President’s Column

by Chet Ogan

Godwit Days and other Tidbits

The 6th annual Godwit Days is coming this April 27-30 at the Arcata Community Center near Old Arcata Road (Hwy 255) and Union Street. Many of our members are already involved leading field trips and workshops. Redwood Region Audubon will also be hosting a Godwit Cafe (possibly from olde English meaning "good victuals"), offering a hot cup of organic coffee and donuts for the early risers and steaming bowls of chili and fruits later in day. Our booth will also be a place to relax and talk. I would like to put out a challenge to our Redwood Region Audubon members who would like to become more active to help us with our booth. Contact me at 442-9353 if you are interested in helping. The planning is done, the fun begins. Please join us.

This year Godwit Days offers more than 75 field trips and workshops including more than 15 FREE events throughout the community. There will be packages for beginning, intermediate, and advanced birders. In the main auditorium will be displays by local artists and merchants. Field trips run from a couple of hours to half-day to full day and include trips to local coastal and riparian areas as well as trips to inland upland and riparian areas where you can enjoy the spring sunshine. Late night owling trips and early morning marbled murrelet trips will be offered. For more information contact Arcata Mainstreet at (800) 908-WING or online at http://www.godwitdays.com

Good news for Del Norte County. Our active members in Del Norte County, Alan Barron, Eileen Cooper, Sue Calla, Sandy Jerabek and others, are happy that California Department of Fish and Game is in the process of purchasing 158 parcels of the old Pacific Shores subdivision. These properties are being purchased for the price of their defaulted property taxes to Del Norte County. Roads were built in this subdivision in the 1960s and lots were sold to out-of-area purchasers who were interested in buying "prime" coastal real estate. The area became a dumping ground for old refrigerators and automobiles. California Fish and Game is working on a management plan with California Department of Parks and Recreation to jointly manage this area and land exchanges between the two state agencies will take place. Both agencies have archeological sites and areas of biological concern. In general, the wildlife areas will be administered by CDFG and the archeological sites will be managed by CDPR.