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Monterey Audubon Society newsletter: April 24 - May 8th

 

Hi there birding friends,

 

You can expect something in the mail from us soon - a donation appeal! We haven't sent these out in the past, but we have been growing our organization, taking on new outreach and research projects, and have a big annual expenditure in the form of a full-time staffer: *cough cough* me.

 

If you appreciate the numerous free field trips, dedicated conservation projects for our regions' most imperiled birds, this newsletter, and the advocacy we undertake to make sure bird and wildlife protection are persistent topics at local city and commission meetings, please send us a donation. It would help a lot. You can either use the return envelope you'll be receiving in the mail or donate online through our website HERE.

 

Thanks so much for your continued support. Enjoy the Little Sanderling and I hope to see you out at an event this summer!

 

Amanda Preece

Environmental Advocate, MAS

Next Monterey Audubon presentation

(online via Zoom)

Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 7:30 PM - Bringing Birds to the Garden: California Native Plants for the Win with Benny Jacob-Schwartz

 

Did you know California is home to over 5,000 species of native plants, and 700 species of birds have been observed here? However much of the state’s native flora is now in peril, with many species listed as endangered and on the verge of extinction. 

 

Learn the history of these changes, and how you can help bring back the birds through grassroots efforts at the home or garden. This presentation will teach you how to plan, and maintain a California native plant garden to attract and care for birds visiting your local landscape.

 

The Zoom link will be added to our website in a few days. Go to THIS link on the night of the meeting to join in!

 

Benny Isaac Jacobs-Schwartz owns and operates a bird-guiding business and lifestyle brand called BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus). Working professionally for over 10 years as a naturalist guide, expedition trip leader, and international bird guide, Benny has worked in a variety of locations coast to coast, including exotic places such as coastal Alaska, Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Sign up for Fort Ord Birds and Blooms field trips and special south-county Fort Hunter Liggett trip online here --> www.montereyaudubon.org/outings

Coming soon: Monterey Audubon Young Birders Club in the works

 

With the help of a skilled and passionate outdoor educator who stepped up to volunteer with MAS, we're planning to start up monthly field trips designed specifically for younger folks who want to get outside, make friends, and learn about birds! We'll likely have two groups - the Elementary School aged birders and younger will go out one month, then the next month will be for the Middle School and older birders. We'll go to bird-filled and accessible parks and have our outdoor educator paired up with a local birder to guide the activity. Do you want to help inspire the next generation of birders? Please contact Amanda if you want to help with planning or being the designated birder on these monthly trips. Field trips will start in June. Keep an eye on the website and social media for details.

 

We're also looking for donations of small binoculars for our young-Young Birders group. We have big binoculars for the older birders, but an additional 6 small binoculars to lend out to our younger group will be essential! If you have a small pair you'd like to donate (like the ones pictured below right), get in touch with Amanda. And thanks in advance!

Field Trips are open for World Migratory Bird Day - May 13, 2023

 

Monterey Audubon Society (MAS) and the Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF) are teaming up for a nonstop day of birding at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday May 13th. Our first field trip will start at 8:00 AM, there will be a family-oriented field trip midday, and then finishing out the day watching the sun go down at an exclusive Elkhorn Slough Foundation property we will have special access to. RSVPs are required for these activities using the Eventbrite links below. Hope to see you there!

 

Early Bird trip with Rick Fournier: Saturday, May 13, 8am - 12pm - RSVP

Family-Friendly trip with Bird School Project: Saturday, May 13, 12 - 1:30pm - RSVP

Evening Birding with MAS and ESF: Saturday, May 13 · 4 - 6pm - RSVP

 

Have additional questions about World Migratory Bird Day? Get in touch with Amanda at montereyaudubon@gmail.com.

 

May 13th is also the eBird Global Big Day, so if you end up going out bird watching on your own, make sure to count some birds! Celebrate birds by enjoying birds.

Bird Calls (aka Recent Rarities):

 

Black Scoter at Asilomar State Beach, Tufted Puffin flyby at Point Pinos Seawatch, Golden Eagle and Common Raven at Carmel River, White-faced Ibis at Del Monte Farms, Solitary Sandpiper at Dolan Rd, Bald Eagle, Pacific Golden-Plover and Hooded Merganser at Elkhorn Slough, White-throated Sparrow at Frog Pond in Del Rey Oaks, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Black Turnstone, and Semipalmated Plover seen offshore on pelagic birding trip.

 

For more details on these rare birds and where to locate them, view the complete list on the Monterey County Rare Bird Alert page on eBird.

Other Upcoming In-person Events:

 

MEarth

Earth Day - Sat, April 129, 10:00 - 4:00 pm

Volunteer opportunities, lunch provided! MAS will be in attendance.

 

Central Coast Birding Collective

Birds + Bikes - Saturday, May 6th, 9:00 AM – noon

A bike-based birding excursion exploring the westside of Santa Cruz. Register HERE.

 

Monterey Waterkeepers

Kayak cleanup excursions May 6, June 24 , & August 19 to the Salinas River and Elkhorn Slough. Bring your own kayak, or RSVP here for free kayak spots, courtesy of Monterey Bay Kayaks.

 

Bird School Project + Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Exploring Biodiversity & Change with eBird Workshop - Wednesday-Friday, June 28-30

Held in Santa Cruz, CA and focused on educators for grades 6-12. Amazing opportunity! More information online HERE.

Virtual Events

 

Mon, April 24, 7:00 - 8:30 PM PST - A Shared Vocabulary for Bird Sounds with Nathan Pipelow, Eastside Audubon

 

Tues, April 25, 4 :00 PM PDT - Birds & Bytes: Chicago's Lakefront Purple Martins, Chicago Ornithological Society

 

Wed, April 26, 9:00 AM PDT - Spring Birding: Ask an Ornithologist, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

Thurs, April 27, 10:00 AM PDT - Herbicides: A Double-Edged Sword? What We Know about Herbicide Impacts on Pollinators, Xerces Society

 

Thurs, April 27, 4 - 5 PM PDT - Climate Action Party: Save the Birds!, Climate Action Now!

 

Tues, May 2, 4:00 PM PDT - Female Bird Song: She sings, too!, Hampshire Bird Club

 

Thurs, April 27, 4:00 PM PT - The Condor Chat, with Ventana Wildlife Society

 

Tues, May 2, 5:00 PM PDT - Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory: Counting for Conservation, Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club 

 

Tues, May 2, 6:30 – 7:30 PM - Birding the Bay Area Part 2, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, Santa Clara Valley Audubon and Sequoia Audubon

 

Thurs, May 4, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM - Birding for Kids and Teens, with Young Birders Piper and Anders from Seattle Audubon, $10

 

Participate in the Monterey Bay Area City Nature Challenge

Friday April 28 - Monday May 1

 

Started in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the City Nature Challenge (CNC) has grown into an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife, plants and other living things in their own cities. To participate, simply download iNaturalist to your smartphone and go exploring!

 

Log in to iNaturalist (or create a free account if you don't already have one) to register for the Monterey Bay Area CNC. Have any questions about this event? Contact Travis MontereyCNC@proton.me. This can be use in conjunction with eBird and helps me with ID-ing little lichens, mushrooms, or other plants!

Permanent Protection of Central Coast Lands plus a 400-mile Condor Trail

 

From San Luis Obispo Tribune: Congressman Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, reintroduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives this year. The bill would set aside about 250,000 acres of land from Ventura County to San Luis Obispo County for designated wilderness areas. New areas of the Carrizo Plain National Monument and Los Padres National Forest would be forever protected from development under the act. Michael Khus-Zarate from the Northern Chumash Tribal Council added that Carbajal’s bill has widespread support from tribal groups on the Central Coast.

 

Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article274169030.html#storylink=cpy

 New reasearch out of the North Sea: Large-scale effects of offshore wind farms on seabirds of high conservation concern

Garthe, Stefan, et al. "Large-scale effects of offshore wind farms on seabirds of high conservation concern." Scientific Reports 13.1 (2023): 4779.

 

Abstract: The North Sea is a key area worldwide for the installation of offshore wind farms (OWFs). We analysed data from multiple sources to quantify the effects of OWFs on seabirds from the family Gaviidae (loons) in the German North Sea. The distribution and abundance of loons changed substantially from the period before to the period after OWF construction. Densities of loons were significantly reduced at distances of up to 9–12 km from the OWF footprints. Abundance declined by 94% within the OWF + 1 km zone and by 52% within the OWF + 10 km zone. The observed redistribution was a large-scale effect, with birds aggregating within the study area at large distances from the OWFs. Although renewable energies will be needed to provide a large share of our energy demands in the future, it is necessary to minimize the costs in terms of less-adaptable species, to avoid amplifying the biodiversity crisis.

 

Read the full article online HERE.

Babies everywhere! Not even joking - keep your eyes peeled for birds carrying food.

Monterey Audubon Society

Monterey Audubon is an environmental non-profit dedicated to exploring, conserving and celebrating the birds and wildlife of the greater Monterey Bay region. Visit our website to sign up for field trips and learn about our efforts to protect local birds.

Visit our website to sign up for field trips and learn about our efforts to protect local birds.

PO Box 5656, Carmel, CA 93921

Donate to Monterey Audubon