September 2023 General Meeting This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom Register to receive login information. Register here for Fresno Audubon General Meeting. New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know here before the meeting. Sept 12, 2023 Speaker: Rob Furrow Title:...
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Oct. 10th, 7:00pm
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Bruce Lyon, The Breeding Biology of Coots
Description:
Reconsider the coot: the crazy reproductive antics of a common marsh denizen.
Coots are often overlooked by birders because they are so common. I have been studying the reproductive antics of American coots for the past two decades and have discovered that there is far more to this bird than meets the eye. In the talk I highlight some of our discoveries about the parental and reproductive strategies of coots, from both a natural history and scientific perspective. We all are familiar with the story of the cuckoo female that lays eggs in the nests of other species rather than raising chicks herself. Some coot females do this sort of thing, but they lay their eggs in the nests of other coot females. Why would they do this — why lay eggs elsewhere when you have your own nest? What do the birds that receive these unwanted foster eggs do? Coots are just as bizarre when it comes to raising their own kids, and there are many puzzling features of coot parental care behavior. For example, why do coots lay far more eggs than they can normally raise and why do they beat up their kids so much? And, finally, why are baby coots born with such a ridiculously fluorescent orange plumage? I will answer these questions in my talk. In addition, because our coot research was done in a wild part of central British Columbia, I will also briefly highlight a few of the special birds we encounter at our study site. Finally, the research program is expanding to ask similar questions in a mysterious coot in the High Andes of Argentina.
Bio:
Bruce Lyon is a professor of Evolutionary Ecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His research focuses on the evolution of reproductive strategies and mating behavior of birds. His long-term research on the adaptive basis of brood parasitism in American coots has sought to understand why parasitism within species evolves and how the behavior influences other aspects of social behavior. Dr. Lyon has also investigated the evolution of ornamental plumage signals in a variety of species, including lark buntings, lazuli buntings and the evolution of ornamental offspring plumage in the newly hatched chicks of American coots. Most recently, he has conducted a decade-long investigation into the winter social lives of migrant golden-crowned sparrows that spent their winters on the Arboretum of the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has also begun work on the horned coot, a rare and giant South American coot species with boring drab chicks.
Using technology to study courtship and conservation
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Nov. 14th, 7:00pm
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Female greater sage-grouse soliciting copulation
Description:
Animals use a dizzying array of sounds, smells, colors, dances, electrical fields and seismic vibrations to convince each other to mate. These elaborate courtship signals were a mystery until Darwin’s theory of sexual selection, which proposed that the courting sex (often, but not always the males) must be elaborate because the courted sex (often, but not always the females) demands it. But how do scientists study the conversations males and females in non-human animals have about mating? One way to do this is to participate, controlling one side of the conversation with a robot. Gail Patricelli will talk about using robotic females to study courtship behaviors in two spectacular species of birds, the satin bowerbird and the greater sage-grouse.
Bio:
Gail Patricelli is a professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology and Chair of the Animal Behavior Graduate Group at the University of California, Davis. Members of the Patricelli Lab study the evolution of courtship and other forms of communication in birds and the impact of human activities, like urban development and noise pollution, on communication, breeding ecology, and reproductive success. This research uses technology such as biomimetic robotics, microphone arrays, acoustic monitoring, and remote telemetry to study populations in the wild, from local songbirds to species of conservation concern, such as greater sage-grouse.
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Dec 12th, 7:00pm
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Rich Cimino, Favorite Birds of the Sierra Nevada
Bio:
Rich lives in Larkspur and is an active member of the Marin Audubon Society, where he participates in three Marin CBC’s and the Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas.
He has been birding Northern California for 55 years, leading Bay Area Audubon field trips for 43 years, and Marin Audubon field trips for 10 years.
Having volunteered for GGRO Hawk Watch for 12 years and Audubon Canyon Ranch Heron and Egret counts, he now surveys for the Vaux’s Swift migration through Marin County.
Habitat preservation is always on his mind, and he is currently active in different capacities with conservation groups in Northern California, emphasizing preserving habitat.
He has led the Eastern Alameda Breeding Bird Atlas, The Altamont Pass Wind Turbine Area Golden Eagle & Raptor stakeholder group, and the Eastern Alameda County CBC as its compiler.
He is the field guide for Yellowbilled Tours (www.yellowbilledtours.com), which offers annual birding tours to Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and France.
Join trip leader Wes Beal to explore Jensen River Ranch. We will meet at 8:00 a.m. the Art of Life Healing Garden next to the north east parking lot in Woodward Park.
From there we will walk down the Tom MacMichael Senior Trail to the San Joaquin River and along its bank upstream until we meet the Flood Control District’s ditch. We will continue along the MacMichael Trail following the ditch back toward the bluff, and circle back to the parking area. We hope to see many of our usual suspects including scrub jays, black phoebes, house finches, lesser goldfinches, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, turkey vultures, American kestrel, great blue herons, double-crested cormorants and great egrets. Some of the fall returnees may show up as well, including cedar waxwing, northern flickers, various and sundry sparrows as well as migrating waterfowl.
Depending on time and interest, we may walk over to the large pond near the Park entrance, which should be populated with Canada geese, mallards, American coots, and pied-billed grebes, among others.
The $5.00 City entrance fee applies if you park in Woodward Park. Alternative parking may be available in the Fort Washington Shopping Center.
Registration is required for this event. If you have any questions, please reach out to trip leader Wes Beal at (559) 250-2988 or beal4farms@gmail.com
Bringing Birds to the Garden: California Native Plants for the Win
Williamson’s Sapsucker & Coffeeberry by Benny Jacobs-Schwartz
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Jan. 9th, 7:00pm
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Description:
Did you know California is home to over 5,000 species of native plants and 700 species of birds have been observed here? However, much of the state’s native flora is now in peril, with many species listed as endangered and on the verge of extinction.
Learn the history of these changes and how you can help bring back the birds through grassroots efforts at the home or garden. This presentation will teach you how to plan and maintain a California native plant garden to attract and care for birds visiting your local landscape. Additionally, participants will be introduced to many of the local birds that visit our yards and open spaces.
Bio:
Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz owns and operates a bird-guiding business and lifestyle brand called BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus). With a background in biology, ecology, and outdoor education, Benny has worked professionally for over 10 years as a naturalist guide, expedition trip leader, and international bird guide. Through his business, Benny offers professionally guided birding outings in Southern California and offers small-group birding tours to his favorite tropical locales like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Benny is a passionate educator and photographer, specializing in birds! Benny is active on social media where he creates fun, educational videos and posts to inspire others about the natural world with the goal of getting folks to put down their phone and pick up their Binos.
Topic: Birds of the Western Andes Mountains of Colombia
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Nov. 12th, 7:00pm
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Rich Cimino
Bio:
Birding Northern California for 57 years, Rich has been leading field trips for 24 years.
He is the field guide for Yellowbilled Tours, which offers annual birding tours to Nome
Alaska, as well as Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Belize, Colombia, Guatemala,
Panama and France.
Rich lives in Marin County, an active member of the Marin Audubon Society and served
for eight years as the conservation chair for the Alameda County Ohlone Audubon Society.
He participated in the Eastern Alameda Breeding Bird Atlas, The Altamont Pass Wind
Turbine Area Golden Eagle & Raptor stakeholder group and avian surveys. Rich is the
co-compiler of the Eastern Alameda County Christmas Bird Count now in its tenth year,
and a participant in four Marin CBC’s and the 2021 Marin County Breeding Bird Atlas.
He is the field guide for Yellowbilled Tours (www.yellowbilledtours.com), which offers annual birding tours to Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and France.
Register for Fresno Audubon General Meeting Jan. 14th, 7:00pm
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Description:
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Get ready for a dive into South America’s birdiest country! Together we’ll explore Colombia’s unique ecology, breathtaking scenery, and unparalleled avian diversity! Colombia holds the record with nearly 2,000 bird species and an impressive 80 endemics!
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During our time together we’ll discuss the country’s five regions, conservation successes, and how the mighty Rio Magdalena and Rio Cauca eroded the continent’s spine and split the Andes Mountain Range into three distinct cordilleras. From sloth-eating Harpy Eagles to shy antpittas, and menageries of colorful tanagers and hummingbirds, Colombia’s astonishing diversity will leave you wanting more!
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Bio:
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Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz owns and operates a bird-guiding business and lifestyle brand called BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus). With a background in biology, ecology, and outdoor education, Benny has worked professionally for over 10 years as a naturalist guide, expedition trip leader, and international bird guide. Through his business, Benny offers professionally guided birding outings in Southern California and offers small-group birding tours to his favorite tropical locales like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia.
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Benny is a passionate educator and photographer, specializing in birds! Benny is active on social media where he creates fun, educational videos and posts to inspire others about the natural world with the goal of getting folks to put down their phone and pick up their Binos.
New to Zoom? Check out all you need to know herebefore the meeting.
Description:
Scott Harris spent 17 months, chasing 53 Raptors across 34 states—his version of a Raptor Big Year. RaptorQuest is about his adventures, misadventures, successes and failures. From -36 degree days, to ones over 100 degrees, to just getting on the bird just in time, to the frustrations of missing one by minutes. It’s about the birds—of course—but it’s also about the people he met, the things he learned and why he’s already working on his next adventure.
Speaker Bio:
Scott Harris and his wife Randi retired to South Carolina in March of 2020-something. Scott will tell you it was one of the best decisions they have made in their 45 years of marriage. It was also when he first started birding – a hobby he never imagined himself participating in, but now can’t imagine living without.
They sold their long-time home and business, Mustang Marketing, a marketing/branding company they had owned for 35 years. They are blessed that both their children and their grandson are also in South Carolina.
While in California, Scott had a syndicated newspaper column and two weekly radio shows. He and his son Justin also hosted a Los Angeles Dodgers weekly live radio show. Scott sat on dozens of boards over the years, including Boys & Girls Club, United Way, The Sheriff’s Foundation, Pepperdine University, Moorpark College and California State University Northridge.
In the month before leaving Ventura County, Scott was honored as Man of the Year, with his company having won Business of the Year two years previously. His interests and hobbies include the largest collection of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley in the world, playing harmonica in a blues band and he has written more than fifty books in the past seven years – though the one he’ll be discussing today is his first entrée into the world of birding and birds.
That book, RaptorQuest: Chasing America’s Raptors, is the story of his year-long adventure tracking down every species of Raptor in the Lower 48 states. And today, we’ll learn about his adventures, misadventures, successes and failures.
