry fee, which is paid at the kiosk on the drive in. We will be meeting at 7:30 in the parking lot adjacent to the mansion. Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. It is forecasted to be a mostly sunny day with a low of 46° and a high of 71°, so it will definitely be cold first thing in the morning. We will likely be wrapping up between noon and 1:00 PM. FAS is asking that participants be vaccinated and wear masks in addition to following social distancing protocols. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Rachel Clark at tanagergirl@gmail.com or 515-357-0122.

Registration: Please register for the field trip here.

Checklist: binoculars, scope, field guide, snacks, lunch, water, sunscreen, hat

Trip leader: Rachel Clark at 515-357-0122 or tanagergirl@gmail.com.

 

 

Nov
9
Tue
2021
General Meeting – Sparrow ID @ Zoom
Nov 9 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Sparrow ID ⏤ Virtual General Meeting

Homer Hansen

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting November 9th 7:00pm
This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom
 Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

Details to follow



For Facebook users, the event can also be accessed here: Facebook Event

Membership Drive now underway!
If you haven’t yet joined Fresno Audubon this season, please join here for a low cost annual membership. NEW this year you’ll receive a copy of our ‘Birding Resource Guide’ which provides tips about local area birding along with a Fresno Audubon sticker!

Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.
Nov
24
Wed
2021
Field Trip to Lost Lake Rec Area @ Lost Lake Recreation Area, Audubon Nature Trail
Nov 24 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join FAS on Wednesday, November 24 as we go birding at Lost Lake Rec Area (16385 N. Friant, Friant, CA 93626). Lost Lake is the number one hot spot in Fresno County. Our target species include Orange-crowned Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Duck, Prairie Falcon, Red-breasted Sapsucker and many more. There is a $5 park entry fee, which is paid at the kiosk on the drive in. We will be meeting at 8:00 in the parking lot at the south end of the park (at the (Audubon Trailhead). Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. We will likely be wrapping up at noon. FAS is asking that participants be vaccinated and wear masks in addition to following social distancing protocols. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Robert Snow at rsnow@fresnoaudubon.org or (650) 483-2347. Please register here.

Everyone must do their own risk assessment before participating, but we believe risks to be very low if we follow state and CDC guidelines. All attendees must sign our liability waiver, and registration is required. You can register here. By registering you will be agreeing to our liability waiver and will not need to sign again onsite.

We will operate the event according to state and county guidelines: Masks must be warn in public except when outdoors and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance from others not in their household. You must have a face covering with you at all times and must put it on if you are within 6 feet of others who are not in your household.

We will meet at the Audubon Nature Trailhead at the south end of the park. Please join us for a wonderful morning of group birding!

Registration: Please register for the field trip here.

Checklist: binoculars, scope, field guide, snacks, lunch, water, sunscreen, hat

Trip leader: Robert Snow at (650) 483-2347 or rsnow@fresnoaudubon.org.

Dec
8
Wed
2021
Field Trip to Merced National Wildlife Refuge @ Merced National Wildlife Refuge
Dec 8 @ 1:00 pm – 5:30 pm

With winter migrants filling local refuges and putting on a tremendous show, now is a wonderful time to bird the Central Valley. Join Fresno Audubon on Wednesday, December 8th for a tour of the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. We will meet at the first parking lot of the refuge, near the bathrooms and the first observation deck, at 1:00pm. After driving the auto tour, we will gather at the second observation deck at sundown for the spectacular crane fly-in, which should end around 5:30pm.
Target birds include lesser sandhill cranes, black and Say’s phoebes, white-crowned and gold-crowned sparrows, American pipits, northern shovelers, northern pintails, gadwalls, green-winged and cinnamon teals, greater white-fronted geese, snow geese, Ross’s geese, American white pelicans, great and snowy egrets, great blue herons, American coots, black-necked stilts, white-faced ibis, long-billed dowitchers, dunlin, Wilson’s snipe, lesser sandpipers, long-billed curlews, red-tailed hawks, and northern harriers. Also possible are cackling geese, red-shouldered hawks, Cooper’s hawks, bald eagles, kestrels, and great-horned owls. Both a burrowing owl and female vermillion flycatcher have recently been seen at the refuge as well.
Participants should bring day packs, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, plenty of water, snacks, lunch (if desired), and binoculars, and should dress in layers. We probably will not be doing much hiking, but comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Please bring radios (walky-talkies) if you have them. We ask that participants be vaccinated, wear masks, and adhere to social distancing protocols. Registration is required for this event.

Please register here.

Dec
14
Tue
2021
General Meeting – Waterbirds Without Water by Rachel Zwillenger @ Zoom
Dec 14 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Waterbirds without Water ⏤ Virtual General Meeting

Rachel Zwillinger

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting December 14th 7:00pm
This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom
 Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

In her presentation on drought and migratory birds in California’s Central Valley, Rachel will provide an overview of Central Valley wetlands and their importance for the Pacific Flyway, explain how drought is impacting the Valley’s bird habitats, and discuss actions we can take to ensure a more drought-resilient future.

Rachel Zwillinger bio

As the Water Policy Advisor for Defenders’ California Program, Rachel focuses on protecting the fish and wildlife that depend upon California’s waterways and wetlands. Among other priorities, she works to ensure that wetlands in the Central Valley receive sufficient water to support birds as they migrate along the Pacific Flyway, and strives to protect endangered salmon and other native species that depend upon the San Francisco Bay-Delta and upstream habitats.

Before joining Defenders of Wildlife, Rachel worked for three years as a litigation fellow for Altshuler Berzon LLP and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Prior to her fellowship, Rachel served as a law clerk to Judge John T. Noonan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Judge Marilyn Huff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Rachel received a J.D. and M.S. from Stanford University, where she graduated Order of the Coif, and received her undergraduate degree in geosciences from Princeton University.



Membership Drive now underway!
If you haven’t yet joined Fresno Audubon this season, please join here for a low cost annual membership. NEW this year you’ll receive a copy of our ‘Birding Resource Guide’ which provides tips about local area birding along with a Fresno Audubon sticker!

Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.
Dec
18
Sat
2021
Field Trip to Roeding Park @ Roeding Park (meet at the pond near Storyland)
Dec 18 @ 7:30 am – 12:30 pm

Field Trip to Roeding Park, Saturday, December 18, 2021

Please join Fresno Audubon as we bird Roeding Park on Saturday, December 18. Roeding Park is an easy-to-get-to local destination that has quite a variety of bird life year round. While the heron rookery may not be active right now, there is still plenty to see and hear, including many year round and winter residents that inhabit the ponds and the many trees found around the park. Some of our target species for the outing include Red-shouldered Hawk, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and Orange-crowned Warbler. Roeding Park is located at 890 W. Belmont Avenue, Fresno, CA 93728. There is a $5 per vehicle entry fee that is paid at the kiosk on the way in. We will meet at the pond by Storyland at 7:30 AM (36.752873, -119.825141). The outing will last until approximately 12:00 or 12:30 PM. Participants should bring snacks, water, lunch (if desired), hat, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. We ask that participants be vaccinated, wear masks, and practice social distancing protocols. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Rachel Clark at tanagergirl@gmail.com or 515-357-0122. Please register here.

Everyone must do their own risk assessment before participating, but we believe risks to be very low if we follow state and CDC guidelines. By registering you will be agreeing to our liability waiver and will not need to sign again onsite.

We will operate the event according to state and county guidelines: Masks must be warn in public except when outdoors and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance from others not in their household. You must have a face covering with you at all times and must put it on if you are within 6 feet of others who are not in your household

Jan
11
Tue
2022
General Meeting – Tropical Birds by Benny Jacobs-Schwartz @ Zoom
Jan 11 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Tropical Birds ⏤ Virtual General Meeting

Benny Jacobs-Schwartz

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting January 11th 7:00pm
This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom
 Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

International Bird guide, naturalist and photographer, Benny Jacobs-Schwartz will share his dazzling bird photos, captivating videos, and animated story-telling to bring a slice of the tropics to California.
Delving into topics of migration, tropical speciation, and bio-diversity, this media rich journey will share some of the fascinating and unique birds that inhabit the new-world tropics.
Sure to both educate and entertain, this presentation will certainly leave you with a deeper understanding of tropical ecology, and knowledge about where some of our backyard birds spend their winters!

Speaker Bio:

Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz owns and operates a bird guiding business and lifestyle brand called BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus). Working seasonally as a naturalist guide, expedition trip leader, and international bird guide, Benny works in a variety of locations. Most recently bringing him to such exotic places like coastal Alaska, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Ecuadorian cloud forest.

Seasonally Benny or BIJS, is based in Los Angeles, where he leads public and private birding adventures to urban hotspots. He is also a passionate photographer, specializing in birds. He uses his impressive collection of content to leverage his prolific social media presence. Benny hopes his love of the natural world will inspire others to conserve the open spaces around them and look up more often from their phones!

He also serves full-time as the Program Director for an Outdoor Education non-profit called Biocitizen Los Angeles. They offer natural history education, hikes, backpacking and various outdoor camps for kids across Los Angeles!


Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.
Feb
8
Tue
2022
General Meeting – Sleuthing into the secret lives of wood ducks by Dr. John Eadie @ Zoom
Feb 8 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Sleuthing into the secret lives of wood ducks ⏤ Virtual General Meeting

Dr. John Eadie

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting January 11th 7:00pm
This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom
 Register to receive login information.

New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting.

Biologists have studied the charismatic wood duck for well over a century. What more could we possibly learn? As it turns out, quite a bit. New technology is revealing a rich and complex social underworld that is proving to be quite astonishing. We are employing automatic logging devices (passive integrated transponders, or PIT tags) that record every nest site a female visits, and population-wide genetic analyses of all breeding females and their offspring to follow the breeding behavior and entire life histories of wood ducks on several sites in California. We are focusing on a particularly curious nesting behavior whereby females lay eggs in the nests of other females in the same population (termed conspecific brood parasitism or CBP). Females in a wide variety of bird species lay their eggs in the nests of other conspecifics but despite its widespread occurrence the factors that promote parasitic nesting behavior remain poorly understood, in part because the sneaky parasitic females are rarely identified, but also because the information needed to assess the possible benefits of this behavior are often lacking. Are these females friends or foe? Does this behavior add or detract from the survival of females and their young, or the sustainability of the population? Our studies are providing some new insights and, in some cases, surprising us with the wide range of behavioral interactions among females in this enigmatic species of cavity-nesting duck.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. John Eadie is a Professor and the Dennis G. Raveling Waterfowl Chair in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California Davis. He joined the faculty at UC Davis in 1995 from Zoology University of British Columbia, where he completed by PhD degree. His research interests include the ecology, conservation and management of waterfowl and wetlands. His current work focuses on the management and conservation of wetland habitats, breeding waterfowl (mallards and wood ducks) in California, and linking ecological theory to wildlife management and conservation. He uses a combination of experimental and observational field studies, molecular genetic techniques in the lab, and population modeling approaches in his research.



Fresno Audubon Society
Thank you for your continued involvement in and support of Fresno Audubon Society.