Our traditional potluck dinner will be held at the San Bernardino County Museum, on Tuesday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. Turkey, ham and beverages will be provided. Please bring your own table service & your favorite dish to share: a salad, vegetable, casserole, side dish, or dessert. Come early to visit with friends and to do a little last minute holiday shopping at our bookstore. Our program will be provided by our members who should bring 10-15 nature pictures to show and share. We'll also be having a silent auction to share the book collections of our members. If you have a nature-related book or two you would like to donate, please bring them to the potluck. Or, perhaps you'd like to bid on the treasured bird book brought by another member. Either way, plan on an enjoyable evening.
December 14, 2009 - January 5, 2010
110th Annual Christmas Bird Count
Sunday, January 3, 2010 - 8:00-10:00 am
Beginning Bird Walk at San Jacinto Wildlife Area (map)
Doug Karalun (909) 425-5355
Visiting the wildlife area in winter allows great opportunities to view waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. For those of you who are just beginning the wonderful pastime of bird watching, please join us for a fun, slow-paced morning of birding in one of our local wildlife habitats. Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local bird species. You may be surprised at what wonderful birds can be seen! Wear comfortable walking shoes, hats and sunscreen and bring water and binoculars. The walk is free and no reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome.
We will meet at the main parking lot at the wildlife headquarters. From Riverside go south on 215 then east on Ramona Expressway. Turn north (left) on Davis Road which soon becomes dirt. The entrance to the wildlife area is approximately 3 miles down Davis Road on the right. Turn here and the parking area will be on your left. You can no longer enter the wildlife area from the north. Please contact Doug Karalun for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. You may call ahead to confirm location and time.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Saturday, January 9, 2010 - 7:00 am
Salton Sea Goose & Crane Trip
Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699 & John Green (951) 686-2956
This trip at times has been called the "waterfowl trip," the "goose trip,"
and "a wonderful field trip." It is all of that, and more. Perhaps a glimpse
at last year's list will help stoke the fires of desire: American White
Pelican (hundreds), American Bittern, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill,
Snow Goose (thousands), Ross's Goose (hundreds), Greater White-fronted
Goose, Bald Eagle, four falcon species, Sandhill Cranes, Lesser Black-backed
Gull, Burrowing Owl, Mountain Bluebird, and American Redstart. We tallied
over 100 species, and didn't have to count individuals (for an opportunity
to count every single bird on and around the sea, join us at the Salton Sea
North Christmas Bird Count on January 2nd).
We will meet at the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area at 7:00 am (map).
Exit Highway 111 at Davis Road and look for us in the parking lot there. We
will bird around the south end of the sea; also the surrounding agricultural
lands looking for raptors, Mountain Plovers, and the always entertaining
Sandhill Cranes.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - 7:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Madagascar: A Biodiversity Hotspot by Sherry Schmidt
Sherry Schmidt will present photographs taken during a three week trip to six different national Parks in Madagascar. Madagascar is an island in the Indian Ocean east of Africa. It is known for its lemurs, chameleons and baobab trees. Some biologists consider Madagascar to be the single highest biodiversity conservation priority on earth, yet only about 3% of Madagascar's land area is protected. This presentation will include information on why Madagascar's flora and fauna is unique and why there is such a high number of species found in Madagascar that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. The talk will include some information on the threats to animals that inhabit Madagascar.
Sherry is an instructor in the Biology Department at Mount San Antonio College. She has taught there over 25 years. She received her B.A. at University of Montana and her M.A. at CSU Fullerton. Sherry's primary interests today are in the natural history of desert and mountain ecosystems and in conservation biology. She also loves photography and travel. Her recent trips include the Galapagos, Madagascar, Antarctica, and Peru.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Sunday, February 7, 2010 - 8:00-10:00 am CANCELED
Beginning Bird Walk at San Jacinto Wildlife Area (map)
Contact: Cathy Tobin (951) 684-9613
Leaders: Jennifer and Michelle Tobin
Visiting the wildlife area in winter allows great opportunities to view waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors. For those of you who are just beginning the wonderful pastime of bird watching, please join us for a fun, slow-paced morning of birding in one of our local wildlife habitats. Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local bird species. You may be surprised at what wonderful birds can be seen! Wear comfortable walking shoes, hats and sunscreen and bring binoculars and water. The walk is free and no reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome.
We will meet at the main parking lot at the wildlife headquarters. From Riverside go south on 215 then east on Ramona Expressway. Turn north (left) on Davis Road which soon becomes dirt. The entrance to the wildlife area is approximately 3 miles down Davis Road on the right. Turn here and the parking area will be on your left. You can no longer enter the wildlife area from the north. Please contact Cathy Tobin for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. You may call ahead to confirm location and time.
Saturday, February 13, 2010 - 8:30 am
Torres-Martinez Ponds/Salton Sea
Dave Goodward (909) 783-2417
We will meet at 8:30 am at the west gate to the Whitewater River delta (map). Come down Highway 86S from Indio, turn left at the Arco Station where the sign says Mecca/Hwy 111. Take the first right after the Arco Station, which is Lincoln Avenue, just before you get to Mecca/Hwy 111. Follow Lincoln to where it ends. Cross the Whitewater River, and turn left into the Torres-Martinez Reservation, immediately after the levee. Park along the right side of the road, in front of the gate.
The Torres-Martinez Ponds are on the west side of the Whitewater Delta. They were recently created by the Torres-Martinez Tribe, and have been generally off-limits to the public. Now that the riparian vegetation is growing and the birds have discovered the ponds, the tribe has generously agreed to allow scheduled field trips. Expect to see many of the usual duck and grebe species, maybe a scoter, a smattering of shorebirds, hopefully a Peregrine Falcon or Merlin, and nesting Great Blue Herons. Expected land birds include Marsh Wren, Abert's Towhee, and Common Ground-dove. Rarities seen here in the past include Red-necked Grebe and American Tree Sparrow. The stroll around the ponds should take about two hours. Energetic birders can then take the half mile hike out to the Whitewater delta, for hordes of gulls, terns and pelicans. This is a great chance to visit what is becoming a great birding location at the north end of the Salton Sea. Bring sunscreen, hats and water.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 7:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Looking for Sparrows - 1 Year, 21 States, 21,000 Miles by Donelda Warhurst
Donelda started out not "doing" sparrows. She began Sylvia Gallagher's Sparrow Class in 2007 with a very small sparrow life list. However, following the class that all changed. She spent a total of eleven weeks on the road in the trailer and two additional airline flights spread over the year to complete her goal. Donelda ended up seeing all the sparrows that are regular in the ABA area, except one. Come and hear about her adventures, view some of her pictures, hear some of her recorded sounds of the sparrows and find out which sparrow she did not see. Donelda will focus on close up shots of the sparrows with a few other birds and animals thrown in. Most of the sightings and shots were taken on the breeding grounds or where the birds regularly spend their winters. This accounts for the 21,000 miles. She went to them rather than waiting for them to come to her.
Donelda Warhurst is a second grade teacher in the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district where she has her summers off to look for birds. With her travel trailer, dog, her cameras and recording gear, she has spent the last six summers on the road.
Saturday-Sunday, February 20-21, 2010
Weekend in San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara
Brad Singer (909) 838-7951
This is a nice time of year to visit both the San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara areas. Both areas are known to be some of the birdiest areas in the state. The full contingent of wintering regulars and rarities should be present and accounted for. Our coastal target birds will include a lot of gulls, including Glaucous-winged, Thayer's, and Mew; Royal Terns, lots of shorebirds including Snowy Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, both Turnstones, and Wandering Tattler; Wood Ducks, Surf Scoter, Pacific, Common, and Red-throated Loons; Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, and much more. We'll also expect plenty of land birds along the way. Species such as Chestnut-backed Chickadee and the endemic Yellow-billed Magpie will be on the target list. Both areas always have some fine rarities as well.
Arrive each day with a full tank of gas, lunch, your binoculars, and anything else you'll need for a full day of birding. The leaders will have scopes, but more scopes are always welcome! Some of the places we visit may charge parking or entry fees, so be prepared for that as well. This year's field trip will start at the southwestern corner of San Luis Obispo County on Saturday at the Oso Flaco Preserve (map). We will meet at 7:30 am in front of the entrance gate. To get there, exit Highway 101 at Main Street (Highway 166) in Santa Maria and drive west approximately 9 miles to Highway 1. Turn right (north) and drive for about 3 miles to Oso Flaco Road (sign). Turn left and the Preserve is at the end of the road. We will bird there, then work our way north to Oceano, Shell Beach, Montana de Oro SP, and Morro Bay. We will bird until everyone has had enough, or until it is dark, whichever comes first.
On Sunday we will start in the northern end of Santa Barbara County at Waller Park in Santa Maria. We will work south, birding Los Alamos County Park, Gaviota State Park, Lake Los Carneros, Coronado Butterfly and Bird Garden, Devereaux Slough, Campus Lagoon, Santa Barbara Pier, and if time permits, Carpinteria State Beach. Our route will be determined by where our target birds are, and where other birds of interest are being seen. IF YOU ARE COMING ON SUNDAY ONLY call Brad's cell phone (909-838-7951) on Saturday evening to find out where and when we will start on Sunday.
You will need to arrange your own accommodations for Friday and/or Saturday nights. It would be best to stay both nights in Santa Maria. There are plenty of motels in Santa Maria, and a few campgrounds, but reservations are always a good idea. If you'd like to prepare for your visit, online resources including bird checklists, seasonal distribution, and links to other resources and more are on the Santa Barbara County Birding Pages.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Sunday, March 7, 2010 - 8:00-10:00 am
Beginning Bird Walk at Hidden Valley (map)
Contact: Cathy Tobin (951) 684-9613
Leaders: Jennifer and Michelle Tobin
For those of you who are just beginning the wonderful pastime of bird watching, please join us for a fun, slow-paced morning of birding in one of our local wildlife habitats. Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local bird species. You may be surprised at what wonderful birds can be seen! Wear comfortable walking shoes, hats and sunscreen and bring binoculars and water. The walk is free and no reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome.
We will meet at the wildlife area’s nature center. To get to Hidden Valley from the 91 freeway, take the Arlington Ave. exit and go west just over seven miles to the entrance, which is a signed, gated dirt road on the right. (The entrance is about one mile past the intersection of Arlington and La Sierra avenues.) Follow the dirt road down and to the right and up to the nature center building on the left. Please contact Cathy Tobin for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. You may call ahead to confirm location and time.
Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 8:00 am
Bolsa Chica & Orange County Coast
Dori Myers (714) 779-2201 (h) or (714) 336-1420 (m)
Please join us for what should be a great day of birding in the wetland areas of Orange County. Expect to see a large variety of wintering birds including ducks, shorebirds, grebes, herons, egrets, terns, cormorants, etc. We ought to find gulls and raptors and some song birds. With any luck we will see 50 or more species just in the morning. After birding Bolsa Chica (until around noon) we will go to Newport Back Bay or the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary to eat our lunch and finish the day.
We will meet at the PCH parking lot of Bolsa Chica at 8:00 am (map). To reach Bolsa Chica, take the 91 freeway south to the 55 (Newport freeway). Continue on the 55 to the 405 and go north towards Long Beach. Exit at Beach Blvd. (south) and continue to Pacific Coast Highway. Turn right and head north on PCH, past Huntington Beach. We will meet in the parking lot of the Ecological Preserve (Bolsa Chica) on the inland side of Pacific Coast Hwy at the signal between Seagate and Warner. Please bring a lunch if you intend to stay for the day. Also bring binoculars, bird book and a scope if you have one. It can get cold along the coast in winter so dress in layers.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 7:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Bird and Forest Conservation on Coffee Farms in Central America by Dan Cooper
Coffee, as most people know, comes from a bean, which comes from a small tree, which grows mainly on steep mountainside farms in some of the most biodiverse
regions of earth. Since the 1990s, a major push has been made to promote sustainable practices on farms, including the planting of shade trees that also support large numbers of migratory songbirds. However, farms still use up a lot of land, and the birds that use these shade trees are mainly widespread types, and don't include most forest-dependent species that contribute to the unique biodiversity of the world's tropics. What's less well known is that many of these same farms also contain patches of native forest, including large patches of cloud forest filled with rare, endemic species, rivaling that found in national parks in the same area. Since 2006, Dan Cooper has been working with coffee growers and importers to survey these forest patches on properties throughout Central America. This project has grown to include an annual "coffee conservation award", which launched in 2009 in El Salvador, and which recognizes contributions of individual farms to bird conservation, including a forest guide/internship
program in Nicaragua, with varying success. In this talk, he will discuss the challenges and rewards of finding a bird-friendly cup of coffee.
Dan Cooper is a southern California native, and until 2005 was the Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon California. He is the author of "Important Bird Areas
of California", has taught courses at UCLA Extension school, and has led professional birding tours throughout North and Central America. Currently, he runs his own consulting firm, Cooper Ecological Monitoring, and is based in Culver City. Please come to our program. Our doors open early at 7:00 pm to visit with friends and shop at our book tables. Everyone is always welcome.
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Sunday, April 4, 2010 - 8:00-10:00 am
Beginning Bird Walk at Rancho Jurupa Park LOCATION CHANGED (map)
Contact: Cathy Tobin (951) 684-9613
Leaders: Jennifer and Michelle Tobin
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
For those of you who are just beginning the wonderful pastime of bird watching, please join us for a fun, slow-paced morning of birding in one of our local wildlife habitats. Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local bird species. You may be surprised at what wonderful birds can be seen! Wear comfortable walking shoes, hats and sunscreen and bring binoculars and water. The walk is free and no reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome.
The park is located at 4800 Crestmore Road in Riverside. Please see (map) for directions. Please contact Cathy Tobin for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. You may call ahead to confirm location and time.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
April 2010
East Mojave
CANCELLED
John Green (951) 686-2956
Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11, 2010
Owens Valley and Lake Crowley
Gene Cardiff (909) 875-5358
Participants should meet on Saturday at 8:00 am at the Lone Pine city park on the west side of Main Street just north of town (approximately 4 hours from San Bernardino; map). From there we will caravan to Big Pine Creek to look for American Dipper, Clark's Nutcracker, Northern Goshawk, and Sooty Grouse (of course). Along the way, we hope to see nesting Osprey, tule elk, and Black-billed Magpie. On Sunday, we plan to regroup at 5:30 am at the corner of Whitmore Hot Springs Road and Highway 395, just south of the Convict Lake turnoff and about 30 miles north of Bishop (map). Look for the little church at this corner as a landmark. From this point, we will caravan to the Greater Sage-grouse strutting grounds, in order to arrive before break of day. The grouse are active just a short time after dawn. After viewing the sage grouse, our next stop will be Mammoth Village for warm-up and breakfast. (NOTE: ACCESS TO LAKE CROWLEY FOR SAGE GROUSE IS QUESTIONABLE) The remainder of the day will be spent birding different areas on the way home, looking for Sage Thrasher, Bald Eagle, Tundra Swan, Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, or a Common Loon in breeding plumage. The sage-grouse do their strutting and dancing in cleared areas of the sagebrush (called leks) at this time, regardless of weather. There is a possibility of snow, so it might be wise to consider making a reservation (well in advance) at a nearby motel in Bishop. Do plan to join us.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - 7:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Impacts of Climate Change by Kassie Siegal
Kassie Siegel, director of the Center for Biological Diversity's Climate, Air and Energy Program, will give a special presentation to Audubon about the impacts of climate change. It will include photos, an overview of the effects of global warming on bird life and case studies of high-risk species ranging from reef-building corals to polar bears and penguins. Kassie, a nationally recognized authority on global warming and biodiversity, will also highlight the policy implications of climate-change science and discuss the status of government and nonprofit efforts to reduce global warming and protect the diversity of life on Earth.
Kassie Siegel, Senior Counsel, Climate Law Institute Director, develops and implements campaigns for the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution and the protection of plants and animals threatened by global warming, including the Center's petition to protect the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. Prior to attending Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law and working for the Center, she was a natural-history guide leading wilderness trips in Alaska. Please come to our program. Our doors open early at 7:00 pm to visit with friends and shop at our book tables. Everyone is always welcome.
Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 7:00 am
Salton Sea
Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
SBVAS has the Insane Jaunt (too hot) and the CBC (a bit chilly) but April is just right, the best time to go to the Salton Sea-- great weather, shorebirds in breeding plumage en route north, migrant warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks, flycatchers. We will bird the shoreline, the open sea, trees, and scrub habitats. We will meet at the "Big Arco" truck stop (map) at the corner of 66th and 86S in Mecca at 7:00 am. Weatherwill likely be perfect; bring water/drinks and pack a lunch.
Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 7:00 am
Big Morongo
Chet McGaugh (951) 781-3699
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
The first week in May is about the best time for observing migrant land birds in Southern California and Big Morongo is one of the best places for it. In addition to migrant warblers, vireos and flycatchers, we expect to see the breeding specialities including Vermilion Flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Bullock’s Oriole and Hooded Oriole.
Join us for a morning birdwalk on the trails and roads of the preserve and surrounding areas. We will meet at the preserve parking lot at 7:00 am (map). To get there, take I-10 to Highway 62, go north ten miles to Morongo Valley, then turn right on Park Avenue to Covington Park. Turn left at Covington Park, then do a quick right-left-right into the preserve. Weather is typically good this time of year. Bring water, snacks and lunch if you plan to make a day of it. Some of us will probably stay out all day. Who knows where the afternoon will lead us?
Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 8:00-10:00 am
Beginning Bird Walk at Fairmount Park (map)
Doug Karalun (909) 425-5355
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
For those of you who are just beginning the wonderful pastime of bird watching, please join us for a fun, slow-paced morning of birding in one of our local wildlife habitats. Our goal will be to teach you enough basic birding techniques and identification skills so that you will feel comfortable birding on your own or joining our longer birding trips throughout the year. We will introduce you to some of our local bird species. You may be surprised at what wonderful birds can be seen! Wear comfortable walking shoes, hats and sunscreen and bring water and binoculars. The walk is free and no reservations are needed. Everyone is welcome.
To reach Fairmount Park from downtown Riverside take Market Street north to the signal at Fairmount Park and turn left, then turn immediately to the left towards the tennis courts then right into the parking lot. Follow the lot all the way to the end and park near the bandstand. Please contact Doug Karalun for further information. Rain or other conditions may cause last minute changes. You may call ahead to confirm location and time.
Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 8:00 am
Box Springs Mountain
John Green (951) 686-2956
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
Our main target birds here will be Black-chinned, Rufous-crowned, and Bell's Sage Sparrows, which should be present and singing. We'll look for them and more while going on a figure eight loop hike through the fragmented chaparral and sage scrub and past several springs. A few of the other resident and/or breeding birds to be expected on the trip include Greater Roadrunner, Black-chinned and Costa's Hummingbirds, Nuttall's Woodpeckers, Wrentit, Rock and Canyon Wrens, California Thrasher, and Bullock's and Hooded Orioles. We will, of course, also be hoping for a nice crop of migrants including flycatchers, vireos, warblers, buntings, grosbeaks, and ??? Over 170 species of birds have been recorded in the Box Springs, but 40 species is a more realistic goal for this trip. We should also see some wildflowers and shrubs in bloom, and a variety of butterflies, reptiles, mammals, etc. as well. THIS INCLUDES RATTLESNAKES, which have been encountered on the trip in recent years. Other concerns include ticks, poison oak, and stinging nettle. None of these are abundant, and can be avoided with reasonable care. The walk is all on official trails, but some are narrow. The full hike is about 3.5 miles, with a couple of climbs, and a maximum elevation gain of about 650 feet. Those not wanting the full walk can break back to the parking lot at the end of the first loop of the figure eight (that first loop is about 1.25 miles and 450 foot elevation gain). Expect to arrive back at the parking lot by lunchtime.
We will meet at 8:00 am at the upper parking lot of Box Springs Mountain Reserve (map). From Highway 60 in Moreno Valley take the Pigeon Pass Road / Frederick Street exit. Take Pigeon Pass north and continue for about 4.2 miles. When Pigeon Pass makes a sharp turn to the right, you will continue straight on Box Springs Mountain Road for about 1.3 miles to the parking area. There is a $2 per person parking fee box. We will do a lot of walking, so wear appropriate shoes and dress comfortably in layers. Some trails may be overgrown, long pants are advised. Carry water and snacks. There are picnic tables at the parking area, so bring a lunch if you'd like to eat after the hike. See you there!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Saturday, May 8, 2010 - 8:00 am
Whitewater Canyon
Steve Myers (951) 634-9767
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
This trip is a new addition to the SBVAS field trip lineup. Portions of Whitewater Canyon have long been more or less closed to public access, but the former trout farm is now the "Whitewater Canyon Preserve," managed by The Wildlands Conservancy. If you visited the trout farm in the past, you will not know the place now. Most of the facilities have been removed, and habitat restoration is under way. There are still a few ponds with trout, but riparian and desert scrub habitat should be teaming with birds on this trip. The canyon hosts nesting Summer Tanagers and Brown-crested Flycatchers, and migrants should be easy to find. In addition to the Preserve, we will visit Bonnie Bell, a small community in the canyon that contains excellent cottonwood and willow forest and woodland, somewhat reminiscent of Big Morongo.
Meet at the Whitewater Canyon Preserve at 8:00 am (map). To reach the Preserve, go east on I-10, past the turn-off for Highway 111, and take the Whitewater exit. Turn left, pass over I-10, and watch for Whitewater Canyon Road on your left. The Preserve is at the end of Whitewater Canyon Road, approximately 5 miles north of I-10. Bring sturdy footwear, water, lunch, and the usual essentials.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 7:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
How Hummingbirds Fly by Doug Altshuler
One of the most remarkable adaptations in animals is the ability to fly. Birds, bats and insects are among the most successful of terrestrial organisms, and their colonization of diverse habitats and ecological roles provides a rich context for studies of animal behavior and ecology. The study of how animals fly is an intrinsically multidisciplinary field that involves aspects
of aerodynamics, physiology, and neuroscience. Although most flight research concerns either mechanisms or ecological interactions, flight behavior provides a powerful yet experimentally tractable system with which to merge reductionist and comparative approaches to understand how complex locomotion is accomplished, and how variation in locomotor performance influences higher-order behaviors. In his laboratory, the aim is to integrate approaches ranging from laboratory experiments to evolutionary comparisons because understanding the mechanisms of flight control also requires understanding the historical forces that have shaped it. Conversely, to evaluate the mechanisms by which ecological changes result in biological adaptations requires a well described system that can be studied in different environments.
Our speaker began his academic career studying the history of religion with a special emphasis on the Indian subcontinent. He spent his junior year abroad at the University of Delhi and graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1992. At the very end of his undergraduate studies, Doug took a field course in tropical biology and realized that although
biology poses simpler questions than religion, it also provides more tractable answers. Continuing his quest for field work and travel, Doug performed master's research on the interactions between plants and animals in the tropical setting of the Panama Canal. This work was supervised by Rick Howard at Purdue University, where Doug was awarded a M.Sc. in Miology in 1994. His Ph.D. research was completed in Robert Dudley's laboratory at University of Texas and concerned the influence of flight performance on hummingbird evolutionary ecology. This project involved laboratory studies in Austin as well as field work in the Peruvian Andes and the Colorado Rockies. Upon graduation in 2001, Doug joined Michael Dickinson's laboratory, first at UC Berkeley, and then helped move the lab to Cal Tech. As a postdoc, he worked on the aerodynamics and neurophysiology of flight in hummingbirds, zebra finches, and honeybees. He joined the faculty at UC Riverside in 2006 as an assistant professor of biology, where he studies the integrative biology of animal flight. Come enjoy what is certain to be an interesting and entertaining program. Our doors open at 7:00 pm and our meeting starts at 7:30 pm and everyone is always welcome.
Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 9:00 am
Baby Birds at Bearpaw Ranch
Cin Greyraven (909) 794-0509
NORTH H.S. STUDENT CREDIT POLICY
Join us for a trip into the hidden world of nesting birds at Bearpaw Nature Sanctuary in Forest Falls (map). Biologist Cin Greyraven will lead the group in its search for evidence of breeding behavior in the common birds of the chaparral and forest. Since 1994, Bearpaw Sanctuary has been part of the National Nest Box Trail system, offering homes to Western Bluebirds, Oak Titmice, House Wrens, Mountain Chickadees, and Ash-throated Flycatchers. Learn what types of nest boxes work best and how monitoring data by average citizens across the continent can contribute to scientific research. Learn how to monitor a nest box without disturbing the nesting effort. Enjoy a peek inside the usually inaccessible world of cavity nesters, and learn to recognize different species by their nests, eggs, and chicks. Bring binoculars for long-distance viewing and cameras for close-up snapshots. Children are welcome. The gate code is #7282. For additional information, call (909) 794-0509.
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Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Saturday, June 5, 2010 - 6:45 am
San Bernardino Mountains
Brad Singer (909) 838-7951
The San Bernardino Mountains trip will meet behind the Chevron station at the corner of Waterman Avenue (Highway 18) and 40th Street in San Bernardino at 6:45 am (map). We will start up Waterman Canyon, swing by the Heap's Peak drip, and make a brief stop in Running Springs. Expected species are orioles, Rufous-crowned, Black-chinned, and Fox Sparrows, and Green-tailed Towhees. From there, we will travel to Grout Bay on Big Bear Lake, and then head out to Arrastre Creek east of Big Bear. We will be looking for Hepatic Tanager, Calliope Hummingbird, Indigo Bunting, Mountain Quail, Scott's Oriole, and Gray Vireo. Next, we will stop at Sandy Remley's feeders in Baldwin Lake and have lunch. After lunch we will head up to Bluff Lake and spend a pleasant afternoon; expected species are White-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Williamson's and Red-breasted Sapsuckers, Cassin's and Purple Finches, and Olive-sided Flycatcher. There is a possibility of seeing Red Crossbill and Common Nighthawk. Also expected are Yellow, Wilson's, and Hermit Warblers. For those wanting to continue on, we will stop in Big Bear for an early dinner, and then head to Green Canyon in search of Whip-poor-wills and owls.
It will be a long day, so bring plenty of water, a lunch, and sturdy hiking shoes. A vehicle with high-clearance is recommended but not required. Please don't forget that you will need a National Forest Adventure Pass. For more information, contact Brad Singer at (909) 838-7951.
Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 7:00 am
Wrightwood
Gene Cardiff (909) 875-5358
The San Gabriel Mountains trip will start at the California Department of Forestry Mormon Rocks Station on Highway 138 at 7:00 am (map). Take I-15 north from San Bernardino or south from the Victor Valley and turn toward Palmdale on Highway 138. The CDF Station is located 1.5 miles up Hwy 138 on the left side of the road, opposite the large sandstone formation called the Mormon Rocks. (There are no restrooms at the CDF Station, use the restrooms at the gas stations near the off ramp.) After birding that area for 30-45 minutes, we will proceed up Lone Pine Canyon Rd into Wrightwood. We will enjoy a snack at the Twin Lakes Club and then will proceed up Highway 2 to the Arch Picnic Grounds at Big Pines and to the Table Mountain Campground amphitheater. We will have lunch at Table Mountain. After lunch, we will proceed to Valyermo where we will bird the Paradise Springs area and St. Andrew's Priory. If the cherries are ripe, we will stop to pick fresh cherries.
Bring a lunch, liquids and a good pair of shoes. We will look for mountain birds such as the White-headed Woodpecker, Clark's Nutcracker, Red Crossbill, Green-tailed Towhee, Townsend's Solitaire, and Black-chinned Sparrows. Please don’t forget: you will need an Adventure Pass (we will stop at the ranger station).
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 6:30 pm
SBVAS General Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Come & Celebrate the Summer
Help us celebrate the end of our chapter's year, the beginning of summer, and the joy of nature at our June potluck dinner. We will begin our evening of camaraderie at 6:30 pm, an hour earlier than usual. SBVAS will supply a turkey and a ham as well as beverages. Please bring a dish to share - a salad, vegetable, casserole, or dessert. Please remember to bring your own table service. Officers will be installed. This usually takes only a few minutes and then our members will provide the program by bringing 10-15 of their favorite nature slides to share. This is a great annual event and is fun for everyone. Come enjoy good friends, good food, and what is certain to be a teriffic evening.
Saturday-Sunday, June 26-27, 2010
Weekend trip - Greenhorn Mountains & the Southern Sierra
Steve Myers (951) 634-9767
This is a joint trip with the Mojave Desert Bird Club. Meet at 7:00 am (for breakfast), or 7:45 am (if you don't want breakfast) at Cheryl's Diner in Kernville (11030 Kernville Rd, Kernville, CA 93238-9765; map). From Kernville we will head up into the Greenhorn Mountains. The Greenhorns are at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada, and offer extensive coniferous forests, wet meadows, and spectacular views. We expect to see many of the typical high mountain birds, and the Greenhorns are the southern range limit of birds such as the Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk, and Winter Wren. On Saturday night we will be camping at a primitive campground (no water or toilets of any kind) in the Greenhorns. Among the localities visited on this trip will be the Trail of 100 Giants (Sequoia grove), Portuguese Pass, Tiger Flat, Sherman Pass, and Kennedy Meadows. This trip can be terrific for both montane birds and butterflies, and the scenery is unsurpassed!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Hummingbirds at Bearpaw Ranch (map)
Cin Greyraven (909) 794-0509
More information to come.
RETURN TO TOP
Wednesday, August 4, 2010 - 7:00 pm
SBVAS Board Meeting - San Bernardino County Museum (map)
Saturday, August 7, 2010 - 5:30 am
Insane Jaunt to the Salton Sea
Tom Benson (909) 648-0899
How would you like to see birds like Wood Stork, Stilt Sandpiper, Laughing and Yellow-footed Gulls, Gull-billed and Black Terns, Burrowing Owl, Gila Woodpecker, and Bronzed Cowbird? All those and more may be yours at the mere price of 110 degree average daily highs in the pungent glory and spectacle of the Salton Sea in summertime. With luck, perhaps something like an Anhinga, Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, or Magnificent Frigatebird will appear (or is it just the heat?).
DO NOT COME ON THE TRIP WITHOUT:
LOTS OF WATER, a large ice chest, lots of ice, lunch, and snacks,
a hat and sunscreen, a working air conditioner, and a full tank of gas (top off in Indio).
Meeting place will be at the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area (map). Going south on Hwy 111 along the east shore of the Sea, turn right at Davis Road which is signed for the Wister Unit. Proceed to the parking lot on your left. If you reach the town of Niland on Hwy 111 you have gone 5 miles too far. We'll meet at 5:30 am, just before sunrise to beat the heat as much as we can, and we'll bird until we've had enough. Our route will be determined by where the Wood Storks are and where other birds of interest are being seen. Motels are available in Calipatria, Brawley, and Indio for those wishing to spend Friday night in the area.
Please notify Tom Benson with updates, additions, or corrections to this calendar.
Updated April 23, 2010.