The
Breeding Bird Atlas: At Long Last, A Reality!
By David Fix
After more than a decade of planning, fieldwork, data analysis, map preparation, thought, writing, and exhaustive draft review, the long-awaited Breeding Bird Atlas is almost ready to send to the printer! The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Humboldt County, California is the product of many thousands of hours of effort by scores of people. The atlas includes maps and detailed accounts of the 181 species of birds that were found to be possible, probable, or confirmed breeders in Humboldt in the period 1995-1999.
Fewer than a half-dozen of the more than 3,600 counties in the United States claim more breeding species than Humboldt. Because of this, the book is close to 500 pages long. It includes maps of habitat coverage, land ownership, and bird distribution; a list of every observer who contributed observations; acknowledgment of financial and other supporters; full discussion of survey results in a context of regional and historical ornithology; complete data tables, and is graced by more than 60 original illustrations commissioned by local wildlife artists. Rob Hewitt provided the initial idea and impetus for the project, and John Hunter, David Fix, Greg Schmidt, and Jude Power ultimately carried it through to the finish. Gary Bloomfield created a stunningly beautiful vignette of characteristic local breeding species for the cover. The contributions and efforts of a great number of Northcoast birders, biologists, artists, and landowners have finally been distilled into a spectacular and unique book summarizing this “five-year snapshot” of Humboldt County’s breeding birds.
Both soft-cover and hardbound versions of the BBA will become available beginning at Godwit Days in April 2005. Considering the wealth of information presented in these pages, the price will be surprisingly affordable. Anyone interested in Humboldt’s feathered nations will want to own a copy. And they’ll make a great gift!
Wanted: Secretary
Due to the departure of a crucial board member, we are in dire need of a new board member who would enjoy recording and transcribing the minutes of the proceedings at the monthly board meeting. This is not hard work, and it is a specific but much-needed task. Anyone interested in doing this or who would like more information, please contact Chet Ogan at chet_ogan@yahoo.com or 442-9353 (evenings).
April 15 Is Not Just for Taxes This Year
It’s also the kickoff for the 10th annual Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival. Members are reminded that RRAS has been selected as the 2005 spotlight organization and will receive a portion of every paid registration.
During the festival, to be held at the Arcata Community Center April 15-17, RRAS will be leading two Arcata Marsh walks that are free to the general public, as well as sponsoring the Friday night lecture by John Hunter and David Fix on the Humboldt County Breeding Bird Atlas.
RRAS also will be operating the Godwit Café, open Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., and co-sponsoring the Student Bird Art Contest. Stop by and see the several hundred expected entries posted in the Community Center lobby from K-12 students.
Godwit Days offers nearly 100 field trips, workshops, lectures, and boat excursions. Free community events include an art show, vendor booths, opening reception, live raptors on display, and family nature activities. For easy on-line registration and a complete list of events, visit www.godwitdays.com or call 707-442-5444.
Godwit Days Selects RRAS as Spotlight Organization
The theme of the 10th annual spring migration bird festival, to be held April 15-17 at the Arcata Community Center, is “Accomplishments in Citizen Science.” In keeping with that theme, Godwit Days has selected RRAS as this year’s “Spotlight Organization,” to receive a portion of each paid registration.
The designation both recognizes the many years of festival support by RRAS and the completion of a 10-year effort to create an atlas of the 181 species of birds that breed in Humboldt County. Nearly 300 people—most of them not professional biologists—either traveled to assigned areas in every corner of the county to look for bird behaviors that indicated nesting was occurring and contributed data from research studies or reported sightings. Starting in 1995, 5 years of data collection were followed by 5 years of analysis, review, map creation, and writing of the accounts describing the habitat preferences and natural history of local breeding birds.
Adding to the appeal of the 450+-page book are more than 60 original pen-and-ink bird portraits commissioned for the project. Acknowledging the hard work of the volunteer citizen-scientists who contributed their time and kept the faith, the hundreds of individual sightings mentioned are attributed to those who made them.
Atlas authors John Hunter and David Fix will talk about the project during a free public lecture following the Godwit Days opening reception on Friday, April 15. All four authors are expected to sign copies of the atlas that will be offered for sale by RRAS during the festival. Please visit www.godwitdays.com for complete festival information.
Reminder: Art Contest Entries Due by March 28
K-12 students throughout Humboldt County are invited to submit for judging their artistic renderings of any of 40 species of local birds. Some $300 in prizes will be awarded by RRAS and Friends of the Arcata Marsh. Winners will be announced at the Godwit Days opening reception on Friday, April 15, and all entries will be displayed at the Arcata Community Center during the festival.
Flyers with complete rules are available at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center and Strictly For The Birds in Eureka or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the RRAS post office box. 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 at PO Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502.
New Marbled Murrelet T-shirts Available
RRAS has reprinted the popular Gary Bloomfield design on 100% cotton preshrunk short-sleeved shirts. We are offering two colors, blue and brown, in sizes S through XXL. The $12 price includes tax. Available at RRAS programs and at the Godwit Café at Godwit Days, April 16-17.
RRAS Sponsors Science Fair Award
Again this year, RRAS will be sponsoring an award at the Humboldt County Science Fair for the best project dealing with birds and their habitat. The event will be held in the week of March 14 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.
Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour to Be Held July 16
Eight gardens—from Eureka to McKinleyville—will be featured in the third annual Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour. The event, to be held Saturday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, is co-sponsored by the Redwood Region Audubon Society and the North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
The selected gardens showcase plants that attract wildlife (especially pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies) or emphasize native species. The event is intended to increase community awareness of backyard habitats and to raise funds for both nonprofit groups. Tickets will go on sale in May/June and cost $15. Watch The Sandpiper for an order form and list of ticket outlets.
Volunteers are needed to check tickets, hand out literature, staff the refreshment area, and serve as parking attendants. In exchange for a morning (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) or afternoon (1-4 p.m.) shift, volunteers are invited to a VIP Garden Tour & Picnic on Sunday, July 17. For more information, call Sue Leskiw at 442-5444.
Conservation
Committee Report
By Chet Ogan
Del Norte County Kudos go to Friends of Del Norte for their victory on Lake Earl. Sandra Jarabek spoke at the January California Coastal Commission meeting in Long Beach and was supported by our local Commission representative Bonnie Neely. “The 5 year permit which the Commission just granted allows Fish & Game and the County to breach the lagoon between 8-10 ft mean sea level. However, to encourage the maximum feasible biological productivity, the Commission set the goal for breaching at 9-9.5ft.” Also the Commission approved setting the breaching cutoff date as “early February (as opposed to mid- or late February) which will lead to a significantly higher summer lagoon.” All state agencies have now granted the permits approving 8 to 10 feet as the breaching window for the next 5 years. But two lawsuits have already been filed by local interests.
Samoa Peninsula The Harbor Commission approved tentative plans to purchase the 200-acre Dog Ranch off Hwy 255 south of the Samoa Bridge. A member of the Harbor Commission had met earlier in the day with members of the Beach and Dunes Advisory Committee who had expressed interest in working with North Coast Regional Land Trust to purchase the property, which lies between two other Land Trust properties. Part of the concern is why the Harbor Commission is buying this property, which lies out of the District’s sphere of influence.
Eureka/PALCO Marsh The City of Eureka has the approval of RRAS to go ahead with the burning of common reed Phragmites at the Eureka Marsh.
The Harbor Commission is working on their policy guidelines. Words should be added in the policy guidelines to use Best Management Practices and adaptive management whereby the commission accepts and uses up-to-date research to guide actions.
Arcata has the draft Environmental Impact Statement for McDaniel Slough on their website. The preferred alternative calls for a 100-foot breach in the dike adjacent to Humboldt Bay and freshwater and brackish ponds adjacent to I Street. Spoils from these ponds will be used to build levees along the west side of the project area with the remainder of the spoils being used to build up subsided land inside the existing levees. The unknowns are whether we will get native saltgrass and pickleweed or non-native Chilean cordgrass in these built-up areas. Bird diversity will change as a result of the project.
The next meeting will be at noon, March 17, at Arcata’s Golden Harvest Restaurant. Conservation Committee plans to hold a field trip in Del Norte County in conjunction with the Aleutian Goose Gala on April 2.
Membership Survey
By Jan Andersen
Some time ago surveys were sent to the RRAS membership to assess member involvement and how we can better serve you. Twenty-three folks kindly responded to the survey, with the following results.
About half of the respondents (10) read the entire Sandpiper, 4 never read it (1 had “no time for anything,” and 1 does not receive it regularly), and the rest read just a few of the features. Under suggestions for other articles, 1 suggested “occasional local scientific updates of local bird news—decline of songbird populations, etc.” Another: “Perhaps a seasonal ‘Where’s a good local spot to be birding and for what at this time of year’…”
A surprising 16 of the 21 who responded to the question (76%) do not visit the chapter’s website, 3 stating that they did not have a computer or did not have Internet access. Most have visited it only once, although one respondent visits it “bimonthly.” 12 of 22 people (55%) have called the Arcata Bird Box, the frequency ranging from once (5, with 1 stating “couldn’t figure it out”) to “daily” (1 person) for both hearing reports and/or reporting a sighting.
Taking part in RRAS field trips in 2004 ranged from “none” (10 respondents) to 25, with Arcata Marsh the most frequently checked site (the only 1 by the member who attended 25 trips). Some stated they go to Arcata Marsh, Eureka Marsh, Humboldt Bay NWR and “other” on their own, and 1 has been a docent of the Arcata Marsh trip twice. Eleven people would maybe or definitely attend a weekday trip. One noted that he/she attended a weekday trip in the past, and there were more people on it than on weekend trips. Of 22 who responded, no one would be interested in attending a field trip specially designed for families with children. Two people would be interested in docent training or “refresher” at Arcata Marsh. Many people stated they were too busy to attend field trips or limited by poor health. Suggestions for future trips: Snow Camp Road, Kneeland, or similar upland or inland prairie; Friday Ridge, Titlow Hill Rd., Horse Mt., “Rock Wren Rock,” “more in Del Norte County”; Arcata Bottom; Woodley or Indian Islands.
Eighteen of 22 respondents (82%) have never attended Conservation Committee meetings; 2 knew nothing about them or thought they were not publicized enough. Some thought it was too far or an inconvenient time for attending.
Eleven members attended the monthly Friday programs, ranging from 1 in the past year to a maximum of 5. Of the 12 respondents who never attend the programs, 10 have attended or supported other events, like the annual banquet, the garden tour, Christmas Bird Count, and/or Eureka Marsh Clean-up. Nineteen of the 23 members attended one or more of the special events, with 10 attending (or supporting) the annual banquet, 12 the garden tour, and 8 taking part in the CBC. Some reasons for not attending: “Live in McKinleyville. Too far away.” “something else was always happening.” “We don’t enjoy hearing about environmental disasters (one continually hears about conservation/environmental issues beyond one’s control or responsibility); we do enjoy programs about the biology of birds.” “Time limitations.” “I live in southern Humboldt and find it difficult to make trips to Arcata…my intention for 2005 is to do more birdwatching and attend some events.” “When you’re over 70, day time meetings are best!” “Sorry we are unable to do more.” From a Crescent City member: “Since almost all the activities occur in Eureka, I do not really feel that I am a part of a local Audubon.”
The question about a potluck dinner before a lecture got a lukewarm response, with only 4 checking yes and 3 declaring no.
Many thanks to all of you who took the time to complete and mail this survey.