01 Apr April 2024 Yellowbill
Editor’s Note
The Yellowbill is published monthly except in June, July and August. It is edited by Robert Snow (drrsnow@mac.com) except for the Member Photos section, which is edited by Clayton Dahlen (mc_dahlen@yahoo.com). Archived issues are available at https://fresnoaudubon.org/the-yellowbill/.
Membership
Fresno Audubon Society membership levels are:
$15 Student
$25 Individual
$35 Family
$1000 Golden Eagle (Life)
Fresno Audubon Society
PO Box 3315
Fresno, CA 93650
Thank you for your continuing support of Fresno Audubon Society!
General Meeting
There will be no general meeting in April
Introduction to Birding Class
April Field Trips
FIELD TRIP GUIDELINES ⏤ Fresno Audubon Society is offering field trips during the now-endemic COVID-19, subject to the following rules. With the continuing risks of exposure and potential illness, everyone must determine their own level of risk aversion. The CDC has recommended that masks should be optional when outdoors. It has been shown that a well-fitting N95 mask protects the wearer for several hours from an infectious dose of virus, so anyone concerned about exposure can choose to wear a mask near others if they feel at risk. Following are our current guidelines for our field trips.
- Participants must pre-register individually using the FAS event registration system.
- Participants must self-screen their own temperature before the outing and must not attend if they are feverish.
- Participants must consent to Fresno Audubon Society’s Liability Waiver by pre-registering.
- Social distancing is encouraged.
- Masks are not required, but participants are encouraged to wear a mask whenever they feel the need.
- Some field trips meet up at a central point before traveling to the field trip location. Participants may form their own car pools at these meetup points.
- Participants must contact their trip leader should they test positive for COVID-19 within three days following the outing so that we can notify others who attended the trip.
Wednesday 3 April 2024 ⏤ Sycamore Island with George Folsom
Registration is required for this event.
Meeting location: Sycamore Island (36.8590560, -119.8230324)
Meeting time: 8:45 AM
End time: Noon, or you may stay and have lunch with the group
Sycamore Island, part of the San Joaquin River Parkway, is along the San Joaquin River in Madera County downstream from River West open space. It offers a variety of habitats: river, ponds, riparian, grasslands, and wetlands. We can expect ducks, raptors, herons, egrets, owls. woodpeckers, finches, swallows, sparrows among many others.
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 George Folsom at 559.351.7192 or geofolsom@gmail.com
Saturday 6 April 2024 ⏤The Raptor Trail Field Trip on The Kings River at Pine Flat Dam with Susan Heidebrecht
Registration is required for this event.
Join FAS for birding along the Kings River. The trail begins across from the parking lot on the south side of the bridge just below Pine Flat Dam. The trail is basically an easy walk of approximately a mile and a quarter each way, but there is some uneven terrain and river rocks create a cobblestone surface in parts. Some of our target species include Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, and Osprey.
Meet in the parking lot at the south side of the bridge. If you want to look for directions from the eBird map, the Raptor Trail is just across the river from the North Riverside Access Park eBird Hotspot. GPS Coordinates 36.8298592686927, -119.33621274737327.
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 the trip leader.
Contact:
Susan Heidebrecht
(559) 313-1777
email: sunheidebrecht@comcast.net
Wednesday 10 April 2024 ⏤ Evening Owl Walk #1 at Jensen River Ranch with Susan Heidebrecht
Registration link
Evening Owl Walk at Jensen River Ranch
Event 1 (There will be 2 owl walks in April)
Registration is required for this event.
Join FAS for an evening Owl Walk on the Jensen Trail. We plan to start close to sunset to be on the Jensen Trail at dusk when the Great Horned Owls and Barn Owls come out to hunt. The outing should take about 1 1/2 hours. We will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to the Art of Life Healing Garden in Woodward Park.
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. Any questions, please contact trip leader Susan Heidebrecht at sunheidebrecht@comcast.net.
Registration link
Saturday 20 April 2024 ⏤ Evening Owl Walk #2 at Jensen River Ranch with Susan Heidebrecht
Evening Owl Walk at Jensen River Ranch
Event 2 (There will be 2 owl walks in April)
Registration is required for this event.
Registration link
Join FAS for an evening Owl Walk on the Jensen Trail. We plan to start close to sunset to be on the Jensen Trail at dusk when the Great Horned Owls and Barn Owls come out to hunt. The outing should take about 1 1/2 hours. We will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to the Art of Life Healing Garden in Woodward Park.
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. Any questions, please contact trip leader Susan Heidebrecht at sunheidebrecht@comcast.net.
Registration link
Wednesday 24 April 2024 ⏤ Birding at the Ruth Mckenzie Preserve with John McDaniel and Gary Woods
Registration is required for this event.
Registration link
MCKENZIE PRESERVE BIRDING
HIKE DATE: April 24, 2024
HIKE START: Please arrive by 7:15 AM for a 7:30 AM start.
HIKE END: 12:30
NOTE: The Preserve is closed to the public and the entrance gate will be locked during the outing. Therefore, late arrivals will not be able to join the hike and early departure will not be possible except in case of emergency.
Join John McDaniel and Gary Woods of Fresno Audubon Society (FAS) for birding on the McKenzie Preserve to observe resident and migrant foothill birds. Please arrive no later than 7:15 AM so the walk can proceed from the parking lot by the corrals at 7:30 AM. This is a relatively easy walk of about 2 miles from the corrals to the waterfall/spring and back. FAS will provide binoculars if you need them, and a spotting scope will also be available.
McKenzie Preserve is the best chance for you to see a Gray Flycatcher out of all the SFC preserves in Fresno County, and they mostly come through the foothills in migration between April 20-30.
Bring a hat, sunscreen, water, binoculars (if you have them), bird guide and snacks/lunch.
Directions to the Ruth McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve
From Fresno, take Freeway 41 north. Exit at Friant Road and turn right at the bottom of the off-ramp. Take Friant Road to the town of Friant. You will see Friant Dam ahead of you. Follow Friant Road uphill, past the dam. At this point, Friant Road bends to the right and changes its name to Millerton Road. Stay on Millerton Road for 5 or 6 miles until you come to a stop sign at Auberry Road.
At Auberry Road you will see a gas station on your left. Using the gas station as your benchmark, note your mileage and turn left. Go slightly over 3 miles on Auberry Road. You will see some table mountain formations ahead. When you reach the 3 mile mark, slow down and turn left onto the preserve property.
The entrance to the preserve is on the left, where you will see a large corral and a gate. Drive in at the gate and park in the parking area.
Saturday 27 April 2024 ⏤ Roeding Park with Maureen Walsh
Registration is required for this event.
Join trip leader Maureen Walsh for 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.
March Field Trip Reports
Wednesday 6 March 2024 ⏤ River West Madera with John McDaniel
Thirteen participants took part in this outing which garnered a rich assortment of birds, consisting of 51 species on a mostly clear, seasonally pleasant 3.4 mile trek along the north side of the San Joaquin River. Especially noted was the assortment of waterfowl, and a rare siting (for this location) of a Western Cattle Egret. I was unable to complete the walk due to an unexpected health issue, however, the group was able to carry on under the capable leadership of George Folsom and others. Special thanks to Kevin Faulkenberry, Bob Crooks, and Ellen Moy for making sure I was okay. The eBird list of what was observed follows.
John McDaniel
Canada Goose 8
American Wigeon 6
Mallard 10
Bufflehead 6
Common Goldeneye 11
Hooded Merganser 4
Ruddy Duck 2
Pied-billed Grebe 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 5
Mourning Dove 11
Anna’s Hummingbird 3
American Coot 8
Killdeer 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Snowy Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Western Cattle Egret 1
Great Egret 5
Great Blue Heron 5
Turkey Vulture 10
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 6
Belted Kingfisher 2
Acorn Woodpecker 2
Nuttall’s Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 9
American Kestrel 2
Black Phoebe 2
Say’s Phoebe 1
California Scrub-Jay 14
Common Raven 2
Tree Swallow 35
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8
Cliff Swallow 45
Bushtit 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
European Starling 15
Northern Mockingbird 1
Phainopepla 3
House Sparrow 4
House Finch 12
Lesser Goldfinch 4
American Goldfinch 4
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel’s) 28
Golden-crowned Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 3
Spotted Towhee 2
Red-winged Blackbird 15
Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 22
Saturday 9 March 2024 ⏤ Elkhorn Slough with Maureen Walsh
On Saturday, March 9, we had a wonderful outing at Moss Landing, birding Elkhorn Slough by boat. FAS chartered a boat through Elkhorn Slough Safari, to explore and bird this unique habitat. There were 22 birders in attendance along with the captain and naturalist, who were very informative and helpful. As it turned out, the naturalist happened to be an ornithologist. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day, sunny and warm. And, thanks to the low tide, there were birds galore, a much greater number of shore birds than we might have otherwise seen. There were plenty of marine mammals as well. Lots of sea otters, many with pups, as well as harbor seals and California sea lions. All the photographers on board were afforded lots of wonderful photo ops, such as a row of wooden pylons with a Forster’s Tern atop each one, battling gulls, and a Great Egret attempting to swallow what appeared to be a rather large snake. Everyone appeared to have a great time and I believe this will be a trip we will definitely be doing again. Thanks to all who attended. Please see the bird list and photos below.
Sincerely,
Maureen Walsh
1 Canada Goose
28 Surf Scoter
1 White-winged Scoter
13 Bufflehead
1 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Horned Grebe
9 Eared Grebe
13 Western Grebe
3 Clark’s Grebe
20 Rock Pigeon
6 Eurasian Collared-Dove
2 Anna’s Hummingbird
6 American Coot
3 Black-necked Stilt
27 American Avocet
48 Black-bellied Plover
20 Semipalmated Plover
9 Long-billed Curlew
7 Marbled Godwit
30 Long-billed Dowitcher
78 Willet
1 Greater Yellowlegs
68 Least Sandpiper
4 Ring-billed Gull
32 Western Gull
12 Forster’s Tern
3 Red-throated Loon
4 Common Loon
50 Brandt’s Cormorant
6 Pelagic Cormorant
31 Double-crested Cormorant
120 Brown Pelican
8 Snowy Egret
4 Great Egret
4 Great Blue Heron
3 Turkey Vulture
1 Peregrine Falcon
2 American Crow
1 Oak Titmouse
1 Bewick’s Wren
2 European Starling
X House Finch
2 Brewer’s Blackbird
11 Western/Clark’s Grebe
60 Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher
Saturday 23 March 2024 ⏤ Clovis Botanical Gardens and surrounds with Susan Heidebrecht
Nineteen birders participated in the Fresno Audubon field trip at Clovis Botanical Gardens, Dry Creek and Cottonwood Park. The morning was cool and breezy with intermittent sunshine and clouds and temperatures in the upper 50’s to low 60’s.
We began by walking through the Gardens where we saw an assortment of small birds, among them were Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Fox Sparrow. Upon coming out into Dry Creek Park we almost immediately heard and then saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings in the branches of the trees along the path. They lingered in the trees allowing most of the group to view them.
In Cottonwood Park the highlights were a Red-shouldered Hawk flying through the trees clutching a small rodent and landing on a tall pine just beyond the creek. Later a Coopers Hawk called out and then flew into view before flying on through the trees along the path. Soon after this sighting we saw two Coopers Hawks sharing the same tree and realized that there were two adult Coopers in the area.
A good variety of aquatic birds were at the ponding basin. Black-necked Stilts, Northern Shovelers, Double-creasted Cormorants, Ruddy Ducks (the male’s beaks a bright sky blue), as well as Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwalls and a Black-crowned Night-Heron.
As we were leaving Cottonwood Park we saw a flock of American Pipits with their pale yellow undersides heavily streaked. Sparrows hop and Pipits walk. This flock was definitely walking.
It was an enjoyable morning with beautiful weather and enthusiastic birders. Thanks goes to Judy Haber for keeping the bird list.
Earth Day Fresno Celebration
Earth Day Fresno is putting on a celebration on the Fresno City College campus from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
This is a free, family-friendly outdoor festival that will feature various educational exhibits and activities.
Fresno Audubon will be running one of the educational booths. Be sure to stop by and say “Hello”!
Member Photographs
Pat Cassen
Bill Ralph
Jervy Smith
Birds in the News
Links to Recent Articles on Birds
Fossil named ‘Attenborough’s strange bird’ was the first of its kind without teeth
No birds alive today have teeth. But that wasn’t always the case; many early fossil birds had beaks full of sharp, tiny teeth. In a paper in the journal Cretaceous Research, scientists have described a new species of fossil bird that was the first of its kind to evolve toothlessness; its name, in honor of naturalist Sir David Attenborough, means “Attenborough’s strange bird.”
How bias shows up in maps made with citizen science data
When biologist Elizabeth Carlen pulled up in her 2007 Subaru for her first look around St. Louis, she was already checking for the squirrels. Arriving as a newcomer from New York City, Carlen had scrolled through maps and lists of recent sightings in a digital application called iNaturalist. This app is a popular tool for reporting and sharing sightings of animals and plants.
State Protections Sought for Vanishing California Burrowing Owls
Burrowing owls have been eliminated as a breeding species from at least 19 of the 51 California counties where they formerly occurred and are close to being wiped out in 10 other counties.
What makes birds so smart?
Crows just want to hang out with humans, study finds
When people aren’t around, crows are much less active, according to a recent study by researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU).
The study found that the activity of crows — as well as the bright-green ringneck parakeets that are gradually invading Israel — drops significantly when humans are not present in their standard environment. On the other hand, an absence of people also leads to an increase in the activity of prinias, a small, shy and apparently antisocial species of warbler.
As Spring Shifts Earlier, Many Migrating Birds Are Struggling to Keep Up
Organized Crime in Cyprus Kills Over 400,000 Songbirds
A recent report has revealed a grim reality: over 400,000 songbirds were trapped and slaughtered in Cyprus during the autumn of 2023, marking a distressing surge in wildlife crime. The findings, compiled by BirdLife Cyprus with Support from the RSPB and the Committee Against Birds Slaughter (Cabs), shed light on an ongoing issue that threatens the region’s avian population.
How birds’ senses are different than ours
Over the past months, I’ve periodically covered the strange extravagance of birds in various dimensions: the fastest birds, the biggest birds and the smallest birds, for instance. Considering the extremes is always interesting; it inoculates us against viewing the world as essentially boring and mundane. And there is another multifaceted way in which birds exceed our standard human frames of reference and appear like strange and extraordinary creatures: in the sharpness of their senses, whether of hearing, sight or even smell.
Consider hearing first. Perhaps the most striking example of birds’ sensitive hearing is the case of owls. While they do not truly echolocate (though a few bird species like oilbirds and swiftlets do), owls do rely on their sharp hearing to detect their prey. Imagine the great horned owl you can hearing hooting outside your window. Perched in a neighborhood tree or even on your house, they spend their evenings listening. A mouse squeaks a few yards over or quietly gnaws at a hard food item somewhere down below and the owl’s head swivels round — its next meal has been found.
Birds Eat Poop A Lot, And Scientists Are Still Trying to Figure Out Why
Birds are some of the most well-researched animals in the world, and yet biologists have missed studying one of their favorite foods for too long.
Feces.
That’s right, a wide range of birds actually like to chow down on the sticky stuff, and it could have a profound and overlooked impact on their health. In fact, their penchant for poop could be a crucial reason for the resilience of birds across continents and millions of years.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.