VOLUME 41
Education and Conservation: Teaching Science in the Schools
By Julie Byrne,
Petaluma science teacher
Thank you to Madrone Audubon for
supporting my attendance at the Cali-
fornia Science Education Conference in
October 2007. I want to emphasize how
important it is for education and conser-
vation to blend. Sharing new ideas and
information will improve our commu-
nity so I would like to share some high-
lights of the conference.
The Focus Speaker was Eugenie Scott,
Executive Director of the National Cen-
ter for Science Education. In a packed
auditorium of science teachers, she was
extremely inspiring as she delivered a
lecture called “Surmounting the Road-
blocks to Teaching Evolution.” She em-
phasized again and again: “Our goal is to
not change students’ religious beliefs.”
She highly recommends the evolution
book for young children called Stones
& Bones, by Char Matejovsky. It is a
young children’s book that opens with
“Evolution’s the solution to the data that
we find, when we study bones and fossils
and we keep an open mind.” After reading
it to my daughter I recommend it as well.
It was published here in Santa Rosa.
Paul Narguizian, Assistant Professor of
Science Education at CSU Los Angeles,
was a great speaker who used examples
from a recent trip to the Galapagos Is-
lands to discuss “Charles Darwin, Evo-
lution, and the History of Science.” Be-
ginning with the difference between law
and theory, he talked about why island ge-
ology is so important. In the Galapagos he
saw that finch beak sizes can vary slightly
with seasons (i.e. smaller size when lower
or small seed production) and that marine
April 2008 Number 7
iguanas from different areas vary in size sample plastics in their area (see www.
where there is warmer water and a greater plasticsareforever.org for the curriculum
abundance of food (algae). in Spanish and English). We also did a
hands-on dissection of albatross bolus.
A major concern in the conservation
Similar to an owl pellet, the bolus is the
community was discussed in “Studying
indigestible material that is regurgitated
Plastic Debris from Rivers to the Sea.”
by a baby Albatross chick. I have the
Marcus Erikson from Algalita Marine
“Albatross Bolus Dissection” paper ac-
Research Foundation lectured on plas-
tivity packet to share–everything to do
tic debris that leaves the watersheds
the activity is included. There are color
and accumulates in the oceans. We dis-
pictures of actual plastic products found
cussed curriculum on how students can
in albatross. Continued on page 3
APRIL GENERAL MEETING
“Trending to the Wild: Restoring Wildlands Biodiversity”
Monday April 21, 7:30 PM
First United Methodist Church
1551 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa
Wild, wildlife, wilderness. We backpack into the mountains to find our primal
selves in landscapes largely unchanged by humans, and cherish our glimpses into
the lives of wild animals, our sightings of eagles, bears or beavers.
The land right around us was pristine once also. Brock Dolman, Occidental Arts
and Ecology Center’s wildlife biologist, will deliver a slide lecture telling the story
of restoration work he has spearheaded at the Center’s 80-acre parcel in western
Sonoma County. Woodlands congested with small spindly trees are on their way to
becoming stately and fire-resilient forests. Water that once roared through gullies
and carried sediment into streams now flows across the surface and soaks into the
land, recharging the water table. Complete restoration is impossible, according to
Brock, but tremendous improvements can be made.
Brock Dolman is a thought-provoking speaker whose style is pragmatic, poetic, and
often amusing. An ornithologist and wildlife biologist by training, Dolman is also
a Sonoma County Fish & Wildlife Commissioner, a board member of the Russian
River Watershed Council, an occasional advisor to various water control agencies,
and a nationally recognized permaculture instructor and consultant.
COMING MAY 19th:
Madrone’s annual meeting and potluck dinner will feature Ron LeValley,
“Bird Migration–What’s New.”

c a l e n d a r
All walks and meetings are open to the public. Bird walks are recreational and educational in purpose, and all levels of expertise are welcome. Bring
field equipment and wear comfortable shoes and layered clothing for variable weather conditions. Please carpool whenever possible. Forecasted
heavy rain cancels.There is no charge for activities unless otherwise specified, but some parks have day-use fees.
Sunday, March 30, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS AUDUBON SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP.
An introduction to local California grasslands led by Jeanne Wirka. Please see
page 4 for details.
Wednesday, April 2, 8:30 AM to Noon
SHOLLENBERGER PARK. Bird Walk. We will bird the Shollenberger Park
ponds and wetlands in Petaluma. From Santa Rosa, take the Highway 116 exit
(Lakeville Highway), go left under Highway 101, turn right at the South McDow-
ell traffic light, proceed to the City Park sign and turn right into the park parking
lot. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net>, 546-1812.
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 PM
BOARD MEETING. Sonoma County Environmental Center, 55A Ridgway
Avenue, Santa Rosa. Contact Veronica Bowers for agenda information at 829-2955.
Saturday, April 5, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
LAS GALLINAS PONDS with afternoon option at Bahia. Bird Walk. Meet
at the Las Gallinas Storage Ponds parking lot. From Highway 101 in northern
San Rafael, take the Smith Ranch Road exit, go east to the McInnis Park
entrance, turn left immediately after crossing the railroad tracks, and go to
the end of the road. Informal carpools leave Santa Rosa at 7:45 AM. To par-
ticipate, please arrive about ten minutes earlier to make arrangements. Santa
Rosa meeting place: Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open
Space District office, 747 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa. The parking lot
is behind the office (access from Carrillo Street). Bring lunch, liquids and
layers of clothing. Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom Cashman, 433-2528, and Bob
Speckels, 569-0563.
Thursday, April 10, 8:30 AM
BODEGA BAY. Bird Walk. From the center of the town of Bodega Bay, drive
north on Highway 1. Turn left at East Shore Road (the Bodega Head turnoff );
then turn right at the stop sign and continue 0.3 mile to the unpaved parking
lot on the right. Bring lunch, liquids, and layered clothing. For information,
contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net>, 546-1812.
Saturday, April 12, 9:00 AM
SHOLLENBERGER PARK. Petaluma Wetlands Alliance leads a bird walk.
Meet at the first kiosk. Rain cancels. Contact Bob Dyer, 763-2934.
Wednesday, April 16, 8:30 AM
DUNCANS MILLS AND WILLOW CREEK ROAD. Bird Walk. Meet at
Duncans Mills General Store. Bring lunch and liquids. Leader: Dennis Beall.
For information: <sisyphus@sonic.net>, 546-1812.
Saturday, April 19, 8:00 AM to Noon
CRANE CREEK REGIONAL PARK. Beginners Bird Walk. Meet at Crane
Creek Regional Park parking lot. There is a $5 per car entrance fee to Crane
Creek Park. Informal carpool leaves Santa Rosa at 7:30 AM; please see April
5 entry above for carpooling location. Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom Cashman,
433-2528, and Bob Speckels, 569-0563.
Saturday April 19, 10:00 AM
SHOLLENBERGER PARK. Petaluma Wetlands Alliance leads two children/
family nature walks. One to two hours, dependent on age of children. Meet at the
first kiosk. Rain cancels. For the children/family walk in English, contact Gerald or
Mary Edith Moore at 763-3577; for the walk in Spanish, contact Connie Peabody
at 763-7458.
Page 2
MA D R O N E L E AVES
Sunday, April 20, 9:00 AM to Noon
INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY CELEBRATION. Madrone
Audubon and PRBO Conservation Science are co-sponsoring this event at
Salmon Creek School, 1935 Bohemian Highway in Occidental. Activities
include an 8:00 AM “early bird” walk with Rich Stallcup and many more
family-friendly tours and exhibits. Pee Wee Auduboners are encouraged to
attend. For details, please see page 4. Reservations not needed for this event.
Monday, April 21, 7:30 PM
GENERAL MEETING. Brock Dolman of the Occidental Arts and Ecology
Center will present “Trending to the Wild: Restoring Wildlands Biodiversity”
at the First United Methodist Church, 1551 Montgomery Drive in Santa
Rosa. Please see the front page announcement. The public is always invited to
attend these programs.
Thursday, April 24, 8:30 AM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAIN AUDUBON SANCTUARY AND PINE
FLAT ROAD. Bird Walk. Meet for carpooling at Alexander Valley Communi-
ty Church on Alexander Valley Road, immediately west of the Jimtown Store.
Bring lunch and liquids. For information: Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.
net> or 546-1812.
Saturday, April 26, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS AUDUBON SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP.
A general nature hike led by Peter Leveque. Please see page 5 for details.
Wednesday, April 30, 8:30 AM
ANNADEL STATE PARK. Bird Walk. We will search for returning pas-
serines, mainly along Channel Drive. Meeting place: From Montgomery
Drive in Santa Rosa, go 0.6 mile on Channel Drive to an unpaved parking
lot on the left side of Channel Drive. There is a $4 entrance fee for the park.
Bring lunch, liquids, and layered clothing. For information: Tom McCuller,
<sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.
Saturday, May 3, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
WILLOW CREEK, DUNCANS LANDING, JENNER. Bird Walk. Meet
at the parking lot for the Sizzling Tandoor Indian Restaurant in Bridgehaven
at the south end of the Russian River Bridge on Highway 1 (Coast Highway).
Informal carpools leave Santa Rosa at 7:15 AM; please arrive about ten min-
utes earlier to make arrangements. See April 5th entry above for carpooling lo-
cation. Bring lunch, liquids and layers of clothing. Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom
Cashman, 433-2528; Bob Speckels, 569-0563; and Ken Wilson, 775-2558.
Saturday, May 3, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS AUDUBON SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP.
Wildflower and plant walk with Peter Warner. Please see page 5 for details.
Thursday, May 8, 8:30 AM
POINT REYES AREA. Bird Walk. Meet in the parking lot across from the
Point Reyes National Seashore Bear Valley Visitor Center, which is just west of
Olema. Bring lunch, liquids, and layered clothing. For information, contact
Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.
CONSERVATION COMMITTEE. No scheduled meeting this month. If
you have conservation concerns, contact Diane Hichwa at dhichwa@earthlink.
net or call her at 579-1182.

Education and Conservation
Continued from page 1
The “Pharmacy from the Sea” work-
shop provided a list with products that
contain components derived from the
sea (i.e. agar, carrageenan beta caro-
tene, alginate). These can be used as
a learning tool to show students how
sea products are in many things we use
daily (i.e toothpaste, hot spicy Chee-
tos, sour cream, ice cream, shampoo,
etc.). I have the “Algae Everywhere
Homework Sheet” in English and
Spanish for those who wish to make
a copy.
The conference workshops covered a
wide range of topics. In “Science and
Literacy,” teacher Karen Krosby dis-
cussed strategies such as student-
made books, poems, and songs in
order to help students understand
electricity and magnetism. I have a
thick literature packet about this for
those who would be interested. I have
the lesson plans for workshops on
“Forensic Entomology” and “How to
Visualize Five Billion Years” as well.
I am willing to share these materials
and I expect to put them to use in my
own teaching as a public school sci-
ence teacher.
Finally, since sharing information is
so important, I wanted to ask if there
might be any volunteer visitors who
are interested in supporting science
education by coming into my Peta-
luma public school 7th grade class-
room for a brief time either in April
or May to share their knowledge on
a specific topic (e.g. conservation,
ecology, evolution, genetics, anato-
my, hydrology or geology). Perhaps
you are a hobbyist and have an insect
or rock collection? Perhaps you are a
biology or geology graduate student?
Maybe you are an amateur botanist?
Let’s make science dynamic for kids–
feel free to contact me, Julie Byrne,
at protecthabitat@gmail.com.
Thank you again to Madrone for making
my attendance to the CSTA possible.
Bird Notes
The Red Knot
By Veronica Bowers
The 2008 theme for International
Migratory Bird Day is “Tundra to the
Tropics: Connecting People, Places and
Birds.” Madrone will be celebrating
it this year on April 20 (see article on
page 4). In honor of this year’s theme,
it seems appropriate to write about a
bird that best represents the migratory
journey from the tundra to the trop-
ics (or beyond the tropics in this case)
and the efforts of humans who are try-
ing to help this amazing little bird, the
Red Knot.
Last month, I attended a wildlife re-
habilitators’ conference in New Jersey.
A biologist from the Shorebird Proj-
ect Team, Dr. Larry Niles of Conserve
Wildlife Foundation New Jersey, was
the keynote speaker. He gave an excel-
lent presentation about his work with
the red knot and its current status.
He specifically addressed the rufa and
roselaari subspecies, with an emphasis
on rufa. Both populations are in seri-
ous decline and may face extinction in
the very near future. National Audu-
bon Society and nine other agencies are
calling for an emergency listing of both
subspecies.
A small migratory shorebird, the rufa
subspecies of Red Knot has one of the
longest migrations of any bird on the
planet, second to the Arctic Tern. It
breeds high in the arctic and winters
in Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South
America. Its southbound migration is
somewhat leisurely as the bird moves
down the Atlantic coast of North
America feeding on small crustaceans
along the way. Then, after a non-stop
flight over open ocean, it resumes its
meandering journey down the Atlantic
coast of South America finally reaching
Tierra del Fuego. Here the Red Knot
will spend the winter until it is time to
make the return flight north of over
MA D R O N E L E AVES
Special Friends of
the Red Knot
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeu3rwf/
While reading the shorebird blog,
I found a link to another website
called “Friends of the Red Knot.”
FoRK, as this group is called, is a
group of kids from Greenmount
School in Baltimore, Maryland,
started by 11-year-old Mike Hud-
son. Mike first learned of the plight
of the Red Knot while birding with
his local Audubon group. He and
a group of friends began a letter
writing campaign, asking officials
to list the Red Knot as endan-
gered and to impose restrictions
on harvesting horseshoe crab eggs
on the east coast.
I feel grateful and inspired by a
child who cares and has made the
connection between people, place
and the wildlife that inhabit that
place. I would like to thank Mike
and the Friends of the Red Knot
for that gift–for making the “con-
nection” and inspiring others to
support their efforts.
9000 miles to their breeding grounds
in the Arctic tundra, with only a few
stopovers to rest and refuel.
Delaware Bay is the last and most criti-
cal stopover during the spring migra-
tion for the rufa subspecies. Here, it
feasts on the eggs of Horseshoe Crabs,
attempting to double its weight in fat
reserves to provide fuel for the rest of
their journey. Unfortunately, due to
over-harvesting by commercial fisher-
men, the Horseshoe Crab population
is in serious decline and as a result, the
amount of crab eggs for the knots to
feed on is a fraction of what it once was.
Without the necessary resources, some
Continued on page 4
Page 3

Bird Notes
Continued from page 3
of the rufa population will die on the
last leg of their journey north or arrive
in the Arctic emaciated and too weak
to endure the breeding season. At one
time, over 100,000 Red Knots stopped
in Delaware Bay to rest and refuel, but
now that population has dwindled to
approximately 13,000 birds.
The knots that successfully complete
their journey to the Arctic will find
mates and begin breeding. Their
nest, a scrape in the ground lined with
moss, is often located several miles in-
land on the tundra. When they begin
to incubate their eggs, the ground may
still be frozen and patchy with snow
in the immediate area–they may have
to fly up to 10 miles away from their
nest to find food. Difficulty finding
food at this critical time could be fa-
tal for the knot that began the breed-
ing season in poor health. Timing and
sufficient resources are everything. If
incubation is successful, the eggs will
begin to hatch as the ground begins to
thaw and the tundra comes to life pro-
ducing an abundance of food for the
newly hatched red knots and their par-
ents. A new generation of Red Knots
will prepare to embark on their rigor-
ous migratory journey.
I hope you will be inspired to learn more
about the Red Knot. A few websites
are listed below to provide you with
additional information. Check them
out and see what you can do to help
and, hopefully, inspire others to do
the same.
Defenders of Wildlife:
www.defenders.org
National Audubon Society:
http://www.audubon.org/campaign/
esa/redknot.html
For the research of Dr. Niles and others:
shorebird.blogspot.com
Page 4
IMBD–Celebrating
Our Summer Visitors!
Sunday, April 20, 9:00 AM to Noon
Salmon Creek School
1935 Bohemian Highway, Occidental
Salmon Creek School, Madrone Audubon
and PRBO Conservation Science have
joined forces to celebrate International
Migratory Bird Day on Sunday, April 20.
There will be fun for the whole family–this
program will serve as Madrone’s Pee Wee
event for April.
Rich Stallcup of PRBO Conservation Sci-
ence will lead an “Early Bird” walk begin-
ning at 8:00 AM, before the main event.
Madrone birdwalk leaders will be the guides
for additional family bird walks every hour
on the hour, beginning at 9:00 AM.
Salmon Creek School students will give
tours and discuss their grassland restora-
tion efforts on the campus. Docents from
Petaluma Wetlands Alliance will demon-
strate nest box building and discuss the
natural history of our cavity nesting pas-
serines. Volunteers from Hungry Owl
Project will visit with live hawks and owls.
Exhibits will include natural history infor-
mation on local birds, habitat gardening,
hands-on activities for kids and more.
Reservations are not necessary, but for
more information, contact Veronica Bow-
ers, Madrone Audubon IMBD Chair at
829-2955.
Bird Walk Report
Grizzly Island and Rush Ranch, Feb. 27
Fourteen Auduboners birded the Grizzly
Island Wildlife Management Area and
Rush Ranch Open Space in bright sun-
shine. Very little wind allowed for a day
of easy birding. The group tallied 68 spe-
cies. Notable sightings included Rough-
legged Hawks, Golden Eagle, Barn Owls,
Burrowing Owls, and displaying Allen’s
Hummingbirds. Other sightings included
Muskrat, River Otter, Elk, and Coyote.
MA D R O N E L E AVES
Election Time!
This Is the Easy One...
No need for “super delegates”–
though we do have some super
folks who have stepped up or are
continuing in these posts. A Nomi-
nating Committee composed of
Madrone Audubon members Diane
Hichwa, Peter Leveque and Becky
Olsen has proposed the following
slate of officers for 2008-2009:
President: Janeann Erickson
Vice-President: Bob Speckels
Recording Secretary: Andrea Bond
Corresponding Secretary:
Rowland Fellows
Treasurer: Mary Wheeler
Madrone members in attendance
at the April General Meeting will
be voting on this slate, and the of-
ficers will be installed May 19 at the
annual meeting and potluck dinner.
A big “vote” of thanks from Ma-
drone to Sabrina Hearst for her
good work as Recording Secre-
tary over this past year. Sabrina is
leaving our area for a specialized
BIRD-A-THON 2008
As you read this, the 2008 Bird-A-Thon
should be winding down. However, it
is still not too late to sponsor your favor-
ite birder! Your tax-deductible donation is
needed and appreciated. If you have not
already done so, please mail your checks to
a team leader as soon a possible.
FeatherQuesters: Diane Hichwa and
Karen Nagel <dhichwa@earthlink.net>
Roadrunners: Betty Groce and Phyllis
Schmidt <blgroce@prodigy.net>
Gray-headed Seersuckers: Betty Bur-
ridge, with Ian Morrison, Bill Payne,
Ken Wilson, Becky Olsen and Ted Eliot
<bburridge@sbcglobal.net>
Taylors of Sonoma: Elinor and Jim Taylor
Questions? Contact Bird-A-Thon chair
Marcia Johnson at owlsnest@hughes.net
or 829-3808.

2008 MMAS Field Trips
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL
EVENTS: The field trips are free and open
to the public. Meet on Pine Flat Road
between Red Winery Road and the Sausal
Creek Bridge, 1⁄4 mile past the Jimtown
Store on Highway 128 East.
Saturday, March 30, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Jeanne Wirka, resident biologist at ACR
Bouverie Preserve will provide an intro-
duction to local California grasslands
with an emphasis on native species and
grassland ecology. Participants will be in-
troduced to basic grass morphology and
learn how to identify common grasses in
the field. Bring a camera because in ad-
dition to the grasses, you will most cer-
tainly see beautiful wildflowers as well.
Please bring a hand lens and notebook.
Saturday, April 26, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Join naturalist and retired biology
professor Peter Leveque in a general
nature hike. We might find the Fawn
Lily, Erythronium helenae. A moderate-
ly strenuous hike on Clark Foss Road;
you’ll need to get out your hiking sticks
and boots. Limited to adults.
Saturday, May 3, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Wildflowers and plant walk with Peter
Warner, Resource Ecologist with the
California Department of Parks, botani-
cal enthusiast and Past President of and
frequent field trip leader for the Califor-
nia Native Plant Society. A moderate
hike–bring plant guides, hand lenses,
cameras and notebooks. A plant list will
be available to participants. Children
OK with supervision.
Saturday, May 10, 9:00 to 3:00 PM
Join Lynn Houser, an active board
member of the California Native Plant
Society, to see spring flowers and plant
growth. Plant identification, ecology,
and natural history of the Mayacamas
area will be featured. This is a moder-
ately strenuous three-to-four mile hike.
Bring binoculars, field guides, and camera.
Plant lists will be available. Older chil-
dren OK with supervision.
Spring Events:
Lectures, Festivals
and Learning to be
a Hawkwatcher
Valley of the Moon Nature Lecture Series
At the Sonoma Community Center, An-
drews Hall, 276 E. Napa Street in So-
noma. Go to <sonomabirding.org> for
more information.
Thursday, April 3, 7:30 PM
“Egrets & Herons of San Francisco Bay”
with Dr. John Kelly, Director of Con-
servation Science & Habitat Protection,
Audubon Canyon Ranch.
Saturday, April 5, 1:00 PM
“The Life of the Skies–Birding at the
End of Nature,” a special author event
with Jonathan Rosen.
Thursday, May 1, 7:30 PM
“San Francisco Bay Area Hawks” with
Allen Fish, Director, Golden Gate Rap-
tor Observatory.
PRBO Third Thursdays Speaker Series
At PRBO’s San Franicsco Bay Research
Center, 3820 Cypress Drive, #11, Petaluma.
Go to <www.prbo.org> for more information.
Thursday, April 17, 6:30 PM
“PRBO and the Seabirds of Alcatraz.”
Sara Acosta, PRBO Seabird Biolo-
gist, will tell you about the seabirds of
Alcatraz, how she and other PRBO
biologists monitor them, and why they’re
so important.
MA D R O N E L E AVES
Birding Festivals, Here and There
April 18-23
Godwit Days Spring Migration
Bird Festival
Arcata, California
Exceptional birding on the scenic Red-
wood Coast. iGo to <www.godwitdays.
com> for more details or call (800)
908-WING.
April 26-27
Heron Festival and Wildflower
Brunch
Clear Lake State Park,
Kelseyville, California
A celebration of birds, wildlife and
springtime on beautiful Clear Lake–
herons, White Pelicans and the dramatic
“dancing” Western Grebes. Information
at <www.heronfestival.org> or (800)
525-3743.
GGRO Recruitment
Meetings
Volunteer to be a hawkwatcher or bander
this fall with the Golden Gate Raptor
Observatory. GGRO volunteers have
worked each fall for more than two de-
cades to track the populations of birds
of prey passing in migration over the
Marin Headlands, one of the foremost
sites for observing raptor migration in
the Pacific States.
Recruitment meetings will be held
on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 29
and 30 from 7:00 to 9:30 PM, and on
Saturday, May 3 from 10:00 AM to
12:30 PM. You can choose which one
to attend; the meetings will be held in
Building 201, Upper Fort Mason in
San Francisco (enter at Bay and Frank-
lin Streets).
For more information about volunteer r
equirements, go to the website, <www.ggro.
org>. You can contact GGRO at (415)
331-0730 or at ggro@parksconservancy.org.
Page 5
 MA D R O N E L E AVES

Observations
January – February • Dan Nelson 762-5167 • <birdsurf64@sbcglobal.net>
Red-necked Grebe (2) February Doran Park Jetties DN
Laysan Albatross 3/1 Seen off Cliff House and in Golden Gate LL
Magnificent Frigatebird (immature) 1/5 Rescued from tree entanglement along the Russian River
in Healdsburg, rehabilitated in Cordelia and later
released in Southern California. fide GR
Cattle Egret (2) 2/4 Two Rock near Fallon Road DN
Tundra Swan (4) 2/28 Bodega Highway northeast of Carmody Road DN
Greater White-fronted Goose 2/15 About 40 vocal high-fliers over Paula Lane, Petaluma DN
Eurasian Wigeon 2/11 Miller Knox shoreline, Richmond DN
Canvasback (20) 3/5 Laguna Lake, Chileno Valley Road DN
Long-tailed Duck (2) January-February Bodega Harbor M. Ob.
Common Merganser 1/31 Lake Ralphine DL
Osprey 1/31 Lake Ralphine DL
Golden Eagle (immature) 2/1 Monte Rio beach JM
Bald Eagle (2) 2/16 Bolinas mudflats G&AW
Bald Eagle (adult) 3/1 Healdsburg Ridge Open Space DB
Bald Eagle (immature) 3/4 Northbound bird flew past Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands TB
Broad-winged Hawk One is rumored to be wintering at Crane Creek Park. Two reports
Ferruginous Hawk 1/9 Highway 1 at Myers Grade Road NC
Peregrine Falcon (adult) 2/7 Petaluma’s “D” Street towers at the Petaluma River DN
Yellow Rail December Had been seen at Hayward during extreme high tides M. Ob.
Ruff 3/4 Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area, Yolo County JR
Mountain Plover (200+) 3/4 Highway 113, Solano County JR
Short-eared Owl 1/11 Greenbriar Apartments, Petaluma. Injured bird was
being attacked by Crows. Rescued and eventually
made it to Bird Rescue. Great job, many cheers
to the rescuer!
Long-eared Owl (15) 2/18 Mercey Hot Springs winter roost, Fresno County DN
Allen’s Hummingbird 2/12 Paula Lane, Petaluma (first arrival) DN
Lewis’s Woodpecker (3) Continuing over-winterers at Crane Creek Park M. Ob.
Vermilion Flycatcher (female) 2/9 Found along Gray Lodge Refuge auto route DB et al.
Violet-green Swallow (30+) 2/25 Carmody Road pond FJ
Violet-green Swallow (1-2) 2/28 Over Paula Lane, Petaluma (first arrivals) DN
Tree Swallow 3/5 Spring Hill Road DN
White-throated Sparrow (tan-striped form) 1/4 Oakmont BG
White-throated Sparrow (tan-striped form) 1/23 Redwood Highway at Poole Creek, Windsor SL

Note: A farm pond near Bodega Highway and

Fallon Road has a number of “domesticated”
waterfowl, including Emperor Geese, Bar-headed
Geese, and Nenes (DN).
CONTRIBUTORS: Tim Behr, Nancy
Conzett, Dave Barry, Betty Groce, Fred Jacobs,
Shirley Leaphart, Leslie Lieurance, Dennis Luz,
Jennifer Michaud, Dan Nelson, Jean Richmond,
Gail Roper, and Glo & Al Wellman.
Page 6
Welcome New Friends of Madrone Audubon Society
SANTA ROSA: Katherine Madrigal, Suzanne Lang, William J. Doyle, Sean Moore,
Denise Scaglione, David Hodgson & Mary Thomason
SEBASTOPOL: Elmer Dudik, Priscilla Johnstone, Carol Jorgeson, Gretchen Kishbaugh
PETALUMA: Tony Nelson, Carlos Alvarado, Ron Smith
HEALDSBURG: Valerie White, Martin & Amal Edwards
THE SEA RANCH: Ron Stefkovich.
SONOMA: William & Elizabeth Miller.
SAN FRANCISCO: RNM Lakeville, LP
 MA D R O N E L E AVES

41st Western Sonoma Christmas Bird Count 2007

1 Greater White-fronted 51 Great Blue Heron 5 Bonaparte’s Gull 317 Bushtit
Goose 22 Great Egret 2 Heermann’s Gull 18 Red-breasted Nuthatch
408 Black Brant 63 Snowy Egret 268 Mew Gull 3 White-breasted Nuthatch
234 Canada Goose 1 Green Heron 391 Ring-billed Gull 96 Pygmy Nuthatch
3 goose, sp. 14 Black-crowned 1259 California Gull 41 Brown Creeper
20 Wood Duck Night-Heron 78 Herring Gull 25 Bewick’s Wren
12 Gadwall 350 Turkey Vulture 6 Thayer’s Gull 30 Winter Wren
2 Eurasian Wigeon 13 Osprey 1486 Western Gull 34 Marsh Wren
190 American Wigeon 23 White-tailed Kite 143 Glaucous-winged Gull 72 Golden-crowned Kinglet
226 Mallard 2 Bald Eagle 11 Glaucous X Western Gull 469 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
18 Cinnamon Teal 37 Northern Harrier 22 Glaucous Gull 316 Western Bluebird
150 Northern Shoveler 7 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Black-legged Kittiwake 90 Hermit Thrush
3 Northern Pintail 13 Cooper’s Hawk 1072 gull, sp 1048 American Robin
212 Green-winged Teal 3 Accipiter, sp 6 Forster’s Tern 105 Varied Thrush
43 duck, sp. 56 Red-shouldered Hawk 6 tern, sp. 53 Wrentit
25 Canvasback 174 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Common Murre 18 Northern Mockingbird
1 Redhead 4 Ferruginous Hawk 1 Rhinoceros Auklet 1725 European Starling
68 Ring-necked Duck 2 Rough-legged Hawk 43 Rock Pigeon 35 American Pipit
1757 Greater Scaup 11 Golden Eagle 135 Band-tailed Pigeon 40 Cedar Waxwing
65 Lesser Scaup 97 American Kestrel 126 Mourning Dove 2 Orange-crowned Warbler
1694 scaup, sp 3 Merlin 1 Barn Owl 1614 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1104 Surf Scoter 11 Peregrine Falcon 1 Western Screech-Owl 51 Yellow-rumped
11 White-winged Scoter 1 Prairie Falcon 14 Great Horned Owl (Audubon’s) Warbler
150 scoter, sp. 1 falcon, sp. 1 Northern Pygmy-Owl 16 Yellow-rumped
1 Long-tailed Duck 1 Black Rail 1 Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Myrtle) Warbler
2218 Bufflehead 6 Virginia Rail 141 Anna’s Hummingbird 82 Townsend’s Warbler
182 Common Goldeneye 2 Sora 17 Belted Kingfisher 2 Common Yellowthroat
10 Hooded Merganser 1360 American Coot 101 Acorn Woodpecker 106 Spotted Towhee
111 Common Merganser 124 Black-bellied Plover 7 Red-breasted Sapsucker 215 California Towhee
39 Red-Breasted Merganser 33 Snowy Plover 29 Nuttall’s Woodpecker 36 Savannah Sparrow
1355 Ruddy Duck 38 Semipalmated Plover 14 Downy Woodpecker 87 Fox Sparrow
113 Wild Turkey 108 Killdeer 15 Hairy Woodpecker 193 Song Sparrow
438 California Quail 58 Black Oystercatcher 90 Northern Flicker 12 Lincoln’s Sparrow
16 Red-throated Loon 24 American Avocet 12 Northern (Red-shafted) 15 White-throated Sparrow
27 Pacific Loon 1 Spotted Sandpiper Flicker 862 White-crowned Sparrow
132 Common Loon 3 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Northern (Red-sh. X 1097 Golden-crowned Sparrow
1 loon, sp. 613 Willet Yellow-sh) Flicker 25 sparrow, sp
137 Pied-billed Grebe 10 Whimbrel 7 Pileated Woodpecker 1545 Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco
150 Horned Grebe 1743 Marbled Godwit 171 Black Phoebe 755 Red-winged Blackbird
10 Red-necked Grebe 76 Ruddy Turnstone 21 Say’s Phoebe 638 Western Meadowlark
682 Eared Grebe 260 Black Turnstone 2 Loggerhead Shrike 918 Brewer’s Blackbird
443 Western Grebe 20 Surfbird 16 Hutton’s Vireo 4 Brown-headed Cowbird
16 Clark’s Grebe 270 Sanderling 323 Steller’s Jay 601 blackbird, sp
87 Aechmophorus, sp 62 Western Sandpiper 392 Western Scrub-Jay 16 Purple Finch
33 American White Pelican 607 Least Sandpiper 560 American Crow 338 House Finch
35 Brown Pelican 8 Dunlin 276 Common Raven 16 Red Crossbill
53 Brandt’s Cormorant 2060 peep, sp 2 Barn Swallow 353 Pine Siskin
29 Double-crested Cormorant 25 sandpiper, sp. 428 Chestnut-backed 116 Lesser Goldfinch
85 Pelagic Cormorant 12 dowitcher, sp Chickadee 125 American Goldfinch
33 cormorant, sp 28 Wilson’s Snipe 29 Oak Titmouse 162 House Sparrow

181 Total species reported 43,677 Total individuals counted

There are three Sonoma County Christmas Bird Counts: Madrone (Western Sonoma County), RROS (Santa Rosa) and our newest CBC,
Sonoma Valley. You can see all three 2007 counts on one spreadsheet on Madrone’s website, <Audubon.sonoma.net>. Thanks are due to
Tom Rusert of Sonoma Birding.org for putting this information together.
Page 7
 Madrone Audubon Society
Post Office Box 1911
Santa Rosa, California 95402

April 2008

RECYCLED
PAPER
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Madrone Audubon Society meets on the third Monday of each month, except in June, July, August, and December. Meetings start at 7:30 PM at First United Methodist
Church, 1551 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa. All meetings and walks are open to the public. Information: 546-7492.
President and IMBD Chair: Veronica Bowers - veronica@ladolcev.com .....................829-2955
Vice President: Janeann Erickson - erickson@ap.net .....................................................795-2498
Recording Secretary: Andrea Bond - acbond@sonic.net ...............................................537-8069
Corresponding Secretary: Rowland Fellows - rosr@comcast.net ................................542-2504
Treasurer: Mary Wheeler - mrywheeler@sbcglobal.net.....................................................494-6415
Membership: Dennis Wheeler - dencwheel@sbcglobal.net ..............................................494-6417
Conservation Chair: Diane Hichwa - dhichwa@earthlink.net .......................................579-1182
Education Chair: ...............................................................................................................................
Education Kits: Shirley Spina - sspina@pon.net..............................................................539-4355
Audubon Adventures: Phyllis Schmitt - p-schmitt@sbcglobal.net................................544-1029
Program Chair: Marilynn Scott .........................................................................................539-0734
PeeWee Audubon Chair: Veronica Bowers - veronica@ladolcev.com ...........................829-2955
Publicity: Pat Macias - macpat@saber.net..........................................................................894-0503
Mayacamas Sanctuary Manager: Curtis Kendall - ckendall@audubon.org ...............473-0601
Webpage Editor: Jeff Holtzman - Madrone707@hotmail.com .......................................823-8290
Bird Walks and Field Trips: Tom McCuller - sisyphus @sonic.net .............................546-1812
Bird-A-Thon Coordinator: Marcia Johnson - owlsnest @hughes.net ..........................829-3808
Leaves Co-Editor: Mary Edith Moore - maryedithmoore@comcast.net .........................763-3577
Leaves Co-Editor: Daphne Smith - dwarsm@comcast.net .............................................546-7808
Leaves Production Editor: Kris Hutchins - krishutch@comcast.net ...........................477-8156
Circulation: Joannie Dranginis - joanhd@comcast.net ....................................................523-4373
Observations: Dan Nelson - birdsurf64@sbcglobal.net ....................................................762-5167
Past President and BAAC Rep: Sylvan Eidelman - sylvan_lee@yahoo.com ..............280-3404
ACR Rep & MMAS Steering Committee: Bryant Hichwa ...........................................579-1182
ACR Rep: Patrick Woodworth ...............................................................................................829-8915
Petaluma Wetlands Alliance: Gerald Moore - glmemoore@comcast.net ...................763-3577
Russian River Watershed Council Rep: Curtis Kendall ............................................473-0601
Research and Breeding Bird Atlas: Betty Burridge.....................................................527-0225
Christmas Count and Research: Joy Mander - wscbc@aol.com .................................778-7865
Honorary Board Member: Martha Bentley. ...................................................................545-5501
Honorary Board Member: Ernestine Smith ..................................................................545-4255
Bird Rescue Center ..........................................................................................................523-BIRD
Northern California Rare Bird Alert .................................................................. 415-681-7422
Audubon-California: Glenn Olson - golson@audubon.org ................................... 916-649-7600
National Audubon Society: 700 Broadway, NY, NY 10003 ..................................... 212-979-3000

Join Madrone Audubon – Support Your Local Chapter

Please complete this form if you wish to join Madrone Audubon, renew your Madrone membership or make a contribution to Madrone.
Joining or renewing with Madrone only. Basic Madrone Audubon membership Name ______________________________________________________
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joining or renewing at a higher level to support the important work of Madrone Audubon Address______________________________________________________
in environmental education and conservation critical to the protection of wildlife and the City_________________________________State_______ Zip__________
environment. Note: By joining Madrone you will not become a member of National
Audubon. Phone Email
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Madrone’s nonprofit 501(c)3 tax number is 94-6172986 Visit us on the World Wide Web at: http://audubon.sonoma.net