2 March 2007 - The winter bird reporting season has come to an end
and I will be submitting an edited report of Mendocino County bird
observations to the regional editors (Northern California) of North
American Birds  soon.  If you already posted reports on Mendobirds
then I already have those.   If you have any additional reports, or
wish to provide a summary report of your sightings, then please send
them to me via email:    rjkeiffer@...    or hard copy:  Bob
Keiffer   4070 University Road  Hopland CA  95449.   I would
appreciate receiving them by March 10th so that I can meet my
deadline.  Thanks to all who contribute to the bird observations of
Mendocino County.

Note to coastal folks ....please try to keep an eye on when "AL", the
Laysan Albatross at Point Arena Cove, leaves for the year.   Last
year the bird stayed into April ...but usually the bird leaves around
early to mid-March.   Also keep an eye out on offshore seabird colony
rocks/islands for Brown Booby ... as this species seems to be showing
up with more regularity along our coast.

Good birding.   Bob Keiffer

Robert J. Keiffer
Principal Supt. of Agriculture
UC Hopland Research & Extension Center
4070 University Road
Hopland, CA  95449
(707) 744-1424   FAX (707) 744-1040
HREC website:   http://danrrec.ucdavis.edu/hopland/home_page.html

"It is not the critic who counts... not the one who points out how
the strong person stumbles... or where the doer of deeds could have
done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the
arena." Theodore Roosevelt

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Birders-- Jim saw an Osprey yesterday near the Ten Mile R bridge.
   The Red Fox Sparrow, Ferruginous Hawk and the Tri-colored Blackbird
   contine around Ocean Meadows Circle north of Ten Mile River.

   Jim and Karen Havlena
   North of Fort Bragg


---------------------------------
Don't get soaked.  Take a quick peak at the forecast
  with theYahoo! Search weather shortcut.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

March 1, 2007

Dear North American Birds Contributors,

The winter season has already come to a close so
please send your noteworthy records from the Northern
California Region for the period 1 December - 28
February to the appropriate Subregional Editors (see
below) or to the Regional Editors by 10 March.

Please pay special attention to the format example
given at the end of this message. Reports that are
formatted properly make our job far easier. In
particular, it is important to note that there is a
single tab between species, date, etc.

PLEASE use Subregional Editors for the counties that
have them.  These SREs painstakingly keep track of
records within their counties and are in most cases
THE source of information on the birds of their
counties.  By sending your records to the SREs, you
are helping to contribute to their county files as
well as to North American Birds.  If you wish to send
copies to the Regional Editors, we welcome them, but
please send records through the SREs as well.  If you
have a noteworthy winter sighting from a county
without a Subregional Editor, please send records to
the Regional Editors below.

Records of loons-frigatebirds and larids-alcids go to
Scott Terrill at:

                  H.T. Harvey & Associates
                  3150 Almaden Expwy., Suite 145
                  San Jose, CA 95118
   	      sterrill@...


Records of waterfowl through quail and herons through
shorebirds go to Mike Rogers at:
499 Novato Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
m.m.rogers@...


Records of doves through thrushes/Wrentit (in the new
AOU order, that includes vireos and shrikes) go to
Steve Glover at:
                  6526 Conestoga Lane
                  Dublin, CA 94568

                 countylines@...


Records of thrashers to finches go to Ed Pandolfino
at:
Ed Pandolfino
5530 Delrose Court
Carmichael, CA 95608
erpfromca@...




SUBREGIONAL EDITORS

Alameda
Bob Richmond
24650 Amador St. #15
Hayward, CA 94544
Brichmond94544@...

Alpine, Calaveras & Modoc
John Sterling
29 Palm Ave.
Woodland, CA 95695
  ani@...

Amador & El Dorado
Tim Steurer
4042 Bancroft Dr.
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762-6933
tsteurer@...

Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama, Yuba
Bruce Deuel
18730 Live Oak Road
Red Bluff, CA 96080
bdeuel@...

Contra Costa
Steve Glover
6526 Conestoga Lane
Dublin CA 94568
countylines@...

Del Norte
Alan D. Barron
1093 Hwy 101 N. #18
Crescent City, CA 95531
flockfinder@...

Fresno
Gary W. Potter
2183 Walton Ave
Sanger, CA 93657
gwpott@...

Humboldt
Jim Tietz
P.O. Box 751
Arcata, CA 95518
jimtietz@...
Kings
Luke Cole
561 Hill Street
San Francisco, CA  94114
luke@...

Lake
Jerry R. White
P.O. Box 113
Kelseyville, CA 95451
grwhite@...

Lassen
Tim Manolis
808 El Encino Way
Sacramento, CA 95864
ylightfoot@...

Madera
Jeff Davis
30705 Pennyroyal Lane
Prather, CA 93651
jndavis@...

Marin
Ryan Terrill
1619 El Dorado Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
enicurus@...

Mariposa
David Vander Pluym
1683 Buena Vista St.
Ventura, CA 93001
SCRE@...

Mendocino
Bob Keiffer
P. O. Box 354
Hopland CA 95449
rjkeiffer@...

Merced and San Benito
Kent Van Vuren
26 Vista Dr.
Salinas, CA 93907
vanvurenk@...

Mono
Kristie Nelson
P.O. Box 402
Lee Vining, CA 93541
storm_petrel@...

Monterey
Don Roberson
282 Grove Acre
Pacific Grove CA 93950
831-373-2566fax
creagrus@...

Napa
Murray Berner
210 Monte Vista
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 224-5897
vireocity@...

Nevada
Brian Williams
8200 Turner Dr.
Granite Bay, CA 95746
bwcal@...

Placer
Ed Pandolfino
5530 Del Rose Court
Carmichael, CA  95608
erpfromca@...

Plumas & Sierra
John "Mac" McCormick
1230 Dog Leg Dr.
Chico, CA 95928
macmc94123@...

Sacramento and Yolo
Chris Conard
2405 Rio Bravo Circle
Sacramento, CA  95826
conardc@...

San Francisco (mainland)
The City: Mark Eaton
1524 36th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
mweaton@...

San Francisco (Farallons)
Jim Tietz
P.O. Box 751
Arcata, CA, 95518
jtietz@...

San Joaquin
David G. Yee
11707 N. Alpine Rd.
Lodi, CA 95240
davidyee@...

San Mateo
Peter J. Metropulos
2940 Turk Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94118
pjmetrop@...

Santa Clara
William G. Bousman
321 Arlington Way
Menlo Park CA 94025
barlowi@...

Santa Cruz
David Suddjian
801 Monterey Ave.
Capitola, CA 95010
DSUDDJIAN@...

Shasta
Bob Yutzy
P. O. Box 990237
Redding CA 96099
boby@...

Siskiyou
Ray Ekstrom
2209 Delphic Rd.
Montague, CA 96064

Solano
Robin Leong
336 Benson Ave.
Vallejo, CA 94590-3027
robin_leong@...

Sonoma
Ruth Rudesill
P.O. Box 371
Kenwood, CA 95452
rar@...

Stanislaus
Jim Gain
3300 Cardinal Flower Ave.
Modesto, CA 95355
phalarope@...

Trinity
John E. Hunter
P.O. Box 4483
Arcata, CA 95518
jhunter323@...

Tulare
Steven Summers
2553 W. Michelle Ln.
Porterville, CA 93257
summers@...

Tuolumne
Steven Umland
15818 Parkridge Ave.
Sonora, CA 95370
sumland@...


The Reporting Deadlines are:
                   	 Spring      Summer      Fall
Winter

Season ends         May 31      July 31     Nov 30
Feb 28

Observer reports to Subregional Editors (SREs)
                  	 June 10     Aug 10      Dec 10
Mar 10

Observer reports to Regional Editors (if not sent to
SRE)
                   	 June 10     Aug 10      Dec 10
Mar 10

SRE reports to Regional Editors
                   	 June 20     Aug 20      Dec 20
Mar 20

Regional Editors final text to ABA office
                   	 July 10     Sep 10       Jan 10
   Apr 10

PLEASE meet your deadlines so that we can meet our
deadlines!


Please send reports in our preferred order: species,
date(s) [including year], locale, co. abbrev., number
of birds, and observer, and then, on a second line,
any comments.  Please separate these sections by a
"tab" (except just a space between locale and county
abbreviation) on electronic versions submitted.
Again, here's an example of the correct format:

Grace's Warbler 12/13/98-2/20/99   Jacks Peak MTY   1
RFT, mob
    A second record for the Region (the first was
6/26/91 at Deer Spring, Glass Mt. MNO) which wintered
with a large flock of Townsend's & Hermit warblers at
the very top of Jacks Peak in Jacks Peak Regional
Park. Details by Tintle and others are enclosed.


Many observers and Subregional Editors have been
submitting their reports by e-mail.  PLEASE submit
electronic reports if possible.  We are trying to
maintain an electronic database of at least recent
records, and we hope to be able to have all old data
entered eventually so that the entire database will be
easily accessible to anyone who wants it.  Electronic
submission of records in the format described above
makes it much easier for us maintain this electronic
database.

We've heard questions about, comments on, and
criticism of our regional reports from several
observers and SREs.  We really appreciate this
feedback, as it helps us to better represent what is
going on in the Region as a whole.  Please help us
correct any factual errors we make, and don't hesitate
to let us know what you think of the reports.

Many thanks to all the contributors and Subregional
Editors who make these reports possible!

Sincerely,


Ed Pandolfino, Mike Rogers, Scott Terrill, and Steve
Glover

(Northern California Regional Editors)

Myths and Music for Clear Lake: The Biology and Ecology of a Phenomenal
Lake

A hop and a jump from Ukiah resides long-suffering and much maligned
Clear Lake, one of the most interesting bodies of water in North
America, perhaps in the world. Just the fact that Clear Lake has rested
in the ample lap of what we now call Lake County for at least a million
years is astonishing. Most lakes would have long since succumbed to
silt and become a wetlands or a meadow. Add the fact that Clear Lake is
the largest natural lake in California, throw in the astonishing
quantity of life that it supports, and you have the subject of a
fascinating lecture. Such a lecture, "Myths and Music for Clear Lake,"
will be delivered by the entertaining and animated Dr. Harry Lyons on
Thursday, March 15, at the Ukiah Civic Center, 7 p.m. Dr. Lyons is a
professor of biology at Yuba College's Clear Lake campus, where he is
the senior faculty member and teaches biology, ecology, microbiology,
physiology, and statistics. His lecture will be illustrated on screen
by overhead projector. This program, which is brought to you by
Peregrine Audubon Society, is free to the public, though donations will
be warmly accepted.

The myths addressed by Dr. Lyons have nothing to do with the large
population of native Americans – possibly the largest in North America
– that once inhabited the shores of the lake and paddled its waters.
Nor does it have anything to do with Creation or Big Foot. No, this
myth originated with the white settlers – residents, developers, and
tourism promoters – who have always carried an image of a different
lake than the one they've got. These wishful thinkers hope to make
Clear Lake over in Lake Tahoe's image, with crystalline waters and
sandy beaches. The fact is, Clear Lake is not now, never has been, and
never will be, clear. Dr. Lyons will tell us why, starting with the
ancient cyanobacteria that occupy the bottom of Clear Lake's food chain
and make the lake green. We will learn why "green is good" for the
enormous population of insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals,
birds, and (historically) humans of Clear Lake.

Mercury, on the other hand, is not good – in the food chain at least.
All lakes in California have a mercury problem, but Clear Lake has a
major single-point pollution source, the Sulfur Banks Mine, an EPA
Superfund site. Dr. Lyons will explain why it is fine to drink the
water but dangerous to eat the fish. He will also discuss the measures
that are and should be taken to restore Clear Lake to its natural
condition, and will touch on the geology of the region.

And music? Well, Dr. Lyons, who is also an accomplished jazz musician,
has written a song about the biology of Clear Lake which he will sing
to his own guitar accompaniment. This presentation about our biological
powerhouse to the east will be fun and fascinating, and shouldn't be
missed. Mark your calendars! To reach Ukiah Civic Center, take Perkins
St. west to North State Street. Turn left, and then right on Seminary
Avenue. Proceed to the Civic Center parking lot.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The BURROWING OWL is still present at the wastewater
treatment plant at Hidden Valley Lake, but may not be
easy to see. As I drove up the road on Saturday
morning I briefly saw it perched on the bank but while
my car was still at least 100 feet away it flew down
into the ditch and vanished, presumably into a burrow.

An immature BALD EAGLE flew over Hidden Valley Lake
this morning.

Floyd Hayes
Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County

Hi ALL,
I just joined your group, i live on road D , in redwood valley, for the
past 5 years,and am looking for people to go bird watching with.I cant
walk far so looking for sit and lookers.
This year I've seen several new birds im not familiar with and if there
is anyone who would be willing to educate me on what they are (as ive
been unable to figure it out through my bird books) I'd be grateful.
Thank-you
Lynne
lynneakary  at hotmail.com

Dear Mendobirders -
If any of you want to be on my email list let me know. That way you can
see the photographs that I send out with my articles. Often they are
quite gorgeous, as are the ones that went out with this article.

Kate

International Wildlife Film Series:
This Friday – "Life in the Undergrowth," with Steve Hahm providing music
Next Friday – "Andes to Amazon," with Daniel Frey providing music

Ukiah’s first International Wildlife Film series opened on Friday,
March 2, to a sell-out crowd, with most of the tickets sold before the
doors opened. The program for this Friday, March 9, will start at 7
p.m. and end at 8:40 p.m. with films starting at 7:15.  Steve Hahm will
play acoustic guitar and sing songs reminiscent of the early 70's to
welcome people as they arrive. The feature film for the evening is
David Attenborough's state-of-the-art mind buster "Life in the
Undergrowth." To be sure to get a seat you are urged to buy your
tickets early from Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah or Leaves of Grass
Bookstore in Willits. The cost is a suggested donation of $40 for the
remaining 5 films of the series, or $10 for each individual night.
These evenings of film and conviviality, a benefit for Redwood Valley
Outdoor Education Project (a project of Ukiah Unified School District),
begin at 7 p.m. every Friday night through April 6 at Ukiah Civic
Center, 300 Seminary Avenue. To learn more about the films please go to
www.rvoep.com.

“Life in the Undergrowth - Invasion of the Land” presents a new window
on the world of insects – a view made possible only recently by the
latest cameras.  Accompanied by a lively sound track we will undulate
with leopard slugs and watch velvet worms capture their prey with glue
guns. This film won Best of Festival, Best of Category: TV Series
  >500K, Best Photography, Best Script, and Best Animal Behavior.

"Andes to Amazon," the award-winning feature film for Friday, March 16,
will take us back in time to a lost world where weird and wonderful
animals roam across a land full of extremes – mighty rivers,
snow-capped peaks, rich seas, and high plains.  Giant anteaters,
sloths, guanacos and red-faced monkeys all seem to have been built for
a very strange and unfamiliar plan. Daniel Frey will entertain with
blue grass, folk, and reggae music played on acoustic guitar and banjo.
This film won Best Photograhy, Best of Category, and Best Editing (2nd
place) in Montana's prestigious International Wildlife Film Festival.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Lynne,
I'm sure you already got this info from the local bird nerds in your area,
but just in case, here's some info. Since you have a Yahoo account, sign up
for mendobirds@yahoo groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mendobirds/).
Typically, posts to Calbirds are of state importance, whereas posts to
regional groups are unique to a local area, but may not be of interest to
others elsewhere. Also, join up with Peregrine Audubon Society chapter (
http://www.peregrineaudubon.org/) serving your area, and the Medo Coast
Audubon Society (http://www.mcn.org/j/audubon/index.html) which is just over
the mountains. Any and all these folks will totally get you hooked up with
the regularly occurring and totally rare birds down there.

When you check out the Peregrine A.S. website notice that there are some
photo credits to Ron LeValley; follow the link to his photo site. Ron's been
hanging out a lot down in Mendo Co, but he is the head biologist at Mad
River Biologists up here in Arcata (Hum Co). He's a great bird photographer
and you can probably bend his ear a little at one of the Audubon meetings.
I'm pretty sure he uses a very expensive Cannon. If you have a decent
digital camera and a spotting scope, you can try what's getting very
popular: digiscoping. Google "digiscoping" and you'll get a ton hits.
Basically, you just hold up your point and shoot to the scopes ocular lens a
take a picture through the scope; the scope acts as a super telephoto lens.
I've done the same thing with binoculars to get close, but a wider field of
view.

One of the best places to bird in Ukiah is the STP (sewage treatment plant)
on the far south end of town (
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Ukiah+City+of:+Sewage+Treatment+Plant&sl\
l=39.11035,-123.195834&sspn=0.011921,0.026586&layer=&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=15&ll=39.110\
649,-123.195834&spn=0.023842,0.039096&t=h&iwloc=A).

After you park (and register?), I think you need to head south across the
parking lot to a trail head (maybe with a sign board) and then follow the
trail (dirt road) out to the east and toward (and along) some ponds. The
ones in the back turn up some great birds. The water level affects what
birds are where. I've only birded here a couple of times, but when I have
the time while passing through Ukiah, I make the effort to stop. There's
also a loop that people do in Redwood Valley, but I'm not sure what it is.
Email MedoBirds.

Hope this helps!
Good birding,
Brian
Arcata, CA


On 3/7/07, lakshmikary <lakshmikary@...> wrote:
>
>   Hi im new to this group, i live in redwood valley and would like to
> know where there is a bird watching club or group of people who meet in
> my area. Ukiah, Willits, Lake Mendocino, Hopland etc -And/or looking
> for birdwatching friends in this area.
> Also , i would like to beable to take good photographs of birds and
> would appreciate anyones advice on what Id need to get for a reasonable
> price and where.
>
> You can write me privately
> Lynne Kary
> lynneakary@... <lynneakary%40hotmail.com>
> Redwood Valley,
> CAL.
>

--
******************************************************
Brian Acord
Graduate Research Assistant
Humboldt State University, Wildlife
Arcata, Humboldt County, California
humbirds ~AT~ gmail.com
707-826-3581
******************************************************


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Knowing members of our Redwood Coast and inland communities often plan far
in advance, the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society (MCAS) would like to invite
you to a Gala Evening at the Gualala Arts Center, Monday, April 30th, when
the chapter holds their annual dinner meeting on the 'south' coast.  If
you've always wanted to visit southern Africa, but not made it there yet or
if you'd like to be momentarily transported back, please plan to attend.
You'll experience southern African Cuisine, prepared by Leslie Bates of
Savory Coast Catering, accompanied by South African wines and followed by a
video presentation entitled "Botswana & Namibia: Birds and Other Wildlife"
edited by Buff Corsi from Santa Rosa.  (As always, vegetarian alternatives
and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.)  Dinner will be served at 6
p.m. and the program will begin at 7:15 p.m. following announcements and a
_short_ business meeting.  The cost for the dinner with program is $25;
program only is $5.  Reservations and dinner selection (vegetarian or
non-vegetarian) may be arranged by calling Warren Wade, President of MCAS,
at (707) 964-6362 or me at (707) 785-3415 BEFORE April 21st; payment will be
at the door.  Please NOTE: No-Shows, who do NOT telephone to cancel, will be
expected to pay for their meal.



Hope to see you there-Rich



Richard Kuehn, peripatetic traveler and birdwatcher

WindandSea at The Sea Ranch

N 38 44.93    W 123 31.66



HTTP://ourlives-at-windandsea.info



Life is NOT a dress-rehearsal!







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi birders--  The Red Fox Sparrow is still coming to seed in our front
   yard north of the Ten Mile River.  Its timing is more sporadic than in
   January, but we see it once or twice per day.  The Tri-colored Blackbird
   was also seen this morning.

   Karen & Jim Havlena
   North of Fort Bragg


---------------------------------
Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels
in 45,000 destinations on Yahoo! Travel to find your fit.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Greetings Mendobirders-  Two Mexican scientists, Rodrigo Alatorre and
Enrique Sanjorjo from the Mexican National Institute of Ecology, are
conducting a survey as part of their research on the conservation of
wintering habitats of shorebirds along the Pacific Flyway.  Specifically,
they are trying to estimate a value for Mexican coastal wetlands that have
been identified as critical shorebird wintering and migration habitat by
the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.  They have asked that
birdwatching groups, in this case Peregrine Audubon Society, post a link to
their survey.  They are anxious that their survey results reflect the
opinions of bird watchers.  Participation is entirely anonymous.  The link is:

http://www.ine.gob.mx/dgipea/birdwatchers_survey/cuestionario.html

Thanks,  Chuck


*********************************
Chuck and Barbara Vaughn
Ukiah, CA  95482

cevaughn@...

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 -- Dorothy Tobkin reports a winter-plumaged TUFTED PUFFIN
and a MARBLED MURRELET from the Mendocino headlands in the water to the NW
of Goat Island.  On 8 Mar she saw three ROCK SANDPIPERS with Black
Turnstones on the rocks off Virgin Creek beach.

On Sunday the 11th I found a male RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER with a flock of about 30 COMMON MERGANSERS
on the north side of Clearlake Oaks. Other enjoyable
birds included two CINNAMON TEAL and four HOODED
MERGANSERS at Robinson Lake, about 20 HORNED GREBES at
Glenhaven, five GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS at Clearlake
Oaks and three THAYER'S GULLS at Clearlake. Most of
the wintering waterbirds appear to have departed.
Along the north, east and west shores of Clear Lake I
saw <100 white-headed gulls, <150 mergansers and <200
RUDDY DUCKS. And at Borax Lake there were only about
200 scaup, with no Tufted Duck among them.

Floyd Hayes
Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County

I recently posted a few photos of the Tufted Ducks and
presumed/possible hybrids at Borax Lake here:

http://www.geocities.com/floyd_hayes/tuftedduck

Floyd Hayes
Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 -- Today I checked the EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES along
Tollini Lane N. of Ukiah and saw at least six between 3580 and 3650.
There's a lot of collared-dove song in this neighborhood. One bird was
carrying nest material into the dense, twin cypresses that span the
sidewalk at 3600.  I watched five trips with nest material.  One house to
the north there was a RINGED TURTLE-DOVE sitting on the wire (smaller,
paler, wingtips the same color as the back, white undertail coverts). A
collared-dove went to land beside it, and it flew off to the west.
         In Potter Valley I saw the BURROWING OWL sitting in the mouth of
the same burrow as reported previously.  From the high spot above the pond
on Burris Lane look to the SW.  The owl is in a burrow about 1/3 way up the
hill facing you.  A trio of ravens was harassing an immature FERRUGINOUS
HAWK to the north of this point.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Hi Mendobirders,
I just wanted to know if Al B. Tross was still around at Point Arena?
I'm driving south tommorow and wanted to stop by and see him if he's
still around....

Thanks,
Rob Fowler
Arcata

I got a photo of Al just last Friday.  The stories of him interacting
with the surfers is true.  He was just floating around and
occasionally preening but as this surfer returned to shore, Al
definitely rode over to check him out and the surfer stopped to
return the gesture and pass the time of day.  I'll bet the surfers
are developing quite a legend of this amazing bird.  A passerby
surfer on the pier told me that the leg injury seems to be permanent
but seems not to be hindering Al.  Picture was taken about 3:30 PM
and it's posted in these albums.  I haven't heard if anyone has
developed a history of Al's ETD in the spring.  Good luck.

Ken Holmes
On Mar 14, 2007, at 2:33 PM, Rob Fowler wrote:

> Hi Mendobirders,
> I just wanted to know if Al B. Tross was still around at Point Arena?
> I'm driving south tommorow and wanted to stop by and see him if he's
> still around....
>
> Thanks,
> Rob Fowler
> Arcata
>
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

International Wildlife Film Series:
This Friday – "Andes to Amazon"
Next Friday – "Echo of the Elephants"

by Kate Marianchild

Ukiah’s first International Wildlife Film series played to a full house
last Friday, the second in a series of six evenings. At the end of the
evening Tom deMarchi of Willits said he wished every every child in
town could have been there, and said he himself could happily see the
film 10 more times.  This week's photographic masterpiece, to be shown
on Friday, March 16, is "Andes to Amazon" which won Best Photography,
Best of Category, and Best Editing (2nd place) at Montana's
International Wildlife Film Festival. Music will be provided by Daniel
Frey. To be assured of a seat please buy your tickets early from
Mendocino Book Company in Ukiah or Leaves of Grass Bookstore in
Willits. The cost is a suggested $10 donation per evening. These
evenings of film and socializing are a benefit for the
community-supported Redwood Valley Outdoor Education Project (a project
of Ukiah Unified School District). The series continues on Friday
evenings through April 6, with each evening beginning at 7 p.m. at
Ukiah Civic Center, 300 Seminary Avenue. To learn more about the films
please go to www.rvoep.com.

Next week's film, "Echo of the Elephants - The Final Chapter," is the
true story of Echo, a wise and gentle elephant who has led her family
through good times and bad for over 30 years. Against the snow-capped
peaks of Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya we see Echo form a
phalanx to rescue her baby when it was kidnapped by another group of
elephants. We also observe increasing tensions with the Masai people,
with whom the elephants compete for food and water. We are held in
suspense as Echo attempts to guide her family through the challenges of
a changing world. Based on a 30-year study by Cynthia Moss, and
narrated by David Attenborough, this film won Best TV Program (Budget
$250-500,000) - 1st Place; Best Use of Music; and Best Editing. Music
for the evening will be provided by Nick Johnson and company on drums
and didgeridoo.

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Fri, 16 Mar 2007 -- Dorothy Tobkin found a dead HORNED PUFFIN on the beach
north of Ward Avenue.  It was probably a week old.  Then she saw a flyby
HORNED PUFFIN at Laguna Point from the platform about halfway out the
boardwalk.

Wonderful view of osprey in nest.  Easy to see from the east side of Stone Road
in Finley
(near Kelseyville in Lake County) about a half mile south of Soda Bay Road.

Hi Birders,

   Jim saw another female Long-tailed Duck at the mouth of Ten Mile River
   this morning.  I saw her from the bridge using a scope.
   One of the Ten Mile Osprey arrived this morning.
   The wintering Ferruginous Hawk was still across Hwy 1 from Ocean
   Meadows Saturday.
   The Red Fox Sparrow was last seen by both of us late afternoon on
   March 9th.

   Karen & Jim Havlena
   North of Fort Bragg


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Hi all,

A pair of OSPREY have been circling over our house, about 1 mile east
on hwy 20 near the feed lot, for a couple of days now.  They have done
this every spring for the past three or four years.  They glide in
circles at altitudes between 500 and 2000 feet, probably catching
thermals from the asphalt highway, communicating back and forth.  It
is my belief that they nest in the relatively thick woods between
Dorffi Road and the Noyo river, as they usually disappear to the
northwest.

Toward midsummer, as usual, we expect to see one of them (mom?) appear
with a very loud baby learning to fly.  I'll post again when the
youngster arrives.

From N. Calif. Birdbox:

"On Mar 18,  a NORTHERN SHRIKE, a previously reported BURROWING OWL,
BALD EAGLE, GOLDEN EAGLE, PEREGRINE FALCON and COOPER'S HAWK were
reported from Burris Lane in the Potter Valley. The shrike was
seen near the pond on Burris Lane, which is 1.4 miles from
East Side Potter Valley Road. (Al DeMartini)

On Mar 17, (5) RED CROSSBILLS were seen in the Pygmy Forest at
Jug Handle State Preserve.
(Al DeMartini)"

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 -- This afternoon, having been away for several days, I
spent about an hour and a half on Burris Lane and Pine Avenue hoping to
find the shrike.  The BURROWING OWL was sitting in the burrow where it has
been a fixture for about a month now.  I was able to scope a distant BALD
EAGLE sitting north of Pine Avenue, there were several GOLDEN EAGLES about,
but I was unable to find the shrike.  It has become very green and lovely
out there in the last week, and the popcorn flower is beginning to bloom.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

I spotted a Eurasian Collared-Dove in the pine tree at the north
   end of our yard this morning, above where I have been putting
   out seed.
   The female Long-tailed Duck was seen by Jim this morning near
   the mouth of Ten Mile River.  Also, the Ferruginous Hawk was
   hunting just east of Hwy 1 across from our neighborhood this
   AM.

   Karen & Jim Havlena
   North of Fort Bragg


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Sat, 24 Mar 2007 -- This morning there was a group of 40 male TRICOLORED
BLACKBIRDS foraging on the ground in the vineyard at the end of Burris
Lane, Potter Valley.  There were also groups of females of undetermined
species collecting nesting material and carrying it toward the hidden pond
to the east.  It looks like trikes may be preparing to nest there for the
fourth year.
         The BURROWING OWL had moved about 20 feet from its usual station,
but it returned there later when a ground squirrel was running around too
close.

George Chaniot
Potter Valley, MEN, CA

Last week I briefly saw a small group of swallows, maybe 8 or so, high
overhead - too high for ID.  Yesterday, two Violet-Green Swallows flew
around us for a few minutes; hopefully they will return to nest again in
the old redwood snag.  Haven't seen the Barn Swallows at the Albion PO yet.

Today the first Acorn Woodpecker showed up at my suet feeder.

Allen's Hummingbirds have been showing up in large numbers recently; two
days ago there were probably twenty at my house.  Now the males have
staked out territory and are making display flights, and the numbers are
down a bit.

Ospreys are back in force - I saw three while driving up to Fort Bragg
yesterday.

Cheers,
Tim in Albion

A beautiful glowing copper colored Rufous Hummingbird in the morning sun
at my feeder and then at the Primroses at my feet  this morning.

One lone Varied Thrush staying around with AMROs.

About 8 Golden Crown sparrows(the most at my feet at one time) in my
patio at the Hemlock tree  and seed feeder,  are singing episodically,
but are in molt or replacement feather state, and are in interesting
ragged and varied appearances. Barbara,UKI






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There were two Hooded Mergansers, one male and one female, at the
Beckstoffer Pond south of Talmadge Saturday afternoon at about 3 p.m.
The male's crest was up for a long time as he washed and preened. With
light shining through it was beautiful.

Off Twining Road along a stream I also saw a site where a
Red-shouldered Hawk had recently been devoured - on a thick horizontal
branch about 10 feet off the ground under fairly dense canopy. Feathers
on the ground and in the bushes caught my attention, and, looking up, I
saw a 2-foot section of branch littered with feathers. Who could/would
do that? Great Horned Owl? There was a large nest high in a tree nearby
- possibly an RSHA nest.

Also, in the same spot, I got my first sight of the crown on an
orange-crowned warbler. It was bathing in the stream.

Kate

Today, Sunday March 25, I heard my first Pacific  Slope Flycatcher about 4
miles up Navarro ridge Road and returned to hear the first Pigeon Guillemots
calling off the Little River Headlands.



Cheers, Ron



Ron LeValley

LeValleyPhotos

P.O. Box 332

Little River California USA 95456

Cell: 707/496-3326

Office: 707/937-1742



www.LeValleyPhoto.com <http://www.levalleyphoto.com/>

Ron@...



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Ron@...





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The last time Al, the Laysan Albatross, has been seen in the waters off
the Point Arena Cove is Friday, March 16th. Al's injured leg appears to
have healed so we have hopes this famous bird will continue to thrive.

I've been enjoying watching an Osprey fixing up its nest here in Anchor
Bay. The cry of an Osprey circling in the sky is, for me, the sound of
spring.

Jeanne Jackson, Anchor Bay