Newsletter of the Altacal Audubon Society, serving Butte county and Environs, Northern California.

• October Program 
• Election Results
• Upcoming Field Trips
• President’s Corner
• Trip Report - Point Reyes
• Observations
• Chico Creek Nature Center Events
• Altacal Board of Directors
• National Wildlife Refuge Week (fax)

October Program - Birds of Southeastern Arizona October 20, 1997, 7:30 PM, Chico Creek Nature Center Come be dazzled and inspired by the slides of Steve Emmons. The current Assistant Manager of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge in Willows will show us why so many people make the journey to Arizona to go birding.

Sunday, October 26 - Upper Bidwell Park. Meet at the shooting range by Horseshoe Lake at 7 A.M. for a half-day walk. Bring water and snacks.

Let's make this year the year of the School-Age Birder. By involving and inspiring them while they are so young is to create that army, that next generation of concerned, aware, and active individuals that we need so much. Getting them excited about the incredible beauty of Birding at such a young age is so rewarding to all. As a high school educator I have seen the incredible needs and rewards of involving this generation. INVITE THEM and INVOLVE THEM!

A special HUGE THANKS to outgoing president Richard Redmond. Richard has served this chapter in an enormous capacity with his constant energies and environmental activism. May he now have the time and energy to increase his Life Bird List; it is a well-deserved time of change.

8 adventurous Altacalers met at Point Reyes for a weekend of Birding madness and they were only mildly disappointed. We awoke to the hooting of several Great -horned Owls and then went off for coffee and to meet our eighth companion. Heading out to the lighthouse your leader suffered anxiety attacks over the lack of fog and other birders. The preceding conditions suggested this would be a disappointing weekend, but au contraire, the first day we were treated to 106 species, a county high day for your Guide. The first birds on the way to the Lighthouse were Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, White-tailed Kite, White-crowned Sparrow and Song Sparrow. As we approached the first set of trees, concern was growing over the lack of Eastern Migrants. Our first passerines were Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, Cassin's Vireo, Swainson's thrush and Wilson's Warbler. At the Lighthouse a Black-throated Sparrow was amongst the White-crowns and Song Sparrows. Rock Wrens crawled about on the rock faces of the point and two Peregrine Falcons screamed as they launched off their Rocky Perch. Down in the water (over 100 ft. below us), there were Heermann's Gulls, Pelagic, Brandt's, and Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Murres, Brown Pelicans and Western Gulls.

We next headed for the Fish Docks. In route we saw Brewer's, Red-winged, Tricolored Blackbirds and European Starlings. Scanning the Bay before heading to the Docks we spotted more Murres along with a Pigeon Guillemot, Pacific Loon, Common Loon and Surf Scoters. The first row of trees had more Yellow Warblers, a Ruby -crowned Kinglet and more Swainson's Thrushes. We were still looking at birds in the bay When Rich Stallcup (Point Reyes Bird Observatory), leader of another group, calls out "Magnolia Warbler!" Only Mike Skram in our group saw it well enough to identify it. The other 7 of us took another hour and a half to find the bird and get soul satisfying looks at our only Eastern Migrant. We were further treated to Say's and Black Phoebes, Savannah Sparrows, Kestrels and Red-tailed Hawks. A mud flat on the way back produced Killdeer, Willet, Greater Yellowlegs, Great-blue Herons and Marbled Godwits. Other water spots turned up Pied-billed Grebe, Western Grebe, Great Egret, Mallard, Red-breasted Merganser, Northern Pintail, coots and Gadwall. Swirling overhead were Turkey Vultures and an Osprey.

We then went to the Park headquarters for some upland birding. Acorn Woodpeckers were abundant, as were more Yellow Warblers and Townsend's Warblers. The group decided to take the Earthquake trail and see the ramifications of the 1906 Earthquake in Marin County. We came to a field where you could see the displacement of some fence posts. From here we observed Western Bluebirds and California Quail. While watching the Quail, a Cooper’s Hawk came in for a Quail Dinner. The Hawk then alighted on the fence we were standing next to and about 20 to thirty feet from us. He really put on a show for us. Further down the trail we spotted several Warbling Vireos, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Western Tanagers and a Downy Woodpecker. A bush to the side of the trail provided us with our first Bewick's Wren and some Rufous-sided Towhees. While this is not a complete list it hits most of what we saw on the first day.

Sunday we started out bright and early. We Saw a Barn Owl on the way out to the Point. A cursory tour turned up no new species so we headed for the Fish Docks again. We saw our first Great-horned Owl and a winter Wren for our list. Our next destination was the road to Drake's Beach. There had been a report of a Tropical Kingbird but we didn't find it this year. Heading back up to the main road we were treated to an immature Peregrine Falcon sitting on a fence post. The bird flew up to a phone wire and tried to balance himself on it like a Kestrel. His size made the attempt futile but provided us with some great views of the fanned tail and out stretched wings. The Peregrine then started chasing a Kestrel and boy did that give us a wonderful comparison of size. The mudflats were more exposed this jaunt, but the only new species were Western and Least Peeps. Our next stop turned up about 15 Red-necked Phalaropes. Breaking up camp we had a flock of Bushtits moving through the willows.

We then headed North on Highway 1 and stopped at Tomales Bay where we added Snowy Egret, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon and Forester's Tern. Bodega or bust, Dillon beach provided us with our first Long-billed Dowitchers. We proceeded to Owl Canyon in Bodega Bay where we added Pacific Slope Flycatcher. We went out to Bodega Head and from the bluff we scanned the jetty and turned up Surfbirds and Black Turnstones. The road back to town runs along the harbor and it provided us with a flock of Greater Scaup. Then we went along the docks and turned up Ruddy Turnstones and Elegant Terns. We saw a total of 117 species.

Early September changes in our avian friends started becoming noticeable. Skip Augur and Mike Skram reported Pectoral, Western and Least Sandpipers at the Oxidation ponds around September 6. September 7 Brad Holtz reported Willow Flycatchers and Orange Crowned Warblers at his place outside Willows. Richard Redmond Had a Wilson's Warbler in his yard that same weekend. Ted and Helen Beale Had White-crowned Sparrows over above Oroville, and Phil Johnson had them about the same time up in Little Chico Creek Canyon .The first Valley sightings were by Mike Skram out by the Sacramento River Sept. 16th, and Brad Holtz in Willows around the same time. Phil Johnson reported a Black-throated Gray Warbler in early September up at his Canyon digs. Phil also noted that his Western Screech Owls had been replace by Northern Pygmy Owls.

Saturday, October 4, 2:00-3:30 PM – Understanding Nature through Photography and Sketching. Local artist and naturalist Rex Burress will lead a fun and instructional presentation on photographing and sketching nature. Participants are asked to bring their own sketchpad. A camera is optional. Rex will do the camera demonstration using his own equipment. Please call 891-4671 to register for this free event held at the Nature Center.

Saturday, October 11, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM – All About Amphibians. Staff naturalist Rachel Taylor will present an in-depth program on amphibians including frogs, toads, salamanders, and even newts! Live specimens will be on hand. Please call 891-4671 to register for this free event held at the Nature Center.

Friday, October 24, 5:00-8:00 PM – A Scare Affair. Join us at the Chico Creek Nature Center for a festive Halloween celebration. Children are encouraged to come in costume. Activities include spooky crafts and games, costume contest, meet our creepy critters, haunted hallway, and much more! Great door prizes will be awarded. All proceeds from this fundraising event will go to support environmental education programs for schools. For ticket information and event program please call the Chico Creek Nature Center at 891-4671. Tickets: $3.00 each; children 2 and under are free.

Saturday, October 25, 11:00 AM-12:00 Noon – Birds in Bidwell Park. Join Roger Lederer, an ornithology professor at Chico State, for a fun and informative walk through Lower Bidwell Park to discover and discuss the many varieties of birds that live there. Participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Please meet at the Chico Creek Nature Center. Call 891-4671 to register for this free event.

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