september-october 2009 pelican newsletter lahontan audubon society
TRANSCRIPT
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PelicanLahontan Audubon Society P.O. Box 2304 Reno, Nevada 89505 www.nevadaaudubon.org 775-324-BIRDMission statement: To preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate
the public, with emphasis on children, providing vision to all about our unique Nevada environments.
MONTHLY MEETINGS
Date: Fourth Tuesday of the month
Time: Social at 6:30 p.m. Program starts at 7 p.m.
Location: South Valleys Library
15650A Wedge Parkway, Reno
Exterior door, west side of building
Directions to South Valleys Library: Take Hwy 395 to the Mt. Rose Hwy.
Head west on the Mt. Rose Hwy and take the rst right turn onto Wedge Park-
way, just past Raleys shopping center. Go about one mile on Wedge Parkway
and look for the boldly designed, mustard yellow library on the right.
Carpooling is encouraged.
September 22 - George Baumgardner, Curator of Natural History,Nevada State Museum - John James Audubon: Artist and Naturalist
John J. Audubon dedicated most of his life to making images of nature
in the Americas of the early 1800s. His most recognized work, Birds
of America, featured all avian species known from the United States
of that time. Using images from this work, George will discuss how
Audubons art developed, how it differed from similar work of the
period, and how it still has impact today. When possible, emphasis will
be placed on birds living in the current day western United States.
October 27 - Mary Gaspari - The Amazing Birds of Prey
Mary, a licensed master falconer here in Reno, will discuss the history
and biology of falconry and bring a couple of her birds for us to see. She
currently owns two silver Gyrfalcons and a Coopers Hawk, which she
often takes to various locations for presentations. Mary will also teach
us how to identify different birds of prey and discuss current issues
pertinent to falconry. Join us for a fun and informative evening and a rare
chance to get up close and personal with these marvelous animals.
Bring your cameras!
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2009
vol. 47, no. 1
Inside This Issue
1 Monthly Meetings
2 Ask a Birder
3 Field Trips
4 Of Note from thePresident
5 Birds and More
9 The Avid Birder
10 Birds In Town
11 LAS Sales/Membership
Submissions for the November/
December issue are due October 1, 2009
The Pelican may be viewed on the LAS
website at www.nevadaaudubon.org,
click on the Newsletter tab.
The Pelican 1
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2 The Pelican
In this space, the LAS Bird Brain
will answer your questions about
birds and birding in northern Nevada.
Dear Bird Brain,
I saw a very strange looking dove
in my yard. At rst I thought it was
just another Mourning Dove, but it
had a black stripe across the back
of its neck and its tail didnt come
to a point like a Mourning Doves
tail. What could it bea mutated
Mourning Dove?
Sincerely,
Frazzled in Fallon
Dear Frazzled,
You most likely
observed a Eurasian
Collared-Dove
and not a mutant
Mourning Dove.
The Eurasian Collared-Dove, as its
name implies, has a black collar
(which is the black stripe you saw on
the back of its neck) and a rounded
tail. The Mourning Dove does not
have a collar, has a denite pointed
tail (as opposed to the Eurasian
Collared-Doves rounded tail),
and is noticeably smaller than the
Eurasian Collared-Dove. Also a bit
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Pelican is the ofcial newsletter of the Lahontan AudubonSociety and is published six times annually. Subscriptions are
paid for as part of the dues of LAS or the National Audubon
Society. LAS welcomes gifts, donations, and bequests in gen-
eral, or gifts in honor or memory of relatives and friends. Such
donations will be used as specied or, if unspecied, will be
used to support LAS education and conservation projects. All
donations are tax deductible.
WHERE TO WRITE:Keep conservation to the forefront. Write your elected ofcials and
tell them how you feel:
Senator Harry Reid Senator John Ensign
400 S. Virginia St. #902 400 S. Virginia St. #738
Reno, NV 89501 Reno, NV 89501
Toll-free: 1-866-736-7343 Reno phone: 775-686-5770
Representative Dean Heller Governor Jim Gibbons
400 S. Virginia St. #502 101 N. Carson St.
Reno, NV 89501 Carson City, NV 89710
Reno phone: 775-686-5760 775-684-5670
ASK A [email protected]
obvious from its name, the Eurasian
Collared-Dove is not native to
North America; its origins extend
from southeastern Europe to Japan.
It expanded across Europe in the
1900s and was introduced to NorthAmerica, via the Bahamas, in the
mid-1970s. It then made its way to
Florida in the early 1980s. Since its
introduction, it has rapidly colonized
North America and, according to
the NVBIRDS Listserv archives,
appeared in southern Nevada in
2001, and over the next couple of
years, made its way to northern
Nevada.
The Eurasian Collared-Dove is
obviously highly opportunistic and
does well in urban areas where
there is a consistent supply of food
in backyard feeders and plentiful
planted trees for nesting and
roosting. And keep your ears open
too, not only are their calls a bit
different (a four-syllable ooAAH
cooo coo coo for the Mourning Dove
vs. a three-syllable coo COOO cup
for the Eurasian Collared-Dove), the
Mourning Doves wings produce a
whistling sound on takeoff and the
Eurasian Collared-Dove can sneak
away without a sound.
Happy Birding,
The Bird Brain
The Bird Brain required a little
assistance and found various tidbits
of information at the followingwebsites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Eurasian_Collared-dove
http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/
species/630
http://list.audubon.org/wa.exe
Do you have a question about
birds or birding in northern
Nevada? If so, please email
the LAS Bird Brain at
[email protected]. Your
question mightbe selected for the
next issue ofThe Pelican. And
remember, the only silly question
is the one that isnt asked!
Photo by M. Weinstein, Alabaster, AL (www.bird
cornell.edu) showing the size difference between
the Mourning Dove (left) and the Eurasian
Collared-Dove (right).
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The Pelican 3
Saturday, October 10
Taylor Creek, South Lake Tahoe
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Leaders: Sheryl Ferguson, 530-541-
8462, [email protected] andJim Woods
Meet Sheryl and Jim at the Taylor Creek
Visitor Center kiosk. From Reno or
Carson City, take Hwy 50 to South Lake
Tahoe. Follow Hwy 50 South and turn
right onto 89 (Emerald Bay Rd.) at the
Y intersection in South Lake Tahoe,
shortly after Staples. Drive 2.9 miles
from the Y. After Richardsons Resort,
look for the U.S. Forest Service Lake
Tahoe Visitor Center sign on the right
side of the road. Turn in at the sign and
park in the parking lot. This easy half-daybird walk will follow a nature trail (with
handicap access). We will enjoy lunch at
a local burger stand, but you may bring
your own lunch if you prefer. Since this
is a fall trip, added bonuses include looks
at the Kokanee Salmon spawning run and
gorgeous fall colors. After lunch, Sheryl
will also point out places of interest for
birders who wish to continue afternoon
birding on their own.
Sunday, October 18
Oxbow Park, Reno
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Leader: David Jickling, 775-848-0069,
Meet at the Oxbow Park parking lot
for this easy nature trail walk. To get
there, take I-80 West, turn south off the
Keystone Exit, and turn right on Second
Street which turns into Dickerson Road,
then follow it until it ends at the park.
This park is a great local hotspot to nd
fall migrants and to learn about Renos
backyard birds. Plan to spend a fewhours, so bring your binoculars, a scope if
you have one, and water. A great walk for
beginner and experienced birders alike.
FIELD TRIPSChristiane Omer 775-354-2634 [email protected]
Saturday, September 12
Silver Saddle Ranch, Carson City
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Leader: Nancy Santos, 775-884-1570,
Co-sponsors: Lahontan Audubon Society
and Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch.We will meet in the ranch parking lot
located on Carson River Road, off East
5th Street. Plan to spend the morning
exploring the ranch for birds and learning
a little about its history. Habitat at the
ranch includes sagebrush, agricultural
lands, and a riparian corridor adjacent
to the Carson River. The variety of
habitat allows for a diverse number of
bird species to be observed at the ranch.
All levels of birders are welcome and
beginning birders are encouraged toattend. Please contact Nancy Santos to
register or for more information. The
annual Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch
Breakfast will follow the bird walk. All
eld trip attendees are encouraged to stay,
eat, and visit. Donations for the breakfast
are appreciated.
Saturday September 19
Red Lake, California (Hwy 88)
Time: 8:00a.m.
Leader: Jim Woods, 775-265-3914,
Come on south and bird a nice little
lake in the Sierras. We will be hikingalmost around the lake following an easy
trail (1.5 miles). The likely birds will
be Tree and Cliff Swallow, Dark-eyed
Junco, Yellow Warbler, White-headed
Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker,
Downy Woodpecker, nuthatches,
Mountain Chickadee, Western Wood-
Pewee, ycatchers, sandpipers, ducks,
hawks, and with a lot of luck, Northern
Goshawk, Osprey, and/or Bald Eagle.
To get there: Take 395 south to Minden,
turn onto Hwy 88 (Woodfords/Jackson),
and go 14 miles south to the junctionwith Hwy 89 (Markleeville). Continue
on Hwy 88 for 14 miles to the Red Lake
turn off. Time from Reno is about two
hours. Please call for reservations; space
is limited to 12.
Saturday, September 26
Stillwater NWR
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Leader: Mike Goddard, 775-423-5128
Meet at the refuge ofce, 1000 Auction
Road, just off Williams Avenue (US
50) behind the Speedway gas station.We will tour Stillwater NWR and/or
Carson Lake and Pasture depending upon
wetland conditions. Due to the shortened
irrigation season, some wetland areas
may not have water yet. Refuge staff
will bring two spotting scopes. The new
refuge tour loop is open and staff will
brief you on pending construction of the
Duffs Pond Environmental Education
facility. Please reserve your space with
Mike Goddard, Stillwater NWR Project
Leader.
Saturday, October 3
Swan Lake/Lemmon Valley Marsh,
North Reno
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Bob Goodman, 775-972-7848,
Meet Bob (look for his van) at the
McDonalds parking lot off Exit 74,
Lemmon Valley on Hwy 395 north of
Reno. We will carpool the short distance
to Lemmon Valley Marsh. Bring a
spotting scope if you can, and prepareto be out until mid-day. It is a good time
to see fall migrants and winter resident
birds on the marsh and wetlands. This
is an easy bird walk and birders of all
experience are welcome.
Photo of a male Yellow Warbler courtesy
of Alan Gubanich.
(Field Trips continued on page 6)
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4 The Pelican
OF NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT Conservation Chair Search:
The LAS Board of Trustees is
seeking a Conservation Chair for
LAS. The focus and job duties
of the Conservation Chair can
vary considerably depending on
specic ad hoc situations, cycles ofconservation issues, conservation
project opportunities that arise, and
the background and interests of the
individual serving in the position. We
concentrate on projects and issues at
the local level, where we feel we have
the best opportunities and a realistic
ability to achieve effective outcomes.
We defer to National Audubon Society
as the most effective, powerful
channel for national and global issues.
You can nd information aboutConservation Committee activities in
the Conservation Corner column
in The Pelican Newsletterand the
Conservation section of our annual
reports. Both are available on our
website under the Newsletter and
Chapter Info (end of page) tabs,
respectively. If you wish to explore
serving in this position, please contact
me at [email protected] or 775-841-
1180. LAS needs your help.
Welcome to Our Second New
Board Member: As previously
reported, we elected two new Trustees
to the Board. Mary Jo Elpers, our
new Secretary, was introduced in our
last issue. Here is a personal note
from Stephanie Sander: Having
dabbled in birding all my life, I was
happy to nd a home in birding with
Lahontan Audubon Society. I moved
to Nevada two and a half years ago
to be near my folks in Carson City.
Prior to that, I lived in Santa Cruz,
California, for 27 years, where I was
married for 16 years. My career was
as a public health nurse and pediatric
nurse practitioner. Though I have no
children, I make an effort to have
them in my life. I have two indoor cats
and enjoy gardening, music, reading,
and the good ol outdoors. I am able
to enjoy watching many birds at my
feeders and feel blessed to be in such
a beautiful spot. I am an avid recycler
and environmentalist and have loved
being part of such a great group of
people as Ive found in LAS. I willdo my best to be a vital contributor to
the Board.
LAS Well-Served: With our May
chapter elections, two of our Board
members stepped down from positions
in which they had really given it their
all. Bonnie Wagner became a Trustee
in July 2004. She subsequently added
Volunteer Coordination to her work
for LAS. In 2006 Bonnie became our
Recording Secretary. Later on she alsohelped coordinate and give human
resources guidance in our search
for a new IBA Director. This spring
she stepped in for Alan Gubanich to
serve as master of ceremonies for
our second Bird I.D. Panel program.
Bonnie will continue as an LAS
member. We understand that she and
husband Rusty may be spending a
bit more time shining and showing a
classic Chevy. Ali Chaneybecame a
Trustee in 2003 and quickly involved
herself in a variety of activities in
conservation, her passion as well
as her education and employment
background. Ali served as Advocacy
sub-committee chair, Conservation
Chair, and LASs representative in
groups such as the Governors Sage
Grouse Committee and Conservation
Priorities for a Sustainable Nevada.
Ali coordinated a Birdathon dedicated
to funding conservation projects. She
secured National Audubon Society
Collaborative Funding Grants for
reseeding critical hummingbird habitat
in northeastern Nevada, replanting
the Hawken Fire damaged area, and
purchasing binoculars for children
visiting Oxbow NSA. Last issue, you
read about the passage of S.B. 108 /
Mine Claim Markers. Even though
Ali has stepped down as Trustee
and Conservation Chair, she plans
to follow through with projects in
progress ... and who knows what
else? Bonnie and Ali, for your service
and dedication to LAS, always
delivered with good humor, we thankyou very much.
Summer Planning Retreat: The
Board of Trustees and committee
representatives met July 12 for short-
and long-term planning. Morning
sessions included a very productive
Visioning Exercise followed by small-
group work on three specic areas
of opportunity. In the afternoon, we
reviewed plans and budgets for scal
year 2009-2010. We gave some initialconsideration to planning for future
special projects. Participants felt that
it was a very good day. At least thats
what they told Gene Hansel and me,
the coordinators of the day, before we
would let them leave for home!
LAS Annual Report: Our annual
report for July 1, 2008, through
June 30, 2009, has been submitted
to National Audubon Society.
Satisfactory ling of this report leads
to our re-certication as a chapter of
NAS and approximately $3,000 in an
annual baseline payment. The report
is posted at the end of the Chapter
Info section of our website. Besides
the business end of this report, it
provides an excellent opportunity
for all of us to recall and review
our varied activities in birding,
conservation, and education. All is
the fruit of the quality and generosity
of those who volunteer as well as the
moral and nancial support from our
entire membership. Its been another
very good year. Thanks to one and all.
Karen L. Kish
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BIRDS AND MOREKathy Oakes 775-747-5446 [email protected]
Todays subject is not a bird, but an
insect, the Mormon cricket (Anabrus
simplex), which is not a true cricket,
but a long-horned grasshopper,
or katydid. They occur in western
sagebrush lands, usually in fairlylow numbers. However, at times,
Mormon crickets come together
in huge swarms that may cover
thousands of acres and can march
over a mile per day. In these swarms,
crickets can number up to100 per
square yard. There can be so many
crickets killed on roads that they
become a trafc hazard (eeewww,
hydroplaning on crickets guts).
I have encountered a few Mormoncricket swarms in the Nevada
outback (I almost ran out of gas on
Highway 50 when I didnt get gas in
Austin because crickets completely
covered the gas station, including the
pumps yuck), but have not seen
birds eating the insects. I got curious
about what birds are known to eat
Mormon crickets and found a great
paper by Dr. Ira La Rivers, who
taught biology at UNR from 1948
until 1977.
La Rivers observed 28 species of
birds feeding on Mormon crickets
in Nevada. Several hawk species
apparently relish the crickets. Red-
tailed Hawks may feed exclusively
on crickets in areas of big swarms.
La Rivers told an amusing story
about observing a Rough-legged
Hawk through binoculars feeding
on crickets on the ground, with the
crickets jumping away in alarm.When he approached, the hawk
became wary and stopped feeding.
The crickets soon started marching
again right across the hawks feet,
and then climbed up his legs. This
was too much the bird shook one
leg, jumped around, and then took
off (in disgust I bet).
La Rivers listed several songbird
species that he observed eating
crickets. He dubbed the Sage
Thrasher, Brewers Blackbird,
and Western Meadowlark as the
big three in cricket population
destruction because they ate so
many cricket eggs. Crickets lay
their eggs in the soil, as many as
50-100 eggs to a clutch. Boththrashers and meadowlarks dug
up cricket egg-beds to feast on
eggs. Brewers Blackbirds also
appeared to relish eggs, but got them
directly from female crickets. La
Rivers observed that the blackbirds
captured only female crickets, and
split their abdomens open to get the
eggs (cricket caviar?). Other birds
that regularly ate Mormon crickets
included the Black-billed Magpie,Horned Lark, Loggerhead Shrike,
and Greater Sage-grouse.
Smaller birds usually tackled
only immature crickets. However,
La Rivers watched one ambitious
Western Flycatcher that had seized
an adult cricket (they can be
over three inches long). The bird
struggled to subdue the cricket for
many minutes, but could not pierce
its hard shield. Each time the cricket
hopped on its strong hind legs, it
knocked the ycatcher off its feet.
The bird would struggle to its feet
only to be knocked over again and
again. When the cricket nallygrabbed one of the birds legs with
its forelegs, the matter ended with
the bird letting go and ying off.
The citation for the paper is La
Rivers, Ira, 1941, Condor, Vol. 43,
No.1, pages 65-69. A link to the
paper is found at http://elibrary.
unm.edu/sora/Condor. Click on
the appropriate volume and issue,
which will get you to the table of
contents from which the article canbe downloaded as an Acrobat pdf
le. The Sora is a database of older
issues of several ornithological
journals. You can search for a topic
of interest, or browse issues of each
journal.
Photo of a Mormon cricket by Alan Gubanich.
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FIELD TRIPS
Saturday, October 24
Wandering the Carson Valley
Time: 7:00 a.m.-noon
Leader: Jim Woods, 775-265-3914,
[email protected] will tour the Incline Village
General Improvement District Wetlands
in the north valley looking for the
resident and migrant water and wading
birds. Expect ducks, egrets, herons,
blackbirds, swallows, American Coot,
Sora, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren,
American Kestrel, hawks, snipes, and
sandpipers. With any luck there will be
MacGillivrays Warbler, Golden Eagle,
Bald Eagle, falcons, and the sleepovers
of the migrating shore and song birds.Meet at the In & Out Burger in Carson
City (look for Jim in his red pick-up).
From Reno, take Highway 395 south
to Carson City, continue south past its
junction with Highway 50 West (the
road to Spooner/Lake Tahoe) to Topsy
Lane. Turn right and look for the In
& Out to your left. Bring a bag lunch,
plenty of water, and a scope if possible.
Space is limited to 12, so register early.
Field Trip Reports
Strolling the Truckee River
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A group of 16 birders took a tour of
the evening birds on the Truckee Riverat Rock Park. The start of the tour
was delayed an hour, but it was time
well spent listening to the rain on a
tin roof while watching the swallows,
cormorants, and mergansers work the
river. The group welcomed a passing
family (including their deaf dog) to
the tour, and the birders recruited a
new member for LAS before it was all
over. For myself, I learned to bark in
American Sign Language. The birds
cooperated and carried on a lot ofnesting and feeding activity, as well
as singing their evening songs. We
had a total of 33 species. One of the
highlights was a recently edged Great
Horned Owl being mobbed by robins
and blackbirds. My thanks to Janet
Helton and the tour members that made
this a special evening. -Jim Woods
Paige Meadows
Saturday, June 20, 2009
We had a great group of 11 people,
and it was a beautiful morning at
Paige Meadows, albeit with many
mosquitoes. The highlights were a
Dusky Flycatcher, a singing Nashville
Warbler that was singing in the same
spot an hour later, Evening Grosbeaks,
and a MacGillivrays Warbler. We also
tried to nd the Pileated Woodpecker
nest that Richard Carlson found on
Barker Pass Road, but it appeared the
young had edged and there was no
sign of them after 30 minutes. We had
28 species for the day, with four of
them only heard. -Kirk Hardy
Porter Springs
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Twelve birders made it out to the
Porter Springs make-up day, previously
cancelled due to rain, and were greeted
by...well, almost nothing. We saw a
Western Wood-Pewee, a kingbird,
and a few Killdeer, but not much else.
However, there was cloudiness, wind,
a few raindrops, and a road that had
minor washout imperfections (but stillquite useable). Most of the folks had
not been there before, so at least they
now know where the place is and what
it looks like. We decided to visit S-Line
Reservoir in Fallon on the way home,
and the species total for the day jumped
to the low 40s with several duck
species, grebes, Spotted Sandpipers,
2-3 species of swallows, a Swainsons
Hawk, and others. After splitting up
for the day, part of the group headed
for Harmon Reservoir. I stopped at BigSoda Lake (just west of Fallon) and
added Long-billed Curlew, Wilsons
Phalarope, and Black-necked Stilt to
the days list. All in all...it would have
been nice if we could have made the
trip two weeks ago...but we do love the
rain! -Don Molde
Sheldon NWR
June 19-21, 2009
The total number of people was
near 60, mostly Friends of NevadaWilderness (FONW) members. FONW
provided dinner on Saturday and
breakfast on Saturday and Sunday.
There was much discussion of the
new Comprehensive Conservation
Planning effort around the campre.
We had eight work teams out removing
fence, posting the refuge boundary, and
building fence around springs to keep
the wild horses from damaging them.
The refuge received a lot of spring
rain and looked exceptionally greenand lush. The work teams were rained
and hailed upon on Saturday but still
accomplished all the work that was
planned. -Michael Goddard
Donors
American Avocet $50 - $99Martis Camp Club
Mountain Bluebird $20 - 49Thomas and Jean Reeves
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
$10 - $19Toni and Bob Hamiltonin memory of Robin Jorgensen
Starnes
John Axtell
Penny Whalen
(Field Trip Reports continued on page 7)
(continued from page 3)
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The Pelican 7
FIELD TRIPS
(continued from page 6)
Unionville
June 26-28, 2009
In 1997 Kenn Kaufmann published
his now-famous book KingbirdHighway. For the 14 of us who
traveled to Unionville, NV for a birding
weekend in late June, that title would
aptly describe our experience along the
Unionville road - Western Kingbirds
everywhere! Our group found at least
six Kingbird nests that weekend, plus
a Kingbird condominium (three
Kingbird nests in the same tree, but
not noticeably active) at the entrance
to the ofce of the Old Pioneer Garden
Country Inn. Throw in American
Robins, House Sparrows, House
Finches, Cassins Finches, Bullocks
Orioles, Brewers Blackbirds, and a
few Lark Sparrows, Mourning Doves
and Eurasian Collared-Doves, and the
road through Unionville was indeed a
birdy place. During our walks through
Wilson Canyon, Star Canyon, and
Straight Canyon, Yellow Warblers,
Lazuli Buntings, and Warbling Vireos
took center stage, along with Spotted
Towhees. An immature Eagle (Golden?
- but look at the photo - Bald?) being
chased by a Northern Harrier and
a Coopers Hawk provided a bit of
excitement on Saturday morning. In
all, the group saw 39 species and heard
a possible 40th (House Wren). And, as
usual, the hospitality, accommodations,
and food provided by the folks at the
Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn areunmatched - if youve never been there,
you must go! Its like stepping back in
time, and birding is simply icing on the
cake. We hope to make this an annual
event and hope more of you can join us
in future years. -Alan Gubanich
Birding and Batting
Saturday, July 11, 2009
A determined group of 12 adventurous
folks enjoyed the Nevada weather
(by waiting ve minutes) and had a
great time strolling the Truckee. The
dust storm at Rock Park literally blew
the crowds away and stopped just in
time for the tour to start. The weather
then treated us all to a re-fall sunset
through the departing rainstorm.
The birds were in short supply and
consisted mostly of the expected
species, but nonetheless, the birds
provided the adventure of seeking
them out and identifying them via their
calls and songs. The second part of
the tour was to meet Bob Goodman
at the McCarran Bridge to watch the
Brazilian Free-tailed Bats take off
Fun Plants for Birds
The basis for this article is to provide you, the reader, with plant ideas to attract
birds to your garden. Each bi-monthly featured plant will be suggested based onits performance in Renos harsh climate.
It seems there are just certain plants and owers that birds will go crazy for in
the garden. This issues featured plant is California Fuchsia. The scientic name
for this plant has recently been changed toEpilobium cana fromZauschneria
californica. California Fuchsia is a favorite of hummingbirds. Its a tidy perennial
that reaches up to 18 inches high with a spread of 2 to 3 feet. This plant hassilvery foliage and bright red owers that light up in late summer through the
rst frost here in northern Nevada. If youre looking for a way to get those
hummingbirds to make a stop in your yard during the fall migration, then give
California Fuchsia a try.
Jen Martin
An immature eagle being chased by a
male Northern Harrier. Is it a Golden
Eagle (most probably) or a Bald Eagle?
The underwing pattern is ambiguous.
Photo by Alan Gubanich.
for the nights feeding. Bob gave a
very good presentation on bats in
general and led a fun and informative
discussion on everything else about
the McCarran bat colony. Under the
bridge in the narrow joints, we got to
see hundreds of roosting bats. Hard to
observe, but we learned that along with
the Brazilians there were Little Brown
Bats and Big Brown Bats (really). The
sight of thousands of bats departing
into the fading sunset over the Truckee
is a sight we all need to see. Thanks to
Bob Goodman and LAS for another
great tour. -Jim Woods
This California Fuchsia was in bloom up
until the rst frost last year. Photo was taken
by Jen Martin in her south Reno yard.
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8 The Pelican
OTHER BIRD BUSINESS
Education Committee
Call for Volunteers
LAS has been blessed with a group of enthusiastic members who volunteer for numerous projects throughout the
year. Usually a phone call or an email to the membership has been the method by which weve recruited such
people. However, LAS would now like to establish a formal Education Committee, with several subcommittees,so we can more efciently administer and organize our educational outreach efforts. We are looking for people like
you who would be willing to serve in such a capacity. Our Vice-President, Alan Gubanich, has agreed to serve as the
overall Chair of the committee, but he is looking for volunteers to staff several possible subcommittees: In-House
Education subcommittee (for educating our members about conservation issues); Outreach Education subcommittee
(for adults in the community); Classroom Visits subcommittee (for school kids); Classroom Field Trips
subcommittee (trips for school kids at places such
as Washoe Lake, Swan Lake, and other locations);
Special Events subcommittee (Spring Wings; Tune-
In-To-Kids; Earth Day; talks at various nurseries;
etc.). If you are interested and willing to chair or
serve on any of these subcommittees, please contactAlan at [email protected] or 775-857-0191. Your
participation will be greatly appreciated. The more
volunteers we have the more outreach we can provide
to our local community and especially to our youth,
our hope for the future.
SWAN LAKE
NATURE STUDY AREA
As testimony to the dedication of the partners involved
with the Swan Lake Nature Study Area, this May 2, 2009
a 10-year anniversary celebration was held at the new
classroom shelter. President Kish has written about this,
but there is still much work to be done by the partners
involving a number of different fronts.
We are trying to acquire the land that lies between Horse
Ravine, the stream that feeds the western portion of Swan
Lake, and the warehouses. If, or when, this happens, the
plan is to use this land to improve the ow of the stream,
creating meanders to help reduce the amount of sedimentreaching the lake. Another possibility here is the creation of
a storm water catchment basin to slow any ood stage.
For the long-term plan, a trail will encircle the entire lake,
but in the short-term, the trails leaving the interpretive area,
and the one at the end of Ramsey Road, will be improved
this year. We are all aware of the nancial shortcomings
Washoe County is experiencing this year, and since they
These children were able to bird and explore the Oxbow Nature Study
with the help of Ali Chaney, an LAS Volunteer. Photo courtesy of
Aaron Keller.
have the lead in the construction and maintenance of Swan
Lake, we feel fortunate to have any construction done at all
There is an ongoing discussion concerning the 10-acre
parcel at the end of Pompe Lane. It is a desirable piece of
land that would eventually help with the trail encircling
the lake. However, there are a few problems affecting its
purchase, such as the amount of undesirable materials
presently on the land as structures, debris, and a berm made
of asphalt that extends out into the lake area.
So far the construction of two warehouses close to
the interpretive area is still on hold due to the economicsituation. The lack of water throughout the area has turned
the playa into a sea of green with waves of foxtail plants.
All in all, things are looking good for Swan Lake.
Bob Goodman
LAS Committee Representative
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The Pelican 9
THE AVID BIRDERKenn Rohrs 775-849-9530 [email protected]
LAS General Meeting Topics 2009/2010
November 24 - Chris Briggs Survival, Parasites, and Oedipus: Why SoMany Morphs in Hawk Populations?
January 26 - Pat Kelly and Elmer Bull The Future of Carson LakeWetland
February 23 - Tom Howell Birding in Malawi and Zambia
March 23 - Bird Identication Panel Round 3
April 27 - Robin Powell The IBA Program: Habitat Conservation and
Rehabilitation Projects
May 25 - Tony Wasley, NDOW The Himalayan Snowcock in Nevada
Flyaway: How
a Wild Bird
Rehabber Sought
Adventure and
Found Her Wings
by Suzie Gilbert
A fantastic memoir: humorous,
intimate, intelligent, deeply
moving, and yet wonderfullyinformative. Suzie Gilbert
struggled to nd her lifes work.
After she and her husband moved
from New York City to the Hudson
Valley, she got a job in an animal
hospital and then volunteered at a
local raptor rehab center. After 11
years, she jumped in and started to
rehab birds in her home. This book
is about Gilbert nding compassion
and meaning in her life by workingwith injured birds. In engaging
prose, Gilbert not only teaches
us about rehabbing injured birds,
she also explains animal behavior,
biology, and natural history.
InFlyaway, Suzie Gilbert
describes how she started
rehabbing wild birds in her home.
Once Gilbert decided to rehab
injured birds at her home, she was
required to become licensed by the
State of New York and the federal
government. She built ight cages
on her property and made contacton the Internet with other bird
rehabbers. Yet, most of the birds
were cared for in the house.
Can you imagine the bedlam
in that house? In a household
that included her husband John,
son Mac, daughter Skye, as well
as Mario and Zack, her rescued
African Grey and Yellow-Collared
Macaw, Gilbert started rehabbing
injured birds and not just one or
two. Are you out of your mind?
was a frequent reaction to her
rescue Jones disorder her need
to try to save every injured bird.
Merlin, her curly-coated retriever,
joined the circus later. Gilbert
shares some very laugh-out-loud
anecdotes involving her extended
family and the injured birds and
their choice of food.
Gilbert could chant the bird
rehabbers mantra bring them
back, then let them go. Her
willingness to describe her mixed
feelings caused by the need tofulll that mantras pledge to let
the birds y away makes this
a special story. The beauty of
Gilberts memoir is her coming to
understand her passion for helping
birds. Her statement that wildlife
rehabbers see more death than most
of us, helps explain her constant
struggle between holding on and
letting go.
I love this book intelligent,
fascinating, compelling, and
witty and highly recommend it.
For more about Suzie Gilbert and
Flyaway, Inc. check out www.
suziegilbert.com.
In this space, Kenn Rohrs
will discuss books and other
resources for the avid birder.
The increasing popularity of
birding has encouraged the
writing of an extraordinarynumber of books, such as
eld guides, biographies, and
general interest studies of
birds and birders. In the past
year, novelists incorporated
birds and birding into the
world of ction.
Book Review
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10 The Pelican
BIRDS IN TOwNAlan Wallace [email protected]
June and July saw the usual transition from the last
stages of spring migration, through the various nesting
and edging stages of the local breeders, into the early
hints of the fall migration. Urban birders also transitioned
into the more rural parts of the state, including many of
the smaller towns. Small towns are great for birding asresidents of those places can attest. Every town or city
has a fringing transition zone between town and non-
town birds, and that transition zone in small towns can
encompass the whole town. So it really doesnt matter if
youre in town or in the surrounding hills: the birds can
be the same. This June and July, birders found a Blue
Grosbeakin Eureka, a Black-throated Gray Warbler at
a bird bath in Elko, a Blackpoll Warbler in Fallon, and
Rose-breasted and Black-headed Grosbeaks in beautiful
downtown Unionville. Still, it doesnt hurt to have a rural
yard to begin with, as shown by anotherRose-breasted
Grosbeakthat showed up at Linda Hillers JacksValley yard, the Yellow-breasted Chats, Wild Turkeys,
Mountain Bluebirds, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds
at the Yurt near Baker, and the Sandhill Cranes close
to Marty Coxs small enclave 30 miles north of Reno.
Even the sewage ponds on the edge of Austin had a nice
Franklins Gull and several Green-winged Teal. As July
came to close, Dennis Serdehelys yard on the fringes of
Fernley produced a couple ofIndigo Buntings and several
Western Tanagers, presaging the coming migration.
Birders commented on several, possibly unusual, events.
In Stateline, Helga Strong has observed a real declinein the numbers of chickadees and nuthatches around
her house over the past year. In contrast, Mountain
Chickadees and all three nuthatches were common
this summer in lower-elevation towns and yards, with
successful chickadee edging reported in several places.
House Wrens appear to be having a banner year, at least
in Reno. Normally, they arent nearly as common as
Bewicks Wrens in Reno (although theyre very common
in other places), but former strongholds of Bewicks Wrens
are now replete with House Wrens. FourWhite-winged
Crossbills wintered in Elko this year, and everyone
expected them to migrate northward in the spring. Well, atleast one (a female or an immature) was still being seen in
late June; if it was an immature, is that a new one and an
indication of breeding?
Many birders in western Nevada noted a general dearth
of hummingbirds this summer. Most people had one or
two Black-chinned Hummingbirds instead of the usual
half dozen or more. Until late July, when the southward-
migrating Rufous Hummingbirds showed up in full
force, only two had been reported, the rst of which was
on July 10. There were some exceptions, though: the
Rohrs in the Galena area of Reno had ample hummers,
with Black-chinneds as well as Rufous and Costas,
Martha Jones in Unionville called to say that her cloud
of miniscule nectar suckers were draining the feeders ona daily basis, and both Black-chinned and Broad-tailed
Hummingbirds frequented feeders near Baker. The wet
May and June produced abundant owers, and the Reno
newspaper reported that there were far more bugs this
summer than in years past. Since insects constitute an
important food source for hummingbirds, perhaps the
surfeit of natural oral and insect food diminished the
need for our sugar water, leading to a shortage of hummers
only at the feeders. The Rufous follow the Sierran
wildowers on their ways south, and their late-July deluge
into lower towns might indicate the fading of higher-
elevation blooms.Some of you may have wondered about the Nevada bird
listserv listed at the end of each column. Its a free, for-
subscription service run by the National Audubon Society,
with me as the moderator. Basically, subscribers can send
in their Nevada bird reports, and the server automatically
forwards them to the other subscribers as emails. Many
people dont report birds and just like to get the reports
from others. Non-subscribers and subscribers alike can
see the same reports on the website www.birdingonthe.net
(click on Regional/Specialty, then scroll down to Nevada),
which eliminates all of the incoming emails. If youreinterested in just seeing the reports, try that option; if you
want to subscribe, let me know. Either way, its a good
way to keep up on Nevada bird sightings.
Northern Nevada birders reported 128 species from
small to large northern Nevada towns during June and
July. Contributors to this total included Mary Anderson,
Melody Asher, Je Anne Branca, Laura Cunningham,
Marty Cox, Bob Goodman, Kirk Hardie, Janet Helton,
Linda Hiller, Dave Jickling, Martha Jones, Ed Kurtz,
Jacque Lowery, John Luther, Sue Marchi, Sue Anne
Marshall, Martin Meyers, Chris Nicolai, Kathy Oakes,
Fred Petersen, Melissa Renfro & John Free, Georgia& Kenn Rohrs, Dennis Serdehely, Rose Strickland &
Dennis Ghiglieri, Helga Strong, Jim Woods, and me.
The deadline for the next column is September 25. Send
reports to 1050 Sumac St., Reno, NV 89509 or wallacealan
at sbcglobal.net, or post sightings on the Nevada bird
listserv. Good birding!
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The Pelican 11
LAS SALES FORMPrice Postage TOTAL
Important Bird Areas of Nevada $19.95 $4.60 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2005
A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond--Second Edition $10 $2 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007
Nevada Birding Map--Second Edition $ 4 $1 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007
TOTAL ORDER _____
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Make checks payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail with this form to:
Jane Burnham, LAS Sales, 8071 Big River Drive, Reno, NV 89506
LAS MEMBERSHIP/DONATION FORM
Lahontan Audubon Society Membership: All funds remain in the community. Members receive The Pelican
newsletter and may elect to receive email activities notices. Please complete and mail this form with payment.
1. oLAS Renewal o New Membership o Send me a National Audubon application2. oIndividual/Family - $20/year oFull Time Student/Senior (over 62) - $15/year
LAS Donations: Please select level: oRuby-crowned Kinglet - $10 oMountain Bluebird - $20 oAmerican Avocet - $50 oAmerican White Pelican - $100 oGolden Eagle - $500 or moreVolunteering: I am interested in receiving information about volunteering for LAS: o
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Make check payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail this form to:
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THE PELICANLahontan Audubon Society
P.O. Box 2304
Reno, Nevada 89505
LAHONTAN AUDUBON SOCIETY
OFFICERS President Karen Kish [email protected] 841-1180Vice President Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191
Treasurer Jane Burnham [email protected] 677-4178
Recording Secretary Mary Jo Elpers [email protected] 829-6311
TRUSTEES Seat #1 to 2011 Dave Straley [email protected] 832-9222Seat #2 to 2011 Gene Hansel [email protected] 354-2150
Seat #3 to 2012 Stephanie Sander [email protected] 813-3494
Seat #4 to 2011 Kathy Oakes [email protected] 747-5446
Seat #5 to 2012 Jacque Lowery [email protected] 853-1302
Seat #6 to 2010 Linda Badzioch [email protected] 851-8353
Seat #7 to 2010 Kenn Rohrs [email protected] 849-9530
IBA Director Robin Powell [email protected] 247-2798
COMMITTEE Activity/Program Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191CHAIRS Birding Classes Bob Goodman [email protected] 972-7848
Birds & Books Reading Group Kenn Rohrs [email protected] 849-9530
Communications Karen Kish [email protected] 841-1180Conservation Vacant
Education Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191
Field Trips Christiane Omer [email protected] 354-2634
Hospitality Linda Badzioch [email protected] 851-8353
LAS Sales Jane Burnham [email protected] 677-4178
Membership Kathy Oakes [email protected] 747-5446
Volunteer Coordination Gene Hansel [email protected] 354-2150
PUBLICATION AND The Pelican Editor Jen Martin [email protected] 742-2582INFORMATION Birds in Town Alan Wallace [email protected] 786-5755
LAS Info Line Jacque Lowery 324-BIRD
Web Master Steve Ting [email protected] 849-3725
If your mailing label is highlighted, please
renew your local LAS membership now.
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