Redwood Region Audubon Society

Announcements and Happenings for July 2004

Weekly Summer Nature Programs

Where: Lake Earl Wildlife Area & Tolowa Dunes State Park Visitor Center

North Coast Redwood Interpretive Association is pleased to announce a series of weekly summer interpretive programs at Tolowa Dunes State Park and the Lake Earl Wildlife Area, held from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  Nature related field trips and/or slide presentations led by local and regional experts will take place every Sunday afternoon at the Tolowa Dunes State Park and the Lake Earl Wildlife Area Visitor Center, 2591 Old Mill Road, (off Northcrest Drive) Crescent City, California.

Upcoming events include birding trips, native plant walks, dune ecology tours, habitat hikes, and Tolowa heritage programs. Local and regional groups sponsoring and leading weekly programs include Lake Earl Audubon Branch, Redwood Region Audubon Society, California Native Plant Society, Friends of the Dunes, North Group Sierra Club, Tolowa Dunes Volunteers, and the Redwood Economic Development Institute. 

Coinciding with the weekly events is the opening of a new Tolowa Dunes State Park and Lake Earl Wildlife Area Visitor Center and Nature Store. Open for the first time this summer during selected hours on the weekend, visitors to the Park and Wildlife Area can get free trail maps, birding and native plant information, as well as an array of books and nature items for sale.

Consult the list under Field Trips on the Calendar page for a list of events. Contact for more information: Sue Calla – 1-707-465-6191

July 15 Deadline for Purchasing Breeding Bird Atlas Art

One method of raising money to publish the Humboldt County BBA is to sell drawings commissioned from local wildlife artists. Donors purchase an illustration of their favorite species for $125, receiving the original artwork and being credited in the atlas for sponsoring that species. The money generated is split between the artist and the atlas.

To date, 44 species have been sponsored. The following three birds – already commissioned -- are available to good homes: Cliff Swallow, Common Raven, and American Dipper. Also, many species that birders know and enjoy may be ordered prior to July 15: examples are Snowy Egret, Cinnamon Teal, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, American Robin, Lazuli Bunting, Spotted (Rufous Sided) Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, and Western Meadowlark.

If you would like to support the BBA by purchasing art, call Jude Power at 822-3613.

Garden Tour Again Proves Popular Event

RRAS and the North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society would like to thank the following for contributing to the continuing success of the Second Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour, held June 26. Nearly 300 people purchased tickets to visit the nine backyard habitats – both residential and commercial -- designed to attract pollinators or that featured native plants.

·   Amy Stewart at the North Coast Journal, Mike Dronkers at KHUM, The Times-Standard, Arcata Eye, McKinleyville Press, Eureka Reporter, NCC Radio Group, KMUD, and News Channel 3, for their interviews, articles, and photographs.

·   Ticket outlets: Strictly for the Birds, Miller Farms Nursery, Pierson’s Garden Shop & Nursery, Garden Gate, Mad River Gardens, Northcoast Environmental Center, and Freshwater Farms.

·   The Luddite String Band, for providing old-time, Celtic, and bluegrass music at the refreshment stop.

·   Larissa, Cindy, and the rest of the staff at Freshwater Farms (get well soon, Rick!).

·   The garden selection committee.

·   The 43 volunteers, who staffed the check-in tables, served refreshments, supervised parking, set up/cleaned up for the refreshment stop and picnic, or performed docent interpretation at the commercial properties.

·   The garden owners, who opened their properties to the public and were on hand for 6 hours to answer questions from attendees.

·   Sue Leskiw, who handled logistics and publicity for the Garden Tour and ensuing volunteer appreciation tour and picnic.

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

Arcata – Julianne Brown, Lee Mitchell Brown, Carl Chatfield, Gail Crosby, Ernest Frei, Patricia Larson, Alice Lassiter, Karen Orsolics, Benjamin Tankersley, Richard Vincent, Sarah & Matt Walker, Esther Wallace, Rebecca Waters

Bayside – Joan Elk

Blue Lake – Jerry Stewart, Sue Walker

Crescent City – Mary Daniels, Katie Hyre, Martha Knight, Louise Norris, Sandra Rowan, A.W. Wellman

Eureka – James & Connie Cash, Lisa Embree, Dawn Gomersall, Karynn Merkel, Richard Miller, Betty Mueller, Sherman Nelson, Marianne Pennekamp, B. Post, Scott Shirk, Christopher Tonra

Fieldbrook – Edith Smith

Fortuna – R.M. Dino, Dick & Lee McDowell, Dagnija Meyer, Jeremy Rodriguez, Nikki Rosa, Mary Waters

Garberville – James Drews, Pansy King

Gasquet – The Roberts

Klamath – Norma Davis

McKinleyville – Christie Buchanan, Patricia Daniels, Barbara Morrison, Harry Neale, Virginia Prusha, Deborah Williams, Wesley Windsor, D.J. Yale

Myers Flat – Linda Sanders

Petrolia – Anita Roman

Redway – Estrella Quiroga

Trinidad – Joseph Christian, Elizabeth Hegy, Ron & Melanie Johnson, Tom Lindquist, The Marshalls, Ralph Reiner, Kimberlea Thorpe

Whitethorn – Marie Mills