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Volume 62 Berkeley, Calif June, 1980 Number 6
Annual Dinner, June 14
Don’t forget the GGAS Annual Dinner to be held this year on Satur- day, June 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Great Electric Underground restaurant on the concourse level of the Bank of America Genter, 555 Galifomia St., San Francisco.
Fonner State Senator Peter Behr, principal author of the Environ- mental Bill of Rights, will be our speaker. We will also show an award- winning National Audubon Society film on protection of endangered species, “Time for Survival.”
Full details of the dinner are in the May Gull. If you have not yet made your reservation, call the GGAS office, 843-2222. See you there.
Field Trips Calendar
$ indicates entrance fee required
Saturday, June 7 — Kirby Cove (Marin Headlands). See the May GULL for details.
Saturday, June 14 — San Francisco, from the Beach to the Bridge.
Here is an excellent opportunity to join in the ‘Tear of the Coast” cele- bration and greet National Audul^on Society’s Coast Walker Syndic Meyer.
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Meet by the San Francisco Zoo at 46th Ave. and Sloat Blvd. at 8 a.m. From tlrere we will walk to the coast, go north to the Cliff House and follow the coastline to Lincoln Park. We will continue east through the Presidio to tire Golden Gate Bridge. The “L” streetcar and ^18 bus both stop near tlie Zoo. It will probably be necessary to use public transit for at least half of this trip. Be prepared to walk about 7 miles. Carry lunch and liquids and wear sturdy walking or hildng boots. The weather may very well be cold near the ocean and warm just a short way inland, so wear appropriate clothes. Suntan lotion is also advised. Leader Syndie Meyer. For information call the GGAS office, 843-2222.
Saturday/ Sunday, June 14, 15 — Yuba Pass and vicinity. On Satur- day meet at 9 a.m. at Wild Plum Campground. We will bird the moun- tain areas for summer residents including flycatchers, warblers and Calliope Hummingbirds. On Sunday meet at the iirtersection of Hwys. 49 and 89 at 7 ;30 a.m. We will caravan to Sierra Valley and see many of the birds of the eastern Sierra including Yellow-headed Blackbird.
Take 1-80 to Tmckee, go north on Hwy. 89 to Sierraville and take Hwy. 49 west to Wild Plum Campground, about M mile from Sierra City. Alternately take Hwy. 49 northeast from Auburn. Camping is avail- able at the Wild Plum and Chapman campgrounds on H\\'y. 49 (U.S. Forest Service). Lodging is available at Sierra City: Sierra Chalet 916- 862-1110, Buttes Motel 916-862-1170, Herrington’s Sierra Pines 916-862- 1151, Bassett Station Motel 916-862-1297, Sierra Buttes Inn Motel 916- 862-1191 and Yuba River Inn 916-862-1122. Leader: Peter Allen (981- 7199). (V) $
Friday-Suiiday, June 20-22 — Lassen Volcanic National Park. Join die Murphy family for a weekend of birding and hiking at Lassen. The more serious birders will meet on Friday and Sunday mornings by the store at the Manzanita Lake Campground at 6:15 a.m. We will spend 2-3 hours birding the lake and nearby area. After a quick breakfast we will meet again at 10:30 a.m. at tlie store for a hike through some of Lassen’s beautiful back countiy. These hikes will be about 3 miles in length and leisurely paced. On Saturday, we will meet at 7:15 a.m. and caravan north to Burney Falls, Fall River Valley and Baum Lake. This will be an all-day excursion of about 100 miles. ^Ve will end the day at Uncle Runt’s Restaurant (gourmet center for the Lassen region?).
Published each month except August by the Golden Gate Audubon Society, office address 2718 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705. Second class postage paid in Berkeley, CA. ( THE GULL - USPS 417-705)
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In past years we have seen Willow, liaminond’s and Dusky Flycatcher, Black Swift, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Townsend’s Solitaire, Mountain Blue- bird and most of tlie warblers which breed in the mountains.
WTar sturdy shoes and be prepared to pack a lunch and liquids. Suntan lotion, a hat, mosquito repellent and warm clothing for cold nights may also be needed. Plan to stop at our camp in the eveiring for a campfire. You will need a cup and a folding chair so we can huddle together and tiy to stay warm.
From tlie Bay Area drive north on 1-5 to its junction with Hwy. 44 iir Redding. Go east on Hwy. 44 to the northeast entrance of Lassen. Camp- ing facilities ai'e available at Manzanita Lake. Lodging is available about 15 miles nortli of the park at Doan’s Hat Creek Resort, Old Station 916- 335-2359. Other information can be obtained from the park headquarters, Mineral, CA 96063. Be sure to check the park bulletin boards for further details and changes in the schedule. Leaders: Dan and Joan Murphy (564-0074). (V) $
Saturday/ Sunday, June 28, 29 — Mono Basin. On Saturday meet at 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Hwys. 120 & 395 (just soutli of Lee Vining). Sunday’s meeting place will be decided on Saturday. From the Bay Area take your favorite route to Yosemite National Park. Take Hwy. 120 over Tioga Pass and down the east side of the Sierra to tire town of Lee Vining or to one of the several Forest Service camps west of the town. Motels in Lee Vining include: Best Western Lake View Motel 714-647-6543, Gateway Motel 714-647-6467 and Murphey’s Motel 714- 647-6316. We will bird in Lee Vining, Mono Lake and other areas. Be prepared to caravan to the various birding spots. Please contact the leader, Tony Briggs, at 282-3142 or 626-3131 for further details. The latter number is arr answerirrg service so ask for Tony by name. (V) ^
Problems: If for any reason you have a problem getting in touch with a field trip leader aird need infornration regarding a trip, call Dair Murphy (564-0074) or the GCAS office (843-2222).
Carpooling: Carpooling arrangements can be made for trips marked (\/). If you need a ride or are offering one, call Kate Partridge at work (642-6881, 8 a.m.-l p.m.) or at home before 9 p.m. (548-0779). All ex- penses, iircluding gas and incidental fees, are shared by rider's. It is best for all involved to plan these an'angements with the driver at the orrtset of the trip.
-FIELD TRIPS COMMITTEE
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Oljservations: Stephen Bailey was not available to write an Obser- vations column for this issue. The column will resume next month.
GGAS California Condor Policy
On April 28 the GGAS Board of Directors adopted the following as chapter policy:
1. While the Golden Gate Audubon Society supports National Audu- ubon Society’s objective of saving the Gahfornia Condor, it does not support major provisions of the California Condor Recovery Program.
2. The Golden Gate Audubon Society opposes the capture of Califor- nia Condors for a captive breeding program.
3. Golden Gate Audubon Society opposes the capture of California Condors for any reason, including attachment of radio rtansmitters, sex determination, or banding.
4. The consideration of any California Fish and Game permits to capture wild condors should be preceded by a ninety (90) day public review and comment period. All data and infonnation should be made public. Under no circumstances should “open-ended” per- mits be issued. Each aspect of the plan should be reconsidered separately and be contingent upon the results of the preceding phases of the Recovery Program.
5. Before any intrusion into the dynamics of the remaining population of California Condors is undertaken, we urge that primary con- sideration be given to increased and expanded habitat protection. The Recoveiy Program should assess the historical and present habitat needs of the California Condor, identify public and private holdings appropriate to tliose needs (e.g. Sespe-Frazier Roadless Area), and assure the preservation of such habitat by any means necessary, including land purchase and protective zoning.
6. A Golden Eagle non-lethal control program within the condor range should be considered, as Golden Eagles compete with and dominate condors at food sources (see Carl B. Koford, The Cali- fornia Condor, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1966, pp. 63-64).
7. The Golden Gate Audubon Society supports a program of increased
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lesetUch into tlie effect of chemicals on the California Condor. A major focus of this research should involve an investigation of the tffects of Compound 1080 on the condor as well as other species which feed on poisoned ground squirrels. Within the range of the condoi, the use of all herbicides and pesticides should be strin- gently controlled by both Federal and State agencies.
S. Ihe Golden Gate Audubon Society supports a policy of limited use of firearms in areas frequented by condors. We support tlie imposition of a reasonable shell limit on hunters. There should be a complete ban on target shooting and random shoob'ng of any kind, including signaling distant hunters by firing weapons.
An increased number of wardens should be assigned to patrol known condor roosting, nesting, and watering areas.
Hunting should not be banned unless research proves conclusively that it is detrimental to the condor. See Sanford Wilbur, “Indis- criminate Shooting,” The California Condor, 1977, (National Audu- bon Society, Tiburon, CA) p. 32.
9. The Golden Gate Audubon Society supports a program of increased and expanded research into the ecology of the Galifomia Gondor. Present data is inadequate and appears to be conflicting in many areas. A more firm base of information seems necessary before any intrusion into or disruption of the condors biology is made. Such information should be gathered by qualified biologists, ornitholo- gists, and ecologists through extensive field research.
10. The Golden Gate Audubon Society supports a program of increased
and expanded public education relative to the Galifornia Gondor. Educational material should be readily available in all public places (e.g. campgrounds, schools, stores, and public buildings). This should include posters, brochures, etc. Educational programs should be developed for schools, campfire programs and for citizen groups. A series of tele\dsion and radio spots should be produced for use in educating the public.
11. We feel that the death of even a single Galifomia Gondor caused by
the Recoveiy Program would do irreparable hann not only to the condor as a species but in general to wildlife preservation, and to the National Audubon Society and its chapters. Therefore, we urg< that consideration be given to all alternatives to the captive breed- ing program,
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Member Support Needed for Least Tern Study
June 1 marks the beginning of the second month of the GGAS-spon- sored Galifornia Least Tern Nesting Study at the Alameda Naval Air Station (ANAS). The purpose of the study is to detennine factors affecting the nesting success of Galifornia Least Terns at the ANAS and to make recommendations to the ANAS for management programs to solve problems identified by the study. In April preliminary steps were taken to create a buffer zone around the colony site and to provide more shade for the chicks.
Gonceived as a comprehensive, grant-subsidized study, the project has not received adequate financial support from public or private founda- tions. To insure that this important study, aimed at protecting, main- taining and learning about this endangered species at its primaiy Bay Area nesting site be carried out, GGAS members are urged to send ( tax- deductible) donations, made payable to Golden Gate Audubon Society —“Tern,” to the GGAS office, 2718 Telegraph Ave., ^206, Berkeley, GA 94705.
Life or Death for Mono Lake
These are dark days for Mono Lake and your immediate support is needed if the lake is to survive. On April the California State Agriculture and Water Resources Committee killed SB 1617, authored by Senator Garamendi, despite powerful testimony on its behalf by Mono Coimriy the League of Women Voters, Great Basin Air Pollution Control Board, Sierra Club, National Audubon Society and the Mono Lake Committee. The day before, the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Commission passed an amendment-weakened AB 2235, taking much of the meat out of the bill as originally introduced by Assemblyman Norman Waters. A hearing in mid-May before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee was scheduled for AB 2235 and the Mono Lake Committee was still supporting its passage because, even as amended, it allows for a reduc- tion of water taken from the lake by the City of Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the California Gulls have returned to the lake and at this wi'iting (May 6) were reported to be milling ai'ound in confusion because theii tiaditional nesting grounds on Negit Island are now land- connected as a result of tlie drop in the lake’s water level due to water diversion to Southern California.
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\our help is needed in many ways. Join tlie Mono Lake Committee (P.O. Box 2764, Oakland, CA 94602), donate funds to go toward the costly legal battles coming up soon, write letters to your legislators sup[X)rting the lake s cause, volunteer to give slide shows or distribute literature about the plight of tlie lake.
Susanne Luther, Northern California Coordinator of the Mono Lake Committee, can suggest further ways for you to become involved. She can also supply you with the latest news about the ongoing struggles to save the lake. Her phone number is 376-0202. Don’t wait for someone else to do what you can; act today!
Contributions
If you are considering a cash gift to GCAS you should check with tlie company by whom you are employed to see if it has a matching gift program. Many Bay Area corporations will match dollar-for-dollar the gifts made by their employees to charitable or non-profit organizations.
Conservation Note
COASTAL OIL DRILLING HEARINGS THIS MONTH. The federal government predicts at least two large oil spills of more than 1000 gal- lons and 150 to 250 lesser spills will occur along the California coast once drilling for natural gas and oil — now set for next year — begins. As many as 20 drilling rigs nearly 200 feet high will be located from Point Concepcion to tlie Oregon border. The oil will be refined in plants yet to be built.
These projections are contained in the Department of Interior s Draft Environmental Impact Statement released last month.
The report states tliat oil spills, depending on when they occur, would threaten whales, sea lions and most seabirds and could devastate the major habitat of the endangered California sea otter. The chances of a spill reaching the breeding grounds of two other endangered species, the California Clapper Rail and the salt marsh haiwest mouse, are three in ten. The study concedes that essential reports on negative impact of oil drilling - potential earthquake hazards, tlie tlireat to the fishing industry and damage to maiine wildlife — ai'e still unfinished.
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Interior Department plans call for drilling to begin in 1981. The Carter administration’s stated policy is to have “all regions of the coun- try contribute to meeting our domestic energy needs (while) balancing energy potential with environmental costs.” The report also predicts that the supplies found under the sea off our coast would produce only enough oil to meet present needs of the U.S. for 30 days.
On June 23, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Fort Mason, Building A. the Depart- ment of Interior will hold a j)ublic hearing on the proposed Northern California coastline oil drilling. Please attend and support GGAS’s state- ment. Other persons or groups wishing to testify must notify the Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior, Room 200, 1340 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, 90017 (213-688-6756) by June 9.
-CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
Summer Birding Classes at Albany
This summer GCAS wiU offer two classes in Field Ornithology through the Albany Adult School. A class, designed primarily for beginners start- ing Tuesday evening, June 24, will suiwey basic biological characteristics of wild birds and discuss ways in which various species are adapted to differing ecological communities around the Bay Area. Meet at 7 p.m. in Room 111 at the Albany High School at 603 Key Route Blvd.
A class for intermediate or advanced birders will begin Thursday evening, June 26. This progi'am will identify common field problems including mistakes in field identification. We will go beyond the standard field guides and discuss areas where they are inadequate, out-of-date or wrong. The biological species concept as it relates to recent changes adopted by the American Ornithologists’ Union will also be presented. Meet at 7 p.m. in Room 7 at the MacGregor School at 601 San Gabriel Avenue in Albany.
All classes feature the use of illusriative bird slides. Each class lasts for six weeks and there is a fee of $12 for each course. Classes run for two and one-half hours from 7 to 9:30 p.m. There will be an optional additional fee of $9 by arrangement with the instructor for those who wish to participate in a series of three morning field trips on weekends to various habitats to study birds in the wild.
The instructor ^vill be Joe Morlan, co-author of Birds of Northern California and compiler of our Rare Bird Alert.
For more infonnation, contact the Albany Adult School at 526-6811.
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GGAS Tours
IXUADOR ami the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, July 5-26, 1980
Space is still available on this tour which includes some of the best tropical birding in the world with over 1400 species. Ecuador is a very beautiful and diverse Andean country straddling the equator. We will visit the Andean highlands, the Amazon basin, tundra-like grasslands, the west coast cloud and subtropical forests and also spend a week cruising through the extraordinary Galapagos archipelago.
The tour is co-sponsored by the San Francisco Zoological Society and will be led by Paul Greenfield and Mike Wihler. Paul is a leading expert on Ecuadorian birds and is currently writing a Field Guide to the Birds of Ecuador to be published by Princeton University Press. Mike has led numerous GGAS tours.
The b'ip will be limited to 10 or 15 people and the cost will be $1690 plus air fare. For more information contact South American Wilderness Adventures, Inc., 1760 Solano Ave., ^203, Berkelev, CA 94707, (415) 524-5111.
AUSTRALIA NATURE TOUR in SEPTEMBER
On September 25 a GGAS-sanctioned tour of Australia will be leaving for 23 days of birding and nature study at the peak of the spring season Down Under. Led by George Peyton, tliis tour will cover habitats ranging from the Great Barrier Reef and rain forests to the center of The Outback. Call Bob Dagley at Siemer & Hand (788-7186) or George Peyton ( 444-3131 ) on weekdays for infomaation, or wiite Siemer & Hand, One Embarcadero Center ^2114, San Francisco, CA 94111, for full in- formation.
Monterey Pelagic Trip
A boat trip leaving Monterey Harbor to view birds and marine mam- mals is scheduled for Sunday, August 3. We expect to see albatross, shearwaters, petrels, alcids and other species not usually seen from land.
Reservations may be made by sending $19 per person to Golden Gate Audubon Society, 2718 Telegraph Ave., ’*^206, Berkeley, CA 94705. Make checks payable to GGAS and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Details on where and when to meet will be mailed with confirmation notices.
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The Fabric of Nature
For many birders in the Bay Area, the midsummer months are a time to relax, a time to catch one’s breath after the hectic pace of the spring migration. By mid-June, virtually all of tlie late spring migrants have abandoned our shores and coastal “oases” for other climates. The flood- gate of the fall passage has yet to burst open, for the first returning shorebirds are now thousands of miles and several weeks away. The dawn chorus of April and May has also diminished somewhat and the fields, woodlands and scrub-covered hills can be virtually silent at noon. In fact, I have heard some birders refer to this apparent lull in activity as “the most boring part of the year!”
However, unlike birders, local breeding birds ai’e unable to relax during this midsummer interval. For the summer residents, it is indeed the most frantic time of the year as they struggle to raise their young to fledging. It is no wonder that tliey sing less when they are busy keep- ing hungry mouths well-stuffed. The frenzied feeding activity of adult birds is a certain cue that there are young nearby and a search for the nest can be as exciting and rewarding as any vagrant chase along a row of Pt. Reyes cypress.
Nests themselves come in nearly as many shapes and sizes as tlie birds which build them. The Bay Area can boast a wide variety of birds’ nests, each kind reflecting the specific needs and requirements of its owners. Among the most familiar to residents of urban and suburban areas is the nest of tlie American Robin. It is the tjqie of nest we all picture when first reflecting on avian architecture — a medium-sized relatively compact cup wedged in the crotch of a shade riee or at the fork of some stately conifer. Among local birds, Robins fall in the middle of a spectrum ranging from tight or elaborate constiaiction to loose con- glomerations of sticks, twigs and grasses. Orioles with their pouch nests drooping from the swaying limbs of eucalyptus and the pendulous chaparral home of the Common Bushtit fall into the foraier category. The rather flimsy, haphazard nest of the Mourning Dove falls into the latter. Dove-like nests on a much grander scale can be found at Audu- bon Canyon Ranch, where the Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets build their huge stick platfomis in the crowns of redwood and fir.
A walk through any woodland in the springtime will convince us that weaving plant mateiials and spider webs is not the only way to build a nest. The persistent drilling of woodpeckers characterizes an entire host of other birds, the cavity nesters. Cavity nesters are generally of two types, those which excavate their own nests and those which don’t. Of
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course, tlie woodpeckers iheniselves are the most familiar excav'ators, although a lew nuthatches drill their own homes to some degree. Most caviL^-nesters, however, are “lazy” and move in only after a drilling species has v'acated its re.sidence. Wrens, bluebirds, some swallows and chickadees and a few small owls are among those which quickly move into an abandoned nest hole. Ominously, Starlings are also quite prone to appropriate cavities, often before desertion by the original owner. The spread of such behavior bodes ill for many of our local bird popu- lations.
Not all nests are built with the energy and workmanshi]:) of those described above. Shorebirds are notorious for minimal construction efforts and those breeding in the Bay Area are no exception. Killdeers nesting in diy, bare spots in fields merelv make a shallow depression in the dirt for their clutch of four eggs. Similarlv, a small hollow in the sand on an ocean beach is all that a Snow\’ Plover needs to meet its nesting requirements. The Black Oystercatcher, which nests in a few scattered locations along oui' rockier shores, is just slightly more en- thusiastic about consti'uction, lining its nestscrape with small pebbles.
Birds in other parts of the world straddle our local birds along the simple-to-elaborate spectrum of nest construction. Probably the most extreme case of simple “nest constmction” occurs in the fiftieth state, thousands of miles from our shores. There, in Hawaii, the im.maculate Fairy Tern lays its eggs on a bare tree limb \vith no support of any kind. With the fierce tropical storais which regularly lash the islands, it is a wonder they can reproduce at all. At the other extreme are two examples of particular interest. The first is the Mallee Fowl of Australia, which builds what mav be the largest nest in the world. It consists of an enor- mous mound of rotting vegetation and. rather than incubating the eggs, the birds allow the heat generated by the decaying plant material to do the trick! The chore of the parent is constantly to be adding or re- moving vegetation so that the eggs are kent at just the right temperature in their home which weighs several tons. Rivaling the Mallee Fowl nest in .size are the mammoth “apartment complexes” built by some African weaverbirds. As many as three hundred pairs will nest in a communally- built structure in an acacia tree, which may have a volume of a few hundred cubic feet!
Avian architecture is an incredibly rich field of study. Hopefully this siiiwev will prompt a few individuals to turn a keener eye to the breeding birds in our own region. Just as all types of nesting materials are woven into the great nests of the African finches, so are the nests and nesting habits of all types of birds woven into the fascinatingly diverse fabric of
-BRIAN McCAFFERY
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YES on Prop 1
GGAS members are urged to vote “yes” on State Proposition 1 on the June ballot. This measure, if passed, would provide 495 million dollars (to be borrowed by the state over a period of 20 years) to be used for state-wide conservation projects that would be administered locally. Included in the projects would be funds for purchasing and developing local parks for the purpose of restoring, enhancing and preserving natural resources.
After a public hearing on this issue on March 29 the State Parks Department asked Alameda and Gonti'a Gosta counties to develop a list of consoHdated projects. In response, representatives from conser- vation agencies in the Bay Area suggested the inclusion of the waterfront areas of Berkeley, Alameda and Emeiyville in the state park project.
Mono Lake Field Trips
Free half-day field trips sponsored by the Mono Lake Committee are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. from June 14 to September 14 to explore the geology, botany, zoology and human history of the Mono Basin and to see firsthand how water diversions are aflFecting this irreplacable natural treasure. All ages are welcome. Meet at the Mono Lake County Park (conspicuous sign on Highway 395) five miles north of Lee Vining at 9 a.m. or carpool from the visitors' center in Lee Vining at 8:30 a.m. Campgrounds and motels available locally. For more information write to Mono Lake Field Trips, Box 29, Lee Vining, CA 93541 or call (714) 647-6386 or (714) 647-6483.
Courses in Mono Basin Ecology
A series of courses sponsored by the Davis Audubon Society and the Mono Research Group will provide an intimate survey of tlie natural histoiy of the Mono Basin with guidance from trained specialists. Field trips are interspersed with informal lectures and evening campfire dis- cussions. Classes convene on Friday and disband at noon the following Monday. Enrollment is limited to 15 persons per course. Cost is $35. Participants are urged to car-camp as a group; alternately, motel accommodations are available.
The courses offered are:
Limnology: Ecology of Mono Lake, June 27-30, August 29-September 1, with David Herbst, David Winkler.
Ornithology: Birds of the Tioga Pass-Mono Lake Region, July 11-14, with David Winkler.
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Entomology: Imects in the Environment, July 18-21, with Evan Sugden.
Natural History: Natural History of the Mono Lake-Tioga Pass Region, July 25-28, August 15-i8, September 5-8, with David Winkler, Ted Beedy, John Harris.
Mammalogy: Mammals of the Mono Lake-Tioga Pass Region, August 1-4, with John Harris.
Rotany: Flowers, Shrubs and Trees of the Mono Lake-Tioga Pass Region, August 8-11, with Dean Taylor.
Vertebrate Studies: Vertebrates of the Region, August 22-25, with Ted Beedy, John Harris.
For more infonnation or to register, contact John Harris, Box 273, Lee Vining, CA 93541. Make checks payable to the Davis Audubon Society.
A Celebration of Our Coasts
1980, “The Year of the Coast,” as designated by President Carter, is being celebrated by National Audubon Society and its chapters with walks all along the major coast lines of the United States. The walks began simultaneously on May 10 and will continue through the summer. They are part of a cooperative effoii: by NAS and other environmentally concerned groups to bring public attention to the coast, stressing its value as a natrrral resource and bringing attention to environmental issues along tlie nation’s shores.
Syndic Meyer and Robert Peterson, the coast walkers for the nortli Pacific segment, are being hosted by GCAS. They will begin their journey in San Francisco on Jurre 14. (To get Syndic and Robert off to a good start, join them for their first few miles. See pages 93-94 under Field Trips.) The following day they will walk across the Golden Gate Bridge on the next leg of their 75-day e.xpedition to Seattle. All along tlie way they will be meeting, talking and walking with individirals and groups who are interested in the Pacific Coast. It is their goal to make the trip an educational one, both for themselves and the people they meet.
Interested in being a Docent?
Audubon Canyon Ranch, our wildlife sanctuary on the shore of Bol- inas Lagoon, will again offer its outstanding docent training coirrse in natirral history and ecology. Graduates of the course commit volunteer time over the following two years to work with children in Bay Area classrooms and to lead students on nature walks at the Ranch. The
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18-week training eourse will be held on Wednesdays, September through February (with six weeks off, Thanksgiving through New Years). Tuition is charged for the course; some partial scholarships are available. Inter- ested persons may call Audubon Canyon Ranch, 383-1644.
Sierra Nature Studies Gamp
GGAS members and friends are invited to join naturalist Paul F. Covel for Sierra Nevada nature studies at the City of Oakland’s Feather River Camp, July 7-14, 1980. Daily walks and caravans from tliis base camp offer excellent introductions to plant and animal life of the middle elevations, ranging from 3400 to 5000 feet or higher. Rates for tent or cabin lodging and full board are reasonable. For information and reser- vations call the Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation, 273-3896.
Point Reyes Field Seminars
Point Reyes Field Seminars offer a variety of courses in natural history, education and the arts. The courses are taught by recognized profes- sionals and offer optional credit through Dominican College. The class size is generally limited to 18-24 participants and fees are calculated to cover administrative costs, instmctor fees and materials. The program is sponsored by Coastal Parks Association in cooperation with Point Reyes National Seashore.
Of special interest to GGAS members might be Breeding Birds and Their Habitats, a course taught by Bob Stewart on June 7-8 which is an introduction to the summer bird residents of the area emphasizing the interrelationship between birds and the habitats in which they breed and raise their young. There will be field trips to a variety of habitats. One morning will be spent at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory studying birds “in-the-hand” to discuss how their external anatomy and plumages are related to their behavior in the field.
Ron Le Valley will lead seminars on Waterbirds of Point Reyes, June 28-29 and September 6-7, which will focus on field identification, be- havior and ecological relationships of the shorebirds and ducks that frequent marshes, lagoons, estuaries and ponds of the area. June’s activi- ties will concentrate on summering .shorebirds and breeding seabirds; in September the emphasis will be on ecological separation among the many shorebirds that will have returned by then from tlieir Arctic breed- ing grounds.
For furtlier information write Seminar Coordinator, Point Reyes Field Seminars, Point Reyes, CA 949.56, or call (415) 663-1200.
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Bay Adventure Series
Also sponsored by the Coastal Parks Association ( see “Point Reyes Field Seminars , page 106, this series of courses emphasizes the area around the San Francisco Wildlite Refuge located in the South Bay near Newark.
Dr. Tom Plarvey will lead a seminar on Marsh Life, June 28-29, which will explore tlie rich and diverse wildlife populations that are supported by the South Bay’s marshes and mudflats. He will discuss man’s role in the suiwival of the wetlands and the importance of these habitats to the health of the Bay.
Dr. Stephen Bailey will conduct a course in Bird Flight, August 23-24, which will discuss the evolution of flight, birds’ adaptations to flight and basic flight dynamics. Much of the class time will be spent watching a great variety of wild birds in flight.
For more on these and other seminars during the summer and early fall, write Bay Adventures Seminars, P.O. Box 524, Newark, CA 94560.
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For Audubon Canyon Ranch |
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In memory of |
Gift of |
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Steve Scott |
Gloria L. Copeland |
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Sonia Bernhard |
( Ms. ) Geriy Murphy |
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For GGAS In memory of Tony Reposa |
Mr. and Mrs. James Leone |
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Memorial and honoraiy gifts and bequests will be used as specified by the donors. Acknowledgment will be made in The Gull and personally by the Corresponding Secretary, Minnie Groshong. Please send check made out to the Golden Gate Audubon Society to: Corresponding Secretary, GGAS, 2718 Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, California 94705. All gifts are tax deductible. |
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Golden Gate Audubon Society, Inc. Office: 843-2222 Berkeley, California 94705 2718 Telegraph Avenue, #206
Return Postage Guaranteed
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a Academy of California 94118
THE GULL
June 1980
OFFICERS
President, Robert Hirt (383-5337)
First Vice President, Bruce Howard (254-2429)
Second Vice President, Dora Conrath (346-1920) Treasurer, Jotin Stewart (524-3575)
Recording Secretary, Jolaine Munck
Corresponding Secretary, Minnie Groshong (526-8443)
DIRECTORS
Gary Quien (525-7681)
Mike Wihler (664-6567)
Kay Steinberg (751-4293) Martha Morrow (832-7141)
Dan Murphy (564-0074) Maybelie Groshong (526-8443)
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Conservation, Gary Quien (525-7681)
Martha Morrow (832-7141) Education, Kay Steinberg (751-4293)
Field Trips, Betty Short
Dan Murphy (564-0074)
Extended Field Trips, Betty Olds (848-1407) Finance, Wally Smith (223-0141)
Emeryville Crescent, Shirley Taylor (845-2415)
DIRECTORS AT LARGE Lenore Johnsen (254-3919)
Shirley Taylor (845-2415)
GULL Editor, Nancy Conzett (527-2593) Observations, Stephen Bailey (548-9507) Joseph Morlan (654-1358)
Hospitality, Martha Kitchen (832-5609) Membership, Maybelie Groshong (526-8443) Program, GGAS office (843-2222)
Publicity, GGAS office (843-2222)
Above are all members of the Board of Directors
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RARE BIRD ALERT (recorded) 843-2211 Executive Director, Jerry Emory (843-2222)
Librarian, Lisa Johnsen (843-2222)
Mail for all individuals listed above should be sent to the GGAS office.
Send address changes to office promptly; Post Office does not forssard THE GULL. Monthly meetings: second Tliursday, 7:30 p.m. Joint membership — local and national $20 per year (individual); $25 (family): includes AUDUBON Magazine and THE GULL; to join, make checks payable to National Audubon Society and send to GGAS office to avoid delay in receiving THE GULL. Membership renewals should be sent directly to the National Audubon office. Subscriptions to THE GULL separately $5 per year; single issues 50^. High school and college student membership $13.50 per year. Senior citizen individual, $13.50, senior citizen family, $15.50.
The Golden Gate Audubon Society, Inc. was established January 25, 1917, and became a chapter of National Audubcli in 1948.
The Gull deadline is the first of the month for the following month.
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