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the
PelicanLahontan Audubon Society • P.O. Box 2304 • Reno, Nevada 89505 • www.nevadaaudubon.org • 775-324-BIRD
Mission statement: To preserve and improve the remaining habitat of birds and other wildlife, restore historical habitat, and educate
the public, with emphasis on children, providing vision to all about our unique Nevada environments.
MONTHLY MEETINGSDate: Fourth Tuesday of the month
Time: Social at 6:30 p.m. Program starts at 7 p.m.
Location: South Valleys Library
15650A Wedge Parkway, Reno
Exterior door, west side of building
Directions to South Valleys Library: Take Hwy 395 to the Mt. Rose Hwy. Head west
on the Mt. Rose Hwy and take the rst right turn onto Wedge Parkway, just past Raley’s
shopping center. Go about one mile on Wedge Parkway and look for the boldly
designed, mustard yellow library on the right. For carpooling see page 9.
March 24 - Bird Identication Panel - Round 2They’re baaaaaaack - by popular demand! If you missed the Bird ID Panel last March
you missed one of the highlights of the season. Our panel of experts (Greg Scyphers,Martin Meyers, Will Richardson, Kirk Hardie, and Jim Eidel) have agreed to returnto try and identify those photos of birds submitted by you, our LAS members. AlanGubanich will prepare a Powerpoint presentation and show your photos to the panel one by one. Then we will all sit back and once again see if our local “experts” can agree onthe species identication, and explain why they think as they do. Here is another chancefor all of us to learn some of the secrets of bird ID.
NOTE: If you have any decent (or even just relatively decent) photos of birds that youwould like to submit (either digital or 35 mm slides), send them to Alan Gubanich [email protected] (or call 857-0191). If you submit any photos, please accompanythem with your name and a date and location for each photo. If you don’t know exactdetails, approximations are okay (e.g., late April on the northern CA coast; or, earlyFebruary about 30 miles north of Las Vegas; etc.).
April 28 - Jim Stamates - The Theory of Rhythms: A Wildlife Photographer’s Viewon Our Relationship with NatureJim Stamates, a wildlife photographer from Lake Tahoe, will share his “Theory of Rhythms”, which is based on his 30-year career as a photographer, along with his personal observations and a little quantum mechanics thrown in for good measure.Jim focuses on our relationship to the natural world dening, with humor, thedifference between natural and unnatural rhythms. His presentation highlightsspectacular wildlife and scenic photographs from North America, including bears, birds, wolves, and Sierra landscapes. His message: slow down, get in tune with nature,and amazing things happen.
MARCH/APRIL2009
vol. 46, no. 4
Inside This Issue
1 Monthly Meetings
2 Birds and More
3 Backyard Habitat
4 Field Trips
5 Important Bird Areas
8 Of Note from thePresident
9 The Avid Birder
10 Birds In Town
11 LAS Sales/ Membership
Submissions for the May/June issue are
due April 1, 2009
The Pelican may be viewed on the LAS
website at www.nevadaaudubon.org,
click on the Newsletter tab.
The Pelican 1
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2 The Pelican
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Pelican is the ofcial newsletter of the Lahontan AudubonSociety and is published six times annually. Subscriptions are
paid for as part of the dues of LAS or the National Audubon
Society. LAS welcomes gifts, donations, and bequests in gen-
eral, or gifts in honor or memory of relatives and friends. Such
donations will be used as specied or, if unspecied, will be
used to support LAS education and conservation projects. All
donations are tax deductible.
WHERE TO WRITE:Keep conservation to the forefront. Write your elected ofcials and
tell them how you feel:
Senator Harry Reid Senator John Ensign
400 S. Virginia St. #902 400 S. Virginia St. #738
Reno, NV 89501 Reno, NV 89501
Toll-free: 1-866-736-7343 Reno phone: 775-686-5770
Representative Dean Heller Governor Jim Gibbons
400 S. Virginia St. #502 101 N. Carson St.
Reno, NV 89501 Carson City, NV 89710
Reno phone: 775-686-5760 775-684-5670
This new feature is in response
to our members’ request for more
information about the lives and natural
history of birds. Our bird of the month
is the Western Scrub-Jay, familiar
to many of us because it visits feedersand happily accepts peanut handouts.
Western Scrub-Jays have a varied
diet that includes insects, fruits,
acorns, and seeds. Like many other
members of the Corvid family (ravens,
crows, jays, and nutcrackers), they are
known to “cache” or store food for
later consumption. Western Scrub-Jays
bury food shallowly or wedge it into
crevices in rocks or behind tree bark.
Studies have shown that birds (even
chickadees) that store food remember where the cache site is based on its
position to local landmarks and can
retrieve the food many weeks later.
Western Scrub-Jays have been shown
to “take it to another level” in that
they remember not only where, but
what type of food was cached and
when. Because some of their food
items are perishable (such as insect
larvae), Western Scrub-Jays appear to
keep track of what items were stored
and when they were stored. They willretrieve perishables before they spoil,
leaving more durable items like seeds
in other caches for later. Thus, Western
Scrub-Jays demonstrate a memory of
“what,” “where,” and “when” recall,
the rst demonstration of this type of
memory in non-human animals.
Western Scrub-Jays live in social
groups much of the year. Young
remain in the parents’ territory after
edging, forming family groups that
may include young from previous
years. In fall, neighboring groups may join to form larger foraging groups.
Within these mixed groups, Western
Scrub-Jays appear to know individuals
from neighboring groups and have a
clearly established “pecking” order.
Higher ranking individuals may
steal food from the caches of lower
ranking individuals, as will individuals
of the same rank. Western Scrub-
Jays try to cache food unobserved
by others. Studies have shown that
a bird caching food takes note of any observers and defends its hoard
accordingly. If the observing bird is
a known “thief”, the storing bird is
more likely to return later to re-bury
its treasure unobserved. This suggests
that Western Scrub-Jays are able to
gure out what another individual is
thinking and act accordingly. Even
more remarkable is that recent studies
have shown that birds who themselves
have stolen others’ caches are more
likely to return to re-bury food after
being observed than are “innocent”
birds who have not pilfered before.
Thus they seem to be attributing intentto other individuals based on their
own experiences, blurring the
“thought” boundary between people
and other animals even more. So,
the next time you feed peanuts to
your Western Scrub-Jays, you may
have more respect for their mental
capacities and wonder what they are
thinking about you!!
Please share your thoughts and
suggestions for this column [email protected].
The following will take you to an
interesting (but a bit technical)
article summarizing much of
the above research: http://www.
pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.
fcgi?artid=2346514.
BIRDS AND MOREKathy Oakes 775-747-5446 [email protected]
Photo of Western Scrub-Jay by Ed Oakes.
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The Pelican 3
The Harbingers of Spring
As the days warm, trees start to
bloom, and the beauty of spring
begins to shine, many people begin
the cultivating season and birds the
breeding season. Spring brings a greatchange of faces, colors, and songs in
birds as well as a great bloom of life in
the garden. With the coming of spring,
new opportunities arrive for wildlife
gardeners to enhance their yards and
entice wild creatures to visit. Spring
tasks include the removal of last year’s
growth, the addition of some hardy
plants, and the creation of nesting
sites, or even the preparation for
entirely new gardens.
A great place to start is the removalof waste materials (e.g., last year’s
growth, dead plants, leaves, etc.).
Instead of sending these materials
to the landll, better uses include
composting or adding them to a brush
pile. If your yard has an unused area,
you can simply dump this garden
waste there. These materials will
eventually decompose and be used
for mulch, but in the meantime they
can provide a friendly foraging area
for birds.
Some other benecial activities
are creating natural nesting sites,
providing nesting material, or erecting
articial nesting sites, including nest
boxes. Natural nesting sites will be
preferred by the birds but are often
in short supply, especially for cavity
nesters. A natural nesting site can
be as mundane as a brush pile or as
extravagant as a coast redwood tree
planted in the yard. Popular nesting
plants that do well in our climate
include blackberry and raspberry
brambles, willow, cottonwood, pines,
and junipers.
Providing nesting material is yet
another great way to attract birds to
your yard. Nesting material can range
in variety from mud, feathers, and
lichen, to string and tissue paper. Mud
might not be the most beautiful part of
a backyard habitat, but it will attract
an array of guests. The easiest way to
do this is to thoroughly soak an area of
soil. However, I have found that birds
typically will return to the same area
day after day, year after year, in searchof this necessity. With this in mind, it
would be a good idea to make a more
long-lasting solution. This can be
done by taking a pie tin and lling it
with dirt and then adding water. Birds
prefer a thick slurry, so make sure not
to add too much water. In the spring,
in partial shade, this will typically last
several days; in the summer heat it
may last for one or two days. String
can be another great nesting material
for birds, or it can be a completenightmare. A simple way of providing
string would be by cutting it into short
strands, no more than three inches
in length, and stufng them inside a
suet cage. String that is too long can
entangle the birds. There is by no
means a guarantee that these methods
will work in your yard, and they are
only a few of many available.
Nest boxes and articial nesting
sites have become an integral part
of any backyard habitat, as humans
have destroyed many of their natural
counterparts. Nest boxes can be so
small as to house a Bewick’s Wren,
or large enough to host a Barn Owl.
Nest boxes can be purchased at a store
or built at home. Different species of
birds prefer different nest boxes, so
you should consider the birds that you
are trying to attract when purchasing
or building. Building a nest box is easy
with the right materials available. I
personally prefer one inch-thick-pine,
but this is purely a matter of choice.
Following are nest box dimensions for
some local species:
Mountain Chickadee: interior •
height 10-12”, interior oor 4 x
4”, entrance hole diameter 1½”.
Western Bluebird: interior height•
12”, interior oor 5 x 5”, entrance
hole diameter 1½”.
House Finch: interior height 10”,•
interior oor 5 x 5”, entrance hole
diameter 1½”
Downy Woodpecker: interior •
height 10”, interior oor 4 x 4”,
entrance hole diameter 1½”. Northern Flicker: interior height•
18-24”, interior oor 7 x 7”,
entrance hole diameter 2½”.
American Kestrel: interior height•
18”, interior oor 9 x 9”, entrance
hole diameter 3”.
The roof of a nest box should extend
2-3” beyond the face panel; perches
are not necessary nor wanted by many
birds.
As the ground slowly begins to thaw,
it is also time to start preparing for any new gardens. Many people begin
gardening for wildlife with a small
patch of land but soon come to realize
that they need much more space.
Preparation is simple and involves
few steps. However, each step often
requires an amount of physical labor.
The rst step is to clear the desired
area of any lawn, weeds, or large
obstacles. Then you can either use a
Roto-Tiller, or hand till using a shovel
or pitchfork. Once this is done, you
are ready for plants. It is still early for
most purchased annuals, but many
perennials are hardy enough for the
cold spring snaps typical of our area.
Wildower seed can also be spread at
this date, but be sure to cover it with a
thin layer of mulch to prevent it from
blowing away or being eaten by the
birds.
As winter turns to spring, and the
garden truly comes alive for the
season, birds with their great songs
and joyous personalities are the “the
harbingers of spring”.
Jonathan Heywood, who is fourteen
years old, has been birding for four
years. He began creating bird habitat
at his home three years ago and has
done extensive research on the topic.
BACKYARD HABITAT
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4 The Pelican
FIELD TRIPS Christiane Omer 775-354-2634 [email protected]
Saturday, March 28
Susanville Sage-Grouse Lek and
Honey Lake, CA
Time: 4:30 a.m.
Leader: Dave Jickling,
775-329-8959This is a great chance to see nature in
action! Observe male Greater Sage-
Grouse perform to attract females
onto their lekking grounds. This
tour also includes a visit to Honey
Lake wetlands with good potential
for numerous waterfowl and raptor
species. Participants should meet at
the McDonald’s on Oddie Blvd, two
blocks east of Highway 395 at 4:30
a.m. in Sparks. Depending upon road
conditions, only four-wheel drive or high clearance vehicles will be able
to drive to the lek. Bring food, water,
and a scope if you have one.
Saturday, April 4
Sierra Valley Expedition
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Alan Gubanich, 775-857-
0191, [email protected]
For those who didn’t get to the Sierra
Valley trip last fall, here’s your chance! We’ll spend both the morning
and part of the afternoon looking for
any late winter raptors (Red-tailed,
Rough-legged, and Ferruginous
Hawks) and waterfowl (swans, ducks,
and geese), plus any early migrants,
Sandhill Cranes and White-fronted
Geese are always possibilities. We
can brown-bag our lunch, or enjoy
a great little restaurant in Sierraville
(let me know your preference when
you register). If time and weather permits, we may also visit Yuba
Pass or Plumas-Eureka State Park.
In the eastern Sierra, chickadees,
nuthatches, jays, woodpeckers, and
sapsuckers are always possibilities.
Please register with Alan if you
plan to attend. We will meet in the
McDonald’s parking lot, Lemmon
Valley exit (Exit 74), north of Reno,
off Hwy 395.
Saturday, April 11
Damonte Ranch WetlandsTime: 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Kathy Oakes, 775-747-
5446, [email protected]
This is an easy walk on paved trails
and birders of all experience levels
are welcome. Hopefully, we will
see some early spring migrants and
resident birds of wetlands and open
meadows. Past trips have offered
great close-up views of several
waterfowl species (they are fairly
tame and used to people in this area),and good views of Northern Harriers
are possible. Bring binoculars and
a spotting scope if you have one,
and extra clothes for unpredictable
weather. Prepare to be out until about
noon. The group size is limited;
please contact Kathy to reserve
your space. Meet at the RC Willey
furniture store at 1201 Steamboat
Pkwy in south Reno. We will carpool
from there to the wetlands.
Saturday, April 18
Swan Lake
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Leader: Bob Goodman, 775-972-
7848, [email protected]
Meet Bob (look for his van) at 8:30
a.m. in the McDonald’s parking
lot, Lemmon Valley Exit (Exit 74),
North of Reno, off Hwy 395. We will
carpool the short distance to Lemmon
Valley Marsh. Bring a spotting scopeif you can, and prepare to be out
until mid-day. This is a good time
to see early spring migrants and
winter resident birds on the marsh
and wetlands. This is an easy bird
walk and birders of all experience are
welcome.
Saturday, April 25
Wandering the Carson Valley
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Leader: Jim Woods, 775-265-3914,
Here is a great opportunity to seethe numerous birds and habitats of
the Carson Valley. We’ll take a 1½
mile walk at the IVGID wetlands
to look for waterfowl and wading
birds. Next, it’s off to a local ranch to
explore the riparian lands along the
mighty Carson River. Given we will
be on private land, the tour is limited
to 12, contact Jim to reserve your
spot. Meet at the In-N-Out Burger at
957 Topsy Lane in Carson City. Look
for a red mid-size pick-up with a redcamper shell. Bring a bag lunch and
plenty of water, a scope if possible,
and expect to wrap up around 1:30 p.m.
Donors
American White Pelican $100 - $499
Bob Shields
James H. Thompson
Mountain Bluebird $20 - 49
Ann Keniston
Lorraine Giurlani
Ron and Judy Daly
Charles George Grifth
Carol Colip
Ruby Crowned Kinglet $10 - $19
Nancy Humphries
Kris Hanneman
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The Pelican 5
IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS PROGRAMRobin Powell 775-247-2798 [email protected]
Recognizing the Walker Lake
Important Bird Area
Walker Lake was recognized as
one of Nevada’s Important Bird
Areas (IBA) through the NationalAudubon Society’s Important Bird
Area Program, which is a partnership
between BirdLife, International
and National Audubon Society. The
Important Bird Area Program of
Nevada is focused on identifying and
conserving sites that are important to
bird species of conservation concern
or priority.
The following are some facts about
the Walker Lake Important Bird Areaand why it is important to conserve
this site:
Walker Lake’s open water habitat•
supports species identied as
high conservation priorities such
as Clark’s Grebe, White-faced
Ibis, Snowy Plover, American
Avocet, and American White
Pelican. Snowy Plover has been
reported to nest at the south end
of the lake.
Walker Lake was also recognized•
for the assemblage of speciesthat are characteristic of this
threatened habitat. Walker Lake is
one of a few remaining terminal
freshwater lakes in the world.
Species of waterfowl, shorebirds,
and gulls are drawn to this large
open body of water.
Approximately 7,000 waterfowl•
birds are seen annually during the
winter months with peak numbers
during migration. Northern
Shoveler, Gadwall, Redhead,
Ruddy Duck, Snow Goose, and
Greater Scaup are typically seen
at Walker Lake.
The Common Loon migration•
is the largest known inland
congregation west of the
Mississippi River. The highest
recorded migration was 1,400
individuals during migration.
Common Loons are piscivorous
(sh-eating) and rely upon the
sh production of the lake, which
has been on the decline due to
water quantity and quality issues.
Important Bird Area May Be Lost Without Inux of Water
Prolonged efforts to get a secure supply of water for Walker Lake, Nevada, has brought the freshwater shery
dangerously close to collapse. Upstream water diversions for agriculture in the last century have resulted in a 75 percent
decrease in volume for the lake in western Nevada and a rise in alkalinity to a level that is interrupting native sh
reproduction.
Because Walker Lake has no water rights of its own, anything short of a Walker River Basin ood year in 2009
would produce little or no water for the lake. The result will cause the lake to drop at least another four feet this year and
leave an uncertain fate for the two remaining native sh species that provide food for thousands of migratory birds on
the Pacic Flyway. Walker Lake is a stopover for up to 1,400 Common Loons during their migration to Canadian nesting
grounds. Other birds that rely on the lake include the American White Pelican, Snowy Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Double-
crested Cormorant, and White-faced Ibis.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is leading the effort to purchase and lease water for Walker Lake from willing sellers,
while insuring the least possible disruption to the economies of upstream communities. Karen Grillo is project coordinator
for the Walker Basin Project that was inspired by Sen. Reid through a $70 million congressional appropriation. Grillo said
her phone was “ringing off the hook” with calls from people who wanted to sell their water to the project. Even so, Sen.
Reid’s efforts are still drawing much opposition from upstream water users.
Nevada’s congressional delegates need to hear of the widespread public support to save this ecological gem.
Immediate action is essential to obtain an interim water supply for the lake, because the rst water deliveries from
Sen. Reid’s efforts may not reach the lake for three to ve years. During this time total collapse of the lake’s ecosystem
could occur.
Photo of Walker Lake, courtesy of Robin Powell.
(continued on page 7)
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6 The Pelican
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Education Committee
With spring just around the corner,
the Education Committee will
soon be busy leading eld trips
again for local elementary school
kids at Washoe Lake. In the lastthree years, with the help of
several volunteers and some staff
from the Washoe Lake State Park,
LAS led 35 birding and natural
history eld trips for hundreds of
Washoe County school children
and teachers. With anywhere from
25 to sometimes 60 children per
trip, one person can not do it all.
If you have any available time, we
would welcome your help either asan assistant or a trip leader. You do
not need to be a birding or natural
history expert, just a willing and
enthusiastic worker. Most trips
will be held on Mondays and
Wednesdays, from mid-April
through late May.
LAS will provide binoculars and
spotting scopes, but feel free to
bring your own.
The Education Committee
also visits classrooms and runs
information booths at various
events to teach school kids and
adults about the birds of Nevada
and their habitats. The next event
will be the Tune In To Kids Fair
at Idlewild Park on Saturday,
April 25 from 10:00 am to 4:00
pm. We will need volunteers to
work shifts at the LAS table - even just an hour of your time will be
appreciated.
Please contact Alan Gubanich
at 857-0191 or [email protected].
edu if you are interested in any
of these volunteer opportunities.
You will quickly realize what a
difference you can make for many
of these bright young kids - and
you will have lots of fun too!
Looking forward to working with
you!
Sheldon National WildlifeRefuge Workday and Field Trip
Come join us for a little work
and a little play at the Sheldon
National Wildlife Refuge on June
20-21. Saturday, June 20 will be
a work day and include removing
fence on the refuge. We will camp
at Catnip Reservoir campground
and tour the refuge on Sunday,
June 21. If you are interested,
contact Mike Goddard for moredetails and to register, 775-423-
5128, [email protected].
Breeding Bird Survey Volunteer
The Breeding Bird Survey is
a cooperative effort between
the U.S. Geological Survey’s
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
(Maryland) and the Canadian
Wildlife Service’s National
Wildlife Research Centre to
monitor the status and trends of
North American bird populations.
It is conducted in the spring
along a route consisting of 50
stops along local roads, for a
driving distance of 25 miles. For
several years, Connie Douglas has
conducted a route of the survey
near Reno, and she has decided
that it’s time to pass it along toanother willing volunteer bird
counter. This particular route
starts north of Nixon and heads
south, ending along the S-Bar-S
Ranch road. It is an annual survey,
and should be conducted in May
or June when the most breeding
birds can be seen and heard.
Contact Connie at 775-425-1305
she’d be happy to scout the route
and/or run it with you the rst
time.
• • • • •
Important Bird Areas
Volunteer Days
Through the funding of the
National Audubon Society’s
TogetherGreen Volunteerism
Grant, the Nevada Important
Bird Area (IBA) Program will
be implementing numerousconservation related projects
throughout Northern Nevada
during Spring 2009. There
are plenty of opportunities to
protect the habitat, learn new
conservation skills, plant some
trees, and network with like-
minded individuals. Each event
will have various “tokens of
appreciation” for the volunteers
and include refreshments. All ages
are welcome and encouraged!
Cottonwood Tree Planting Along
the Carson River
Location: River Fork Ranch-
Carson Valley IBA
Date: March 29, 2009 (tentative)
Goal: Plant up to 48 cottonwood
trees along the Carson River as
part of the ongoing streambank restoration at the River Fork
Ranch in Genoa. The River Fork
Ranch, owned by The Nature
Conservancy, has been undergoing
weed abatement, seed gathering,
wetland restoration, and pasture
rehabilitation activities.
(continued on page 7)
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The Pelican 7
The restoration of the cottonwood
gallery along the Carson River
is critical to the protection of the
riparian corridor to provide habitat
for various bird species such as
Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret,Bald Eagle, and other raptors. In
addition, there is documentation
of Sandhill Cranes nesting on a
portion of the ranch.
Swan Lake Clean-up Day and
Thistle Pull
Location: Swan Lake Nature
Study Area and IBA
Date: May 2, 2009 (conrmed)
Goal: Clean up debris and garbagethroughout the IBA and dig all
musk thistle rosettes along the
trail, pastures, and boardwalk.
Noxious weeds are a serious threat
to the sensitive habitats at Swan
Lake.
Noxious weeds such as tall
whitetop and musk thistle have
infested large portions of the
upland, riparian, and playa
habitats, which reduces the habitat
quality for wildlife and displaces
native vegetation. Musk thistle is
easy to remove during the rosette
stage, thereby preventing the
spread of the plant species and
protecting the habitat.
Washoe Valley Citizen Science
Day
Location: Winters Ranch-WashoeValley IBA
Date: TBD
Goal: To improve the community
residents’ understanding of the
importance of monitoring for
new invasive plant species in the
valley. Part of the training will
include working with GPS units,
(Walker Lake continued from page 5)
Contact Sen. Reid at www.reid.
senate.gov/contact; Sen. John Ensign,
R-Nev., at www.ensign.senate.gov;and Rep. Dean Heller, R-Nev., at
www.heller.house.gov/zipauth.shtml.
To learn more about other efforts
to save Walker Lake, don’t miss the
new Walker Lake Education Day
(formerly the Walker Lake Loon
Festival) on April 25, 2009, from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walker Lake
Recreation Area. The event will
feature free wildlife viewing boat
rides, exhibits, and demonstrations.
Volunteers are needed for event planning and logistics. Call 775-573-
2581 for more information.
By Lorna Weaver
Walker Lake Working Group
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES(continued from page 6)
Festivals and Celebrations
Walker Lake Education Day
Saturday, April 25
Walker Lake Education Day, formerly known as Walker Lake Loon Festival,will be held at Walker Lake Recreation Area, 11 miles north of Hawthorne,
Nevada, on U.S. Hwy 95. Free wildlife viewing boat rides will be held
throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free exhibits, demonstrations, and
children’s activities will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will highlight
the multi-organization/agency efforts to prevent the imminent collapse of the
Walker Lake unique freshwater shery. Food will be available for purchase at
the beach. For information call 775-573-2581.
Swan Lake NSA Celebration
Saturday May 2
Please save the date. Plans are being made to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the dedication of Swan Lake Nature Study Area. The ceremony and
celebration will follow the Annual Swan Lake NSA Cleanup scheduled for
Saturday May 2. For further information contact Bob Goodman at 775-972-
7848 or [email protected].
proper weed identication, and
how to be an effective citizen
scientist. One of the greatest
habitat threats to this IBA is
noxious weeds. It is critical to
identify new weed species and
eradicate them immediately, which
requires active volunteers!
Within two weeks of each
event, I will be distributing
more information (i.e., times,
meeting locations, supplies, etc.)
and posting to the LAS website
at www.nevadaaudubon.org/
iba. If you have any interest involunteering at the events or
would like more information,
please feel free to contact Robin
Powell at 775-247-2798 or
Happy Volunteering!
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8 The Pelican
OF NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
• Salute to CBC Leaders: We extend a special thanks
to the 2008 Christmas Bird Count leaders. They were
Dave McNinch, Truckee Meadows; Greg Scyphers,
Carson City/Carson Valley; Dennis and Becca
Serdehely, Pyramid Lake; and Amy Leist, Fallon. These
leaders help sustain what is a venerable tradition and
a valuable citizen science activity. And, of course, the
annual CBC would not be possible without the cadre of
volunteers for each area.
• Birding Activities in South Lake Tahoe: Among the
comments received in last spring’s Member Survey, we
received a request for information on birding activities
in the South Lake Tahoe area. In addition to the Taylor
Creek eld trips sponsored by LAS, there is an active
group of birders in South Lake Tahoe. If you wish
further information, please contact LAS member Sue
Stevenson at [email protected].
• Silver Saddle Ranch Status: Silver Saddle Ranch in
Carson City has been an area of longstanding interest
and involvement for LAS. On January 15, a federal
lands bill was passed by the U.S. Senate and, at this
writing, is expected to pass the U.S. House. The bill
includes a land exchange between Carson City and the
U.S. Forest Service. Included in that is a conveyance
of more than 3,500 acres of the Silver Saddle Ranch,
Prison Hill, and areas along the Carson River to Carson
City on condition that the area continue in public useand not be developed. Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch
(FOSSR), under the leadership of Nancy Santos,
FOSSR President and LAS Silver Saddle Ranch
Conservation subcommittee, provided the impetus for
this outcome, a testament to the strength of individual
and small group efforts.
• Wind Turbines: In the face of rapidly emerging wind
turbine projects in our immediate area, Program Chair
Alan Gubanich has arranged for a representative from
National Audubon Society to speak at our May 26thmeeting on “Renewable Energy and Wildlife Protection:
How to Promote Both.” Details will follow in our
May/June issue.
– Karen L. Kish
FUND DRIVE 2008 DONORS
Thank you for your generous donations to support our
conservation, education, and birding activities! Your donations
are always a great encouragement. We will do our best to uphold
your trust in Lahontan Audubon Society. — The LAS Board of
Trustees
Golden Eagle $500 or More: Dave & Pam Straley
American White Pelican $100 - $499: Linda Badzioch,
Debra Brus, Peter & Trudy Brussard, John F. Gardner, Gene
& Sue Hansel, Karen L. Kish, Kathryn E. Landreth, Juleen
Marcuerquiaga, Penny McClary, Marianne Morgan, Leontine
Nappe, Dr. Fredric & Gail Petersen, Dale & Linda Sanderson,
JoAnne Sharigian Gould, Jacque Spacek, John & Faith Spencer,
Alan R. Wallace
American Avocet $50 - $99: Merrie Benesch, James Black,
Louis Bubala, Allison Chaney, Gini Cooper Watts, Judith G.Eisele, Michael Fondi, William Frey, Dennis Ghiglieri & Rose
Strickland, Juan & Rosa Gonzales, Bob Goodman, Elwood
Hill, John Lane, Anna Lindberg, Tim & Sandy McFarren, Dan
Mende, Richard Palcanis, Judy Phoenix, Catherine Robinson,
Phillip & Susan Stevenson, Carole Terry, Valerie J. Truce, Myra
& William Ulvang, Bonnie & Rusty Wagner, James & Diane
Weishaupt, Linda Wycoff
Mountain Bluebird $20 - $49: John & Kulwadee Axtell,
Hershel & Lois Baker, Thomas & Marilyn Beard, Constance
Biba, Karla Sue Brune, Jane Burnham, Paul & Jeannine Clark,
Vickie Clay & Bert Young, Carol Colip, John G. Currie, Philip
Daly, Margie Edgington, Jeffrey & Brenda Erdoes, Joseph &
Sheila Erlac, William & Julie Frame, Allen & Judy Frederick,
Steven Gilbert, Jacqueline Gotelli, Susan Grobman, Sonia Hem,
Thomas Hendrycks, Jeanne Harrah Johnson, Cynthia Joyce,
Donal & Carol Lauer, Edith Loes, Margaret McCafferty, Gary
McCalla, Carol Noble, Annaliese Odencrantz, Dorothy O’Hearn
Ruth Patreck, Margaret Patzner, Rich & Patricia Peacock, John
Pierce, Deborah & Randall Pontius, C.L. Reimer, Christopher
Ross, Stephanie Sander, Phyllis Schmidt, H.E. Sealey, John T.
Shonard, Barbara Simons, James Supple, Kristin Szabo, Julie
U’Ren, Ronald & Celeste Waddell, Norman & Evelyn Whisler,
Theodore Williams, Glee & John Ton Willis
Ruby-crowned Kinglet $10 - $19: Vasil & Anita Eftimoff,
Peter Fairley, Helen Foster, Sharon Hay, Edward & Charlotte
Hartley, Mechthild Hultin, Debby & Johnny Klingelhoets, Ralda
Lindstrom, Glenda Mahin, John Mitchell, Jennifer Skelton,
Heidrun Winter
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The Pelican 9
Carpooling If you are interested in carpooling to LAS
General Meetings, please contact BoardTrustee Linda Badzioch at 775-851-8353
or [email protected], who will share
your information with others in your area
who have expressed interest in carpooling.
Please provide (a) your name(s), (b) telephone
and e-mail (if you have it) contacts, (c) area
where you live, and (d) your choice of riding,
driving, or either.
Schedule of General Meetings
March 24 – Bird Identication Panel – Round 2
April 28 – Jim Stamates – The Theory of Rhythms: A Wildlife
Photographer’s View on Our Relationship with Nature
May 26 – Julia Levin, National Audubon Society – Renewable
Energy and Wildlife Protection: How to Promote Both
THE AVID BIRDERKenn Rohrs 775-849-9530 [email protected]
In this space, Kenn Rohrs will discuss
books and other resources for the avid
birder.
Book Review
Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory
Peterson by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal
(2008)
On April 27, 1934,
Roger Tory Peterson
(1908-1996)
published his rst
book, A Field Guide
to the Birds, which
sold out its rst
printing. He was 25
when he published
this unique, user-friendly guide toidentifying birds in the eld, not in the
lab. Seventy-ve years ago, Peterson
created the rst modern birding eld
guide for the general public, a bird
identication system that can be used by
everyone of every age. It is the standard
to which all eld guides aspire to and try
to improve on. In this superb biography,
Elizabeth J. Rosenthal tells the life story
of this remarkable and interesting man.
Rosenthal, herself an avid birder,
writes with the ease and clarity of one who has done her research and
understands her subject. Her ability to
capture the persona of this complex
man, including his quirks and aws,
helps us get to know Peterson - his
enthusiasm for birds, life, and all things
wild. She shows us how Peterson used
his love of birds, his artistic talents,
and his passion for teaching to create
his Guide and to expand interest in bird
watching and the environment. Her
storytelling ability pulls us in and her
engaging writing style makes Peterson
come alive. Rosenthal has included 26
fascinating photographs. And, for those
of us interested in where the author
got her information, she includes her
numerous sources and provides helpful
chapter notes. The Table of Contents
and the Index are extremely helpful.
This is an excellent biography. I highly
recommend this compelling book.
For more by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal, go
to Bird Watcher’s Digest, July/August
2008, for her thoughtful article, Birding
with Roger .
Resources
All Things Reconsidered: My Birding
Adventures by Roger Tory Peterson,
edited by Bill Thompson III (2007),
editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest, which
collects 42 of Peterson’s columns from
that magazine.
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North
America published in 2008, while larger
than most eld guides, is easy to use
and provides connections to 35 video podcasts. Check out this book and
many other birding books at the Washoe
County Library at http://libwww.
washoecounty.us/
Apple has a new product/application
for iTunes –the iBird Explorer Backyard.
There is a cost to download to iTunes,
but then it can by synced to your iPod
for eld trips. Also on the net are two of
my favorite websites, http://www.birds.
cornell.edu/ and http://www.birdnote.
org/. Bird Note podcasts are really good.
Please share your thoughts about
Rosenthal’s Birdwatcher, this column,
and suggestions for books and resources
at [email protected] March 2009
Pelican
Birds & Books
LAS Birds & Books is a ock of readers
interested in nature, especially birds and
birding. The group meets in Reno on the
third Tuesday of the month from 7:00-
8:30 p.m. at Sundance Bookstore, 1155
W. 4th Street, #106-Keystone Square
Shopping Center. You are encouraged
to attend a meeting to see if this group
is for you, or contact Kenn Rohrs at
[email protected] or 775-849-9530
for more information. For a complete
schedule and brief description of the
selected books, go to the LAS website
www.nevadaaudubon.org and check the
Birds & Books section of the Meetings
page.
March 17 Bird Song: A Natural History
by Don Stap
April 21
Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the
World’s Most Revered and Reviled
Bird by Andrew D. Blechman
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10 The Pelican
BIRDS IN TOwN Alan Wallace [email protected]
If you ask birders what times of the year are best for seeing
unusual birds, the quick answer usually is spring and fall. The
dead of winter typically isn’t anyone’s rst response, but this
December and January proved the exception to tradition. In
the gull world, the question was not what was seen, but rather
what hadn’t been seen. Nine species seen on Reno-area lakes
saved Nevada birders from traveling the world, including Slaty-backed (normally in Asia), Lesser Black-backed (typically
east coast), and Glaucous (both coasts); Glaucous-winged,
Thayer’s, and Mew (all west coast); and Herring, plus the
regular Ring-billed and California Gulls. A Yellow-billed
Loon, which normally winters along the northern Pacic coast,
spent a few weeks at the Sparks Marina. The Carson City
Christmas Bird Count had a Northern Parula, which should
have been in Central America by that time. A Rusty Blackbird,
normally found in the southeastern U.S. in winter, joined the
now-regular Great-tailed Grackles at the Raley’s parking lot
in Winnemucca. A few coastal Red-breasted Mergansers,
along with a male Eurasian Wigeon, drifted inland to Reno-
area lakes from the west coast, and twoNorthern Shrikes - one in Spring Creek
near Elko and a probable one in Unionville
- extended their more northerly winter
range into our state. Rosy-Finches usually
are hard to nd in Nevada, but several
hundred Gray-crowned and two Black
Rosy-Finches descended on feeders in
Spring Creek. A few Cackling, Ross’s,
Snow, and Greater White-fronted Geese
rewarded local birders for scanning the
endless oceans of Canada Geese that were
feeding in elds.
Even more common birds provided some
interesting highlights. Pine Siskins are
common in Baker every winter but are very
erratic in the western part of the state. This
winter, though, many western birders have
had them in their yards and neighborhoods. John Anderson in
Mogul, and Steve Ting at his parents’ house in Verdi, noted at
one point that siskins outnumbered the combined Lesser and
American Goldnches at their feeders. Several feeder watchers
in both near-town wooded areas and more urban settings
commented on the scarcity of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers
and Northern Flickers at suet feeders this winter. Conversely,
reports of Red-breasted and Red-naped Sapsuckers in thesame areas were much more common in December and January.
Most ycatchers head south as their insect food source dies
off in the fall, but hatches still occur throughout the winter,
especially near water. These fed a few wintering Black and
Say’s Phoebe’s and one Western Kingbird that lingered well
into December. One Black Phoebe along the Truckee River had
a near-death experience at the hands (or talons) of a Merlin, who
missed having fresh phoebe for lunch by a few inches.
Winter brought greater numbers of raptors to northern
Nevada, from the Northern Harriers and Rough-legged and
Ferruginous Hawks in the elds to the Bald Eagles along
the rivers. A Peregrine Falcon, which possibly nests at the
Peppermill tower, terrorized the waterfowl at Virginia Lake in
Reno. Debbie and Randy Pontius’ raptor count in the Lovelock
area, however, indicated another lean year for raptor numbers
in that area. The greatest decline was in the resident Red-
tailed Hawk numbers, with slightly lower Ferruginous Hawk numbers; Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Harrier numbers
seemed to be holding steady. Mike Yates, who bands raptors
for work as a raptor biologist, plies his craft in his backyard,
and nary a Cooper’s Hawk has own away without a band.
He captured one adult female in December of 2000 and didn’t
see her again until November of this year. A quick calculation
indicates that she was 9½ years old in November, which is a
minimum age since she was banded as an adult.
Otherwise, this winter’s birds were not much different than
in past winters. Despite the dry conditions, most waterbodies
contained water and were lled with the usual ducks, geese,
and, yes, gulls. Green-winged Teal, Hooded Mergansers,
Ring-necked Ducks, swirling eddies of Northern Shovelers, and many Common
Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes,
and Ruddy Ducks joined the year-round
Mallards and American Coots on ponds
and lakes. More Barrow’s Goldeneyes
than normal were spotted, and a few
Cinnamon Teal provided some splashy
color to the otherwise drab waterfowl
population. On land, a single Harris’s
Sparrow mingled with White-crowned
Sparrows in greater downtown Baker, and
a Savannah Sparrow joined other birds at
Mary Anderson’s Washoe Valley feeders.
A Canyon Wren bounced through the
rocks behind John Anderson’s Mogul house,
and small, kinetic ocks of Bushtits visited
several yards, in one place partaking of the
suet. American Robins and Cedar Waxwings have devoured
much of last summer’s berry and fruit crop. Competition is high
for the remainder, causing one robin to apparently guard “his”
remaining pyracantha berries.
Northern Nevada birders reported 131 species from northern
Nevada towns during December and January. Contributors to
this total included John Anderson, Mary Anderson, Alan de
Queiroz, Bill Frey, Dennis Ghiglieri, Juan Gonzales, BobGoodman, Kirk Hardie, Nancy Hoffman, Ed Kurtz, Tim
Lenz, Sue Anne Marshall, Diane McAllister, Dave McNinch,
Martin Meyers, Larry Neel, Kathy Oakes, Fred Petersen,
Debbie & Randy Pontius, Bob Power, Melissa Renfro &
John Free, Georgia & Kenn Rohrs, Greg Scyphers, Dennis
Serdehely, Jean Sherman, Tom Stille, Rose Strickland, Jane
Thompson, Steve Ting, Dave Worley, Mike Yates, and me.
The deadline for the next column is March 25. Send reports to
1050 Sumac St., Reno, NV 89509 or wallacealan@sbcglobal.
net, or post sightings on the Nevada bird listserv. Good birding!
Ring-billed Gull photo by Steve Ting.
For more of Steve’s images visit
www.sting.photography.com.
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The Pelican 11
LAS SALES FORMPrice Postage TOTAL
Important Bird Areas of Nevada $19.95 $4.60 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2005
A Birding Guide to Reno and Beyond--Second Edition $10 $2 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007
Nevada Birding Map--Second Edition $ 4 $1 _____Published by Lahontan Audubon Society, 2007
TOTAL ORDER _____
NAME (please print) _____________________________________________________
ADDRESS ____________________________________________________________
CITY _________________________ STATE ________ ZIP CODE ____________
PHONE _______________________________________________________________
E-MAIL_______________________________________________________________(in case of a question regarding your order)
Make checks payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail with this form to:
Jane Burnham, LAS Sales, 8071 Big River Drive, Reno, NV 89506
LAS MEMBERSHIP/DONATION FORM
Lahontan Audubon Society Membership: All funds remain in the community. Members receive The Pelican
newsletter and may elect to receive e-mail activities notices. Please complete and mail this form with payment.
1. o LAS Renewal o New Membership o Send me a National Audubon application
2. o Individual/Family - $20/year o Full Time Student/Senior (over 62) - $15/year
LAS Donations: Please select level: o Ruby-crowned Kinglet - $10 o Mountain Bluebird - $20 o American Avocet - $50 o American White Pelican - $100 o Golden Eagle - $500 or more
NAME (please print) _____________________________________________________
ADDRESS ____________________________________________________________
CITY _________________________ STATE ________ ZIP CODE ____________
PHONE _______________________________________________________________
E-MAIL_______________________________________ o Include on LAS-only e-mail list
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $__________ March/April 2009 issue
Make check payable to Lahontan Audubon Society and mail this form to:
Kathy Oakes, LAS Membership, 4120 Plateau Road, Reno, NV 89519
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THE PELICANLahontan Audubon Society
P.O. Box 2304
Reno, Nevada 89505
LAHONTAN AUDUBON SOCIETY
OFFICERS President Karen Kish [email protected] 841-1180
Vice President Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191
Treasurer Jane Burnham [email protected] 677-4178
Recording Secretary Bonnie Wagner [email protected] 829-6311
TRUSTEES Seat #1 to 2011 Dave Straley [email protected] 832-9222
Seat #2 to 2011 Gene Hansel [email protected] 354-2150
Seat #3 to 2009 Ali Chaney ali_chaney@hotmtail .com 813-3494
Seat #4 to 2011 Kathy Oakes [email protected] 747-5446
Seat #5 to 2009 Jacque Lowery [email protected] 853-1302
Seat #6 to 2010 Linda Badzioch [email protected] 851-8353
Seat #7 to 2010 Kenn Rohrs [email protected] 849-9530
IBA Director Robin Powell [email protected] 247-2798
COMMITTEE Activity/Program Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191
CHAIRS Birding Classes Bob Goodman [email protected] 972-7848
Birds & Books Reading Group Kenn Rohrs [email protected] 849-9530
Communications Karen Kish [email protected] 841-1180Conservation Ali Chaney [email protected] 813-3494
Education Alan Gubanich [email protected] 857-0191
Field Trips Christiane Omer [email protected] 354-2634
Hospitality Linda Badzioch [email protected] 851-8353
LAS Sales Jane Burnham [email protected] 677-4178
Membership Kathy Oakes [email protected] 747-5446
PUBLICATION AND The Pelican Editor Jen Martin [email protected] 742-2582
INFORMATION The Pelican Distribution Connie Douglas [email protected] 425-1305
“Birds in Town” Alan Wallace [email protected] 786-5755
LAS Info Line Jacque Lowery 324-BIRD
Web Master Steve Ting [email protected] 849-3725
If your mailing label is highlighted, please
renew your local LAS membership now.
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NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
RENO, NEVADA
PERMIT NO. 181
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