White-tailed Kite

April/May, 2009

Mission: To promote the awareness, appreciation and protection of native birds and their
habitats through education, research and environmental activities.

Program Meetings for the general community are normally held on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.,
at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 E. 8th St. In December the meeting is held on the second Monday and in
July and August there are no Program Meetings.

April Program - Monday, April 20, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Central Valley Winter Raptor Survey – Zach Smith and Ed Pandolfino

An impressive array of birds spends the winter in California’s Central

Valley. Among the most conspicuous and charismatic are the raptors,
or birds of prey. Numbers of common, resident species like Red-tailed
Hawks, American Kestrels and Northern Harriers swell during
winter and are obvious and abundant almost everywhere. Scarcer
species such as Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Prairie
Falcons, Merlins and Golden Eagles are scattered throughout the
Valley in smaller numbers. In certain areas, it is not uncommon to see
12-15 raptor species in a single day.

Red-tailed Hawk
In the winter of 2007-08, volunteers drove nineteen survey routes in the Central Valley from Shasta
County in the north to Kings County in the south. More than 6,000 individual raptor observations were
made over 66 surveys and 2000+ miles. The project is currently in the middle of its second season. The
main goals of the project are to sample raptor diversity and abundance throughout this bioregion in open
habitats and document in which habitats birds are occurring.
This presentation will provide a basic description of the project including data collection methods, some
results from Years 1 and 2, discussion of the timeliness, relevance and importance of this research
project plus images of the raptors to be found in the Central Valley in winter.
Zach Smith received a BS in Zoology from UC Davis in 1994. While there, he was involved in research
projects on White-tailed Kites and American Kestrels as well as surveys of the local raptor
populations around Davis. Since then, he has worked as an avian biologist throughout California as well

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as in Utah, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, Mexico and
Chile. He is currently working in the Montezuma Hills Wind Resource Area near Rio Vista, Ca.
Ed Pandolfino has been involved in the California birding scene for many years. A retired biochemist,
he devotes much of his time to important conservation projects in Northern California.

May Program - Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Breeding Seabirds on St. Paul Island - Jim Snowden
St. Paul Island is in the southeastern portion of
the Bering Sea, about 300 miles from the
southwestern coast of Alaska. 250,000 seabirds
and 900,000 Northern Fur Seals (90% of the
world population) breed on St. Paul. This slide
program will provide a natural history of St.
Paul Island with an emphasis on breeding
seabirds.
In 2002, Jim Snowden was part of a three-
person crew which was doing the annual
seabird study on St. Paul. He will describe
some of his adventures on St. Paul Island as a
volunteer wildlife biologist, which includes the
finding of rare Eurasian bird species.

John Oswald Steps Down as Treasurer

John joined Altacal in 1989 when he and wife Ann moved here from Southern
California. In the early 1990s he was the Altacal Vice-President, and later,
President. In 1998, when the Snow Goose Festival was held, John became its
Treasurer. The Festival’s first budget was $9000. More recently, it has been
close to $50,000. At the same time he assumed the Altacal Treasurer position.
From John’s perspective, “The growth of Altacal not only financially but
activity- and participation-wise has been outstanding. The newsletter has
developed into a first class effort, bird outings and trips have increased in
number and quality, and strong member participation in Altacal activities have all impressed me. Last,
but not least, are the Board's activities in conservation matters and efforts to include younger members’
participation and awareness in such endeavors. I look forward to remaining associated with such a
vibrant Audubon Society”.
John’s steady, grounded, informed and wise counsel has been invaluable on a Board enthusiastic about
initiating and continuing contributions to a number of individuals, groups and activities. He’ll be missed
as Treasurer but we’re happy to know he will remain a member of the Altacal community.

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 Upcoming Bird Walks and Birding Trips
All of our field trips are open to beginning birders. Anyone with a sense of wonder is welcome to participate.

April 4, Saturday – Table Mountain

Team Leader: Gaylord Grams

This field trip will include Cherokee, Cherokee Cemetery,

the ponds along the road and the wildflowers on Table
Mountain plus the birds and waterfalls.
For more information check the Altacal web site
www.altacal.org or contact Gaylord at
gg2canoe@yahoo.com or 530 872-0739.

Table Mountain Spring Flowers, Oroville

April 18, Saturday – Kayak Trip through the Oroville Wilderness
Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
We will meet at the Chico Park ‘n Ride at 8:30 a.m. and arrive at the Oroville Fish Ladder area around
9:00. We will do a car shuttle and then float/paddle about seven river miles to the take out. This is a
good time to see heron and egret rookeries along the river, as well the resident birds and possible early
migrants. Some kayak experience is recommended as we paddle through riffles and a few tight spots.
Rain or high water cancels. For more information check the Altacal web site www.altacal.org or contact
Gaylord at gg2canoe@yahoo.com or 530 872-0739.
April 25, Saturday – Butte Creek Ecological Preserve
Trip leader Dawn Garcia
Haven’t explored your local ecological preserve yet? Come take a hike with trip leader Dawn to see the
full extent of the 0.9-mile preserve. Dawn
typically bands birds at this site but today will
be a special trip, top-to-bottom, walking the
reserve. Butte Creek Ecological Preserve
(BCEP) is owned by CSU Chico, Department
of Fish and Game and other partners.
Although it has some restoration setbacks,
invasive species overload and fuel load
reduction fiascos, the preserve is striving to
restore itself. Last year’s burn is helping that
process. Birds love it! Fish love it! Butte
Creek provides critical spawning habitat for
Chinook Salmon. We’ll see riparian and
upland species.

Butte Creek at BCEP

Meet at the Park ‘n Ride at Hwy 32 at Rte 99, 7:00 a.m. Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and binoculars.
Call Dawn for details: (530) 872-2165.

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May 3, Sunday - Paradise Flume Trail
Trip Leader: Nancy Nelson
Nancy will show you the dramatic scenery of the west
branch of the North Fork of the Feather River. The hike
is not for people nervous of heights or with poor balance.
Much of it is walking on narrow (two-foot) metal
walkways over the flume, jutting 100-plus feet above the
river. In early May we should see/hear our summer
resident birds, but the beauty of this walk is really the
highlight! Anybody love chocolate? After our hike we
will stop at a local chocolate shop. Meet at Holiday
Market, 6848 Skyway, Paradise, at 9:00 a.m. We will
carpool from there with high-clearance vehicles
necessary to access the trailhead. The trip is limited to
12 people. Bring snacks and water.
Nancy Nelson and friends on flume
May 10, Sunday – Pine Creek Unit, Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten
Altacal Audubon will celebrate International
Migratory Bird Day with a field trip to the Pine Creek
Unit of the Sacramento River National Wildlife
Refuge Complex on Sunday, May 10. Spring
migrants will be in and in good numbers, like beautiful
Bullock’s Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks,
Western Kingbirds, Ash-throated Flycatchers, and
House Finches. We will also be on the look-out for
Blue Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Western Wood-
Pewee, Lawrence’s Goldfinches, and Lark
Sparrows.
This site is located directly east of Hamilton City and just south of Highway 32 and is owned by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. The property has 31 acres of fallow, 228 acres of restored native grass, and
33 acres of existing riparian habitat. The existing riparian habitat consists mostly of cottonwood riparian
forest, with some riparian scrub and herbland cover.
So bring your binoculars, bird field guide book, and water. Rain cancels. Meet at the Chico Park ‘n
Ride (lot closest to freeway) at 8:00 a.m. We’ll be back around 12:30 p.m. Contact Jennifer Patten,
field trip leader, for more information, 345-9356.
May 21-25, Thursday-Monday, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Princeton, Oregon
Trip Leaders: Mike Fisher and Jennifer Patten
Make plans to join us for a long Memorial Day weekend in Oregon
at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, one of the premier
birding hot spots of the west. Malheur is well-known as a stopover
for eastern migrants in spring and fall. Past sightings have included
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Red-eyed
Vireo, Northern Waterthrush, and American Redstart. There is
also a great variety of resident breeding birds in the spring and
summer. Mammals such as pronghorn and mule deer are easily
seen. We will visit marshy Malheur Lake, one of the finest
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waterfowl refuges in the United States, as well as other hot-spots within the refuge. We will camp at
one of the campgrounds outside of the refuge.
If you are considering going, please call or e-mail one of the field trip leaders for more information and
to coordinate camping and driving arrangements.
Mike Fisher 530-624-4777, fisherml@pacbell.net or
Jennifer Patten 530-345-9356, jpchico@sbcglobal.net

Book Review
Dawn Garcia

Swifty’s Big Flight

Written by Lee Jackson and Illustrated by Ryan Alexander-Tanner

Swifty is a very cute Vaux’s Swift, winging his way on

his first migratory journey from a natal snag in the Pacific
Northwest to a chimney roost in Central America. As any
exciting tale would have it, Swifty’s life has a near-death
experience. As a naïve young swift not paying attention
to his surroundings, he is nearly predated by a raptor. The
illustrations of talons descending on Swifty are quite
impressive! Happily, and a bit unrealistically, he avoids
the talons and joyously descends into a chimney where
other swifts are roosting, including his family. Kids will
love it! I enjoyed the very swift read because it was
simple, factual but fun and a bit fanciful, and threw in
some great natural history tidbits about Vaux’s swifts. For example, how do you pronounce Vaux’s? Is
it “Voe”, sounding like “toe”, as the French might pronounce it? Is it “Vawks” like we might pronounce
“hawks”? Guess you’ll have to read to find out. And you can follow the author’s and illustrator’s work
at: Lee’s blog: http://Swifty's Big Flight, a children's bookSwifty's Big Flight
And: Ryan’s blog: www.ohyesverynice.com

So, Who Was Vaux and How Did He Pronounce His Name?
Following up on Dawn’s excellent review, we provide some information
on Vaux and the pronunciation of his name. William Sansom Vaux
(1811-1882) was a devoted mineralogist whose collection at the time of
his death was deemed to be the finest in the United States. He
bequeathed it to the Academy of Natural Sciences. In their twenties, he
and his friend John Kirk Townsend (he of Townsend’s Solitaire and
Townsend’s Warbler fame) were members of the Academy and he was
closely associated with it for the rest of his life. He was also an active
member of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia (Both he and Townsend were born and raised in
Philadelphia).
In 1834, after crossing the Rocky Mountains with Thomas Nuttall, Townsend described what he called
Vaux’s Chimney Swallow and dedicated it thusly:
“This species, (which I dedicate to my friend, Wm. S. Vaux, Esq., of Philadelphia,) is common
on the Columbia River; breeds in hollow trees, forming its nest in the same manner as the
pelasgius [Chimney Swift], and lays four white eggs.”
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We contacted Nathan H. Rice, Ph.D., Ornithology Collection Manager, Academy of Natural Sciences in
Philadelphia who replied “We have huge collections from Vaux here at ANSP and I've only ever heard
it pronounced "VAWKS." We also corresponded with Eileen M. Magee, Assistant Director for
Programs, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, who wrote “The Vaux family here in Philadelphia has
always pronounced the name VAWKS. Their English cousins pronounce it the same way. How the
name was pronounced in the 18th c. I do not know.” We think you’re in good company if you
pronounce it “VAWKS”.
Conservation Corner
Dawn Garcia, Conservation Chairperson

Endangered Species Act update

Our Board of Directors and many of our members followed the National Audubon Society Action alert
to stop the previous administration’s efforts to change the Endangered Species Act by
eliminating scientific review of projects by the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries
Service. The language to weaken the act was included in the omnibus appropriations bill. Great news
that on the evening of March 5, 2009 by a vote of 52 - 42, the amendment that would have stripped
endangered species protections out of the Senate omnibus appropriations bill failed to pass! Thanks for
your participation!

Secretary Salazar Releases Study Showing Widespread Declines in Bird Populations, Highlights
Role of Partnerships in Conservation
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on March 19th released the first ever comprehensive report on bird
populations in the United States, showing that nearly a third of the nation’s 800 bird species are
endangered, threatened or in significant decline due to habitat loss, invasive species, and other threats.
At the same time, the report highlights examples, including many species of waterfowl, where habitat
restoration and conservation have reversed previous declines, offering hope that it is not too late to take
action to save declining populations.
“Just as they were when Rachel Carson published Silent Spring nearly 50 years ago, birds today are a
bellwether of the health of land, water and ecosystems,” Salazar said. “From shorebirds in New England
to warblers in Michigan to songbirds in Hawaii, we are seeing disturbing downward population trends
that should set off environmental alarm bells. We must work together now to ensure we never hear the
deafening silence in our forests, fields and backyards that Rachel Carson warned us about.”

The report, The U.S. State of the Birds, synthesizes data from three
long-running bird censuses conducted by thousands of citizen
scientists and professional biologists. In particular, it calls attention to
the crisis in Hawaii, where more birds are in danger of extinction than
anywhere else in the United States. In addition, the report indicates a
40 percent decline in grassland birds over the past 40 years, a 30
percent decline in birds of arid-lands, and high concern for many
coastal shorebirds. Furthermore, 39 percent of species dependent on
U.S. oceans have declined.

Northern Bobwhite

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However, the report also reveals convincing evidence that birds can respond quickly and positively to
conservation action. The data show dramatic increases in many wetland birds such as pelicans, herons,
egrets, osprey, and ducks, a testament to numerous cooperative conservation partnerships that have
resulted in protection, enhancement and management of more than 30 million wetland acres.
“These results emphasize that investment in wetlands conservation has paid huge dividends,” said
Kenneth Rosenberg, director of Conservation Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Now we need
to invest similarly in other neglected habitats where birds are undergoing the steepest declines.”
“Habitats such as those in Hawaii are on the verge of losing entire suites of unique bird species,” said
Dr. David Pashley, American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President for Conservation Programs. “In
addition to habitat loss, birds also face many other man-made threats such as pesticides, predation by
cats, and collisions with windows, towers and buildings. By solving these challenges we can preserve a
growing economic engine – the popular pastime of bird watching that involves millions of Americans –
and improve our quality of life.”
“While some bird species are holding their own, many once common species are declining sharply in
population. Habitat availability and quality is the key to healthy, thriving bird populations,” said Dave
Mehlman of The Nature Conservancy.
Surveys conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, including the
annual Breeding Bird Survey, combined with data gathered through volunteer citizen science programs
such as the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, show once-abundant birds such as the
Northern Bobwhite and Marbled Murrelet are declining significantly. The possibility of extinction
also remains a cold reality for many endangered birds.
“Citizen science plays a critical role
in monitoring and understanding the
threats to these birds and their
habitats, and only citizen
involvement can help address them,”
said National Audubon Society’s
Bird Conservation Director, Greg
Butcher. “Conservation action can
only make a real difference when
concerned people support the kind of
vital habitat restoration and
protection measures this report
explores.”
Marbled Murrelet
Birds are beautiful, as well as economically important and a priceless part of America's natural heritage.
Birds are also highly sensitive to environmental pollution and climate change, making them critical
indicators of the health of the environment on which we all depend.
The United States is home to a tremendous diversity of native birds, with more than 800 species
inhabiting terrestrial, coastal, and ocean habitats, including Hawaii. Among these species, 67 are
Federally-listed as endangered or threatened. In addition, more than 184 species are designated as
species of conservation concern due to a small distribution, high-level of threats, or declining
populations.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordinated creation of the new report as part of the U.S. North
American Bird Conservation Initiative, which includes partners from American Bird Conservancy, the
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Klamath Bird Observatory,
National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Geological Survey.

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You can download the full report here (PDF)
Contacts:
• Hugh Vickery (DOI), (202) 501-4633
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Alicia King, 703-358-2522/571-214-3117,
Alicia_F_King@fws.gov
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Vanessa Kauffman, 703-358-2138, Vanessa_kauffman@fws.gov
• American Bird Conservancy: Steve Holmer, 202-234-7181, sholmer@abcbirds.org
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 607-254-2137,
pel27@cornell.edu
• National Audubon Society: Nancy Severance, 212-979-3124, nseverance@audubon.org
• The Nature Conservancy: Blythe Thomas, 703-841-8782, bthomas@tnc.org
• Klamath Bird Observatory: Ashley Dayer, 541-324-0281, aad@klamathbird.org

All in a Day’s Work in the Life of a “Rehabber”

Marilyn Gamette who with husband Bob operates the Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, provides
us with the following delightful account of some of her recent doings: “A call on March 20th came in
about a "falcon" trapped in chicken wire on the "roof of Starbucks" on Second St. Many calls later
(animal control is prohibited from climbing ladders and the owners of the building could not be located
for roof access) I met the Chico Fire Department ladder truck downtown and they assessed the situation
and we all discovered that the bird was not entangled but was under some pigeon exclusion netting over
a three-storey courtyard area in back of several buildings. He had obviously enjoyed many pigeon
meals back there! The netting was not working. The firemen climbed another area and while trying to
open up one corner from the roof of Malvina’s Restaurant, the adult Cooper's Hawk deftly flew out the
Starbucks end! One California Department of Fish and Game biologist, three firemen, myself and two
of my sons assisted with this release. The incident had many funny moments as we gained access out of
a back door through a restroom at the hair salon on Second.
This is of course with the usual, just-starting-springtime, baby squirrels, baby birds, car-strike bird
injuries, duck eggs found in gardens, baby ducks that fall down the storm drains at Butte Creek Country
Club and the list goes on!”

The 10th Annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway, January 22-25, 2009
was a Soaring Success!
Beautiful weather along with much-needed rain and lots of birds
attracted over 2000 participants to 49 guided field trips, 18
presentations, Friday night’s Wildlife Art Reception and
Saturday’s “Gathering of Wings” Banquet with keynote speaker,
Ed Harper. In addition, over forty educational exhibits and
birding vendors filled Chico Masonic Family Center with a host
of free activities and events for families all weekend long.
Complementing the festival was the Uptown Downtown Wildlife
Art Exhibit, January 16-February 7. Nineteen talented local
wildlife and landscape artists exhibited their wonderful works of
art at two galleries, Avenue 9 Gallery and All Fired Up! Ceramic
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Art Center. Many of these fine art pieces were sold during this three week showing.
Altacal Audubon, once again, played a huge role in this success. All of Altacal Audubon Board
Members and several local members did their part by helping with field trips, workshops, presentations,
graphic designing, editing, youth activities, exhibits, art reception, art exhibit, publicity, silent auction,
live auction, banquet, merchandise, registration, and coordination.
We would like to share some of the figures of the festival with you.

• 25 Steering Committee members, and over 40 volunteers

• 3,000 program brochures printed and distributed
• 984 paid participants for the field trips, workshops, banquet and reception. This includes 109
children.
• 200 people at the Uptown-Downtown Wildlife Art Reception
• 275 people at the “Gathering of Wings” Banquet
• 54 cities and towns in California were represented, with participants coming from as far away as
Tennessee and Montana
• On Saturday and Sunday approximately 1200+ adults and children came to see the exhibits and
participate in the free activities, including over 200 who watched Marilyn Gamette give her free
presentation on Raptors and Wildlife Rehabilitation
• 5054 “visits” of our website from December 15, 2008 to January 25, 2009
Please join us for the 11th Annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway
January 28-31, 2010
Check our web site ( http://www.snowgoosefestival.org/ ) for updates and registration news starting in
September 2010. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the Snow Goose Festival, Northern
California’s premier nature and birding festival, please call 530-345-1865 or email
info@snowgoosefestival.org. You may also visit our sponsor page on this website.

Cities Represented
Magalia
Martinez
Alameda Middleton
Anderson Mineral
Antioch Orinda
Bakersfield Orland
Berkeley Oroville
Berry Creek Palo Alto
Bozeman, Montana Paradise
Browns Valley Placerville
Chico Portola Valley
Citrus Heights Quincy
Coleville Red Bluff
Corning Redding
Cottonwood Redwood City
Cupertino Sacramento
Dingmar Valley San Carlos
Durham San Francisco
Elk Grove San Jose
Elverta San Rafael
Forest Ranch Santa Cruz
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Fremont Sterling City
Glenn Stockton
Hamilton City Sunnyvale
Hayward Vina
Igo Willows
Live Oak Yankee Hill
Los Angeles Yuba City

Sister Society (Cape Cod Bird Club) News

Over the last month-and-a-half, members of our Sister Society on Cape Cod began to see some of the
earliest winged harbingers of spring, including three American Woodcocks displaying at Crane
Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth and the first Osprey had returned to South Cape Beach State
Park in Mashpee, and was successfully foraging for fish.
As the winter ice retreated, ducks and swans
found their way back to Cape ponds - Mute
Swans, Eurasian Wigeons, American
Wigeons, Redheads¸ Gadwalls, Ring-necked
Ducks, Scaup, Hooded Mergansers, and Pied-
billed Grebes. On Swan Pond in Yarmouth one
birder tallied 77 Mute Swans, 28 American
Black Ducks, 108 Gadwall and 21 Lesser
Scaup.
A Northern Goshawk, a Barrow's Goldeneye,
an Iceland Gull, and 65 Common Redpolls
were seen at various locations in Wellfleet and
at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary 8
Northern Bobwhites, a Fox Sparrow, 3 Field
Sparrows, 2 American Tree Sparrows, 50
Red-winged Blackbirds, a Common Grackle,
and 6 Pine Siskins also showed up.
In miscellaneous sightings, a King Eider was at
Herring Cove in Provincetown, an immature
Bald Eagle was seen at Crystal Lake in
Orleans, an Iceland Gull continued at
Craigville Beach, 30 Ruddy Turnstones and 9
Purple Sandpipers were at Dowses Beach in Osterville. A Harlequin Duck and 2 Barrow's
Goldeneyes were spotted in Falmouth Heights, a Short-eared Owl was at South Cape Beach State Park

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in Mashpee, and others were seen at Crane WMA in Falmouth and some bogs off John Parker Road in
Falmouth.
A pod of 4 Fin Whales was seen off Cahoon Hollow in Wellfleet and a Pilot Whale was reported
stranded at Rock Harbor in Orleans.
A River Otter showed up on the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Eastham, and another was at Wellfleet Bay
Wildlife Sanctuary. Critters in general are becoming more active lately on the Cape and residents are
being cautioned to keep an eye out when driving at night, especially on any relatively warm rainy nights
that would bring the first emerging Wood Frogs and Spotted Salamanders of the season.

Wings in the Wind

Rex Burress
After a late February rain, the storm broke up with strong winds tossing dark clouds through the sky.
Into this breezy scenario, I walked along the sheltered hill near the Feather River Nature Center, and
high overhead I was surprised to see a woodland Cooper’s Hawk far above its normal domain.
The long-tailed, short-winged Accipiter was not hunting, but rather playing in the wind. It was riding
the air currents the best it could without gliding wings, sometimes folding to do a trick maneuver,
seemingly with great joy, unless there was a lady friend watching his showy performance. But it
seemed to be gliding for the pure joy of freedom in the wind and sky. I pondered on the marvelous
wings of a bird, able to ascend into the sky and drift with the clouds in complete confidence of its
ability. No going down in the Hudson River if it chooses.
The Cooper’s is especially efficient at darting through the forest, short wings allowing flight through
narrow corridors. So swift is its aerial plunge that a small bird never knows what hits it when the
predator strikes. Watch the barnyard chickens instinctively recognizing the silhouette, scatter when an
Accipiter glides over, The Cooper’s hawk wasn’t alone in enjoying the cloud show. Several gulls were
sailing in spirals, as they are often prone to do in oncoming windstorms. The gull is akin to storm,
adapted to the swirling seaside turbulence, and along the Feather River perhaps there is a feeling of
home, complete with molecules of air borne afar from distant seas. Gulls have sturdy strong wings and
are most at ease in the wind.
Up in the same sky were some vultures, also testing their more delicate flying skills in the wind.
Complete gliders, they soar without a wing-beat, and they weren’t on carcass patrol since they were so
high and weaving in circles. It was a sky day and time to exhilarate with their angelical appendages.
You seldom see waterfowl, cormorants, or swans gliding in the sky. They are heavy and depend on
constant forward thrust to remain aloft. American White Pelicans are an exception, able to glide for
hours in large flocks once high aloft.
Birds of prey have mastered the art of drifting on winds and thermal currents. They readily take
advantage of light-weight bodies and streamlined design, and you wonder if they are aware of the
special privilege of flight. Mankind has tried for ages to fly in the sky, and finally, after much
experimentation, we have now not only attained flight through machines...even a breakthrough into the
dark cosmos where no earthly bird will ever soar.
Birds do it with feathers, evolved through the ages, probably from reptilian linkage. Take a good look at
a feather, and muse about the intricate perfection that allows an animal of earth to attain a godly realm
long before mankind broke the boundary of gravity.

"Oh that I had the wings like a dove! For then would I fly away and be at rest."
Psalms 4:6

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 Bird Walk and Birding Trip Reports

February 21, Saturday – Rancho Esquon

Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten
Rancho Esquon is a working farm with a nature preserve. With over 900 acres of wetlands and uplands
that support habitat for waterfowl, neotropical migrants and a variety of other wildlife it is no wonder
that Altacal’s field trip to the ranch on February 21 listed a whopping 69 bird species in just under 3 ½
hours. The weather played a big factor and the time of year too. It was one of those perfect winter days,
with temperatures in the upper 60’s, no wind and sunny. We had huge flocks of Greater White-
fronted, and Snow Geese flying over all morning, many landing in the wetlands. In the willows were
over 40 roosting Black-crowned Night-Herons, calling their low, harsh woc. A snag supported several
Great and Snowy Egrets. Tundra Swans and Sandhill Cranes settled into the uplands, along with
Long-billed Curlews. Then there were ducks, lots and lots of ducks!
Also sighted were Gadwalls, Eurasian and American Wigeons, Cinnamon and Green-winged Teals,
Northern Pintails and Shovelers, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, and Mallards as well as American
Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, Common Moorhens, Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer. Raptors were
aplenty, with nice views of Bald Eagles, Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned, and Ferruginous Hawks,
Northern Harriers, Turkey Vultures and American Kestrels. Smalls birds included Yellow-rumped
and Orange-crowned Warblers, American Pipits, Northern Mockingbirds, Ruby-crowned
Kinglets, Bushtits, Song, White-crowned, Golden-crowned and Savannah Sparrows, Red-winged
and Brewer’s Blackbirds, Western Meadowlarks, and Lesser Goldfinches.
Life is great when you are a birder, live along the Pacific Flyway, and have a perfect day like this!
February 21, Saturday – Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Steve King reports: “I went on the field
trip to Rancho Esquon led by Jennifer
Patten. The weather was perfect (I even
put on some sun screen) and the birding
was fantastic. At the end of the Rancho
Esquon trip, a handful of birders
decided to make up for the canceled
Colusa Wildlife Refuge trip last week
(canceled due to bad weather) and
headed off for Colusa. I tagged along
and am glad I did. I had never been to the Colusa Wildlife Refuge and was very impressed!
After getting home, I grabbed a Butte County Bird List and checked off the birds I saw and that I know
others saw (I am sure I missed a few). My total was 65. So I am guessing we saw close to 70 species of
birds. Follow the link below for a few pictures.
Picasa Web Albums - Altacal - Rancho Esquon 02-21-09

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The birds that stand out in my mind were the hundreds (thousands?) of Tree Swallows at Colusa
Wildlife Refuge. A good indicator that the birds are starting to migrate! We also saw some Hooded
Mergansers on one of the ponds at the Colusa Refuge. The males were really showing off their
beautiful heads to the females. A Blue-winged Teal was also seen at the
Colusa Refuge. Our group saw a pair of Wood Ducks about 3 miles south of Llano Seco on our way
home. A great day!”
March 8 – Sunday – Llano Seco and Butte Basin
Trip Leader: Skip Augur
Ten birders of varying levels braved the extra-early hour
caused by the daylight savings time change to join the Butte
Basin trip. The weather was quite cool to start but clear, and
warmed up quite nicely later. We began at Llano Seco where
there were still small numbers of our wintering ducks and
geese feeding in preparation for the trip north - one distant
field still had a hundred or so Snow (and/or Ross's) Geese.
We then continued down 7-Mile lane to a pond where we
scared up several Wood Ducks, and picked up Downy
Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and Bushtit (among
others).
Butte Basin Habitat
Next stop was Howard Slough where we saw Bald and Golden Eagles amongst the many Red-tailed
Hawks working the fields. One interesting sight was a group of hundreds of Green-winged Teal flying
in the distance - it's not common to see so many together at once, but checking the books later confirmed
that it does happen.
We finished off the trip on Aguas Frias road where we had great looks at Sandhill Cranes, Belted
Kingfisher, and California Towhee - then headed home as we were all tired from getting up an hour
earlier than we had planned!
March 15, Sunday – Indian Fishery and Pine Creek
Trip Leader: Mike Fisher
In January our Altacal field trip to Pine Creek and
Indian Fishery drew 21 people under perfect weather
conditions, clear and sunny. The March field trip was
held in weather that was much different - gusty winds
and threatening rain. Still, five people showed up to
participate. I love these days that test the
determination of us birders and bring out the
adventurous. Generally, Altacal field trips take place
regardless of weather as long as it is not raining hard.
Genendal, Chris, Nancy and later Randall, were not
going to let a little foul weather keep them indoors.
Pine Creek Unit, Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge

So, off we went to Pine Creek, excited to check on the Bald Eagle nest we had seen being constructed
back in January. As we walked to the location on the edge of the Sacramento River we saw many great
birds including Northern Harrier, Western Bluebird, White-tailed Kite, and Wild Turkey. At the
river’s edge were Killdeer, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Tree Swallow, Canada Goose, and the Bald
Eagle. Spotted sitting on a branch in a tree to the right of its massive nest was an adult Bald Eagle. (The
nest is located across the Sacramento River, best viewed from refuge property at river’s edge to the
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south of the house located beyond the picnic table). We could not see its mate but believe she was
sitting on the nest. The nest being large and deep could easily conceal her - crouched down on eggs or
hatchlings during the poor weather. As if on cue, the eagle took off from the branch and slowly flew by
right in front of us. Excited now, we followed the trail around to the west side of the refuge
encountering Anna’s Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Hermit Thrush, Bewick’s Wren,
Bushtit, Lesser Goldfinch and Oak Titmouse. Then, a short walk back to the cars.
Next we drove the four miles over to Indian Fishery State Park. On the way we saw American Crow,
American Robin, Great Egret, Mourning Dove and Dark-eyed Junco. Arriving at Indian Fishery we
were surprised to see Altacal member and old friend Randall Peterson waiting for us. Randall is a
regular participant in field trips who is now back in Chico after being away for a couple of years. Indian
Fishery turned up its consistent array of species including Acorn Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Hawk,
Pied-bill Grebe, Wood Duck, White-breasted Nuthatch, Snowy Egret and American Goldfinch,
just to name a few.
A wonderful day, and despite the poor weather and relatively few participants, we saw almost the exact
number of species as we had seen in January. Next time you’re looking for a great place to take a bird
walk, remember Pine Creek and Indian Fishery. Located just a few minutes from downtown Chico it
always makes for a delightful morning. We ended the field trip with 47 species of birds seen.

February Program – Monday, February 16, 2009

Wildlife Rehabilitation in California with Nicole Carion and Marilyn Gamette

Those of us, members and friends, who braved the stormy weather to attend the February Altacal
program, had a very informative and lively evening. We were treated to information, insight, and great
stories from two people who have been involved in the area of California wildlife rehabilitation for a
combined total of over 45 years.
First up was Nicole Carion, Associate Wildlife Biologist for the California Department of Fish and
Game and currently Statewide Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator. Presenting an informative Power-
Point presentation on the state of wildlife rehabilitation in California, Nicole’s primary focus was on the
State’s role in wildlife rehabilitation. California has over 100 permitted rehabilitation facilities which
take in over 60,000 wild animals every year. Nicole explained that wildlife rehabilitation is the process
of providing aid to injured, orphaned, displaced, or distressed wild animals in such a way that they may
survive when released to their native habitats. Helping wildlife in need is not an easy task. Working
with wildlife requires specialized knowledge, skill, and facilities. Potential dangers exist for the public,
domestic animals, and wildlife when untrained and uninformed people attempt to provide care for
wildlife. Wildlife rehabilitators are trained to provide specialized care that reduces risks to humans and
animals, and increases the chances for the animal’s return to health and successful release back to the
wild. They hold the permits or licenses to allow them to legally possess wild animals for rehabilitation
and release. These facilities are all run by volunteers or non-profits who receive little or no state funds
to help carry out their mission. Budgetary restraints limit the state’s role to the areas of regulation and
enforcement. Nicole spends much of her time reviewing applications for permits, inspecting facilities
and making sure all the laws pertaining to wildlife rehabilitation are followed.
Marilyn Gamette, a practicing wildlife rehabilitator for more than 30 years, then spoke more about the
personal and practical aspects of wildlife rehabilitation. She was accompanied by her friend, Checkers,
a wing-disabled Great Horned Owl.

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 Many people think wildlife rehabilitation is a hobby or even a 9 to 5
job, or maybe just something that can be done on weekends. It is not.
Rehabilitators may be called for help at any time, day or night. Calls
come in any day of the week or month of the year. Weekends and
holidays are even more likely to be busy as more people are outdoors
and encountering wildlife. Once an animal is brought in it must first be
assessed as to its condition and needs. If rehabilitation is needed this
increases the time demands. Young animals require numerous and
regular feedings. In the case of young birds, this can range from
several times an hour to several times a day during daylight.
Marilyn Gamette

Young mammals may not need to be fed quite as often, but

may have to be fed over a 24-hour period, including nights.
These heavy time commitments and unpredictable schedules
can interfere with other plans and activities such as family
commitments, work, sleep, education, hobbies, travel, and so
on. As an example, Marilyn told the story of how she
acquired Checkers, the Great Horned Owl. Getting a call
from the highway patrol in the middle of the night, Marilyn
was told an owl had been hit by a truck and asked if it could
be brought to her. Sometime later that night, under police
escort, a big-rig truck drove into her neighborhood and up to
her house with Checkers riding in the cab of the truck.
Checkers
The trucker and the policeman were afraid to touch him. Having flown into the truck and hit by the rear
view mirror, Checkers was knocked into the open window of the truck and ended up on the floor of the
passenger side. Marilyn was able to amputate the lower part of one wing and rehabilitate Checkers to
health allowing him to become a teaching aid in her work. Luckily for Checkers, Marilyn was willing to
take him on as his long term caregiver. Unfortunately, this is not the usual fate of most birds with only
one wing. If a disabled animal has no chance to be released back into the wild there is usually no place
for it to go. Zoos don’t want them and it is very expensive to care for them for what very well may be
many years. Lucky Checkers found a home and a job and has been with Marilyn for more than 10 years.

March Program - Monday, March 16, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Birding and Herping Southern Mexico – Jackson Shedd
At our March Altacal program guest speaker Jackson Shedd took those
present on a fascinating journey into the heart of Mexico. Using many
of his own photos along with maps and recounting some great stories,
Jackson detailed his exploration of the Mexican states of Michoacán and
Guerrero. Accompanied by his wife Mela, they spent two weeks looking
for life birds, reptiles and amphibians (i.e., ones they had never seen
before).
Conant’s Milk Snake
Photo by Jackson Shedd

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Beginning his presentation in the town of La Piedad, Michoacán, Jackson showed photos of what he
called “the abundant four” birds in this area. Barn Swallow, Canyon Wren, Great-tailed Grackle and
House Sparrow, all extremely common there. The Canyon Wrens were so abundant they even
occupied the downtown streets calling and treating the buildings as if they were canyon walls. But he
went to Mexico for more exotic species and he was not disappointed. Life birds for him in this area
included White-collared Seedeater, Groove-billed Ani and Black-vented Oriole. Traveling on to the
more humid coast in the state of Guerrero, he ticked Brown Booby, Magnificent Frigatebird, Streak-
backed Oriole, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Social Flycatcher, Great
Kiskadee, White-throated Magpie-Jay and Yellow-winged Cacique. In the foothills of the Sierra
Madre del Sur he added exotics such as Citreoline Trogon (a Mexican endemic), Orange-fronted
Parakeet and Blue-black Grassquit. These of course are only some of the many birds he saw while
there.
Although birds were a target of this trip the real prizes for Jackson and
the reason for going to this particular area were the herps (reptiles and
amphibians). The majority of Jackson’s presentation focused on the
incredible abundance and diversity of these creatures. Of special interest
were the lizards in the genus Sceloporus. Collectively called “blue
bellies” these lizards display an amazing range of colors and patterns on
their throats and bellies. Jackson showed striking photos he took of the
many different Sceloporus species he encountered. Most commonly it is
Giant Horned Lizard
Photo by Jackson Shedd
the males that show color, mostly shades of blue, but some species also show orange, yellow or red
markings. One species however, Sceloporus pyrocephalus, is unique in that the female is the most
colorful of the sexes, but only when she is carrying eggs. When gravid, she develops a bright red head
just as the name implies (firehead). Other amazing target species realized on this trip were the Elegant
Banded Gecko and the Giant Horned Lizard. These two very hard to find species were a real delight
to see and Jackson’s amazing photos made us feel like the animals were in the room with us.
Although unable to spend as many nights on the road as he would have liked, a few nights of cruising
turned up some very good snakes, both dead and alive. Unfortunately for the snakes but still of interest
to Jackson were road kill encounters of Striped Road Guarder, Neotropical Rattlesnake, Salmon-
bellied Racer, and Boa Constrictor. Much more exciting were the live species found of Conant’s
Milksnake, Southwestern Cat-eyed Snake, Mexican Burrowing Python, Clouded Snail Sucker, and
False Cat-eyed Snake.
As many of you know, Jackson is a Past-President and long-time member of Altacal Audubon. So it
was no surprise that when asked to do this program he quickly agreed despite the fact that he and Mela
had recently relocated to Reno, Nevada. Thank you, Jackson, for your time and commitment to Altacal.

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 Opportunities and Events

Sacramento National Wildlife Complex

December, ‘08 through April, ’09 – Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Programs
Witness the magnificence of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge’s (SNWR) wintering
waterfowl as their refuge naturalists guide you through wetland habitats on the auto tour and walking
trail. Whether you’re a seasoned refuge veteran or a casual visitor, these tours are geared to varied
interest and skill levels. See the schedules at the links below. If you would like more information or to
sign up for a tour, please call the Sacramento NWR at 530-934-2801 or e-mail them at:
sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov. Here are the links to the information on their website: April .
Check out their “Hot Topics” section. They list Altacal’s upcoming field trips.

April 16-22, Thursday-Wednesday – Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival – Arcata, CA

Arcata, California welcomes you to the 13th Annual Godwit Days, the three-day Spring Migration Bird
Festival where amid our ancient redwood forests, marshes and the Pacific Ocean, 450 species of birds
have been recorded visiting the Arcata area annually. One can watch Marbled Murrelets, have face-to-
face encounters with Spotted Owls, and take small boat tours of Humboldt Bay to view migrant
shorebirds at their peak. Nearly 100 birding field trips and workshops are offered in the heart of
California's Redwood Coast. The keynote speaker will be Pete Dunne, Director of the Cape May Bird
Observatory in New Jersey. Registration is currently available. Visit our website at
www.godwitdays.com to view the event schedule and to register on-line. Contact: Godwit Days non-
profit Organization P.O. Box 894, Arcata, CA 95518 Tel: 800-908-9464 or 707-444-2938 Fax: 707-269-
0632.

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 April 25/26, Saturday/Sunday – Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch, Clear Lake State Park
Kelseyville, CA
The Wildflower Brunch takes place Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 12 noon outdoors on the open
space across from the Visitor Center. Please note that the brunch is held only on Saturday, not both
days.
On both Saturday and Sunday, the festival activities go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During this time there are
pontoon boat rides, bird walks, nature walks, speakers, exhibit booths, and children’s activities. For
more information contact: Lake County Visitor Center, (800) 525-3743.

May 2, Saturday - 30th Annual Endangered Species Faire, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Cedar Grove,
Chico
Since 1979, the Endangered Species Faire has commemorated Earth Day with a full-day of exhibits,
activities, presentations and entertainment. Between 6,000 and 10,000 individuals of all ages visit and
participate in Northern California's oldest annual environmental fair held at Cedar Grove in Bidwell
Park. The Faire is designed to give local school classrooms, government agencies, environmental
organizations and community groups a public forum to present information on ecology, wildlife and a
host of environmental issues. The Faire offers teachers an opportunity to develop an environmental
education project as part of their classroom curriculum. Schools from the districts of Chico, Paradise,
Durham, Oroville, Corning, and Orland participate in the resource fair, making K-12 grade students the
primary participants and visitors of the Faire. Each class researches an environmental challenge,
illustrates the problem and possible solutions, and presents their results to the general public as part of a
booth display or activity. The Faire facilitates networking between teachers and students, state and
federal resource agencies, and environmental organizations.
For more information please contact Butte Environmental Council at (530) 891-6424 or marym @
becnet.org
.

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 Sightings
(If you have any interesting sightings in your yard, on the way to work, or in the Butte, Glenn or Tehama counties area in general in April
or May you can send them to the Newsletter Editor at Editor@altacal.org by May 1 for possible inclusion in the next newsletter.)

March – The nesting White-tailed Kites are back again this year in Jennifer and Warren Patten's
neighborhood.
March – John Oswald says a pair of Bald Eagles on Hicks Lane have returned to their usual tree near
the airport.
Peregrinations
February 19 – Mike Fisher and Tim Ruckle drove to Miller's Boat Launch on Tomales Bay in Marin
County and after about a half hour, saw a Yellow-billed Loon, a life bird for both of them. It came as
close as 20 yards from the jetty they were standing on and they got some great looks. Later, they
reported the sighting and sent some of Mike’s photos to the California Bird Review Committee. Here
are a couple of photos of it:

February 22 - While birding in Sutter County, Mike Fisher found what he thinks is a leucistic Sandhill
Crane. It was with a group of other cranes along Pennington Road. Mike’s view was restricted by
brush but he was able to get a couple of long distance photos through the window. He was
blocking traffic and by the time he got off the road and came back it was gone. Here’s a photo:

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Early March – Tim Ruckle, Mike Simms (Ohlone Audubon), Scott Huber and Liam Huber attended the
San Diego Bird Festival. Tim and Mike went on four field trips with Tim seeing six life birds – Red-
crowned Parrot, Black-vented Shearwater, California Gnatcatcher, Yellow-footed Gull, Mountain
Plover (his nemesis bird) and an insanely great sighting in San Diego County waters of a Blue-footed
Booby (photo of actual bird below). Lots of grins on that ship! Mike’s sighting of the parrot was his
500th ABA-area bird. Congratulations, Mike! Congrats also to Scott and Liam who saw a sub-species
of Yellow Warbler – a “Mangrove” Warbler (Dendroica petechia bryanti) in San Diego.

Submission of Articles
(Notices or articles submitted for publication consideration should be sent by e-mail message to the newsletter editor as
Microsoft Word (if possible) attachments by the 1st of the month prior to the next issue of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May,
Jul, Sep and Nov 1st) - Editor@altacal.org – Thanks, Ed.)

Newsletter Contributors
Thanks to all of you who contribute regularly by sending in items, articles and photos, and special
thanks to Denise Devine who does the widely appreciated layout design of the paper version of the
White-tailed Kite – Tim Ruckle, Editor

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 Altacal Board of Directors
President Phil Johnson 570-7139/ptjptj@gmail.com
Co-Vice-Presidents Jennifer Patten 345-9356/jpchico@sbcglobal.net
Mike Fisher 624-4777/fisherml@pacbell.net
Secretary Kathryn Hood 342-9112/kathrynhood@sbcglobal.net
Treasurer John Oswald 342-1651/amoent@aol.com
Membership Carolyn Short 345-4224/carolynshort@mac.com
Finance Mike Fisher 624-4777/fisherml@pacbell.net
Publications/ Tim Ruckle 566-9693/Editor@altacal.org
Newsletter
Publicity/Web Site Wayland Augur 893-9222/wba@acm.org
Field Trips Scott Huber 321-5579/Scott@birdtours@altacal.org
Sanctuary, Lands Ruth Kennedy 899-9631/rken1733@sunset.net
and Refuge
Conservation Dawn Garcia 872-2165/mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net
Education vacant
Directors-at-Large John Merz 345-4050/jbmerz@sbcglobal.net
Jackson Shedd 342-5144/jackson_shedd@sbcglobal.net
Marilyn Gamette 343-3154/gamettec@aol.com
Dave Tinker 824-0253/dtinker@cuhsd.tehama.k12.ca.us
Nancy Nelson 345-0580/concownancy@earthlink.net

Board meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The usual meeting place is
the Altacal Audubon Society/Snow Goose Festival office at 635 Flume St., Chico. The public is
welcome to attend.

Local Chapter Membership Application

Please join us! Your membership will help Altacal Audubon Society (AAS) continue its important work.
Altacal is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. In addition, it is a separately incorporated non-
profit organization. With a local chapter membership, 100% of your membership dues goes to support
local projects and activities. AAS is an all-volunteer organization that conducts all of its programs with
no paid staff. We offer regularly scheduled field trips focused on birds and bird habitats, our own
website, www.altacal.org/, a bi-monthly newsletter (White-tailed Kite), monthly membership meetings
which include lectures and media presentations on birds and other natural history-related topics, and
advocacy to protect and conserve local habitats as well as special projects and programs. Other AAS
activities include:
• sponsoring and participating in the annual Snow Goose Festival
• sponsoring and participating in the annual Endangered Species Faire
• founding and providing continued support to the Chico Creek Nature Center
• owning and managing the Arneberg Sanctuary as a wildlife habitat and research area
• helping to monitor the bird populations at the Del Rio Wildland Preserve near the Sacramento
River
• paying to maintain public access and a wildlife viewing blind at the Chico Oxidation Ponds
• leading annual Christmas Bird Counts in Chico and Oroville for the past 51 years

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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Welcome to the Altacal Audubon Society! Please indicate your choice of membership options:

‰ $20 Basic Membership ‰ $10 Low Income/Student/Retired ‰ $35 Family

‰$50 Sponsor ‰ $100 Sustaining ‰ $500 Patron ‰ $1000 Benefactor

Payment method: ‰ Cash ‰ Check Date: ______________

Important: Membership in Altacal Audubon does not include membership in the National Audubon
Society. We encourage you to also support National Audubon in their important education and lobbying
efforts. To join the National Audubon Society contact them at their website www.audubon.org/

Name: Phone: (_____) _______________

Address: _________________________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________

City: ________________State: ____ Zip Code: _______

‰ Save paper! Send me an e-mail version only

‰ E-mail me Altacal Action Alerts
‰ I would be interested in volunteering to help

Please make checks payable to Altacal Audubon Society, and mail to: AAS, P.O. Box 3671, Chico,
CA 95927

Dates to Remember
April – Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Programs
April 4, Saturday – Table Mountain Field Trip - Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
April 16-22, Thursday-Wednesday – Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival – Arcata, CA
April 18, Saturday – Kayak Trip through the Oroville Wilderness - Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
April 20, Monday - April Program - 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center, Central Valley Winter
Raptor Survey – Zach Smith and Ed Pandolfino
April 25, Saturday – Butte Creek Ecological Preserve Field Trip, Dawn Garcia
April 25/26, Saturday/Sunday – Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch, Clear Lake State Park,
Kelseyville, CA
May 2, Saturday - Paradise Flume Trail Field Trip, Nancy Nelson
May 2, Saturday - 30th Annual Endangered Species Faire, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Cedar Grove,
Chico
May 10, Sunday – Pine Creek Unit, Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge Complex
May 18, Monday – May Program - 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center, Breeding Seabirds on
St. Paul Island - Jim Snowden
May 21-25, Thursday-Monday, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Princeton, Oregon, Mike
Fisher and Jennifer Patten

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