july-august 2008 western tanager newsletter - los angeles audubon

8/8/2019 July-August 2008 Western Tanager Newsletter - Los Angeles Audubon

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July/August 2008 1

www.laaudubon.orga publication of Los Angeles Audubon

T e j o n R a n c h A g r e e m e n t

Volume 74, Number 6 July/August 2008

WESTERN

TANAGERby Garry George

Oak Grove at Tejon Ranch

Audubon California and other

conservation groups save up to

90% of Tejon Ranch Groupsagree not to oppose 10% that will

be developed

On Thursday, May 8, 2008

Audubon California, theSierra Club, the Natural

Resources Defense Council,Endangered Habitats League, thePlanning and Conservation Leagueand Resource Opportunities, LLC

announced that they had reached anagreement with Tejon RanchCompany to protect up to 240,000acres or 90% of the 270,000 acre TejonRanch after 20 months of negotiation.

Tejon Ranch is at theconvergence of four importantCalifornia habitat areas - the end of theSouthern Sierras, the Coastal Ranges,the San Joaquin Valley, and the

Antelope Valley. Two AudubonCalifornia Important Bird Areas are onthe property in the conservation zone,and the high mountain ridges are primeCondor critical habitat designated byU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

This writer accompaniedBoard members from fourSouthern California Audubon

chapters including Los AngelesAudubon Board members Jenny

Jones and Kimball Garrett on aday-long tour of the ranch just before the announcement. We

witnessed a range of habitat as wedrove from the San Joaquin Valleyagricultural fields and grasslandsto foothills of oak woodlands there are 10 species of oaks on the

property! to slopes covered withBlue Oaks still brown beforeleafing, and covered in ice and

sleet two days before the tour, tofir and pine at the very top whereKimball heard Purple Martins

(over 10% of the Californiapopulation of Purple Martins areon this ranch). We drove down theother side to Joshua tree forest andfields of wild flowers in bloom inthe Antelope Valley where

Kimball found a Night Lizard,Scotts Oriole and other goodies.

It was the first time any of us had been on the property, which ishome to more than two dozen stateand federally listed plant and

animal species including Condorand up to 17 bird species on theAudubon Watch list includingGolden Eagle, Spotted Owl,Purple Martin, Willow Flycatcher,

and Tricolored Blackbird.

The agreement puts in place:

Permanent Conservation Safeguards 240,000 acres, including

178,000 acres through anenforceable conservation easementand dedicated open space donated by Tejon Ranch Company, publicly traded company, as well asthe option to purchase an additional

62,000 acres within three years.Governance and Funding -

Establishes an independent Tejon

Ranch Conservancy to manage andrestore landscape, monitor theconservation easements, and provide


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2 Western Tanager

Tejon Ranch stream

for public access. The agreementalso provides it with a permanentfunding source through a transfer taxon lots and homes sold and resold on

the ranch and initial funding.

Public Access

37 miles of the Pacific Crest Trailwill be realigned in order to allowhikers to cross the Tejon Ranch. The

agreement also commits all partiesto work together to establish a statepark on a portion of the ranch, andthe Tejon Ranch Conservancy willmanage a public access program.

AgreementAudubon California and its

partners agree not to oppose threedevelopment projects on 10percent of the Tejon Ranch. These

developments will still be subjectto public review and applicablefederal and state environmentalprotection laws.

The not to oppose

agreement is the bitter pill. TejonRanch Company plans threedevelopments, one in Los AngelesCounty called Centennial in theAntelope Valley, where 24,000 homeswill replace Antelope Valley open

space, create massive traffic on the 5,and massive water and energy needs toservice a new population. TejonMountain Village will follow; adevelopment of around 1,800

exclusive homes on huge lots on ridgetops in critical habitat for the CaliforniaCondor. The third development inKern County is an expansion of an

industrial park that already houses anIkea distribution center.

Audubon chapters, asindividual 501 (c) (3)s, are not partyto the agreement, and can oppose

these developments as can Centerfor Biological Diversity, whichpulled out of the negotiations, andother groups concerned about cleanair, water, traffic and habitatdestruction. A d d i t i o n a l l y ,

USF&Wildlife Service would haveto comment on critical habitat forthe Condor.

But the kinds of financia

and staff resources that it might taketo defeat these developments would

be more than daunting without large coalition willing to take onTejon Ranch Company.

Los Angeles Audubon isawaiting the impending EIRs forCentennial and Tejon MountainVillage, and celebrates theconservation of 240,000 acres of thisspectacular habitat.


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July/August 2008 3

WESTERNTANAGERPublished by

Los Angeles Audubon Society,

a chapter of

National Audubon Society.

EDITOR: Garry George

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 FoxEXECUTIVE SECRETARY:

Linda Oberholtzer

RECORDING SECRETARY:

Eleanor Osgood

TREASURER:

Lisa Fimiani

EXECUTIVE PAST PRESIDENT:

Dexter Kelly

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Postion Open

Membership in Los Angeles Audubon is $25

Individual, $35 Couple, $50 Family, $100

Donor or $250 Donor per year. Members

receive the Western Tanagernewsletter andother benefits. Donations and memberships

can 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

Los Angeles Audubon ispleased to announce thatdigital editions of our 74

year collection of Western Tanager

newsletters are now available in theAudubon House Library of our

headquarters in Plummer Park. Theprinted newsletters, first published inthe year 1934, have been convertedinto fully text searchable, PDF files.

This addition to our library will bea valuable asset to researchers and

historians, as well as to casual birderswho are interested in this tremendous body of work. These files are now

readily available and easily retrievable.The digital files are stored on CDs andour computer hard drives. Please

schedule library computer time withthe staff at Audubon House by calling(323) 876-0202.

Susan Castor

Member Services

Audubon House Library

Baldwin Hills Conservancy hasawarded a $111,000 grant to LosAngeles Audubon to create andmanage an after school program at

the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlooksite at the new California State Park.The project will engage students

from Dorsey and Crenshaw Highs in

growing native plants from seed andrestoring the Baldwin Hills to create

habitat for wildlife.The symbolic mascot of the

project is the Cactus Wren, whichused to be present in the BaldwinHills. Project Director will beMargot Griswold, Project Director

for the Native Plant & WildlifeGarden. As a restoration ecologist,

Excerpt from theWestern Tanager,

Volume 1, Issue 1, October 1934

Conceived with the idea ofstimulating interest in our feathered

friends, THE WESTERN TANAGERwill be published by the Los AngelesAudubon Society for distribution toits members and to others interestedin the activities of Audubon. Inaddition to the news of the Society,

THE WESTERN TANAGER willcontain as many feature articles,curious facts, and other interestinginformation about the birds as can be

crowded into the available space. Wehope that you will welcome this new

venture of the Audubon Society, andthat you will help your editor to makeit a success by communicating withher whenever you feel you havesomething that will be of interest tothe others.

Editor, Mrs. Raymond Brennan

Margot has restored coastal sagescrub in Orange County to the extentthat California Gnatcatchers have

inhabited and bred in her restoration,and the Owens Lake bed dustmitigation in the Eastern Sierras,among many other projects. Project

Manager for the program will beStacey Vigallon, Los AngelesAudubon Director of InterpretivePrograms, who is also developingthe education program at the NativePlant & Wildlife Garden at KennethHahn Recreation Area with help

from Barbara Courtois and CindyHardin, Directors of the Ballonasaltwater marsh education program.

Los Angeles Audubon

receives $111,000 grant for after school program atBaldwin Hills

See Volunteer Corner page 8.


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4 Western Tanager

m y p a t c hHansen Dam

by Kimball L. Garrett

Willow Forest Lake, Photo by Kimball Garrett

In 2007, I made thecircuit of local AudubonChapters to present a

talk I called Birding on $4 aGallon a call for more intensive

local patch birding in the face ofincreasing gasoline prices and, moreurgently, the environmental andsocietal costs of burning fossil fuelsto undertake late 20th Centurystyle long-distance bird chasing.

Feeling some responsibility topractice what Ive been preaching, Ihave a patch of my own HansenDam in the northeastern SanFernando Valley. The Hansen Dambasin and surrounding habitats along

Big Tujunga Creek fit my criteria foran ideal patch in several ways. Itis close about a third of a gallon ofgas for the round trip from myhouse. It has a variety of habitats

(open water, marsh, riparian forest,alluvial sage scrub, and landscaped park land) and, consequently,harbors a satisfying diversity of birdspecies. Finally, its small enough tobe birded in a day albeit a long dayif all habitats are to be covered.

Hansen Dam is gritty, andnot especially user-friendly.Homeless encampments andweekend hordes of recreationists

and revelers make it distinctly off- putting at times to one seekingnature. But it increasingly typifiesthe urban-adjacent wildlifeexperience in our obscenely over- populated region. The Dam basinand upstream washes host several

key breeding riparian species (15+Bells Vireo territories, BlueGrosbeaks, Yellow-breasted Chats,

Swainsons Thrushes) as well as

alluvial scrub specialists (LesserNighthawk, Cactus Wren, and thisyear a single CaliforniaGnatcatcher). Nesting waterbirdshave included Least Bitterns,Western Grebes and Spotted

Sandpipers. The occasional rarityadds spice, such as Brown Pelican(April 2002), Little Blue Heron(May 2007 and May 2008), Broad-winged Hawk (October 2002,November 2003), Crested Caracara

(January-February 2007), Yellow-throated Warbler (May 2007), andPainted Redstart (September 2004).Most morning visits yield 70 to 90species, depending on the time

of year.Ive identified another

criterion for a good birding patch that the natural history datagenerated from coverage of thepatch can influence management ofthe area for habitat quality and bird

conservation. The Hansen Dam areaand Big Tujunga Wash are repletewith environmental challenges.

There are constant and growing pressures to add high-densirecreation and equestrian

development, and wildlife issuestake a back seat to flood controlhuman safety, and sometimes even

commercial needs. The bird data forthis patch that I and others havegenerated (my database now

includes over 17,000 entries) canprovide ammunition for arguing forthe protection of diverse wildlife inthe area. Covering the patch is thefun part putting the information to

work is the important challenge

Kimball Garrett is theOrnithology Collections Manager at

the Natural History Museum of Los

Angeles County and Scientific

Advisor to the Board of the Los

Angeles Audubon Society. His latest

book,Birds of the Los Angeles Region

(with Jon Dunn and Bob Morse) is

available at the Los Angeles Audubon

Nature Store.


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July/August 2008 5

T H A N k s !

Fred Alcantar Jr.

Elizabeth Jamie AlterJoseph AndrewsFrank ArentowiczC. M. ArmstrongJack L. BathBettina Bennewitz

Michele BigelowEric BrazelKatie BrennanBetty J. BrownThomas Chell

Barbara CourtoisGlen C. DakeZan Dubin-ScottLinda DunnJoi EdwardsLloyd ElyDiane Farag

William FarhoodDonna M. FernholzHarvey FischerBridget Fitzsimons

Jerry & Jeanette GadtAlbert GasserDonna GromanMarcia D. HanscomEric HansenMelissa HaylockNan Helgeland

Tommye HiteCynthia JacksonJoyce A. Kidd

Dr. Kathleen Komar

Richard KrafsurSuzanne LarkyDr. & Mrs. Emil M LichinaPeggy & Donn MillerMichael LyntonMr. L. R. Marks

John W. McCoyKaren Molleson & Lowell HillPaul & Irene OppenheimLinda PetersonRegina Phelps

Judith B. RaskinMary RenakerBernhard RohrbacherJoseph RuggeriKathleen M. SacchiBruce & Joyce Schoppe

David G. SeayArlyne W. SheproRoss ShidelerJohn SilvesterDr. Nellie Becker- Slaton

William SlatonScott & Laurie SzogasRobert ThomasAnthony TomicichDr. Joshua TrabulusAino VimbBob Walden

Sandra WolchokMrs. Susan WolinAmy Worell DVM

We thank the following people tha

made heartfelt donations in honor of

loved ones:

In Memory of Herb Clarke,

Larry AllenRichard Barth

Jack Bath

Fred & Jennifer Brantly

Elaine Green

Karen Johnson

John McCoy

Jean Pickus

Cynthia Schotte

Stephen Tabor

Laura J. Vance

The Membership Department also

wishes to extend a very special thank

you to the volunteers who hel

address, stuff, and stamp our

membership information and

invitation packets.

Hanna Hayman

Dorothy Schwarz

The Membership Department wishes to thank all of our members anddonors, both new and renewed! Your memberships help us to fulfillour 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.

Los Angeles Audubon also thanksthe following Donors whoresponded with donations forother program needs:

Jack Bath

Mary Renaker & Eric Brazel

Harvey Fisher

Albert & Elizabeth Garrison

Susan Krebs

Peggy & Donn Miller

Margery Nicolson

Steve ShunkJohanna Dawes -Pats Big Year

Eleanor Osgood &

Rich Waters -Pats Big Year


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6 Western Tanager

CONSERVATION CONVERSATION

Protecting the San Fernando

Valley

Activists from Los Angeles and SanFernando Valley Audubon joinedforces in efforts to protect Hansen

Dam (an Audubon CaliforniaImportant Bird Area) from anequestrian facility and SepulvedaBasin Wildlife Area from anextension of the 405 and 101interchange. On April 19, Kimball

Garrett led a group of Board and stafffrom both chapters on a morning tourof Hansen Dam alluvial and coastalsage scrub and wetlands habitatfinding an extraordinary mix of bird

species including Least Bells Vireo,California Gnatcatcher, Cactus Wren,Yellow-breasted Chat and BlueGrosbeak among others. The group isplanning to strategize for protectionand more public awareness of thisvaluable and unique remaining piece

of habitat in Los Angeles. The groupalso toured an area proposed for anequestrian facility and found twoCactus Wren nests that could be

impacted from the development ofthe facility. Armed with thisknowledge, San Fernando ValleyAudubons Conservation Co-ChairsKris Ohlenkamp and Seth Shteiropposed the facility in Park AdvisoryBoard meetings and in meetings with

House of Representitive HowardBerman, and with Los Angeles CityParks. Meanwhile, San Fernando

Valley President Muriel Kotingathered a group of activists for theMay 14 hearing on developmentaround the 405-101 interchange, andopposed alternatives 2 and 3. TheEIR/EIS for the project

acknowledges that those alternativeswould impact Sepulveda BasinWildlife Area greatly.

County Birds of Special Concern

Los Angeles. Audubon membersLarry Allen, Eleanor Osgood, MaryFreeman and staff members GarryGeorge and Stacey Vigallon areworking with biologists Tom Ryan,

Dan Cooper, Kimball Garrett andMike San Miguel to create a list ofLos Angeles County SensitiveSpecies based on data fromChristmas Bird Counts, BreedingBird Atlas and historic data as far

back as Grinnell. Once the list isprepared, Los Angeles Audubon will be enlisting the support of otherchapters in Los Angeles County onconservation efforts identified by site

and priority.

Tree Trimming

Every spring Los Angeles Audubonreceives multiple calls from membersworried about the effects of tree

trimming on nesting birds. Recently,Board member Eleanor Osgood andmembers Eric and Ann Brooks,

noticed tree trimming in KennethHahn Recreation Area at BaldwinHills Park, and stepped in to advocatewith park superintendent and treetrimming staff on awareness of bird

nests. Eleanor, Eric and Ann tried to

identify trees that might have nests inthem before the trimmers got to themIn response, Los Angeles Audubon iswriting up a policy on tree trimmingthat will include a review of loca

laws and recommendations on timeperiods that are safest for differengroups of species of birds, and howto look for nests. This policy will bedistribured in meetings with LosAngeles County and City parks, Port

of Los Angeles, and other agenciesthat order tree trimming.

Pesticides and birds of UCLA

New Los Angeles Audubon member

Linda Navroth advocated with theMaintenance Department of UCLAto consider using different or nopesticides on the UCLA campus ouof her concern for species such as

Bewicks Wren that she observesthere. Linda researched the impactsof the pesticides used by UCLA on birds and provided her research toUCLA. Her request is underconsideration. Meanwhile, weve

asked Linda to join in the treetrimming policy effort as a result ofher fine efforts to protect birds on theUCLA campus.


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July/August 2008 7

News and Announcements

Executive Director, GarryGeorge leaves Los AngelesAudubon on June 30, 2008 to become Chapter NetworkDirector for Audubon California.

The Board is currentlyinterviewing new candidates forthe position.

Garry will continue to servewith Los Angeles Audubon as a

member of the organization, amember of the ExecutiveCommittee, and as Chair of theConservation Committee.

BOARD SLATE 2008-2009

Members voted at the May 14thmeeting for the following slate for LosAngeles Audubons Board of Directors

for the fiscal year 2008-2009.

President Mary Freeman1st VP - David DeLange2nd VP Paul FoxTreasurer Lisa FimianiExecutive Secretary Linda OberholtzerRecording Secretary Eleanor Osgood

Dexter Kelly will remain on theBoard as Executive Past President, a

non-elective, voting position.

LOS ANGELES AUDUBONwins

TOYOTA Together GreenVolunteer Days grant!

LOS ANGELES AUDUBONhas won one of the first round ofgrants in the TOYOTA/AUDUBON

Together Green partnership.

Los Angeles Audubon willreceive $7,000 to use for volunteerevents in the Baldwin Hills in

partnership with other organizationsin the community such as Friends ofBaldwin Hills.

The grant recipients wereannounced on Friday, May 30, 2008.Stacey Vigallon, Los Angeles

Audubon Director of InterpretivePrograms, will oversee the grant project and grant funding in theBaldwin Hills.

Stacey's recent project with the

Dorsey High Eco Warriors to removeinvasive non-native vegetation from theLeast Tern colony on Venice Beach isalso featured on thewww.togethergreen.org website, as

a feature community work.http://www.togethergreen.org/Projects/FeaturedCommunityWork.aspx

LIFETIME

MEMBERSHIPS

for Los Angeles Audubon

now available.

Due to popular demand, LosAngeles Audubon has recently begun issuing Lifetime, Chapteronly memberships for $1,000.00A chunk of money yes

but, somewhat mitigated if one ormore of the following might applyto you: you anticipate being agreater Los Angeles birder for twoor three decades (they really passquickly!); you itemize your tax

deduction (Los Angeles Audubon is a501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization)you really get tired of mailings torenew memberships (sorry!); or youreally believe in the many

recreation, conservation, educationrestoration and research projects thatmake up Los Angeles AudubonBy declaring your unquestionableaffiliation with our chapter, you canknow as you read the WesternTanager, that your level of

involvement, more than ever, makeshappen all of those facets of LosAngeles Audubon that most appeato you. You will also receive a note

expressing the eternal gratitude ofeveryone in the Los AngelesAudubon organization.

Call Audubon House at(323) 876-0202 to pay by telephoneusing your credit card, or mail yourcheck to:

Los Angeles Audubon-MembershipP.O. Box 931057, Los Angeles CA

90093-1057.


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8 Western Tanager

V o l u n t e e r C o r n e r

Pictured are Garry George, Exec. Director and Margot Griswold, Project Director at a

volunteer event at the Native Plant & Wildlife Garden with Crenshaw area Boy Scouts.

T

he Baldwin Hills area hasbecome a new focal point

for Los AngelesAudubon education and outreachactivities. Currently in developmentfor Fall 2008 are docent programs atboth Kenneth Hahn State Recreation

Area and the new Baldwin HillsOverlook Park.

The Kenneth Hahn program isgeared toward students in grades 3-12 who are attending inner-city Los

Angeles schools. Participatingclasses will spend time outdoorslearning about the ecology of theBaldwin Hills through scientificinquiry, field sketching, andorienteering. Hands-on activities

and a multidisciplinary approachwill be emphasized, and thecurriculum has been developed toalign with California StateEducation Standards. People

interested in volunteering shouldhave a great enthusiasm for thenatural world and for working withchildren. Educational outreachvolunteers will visit teachers andtheir students in the classroom inorder to introduce them to the

ecology of the Baldwin Hills.Classes will subsequently visitKenneth Hahn State RecreationArea for a two-hour field trip, during

which volunteers will lead them on arange of outdoor activities. Avolunteer training session will beprovided in late summer that covers plant and wildlife species of theBaldwin Hills, ecology of thecoastal sage scrub plant community

and interpretive techniques.Volunteers will receive acomprehensive training manual.

The new Baldwin HillsOverlook Park is tentatively

scheduled to open in Fall 2008, andwere still working closely withCalifornia State Parks on the details

of the new docent program at thislocation. However, what we doknow for certain is that well needmotivated birders and nature-loversinterested in spending time asdocents at this exciting new park.

The site has a stunning view of theLos Angeles Basin (mountains to

ocean!) and will have a native plantgarden and interpretive center. Inaddition, the surrounding hillsideswill gradually be restored to native

coastal sage scrub habitat throughhands-on projects conducted byinterns from local high schoolsworking with restoration ecologists.

We are extremely excited about

the tremendous interpretive and

outreach possibilities at this site, andwelcome any and all volunteers whowant to share their love for thenatural world with park visitorsPlease let us know if youre

interested and we will continue tokeep you informed as the programtakes shape.

To request more informationabout these programs and other

volunteer opportunities, contact:

Stacey Vigallon([email protected],(323) 481-4037)or Eleanor Osgood

([email protected]).


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I n t e r p r e t i n g n a t u r e

Rosemary Virula is currently asenior at Dorsey High School and

will be graduating in June. She participated in both Least Ter

colony clean-ups during the schoolyear, helped collect data for theGreat Backyard Bird Count this pastspring, and has been an activemember of her campuss eco-cluband student leadership program

Rosemary will attendCSU Northridge in the fall.

July/August 2008 9

by Stacey Vigallon

Rosemary Virula, Intern

W

elcome to the new

Interpreting Nature

column. The goal ofthis new feature is to keep readersapprised of Los Angeles Audubonsnatural science interpretation projects.

But first an essential questionWhat exactly is natural scienceinterpretation? Essentially, naturalscience interpretation involvestranslating concepts and data fromhighly technical science-speak into

verbal and visual components easilyunderstood by people who arentscientists. Ideally, the finishedproject is engaging and leaves theparticipant feeling well informed. Ifyouve ever been to a museum or

nature center, thumbed through afield guide, or watched a naturalhistory documentary, then yourewell acquainted with scienceinterpretation.

Los Angeles Audubonsinterpretive projects include docentprograms, printed publications, andoutdoor signage. The long-runningBallona Wetlands education

program managed by Cindy Hardinand Barbara Courtois is an excellentexample of science interpretation inaction. Other docent and education programs are in development for

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Areaas well as the soon-to-open BaldwinHills Overlook Park (more on that inthis issues Volunteer Corner). Lastfall Los Angeles Audubon published aguide to the native plant garden atKenneth Hahn, and permanent signs

for a self-guided tour of the garden aresoon to follow.

We also have big ideas for ourSnowy Plover, Least Tern, and

Audubon At Home programs, andwell keep you posted as they

progress.

Not only do we have a newcolumn about interpretation, butwed also like to introduce you to

our new intern who will be workingon several of Los AngelesAudubons interpretation projects.


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10 Western Tanager

S panning a mix of habitatsfrom ocean to coast to

mountains to interiordeserts, Los Angeles Countyexperiences a rich and variedspring migration. Nearly everyspecies of bird that migratesthrough California this spring, is

heading north through thecounty at some point betweenJanuary and early June. Andthese migrants can be foundalmost anywhere.

While the Los Angeles basin ishyper-developed, it is still arelatively hospitable environmentfor migrating songbirds. Even thedowntown area has many parks

and patches of green, and insuburbia there are homes and parks with exotic trees, shrubs,water features and endless lawns.While not ideal, these areasmitigate at least to some extent thehabitat lost due to human

population growth.

Out on the desert, some humanactivity can actually be a good thing.

Any patch of green ranches,irrigation ditches, windbreaks, cityparks and golf courses offers anoasis for birds in need of food, waterand rest and a great place for birdersto look for them (assuming of coursethat the owner is amenable). Spring

on the desert is often windy andsome days may be slow, but otherscan produce plenty of birds.

For all its potential however,reports indicated that migration

through early May wasunderwhelming. Weatherconditions conspired with thecalendar to turn some of the bestApril weekends into hot, dry andrelatively birdless ones. Migrants

were certainly moving through,but for the most part impressivenumbers of birds were not beingencountered.

Even our ABC (Americas BirdiestCounty) competition reflected thetrend and scored markedly fewerbirds than last years knockout 272.Observers did find 256 differentspecies from April 26-28, which is

quite respectable by any measureand undoubtedly will match up withthe top few counties in the country.

Each spring similar numbers of birds follow the same migration

routes, but changing conditions onthe ground and in the air can produce noticeably differentresults from one year to the next,at least from the human observers

perspective. Weather fronts,winds, heat, the marine layer andthe concentrative effects ofdrought - or lack thereof - all havetheir effects on observed numbersof birds.

Nevertheless, a variety ofnorthbound migrants as well aslingering wintering birds combined

to paint the picture of Los Angeles

County avifauna from mid-Marchthrough mid-May

Aside from a Snow Goosecontinuing in Willowbrook throughearly April and few lingeringCackling Geese, the only other

noteworthy report was of twoBrant- common migrants along thecoast but scarce inland- at the PiutePonds on Edwards AFB on May 6(Mike San Miguel).

Aside from the usual Surf Scotersone White-winged Scoter was atthe Ballona Creek mouth fromMarch 21-30 (Barbara Johnson)and at least three remained at

Quail Lake near Gorman throughApril 4 (Jon Feenstra).

A single Black Scoter continuedat Dockweiler State Beach in ESegundo through April 2 when it

was joined by a second bird(Richard Barth). Another Blackwas at Point Dume on April 5(Mike San Miguel) and two morewere at the Ballona Creek mouth

on April 8 (Tori Collender).

Other sea ducks included a femaleLong-tailed Duck continuing atBallona Creek mouth throughMarch 30 and an immature male

off Dockweiler Beach on April 13-21 (Richard Barth).

bi rds of th e season by Jon Fisher


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July/August 2008 11

Back in May of 2007, an adult

Little Blue Heron appeared atHansen Dam. A year later almostto the day, what was probably thesame bird was there again on May10 (Kimball Garrett).

Swainsons Hawks continued tomove through in small numberswith a half dozen sightingstotaling three dozen individualsbeing tallied during the period. A

coordinated effort to find thesehawks would likely turn up manymore, as they can easily passthrough unnoticed.

Solitary Sandpipers put on a

decent show with the first reportcoming from Madrona Marsh inTorrance on April 2 (DaveMoody). This was followed byfive other individuals at variouslocations and a group of three- an

unusual number for spring- at theSepulveda Basin on April 27.Another Solitary at the PiutePonds on May 3 was the only onereported away from the coastal

plain (Mike San Miguel).

Red Knots arent all that rarealong the southern Californiacoast, but in Los Angeles Countythere are precious few places onehas a hope of finding them. Thus

one at Del Rey Lagoon in Playadel Rey on March 26-30 was ofinterest (Michael Zarky). Thereare but a handful of documented

records for this locality.

The only report of a springSemipalmated Sandpiper wasone at the Piute Ponds on May 3(Mike San Miguel).

An cooperative adult Franklins

Gull found at Malibu Lagoon onApril 1 hung around for a week

offering birders great views(Muriel Kotin). This bird wasfollowed a month later by fourFranklins at the lagoon on May 1(Richard Barth, Jim Hardesty, JimMoore). Another Franklins was

at Del Rey Lagoon in Playa del

Rey from April 26-29 (Bob Pann)and three more were at theLancaster Sewer Ponds on May 7(Mike San Miguel).

Rare in the Antelope Valley were aGlaucous-winged Gull and aHerring Gull at the Lancaster SewerPonds on April 4 (Jon Feenstra).

Two Black-legged Kittiwakes- rare

inshore in recent years- turned up onthe beach at Malibu Lagoon on April20 (Nick & Mary Freeman).

Good numbers ofBlack Terns can

move through the deserts in springas evidenced by the forty-seven atthe Lancaster Sewer Ponds andanother forty at the Piute Ponds onMay 3 (Mike San Miguel).

A very nice find was a Gull-billedTern- only the second countyrecord- seen flying by Point Dumeon April 5 (Mike San Miguel).Amazingly, this bird was followed by the brief appearance of three

Gull-billed Terns almost a monthlater at Malibu Lagoon on May 3(Jon Fisher). Interestingly, severalwere at Bolsa Chica in OrangeCounty on May 1 and the Malibu

area birds may have originatedfrom there. Certainly thesesightings raise the possibility ofadditional records in the countythis spring and summer.

Lesser Nighthawks had returned

to Big Tujunga Wash by April 2(Kimball Garrett). The SanGabriel River drainage below

Azusa Canyon is also a reliablespot to look for them in the earlyevening. Breeding still occurs inthe vicinity of these broad canyonwashes in spite of extensive

development.

A Burrowing Owl, a scarcetransient, was in South Pasadenaon April 10 (David Whitman)Meanwhile, the San Gabriel

Mountains were a productive areafor owls for those willing to gosearching for them. NorthernPygmy, Saw-Whet, Spotted andWestern Screech-Owls can all befound with a little effort. These

mountains are relatively pristine

and habitat alteration has beenminimal by comparison, thusmuch of the avifauna that wasthere historically remains intact.

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker thatspent the winter at the VillageGreen condos in Los Angeleslingered quite late, being last seenon March 27 (Don Sterba).

A Hairy Woodpecker was atHansen Dam on March 29(Kimball Garrett). These birds arescarce anywhere in the lowlandsbut breeding takes place along the

Santa Clara River and is suspectedat Hansen. A White-headedWoodpecker at St. AndrewsPriory near Valyermo on April 6(Mark Scheel) was away fromnormal areas of occurrence.

Scattered reports of single birds and pairsofEurasian Collared-Doves seemed toindicate the slow but inevitable spread ofthis species in the county. Away from thedeserts where they are already more

widely established, reports are slowlybecoming more frequent from the LosAngeles Basin and surrounding areas.


12/20

12 Western Tanager

After having presumably spent

the winter, a Dusky-cappedFlycatcher remained throughApril 3 at Creek Park in LaMirada. A Gray Flycatchercontinued at the Arboretum

through April 9 and a migrant

Gray was at Sycamore Canyon inWhittier on April 27 (LarrySchmahl). An immature maleVermilion Flycatcher wasdiscovered at Palos Verdes Nature

Park on April 12 (Carla Sedlacek,Paul Irving).

A Plumbeous Vireo was atHansen Dam on March 29(Kimball Garrett) and a singing

bird at the Sepulveda Basin onApril 11-19 (Jon Fisher, BobPann, Alan Dunn) was almostcertainly a migrant as none wereknown to have wintered here.

A singing Bells Vireo at ElDorado Park in Long Beach onMarch 31 (Kevin Alcaino) was atthe same spot where one wasfound last spring. Further

evidence of breeding should bewatched for at this locale. Thisspecies, once on the brink ofbeing extirpated from coastal LosAngeles County, has reboundedsurprisingly well in the last two

decades. Illustrative of that factwere the 15 Bells Vireoterritories at Hansen Dam byearly May (Kimball Garrett).This is one of the Brown-headed

Cowbirds favorite host speciesand trapping efforts and otherfactors have had a very positiveeffect on vireo populations. Thisin spite of the fact that littlehistorical breeding habitat remains.

A first record for Hansen Damwas a male CaliforniaGnatcatcher found there on

March 29 (Kimball Garrett) and present through April 19. Therehave been several unconfirmedreports from the Tujunga drainageover the years and this speciesshould be looked for as possibly

breeding in the area, particularly at

the east end of the basin where lessdisturbed habitat still exists.Undoubtedly a few pairs still breedin as yet undiscovered locations.

Though its still early in theseason a couple of easternvagrant warblers were found. Asinging male Northern Parulawas found at Banning Park in

Wilmington on May 11 (Mike San

Miguel) and a NorthernWaterthrush was nearby atHarbor Park on the same day(Martin Byhower).

A Summer Tanager, l ikely thesame bird found on January 21,was at Los Angeles NationalCemetery on April 21 (RichardBarth) and another SummerTanager was in Claremont on

April 27-May 11 (Paul Clarke).

Sparrows of interest included arather late Vesper Sparrow atPeck Pit in Monrovia on May 11(Jon Fisher), a wintering White-

throated Sparrow continuing atEaton Canyon through April 1,and a very rare Pink-sidedJunco found at St. AndrewsPriory near Valyermo on April 25

(Jon Feenstra).

Small numbers ofYellow-headedBlackbirds regularly occur astransients on the coastal plain inspring, but remarkable was aflock of over 150 at the Ballona

Freshwater Marsh on April 27(Jonathan Coffin).

There were reports of a fewsmall groups ofRed Crossbillsscattered through the AntelopeValley with at least one pairbuilding an nest at Apollo Park

in Lancaster as of April 4 (JonFeenstra). Such activity in

lowland areas is noteworthy butnot unprecedented. Extensivenon-native plantings haveallowed this species to breed

coastally on the Palos VerdesPeninsula and at Point Loma inpast decades.

With spring migration havinglargely ended by the end of May

there will be a very short

window before fall migration begins in earnest. Easouthbound shorebirds wilappear soon, with WilsonsPhalaropes showing up as early

as the first week of June whilelate passerines are still headingnorth.

For the moment, theres a little

time to pay attention to breeding

birds, which hopefully we weredoing all along anyway. Manyof our foothill canyons are alivewith activity in May and Junewhile the higher mountains offer

a different mix of breeding birdswith breeding activity shiftedslightly later. In these higherand still largely unbirded SanGabriels, there are stilldiscoveries to be made.

Various streams and springsalong the Angeles CrestHighway should have sufficientwater this year to make checkingthem worthwhile.

Old standbys such as CharltonFlat, Chilao Flat, BuckhornVincent Gap and Mt. Baden-


13/20

July/August 2008 13

Powell can all be great places tobird from May through July. Inaddition, there are many lesserknown and little explored partsof the mountains that have

potential.

Occasionally a rarity turns up inthe San Gabriels Pain tedRedstarts, Graces Warblers(with one spending a cold winter

at Chilao), Northern Parula andothers have been found here.Its been three decades since aRed-faced Warbler was turnedup in the San Gabriels, so maybewere due

The deserts will mostly beblistering hot, but neverthelesswill host numbers of southboundshorebirds by July. The PiutePonds will be well covered by

those with the appropriate permissions, but other spotssuch as the Lancaster SewerPonds and the puddle of water atG Street and the 14 Freeway

may be productive as well.

The lower Los Angeles Rivershould prove to be the hot spotfor shorebirds once again fromJuly through September. Somany good birds have been

found here in the past few yearsthat its nearly certain it will beproductive for vagrants again.

Coastally there are few spots inthe county suitable forshorebirds, but Malibu Lagoon,the Ballona area and even tinyZuma Creek mouth are all worthchecking. While some birdslinger for hours or even days,

others may come and go in mereminutes or even seconds.Timing can be everything

N12466 $24.00

The Life of the Skies

Jonathan Rosen

In a spirit of celebration and curiosity,

Jonathan Rosen has written a fresh and

utterly fascinating new exploration of birdsand beyond. A mixture of memoir, nature

writing, history, and philosophy, The Life of

the Skies is an illuminating look at the

complex relationship humans have with

their flying counterparst and a history of

America viewed on the wing.

N10047 $26.95

Guide to the Birds of Alaska,

5th Edition

Robert H. Armstrong

New Expanded and Updated EditionobertArmstrongs Guide to the Bird of Alaska has

been a must-have for Alaska birders for

more than twenty-five years. Now in its

fifth edition, Armstrong provides

completely updated information plus

hundreds of new photos. Every bird is now

illustrated in this classic guide, including all

casuals and accidentals.This comprehensive

guide offers the most up-to-date knowledge

about the birds in Alaska, including the 480

species on the current list.

N12372 $29.95

A Bird-Finding Guide to Panama

George R. Angehr, Dodge Engleman, and

Lorna Engleman

A Bird-Finding Guide to Panama is an

essential tool for anyone traveling in search o

Panamas spectacular birds and natura

attractions. With more than 970 species and a

growing infrastructure of good roads, eco

lodges, and restaurants, Panama is a premier

birding and nature tourism destination in theneotropics. The countrys unique geography

small size, and varied habitats make it possible

to see a vast diversity of birds within a shor

time. The isthmus is a crossroads for the

hemispheres birdlife Panamas varied

avifauna includes such Central American

specialties as the Resplendent Quetzal in its

western highlands, while in the east, in San

Blas and the Darien, species more

characteristic of South America, such as the

Blue-and-yellow Macaw, are found.

N12457 $15.99

Guas Visuales Pjaro Escrito

porDavid Burnie

S testigo del momento en emocionante en

que nace una cra y de su crecimiento en e

nido, y cmo los pjaros se escondenvuelan, cazan y comen.

N a t u r e S t o r e


14/20

14 Western Tanager

$ Saturday, June 28

Night Owling Field Trip

Leader: Raymond Schep

Target birds include NorthernPygmy-Owl, Flammulated Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, WesternScreech (easier), and CommonPoorwill. It will be much easier to

hear these birds a than see them.Until dark we will bird formounatain specialties such asCassins finch and White-headedWoodpecker. We will take a gentlehike into a canyon looking forSpotted Owl. Theyre all up there,

but no promises! Leave promptly at5:30 PM from where the 210 Fwyand Angeles Crest Highwayintersect in La Canada. Exit the 210

at Angeles Crest Hwy N. About oneblock up is a frontage road on the

right, where we will park andcarpool. Finish around midnight.Bring a warm jacket, a full stomach,snacks, and a Forest ServiceAdventure Pass. Send $15, phone

number, e-mail address (if you haveit) and a SASE to L.A. AudubonsP.O Box to sign up. Limit 16.

$ Thursday through Sunday, July 3-6

Quaking Aspen

Camping Trip for Owls

Leaders: Mary & Nick FreemanCampground is aboveSpringville, and Camp Nelson

near Ponderosa in the

southwest Sierras. Owling bynight, bird walks by day! Wemay also look at somebutterflies! Hopeful birds:Flammulated, Northern Saw-

whet, Spotted owls and others;Pileated Woodpecker, WinterWren, Hammonds Flycatcher,Hermit Warbler and more.Some meals will be potluck,others provided or eat out.

Tentatively meet Thursday3:00PM at Quaking AspenCampground Group Site G(already reserved). More detailsin flyer. Send SASE, phone, e-mail and $70 to L. A.

Audubons P.O. Box to reserve.10 sign-ups max., no childrenor pets, please.

f i e l d t r i p s

$ Fee Event SASEField 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 not

offer 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.

BIRD WALKS are geared for the

beginner / intermediate looking for

an introduction or less strenuous

excursion. FIELD TRIPS often

require more time or effort, and

delve more deeply into

identification, natural histories and

interactions observed in the field.

All are welcome on either type of

trip. Reserveper directions in the

gray box on this page.

No pets or small children, please.

INCREASE IN PRICES: LosAngeles Audubon is increasing

prices on longer trips to build up

funds including the Schreiber

Grant Fund, which is given out

to deserving non-professiona

avian researchers who have

limited access to funding

Envelopes for voluntary

contributions will be distributed

on some other trips.


15/20


16/20

f i e l d t r i p s

16 Western Tanager

Sunday, August 31

Huntington Central Park andBolsa Chica Wetlands Field Trip

Leader: Irwin WoldmanStart at the park, then on to thewetlands. Huntington Central Parkis excellent for migrating songbirds.The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

wetlands were recently opened toincreased tidal flow, dredged in the back channel for more wetlandhabitat, and the walkways were

elevated for improved wildlifeviewing. Flocks of shorebirds

should be heading south, withleftover terns, early gulls, herons,and resident Beldings SavannahSparrow. Bring a lunch for a fullday of birds. Meet at 7:30 AM inthe park parking lot on the south

side of Slater Ave. just east ofGolden West St. in HuntingtonBeach. No sign up.

$ September 13 & 14 Weekend

Galileo Hills and Beyond

Field Trip

Leaders: Nick& Mary FreemanGalileo is arguably the best fallmigrant trap in the state. Westernwarblers and flycatchers should

headline. Reptiles may beencountered! For those who stickaround for Sunday, we may return toGalileo Hill, visit Piute Ponds, orventure farther afield, as dictated by

our rambling hearts and bird reports.Take Hwy 14 about 4 miles pastMojave, then turn right onCalifornia City Blvd. Drive through

town about a mile past the shops,

turn left past the golf course onRandsburg-Mojave Rd., and veerright on 20 Mule Team Rd. Turn lefton Rutgers Rd. at the Silver Saddlesign before the hill, take your firstpaved right, your first right again,into the Silver Saddle Country Club,

followed by two paved lefts into thelot. Park by the first pond. About 2hrs driving time from Los AngelesSend $25 fee and SASE to Audubon

House to reserve. 12 max. Bringlunches, sun block. Reserve rooms

for both nights in Mojave. Meet at7:00 AM Saturday, finish up perhaps3-4ish Sunday.

$ Saturday, September 20

Piute Ponds

Leader: Todd BatteyA good mix of shorebirds, waterfowl

and songbirds, with a chance atLeContes Thrasher, and Bairds andPectoral sandpipers at this limited

access military facility. Possibleextension to Apollo Park, sewage ponds or elsewhere afterwards.Carpool at Golden Valley Road Park& Ride on Fwy 14, meeting atAvenue S Park & Ride in Palmdale

at 7:45AM. Bring lunch, water andsunblock for a full day of birding.Typically hot weather, and oftenafternoon wind. To reserve withLAAS, send SASE by September15 with name, phone number, checkfor $15, and e-mail address(optional) to Audubon House.

Limited sign-up of 15, so you are

not registered without confirmation No drop-ins. High clearanvehicles, scopes and FRS radios aplus. No cameras on base!

$ Saturday, September 27San Diego Area Field Trip

Leaders: Nick& Mary Freeman

A good portion of the morning wilcertainly be spent at Pt. Loma. Someodd birds have been known to pop

up here during late migration. Otherpossible areas include the Tijuana

River marsh and nearby farm fieldsTake the 5 Fwy S about three miles past Route 52 to the ClairemonDrive offramp and head W into thesmall lot adjacent to the MissionBay Information Center. Meet E of

the kiosk at 8:00 AM. Bring a lunchSend $25 fee to Audubon House.

Saturday, October 4

Malibu to McGrath Field Trip

Leader: Dexter Kelly

Late passerines and shorebirdsshould be moving through coastalmigration spots, mixed with earlywintering birds. Possibly 100species. Take PCH N over the bridgein Malibu, and turn right on Cross

Creek Road for street parking (andStarbucks). Cross PCH, and meet inthe lagoon parking lot at 7:30 AMfor a full day of birding (bringlunch). There may be one or twoaccess fees at McGrath, elsewhere

Fee for those parking at the lagoonNo sign-up for the trip. Nominadonation suggested.


17/20

B i r d W a l k s

July/August 2008 17

First Sunday of every month

Sunday, July 6Sunday, August 3Sunday, September 7Topanga State Park Bird Walk

Leaders: Ken Wheeland and

Chris TosdevinKen & Chris will leadparticipants through this beautifuland diverse coastal mountainarea. This is an ideal trip for a

beginning birder or someone newin the area. From Ventura Blvd.,take Topanga Canyon Blvd. 7miles S, turn E uphill on EntradaRd. Follow the signs and turn

left into Trippet Ranch parkinglot. From PCH, take TopangaCyn. Blvd. 5 miles to Entrada Rd.Parking $2. Time: 8:00a.m.Contacts:Ken: [email protected](310)455-1401,Chris: (310)455-1270

Third Sunday, all year

Sunday, July 20Sunday, August 17

Sunday, September 21Ballona Wetlands Bird Walk

Leader: Bob Shanman andFriends

Come enjoy our nearest wetlandand adjacent rocky jetty.

Migrating shorebirds and ternsshould be coming through. Meetat the Del Rey Lagoon parkinglot. Take the Marina Fwy (90 W)to Culver Blvd. and turn left for a

mile, turn right on Pacific Ave.

The lot is on the right. Lot orstreet parking is usually not a problem. Three-hour walk.Scopes helpful. Time: 8:00a.m.Contact: Bob Shanman

[email protected]

(310)326-2473

Fourth Saturday every month

Saturday, July 26Saturday, August 23

Saturday, September 27Whittier Narrows Bird Walk

Leader: Park Ranger RayJillson

View colorful resident birds,possibly including the introduced

Northern Cardinal. Take Peck Dr.off the 60 Fwy in South El Monte(just west of the 605 Fwy). Takethe off ramp onto Durfee Ave.heading W (right) and turn left

into the Nature Center, 1000Durfee Ave. Time: 8:15a.m.Contact: Ray Jillson:

[email protected]

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Echo Park Lake Birdwalk

Leader: Judy RaskinMeet at 9:00 a.m. at theBoathouse, 751 Park Ave., Los

Angeles, near Laguna Ave.

Plenty of street parking. Take aleisurely walk around Echo ParkLake, one of the oldest in LosAngeles. More than 70 speciescall Echo Park their home for all

or part of the year. They includeMallards, great-tailed grackles,American coots, great blueherons, great egrets, hawks andvarious gulls and doves. This is

an excellent walk for beginners.Parents are encouraged to taketheir children. Binocularsrecommended, and a bird guide,if you have one.Directions: From N/B 101

(Hollywood) Freeway, exit EchoPark Ave. and continue northabout mile. From S/B 101Freeway, exit GlendaleBlvd./Union Ave., go left onTemple St., left on Glendale

Blvd., right on Bellevue Ave.,then left on Echo Park Ave. to theboathouse.For more information:(323) 663-6767 or [email protected]

Bird Walks are geared for the beginner/intermediate nature lover who wants to learn more about local birds.These walks will also be an introduction to our local urban parks and wildlife magnets. Appropriate for

families with children 8 years and older. Binoculars are provided.


18/20

2 0 0 8 p e l a g i c s c h e d u l e

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


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 if

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 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.

18 Western Tanager

Saturday, September 6

A deep water trip to Cherry,Tanner and Cortez Banks.

This trip departs from the SantaBarbara Harbor at 7:00 a.m. on the

fast catamaran Condor Express andreturns approximately at 8:00 p.m.We are far offshore in 3 countiesSanta Barbara, Ventura and LosAngeles. Birds expected: NorthernFulmar; One Cooks Petrel was

seen in 2005; Ashy and Leachs

storm-petrels; South Polar Skua;Parasitic, Pomarine and Long-tailedjaegers; Sabines Gull; Arctic Tern.Red-billed Tropicbirds are usually

seen on this trip. Rarities seen:Black-footed Albatross; BullersShearwater; Least Storm-Petrel andCraveris Murrelet. Blue, Fin andMinke whales as well as severalspecies of dolphins can be seen.

Leaders: Todd McGrath, Jon

Feenstra, Dave Compton, andDavid Pereksta. $198. The trip willbe cancelled if there is insufficientresponse 35 days prior to departure.There is a complete galley that

serves breakfast lunch and dinner.

Save $5.00 with an early sign-up

60 days prior

to the trip departure.

Saturday, October 18

Northern Channel Islands

Monument Trip

This 8 hour trip departs from theIsland Packers dock in the Ventura

Harbor at 8:00 a.m. on the fastcatamaran Islander. After dropping

off campers on Santa Cruz Island,we will have the boat to ourselvesand cruise around Santa Cruz Islandto the Santa Cruz Passage by Santa

Rosa Island, and along the SantaRosa Flats to the deeper water nearSan Nicholas Island. Then, we willreturn by Arch Rock at AnacapaIsland. Birds seen on prior trips:

Northern Fulmar; Pink-footed Sootyand Black-vented Shearwaters;

Black Storm-Petrel; comorants (3);Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers;Sabines Gull; rocky shorebirds ( upto 5); Common Murre; Craveris and

Xantuss Murrelets; Cassins Auklet.Rarities: Bullers and Flesh-footedShearwaters; South Polar Skua;Long-tailed Jaeger. Blue, Finbackand Humpback whales have beenseen on this trip. In 2002, a Streaked

Shearwater, and in 2003 a Brown

Booby and 2 Manx Shearwaterswere seen.Leaders: Todd McGrath, JonFeenstra, David Pereksta.$130 There is a snack-type galley

with beverages, bring your lunch.


19/20

July/August 2008 19

PhotobyHerbClarke

Mountain Village Lodge, located on the shores of Lake Duluti, a perfect place to relax before embarking on your safari

experience. Magnificent views of snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro or the rugged peaks of Mount Meru.

Northern Tanzania

Birding & Wildlife Safari

October 8-22, 2008 - Extension- Saadani N.P. & Zanzibar

Anyone with just a slight interestin birds will be astonished by thebeauty and diversity of birds one caneasily observe on a TANZANIAwildlife safari. Within Tanzania's

borders, over 1,000 species of birdshave been recorded. From thebeautifully-striking Hoopoe, to theyelping cry of the Fish Eagle, thecolorful bee-eaters, the struttingSecretary Bird, and the long-legged

grace of the Crowned Crane - all andmore make this country of classicsavannahs, craters, lakes and rivers amust for the serious birder, as well as

the first-timer to Africa. The massiveherds of wildebeest, zebras,Thompson's Gazelles, the gatheringof Lions, Spotted Hyenas, leopards,cheetahs, along with jackals and

vultures are possible.From the world-renowned

Ngorongoro Crater, the largestunbroken volcanic caldera in theworld, and the Olduvai Gorge,famous for the Leakeys discovery of

remains dating back over 2 millionyears, to lush forests - photograpicopportunities are endless. Join us foryour dream of a lifetime adventure. Red Colobus Monkey, Photo by Herb Clarke

For information anditinerary, contact:

Olga Clarke,Los Angeles Audubon,

Travel Director

2027 El Arbolita Dr.,Glendale, CA91208-1805

Ph/Fax: [email protected]


20/20

Los Angeles Audubon Society

P.O. Box 931057


DATED MATERIAL

Please Expedite

www . l a a u d u b o n . o r g

Membership MEETINGS

There are No Evening Meetings in July and August - Go Birding!

Coming in September...

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Jordan Karubianpresents Ground-cuckoos, Umbrellabirds and other rain

forest delights: highlights from five years of research and conservation

work in the Ecuadorian Choco.

A u d u b o n H o u s e

L o s A ng e l e s A ud u b on

Headquarters, Nature Store, and Library

7377 Santa Mo nica Blvd. (at M artel Ave.)

West Hollyw ood, CA 90046

OPEN:Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

Saturday, July 5, 2008 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m

Saturday, August 2, 2008 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m

CLOSED

Monday, September 1, 2008 - Labor Day

july-august 2008 western tanager newsletter - los angeles audubon

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