the

Lahontan Audubon Society •

Pelican
P.O. Box 2304 • Reno, Nevada 89505 • www.nevadaaudubon.org • 775-324-BIRD

Mission statement: To preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate
the public, with emphasis on children, providing vision to all about our unique Nevada environments.

MAY/JUNE MONTHLY MEETINGS

2010 Date: Fourth Tuesday of the month
Time: Social at 6:30 p.m. Program starts at 7 p.m.
vol. 47, no. 5 Location: Usually at the South Valleys Library, but note new
location below for May meeting only!

Inside This Issue

The May LAS meeting will be at the Moana Nursery’s Educational
1 Monthly Meetings Workshop Building, at the Moana Lane/Lakeside Drive location,
1100 West Moana Lane, at the usual time (see above).
2 Volunteer Opportunities Directions: Moana Nursery is on the southwest corner of Lakeside
Drive and Moana Lane, at 1100 West Moana Lane. The Educational
3 Birds and More Workshop is a separate building, located on the west side of the parking
lot (not in the nursery shop itself). Many thanks to Moana Nursery for
4 Field Trips agreeing to let us use their facility again.
7 LAS News
May 25 – Tony Wasley, Nevada Department of Wildlife – General
8 Avid Birder History, Biology, and Behavior of the Himalayan Snowcock in
Nevada
10 Birds in Town Birders travel from all over the country to try to see this bird. And
a difficult job it is. The Himalayan Snowcock, a native of Asia, was
introduced into the Ruby Mountains of eastern Nevada in 1963. Today
11 LAS Sales/ that is the only location in North America where the bird can be found,
Membership and many birders (and hunters alike) consider it a trophy bird to add to
their list. It resides on rocky slopes above 10,000 feet and blends in so
well with its environment that you’d swear it was a moving rock, if you
saw one move at all. Tony Wasley has studied this bird for several years,
Submissions for the July/August issue and he will delight us with an informative and entertaining presentation
are due June 1, 2010 about this intriguing species.
The Pelican may be viewed on the LAS
website at www.nevadaaudubon.org, There are no meetings during the summer months of June, July, and
click on the Newsletter tab. August. Meetings will resume on September 28.
Have a great summer!

The Pelican 1
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Conservation Chair Search
The LAS Board of Trustees is seeking to fill the important position of Conservation Chair. If you have a deep interest in
efforts to protect and reestablish bird habitat and protect wildlife in general, then please consider lending us some of your
time and talent.

What you and your committee may do:

• Evaluate communication that comes to the Board seeking comment on particular issues relating to birds.
• Write letters to public officials and organizations expressing the concerns or desires of LAS on various topics.
• Attend public meetings on land use issues that may both positively or negatively impact bird habitat.
• Work with other organizations in the community to help organize conservation projects.
• Participate in on-the-ground projects such as tree plantings, weed removal, and clean up activities.

If you don’t feel like you would want to take on the position of Committee Chair, we also need volunteers to serve on the
Conservation Committee. Maybe you have a bird-related conservation issue that is near and dear to your heart and you
would like to follow it for LAS. This is an opportunity for you to become involved in LAS in a very meaningful way.
Please contact Alan Gubanich at renopopop@pyramid.net or 775-857-0191 if you would like to discuss the Conservation
Chair or serving on the Conservation Committee in more detail.

Please Join the Nevada Important Bird Areas Volunteer Listserv!

Would you like to participate in various conservation-oriented projects within Nevada’s Important Bird Areas to help
protect, conserve, or enhance key habitats?

Would you like to receive up-to-date notices regarding volunteer opportunities and other volunteer-based information?

Then join the new NV IBA Volunteer Listserv!

Visit http://groups.google.com/group/nv-iba-volunteers for current information or send a blank email to:
nv-iba-volunteers@googlegroups.com to receive notifications via email.

Only volunteer-related information will be emailed. All incoming email from outside sources will be filtered
to prevent spamming.

Volunteers Needed for Elementary School Field Trips

The LAS Education Committee will be leading birding and ecology field trips for elementary school
children at Washoe Lake beginning in mid-April and continuing through May. If you are interested in
helping, contact Alan Gubanich at 857-0191 or renopopop@pyramid.net for details.

SUBSCRIPTIONS WHERE TO WRITE:

The Pelican is the official newsletter of the Lahontan Audubon
Society and is published six times annually. Subscriptions are
paid for as part of the dues of LAS or the National Audubon
Society. LAS welcomes gifts, donations, and bequests in gen-
eral, or gifts in honor or memory of relatives and friends. Such
donations will be used as specified or, if unspecified, will be
used to support LAS education and conservation projects. All
donations are tax deductible.
Keep conservation to the forefront. Write your elected officials and
tell them how you feel:
Senator Harry Reid Senator John Ensign
400 S. Virginia St. #902 400 S. Virginia St. #738
Reno, NV 89501 Reno, NV 89501
Toll-free: 1-866-736-7343 Reno phone: 775-686-5770
Representative Dean Heller Governor Jim Gibbons
400 S. Virginia St. #502 101 N. Carson St.
Reno, NV 89501 Carson City, NV 89710
Reno phone: 775-686-5760 775-684-5670

2 The Pelican
BIRDS AND MORE
Kathy Oakes 775-747-5446 oakesy@sbcglobal.net
The Marsh Wren
The Marsh Wren is one of my
favorite wetland birds. Marsh
Wrens can be found in cattail and
bulrush habitats almost anywhere
in our area, reliably at the Swan
Lake Nature Study Area and at the
Damonte Ranch wetlands. They are
usually heard before being seen. The
wrens spend a lot of time foraging
down in the cattails, but if you are
patient, eventually one will pop up
to the top of a stem to sing or scold.
The Marsh Wren is a small wren,
about five inches long, with rufous-
brown wings and tail, a white eye-
stripe, and a dark brown and white
streaking on its upper back (which
can be hard to see). The males and
females look alike.
Only the male Marsh Wrens sing,
but they sing incessantly—day
and night in the breeding season.
Year-round resident wrens also sing
during periods of warmer weather
in winter. The Marsh Wren’s song
is sort of a gurgling trill and has
mechanical quality to it; according
to Sibley, it sounds like tek-tuk-t-
jejejejejeje. You can listen online at:
www.seattleaudubon.org/birdweb/
bird_details.aspx?id=342.
Although the Marsh Wren’s song
doesn’t sound very musical to our
ears, it is complex. Research has
shown that the males learn 50 to 200
song variations. Males in adjacent
territories come to know each
other’s songs and engage in bouts
of intricate counter-singing. The
abundant and varied songs are most
likely related to strong competition
for females associated with the
Marsh Wren’s polygamous mating
behavior. Males may mate with two
or three females at the same time in
their territory.
The Pelican 3
Marsh Wrens are famous for their
many dummy nests. The male may
build 10 such nests for each female
he attracts to his territory. They are
called dummy nests because most
will not be used for egg-laying.
A successful “macho” male who
mates with two or three females
may build 20 to 30 dummy nests.
It is a wonder that males have time
at all for eating, much less singing
day and night! The numerous
dummy nests are thought to serve
several possible functions: 1) to
demonstrate the superior fitness of
the males as mates, 2) to provide
shelter for newly fledged young and Marsh Wren, San Rafael, CA, April 2009.
for adults in winter, 3) to serve as Photographed by Len Blumin.
decoys to foil predators, and/or 4) to
provide a ready new nest site for the (because he is less likely to attract
female if a nest is destroyed during new females). The young fledge in
egg-laying. about 12 days, often before they can
To construct each nest, the male fly well. They may use some of the
lashes supporting cattail or reed dummy nests for shelter and will
stems together with sedges to form continue to be fed for another two
a cup and then weaves the nest up weeks after fledging. Many females
from the cup with strips of water- produce a second brood.
soaked cattail leaves or grass stems, This spring, take some time to
incorporating the supporting upright enjoy the little Marsh Wren when
stems. Nests are an oval about 5 x you are in our wetland habitats. The
7 inches, with inch-thick walls and birds are a marvel of activity and are
an inner cavity about 3 x 5 inches, fun to watch and hear. Look around
and set at least three feet above the through the cattails and see how
water surface. The male escorts an many nests you can find.
interested female around to inspect
each nest. If she chooses one, she Sources: Kroodsma, D. E. and
will complete lining the cavity with J. Verner. 1997. Marsh Wren
soft grasses and feathers before (Cistothorus palustris), “The
laying eggs. After a female is settled Birds of North America Online”
into egg-laying, the male moves to (A. Poole, Ed.): Cornell Lab of
another site in his territory and starts Ornithology. http://bna.birds.cornell.
another series of courting dummy edu/bna/species/308; BirdWeb@
nests to attract another female. seattleaudubon.org; Sibley, D. A.
The female incubates the eggs by 2003. The Sibley Field Guide to
herself and usually feeds the young Birds of Western North America,
without much help. However, during New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
the later part of the breeding season,
the male may help with feeding
FIELD TRIPS
Christiane Omer 775-354-2634 happycpo@aol.com
Saturday, May 1
Swan Lake NSA Clean-up Day
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Clean-up Leader: Bob Goodman,
775-972-7848, pandion36@aol.com
Here is a chance to contribute to the
beauty of Nevada. We’ll help our
birds and other animals by cleaning up
their home at The Swan Lake Nature
Study Area. Please meet us at the
Lemmon Valley McDonald’s parking
lot off 395 (Exit 74) north of Reno.
We will organize from there. If folks
have a pickup we can use for hauling
junk to the transfer station, it would
be helpful. Rubber boots for working
in the marsh is advised for those that
have them, and gloves are essential
for pulling thistle. It will be a great
morning, come join the fun!
Saturday, May 8
Silver Saddle Ranch
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Trip Leaders: Nancy Santos 775-
884-1570, nancylas@att.net
Sponsored by LAS and Friends of
Silver Saddle Ranch (FOSSR), this
spring trip to Silver Saddle Ranch
is the annual FOSSR May general
meeting. The trip includes a walk
along riparian habitat adjacent to the
Carson River. Other habitats along
the way include agricultural fields,
sagebrush, and willows. The diversity
of habitats provides for a diversity of
bird species to be observed. All levels
of birders are welcome, and beginning
birders are encouraged to attend.
Please contact Nancy to register for
the trip.
Friday-Sunday, May 14-16
Spring Wings Bird Festival, Fallon
Info: www.springwings.org
Join us as we celebrate the spring
migration through the Lahontan
Valley. LAS is one of the many
sponsors partnering to present the 13th
annual Spring Wings Bird Festival
4 The Pelican
in Fallon. This year’s festival will
be based out of Oats Park. It is a
weekend filled with great birding
trips, children’s activities, art, vendor
booths, environmental information,
and keynote speaker, Ted Floyd!
Last year’s festival logged 147 bird
species. It is a wonderful festival and
should really be on everyone’s must-
do list. Hope to see you there.
Saturday, May 22
Virginia Lake for Beginning Birders
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Jacque Lowery, 775-771-
7390, nevadabird@charter.net
Come join Jacque Lowery for an easy
birding stroll around Virginia Lake.
You’ll learn to identify the lake’s
resident and nesting birds and those
that might be migrating through.
Jacque can also fill you in on some
of the behavior and feeding questions
you might have. Meet at the north end
of the lake in the parking lot. Please
call Jacque to reserve your space.
Bring your binoculars and a spotting
scope if you have one. This would be
a great outing with your children or
grandchildren.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Porter Springs
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Leader: Don Molde, 775-857-3111,
skyshrink@aol.com
This is your opportunity to visit a
small desert oasis near Lovelock.
Porter Springs is a great migrant
trap that regularly provides fuel
and rest to a variety of birds. It also
attracts other critters such as coyotes
and wild burros. Bird species seen
here include Gray Catbird, Long-
eared Owl, Chukar, Sage Sparrow,
and more. We’ll spend the morning
searching the trees and learning a
few flycatchers along the way. Bring
food, water, folding chairs if you have
them, scopes, etc. If there’s time, we’ll
take a side trip to Soda Lake on our
way home. Expect to be out all day,
and to drive about 40 miles of good
dirt roads. Meet at the rest area off
exit 83 at the intersection of I-80 and
U.S. 95. Call or email Don for more
information and to reserve your space.
Friday-Sunday, June 11-13
Unionville Birding and B&B
Leader: Alan Gubanich 775-857-
0191, renopopop@pyramid.net
Join us for a wonderful weekend
in the West Humboldt Mountains
birding in Buena Vista, Wilson, and
Straight Canyons surrounding the
historic mining town of Unionville.
Located south of I-80 about halfway
between Lovelock and Winnemucca,
Unionville is rich in history and bird
life. Over 60 species have been seen
here in spring and summer including
Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole, and
Western Tanager. We will stay Friday
and Saturday nights and return to
Reno on Sunday. Most of us will stay
in the Old Pioneer Garden Country
Inn, a beautiful bed & breakfast
dating from 1864. People can camp
if they wish instead of staying at the
B&B. There is a flat, grassy area up
the road from the B&B, referred to as
the Girl Scout Camp, where port-a-
potties are available, but no showers.
Contact Alan to register for the
field trip AND phone the B&B for
reservations (775-538-7585), ask for
Dave or Mitzi, the best times to call
are before 8:30 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
There may be a limit to the number of
people we can accommodate this year.
Please visit the Field Trips page of the
LAS website (www.nevadaaudubon.
org) for more details on this weekend
event. Also, the Reports: Trips &
Events Tab on the website contains
details on last year’s trip and a photo
gallery of the trip.
(continued on page 5)
FIELD TRIPS
(continued from page 4)
Friday-Sunday, June 25-27 (NOTE
date change)
Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge
Workday/Field Trip
Leader: David Von Seggern,
vonseg1@sbcglobal.net or Mike
Goddard, 775-423-5128,
Mike_Goddard@fws.gov
Place: Virgin Valley Campground
The Saturday workday/service trip
includes fence removal, placing signs
on the refuge boundary, fencing
springs, and camp cleanup. The
Saturday night program will be an
overview of the Sheldon NWR. On
Sunday we’ll tour old homesteads
and the opal mine. We’ll also do some
plant identification, birding, and other
wildlife sightseeing. Virgin Valley
Campground has a warm spring pool
and outhouses. Bring camping gear,
including cook stove, table and chairs,
food, water, including your own main
dish, and something to share with
others on Saturday night. Pack a lunch
for Saturday’s service trip. Bring
gloves, wire cutters, pliers, buckets,
WD-40, sunscreen, and plenty of
water. Plan to eat lunch in the field on
Saturday. For Saturday’s service work,
the USFWS and others will provide
sturdy vehicles. Good tires, including
a spare with good tread, are essential
for driving on the Sheldon NWR but
will not be needed for the Sunday
field trip. Take I-80 to Winnemucca.
Fuel up in Winnemucca. From
Winnemucca take Hwy 40 for 106
miles to the Sheldon NWR turnoff.
Virgin Valley Campground is about a
mile off the road.
Saturday, June 26
Page Meadows, Tahoe City
Time: 7:30 a.m.
Leader: Kirk Hardie, 775-220-8785,
kirk@tinsweb.org
The Tahoe Institute for Natural
Science (TINS), the Tahoe Rim
Trail Association (TRTA), and the
Lahontan Audubon Society (LAS)
The Pelican 5
are sponsoring this easy hike through
verdant meadows. Enjoy a profusion
of birds and wildflowers as the
group searches for such species as
Mountain Bluebird, Red-Breasted
Sapsucker, MacGillivray’s Warbler,
Black-backed Woodpecker, and
Pine Grosbeak in Tahoe’s flower-
covered alpine meadows. Bring water,
sunscreen, and insect repellant and
plan to finish before lunchtime. Free,
but reservations are required. Call or
email Kirk for the meeting place. This
is a popular trip so please register
early as space is limited.
Field Trip Reports
Sierra Valley, March 27
Leader: Alan Gubanich
Thirteen of us headed to Sierra Valley
on a cool morning but a temperate
afternoon, characteristic of this time of
year. It was the interim period; winter
birds were either gone already or
leaving soon, while spring migration
was just getting underway. We saw
only about five or six Red-tailed
Hawks and no wintering raptors, with
the exception of one of the highlights
of the day – a textbook example of
an immature Golden Eagle soaring
right over our heads on A-24. Then
a flock of what we later confirmed to
be Long-billed Curlews flew close
overhead (the second highlight of the
day). They veered to the southwest
where we eventually found 45 of them
feeding in a flooded field on Poole
Street amidst a flock of about 350 to
400 Ring-billed Gulls. Add at least 18
Sandhill Cranes to the total (mostly
in pairs, but one group of four) and
we all considered it a very nice day.
The ponds west of the bridges on
Heriot Lane added 14 species to the
list including Barn, Cliff and Tree
Swallows (sure signs of spring!),
seven species of duck, a group of
American Avocets, and a Pied-billed
Grebe. A walk in the woods on the
west side of the valley after lunch
netted a pair of American Kestrels
(who mated in front of us!) and at
least three Pygmy Nuthatches. Add the
usual crows, ravens, magpies, singing
meadowlarks, etc., and the group
totaled 34 species for the day. Other
highlights included one Prairie Falcon,
a couple Northern Harriers, a Willet,
and good looks at Horned Larks and
singing Sage Thrashers, a life bird for
some.
For more field trip reports, check
the LAS website “Reports of Trips
and Events” tab.
Bird I.D. Classes
It is time for LAS’s popular “Birds of
the Truckee Meadows” series of five
classes in basic bird identification.
Each session is presented by a
different local expert. This is an
excellent learning opportunity for
new birders, birders new to the
area, or birders seeking a review.
This year, classes will be at a
new location – the Hyatt Classic
Residence, 3201 South Plumas Street
(just north of Moana Lane), in Reno,
7-9 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning May
4. The cost is $40 for all five classes
or $10 per single class (payable at the
door – please arrive early to pay).
The classes are:
Introduction to Birding, by Dave
Jickling, May 4
Mountain Birds, by Jim Eidel,
May 11
Birds of Lakes and Marshes, by Larry
Neel, May 18
Birds of Prey, by Bob Goodman,
May 25
Backyard Birds, by Alan Gubanich,
June 1
For further information or to register,
contact Bob Goodman at 775-972-
7848 or pandion36@aol.com.
 Lahontan Audubon Society presents
Avian Art & Vine
A Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Event

Friday, June 4, 2010 • 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Moana Nursery
1100 West Moana Lane, Reno

Join us for a gala evening of art, wine,

and hors d’oeuvres bene�itting Lahontan
Audubon Society’s Education Outreach
programs. Our silent auction will include
wildlife photos, paintings, sculptures,
gift certi�icates, gift baskets, and so much
more! Tickets are available for $35 in
advance or $40 at the door. To purchase
tickets, please detach and mail the form
below. This is a �irst time event that you
won’t want to miss!

Yes, I’d like to purchase tickets ($35 per ticket) to attend Avian Art & Vine on June 4, 2010 and
support LAS Education Outreach. Enclosed is a check for $ .

I/We are unable to attend but would like to support LAS with a donation of $ .

Please make check payable to Lahontan Audubon Society, enclose with this form and mail in the return
envelope provided.

Name:

Address: City: State: Zip:

Phone Number: Email:

Tickets and Donations are 100% tax deductible.

LAS NEWS
Our chapter has the good fortune to
count nearly 1000 member house-
holds. The Board, Committees, and
various active members of our orga-
nization try very hard to stay in touch
with all of you through several av-
enues.
The LAS Email List sends reminders
and late-breaking information to
email subscribers about upcoming
LAS field trips, meetings, and events.
A recent success story is the Ivory-
billed Woodpecker talk in February,
scheduled on short notice after The
Pelican was mailed. Almost 85 percent
of the 60+ attendees came in response
to an LAS email notice. Our email
list is never sold, nor shared with
other organizations or individuals. To
subscribe to the LAS email list, please
send an email request to Kathy Oakes
at oakesy@sbcglobal.net.
The LAS Web Site at www.
nevadaaudubon.org, maintained by
LAS Web Master, Steve Ting, is
an excellent resource and worth a
bookmark on your browser. The Home
Page keys you in on late-breaking
items. Sections give you up-to-date
information on upcoming field trips,
meetings, and events. The “Birds and
Books” Section is a resource for great
book reviews and terrific reading
lists. The “Important Bird Areas” tab
has a ton of information on Nevada’s
IBA Program, including some great
volunteer opportunities coming up
at various IBAs. In a separate article
(see page 9), Alan Wallace, discusses
resources on the website related to
finding birds and birding spots.
The Pelican is published and mailed
bi-monthly. It is edited and compiled
by Jen Martin, with assistance from
Kristin Szabo, who also contributes
a regular column (as do several other
LAS members). Remember, anyone
who would like to opt out of receiving
The Pelican in the mail, please email
me at oakesy@sbcglobal.net.
The LAS Info Line at 775-324-BIRD
(2473) is managed by Jacque Lowery
and offers you the opportunity to leave
a recorded telephone message request
for information.
The Nevada Birds Listserv offers up-
to-the-minute reports of bird sightings
throughout the state (see more
information on the Listserv on page 9).
LAS welcomes Audrey
Higashi
LAS would like
to introduce
our newest
Board Member,
Audrey
Higashi.
Audrey is
happily married to Happ Higashi, with
whom she enjoys birding, cooking and
biking. Audrey has been in Reno for 9
years, where she is presently Director
of Sales for John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
She was raised in Alabama and South
Carolina, and moved to Reno from
Portland, Oregon. She is excited about
her new role with LAS and we are
excited to have her working with us.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The May meeting of LAS is the time for nomination and election of LAS officers and Board of Trustees members. We are
looking for enthusiastic and energetic (well, at least enthusiastic) people to step up to the plate and volunteer to become
directly involved in the organization. If any of you are willing to take on a challenge, the LAS Nomination Committee
(Alan Gubanich and Jacque Lowery) would love to hear from you! Anyone can nominate himself or anyone else for any
of the positions listed below. We encourage you to think seriously about the nomination process and join us at the May 25
meeting to help elect next year’s slate of Officers and Board members. We’re always looking for new blood! This year we
are especially looking for a replacement for the President. As you know, Alan Gubanich has done a great job as Acting
President, but he would really like to give more attention to his Education Committee duties. We have been looking (and
wishing and hoping) for interested people to step up, so far no comers. Also, we will be looking for a new Recording
Secretary for next year. Contact Alan at renopopop@pyramid.net or Jacque, nevadabird@charter.net if you wish to
submit your name or the name of a colleague for any of these two positions or for the other positions below. Nominations
will remain open until the election is held the evening of May 25, 2010 at the General Meeting. Only LAS members are
allowed to vote, but anyone can nominate.

Nominations are always open for the following positions:

President Vice-President
Treasurer Recording Secretary
Board of Trustees:
The terms for two seats on the Board of Trustees, Seat #6 and #7, end this year, so they will also be placed on the ballot.
The term of service for Board members is three years.

The Pelican 7
THE AVID BIRDER
Kenn Rohrs 775-849-9530 karohrs@charter.net
Diane
Ackerman
is a poet,
an essayist,
a journalist,
and above
all a
naturalist
with the
ability to
open our
eyes, and
minds, to
the world around us. Her point of
view is that we are nature — that
“no facet of nature is as unlikely as
we, the tiny bipeds with the giant
dreams.” She argues that we should
be aware of our animal nature and
our innate connection with other
animals. Ackerman has a molecule
named in her honor, dianeackerone,
for her work with a research team
that studies endangered alligators. It
is a sex pheromone in crocodilians.
A very interesting person!
I first encountered Ackerman
when I read her utterly delightful
A Natural History of the Senses
(1990). Her observations and
accounts of our ability to smell,
taste, hear, touch, and see make
this one of the most important and
influential books in the field of
natural history. Rereading it, I was
struck again by its freshness, its
accessibleness, and its lyrical prose.
She writes with intelligence, wit,
and humor.
In her new book, Dawn Light:
Dancing with Cranes and Other
Ways to Start the Day, Ackerman
gives us a witty, well-observed,
and thoughtful collection of essays
awakening us to the world at dawn.
“Wake up!” she tells us, “Whatever
8 The Pelican
else it is, dawn is always a rebirth,
a fresh start...” Moving through
the seasons from spring dawns
in Palm Beach, Florida through
winter sunrises in Ithaca, New York,
Ackerman explores and describes
in lyrical language many subjects,
including migration, bird watching,
bird music, beekeeping, organic
farming, art history, etymology,
meteorology, and world religion.
For Ackerman, the universe is
full of marvels, such as birds. Her
description of birds in many of
these essays is informative and
fascinating.
In her essay “A Calamity of
Cranes” Ackerman discusses the
work being done to bring back the
Whooping Crane from the brink of
extinction. She also shares Greek
and English legends of cranes being
used as a sentry. She writes, “At
night, the crane acting as a sentry
would stand on one leg, clutching
a large stone in the other. To signal
danger all it had to do was drop the
stone, whose clatter would wake the
sleeping army.” In another essay,
she discusses the druid bird of life,
the wren. Reading her essays about
birds, especially their songs at dawn
brought to my mind’s ear the dawn
chorus of songbirds in the spring.
I learned something in each
essay. This is a book that I will
reread many times. It is a joy.
Ackerman’s curiosity and her ability
to communicate fascination and
love of nature make all of her books
— every one worth reading and
rereading. Every page is a delight.
For more, check out Diane
Ackerman’s website http://www.
dianeackerman.com/.
Donors
American Avocet $50-$99
Elizabeth Rieke
Gene and Sue Hansel
Mountain Bluebird $20-$49
Twyla Gingerich
Debra Brus
Karen Traynor
Pat and John King
Ruby Crowned Kinglet $10-$19
Raquel Armijo
Other
Thanks so much to Moana Nursery
for donating the use of their
Education Workshop Center for
two LAS functions in February (the
Ivory-billed Woodpecker talk and
the gull workshop) and for LAS’s
upcoming May meeting. They will
also be extending to LAS the use of
their Nursery Shop at the Lakeside
location for our upcoming Avian Art
and Vine Auction Event.
Birds & Books
LAS Birds & Books is a flock
of readers interested in nature,
especially birds and birding. The
group meets on the third Tuesday
of the month from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
at Sundance Bookstore, 1155 W.
4th Street, #106-Keystone Square
Shopping Center. For a complete
schedule and brief description of
the selected books, go to the LAS
website www.nevadaaudubon.org
and check the Birds & Books Tab
May 18, 2010
My First Summer in the Sierra by
John Muir
WHERE ARE THE BIRDS?
Alan Wallace wallacealan@sbcglobal.net
With spring upon us, and summer
approaching, many of you might
be wondering where to go birding
or where the best place might be to
see a certain species near where you
live. With a little use of the Internet,
many of those answers are at your
fingertips.
The LAS website (http://www.
nevadaaudubon.org) is a good
starting point for northern Nevada
locales and birds. LAS members
have compiled a nice area birding
guide, which points you to many
good places in the Reno-Carson
City areas, as well as some places
that are a little farther afield. You
can get to that guide by clicking on
the “Area Birding Guide” link on
the main page of the LAS website,
or you can also buy the nice printed
version from LAS (see page 11).
Another link on the main page will
take you to the “Birds in Town”
page, which provides a list of all
of the birds reported in northern
Nevada towns since 2001, both as
a complete list and as bi-monthly
lists (such as April-May, etc.). If you
really want to wander far afield, LAS
sells a great “Nevada Birding Map”,
which shows a huge number of good
birding sites throughout the state.
You can order that through the “LAS
Sales” part of the website or on page
11. And don’t forget about LAS field
trips: they’re a great way to visit
different places with a convivial
cadre of birders.
The second birding resource is
the Nevada bird listserv, which I
summarized in the “Birds in Town”
column of the September-October
2009 issue of The Pelican. In a
nutshell, the listserv is a web-based
system where Nevada birders report
their sightings from throughout
the state. The full archive of these
The Pelican 9
reports are available on the Nevada
listserv website (http://list.audubon.
org/archives/nvbirds.html), where
you can click on “Search the
archives” and draw upon more than
10 years worth of sightings, using
either the species name or even
the location, such as Carson Lake
or Damonte Wetlands. If you just
want to quickly see what has been
seen and where in the last month
or so, the reports are easily viewed
at the Nevada part of birdingonthe.
net (http://www.birdingonthe.net/
mailinglists/NVBD.html). Either
way, you can get some good ideas
of new birding locations or where
someone has recently seen a Virginia
Rail, for example.
The third, and certainly not least,
web-based resource is eBird (http://
ebird.org). This bird database, with
constant input from birders like us
all over the country, was developed
by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
It covers all of North America and
even beyond. The neat thing is that
you can choose a species and then
narrow the search down to whatever
state, county, and range of dates
(including just seasons) that are of
interest. So, let’s say that you want
to know where American Avocets
have been seen in Nevada in the past
few years. At the main page, click
on View and Explore Data, choose
Maps on the next page, and then type
in American Avocet on the ensuing
page. This will give you a North
America map showing all locations
since 2006 (the default starting
point). Above the map, you’ll see
a Change Location: click on that,
scroll down to and select Nevada and
Entire Region. The resulting map
shows all of the places, highlighted
with a little symbol, where avocets
have been seen. Click on the symbol,
and you’ll see who saw it, when,
and how many were seen. This
process can be tailored down to
the county level or even closer (or
just use the zoom-in feature on the
Nevada map), as you play with the
various options. If you want to see
only 2010 sightings, just change
the date range in the box at the top.
You’ll immediately get a map that
shows this year’s avocet sightings
in Nevada, which hopefully will
propel you out the door to go see
for yourself. Of course, we eBirders
would love it if you added your
sightings to the database, but that’s
totally up to you.
I get in a rut when it comes to
places where I go birding. To yank
myself out of my deep-seated
routine, I like to use resources like
these to point me in new directions.
These invariably land me in new
places (some surprisingly close to
my normal rut), with different birds,
and with a new perspective on that
part of Nevada or even my home
town. So, give these resources a try
and start exploring. Who knows: you
might find something that nobody
has reported before!
Birds in Town
Alan Wallace wallacealan@sbcglobal.net
Some early spring migrations can be really exciting, just
like an intense mystery thriller that captures your attention
on the first page and never lets go. And then there are the
early spring migrations that are like the novels that take
forever to set the stage and introduce the characters, at
which point you jump to the last page, find out who did it,
and then wonder if you should read the middle part. This
year’s early migration was definitely a page turner...to the
last page, that is.
So, what happened in the closing pages of this year’s early
spring migration? An intense late-March storm thrust clouds
of swallows, Cliff, Barn, Violet-green, and all the others
northward, with the swallows coming in waves along with
the snow flurries. In the balmier days just before, American
Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, and Greater Yellowlegs
were poking the mud around area lakes and ponds, and
brightly rust-colored Cinnamon Teal and Ruddy Ducks,
the latter with their contrasting blue bills, stood out from
the usual collection of ducks. On the fringes of town, the
nearly iridescent Mountain and Western Bluebirds flitted
through the sage and pines. Some of
the Ring-billed Gulls gained their
early-breeding pinkish cast, and all
of the adult gulls (and there were
hundreds) were stunning in their crisp
gray-and-white breeding plumages.
The early mornings were filled with
the melodious songs of the American
Robin and White-crowned Sparrow
and the trilling calls of the Spotted
Towhee in the brush. Even the early
Turkey Vultures were soaring tippily Varied Thrush bathing in a Reno backyard pool,
through the skies of northern Nevada, March 10, 2010. Photograph by Ed Oakes
as far north as Elko. Spring was here.
Well, the ending was good, but what about the chapters
leading up to it? If you were watching closely, you might
have noticed that some winter birds suddenly were gone.
Hooded Mergansers, Tundra Swans, and Barrow’s
Goldeneyes disappeared from lakes and rivers, and
the Canada Goose flocks were missing the few Snow,
Cackling, and Greater White-fronted Geese that joined
the wintering masses. Rough-legged and Ferruginous
Hawks departed, leaving the Red-tailed Hawks as the
nearly sole buteos in towns and nearby fields. The latter
were sitting on nests by mid-March, wasting no time. The
numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Golden-crowned
Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos dwindled to nearly
nothing (although the late-March storm brought some of
them back), and most of the American Dippers migrated
upstream for the breeding season. In Austin, the Cooper’s
Hawks moved elsewhere in March, a departure that
undoubtedly was noticed by the smaller feeder birds (as
Frank Whitman there noted, Pine Siskins are the equivalent
of popcorn shrimp for the neighborhood accipiters).
Akin to the many changing characters in a Russian novel,
new species (besides the late-March arrivals) gradually
arrived as the winter birds departed. The Double-crested
10 The Pelican
Cormorant colonies began to grow, American White
Pelicans arrived on scattered local lakes, and a few migrant
Sandhill Cranes paused in some local wetlands. Yellow-
headed Blackbirds began to stake out their territories
in the centers of cattail marshes, driving the year-round
Red-winged Blackbirds to the margins. In Spring Creek,
Western Meadowlarks were calling at the same time that
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches were feeding at the feeders,
providing a great overlap of spring and winter birds. At
the same time, the behaviors of resident birds reflected
the hormonal awakenings in their bodies. Some species,
California Quail, Common Mergansers, Mallards, and
Northern Harriers, began to pair off in February, and
the first downy Canada Goose goslings appeared in mid-
March. Mid-March saw the annual spring influx of Cassin’s
Finches to western Nevada feeders, and the American and
Lesser Goldfinches gradually morphed from their drab
winter plumages into much brighter breeding colors. About
the only unusual early migrant was a Varied Thrush that
visited Kathy Oakes’ northwest Reno
yard in the middle of March.
Despite the slow plot, the annual
mid-February Great Backyard Bird
Count drummed up 105 late-winter
species that reflected the diverse
habitats of northern Nevada yards.
Sierra Nevada yards had White-
headed Woodpeckers, Pygmy
Nuthatches, Band-tailed Pigeons,
and even one Black-backed
Woodpecker (great yard bird!). Wild
Turkeys and Pinyon Jays drifted
through yards in Baker, and Gray-
crowned Rosy-Finches came down
from the higher elevations to feed in Austin. Cassin’s
Finches, although seen in a few western Nevada yards,
were much more common in the eastern half of the state, as
were Pine Siskins. Overall, the winter avian turnout wasn’t
too shabby.
Northern Nevada birders reported 120 species in February
and March, with considerable overlap with the species
reported by the Great Backyard Bird Count. Contributors
included Carol Amos, Mary Anderson, Meg Andrews,
Sally Bates, Jim Cooper, Alan de Queiroz, Cynthia
Goddard, Bob Goodman, Linda Hiller, Nancy Hoffman,
Ed Kurtz, Lisa Lister, Jacque Lowery, Rob Lowry, Carl
Lundblad, Sue Anne Marshall, Martin Meyers, Kathy
Oakes, Andrea Oddo, Fred Petersen, Judy Phoenix,
Kris Pizarro, Debbie & Randy Pontius, Lois & Mark
Ports, Melissa Renfro, Melissa Robards, Georgia &
Kenn Rohrs, Nancy Santos, Greg Scyphers, Dennis
Serdehely, Jean Sherman, Steve Ting, Jamie Trammell,
Frank Whitman, Jim Woods, John Woodyard, Dave
Worley, and me. The deadline for the next column is May
25. Send reports to 1050 Sumac St., Reno, NV 89509 or
wallacealan@sbcglobal.net, or post sightings on the Nevada
bird listserv. Good birding!
 LAS MEMBERSHIP/DONATION FORM
Lahontan Audubon Society Membership: All funds remain in the community. Members receive The Pelican
newsletter and may elect to receive email activities notices. Please complete and mail this form with payment.

1. o LAS Renewal o New Membership o Send me a National Audubon application

2. o Individual/Family - $20/year o Full Time Student/Senior (over 62) - $15/year

LAS Donations: Please select level:

o Ruby-crowned Kinglet - $10 o Mountain Bluebird - $20 o American Avocet - $50
o American White Pelican - $100 o Golden Eagle - $500 or more

Volunteering: I am interested in receiving information about volunteering for LAS: o

NAME (please print)______________________________________________________
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TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________ May/June 2010 issue

Make check payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail this form to:
Kathy Oakes, LAS Membership, 4120 Plateau Road, Reno, NV 89519

LAS SALES FORM

Price Postage TOTAL

Important Bird Areas of Nevada $19.95 $4.60 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2005

A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond--Second Edition $10 $2 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007

Nevada Birding Map--Second Edition $ 4 $1 _____

Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007

TOTAL ORDER _____

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Make checks payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail with this form to:
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The Pelican 11
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LAHONTAN AUDUBON SOCIETY

Officers President Vacant
Vice President Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191
Treasurer Jane Burnham jane.burnham@sbcglobal.net 677-4178
Recording Secretary Mary Jo Elpers mjelpers@aol.com 747-6270
Trustees Seat #1 to 2011 Dave Straley dbstraley@gmail.com 832-9222
Seat #2 to 2011 Gene Hansel renohansel@hotmail.com 354-2150
Seat #3 to 2012 Audrey Higashi nenemaka@yahoo.com 250-5500
Seat #4 to 2011 Kathy Oakes oakesy@sbcglobal.net 747-5446
Seat #5 to 2012 Jacque Lowery nevadabird@charter.net 853-1302
Seat #6 to 2010 Linda Badzioch lbadzioch@pyramid.net 851-8353
Seat #7 to 2010 Kenn Rohrs karohrs@charter.net 849-9530

IBA Director Robin Powell rpowell@audubon.org 247-2798

Committee Activity/Program Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191

Chairs Birding Classes Bob Goodman pandion36@aol..com 972-7848
Birds & Books Reading Group Kenn Rohrs karhors@charter.net 849-9530
Communications Vacant
Conservation Vacant
Education Alan Gubanich renopopop@pyramid.net 857-0191
Field Trips Christiane Omer happycpo@aol.com 354-2634
Hospitality Linda Badzioch lbadzioch@pyramid.net 851-8353
LAS Sales Jane Burnham jane.burnham@sbcglobal.net 677-4178
Membership Kathy Oakes oakesy@sbcglobal.net 747-5446
Volunteer Coordination Gene Hansel renohansel@hotmail.com 354-2150

Publication and The Pelican Editor Jen Martin jensieb@gmail.com 742-2582
Information “Birds in Town” Alan Wallace wallacealan@sbcglobal.net 786-5755
LAS Info Line Jacque Lowery 324-BIRD
Web Master Steve Ting scting@charter.net 849-3725