Altacal Audubon Society A California Chapter of the National Audubon Society

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Mission: To promote the awareness, appreciation, and protection of native birds and their habitats through education, research, and environmental activities.

One of Our Own Says “Thanks”!

Help Wanted!

In all our areas of interest (e.g., Field Trips, Education, Conservation, etc.) we are trying to get things done more efficiently and effectively by asking members to contribute in any way they can by contacting a Committee Chairperson or other Board member and offering to help in some area of interest.  There’s no need to sign on for a particular position or office and you can be sure you’d be appreciated.

Upcoming Programs

September Program - Birdwatching in Panamá with Altacal Audubon - Mike Fisher
Monday, September 15, 6:30 p.m. at the Chico Creek Nature Center

Children of La Marea

Join us as we kick off the new season of programs by reporting on the 2008 Altacal Audubon birding trip to the Republic of Panamá.  Mike will present highlights of the trip using photos, maps and stories.  The goal will be to share the excitement of this amazing journey taken by twelve of our local chapter members.  In just two weeks over 400 different species of birds were seen and heard.  In addition, numerous mammals, reptiles and insects were encountered and photographed.  You may even feel like you were there, as we explore the country from just inside Panama’s western border with Costa Rica, to the far eastern province of Darién, only 25 miles from the Colombian border. We will re-live our visits to such diverse habitats as mangrove swamps, tidal marshes, primary rainforests, orchid farms, cloud forests, coffee plantations, city parks and the Panamá Canal.     Finally, we will share what for many of us was the highlight of the trip, our amazing experience staying with the indigenous Emberá people.  The Emberá live in a very remote and roadless portion of eastern Panamá accessible only by a long boat ride up the Rio Bagre.  We had the opportunity to spend a week living in their small isolated village of La Marea.  I’m sure you too will be amazed by these beautiful people whose simple life remains much the same as it has been for centuries.

White-necked Puffbird – Pipeline Road

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Upcoming Bird Walks and Birding Trips

August 16, Saturday - Butte Meadows – Trip Leader: Skip Augur.  Meet at the Park ‘n Ride at 8:00 a.m. and caravan to the Butte Meadows/Jonesville areas to look for warblers and other montaine species.  Light hiking and carpooling.  Bring a sack lunch.  We will bird until about 3:00 p.m. and then return to Chico. For more information, contact Skip Augur at 893-9222.

September 21, Sunday - Upper Bidwell Park - Trip Leader: Skip Augur. We'll start by walking along North Rim, Upper, or Middle trail early to beat the heat; as the day warms up we'll head down and return along the Yahi trail. Some migrants are a possibility, as well as our resident species. No experience necessary. Bring your binoculars, a field guide if you have one, hiking shoes, water, and snacks if you need them.  Meet at the parking lot by Horseshoe Lake at 8 a.m. and walk until about 11:30 a.m. (2-3 miles).  Difficulty Level: some moderately steep trail sections.  For more information, contact Skip at 893-9222.

Seasonal Creek near the Shooting Range

September 19-21, Friday-Sunday - Point Reyes National Seashore - Trip Leaders: Mike Fisher and  Jennifer Patten. Point Reyes National Seashore is well-known for its excellent birding.  The seashore and surrounding areas offer many different habitats from grasslands, estuaries, coastal scrub to forests.  The projection of the Point Reyes peninsula some 10 miles seaward from the "mainland" makes Point Reyes National Seashore a landing spot for many vagrants - birds that may have made errors in navigation and thus are unexpected in this area. 

Each fall these vagrants seek out resting spots along the peninsula on their way south.  Some of these rarities have included Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart, White-throated Sparrow, Palm Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler. We will visit places where these vagrant traps (resting spots) are, such as the Fish Docks, the lighthouse rocks and cliff areas, Abbott’s Lagoon, Tomales Bay, Drake’s Beach, Bear Valley, Olema Marsh and the famous historic ranches along the way.

We will camp Friday and Saturday night at Samuel P. Taylor State Park or Olema Ranch Campground. Please contact Mike or Jennifer if you are interested in going for more information on what to bring, directions, camping, etc.
Mike Fisher fisherml@pacbell.net  624-4777
Jennifer Patten jpchico@scbcglobal.net  345-9356

October 4, Saturday – Packer and Sul Norte Units of the SRNWR – Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams. Join us as we explore two of the lesser-known units within the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge, the Packer Unit and the Sul Norte Unit, both located near the Butte City area.  We will meet at the Park ‘n Ride on 8th/9th Street in the lot nearest the freeway at 8 a.m. for carpooling.  Remember to bring water, hiking shoes (modest flatland terrain 1.5-3 miles) and snacks.  We'll be back around 1 p.m. For additional information call Gaylord at 872-0739. The Packer Unit is located at River Mile 168-R, just south of Butte City and Highway 162

October 10-12, Friday-Sunday - Bodega Bay Terrestrial and Pelagic Birding Weekend. Trip Leaders:  Scott Huber (terrestrial) and Rich Stallcup (pelagic). The weekend of October 11-12 promises to be an exciting one for both Altacal members and our out-of-area friends as we combine a long-awaited Pelagic Trip led by the well-respected Rich Stallcup with a day of ‘land birding’ in the Bodega Bay area.

We’ll depart mid-morning Friday arriving at the coast before dark where participants have the option of camping or staying at a local motel or Inn. If there’s time we’ll even bird a little in the late afternoon.

Saturday Morning we’ll board the New Sea Angler for our trip to the Cordell Banks where we’ll hope to see an impressive array of pelagic birds.

Sunday morning we’ll rise with the morning chorus and proceed to bird the many productive spots in the Bodega area including Bodega Head, the bay, the beaches and others. It’s quite likely that the afternoon will find some of us enjoying a bottle of fine wine around the campfire (weather permitting) or at The Tides.
Participants will make their own arrangements for lodging and meals. Some Altacal members will be staying at Bodega Dunes Campground, please see www.bodegabay.com/discover/camping.html for more information and to make reservations. For a list of Bodega Bay Motels go to www.sonoma.com/lodging/sonoma_coastlistings.html.

Please contact Scott Huber at BirdTours@Altacal.org or (530) 321-5579 to let him know whether you’ll be camping or moteling and provide him with your contact information while in the Bodega area. The pelagic portion of this trip is full but if others would like to join us for the Saturday portion please let him know. Prepare for a variety of weather possibilities including ‘darn cold and wet’ on the water. Those departing from Chico should plan on meeting Friday October 10th at 10 a.m. at the Park ‘n Ride on Highway 32 (eastern-most lot, second lot from Highway 99). We’ll rendezvous with those coming from other areas at the Tides Wharf Restaurant in Bodega Bay between 5-6 p.m. Friday evening.

Bank Swallow Data Request Form

Use this link to download a data form regarding Bank Swallow information.  AAS and the Bank Swallow working group are requesting historical (1998-2007) and current Bank Swallow locations to find more information on this CA threatened species.  Thank you! This Microsoft Word document can be downloaded, edited and emailed to Dawn Garcia. If you don't have Microsoft Word. this PDF version can't be edited, but can be downloaded, printed and mailed to Dawn.

Image copyright 2006: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Submission of Articles Notices or articles submitted for publication consideration should be sent by e-mail message to the newsletter editor as Microsoft Word (if possible) attachments by the 7th of the month for the next issue of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep and Nov 7th) - editor@altacal.org – Thanks, Ed.

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