march-april 2009 pelican newsletter lahontan audubon society

8/9/2019 March-April 2009 Pelican Newsletter Lahontan Audubon Society

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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



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.



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



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-


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-


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,

[email protected]

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



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)



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

or [email protected];

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)



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

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

Happy Volunteering!



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



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



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.



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) _____________________________________________________

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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) _____________________________________________________

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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



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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