We Need Old Field Guides!

Do any of you have field guides you don’t use anymore because they’re out of date or you have a new “favorite”? We know students who are interested in birding but can’t afford field guides – your “last year’s model” could well be a useful resource for these folks! Please contact Skip Augur at 893-9222 or wba@acm.org if you have field guides we can use. (We can use older binoculars on field trips, as well).

Altacal Accomplishments and Projects

At a recent Board retreat where we discussed our purposes and goals, we realized that a lot of  our members might not realize everything that Altacal does with the funds that we gain via fundraising, as well as the funds routed to us from National Audubon from your memberships. Most of you know about the monthly meetings and field trips (at least, if you’re reading this newsletter I hope you’ve noticed those!). Other local projects (both in-progress and completed) include:

·        Donating $500 to the upcoming art project on East Avenue near PV High School.

·        Acting as fiscal agent for the bookstore at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (a small amount of the profit on purchases at that bookstore actually help to support us as well!).

·       Owning and maintaining a wildlife refuge (the Arneburg Sanctuary) along the Sacramento River.

 

·        As funds permit, donates to other conservation and educational organizations such as the Chico Creek Nature Center and the Sacramento River Preservation Trust.

·        Donated ??$200 for the purchase of 2 specialized weed pullers".

·        Donated $250 to Chico Creek Nature Center for their Songbird Display.

·        Donated $150 to the Central Valley Bird Club to support the CBVC Symposium

·        Sponsor of the SRPT Salmon Country Conference (October 2003)

·        Continuing work on the Tom Rodgers Memorial Bird Blind at the Oxidation Ponds (thanks to Dave & Holly Tinker for ridding the blind of wasp and spiders prior to the Snow Goose Festival!).

·        Participating in discussion and resolution of conservation issues arising in Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties.

·        Work on the upcoming Bidwell Park Centennial.

·        Support of the Snow Goose Festival.

·        Writing letters to representatives regarding upcoming legislation.

We also realized that we don’t necessarily know what our members want. You need to tell us! Email or call a board member if you have suggestions.