audubon canyon ranch bulletin, spring 2005

8/9/2019 Audubon Canyon Ranch Bulletin, Spring 2005

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Raising young requires lots of time, ener-gy andas anyone with a teenager can tell

youfood. In this respect, herons and egretsare no different than humans. The breedingseason is an extremely demanding phase ofan adult heron or egrets life, and for me,one of the most interesting facets of theirexistence. I can remember as a child learningthe basics of bird biology: how adults court,build a nest, mate, lay eggs, incubate theeggs, and brood the hatchlings. Then theparents need to provide their cute and fuzzylittle chicks with food until they fledge.

As I further reflect upon my grade school lessons,everything did get a little fuzzy once the chicksappeared. The parents went out, found food, andbrought it back to their hungry brood; there wasnt agreat deal of explanation about the process of foraging.Twenty years later, as a field biologist with ACRsHeron and Egret Project (HEP)*, I still find the processof bringing home the baconor in this case, the cray-fishengagingly complex and not well understood.

With this in mind, in the spring of 2004 I began tolook at the foraging flight lines of herons and egretsdeparting and returning to their colonies during breed-

ing season. The first phase of the project was to select agroup of colonies suitable for the study. This seemed likea simple enough proposition, but in a few short weeks I

was beginning to feel like the Goldilocks of field biology:this colony is too small, that colony is too remote, andthat one has too many trees to see very well. Also, theflight-line investigation focused on colony sites associat-ed with foraging areas in the Petaluma, Napa, andSuisun marshes. In the end, only four of the 60 activecolony sites in the HEP study area possessed the attrib-utes best suited for our study.

Thus, on a clear and unusually hot April morning,I found myself scrambling to the top of an oak- andmanzanita-covered ridge in Skyline Park, east of theCity of Napa. I wanted to find a vantage point abovethe large heron and egret colony at Napa State

Hospital, and I needed a full panorama to accuratelychart the arrival and departure vectors of the birdsbreeding there. After an hour or so of bushwhacking,a 270-degree vista was the best view I could obtain. Iwas hot and sweaty and pressed for time, so I satdown on a rock and began to record data as best asconditions allowed.

The colony at Napa State Hospital is interesting fora number of reasons. Snowy Egrets and Black-crownedNight-Herons have been reported breeding on the

Audubon Canyon Ranch

continued on page 4

Number 36 Spring 2005B U L L E T I N

Co mmu t in g wit h Eg r et s

Flight Linesby Mark McCaustland

* ACRsHeron and Egret Project (HEP) explores theregional ecology of herons and egrets. Since 1990, ACR staffand hundreds of volunteers have monitored nesting activitiesat every known heron and egret colony in the northern SanFrancisco Bay area, including Marin, Sonoma, Napa,Solano, and Contra Costa counties.


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Early in the cool, wet January morning I hear adeep reverberating bill-clap and know, with a flood of

joy that the Great Blue Herons have returned. Theherons, green grass, and wildflowers of January areheralds of spring and mark the perpetual pulse andvigor of renewal. In my experience as ExecutiveDirector of Audubon Canyon Ranch, I have feltperennially renewed by the seasonal cycles at ACRsPreserves and the nesting pageant of Herons andEgrets atop the Redwood trees.

Our tradition of scientific study of the heronry atBolinas Lagoon Preserve has piqued our curiosityabout Great Blue Herons and Great and Snowy

Egrets. In this issue of the ACR Bulletin Helen PrattResearch Fellow, Mark McCaustland, writes about hiswork on the regional Heron and Egret Project. Weare pleased to be continuing the legacy of dedicatedresearch and monitoring of the behavior of Heronsand Egrets, compiled over three decades by long-timevolunteer Research Associate, Helen Pratt.

Its thanks to Helen and the many volunteers whohave served ACR through the years at all three ACRcampusesthe 1,000-acre Bolinas Lagoon Preserve,the 500-acre Bouverie Preserve in Sonoma, and the

500-acre Cypress Grove Research Center on TomalesBaythat our programs continue to be successful. Inthis Bulletin,we also hear from one of the young grad-uates of ACRs Juniper Program, Jamie Freymuth,talking about her first experiment in creating environ-mental art in nature in the style of well-known artistAndy Goldsworthy. And we recognize the service ofmore than 700 active volunteers, whose contributionsare invaluable and whose names are listed in apprecia-tion of their contributed time and talent.

The Bulletin is just one of many ways we commu-nicate to our volunteers, donors and friends about

our mission and programs. Paula Miller Maxfield,ACRs Publicist, writes about how ACRs websitewww.egret.org provides up-to-date informationabout projects, upcoming events, and opportunitiesto get involved. ACR advisory committee meetings

The single thing that has most impressed me aboutAudubon Canyon Ranch is the level of commitment,

knowledge, and excellence I have seen in my fellowvolunteers and in our staff. Although Ill admit tobeing intimidated when I first joined the board, therewas never a time when my counsel wasnt solicited,when I wasnt thanked for my input, and when I wasnthelped along with any task I undertook. The expecta-tions were very high, but support was inplace to enable me to accomplishanything I started. When I tookover writing News from theRanch, our column for

Audubon Society chapternewsletters, ACR staff, boardmembers, docents, and othervolunteers were always a readysource of information and sup-port. When I chaired theNominating Committee, manydynamic and exciting peoplewere eager to join our board andadvisory board. Im constantlyrediscovering this special aspect of

ACR: as president of our board Ivegot such widespread support that thisvery challenging job seems quite man-ageable.

Whats special about ACR is that asvolunteers and employees we are all commit-ted to excellence in what we do, whether its deliv-ering educational services to children, producing thehighest quality research, managing our lands as caringand thoughtful stewards, raising funds to support allthose efforts and more, or just supporting each othersefforts to be successful parts of this organization. Our

high regard for one another is the foundation for theexcellence of this organization. During the comingyear I hope to strengthen the link between our boardof directors and our large family of volunteers, staff,and supporters, all of whom I value very highly.

Audubon C anyon RanchPage 2

Audubon Canyon Ranch is a guardian of n atural environm ents

through preservation, education and research.

CYCLES OF RENEWAL

by Skip Schwartz, Executive Director

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

by Dan Murphy, President, ACR Board of Directors

continued on next page


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and meetings of the Board of Directors are open toall. I want to encourage you to contact me, or anymember of ACRs knowledgeable staff or board, withquestions, concerns or suggestions.

A warm welcometo Amanda Shults,who joined the ACRstaff as the newAdministrativeAssistant at theBolinas LagoonPreserve lastNovember! Amandagraduated in 2002

with a B.S. inGenetics from U.C

Davis. She worked with the Student ConservationAssociation helping protect sea turtle nests inFlorida before joining the team of scientific internsat PRBO Conservation Science and moving to WestMarin in the spring of 2003. Amandas favorite thingabout ACR? I love ACR and my coworkers andbelieve in the power of our programs. I thinkteaching kids about environmental principles is theway we will change the future, and Im glad to beworking for such a wonderful organization. Were

glad youre here, too, Amanda! Welcome to theACR family.

I realize with some satisfaction, that as surely as thereturn of spring, the preserves and the good work ofAudubon Canyon Ranch will continue to impart a loveand respect for nature. Thanks for your help in mak-ing all this possible.

ACR is fortunate to have a large, dedicated volun-teer family. With the development of the new volun-

teer site, the goal is to make it faster and easier to findthe information you need and stay connected to thehappenings at ACR. Comments and suggestions fromour volunteers are always welcome. Please email Peterat [email protected] for more information.

Paula MillerMaxfield isACRs Publicist.Paula was firstintroduced to

ACRs BolinasLagoon Preserveas a student andGirl Scout andhas fond memo-ries of holding newts by Monday and Tuesday ponds. Paulacan be reached for inquiries from press or friends of ACRat831/246-0425 or [email protected].

Did you know the ACR Website, www.egret.org,provides an excellent source of information for ACR

volunteers, donors, educators, and the public?Egret.org lists upcoming events, volunteer opportuni-ties, driving directions to our Preserves, and informa-tion about public access. You can also donate directlyto ACR using a credit card through our secure onlinedonation service. ACR wishes to thank theOutrageous Foundation for its support of the expan-sion of our online presence.

This year, weve been working hard to get the vol-unteer section of the website up and running. Manythanks go to dedicated volunteer Peter Young, who

has donated his expertise and time to make the magichappen. ACR volunteers can access useful informationincluding:

Important dates such as committee and board meet-ings; docent, host and ranch guide trainings; volun-teer workdays; and potlucks and public season dates.

Electronic versions of the Bulletin, Ardeid, Heron,Nutshell, RamblingsandPreAmbles.

Contact information for ACR staff.

Page 3Spr ing 2005

ACR ON THE INTERNET

by Paula Miller Maxfield

STAFF NOTES

Cycles of Renewal by Skip Schwartz,from page 2


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hospital grounds since the 1930s, and in recent yearsthe colony has flourished. In 2004, there were morethan 200 Snowy nests and more than 150 Black-

crowned nests in the colony. In the mid-1990s, GreatEgrets started to breed there as well, with nestattempts now numbering in the dozens. Napa StateHospital is a busy place, but the breeding herons andegrets appear to have habituated to the noise andactivity of lawn maintenance crews, delivery trucks,and the like. In addition, a 12-foot-tall fence surroundsthe facility, isolating the nest trees. A possible benefitof nesting within the fence perimetermay be improved protection fromintruders such as raccoons, foxes, and

other suburban animals.Within an hour of assuming my

perch upon the rock, one more curi-ous aspect of this colony emerged.The volume of air trafficflights toand from the colonywas muchgreater than I anticipated, especiallyfor Snowy Egrets. Whats more, themajority of them seemed to be flyingsouthward, down Highway 221, orreturning from the same direction.The birds werent fanning out as Iexpected, nor were most of themheading for the ample wetlands alongthe lower reaches of the Napa River.They were following the roadinstead. A protruding rib of the ridge,however, obstructed my view farthersouth. Puzzled, I hurried back to mycar and turned south on 221.

It was difficult to keep my atten-tion on the road. Every minute or so another egretwould pass overhead and my eyes would automatically

wander, tracing the birds trajectory across the land-scape. As I idled in a long line of traffic stopped at thejunction with Highway 29, I saw a group of fiveSnowies pumping southward in ragged formation notmore than 50 feet above my windshield. They ignoredthe red light and veered left, heading southeast alongRoute 29. This, I thought, is getting weird. Then Inoticed one of those helpful green road signs with anarrow pointing straight ahead: Vista Point.

Following the signs around a looping access road, Iarrived at a tall hill just west of the junction of

Highways 221 and 29. Much to my surprise, the hillwas crowned with a 15-foot bronze statue. The cast-ing, a monument to the regions winemaking heritage,depicts a barefooted, dungareed laborer bent over awooden press, tightening down the tamping-plateonto a barrel full of fresh grapes. Amused by the con-trast with my morning hike through cheat grass andpoison oak, I strolled across a verdant lawn to a benchat the base of the statue. Below me spread all of south-ern Napa Valley, the entire sweep of land from theHighway 29 bridge to the hills of Skyline Park dueeastward. More importantly, although Napa StateHospital was almost two miles distant, I could easilysee any birds departing or returning to the colony.

Immediately I lifted my binocularsand began recording flight vectors.

By the end of that first two-hour

session, I knew that The GrapeCrusher was the spot. With theincreased view and a broader per-spective, I could see that the south-ward stream of outbound egrets splitinto two basic vectors. One groupflew over the steel pipe factory on theeast bank of the Napa River and con-tinued downstream, often flyingbelow the Highway 29 bridge beforeheading out to the wetlands of the

lower Napa Marsh. The other group,however, stayed true to the course Ihad seen in the morning. They fol-lowed Highway 221 to the junctionwith 12 and 29, then they veered leftand followed the road as far as Icould see. As the evening rush-hourtraffic increased, the flight of egretsand by far most of the birds wereSnowy Egretsremained steady.

They flew along the road, solo or in pairs, trios, sextetsor octets, all manner of group sizes. I was engrossed bythe juxtaposition of the egrets flying with serene pur-posefulness above a roadway crowded with homeward-bound commuters mired in stop-and-go madness.Then it occurred to me: The egrets were commuting,too! Where, I wondered, could they be going?

That evening, as I drove back to ACRs CypressGrove Research Center, that brief insight bloomedinto a multitude of additional questions. Why, first andforemost, dont all the birds go straight down theNapa River to feed in the marshes closest to thecolony? Are they avoiding competition for prey? Or


Flight Lines, continued from page 1

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are different types of prey soughtin different places? Furthermore,do the same birds feed in the sameareas? Or do they sometimes fol-low their neighbors to new areas?If so, how do they decide who fol-lows and who leads? Or do theyalternate roles? Many of theseproblems are addressed in foragingtheory, but here, possibly, was anopportunity to investigate some ofthe questions through field obser-vations. First, however, I had to figure out where theroad birds were going.

The following week my HEP fieldwork took meout to Suisun Marsh. As usual, I checked in withConrad Jones, one of the rangers at the Grizzly Island

Wildlife Area, and out of the blue he told me thatwhenever he went to pick up his daughter from musiclessons (investing parental effort during the broodrearing phase!) he saw Snowy Egrets flying alongHighway 12 through Jameson Canyon. Where, heasked, do you think theyre going? I dont know, Ireplied, feeling cagey but no doubt betrayed by aCheshire cat grin.

The next morning found me and my binocularsparked at the eastern portal of Jameson Canyon, nearthe junction of Highway 12 and Interstate 80. Constant

20- to 25-mile-per-hour winds blew from the westthrough the gap, typical for spring weather in SuisunMarsh. Once again I observed substantial numbers ofegrets, again mostly Snowies, flying along the roadeither solo or in groups of two or four or eight. Theeastbound birds streamed over me and then fanned outover the great flat expanse of the Suisun Marshes,whereas the westbound birds gathered at the mouth ofthe Canyon, flapping hard and spiraling upwards, often300 feet or more, before shooting the gap and flyingon towards Napa. As I watched them struggle to makeheadway against the steady breeze I knew there had tobe some very good reasons to convince these birds tocommute all the way to Suisun to forage.

As usual, one answerin this case, Where?rais-es even more questions. What is it about Suisun Marshthat makes it worth commuting four times as far as thetrip to Napa Marsh? Again, do the same birds go thesame places? Do the same pairs go the same places? Dothey alternate trips? Finally, and perhaps the biggestmystery, if Suisun Marsh is a desirable destination forSnowy Egrets to forage, why dont they nest there?Some of the largest Great Blue Heron and Great Egret

colonies in the HEP study arelocated in Suisun Marsh, but thusfar weve only recorded a handfulof nesting attempts by SnowyEgrets in Suisun.

This coming season, as the2005 Helen Pratt Research Fellow,I will get the opportunity to lookat these questions more intensivelyand try to find some answers. Suchproblems intrigue me not onlyfrom an ecological standpoint, but

also as a way of looking at egrets as thinking beings.Many of the basic impulses in their lives, such as thetiming of migration or mating, are guided by instinct,but on a finer scale their complex behavior is basedupon assessing options and making choices.

The more I learn about the life histories of thesebirds the more I realize that they make daily decisionsin their lives much as we do. Sometimes, it appearsthey even follow the same roads we do.

Starting in 1999, Mark McCaustland has given his lifeover to the nomadic world of field biology. He has studiedboobies in the Galapagos, albatrosses on Midway Island,eagles in Nevada, and numerous raptors and waterbirdsthroughout the US. West Marin exerts a pull upon hisperegrinations, and this spring Mark will log his fourthseason working for Audubon Canyon Ranch.

Page 5Spr ing 2005

G

T he H elen Pratt Research Fellowship

Each year, ACR offers a year-long, postgr aduate research

opportu nity to a talented field ecologist. T he pr imary

focus of the H elen Pr att Research Fellowship is to help

sustain the long-term monitoring of Great Blue Herons,

Gr eat Egrets, and Snowy Egrets that n est in the red-

woods of the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve. T he H elen Pratt

Fellow maps every nesting attempt in the h eronr y and

quantifies the reprodu ctive per formance and behaviors

of the nesting birds. Cont ributing also to ACR research

on her onries throu ghout the San Francisco Bay region,the Fellowship is named for H elen Pratt, whose studies

of heron and egret nesting activity at ACR began in

1967 and cont inued int ensively for o ver 30 years. During

this time, as California wetlands suffered devastating

losses, He lens work frequen tly linked th e viability of

heron and egr et populations to wetland health. H elen

authored num erous scientific papers on the ecology of

herons and egrets and produced a thorough account of

their n atural history inHerons and Egrets of Audubon

Canyon Ranch, available at the ACR Bookstore.

John Kelly, A CR Director of Research

& Resource M anagement


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Its Friday, August 20, 2004, about 10:00 AM andwarm already as we shuffle through pages of AndyGoldsworthys books. Looking through his artwork,we are surprised by all he has created with naturalmaterials. Some of it seems very simple until you thinkabout how he did it! Dozens of new Junipers (see note,page 7), and a few experienced Junipers and Junipers atheart (docents), sit in the lobby of Gilman Hall at

Bouverie Preserve. We study the photos while antici-pating a morning hike up the trails through the oakwoodlands and into the Stuart Creek Canyon. Therelies our destination, the creek and the place known asIndian Flats, where flint knapping happened so longago. These places await our arrival and also our art.

We head off into the cool, wooded landscape andbegin to gather feathers, colored leaves, and anything


Good as Gold: Earth Art at the Bouverie Preserveby Jamie Freymuth with Rebecca Anderson-Jones


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else that catches our artistic eyes on the way to paytribute to the Scottish natural artist AndyGoldsworthy, who is featured in the film Rivers andTides. This is an exciting day; one of several specialdays each year when Junipers gather to explore theBouverie Preserve together with their docent mentors.Today, we are exploring differently, turning our eyes toa new way of seeing and a new way of appreciating ournatural environment.

On the way, we make a careful and conscious effortto remember where we gathered our supplies, markingtrees with various objects such as backpacks and hats.With buckets in hand and many sharp eyes scanning,we gather bits of our soon-to-be masterpieces andhead off into the woods.

This is our first Andy Goldsworthy Day, a dayweve created in his honor to experience combiningnature and art. Although weve never met the famousartist, the photos of his work gave us ideas about howto make art from nature. His work also made us think

about how quickly things change. Goldsworthy usuallylets nature take over his art after he has finished mak-ing it and taking photographs. That is also our plan: tomake nature art that lasts for only a few moments.

We split up into two groups and begin to createworks of art, from the Zen-like simplicity of stackingrocks in the creek, to a complex and intricate "acornfortress" on the Indian Flats. There is a gecko madeof sticks and moss, a golden bay leaf bird, and color-ful mandalas of leaves and feathers. We use what isavailable and natural, with great respect for every-

thing around us. After wework on our pieces, we alsotake a moment or two to lookat what others have done.Some have brought cameras

with them, and we have a digi-tal camera from the Preservealong, as well.

As quickly as we had come we disappeared, gather-ing our supplies back up and placing them carefullywhere we found them, leaving no trace or evidence ofour presence. To the watchful eye it would appear as ifnothing had changed, but as the trees and plants havewitnessed, all that is left are our memories and a greatappreciation of Mother Natures beauty.

Jamie Freymuth was trained to be a Juniper in 1997. A

Juniper is a student at ACRs Bouverie Preserve chosenfrom a school field trip to participate in a Saturday natureenrichment course while in 5th grade. Junipers have theoption of continuing to participate in events at thePreserve after this course is completed. Today, Jamieattends Santa Rosa Junior College and has applied for theBouverie Docent Training Program beginning August31, 2005. During her time as a Juniper, Jamie hasdemonstrated a particular interest in the fungi, sharingher knowledge about this fascinating kingdom oforganisms with other Junipers, with docents, and with the

visiting public. She has served as a mentor for newJuniper (Toyon) training sessions, has assisted withmany Guided Nature Walks, and has contributed hertime and energy to a number of Bouverie Preserve workdays. In all of these ways, Jamie has embodied the spirit ofthe Juniper program, sharing her unique spark ofinterest in nature.

Rebecca Anderson-Jones is Director of Education andResident Biologist at the Bouverie Preserve.

Page 7Spr ing 2005


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Sonoma resident Bill Tyukodi(pronounced chickadee), 80, has

become Audubon Canyon Ranchsfirst-ever charitable gift annuitant.

The Ranch recently launched its giftannuity program through theCalifornia Community Foundation. Agift annuity is a contract between adonor and a charity. In return for agift of cash, stock or real estate, thedonor receives a guaranteed fixedannual payment for life.

Mr. Tyukodis gift annuity has a

sweet symmetry, his contribution com-ing from the fruits of an ACR pay-check. I worked for a year in the1970s from spring-to-spring with Skip(ACRs executive director) helping build the BolinasLagoon Preserve Education Center, he said in thecalm tones of someone who has fished a lot ofstreams. I did electrical and plumbing and some

wood butchering and slept in the dormitory. I enjoyedit very much.

At the end of a year, ACR awarded Bill $10,000 in

appreciation of his work. The $10,000 invested in the1970s grew over the years to $200,000. I thought itwas reasonable to give some back, Mr. Tyukodi said.

A former 40-year resident of ACRs Cypress GrovePreserve, he had been satisfied with Treasury Bill invest-ments until interest rates dropped sharply a few yearsago. To add new life to his portfolio and to help theRanch, Mr. Tyukodi contributed $100,000 of his nestegg to ACRs gift annuity program in return for guaran-teed annual payments of $8,000 for life. His gift alsotriggered a $46,000 charitable income tax deduction.

Mr. Tyukodi topped off his gift annuity contribu-

tion with a direct cash gift of $5,000 to the Ranch. Iwanted to compensate the Ranch for the 5% that willgo from my account to the California CommunityFoundation at my death, he said. The Foundationruns the gift annuity program for ACR.

Said Skip Schwartz, Bill is the most all round com-petent guy I have ever known. Hes a master carpenter,cabinetmaker, cobbler, electrician, welder, plumberand an accomplished sportsman who fishes his own

dog-hair flies. Bill can fix anythingfrom a TV to a jeep transmission.

His talents go beyond the immedi-ately practical. Hes a walking, talkingalmanac, Skip added. He lovesnature and is a natural teacher. Heknows the weather patterns and histo-ry for Cypress Grove, the natural his-tory of Tomales Bay, and how to growfruit and vegetables in unfavorableclimes. And hes one of the most con-siderate men I have ever known.

His gift is rooted in a long, person-

al association with and affection forAudubon Canyon Ranch.

While Mr. Tyukodi was stationedat the Hunters Point Naval Station

after World War II, he met Clifford Conly, a SanFrancisco architect. He worked for Mr. Conly on the

weekends refurbishing an old brick office in the City.Mr. Conly later purchased Cypress Grove, and beganturning the property over to ACR in 1984. (Its nowthe Cypress Grove Research Center.) He died in 2002.

Clifford visited Cypress Grove when he was nine,

Mr. Tyukodi said. He told everybody as a boy that hewould someday own the property. Some 40 yearslater, Mr. Conly returned to Cypress Grove with Mr.

Tyukodi during a fishing trip. The road was rutted, theplace was run down, and only a few of its cabins wererented. Clifford looked at the place and thought they

would sell, Mr. Tyukodi said. They did, fulfilling Mr.Conlys precocious vow as a nine-year-old.

Over the next several decades at Cypress Grove,they improved and beautified the buildings and gar-dens. Then, with Mr. Conlys health in decline and hisgift of the property to ACR in progress, they moved to

Sonoma.As though to complement his gift annuity, Mr.

Tyukodi recently invested in a 15-foot motor boat.Audubon Canyon Ranch hopes that he will enjoyboth his income and the fishing for many years and

welcomes him as a member of its Clerin ZumwaltLegacy Circle.

For information on the Legacy Circle, call Skip Schwartzor Cassie Gruenstein at 415-868-9244.

BILL TYUKODI TAKES OUT FIRST-EVER ACR ANNUITY

by Phil Murphy

Bill Tyukodi (left) and Clifford Conlyat Cypress Grove, circa 1985


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Spr ing & Fal l Wor k D aysBolinas Lagoon PreserveSunday March 6, 2005

Picher C anyon

Saturday, O ctober 8, 2005

Volunteer Canyon9:30 AM 1:00 PM

(1:00 PM Lunch)

Help friends of ACR ready the BolinasLagoon Preserve for our spring season,with trail work, library work, pullingweeds, or cooking the lunch (we provide).Call 415/868-9244 to register.

Free, but please call to register so we can planon enough food!

ACR Staff

Bouver ie Tr a il Wor k D aysBouverie PreserveMar. 21, April 18, May 16, Sept. 12,

Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Dec. 12

8:15 AM 12:30 PM

Help clear trails, repair trail steps, pullnon-native plants, or work in the nativeplant garden. Bring gloves, a lunch, andlots of energy as this will be strenuouswork. Drinks and tools will be provided.Limited to 15 participants for each day.Call 707/938-4554 to register.

ACR Resource Management Staff

Wo n d er i n g & Wan d e r i n g w it hW i l d f l o w e r sBouverie PreserveApril 9, 2005

9:30 AM 2:00 PM

Learn what to look for when identifyingwildflowers, an easy floral formula, andhow a basic field guide can aid in fieldidentification. Best of all, hike thepreserve, enjoy the wildflower display, andpractice identification skills in the field.

Bring a picnic lunch, water for the trail,and hiking boots or comfortable sneakerswith a good grip. Other handy items ifyou have them: a 10x hand lens, PetersonGuide to Pacific States Wildflowersoryour favorite wildflower field guide, acamera with film. Call 415/868-9244 toregister by March 20, 2005.

Rebecca Anderson-JonesACR Education Director BiologistFee $45

Mo t her s Day BBQVolunteer Canyon, Bolinas LagoonPreserveSunday, May 8, 2005

Proceeds from this annual event, held in

the magnificent meadow at VolunteerCanyon, benefit the educational prograof Audubon Canyon Ranch and MarinAudubon Society. Call Betsy Richardsonat 415/454-5469 for information.

$18 per adult; $10 children under 10;payable to Marin Audubon Society. Maiyour check to MAS, 1540 Center Road,Apt. 387, Novato, CA 94947 by May 2Your check guarantees your reservation.

D o c en t Tr a in i n gBouverie PreserveWednesdays, August 2005 Marc

2006

Beginning August 31st, training classesmeet once a week for 22 weeks. Includeare such diverse topics as birds, insects,pond life, and teaching techniques. Upograduation, docents have the knowledgeand confidence to lead Bouverie field trfor schoolchildren. Supplemental enrichment classes offered throughout the yeaenable docents to add to their knowledgOrientations are scheduled for June 1stand June 22nd, 2005. Call 707/938-455

for more information and to confirmparticipation in orientation.

A $120 fee helps cover the cost of training.

Bo l in a s L ago o n P r e se r v eO pen s t o t h e P ubl icSaturdays, Sundays & holidays

March 19 July 17, 2005

10:00 AM 4:00 PM

Come view the nesting herons and egretsand hike the more than 8 miles of trails. Onweekdays (except Mondays) the Preserve isopen to the public by appointment. Call415/868-9244 for more information.

G u id e d N at u r e Wa l k sBouverie PreserveMar. 12, April 2, April 16, April 23,

May 14, May 21, Sept. 17, Oct. 8,

Oct. 29, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Dec. 3

9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

This is your chance to experience thebeauty and rich natural history of this500-acre preserve. Our half-day guidednature walks are on Saturdays throughoutspring and fall. Call 707/938-4554 forlottery form. Form must be returned onemonth prior to the walk.

No charge but donations appreciatedDocent Council of Bouverie Preserve

Fa l l W o r k D ayBouverie Preserve

Saturday, Septem ber 24, 20059:30 AM 1:00 PM

(1:00 PM Lunch)

Come help spruce up the preserve byworking on the trails, in the native plantgarden, around the formal gardens, in thelibrary, or cooking the lunch (which weprovide). Bring your favorite tool foroutdoor projects! Call 707/938-4554 toregister.

Free, but please call to register so we can planon enough food!

ACR Staff

C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S

For complete information on the events list

ed here, see our websitewww.egret.org.

Or call (415) 868-9244 between 9:00 AM

and 5:00 PM weekdays, or e-mail:

[email protected]

Participation is by advance reservation.

Seminars take place rain or shine.

Refunds are made, less a $10 processing fee

when you notify us two weeks prior to the

class meeting date.

Refunds are not made for late cancellations


10/12

Cheri L DegenhardtNick DegenhardtLarry DeGrassi

Jody DeikeMary DeJesusDiana DeMarcoLinda DemersNancy DeStefanisGinny DeVasto

Julianna DickeyChristophe Dimmitt

Jack DineenCarolyn DixonNancy DolphinCia DonahueFairfax DonovanKathy DoranLeslie K Doughty

Wendy DoughtyJed DouglasKim DouglasGiselle DownardRoberta Downey

Joe DrennanJudy DuganSherrie DyeBob A DyerDavid Easton

Michelle EatonBetsy EcksteinIrene EhretDavid ElliottPhyllis EllmanNancy ElsnerBeth Ely

Mary EngebrethSharon EnrightCathy Evangelista

Todd EvansJules EvensKaren Everard

Marjorie EveridgeNancy FalkPatricia FariaBob Farnham

Lisa FarnhamVicki FayKatie Fehring

Jane L FergusonDavid Ferrera

Andy FieldVirginia FifieldJohn FingerJoan FinkleBinny Fischer

Albert FiskRuth FiskPeggy FledderjohnCynthia Fleischer

Virginia FletcherLeslie L Flint

Annette Floyd

Christine FontaineMark ForneyKristine FowlerLeone FowlerCarol Fraker

Mike FranklinDebbie FrantzBecca Freed

Andrea FreemanSatchel Friedman

Michelle Friend

Miriam FryeCandice FuhrmanPatricia Furlong

James GallagherCari GarsteckiLaurie GaynorDaniel George

Jyoti GermainTony GilbertGretchen GillfillanPhil GillmanCarol GinsburgKeith Gish

Alice GlasnerBeryl GlitzDohn GlitzIvy GluesenkampSally GmelinEllen Goldstone

Marilyn GoodeStella GornickiGeri GottbrathDonna GraberIrene GrautenBarbara Gray

Philip GreeneGerald L Griffin

Joyce GriffinL. Martin Griffin Jr.Page GriffinDeborah Grima-LoweBetty Groce

Maureen J GroperBill GrummerSally GudeCarol Guerrero

Marjorie GuggenhimeBrenda GunnBeth GurneyRobert E Hahn

Judi HainesLinn Hakala

Jim BerklandSuzanne Berne

Mary BicknellLouise Bielfelt

Sherman BielfeltBobbi BirdShirley BiscottiDave BishopGay BishopNancy BisioLaurie BissellEdith BlackBonnie BlackallerRose Marie Blake

Annabel BlakeySara J BlaumanDonna Bley

Michael BlickDiane Bloom

Julie BlumenthalLeonard Blumin

Patti BluminEllen BlusteinShirley BogardusNoelle M Bon

Andrea BondSuzanne Bond

Virginie BooneJanet BosshardJudy BourkeGina Boyett

Tom BradnerEllen Brantley

Anna-Marie BrattonJoan B BreeceEleanor BriccettiEmily Brockman

Jayne BroganMary BronzoBill BroughanHouston BrownKathleen Brown

Michael Ann BrownSam BrownStephen Brown

Janet BrunoShannon BurkePhil Burton

Jamie ByrneDenise CadmanSean CainEugenia CaldwellPeter CaldwellCathleen CannonBarbara Carlson

David CarlsonJoyce CarlsonWilliam CarlsonKate CarolanShirley CarpenterKathy Carroll

Ann CassidyLisa CassidyRudy CastilloKris CatchingLinda Cederborg

Candy ChaillauxDavid ChalkLeigh Anne Chandler

May ChenDave ChenowethDonna Chinlund

Albert ChiuClaire Chow

Judy ClarkSara Clegg

Abby ClowJohn W ClowMary Ann CobbSteve CochraneEllie CohenSuzie ColemanEmily Coletta

Carole ConnellSuzanne ConradRobyn Contini

Jim CookePatti Cooke

Michelle CoppolettaJeffrey CorbinBob CossinsSue CossinsHugh Cotter

James CowperthwaiteMary Anne

CowperthwaiteJan CoxNancy CoxPatti CravesChuck Crawford

Eleanor CrawfordSylvia Crawford

Walt CreberApril CruzF. Rigdon CurrieLinda CurrySharon DadoKit DaineSam DakinKimberly Daly

Ann D DavisMelissa DavisRon DavisSarah DavisCarol DeanDonna Lee DeBaetsEleanor Decker

Deborah AblinMarcy AbramNancy AbreuKen AckermanDawn AdamsKristen AddicksDrew AldenBonnie AlexanderNida Alexander

Julie AllectaJudy Allen

Leslie AllenMelanie AllenSarah Allen Miller

Ph.D.Helen AlvarezLinda AlwittRobert AlwittRosemary AmesBob AndersonCarolyn Anderson

Janica AndersonMarie AndersonTina AnnJudith AnnaRichard Arendt

Thelma L ArlomMegan Armstrong

Christina AtwoodFrancine AustinShirley Austin-PeekeDonna Ayers

Tammy BacaBob Baez

Annie BaileyRuth BaillieNorah BainRichard B Baird

Ankie BajemaBruce Bajema

Ted BakkilaSharon Bale

Audrey BallNancy BarbourGail Barrett

Ryan BartlingBill Barton

Anne W BaxterHelen BealeCaitlin BeanDenali BeardDoris BeattyBill BechtellPeggy BechtellLeslie BellisGordon BennettShelly Benson

Mary BenzigerBetty BerensonPeter BergenGail BergerSteve Berger

Karlene HallMargie HalladinEdythe Halliday

Madelon HalpernLauren HammackDon HanahanLillian HanahanSherri HansellFred HansonKathy HansonRosemary Hanson

Elizabeth HarperJack F HarperRoger Harshaw

Mary Lou HartElizabeth D HartsKeiko Hase

Jim HastingsAlison Hastings-

PimentelNancy Jo HeatonDavid Heller

Mike HenkesBill HeringSuzanne HeringBryant HichwaDiane Hichwa

John Hickman

Holly HigginsPat Hildreth

Anne HillsleyJudi HiltnerDiana B HindleyStuart Hindley

Wyn HoagJake HobsonWalter HoffmanEllen Holden

Marjorie HollingerJean Holroyd-SillsJim HoranRich Horrigan

Terri HorriganRoger Hothem

Ann Howard

Helen HowardSteve Howell

Anne HudginsLisa Hug

Ann HughesDon HughesRobert Hulbert

Tom HulseChristine HunterRobert Hunter Jr.Diane Huntoon

Mary IanniccheriLeslie ImbodenDascha InciarteEllie InsleyCharlotte Irvine

Jenifer G Jackson

T HAN K YOU ACR VOLUN T EERS!

Audubon Canyon Ranch salutes the hundreds of individuals listed below for their dedication to ACR and for generously

donating time and energy as Docents, Ranch Guides, Ranch Hosts, Field Biologists, Researchers, Work Day Volunteers,

Directors, and Advisors. You are the backbone of this organization! For all you do, we thank you!

M.A. Skip SchwartzExecutive Director

Dan MurphyPresident, Board of Directors


11/12

Joli JacobsJeri JacobsenDiane JacobsonJeri Jacobson

Isa JacobyMia JamesBarbara JanisChristine JawskiNorma JellisonRene JenkinsRosemary JepsonGary JoeAnn JoergensonRick JohnsonCalvin JonesGloria JonesLea JordanMarlene JordanLinda JosephsGail KabatLynnette Kahn

Blanche KaiserPatty KarlinGuy KayThomas KehrleinJoanne KeimCarol KeiperCarole KelleherShirley KellyRichard L KettlerDiana KingMarian KirbyAnn KircherApril KirkmanMaureen KirkpatrickRichard F KirschmanMargaret KleinKaren Knudtsen

Fran KorbMarty KortebeinHarriet L KosticMartin KoughanEllen Falconer KrebsCarol KuelperKaren KustelRobert KustelAndy La CassePat LaBergeAndy LaCasseAndrew LafrenzDiane LafrenzSherry LambertJoan LamphierJean-Michel

LapeyradePete LarsenJudy LaursenMarty LautzeGaye LeBaronBarbara LederSharon LeeLaura LeekFrederic LeistLamar LelandBill LenarzStephanie LennoxRobin LeongSharon LeongGail LesterKeith LesterBev Leve

Tish Levee

Chrystal LeverenzSeela Lewis

Michele LiapesEileen LibbyKarin LienartSharon LinderKaren LoidaBert LombinoPatricia LonackerKaren LongZoe Lorentson

Nancy LowneySusan Luber

Teri LunnAnna LyonsFlora E MaclisePhil Madden

Art MagillLaRee Maguire

Tina MaldonadoTamara MalloryJoie MalpassJean MannAlan J MargolisJoann MarkerGloria MarkowitzRoger MarloweCharlotte Martin

Janaea MartinVirginia MartinSandy MartinsenCarter MaserLynn MasonPeter MasonSherry MasonCarol MastersonNancy Mavis MDChris McAuliffe

Marie AnnetteMcCabe

Rita McClainBarbara McCoardDavid McConnell

Virginia McDonaghJeanne McHenryCarolyn McKennaLeo McKenna

Marie McKinneyTeri McLaughlinStephen Mech

Maeve MepzerDiane MerrillSusan Merrill

Valerie MerrinMichael MeryBarbara MeyerRegina MilavecBob MilbournBill Millard

Macell MillardAudrey Miller

Jean MillerKirsten MillerFlavia Millikan

Ann MintieJudy MissakianJan MoffetJim MoirCorinne MonahanIan MorrisonPaul Moschetti

Anne MurphyDan Murphy

Joan MurphyNancy MurrayKaren J Nagel

Angela Nardo-Morgan

Leonard Nelson

Sherry NelsonWally NevilleMark NewhouserLinda NicolettoKenneth E NiehoffEve NighswongerLena NilssonFiona Nolan

Terry NordbyeScott Norton

Tilly Nylin

Patricia OBrienEdna OConnorSheila ODonnell

Mary OHernJohn OReillyIvan ObolenskyRudolf OppenheimerCarol Orme

Judie Osborn-ShawDavid Oster

Janet OyenAlan PabstRenee PalaceSheelagh PampaninRichard Panzer

Jennie PardiRobert J Parker

Michael ParkesLorraine ParsonsCarol PatelLeslie PattenLois E PattonRay Paula

Jean PauleyBeej Paulsen

Tony PazJoelle PeeblesBonnie Sue PembertonPrecious Peoples

Jamie Perham

Beverly PerrinLeslie R PerryKathy Peterlein

Jeff PetersonPhil PetersonRay L PetersonCatherine PetruGeorge S Peyton Jr.Cathy Pharis

Jane PielBill PierceLenore Pimental

Jeff PittsMyfanwy PlankSally PolaKatie Pollard

Julia PollockAlan PooleMyrlee PotosnakHelen M Pratt

Mary C PremoKatherine Prescott

Jorge PresserJeanne PriceMaris PurvinsLisa Rabin

Jason Rainey

Barbara RamseyPatricia Randall

Alison Rayner-Hooson

Connie Rector-Kinnison

Joan ReganJeanne ReggioJeff ReichelLinda ReichelRhio Reigh

Don ReinbergMarion ReynoldsJean RhodesDiana RhotenRudi RichardsonCheryl RileyRichard Riopelle

John RisseBeverly RiverwoodRosemary Roach

Maggie RobertsonJayne RosantssonEmily Rose

Marty RosenMike RosenDominique

Rosenberg

Glenda RossMelrose RossPaul J RubyLiz Ruellan

Anne RuffinoDeAnn Rushall

Janel RussingPearl SaadEllen Sabine

Maryla SaltDianne SamplesRhonda SanbornRoger Sanborn

Jeff SanchezMaggie Sanchez-

CoreaMarilyn SandersLen SansomeRodger SatoriSharon SavageFran ScarlettRichard SchillerPhyllis SchmittHarry SchoonbaertCraig SchorrCynthia SchragerGordon Schremp

Alice SchultzCraig H Scott

Marilynn ScottLee Seidner

Asha SettyCyndy Shafer

Robin SharpEdward SheridanRichard B ShippsRobert Sholtz

Will Shonbrun

Chillie ShumannSam ShumannClaire Shurvinton

Jay SiedenburgKathy SimonRachel SimpsonDolly Simunovich

Jane SinclairKathleen SmallfieldErnestine I Smith

Joe Smith

Joseph SmithMarjorie SmithPat SmithRobert SmithGerry SnedakerCraig Solin

Alex SolomonWilliam SolomonKaren Sommer

Marianne SonntagBob Soost

Amy SouthwickLinda Spence

Anne SpencerRobert SpoffordSue SpoffordCraig Spriggs

Jane SpriggsDenize SpringerLeslie SproulBetsy StaffordRich StallcupBarbara StarkeShelby Starkey

Jean StarkweatherGay SternLarry Stern

Jim SternberghLiz SternsLaurel Stevenson

Michael StevensonLinda Stewart

Julie StilesRodney StockSandy StoddardSusan Stoddard

Mary StoneKaren StoreyRon StoreySusan Sutch

John SutherlandLowell SykesKatherine SyversenBarbara TaylorLarry Taylor

Judy TemkoMike TerwilligerLynn Thangathurai

Janet ThiessenMary Ann Thompson

Wayne ThompsonPeggy ThorpeMona TiecheCarolyn Timmins

Teri TithAlicia ToldiFrancis ToldiLeigh Toldi

William TrbovichSue TredickSusan TremblayLouise TrudeauRebecca Tuden

Joan TurnerCathy TylerKathleen Unti

Julie Vader

Susan Van Der WalLee Van GiesenLeticia Van SickleZoltan VasvaryCarol Ann VellutiniKate VeristainNatalia VicinoSylvia VictorLinda VidaNorma ViteSasha Vitomski

Nancy Vizi

Deborah L VotekLaura Wade

Mary C WagnerStephany WaiteSandra WaldSusan Walker

Roberta WallTom WalshTanis WaltersChristine WalwynSarah WarnockCara WasdenRyan WatanabeKathleen WatsonPenny Watson

Anna WebsterLynn Webster

Judy WeinerArlene WeisCarol WeiskePatrick Welch

Jim WellhouseJane WellingtonWendy WhalenMildie WhedonHeather WhiteRosilyn White

Tom P WhiteDanya WiebalkDiana Wilkiemeyer

Julia WilkinsonDiane WilliamsPhyllis WilliamsLiz Williamson

Jessica WilsonKate WilsonKathy WilsonKen WilsonRuss Wilson

Marilyn WinkleyJon WinterMike WitkowskiWigay WixPat Wolffe

Angie WolfowMadeleine WoodDick WoodmanKathryn WrightRobert YanagidaNancy YoungPeter YoungKaty ZarembaIngrid ZimmermanSuzanne Zimmerma

Jill ZumwaltLoretta Zweig


12/12

WHEN TO VISIT

Bolinas Lagoon Preserve

M id-M arch to mid-July: Saturda y, Sunday a nd

holidays, 10 :00 am to 4:0 0 pm.

W eekdays by appo intment only; call

(415) 868-9244.

Closed Mondays.

Bolinas Lagoon Preserve is adjacent to Bolinas

Lag oon on State Hig hwa y O ne, three miles

north of Stinson Beach.

Cypress Grove Preserve

By appointment only. (415) 663-8203.

Bouverie Preserve

By appointment only. (707) 938-4554.

See schedule of events, inside.

www.egret.orge-mail: acr@egr et.o rg

TheAudubon Canyon

Ranch Bulletin ipublished twice yearlyby Audubon Canyon

Ranch as a free offeringto ACR donors and

supporters. Edited byCassie Gruenstein and

Yvonne PierceDesigned by

Claire Peaslee2005 Audubon

Canyon RanchPrinted on 50% recycled

paper (20% post-consumer) using

soy-based inks

Aud ubon Can yon Ran ch

4900 H ighway O ne

St in s o n Bea ch , C A 9 49 70(415) 868-924 4

N on-profit

O rganization

U.S. Postag ePAID

M ail Com

Audubo n C anyon R anch wildlife sanctuaries and center s for n ature education and r esearch

B li L P C G R h C B i P

T he Mission of Audubon Canyon Ranch: Preserve, protect and manage ACR properties as sanctuaries for

native plants and animals. Educate children and adults about the natural environment and the need to protect it,

through the experience and enjoyment of ACR sanctuaries. Support research and conservation efforts that

enhance the preservation and management of ACR sanctuaries.

audubon canyon ranch bulletin, spring 2005

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