Share the Beach Program May 7
Redwood Region Audubon is co-sponsoring a free public program on Wednesday, May 7, from 7-9 p.m., at Azalea Hall in McKinleyville. Ron LeValley and Heather Beeler from Mad River Biologists will present information about the Snowy Plover and other wildlife and plants that share the beach with us. Heather will offer information about how we can enjoy the beach and be respectful of these sensitive resources at the same time and how we can share this information with others. Other co-sponsors of the program, hosted by the Dunes Forum, are North Group -- Redwood Chapter of the Sierra Club, Northcoast Environmental Center, Environmental Protection Information Center, Friends of the Dunes, the Humboldt Coastal Coalition, and Mad River Biologists.
Garden Tour Tickets Now on Sale
The inaugural Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour showcase 9 gardens -- from downtown Eureka to Westhaven -- plus Freshwater Farms -- that have been specifically designed to attract wildlife or that feature native species. Whether you have a small city lot or several acres in the woods, visiting these properties will give you plenty of ideas for your own landscaping.
The Tour will be held Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The North Coast Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is partnering with Redwood Region Audubon Society to give you entry into these wonderful backyard habitats. The cost for a ticket to all 10 locations is only $15. (Plus each ticket contains a coupon for 10% savings at Freshwater Farms and Strictly for the Birds!)
Tickets must be purchased in advance. You can order by mail using the form on the Calendar web page or buy tickets at the following locations: Strictly for the Birds, 123 F Street, Old Town Eureka; Freshwater Farms, 5851 Myrtle Avenue, Eureka; or the Northcoast Environmental Center, 575 H Street, Arcata. (Mail orders should be sent no later than July 11, to guarantee receiving your tickets before the event.)
Still Seeking Garden Tour Volunteers
The July 26 Wildlife & Native Plant Garden Tour needs a few more people to check tickets and distribute handouts at the gardens, direct traffic, and help at the refreshment stop. Shifts are 3 hours, either 10 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-4 p.m. In appreciation, volunteers will receive a VIP tour of the gardens and picnic on Sunday, July 27. Please call Tom or Sue Leskiw at 442-5444.
Thank You, Godwit Café Donors & Volunteers
RRAS sends its appreciation to Los Bagels for donating the bagels and Ramone’s Bakery for donating the french bread sold in the Café. Also, thanks to Sacred Grounds for giving us shade grown coffee to brew. A huge “chef hats off” to Troy Leopardo, who crafted the crepes, stew, and soup. The Café operated 18 hours during the Godwit Days Festival, a feat that required yeoman efforts from the following volunteers:
Frank Anderson, Lina Carro, Donna Clark, Jim Clark, Tracy Cline, Elias Elias, Jessica Flayer, David Gillott, Chet Ogan, C.J. Ralph, Jay Sooter, and George Ziminsky.
Thanks to you all!
Nest Box
Project
By Chet Ogan
April 11, 2003. Eureka High School. Recently arrived Pacific Slope Flycatchers and Yellow-rumped Warblers were singing in the redwoods. Townsend’s Warblers, still lingering from their winter here, were flitting through the branches gleaning insects. Hutton’s Vireos were singing in the tree canopies. Downy Woodpeckers were scouring the branches of a dead alder. Chestnut-backed Chickadees were checking out cavities in a dead alder and peeking in the nestboxes searching for possible nesting places.
Last Fall I donated redwood siding from the barn we tore down to Eureka High School for a nestbox program. Paul Kinsey’s shop classes cut the pieces for 50 nest boxes and this winter Robert Child’s Field Biology class placed the boxes on riparian areas around the campus, recording, aspect, tree species, height, and habitat. This spring the class will be observing the boxes, noting which bird species use the boxes.
Cornell Ornithology Lab is promoting a nestbox program around the United States to encourage people to put up nestboxes for cavity-nesting birds. As forests are cut, some logging practices allow removal of standing dead trees. These dead trees provide foraging and nesting habitat for many species of animals including bats, martens, flying squirrels, and cavity-nesting birds. The lack of suitable cavities is the limiting factor for many cavity-nesting species.
It is the hope that by providing nestboxes, cavity nesting species such as Violet-green Swallows and Tree Swallows will nest in the areas. Swallow are beneficial in consuming large quantities of flying nuisance insects such as mosquitoes.
Conservation Committee Report - April 18
By Jim Clark
The Conservation Committee met at 12 Noon at the Golden Harvest Cafe on April 18, 2003. Frank Anderson, Diane Beck, Jim Clark, Sue Leskiw, Chet Ogan, and Melvin McKinney attended.
Eureka Wildlife Areas renaming: Mel reported that the item to propose renaming the wildlife areas to Wildlife Sanctuaries is scheduled for the April 29 City Council meeting.
Eureka Greenways and Gulches: Mel and Chet think that requests for committee members are about to go out.
County Open Space Study letter: The committee discussed the request to sign on to a letter by Diane Ryerson of the Sierra Club expressing interest in meeting with Kirk Girard to discuss the possibility of environmental organizations contributing additional funds to the Humboldt County Association of Realtors and the Northern California Association of Homebuilders proposed $6,000 to help pay for a $9-10,000 survey to (1) verify the accuracy of the 2002 county survey and (2) craft the housing element update for the county’s general plan.
The committee offers an alternative. Let the Humboldt County Association of Realtors and the Northern California Association of Homebuilders do an independent study. This would avoid the possible appearance of impropriety and allow the public to objectively compare the two studies.
Coast Seafoods mariculture permit: The meeting of Coast Seafoods with the permitting agencies reportedly resulted in Coast Seafoods claiming that if they had to monitor their mariculture activities in Humboldt Bay as requested by the Coastal Commission, they could not afford to operate. Another issue that is being considered is whether or not the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District is properly discharging their public trust by leasing tidelands to an unpermitted operator who is resisting compliance with state and federal environmental regulations.
Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Commission: Mel attended the Commissioner Meeting and objected to the presented budget because it did not include grants or the lease amount from Coast Seafoods. Commissioner Fritzsche sustained a motion to re-hear the budget with the grants and leases included.
The committee briefly discussed the possibility of one or more oyster cultivators who might fill the gap if Coast Seafood were to be forced out of business by the cost of compliance and competitive lease payments.
Change in Meeting Day: Due to conflicting meetings for the chairman, meetings will be held on the third Thursday of the month instead of the third Friday. We hope that regular attendees and some of those not able to attend on Fridays will be able to make the Thursday meeting day.
Belize-RRAS Sistership
Chet Ogan and Jay Sooter, both of whom had visited Belize in the past couple of months, reported to the Latin-America Committee on the beauty of this small country RRAS has chosen to have a sister relationship with-- and how birdy it is. But as with many beautiful places, it’s facing intense development pressures, much of it from Americans retiring there to live in gated communities. Belizeans are concerned, as well, especially the Audubon representatives Chet and Jay met with. They’re fully aware of their priceless resources and of the need to develop plans to try to at least steer the development in less environmentally destructive directions.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Refuge has the largest nesting colony of Jabiru Storks in Central America, but this colony is steadily shrinking, and no one knows why. Speculation is that they face pressures on their wintering grounds, but where they go is yet unknown. The executive director of Belize Audubon, Valdemar Andrade, would like to get a banding program started to learn where the Jabirus migrate and they have requested RRAS to help train their people in banding techniques.
Meanwhile, it was suggested that we ask our RRAS membership to visit the Belize Audubon website, www.belizeaudubon.org, and, if possible, to consider joining that chapter. Rob Hewitt is planning a cost-sharing trip to Belize for RRAS members during President’s week of 2004, and we encourage members to think about visiting this small but unique country in Central America. Look for more details in coming months.
Redwood Region Audubon Society welcomes the following new members and subscribers:
Arcata
– George Burtchett, Marylee Bytheriver, Phyllis Geller, Alex Stillman, Sandy
Waters
Crescent City – Ross Schaefer
Eureka – Joseph Roberts
Fortuna – Debra Arivett
Loleta – Debra Nuttall
McKinleyville –
Joe & Ann Friedman, Russell Namitz, Edith Smith
We look forward to seeing you on field trips and at our monthly programs.