Redwood Region Audubon Society

Announcements and Happenings for January 2004

RRAS Completes Successful Year of Field Trips

By Sue Leskiw

During 2003, RRAS volunteers led 33 field trips in addition to weekly walks at the Arcata Marsh. Nearly 350 attendees took advantage of the birding expertise of these dedicated field trip leaders. The most popular trip was a visit to Horse Mountain in search of butterflies, led jointly by Pete Haggard of CNPS and Tom Leskiw of RRAS as a prelude to the Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour. Participant Bill Rodstrom pointed out that it was nearly 10 years to the day since a similar trip had been offered!

A new series of trips (every other month) to the Potowat Village constructed by United Indian Health Services was initiated. In March, Tracy Cline and Gretchen O’Brien led a very successful walk in honor of International Women’s Day. RRAS members also pitched in to clean up the Eureka Marsh in conjunction with Earth Day in April. Unfortunately, bad weather canceled Elias’s Sage Grouse lek trek.

RRAS would like to take this opportunity to send out a heartfelt “Thank you” to the special field trip leaders who were willing to share their expertise with local residents (and many tourists) during 2003: Tracy Cline, Elias Elias, David Fix & Jude Power, Pablo Herrera, John Hewston, Mark Morrissette, Laura Nelson, Gretchen O’Brien, Brian O’Donnell, Chet Ogan, Kerry Ross, Matt Wachs, and Don Wattenberg.

And let’s not forget those stalwarts who, during the past year, escorted birders through the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, rain or shine, every Saturday at 8:30 am: Frank Anderson, Gary Bloomfield, Jim & Donna Clark, Brent Critch, Elias Elias, Gary Friedrichsen, Esther Gilcrist, Stan Harris, Larry Karsteadt, Paul Lohse, Carl Meyers, Michael Morris, Mark Morrissette, Chet Ogan, Bill Rodstrom, Mary Severdia, Paul & Virginia Springer, Pete & Nancy Spruance, Jim Tietz, and Jared Wolfe.

Help Wanted

RRAS needs your help. With the Silent Auction in February, Godwit Café in April, booths at public events, etc., we need volunteers to work with the public and behind the scenes. If you are available to give as little as 2 hours a month to insure the success of these ventures, please contact Philip Smyser, your volunteer coordinator, at 442-5904 or philipsmyser@yahoo.com.

Conservation Committee Report, By Jim Clark

The Conservation Committee met on December 20, 2003 at noon at the Golden Harvest Cafe in Arcata.  Jim Clark, Barbara Kelly, Melvin McKinney, Chet Ogan and Philip Smyser attended.

Illegal ORV use was discussed, and Jim noted that the problem is not limited to the dune areas around Lake Earl but appears to be pervasive on the coast north of Mendocino County.  He will contact Julia Levin of Audubon California to find out the most effective way of getting ORVs out of areas where they are supposed to be prohibited.

Eureka Marsh: Plans are going forward, including the Phragmites eradication. Mel thinks that there should be public information meetings to explain what the plans are in detail and clarify some issues.  Jim got a call from someone concerned about the use of the glyphosate herbicide Rodeo® after reading erroneous information that it was a cumulative poison and equivalent to Roundup®.  There is also a lack of adequate analysis to justify the culvert replacement  which would significantly restrict tidal action in the re-created salt marsh.

Enforcement of environmental regulations on the South Spit of Humboldt Bay appears to have fallen below the agreed upon level.  Fortunately, there was no iintrusion into the Snowy plover exclusion area.  This issue will be combined with the communication with Julia Levin as part of the larger issue.

Jim mentioned that a trade advertiser that he gets at work had an article that criticized the web site <www.environment2004.org> for being hard on Bush’s environmental actions and cited the Everglades project as an example of a good project.  Unfortunately, our president had little to do with that.  Log on and you will find some friends and NAS Chair of the board there.

LNG:  There will be a meeting with the City of Eureka on January 20. 

McDaniel Slough EIR Draft is out and contains flaws. The representative species list contains species that are not common to the area.  A revision of the list is needed.  The most challenging aspect of this project may be controlling the brackish marsh.  It is hoped that there will be adequate adjustment of tidal flows to mimic the brackish marsh habitat that has been severely reduced around Humboldt Bay

Next Meeting is February 19, 2004, same place, same time.

Donations of Goods & Services Sought for Silent Auction

For the fourth year, RRAS will be holding a Silent Auction at its Annual Banquet. This event has become the major fundraiser for our chapter.

If you work in a business, ask your employer to donate a gift certificate or merchandise. If you are an artist or photographer or needlecrafter, give a piece of your work. Offer to lead a birding trip or cook a dinner. Donate books or gently used optics or other field supplies. There are many types of services and objects on which people would be willing to bid, so don’t be shy or uncreative!

To make a tax-deductible donation, call Elias Elias at 826-2758. All donors will be recognized at the banquet on February 14 and in the Sandpiper as well as receive thank-you letters.

Scholarship Application Deadline February 2

A $100 scholarship to a K-12 student or classroom and a $150 grant for an HSU student to conduct a research project or attend and present the results of his/her research at a scientific meeting will be underwritten by RRAS. Applications for both awards are due on February 2 and winners will be presented their checks at the RRAS annual banquet on February 14.

To receive an application form, contact Louise Bacon‑Ogden, Scholarship Chair, 123 F Street, Eureka, CA 95501; phone 445‑8304 or 445‑1822; e‑mail sftb@juno.com.

RRAS to Sponsor Educational Awards

A $100 scholarship to a K-12 student/classroom and a $150 grant for an HSU student to conduct a research project or attend and present the results of his/her research at a scientific meeting will be underwritten by RRAS. Applications for both awards are due on February 2, 2004, and winners will be presented their checks at the RRAS annual banquet on February 14.

Flyers advertising the K-12 scholarship -- for projects related to local habitats or species, conservation, or other environmental topics – will be distributed to all Humboldt County schools in early January and mailed to teachers who attended the environmental education fair at College of the Redwoods.

Preference for the college award will be given to research conducted on birds in northern California, although projects related to local habitats or species, conservation, or other environmental topics will be accepted. The winner is expected to give a 45‑minute presentation of his/her research, geared to the informed layperson, at an RRAS general meeting.

To receive an application form, contact Louise Bacon‑Ogden, Scholarship Chair, 123 F St, Eureka, CA 95501; phone 445‑8304 or 445‑1822; e‑mail sftb@juno.com.

Children’s Art Contest at Godwit Days

RRAS, in cooperation with Friends of the Arcata Marsh (FOAM), is sponsoring an art contest this April. Some $200 in prizes will be awarded in four grade categories (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12). Winners will be announced at the Godwit Days opening reception on Friday, April 16 and winning pieces will be displayed at the Arcata Community Center.

Artwork may be in color or black and white. Any media may be used (e.g., crayons, pastels, paint, pencil, collage). Subject must be a rendering of bird(s) from a list of 40 species. Flyers with complete rules are available at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center and Strictly for the Birds or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the RRAS post office box.

The deadline for entries is Monday, March 29. Artwork may be dropped off at Strictly for the Birds, 123 F Street, Eureka, or the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center, South G Street, Arcata; or mailed to RRAS, PO Box 1054, Eureka CA 95502.

RRAS Sponsors Science Fair Award

Again this year, RRAS will be sponsoring an award for the best project dealing with birds and their habitat at the annual Humboldt County Science Fair. The event will be held in mid-March at Humboldt State University. RRAS volunteer judges will evaluate exhibits created by elementary, middle, and high school students to choose a winner. The prize is a $50 check and a 1-year local RRAS membership.

Thinking of Joining the National Audubon Society?

If so, please use the coupon on the membership page. By sending in your membership on this form, rather than replying to solicitations from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS. This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruiting national members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share per new member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you.

Redwood Region Audubon Society Local Membership Category

Local membership in R.R.A.S. is available for our supporters who want to receive The Sandpiper, but not be members of National Audubon. The cost of this service is $15. Please make checks payable to R.R.A.S. and send to P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502. Write LOCAL MEMBERSHIP on your check.

Redwood Region Audubon Society welcomes the following new members and subscribers: