EVENT CALENDAR - Fresno Audubon Society

Virtual General Meeting

Pamela Flick

Virtual General Meeting

Dan Airola

Virtual General Meeting

Lily Douglas

The Central Valley Joint Venture

-creating habitat for migrating birds

Virtual General Meeting

Jack Jefferys

Hakalau Forest NWR and the Birds of Hawaii.

“Wolves in California”

Saturday Field Trip to Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant @ Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant

Apr 9 @ 7:45 am – 1:00 pm

Marbled Godwit by Gary Woods

On Saturday 9 April 2022 we will be visiting the Fresno Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP). Logistics of entry require that names be submitted in advance to the plant security personnel. Please register for the event using your name as it appears on your Government-issued ID no later than Thursday 7 April. You must bring that ID with you to be allowed entry. By registering to attend this event you are binding yourself to the terms of Fresno Audubon Society’s Liability Waiver. The liability waiver can be found here: https://fresnoaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FAS-Waiver.pdf

The group will meet at the Walmart parking lot at the corner of Ashlan and Blackstone at 7:45 am for an 8:00 am departure to the WTP. Secondary meeting point is at the facility, 5607 W Jensen Ave, Fresno, CA 93706 at 8:15 am. See maps below.

With migration beginning we expect to see plenty of shorebirds and other migrants and perhaps Peregrine Falcons. After birding the ponds we will move to Kearney Park for lunch and a chance at Yellow-billed Magpies.

Checklist: ID, binoculars, bird guide, water, sun protection and lunch.

Leader: Robert Snow, rsnow@fresnoaudubon.org, (650) 483-2347

Fresno Meeting Point is Walmart parking lot, see map above.

Field trip location is 5607 W Jensen Ave, Fresno, CA 93706. See map above.

Categories: Field Trips

General Meeting – Pamela Flick “Wolves in California” @ Zoom

Tickets

Apr 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting April 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.

The Return of Gray Wolves to California

Once common throughout much of North America, the gray wolf (Canis lupus) was driven to localized extinction in most areas of the contiguous United States by the mid-1930s through bounties and wildly successful predator control efforts. The last wild gray wolf in California was shot in Lassen County in 1924.

Flash forward to late December 2011, when a young male wolf known as OR-7 entered our state from Oregon, making him the first known wild wolf in the Golden State in nearly 90 years. In Summer 2015, news spread that California’s first resident wolf family, dubbed the Shasta Pack for the massive dormant volcano near where they were discovered, had settled into eastern Siskiyou County. The following summer, we learned about the Lassen Pack, which straddles the Lassen/Plumas county line and has produced pups every year since 2017. Yet another pair of wolves, known as the Whaleback Pack in Siskiyou County, produced seven pups in 2021. Wolves are no longer merely passing through; they’re settling in and making themselves at home here in our state.

This presentation will provide an overview of gray wolf natural history, ecological role and current distribution and population in North America and here in California. The historic reintroduction efforts in the northern Rockies to bring wolves back from the brink of extinction will be discussed, as will implications for wolf recovery in the western states with an emphasis on the importance of coexistence and moving beyond myths.

Speaker Bio:

Pamela Flick is the California Program Director for Defenders of Wildlife based in Sacramento, where she engages on a variety of issues statewide including gray wolf recovery, responsible renewable energy planning and development, forest resilience and fire restoration, and advancing conservation of imperiled species and natural communities.

Pam is a founding member of the Pacific Wolf Coalition and has served as an advisor to the Department of Fish and Wildlife in development of the Conservation Plan for Gray Wolves in California and the Department’s wolf conflict compensation pilot program. She currently serves on Sierra Forest Legacy’s advisory board, the Southern Sierra Prescribed Fire Council advisory committee, and the Southern Sierra Nevada Fisher Working Group.

Prior to joining Defenders in 2005, Pam worked to permanently protect public lands and rivers throughout the Golden State in various roles within the California Wild Heritage Campaign, Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign and at Friends of the River.

Pam graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biological Sciences. She also holds associate degrees in Biology and Liberal Studies from Sierra College and is a Certified California Naturalist through the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She is a third-generation Californian and hails from Mariposa.

Register here!

Fresno Audubon Society

PO Box 3315

Pinedale, CA 93650-3315

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

Categories: General Meeting

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sumner-Peck Ranch @ Sumner-Peck Ranch

Tickets

Apr 13 @ 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sumner-Peck Ranch

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Join trip leader Susan Heidebrecht for birding along the San Joaquin River on the beautiful Sumner-Peck Ranch property. It is mostly flat terrain with good trails. The walk will be approximately 1 ½ miles each way. Expect to see a variety of waterfowl, warblers, raptors, Belted kingfishers, and woodpeckers. Recently, at least 10 Lewis woodpeckers were spotted in the area.

We will meet at the parking area at the end of the drive (do not turn left into the parking lot near the entrance, but drive straight ahead).

If you wish to bring lunch, there is a small picnic area near the parking lot. Seating, however, is limited, so it is recommended you bring a chair.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Susan Heidebrecht at sunheidebrecht@comcast.net or (559)313-1776

Register Here

Categories: Field Trips

Earth Day Birding at Roeding Park @ Roeding Park (meet in parking in front of zoo)

Tickets

Apr 23 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Earth Day Birding at Roeding Park

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Celebrate Earth Day with trip leaders Maureen Walsh and Wes Beal birding at Roeding Park. We will start at Lake Washington where we will see Wood ducks among other waterfowl in the lake and see the Cattle egret, Black-crowned night herons, and Double-crested cormorants in the rookery on the island. There are hundreds of birds nesting in the rookery. Then we will walk other areas of the park to see a variety of woodpeckers, raptors, warblers, etc.

We will meet at the parking lot in front of the zoo, across from Lake Washington. There is a $5.00 entry fee to the park and a new automated parking system.

If you wish to bring lunch, there are plenty of picnic tables available for eating and calculating our bird count.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Maureen Walsh at mewnew10@yahoo.com or (559) 706-4980.

Register Here

Categories: Field Trips

Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake @ Lost Lake

Tickets

Apr 27 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Join trip leader Judy Johnson at Lost Lake Park during spring migration. Possible species include Western tanager, phainopepla, Western bluebird, spotted towhee, lark sparrow, spotted sandpiper, kingfisher, red breasted sapsucker, various warblers, and many more. We will meet at the southwest end of the loop, at 8:00am, near the start of the nature trail. Be aware that there is a $5 fee for entering the park. Expect to be finished by 1:00 pm.

The walking will be easy and flat. Bring water, sunscreen, a hat, snacks, lunch (optional), binoculars and bird guides, and dress in layers.

Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers. Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Judy Johnson (559) 977-2787 (voice or text)

Register Here

Categories: Field Trips

General Meeting – “Dan Airola – Yellow-billed Magpies” @ Zoom

Tickets

May 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Yellow-Billed Magpie Population Status in Urban Sacramento

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting May 10th, 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.

Program Description

Dan’s talk covers his studies of the Yellow-billed Magpie population that occupies parks and other open space areas within the urban Sacramento area. Dan documents the previously unstudied ecology of Central Valley magpie populations. He also describes new information that explains the occurrence and abundance of magpies in this area. He also solves the mystery of how magpies appear to have maintained stable and healthy populations in this urban area, while populations in more rural areas have been decimated by West Nile virus.

Speaker Bio:

Dan Airola is a Wildlife Biologist and Ornithologist, who has lived in the Central Valley since 1985. Dan conducts research and conservation efforts for birds of concern in northern California, often with a community science component. He began studies of Yellow-billed Magpies during 2020 after discovering that almost no ecological study of the species had occurred in the Central Valley. His other research and conservation program species include the Tricolored Blackbird, Purple Martin, Swainson’s Hawk, Osprey, and migratory and wintering songbirds. He is a Board member and Conservation Chair of the Central Valley Bird Club, and Editor of the journal Central Valley Birds. His recent book on 30 years of Purple Martin research and management is available at cvbirds.org.

Register here!

Fresno Audubon Society

PO Box 3315

Pinedale, CA 93650-3315

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

Categories: General Meeting

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sycamore Island @ Sycamore Island

Tickets

May 11 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sycamore Island

Registration is required for this event.

Register Here

Join trip leader George Folsom to explore Sycamore Island. Sycamore Island is along the San Joaquin River in Madera County downstream form River West open space. It offers a variety of habitats: ponds, riparian, grasslands, oak woodlands and wetlands. We can expect ducks, raptors, herons, egrets, orioles, woodpeckers and perhaps migrating warblers and vireos among may others.

Meet at the access gate off Ave 9, Madera County at 8:00 a.m.. See map below. This is a large property and we will do a combination of driving and walking. Walking distance will be 1 to 2 miles but those who don’t care to walk can drive to most of the areas.

There are picnic shelters with tables for lunch and restrooms on the property. Participants should bring snacks, lunch (if desired), water, hat, sunscreen, and binoculars, and should dress in layers.

Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader at 559-435-9374 or geofolsom@gmail.com

Register Here

Categories: Field Trips

General Meeting – Lily Douglas- The Central Valley Joint Venture – creating habitat for migrating birds @ Zoom

Tickets

Jun 14 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting June 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.

Lily Douglas with Tricolored Blackbird

Program Description:

The Central Valley is a critically important part of the Pacific Flyway, which extends from the Arctic to South America, and is used by over 100 million birds of 400 species every year. Approximately 95% of natural habitat in the Central Valley has been transformed for human uses, and unpredictable water supplies and other climate change impacts threaten the future of farms, wetlands, and other bird habitats.

The Central Valley Joint Venture (CVJV) partners with private landowners, local governments, non-profit organizations, and others to conserve Central Valley birds and their habitats for current and future generations. In 2021, the CVJV released its updated Implementation Plan, laying out objectives to support healthy bird populations and benefit people and communities in the Central Valley. Lily Douglas, the CVJV’s Assistant Coordinator, will discuss the formation of the migratory bird joint ventures, the history and structure of the CVJV, the updated Implementation Plan, and how you can help.

Speaker Bio:

Lily Douglas is the Assistant Coordinator of the Central Valley Joint Venture for migratory bird habitat conservation. She has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for nine years, previously in roles implementing the Endangered Species Act for species in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Prior to that she worked with Greater Sage-Grouse for the Bureau of Land Management and as a GIS Analyst with an environmental consulting firm. Lily also sits on the Board of Directors for the Central Valley Bird Club and co-authored the book Sacramento County Breeding Birds: A Tale of Two Atlases and Three Decades of Change, released last year.

Register here!

Fresno Audubon Society

PO Box 3315

Pinedale, CA 93650-3315

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

Categories: General Meeting

Stevens Ranch/Elkhorn Slough, 22 June 2022 @ Stephens Ranch

Tickets

Jun 22 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit and Willet by Peter Nagayama

Register here

Join us for an exciting field trip to the Stevens Ranch in Moss Landing. This unique property was originally purchased by David Packard to stop the development of the northern side of Elkhorn Slough. His son-in-law Robert Stevens continues to run the ranch as a haven for birdlife. Expect to see numerous species of upland birds as well as shorebirds in the multi-thousands.

This is an out of town trip starting at 8:00 am, so you can either stay the night before nearby (Watsonville is the most economical) or leave Fresno at 5:30 am to arrive by 8:00. After birding the ranch we will eat lunch and then bird the Elkhart Slough mouth at Moss Landing before returning home. Expect the day to end around 4:00 pm.

Register here

Checklist: binoculars, bird guide, water, sun protection and lunch.

Leader: Robert Snow, (650)483-2347, rsnow@fresnoaudubon.org.

Directions to the Stephens Ranch. The coordinates are Struve Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039, 36.831258, -121.758357. From Highway 1, turn east on Struve road. Turn right in 0.15 miles and proceed another 0.15 miles. Park near the ranch house.

Categories: Field Trips

General Meeting July 2022- Jack Jefferys- Hakalau Forest NWR and the birds of Hawaii @ Zoom

Tickets

Jul 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

9

Saturday Field Trip to Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant 7:45 am

Saturday Field Trip to Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant @ Fresno/Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant
Apr 9 @ 7:45 am – 1:00 pm

Tickets

On Saturday 9 April 2022 we will be visiting the Fresno Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP). Logistics of entry require that names be submitted in advance to the plant security personnel. Please register for the event using your name as it appears on your Government-issued ID no...

12

General Meeting – Pamela Flick “Wolves in California” 7:00 pm

General Meeting – Pamela Flick “Wolves in California” @ Zoom
Apr 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Tickets

Virtual General Meeting Pamela Flick “Wolves in California” Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting April 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. The...

13

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sumner-Peck Ranch 8:30 am

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sumner-Peck Ranch @ Sumner-Peck Ranch
Apr 13 @ 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Tickets

Wednesday Bird Walk at Sumner-Peck Ranch Registration is required for this event. Register Here Join trip leader Susan Heidebrecht for birding along the San Joaquin River on the beautiful Sumner-Peck Ranch property. It is mostly flat terrain with good trails. The walk will be approximately...

23

Earth Day Birding at Roeding Park 8:00 am

Earth Day Birding at Roeding Park @ Roeding Park (meet in parking in front of zoo)
Apr 23 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Tickets

Earth Day Birding at Roeding Park Registration is required for this event. Register Here Celebrate Earth Day with trip leaders Maureen Walsh and Wes Beal birding at Roeding Park. We will start at Lake Washington where we will see Wood ducks among other waterfowl in...

27

Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake 8:00 am

Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake @ Lost Lake
Apr 27 @ 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Tickets

Wednesday Bird Walk at Lost Lake Registration is required for this event. Register Here Join trip leader Judy Johnson at Lost Lake Park during spring migration. Possible species include Western tanager, phainopepla, Western bluebird, spotted towhee, lark sparrow, spotted sandpiper, kingfisher, red breasted sapsucker, various...

Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting July 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.

Program Description:

The Hawaiian Archipelago is the most isolated chain of islands in the world, over twenty-five hundred miles from the nearest continent. Very few plants and animals have ever reached these remote islands on their own, but those that did, evolved over time and became unique to the Islands. About five and a half million years ago, a small flock of finch like birds from Asia, likely blown off course, arrived in the Hawaiian islands. Unrestricted food supplies and adaptations through competition for these food resources created evolutionary opportunities for speciation through specialization of bill forms and body size. From this one colonization the Hawaiian Honeycreepers evolved into over fifty different bird species found nowhere else on earth. Some Honeycreepers, like the scarlet I’iwi, evolved long curved bills to feed on nectar in the curved flowers of native plants, like those of the Bell flower family or Lobelias and provide for their pollination. Other bird species adapted to feed on insects in different ways. For example, the tiny Hawaii Akepa, with its short straight bill, crossed at the tip, gleans micro insects from leaf buds. The Akialoa’s long thin bill, almost as long as its body, was used to poke deep into tree crevices to find insects that no other bird could reach. The Akiapola’au has one of the most unusual bills in the bird world. Its upper bill is long, thin and down curved, and lower bill short straight and stout feeds like a woodpecker, but with its mouth open. It pecks into the tree wood with its lower short-stout bill, then uses the upper long curved bill to reach into the hole to wrench out wood-boring beetle larvae. Today, only 17 Hawaiian Honeycreepers species remain in the Islands, but with continued habitat protection and restoration as is happening at Hakalau Forest NWR on Hawaii Island and other areas in the State, as well as captive breeding and release, and active research on control of mosquitoes and avian diseases, the remaining Hawaiian Honeycreepers will hopefully survive far into the future.

Speaker Bio:

Jack Jeffrey, a longtime resident of Hawaii Island, is a professional wildlife and nature photographer, birding guide, and wildlife biologist. He is intimately familiar with Hawaii’s remote rainforests, hidden valleys, and rare endemic birds. He brings to his images the knowledge from over 50 years of observation and study of Hawaii’s native forest birds, as well as those in other places from his travels around the world. He combines a naturalist’s curiosity with a photographer’s patience and technical skill to produce beautiful images.

Jack is recipient of the prestigious “Ansel Adams Award for Nature Photography”, and is a USFWS “Endangered Species Recovery Champion”. He has also received the coveted Nature Conservancy of Hawaii Kako’o Aina Award, Hawaii Sierra Club Conservationist of the Year Award, and the Hawaii Audubon Society Conservationist of the Year Award. Now retired from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, he is enjoying more time traveling with his wife Gretchen, leading tours and photographing wildlife and nature around the world.

Register here!

Fresno Audubon Society

PO Box 3315

Pinedale, CA 93650-3315

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

Categories: General Meeting