VOLUME 48 • NUMBER 2October 2010

Newsletter of Fresno Audubon SocietyA chapter of National Audubon Society

Published monthly, September through May

www.FresnoAudubon.org Visit us on the Web!

by Jordan Wellwood •Audubon CaliforniaIf California voters support Prop-

osition 21 – the State Parks Access Pass – we will have not only a stable funding source for state parks, but a much-needed boost of $35 million annually for our state wildlife areas and ecological reserves. The measure would give every Californian free day use of state parks in exchange for a new $18 vehicle license fee, and seven percent of this revenue would go to public lands managed by the Cali-fornia Department of Fish & Game (DFG).

There are 240 of these properties scattered throughout California, to-taling almost a million acres and pro-

viding habitat for more than 1,275 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, including many that are listed as threatened or endan-gered. These lands also provide Cali-fornians with excellent opportunities to enjoy the outdoors through wildlife viewing, fishing, and hunting.

If you have ever visited Mendota Wildlife Area, Los Banos Wildlife Area, or Yolo Wildlife Area, you have witnessed the rich abundance of wildlife that DFG works hard to preserve. In fact, DFG man-ages these lands to provide diverse habitats such as seasonal wetlands, permanent ponds, semi-permanent and standing grain, flooded riparian woodlands, and flooded pastures. At Shasta Valley Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County, managed grazing

Inside This Issue

Fresno-Madera Birds ............ 2FAS Field Trips ......................... 3Birding Events ......................... 4Can You Help? ......................... 4Days at the Coast ................... 5Nice Finish to Summer ........ 6Mammal Trip ........................... 6Wastewater Management .. 8Board of Directors ................. 9

November 9th Program: ―San Joaquin Kit Fox―

Conserving a Valley Native

Prop 21: Important for California State Parks

The San Joa-quin kit fox is one of many endangered spe-cies inhabiting the San Joaquin

Valley. Kit fox numbers have been re-duced to a fraction of their historic levels, primarily due to the conver-sion of kit fox habitat to agricultural, urban, and industrial uses. Despite its diminutive size, the kit fox is the

Continued on Page 8...

systems have created a diverse mix of shortgrass pasture habitats for both geese and cranes. At Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area, restored riparian habitat is benefiting a host

largest of the many listed species in the Valley. Thus, it is an icon for en-dangered species conservation in the Valley and serves as an “umbrella” species in conservation efforts. In this talk, Brian Cypher will review the species’ life history and current sta-tus, and describe some of the recent efforts being conducted to conserve and recover this species. In addition to the efforts on the part of humans, he’ll describe how the kit fox may be using its own adaptability to help it-self !

Brian Cypher is the Associate Di-rector and a Research Ecologist with

the California State University – Stan-islaus, Endangered Species Recovery Program. His primary research inter-est is the ecology and conservation of wild canids. His research experience includes work on wolves, coyotes, gray foxes, red foxes, kit foxes, and island foxes. Since 1990, he has been involved in research and conservation efforts for endangered San Joaquin kit foxes and other sensitive species in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

Programs held at the University of Cali-

fornia Center, 550 East Shaw Avenue, Fresno, at 7:30 PM.

San Joaquin kit fox by Greg Warrick

Page 2 The Yellowbill 48 (2) 2010

Fresno-Madera BirdsAugust 16 to September 15, 2010

by Jeff DavisIf you make an interest-ing observation, we would love to hear about it. We are especially interested in birds listed as casual or rare on the Fresno-Made-ra County Bird Checklist and those found out of season or out of normal habitat. Submit reports to: Jeff Davis559-246-3272jndavis@ucsc.eduORFresno County Birders Email Group (See Page 9)

Cited Observers:

Helen ButtonLynn HeminkJim LomaxFrances OliverSteve SummersGary Woods

FWTP = Fresno Wastewater Treatment Plant MWTP = Madera Wastewater Treatment Plant m.ob. = many observersph. = photographed by

Area wastewater treatment ponds con-tinued to attract rare shorebirds. These in-cluded a Willet at MWTP August 16 (LH, SS) and August 17 (JL), two Sanderlings and a Semipalmated Sandpiper at the FWTP (GW) September 2 and likewise at the MWTP September 8 (ph. GW), and a Pectoral Sandpiper and Stilt Sandpiper at the MWTP August 18 (FO). The latter was originally found August 14 (LH) and detected on every intervening day (m.ob.). The highlight of the period was Madera County’s first Common Tern, a bird in second-summer plumage at the MWTP

American Avocet by Gary Woods

August 16 (ph. LH, ph. SS, ph. GW). Re-markably, what was considered to be an-other individual based on plumage char-acteristics was found there September 2 (LH).

Headlining landbird migration were a hatch-year Red-naped Sapsucker near Oakhurst September 10 (HB), three Bank Swallows at the MWTP August 16 (LH, SS) and August 17 (JL), and Fresno Coun-ty’s second Chestnut-sided Warbler, a hatch-year bird that bought a one-way ticket with a picture window in northeast Fresno August 30 (ph. LH).

FAS helps get an “A”Beth Barnett, one of our Fresno Audu-

bon Society Board members, took her grandson, Michael, to Kay Barnes’ Begin-ners Bird Class and walk last spring. He had a science assignment that required him to identify and photograph ten local birds. With the help of Kay Barnes and other Fresno Audubon members, he got an “A” on his assignment! Kudos to all, and keep in mind that free events like Kay’s bird ID class are open to kids of all ages - let’s bring nature to our young people which may even help then succeed in school! See page 3 for bird ID classes!

Fresno Audubon partners with Fresno State on NSF-funded project to study urban water use and bird diversity

Dr. Madhusudan Katti, Associate Pro-fessor of Biology at Fresno State, and FAS Board Member, was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Sci-ence Foundation to study the connections between urban water policy, homeowner water use in the residential landscape, and plant and bird diversity in the Fresno Clo-vis Metro Area. FAS is a partner organiza-tion in this project, which brings together social scientists and natural scientists to study the urgent question of urban water use even as Fresno is about to begin me-tering water use in our homes. Results are expected to help local governments and citizens become better stewards of our immediate environments in cities.

Fresno Bird Count seeks volun-teers for winter censuses

The Fresno Bird Count (FBC), after a highly successful third annual breeding bird count last spring, is now expanding its programs to include winter migrants as well. The first winter count of urban birds throughout Fresno-Clovis will be conducted during December 15-January 15, using the protocols established by the FBC. In addition, there will also be a wa-terfowl census at ponding basins and wa-ter bodies throughout Fresno-Clovis, also during Dec 15-Jan 15. If you wish to vol-

unteer for either/both counts - all you’ll need to do is spend one or two winter mornings counting birds - please contact Dr. Madhusudan Katti (mkatti@csufresno.edu or 559-278-2460) and visit the FBC website (www.fresnobirds.org) for further in-formation.

Page 3www.FresnoAudubon.org

October 13: Grant Grove with Jim Warner • 905-9563

October 27: Lost Lake with Ed Case 299-1836

November 10: Yokohl Valley with Frank Gibson • 299-8452 • 593-2217

November 23: Urban Birding (you’d be surprised how good it can be!) Kay Barnes • 787-2985

December 8: Parkfield with Ken & Betty Cornelisen • 439-2267

December 29: Waste Water Plant with Frank Gibson • 299-8452 • 593 -2217

January 12: Madera Grasslands with Irene Moon • 664-1237

January 26: Merced National Wild-life Refuge with the Cornelisens •439-2267

February 9: Kern & Pixley National

Wednesday Walks

Fresno Audubon’s Field Trip Schedule

All Wednesday Walk fieldtrips leave from the Mervyns parking lot at Ashlan and Black-stone at 8:00 AM. Please call the field trip coordinators (above) if you have questions.

Wildlife Refuges with Darby & Vicki Smith 787-2969

February 23: Mendota Wildlife Area with Margaret Houck • 252-8548 & Frank Gibson • 299-8452 • 593-2217

March 9: Wellbarn Road with Tom Zimoski • 432-7441 • 978-2987

March 23: Watts Valley with Niña Williams • 229-4529

April 13: Mariposa County Foothills with Frank Gibson • 299-8452

November 6 & 13, 2010April 9 & 16, 2011Lost Lake County Park(Park entrance fee required)Starts 9:00 AM each day

Beginning Birding Classes Contact: Kay Barnes, 559-787-2985Bring field guide, binoculars, and a friend! Classes are on Saturdays.

April 27: Bravo Lake/Drumm Valley with the Smiths • 787-2969

May 11: Wonder Valley & Reed Ave Rookery with Kay Barnes • 787-2985

May 25: Shaver Lake area with the Smiths • 787-2969

June 8: Indian Basin & Princess Campground with Tom Zimoski 432-7441 • 978-2987

June 22: Yosemite & Glacier Point Road with Frank Gibson • 299-8452 • 593-2217

Out of Town TripsNovember 2-4: Hawk Hill, San Francisco Area with the Cornelisens, 439-2267

We will hope to catch the hawk migration over the Marin Headlands as well as visit other birding sites in the bay area.

Lodging options:

Acqua Hotel, 415-380-0400555 Redwood Hwy, Mill Valleywww.jdvhotels.com

January 18-20: Morro Bay and the Central Coast with Kay Barnes, 787-2985

Lodging: La Serena Inn (the best deal on the coast)800-248-1511, 805-772-5665www.laserenainn.com

May 3-5: Morongo Valley Desert birding at its best! Kay Barnes, 787-2985

Lodging: Best Western Gardens Inn & Suites800-528-1234/760-367-914171487 29 Palms Highway, Twentynine Palmswww.bestwestwestern.com

29 Palms Inn,760-367-350573950 Inn Ave, Twentynine Palms29palmsinn@eee.org

Hotel Mill Valley, 415-332-5700160 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valleywww.larkspurhotelmillvalley.com

America Best Value Inn, 888-315-2378or 415-332-1732; 155 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley

Super 8 Yucca Valley, 760-228-177357096 29 Palms Hwy, Yucca Valleywww.super8.com/yuccavalleyAll above lodging serve breakfast and have room specials online.

Page 4 The Yellowbill 48 (2) 2010

Can You Help?

Grant Grove with Jim WarnerOctober 2, 2010

Retired Sequoia National Park naturalist Jim Warner leads us to the Grant Grove environs on October 2nd. This should be a real treat, because there isn’t a bird, plant or little scuttling critter up there that Jim doesn’t know. Look for Goshawk, Mountain Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, woodpeckers and sapsuckers, Steller’s Jay and Mountain Chickadee, all three nuthatches, creeper, Winter Wren, sol-itaire, kinglets, Audubon’s Warbler, Red Crossbill, and Fox Sparrow. We will top out at about 7,000’ elevation.

Meet at the Mervyn’s store parking lot at Blackstone and Ashlan at 7 AM on the 2nd. Any questions, contact Frank at 299-8452 • 593-2217 • frankg@csufresno.edu.

by Frank Gibson

October 2, 2010: Grant Grove area with Jim Warner

November 20, 2010: Yokohl Valley with Gary Lindquist

December 11, 2010: Madera County foothills & Merced National Wildlife Refuge with Jeff Seay

January 22, 2011: Le Grand raptor run with Lowell Young

February 12, 2011: Fresno Wastewater Treatment Plant with Gary Woods

March 12, 2011: Merced area with Larry Parmeter

April 23, 2011: White Rock Road with Len McKenzie

April 30 & May 1, 2011: Galileo Hill & Butterbredt Spring

May 7, 2011: Sycamore Island with Penny Stewart

June 18 & 19, 2011: Kern River Valley with Alison Sheehey

July 9, 2011: Courtright Lake area

August 27, 2011: Great Western Divide with Tulare County Audu-bon

Weekend Fieldtrip Schedule

Suggestions for field trips are always welcome! Is there somewhere that you really want to bird, either within a day’s drive or here at home? Let us know! Contact Frank Gibson at 299-8452 or 593-2217. We are open to cross-species trips as well – reptiles, mammals, fish, insects, etc.

Fresno Audubon has received a request from Carol Hurley, a birder from Conroe, Texas, who would like a local guide for a day. She will be vacationing in Fresno next year from March 13th to the 18th. If you would be interested in showing her our birds, please contact her at: lhurley@conroeisd.net.

Head for the Hills!

Three field trips in a row will explore different aspects of the Sierra foothills in Tulare, Madera, Merced, and Mariposa Counties. On November 20th we will join Gary Lindquist of Visalia to explore the wide-open grasslands of Yokohl Valley. Raptors and sparrows are the targets here, though we regularly pick up both bluebirds, Rock and Canyon Wrens, and at least Barn if not Northern Pygmy-Owl. Keep an eye out for roadrunner, too! We expect to see Northern Harrier, Red-tailed and Ferrugi-nous Hawks, and Golden Eagle. If they come down from the Arctic this year, Yokohl Valley is the best place to spot the Rough-legged Hawk. Prairie Falcon is almost a shoo-in and we have had all four falcons on this trip. And there are sparrows: Vesper, Lark, Savannah, and White-crowned for sure. Rufous-crowned and Sage are possible. If there’s water in the creek, Song and Lincoln’s. Highest elevation might be 1,000’. Very little walking on this one.

Professional birder (how many people get to say that?) Jeff Seay will lead us through the Madera County foothills and out into the middle of the Valley to Merced NWR on December 11th. We should have all the Yokohl Valley sparrows, plus more Song, Lincoln’s, and Golden-crowned. We even had a Swamp Sparrow one year! Expect juncos, at least Audubon’s Warblers, Rock, and Marsh Wrens. We might have Yellow-billed Magpie, Phainopeplas, and Ce-dar Waxwings. We will also expect to see both eagles and Prairie Falcon. Among the nineteen possible shorebirds, we’ll be looking for golden-plovers and snipe. Among thousands of ducks and geese, we’ll especially look for “Blue Geese”, both Snow and Ross’. Very little walking, and maybe 1,000’ elevation max.

For those who can’t get enough of birds of prey, Janu-ary 22nd will find us in Merced and Mariposa counties as Yosemite Area Audubon’s Lowell Young takes us on the Le Grand Raptor Run. We could have a chance to see fifteen hawks and falcons, plus Burrowing Owl. Expect to see eagles, Ferruginous Hawk, and Prairie Falcon. Prob-ably minimal walking.

by Frank Gibson

Page 5www.FresnoAudubon.org

14th AnnualCentral Valley Birding Symposium

November 18-21, 2010Hey, fellow bird lovers! It’s time to get ready for the

14th Annual Central Valley Birding Symposium to be held at the Hilton in Stockton, CA, November 18-21, 2010.

This year our evening programs will have two dynam-ic presenters. The first will be photographer and author Paul Bannick. He will give a talk based on his research on “Owls and Woodpeckers of the West.” The second speaker is “Moose” Peterson – author of dozens of books and articles and an award-winning photographer. He will give a presentation on “California’s Threatened and En-dangered Birds.”

Workshops include Jon Dunn on sparrows and Joe Morlan on shorebird identification, focusing on loons and grebes. There are many others, ranging from Central Val-ley Raptors to Beginning Birding and digiscoping to bird sketching.

Our field trips always turn up exciting birds. Add in the always entertaining and educational Bird ID Panel, the wonderful display of art and gifts for yourself or others at the Birder’s Market, and the camaraderie of hundreds of like-minded folks, and you know you’ll have a good time!

For more information go to the website at www.cvbs.org or contact Frances Oliver at hummer52@sbcglobal.net.

Great Days at the Coast!109 Species in Monterey County

On the weekend of July 31st and August 1st, Penny Stewart, Kevin Enns-Rempel and Frank Gibson spent a couple days on the Monterey County coast. We knew this was not a good time of year for oodles of warblers and in fact we only saw Orange-crowned and Wilson’s. On the other hand, we also knew that shorebird migration would be underway. We had eighteen of them. Highlights were both kinds of turnstones, “Muderlings” (Sanderlings on a mud flat), and Red-necked Phalaropes.

Saturday morning we met in Monterey and toodled down to the Big Sur coast to Rocky Point. Fortunately the coastal fog was hanging low enough to keep the flock of Black Swifts that nest there down so we could see them. They were new for Kevin, which was especially great. Lat-er in the day we picked up Vaux’s and White-throated for a three-swift day! Down at Hurricane Point we saw lots of Common Murres and Pigeon Guillemots, but we dipped

by Frank Gibson

on the fuzzy baby Black Oystercatcher that we knew had hatched a week before.

Andrew Molera State Park was not jumping with birds that day, but we still got a Red-throated Loon, all three cormorants, both vultures (including Kevin’s first through fifth juvenile California Condors) and a flock of “Black” Brant in wing molt that you could practically walk up to. We had three falcons: kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine. A Spotted Sandpiper was bobbing along by the Big Sur Riv-er and a flock of Band-tailed Pigeons flew over. Wrentits seemed to be calling everywhere and Penny spotted Purple Finches showing off their “raspberry juice” colors.

There were way too many people at Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park for dippers or flycatchers so we headed a bit farther down the coast. At the traditional viewing spot near the “glass house” Kevin got great looks at his first adult condor. Imagine a B-52 with triangular white patches on its wings! Flushed with success, Kevin volunteered to drive the Old Coast Road on our way back to Monterey. This is Big Sur without the tourists. The dirt road went up and down, and up, and down, etc., over grassy ridges and through redwood canyons. Gorgeous country well worth spending a day birding! As it was, we found Western Blue-birds, a Swainson’s Thrush and a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

Sunday morning we went north to Moss Landing. Here we saw Common Loons, including one on shore! A couple of Surf Scoters showed off their black-and-white markings for us. The highlight of the day was a Glaucous Gull among the Western Gulls on the sandbar where the seals hang out. This appears to be the first August record for Monterey County! Black-bellied, Snowy and Semipal-mated Plovers were on the mud of the slough at Moss Landing State Beach, while Pigeon Guillemots were in the harbor mouth channel.

The famous Moonglow Dairy was our next stop. The ponds were barren of anything but Double-crested Cor-morants, so we headed into the Eucalyptus grove. Bin-go! Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks were circling around with the Turkey Vultures. Nuttall’s and Downy Woodpeckers, adult and young Black Phoebes, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Bushtits and a Brown Creeper, House Wrens, towhees, and American Goldfinches. On the way out of the dairy, we stopped to look at a Cattle Egret, Red-wings and cowbirds.

Lastly we toured the Elkhorn Slough National Estua-rine Research Reserve. It was too late in the day for the best birding, but still we picked up nesting Cliff and Barn Swallows for the day, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Pacif-

Continued on Page 6...

Page 6 The Yellowbill 48 (2) 2010

A Nice Finish to Summer!Fresno & Tulare Audubon in the

Southern Sierra

By Howard Clark

Great Days at the Coast Continued...

Carrizo Plain Mammal Trip:A grand total of 8 species!

by Frank Gibson

Continued on Page 7...

ic-slope Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, both jays, titmice, and a flock of Pygmy Nuthatches. A couple of warblers, Song and White-crowned Sparrows, and House Finch rounded off the day. It had seemed like a slow day, all told, but we tallied 74 species! Together with the 63 at Big Sur, we totaled 109 species without birding the Peninsula...at the “bad” time of year!

Three Fresno Auduboners met up with a small group of our friends from Tulare County Audubon at Lake Suc-cess on August 28th. This was the last field trip of the year for both clubs. Our goal was the Great Western Di-vide Highway which runs down the high ridge between the Tule River and the North Fork of the Kern River in the southern portion of Giant Sequoia National Monu-ment. Since we were at the lake, though, we took some time to scope it. There were very few ducks, but quite a number of Western and Clark’s Grebes, a fair-sized flock of American White Pelicans, and one lonely Double-crest-ed Cormorant. Sharp-eyed Penny Stewart spotted a lone Vaux’s Swift zipping around among a large migrant flock of Violet-green Swallows.

The Tule River canyon up to Camp Nelson is thickly covered with chaparral and live oak woodland. It looks very much like the Appalachians, in fact. Great habitat for birds like Hutton’s Vireo, Oak Titmouse, Canyon Wren, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Wrentit; all of which we found. A feeder at a roadhouse netted us Black-chinned, Anna’s, and Rufous Hummingbirds.

On up the hill and into the conifer forest we stopped at a meadow and found Peregrine Falcon, our first Stell-er’s Jays, Mountain Chickadees, Orange-crowned, “Audu-bon’s”, Black-throated Gray and MacGillivray’s Warblers,

and Green-tailed Towhees. Several miles farther we de-cided not to stop at the Trail of a Hundred Tourists. No self-respecting Winter Wren would have hung around ei-ther. Pity, because they are regular there. Instead we went a couple miles farther to an unoccupied group campground and its large meadow. Here we had Black-headed Gros-beak, “Oregon” Juncos, Lincoln’s and “Large-billed” Fox Sparrows, more Green-tailed and California Towhees, more MacGillivray’s, and a Nashville Warbler, Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches, a large flock of chickadees, Hammond’s Flycatcher, and Western Wood-Pewees.

On the way back, we made a long detour to the east side of the ridge where we had excellent looks at a young female Williamson’s Sapsucker and a Townsend’s Solitaire. Ellen Davies was entitled to do a little victory dance for these new birds! Farther back down the highway we made another side trip to listen for the Sooty Grouse and Spot-ted Owl that were seen last year. No dice, but we did have fun with a pair of calling Northern Pygmy-Owls. Our last stop was in Springville, where our only flock of Western Bluebirds flew over.

We had a great day up and out of the hundred-degree heat down below. Close to 80 species didn’t hurt, either! Many thanks to John Lockhart and Gary Lindquist, who led this expedition!

Nine Fresno Audubon members joined me on the first mammal fieldtrip hosted by the Fresno Audubon Society [in recent memory, at least]. We left the Fresno area around 1100 AM and headed for the Tule Elk State Natural Re-serve just south of Highway 58 and I-5. We saw a small group of bachelor Tule elk and a distant herd of young elk and females south of the observation platform. Other highlights at the Reserve included flycatchers and a Swain-son’s Hawk. From there, we headed for Buttonwillow to visit the famous Buttonwillow Tree and the accompanying historical marker that tells the importance of the local area for Indian congregations and the story of Miller and Lux,

Stay tuned: Fresno Audubon has registered for the Home and Garden Show, March 4, 5, & 6, 2011. Look for additional information and details in upcoming is-sues of The Yellowbill. Contact Marian Orvis, 226-0145 or mforvet@earthlink.net, if interested in volunteering!

Page 7www.FresnoAudubon.org

wealthy land barons in the 1800s who owned much of the land in the Cen-tral Valley.

McKittrick was our next stop, where we visited the historical marker noting that the local area was home to ancient asphaltum seepages and Pleis-tocene mammal and bird fossils. We continued west on Highway 58, and as we approached the intersection of Seven Mile Road, we found a small group of pronghorn. We pulled off the road, took photos, and enjoyed the Horned Larks foraging nearby. From there, we visited an active San Joaquin kit fox den that I discovered a few weeks prior. The kids enjoyed the scattered bovine bones, while oth-ers checked out kit fox scat and other sign. Next stop: Wallace Creek on the Carrizo Plain National Monument. We hiked to the spot where Wallace Creek found itself along the San An-dreas Fault, as the Pacific and Ameri-can plates slowly shift, making two 90 degree angles along the creek bed. At this location we saw our first San Joa-quin antelope squirrel.

Finally, we were on our way to Elk-horn Plain Ecological Reserve. We arrive about 30 to 40 minutes before

sunset. We scurried about setting up tents and preparing dinner. About an hour after sunset we carefully placed 32 Sherman live-traps in a wash be-hind the camp site. After trap set, we were ready to spotlight for kit foxes! Two vehicles, with 5 occupants each, headed east on Elkhorn Road and got our fill of black-tailed hares. The kan-garoo rats began to hop, and within 20 minutes we were seeing our first kit foxes. At first, the foxes were dif-ficult to see, as they ran behind veg-etation or behind hills. But eventually we were able to get great looks, with the help of making squeaking sounds to keep the foxes curious. Around 11 PM, we decided to head back, with 7 to 8 confirmed kit fox sightings. The next morning, we were up rather early, and after eating breakfast, it was time to check the traps.

First, we caught a short-nosed kan-garoo rat, and I gave a quick talk on how kangaroo rats store seeds in their cheek pouches for easy transport to the caches, and why kangaroo rats have such large auditory bullae. Next, we caught a giant kangaroo rat, nicely demonstrating the size extremes kan-garoo rats can have. After the giant,

we caught two more short-nosed k-rats. I was expecting at least a mouse or two, but no luck. Maybe next time. We watched a few antelope squirrels clean up the bait scattered where the nocturnal traps once sat. We broke camp after trap recovery and took a walk over the Reserve in search of blunt-nosed leopard lizards. Frank Gibson saved the day when he found a juvenile blunt-nosed leopard lizard hiding in an Ephedra shrub. Everyone got great looks at the lizard and took photos. Shortly after we returned to camp, we did some final clean up and headed out.

Overall, the mammal trip was a suc-cess. Attendees quickly realized that finding mammals is a lot harder than it looks. In marked contrast to a bird-ing trip, which may yield as many as 150 species, here we were only able to see 7 species; 8 if you include cattle! I was expecting at least a few species of mice and perhaps an American Bad-ger, illustrating that mammals are not predictable. I hope folks on their trek back to Fresno kept an eye out for at least the California ground squir-rel – I was able to see several on the way home. I think the focus was not necessarily to crank out the mammal numbers, but to see several federal and state-listed species that are very rare and only found in a few areas in California. We were even able to see an endangered reptile, certainly one of the highlights of the trip.

I thank everyone for their help dur-ing the trip; special thanks to Jeff Sin-gle, Bob Stafford, and Scott Osborn, all California Department of Fish and Game biologists; and thanks to Kathy Sharum, from the Bureau of Land Management, for providing permis-sion to survey the Carrizo Plain Na-tional Monument and the Elkhorn Plain Ecological Reserve.

Trapping kangaroo rats on the Carrizo Plain. Photo by Carl Peters.

Page 8 The Yellowbill 48 (2) 2010

Howard Clark handling a giant kangaroo rat. Photo by Carl Peters.

Intermountain Nursery’s 18th Annual Harvest Arts & Peace Festival

October 9-10, 2010

October 9th (Saturday) 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.October 10th (Sunday) 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Free Community Event ($1.00 parking fee)

Enjoy Music, Dance, & Homemade Food

Browse Art, Crafts, Plants, & Information Booths

Location: Intermountain Nursery30443 N Auberry Road, Prather, CA 93651-960;

Phone: 559-855-3113

of neotropical migrant songbirds and a variety of other wildlife. Planting of native willows and cottonwoods at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, enhanced habitat for all wildlife and provided greater opportunities for wildlife viewing.

At the 14 major wetland wildlife areas in the state (mostly in the Central Valley), DFG emphasizes the production of food plants preferred by waterfowl, striving to assure the availability of adequate quantities of natural waterfowl food throughout the fall and win-ter months. This helps to support the winter waterfowl migration through the Pacific Flyway.

The $35 million that Proposition 21 will generate for wildlife lands outside of state parks will go to restora-tion projects, land management, law enforcement, pub-lic safety, public access, and science. I can’t think of a better way to spend to spend $1.26.

Prop 21Continued from Page 1...

Wastewater Management is making some minor chang-es in the way the Audubon Society will get access to the ponds for bird watching.

As before, please call Wastewater and arrange a time to visit the ponds. When you check in with the security guard and sign the Waiver of Liability forms, the guard will lend one member of the group a badge that will let you in through the A Canal gate. Wave the badge about one foot from the card reader in order to open the gate. The Audubon Society will be responsible for returning the badge to the guard when leaving.

For more information contact:

Carole BrysonSenior SecretaryWastewater Management559-621-5104

Wastewater Management is Making Some Minor Changes

Page 9

PresidentChuck Peck • cpeck@fresnoaudubon.org

SecretaryMarian Orvis • 226-0145 • morvis@fresnoaudubon.org

Treasurer interimMargaret Beatie • 787-2104 • mbeatie@fresnoaudubon.org

Executive Director Matt Wilkes • 905-7998 • mwilkes@fresnoaudubon.org

Membership Sue Hagen • shagen@fresnoaudubon.org

EducationKaberi Kar Gupta • kkargupta@fresnoaudubon.org

Field Trips Frank Gibson • 299-8452 • fgibson@fresnoaudubon.org

ConservationBrandon Hill • 978-2369 • bhill@fresnoaudubon.org

Wednesday Walks Darby & Vicki Smith • 787-2969 • vicdarb@inreach.comBetty & Ken Cornelisen • 439-2267 • kcornelisen@comcast.com

DirectorsMadhusudan Katti • mkatti@fresnoaudubon.orgBeth Richardson-Barnett • bbarnett@fresnoaudubon.org

Editor-in-ChiefHoward Clark • hclark@fresnoaudubon.org

Associate EditorSue Hagen • shagen@fresnoaudubon.org

Book Review Editor Howard Clark • hclark@fresnoaudubon.org

HospitalityDiane DuBois • dpeanut743@yahoo.com

Staff Interns Jamie San Andres • jsanandres@fresnoaudubon.org Bradley Griffiths • bgriffiths@fresnoaudubon.org

Information for ContributorsAuthors should submit original articles, notes, and book reviews to the Editor, either by email or by mail to the Society’s address, P. O. Box 9324 • Fresno • 93791-9324. For further information, please contact the editor.

Society Activities

Member and Board of Directors MeetingsAll programs are held at the University of California Center, located at 550 E. Shaw Avenue in Fresno, on

the second Tuesday of September, November, January, March, and May at 7:30 p.m. Programs usually end no later than 9:00 p.m. BOD meetings start at 6:00 p.m.

Fresno Audubon Science Committee Madhusudan Katti, mkatti@fresnoaudubon.org

Kaberi Kar Gupta, kkargupta@fresnoaudubon.orgHoward Clark, hclark@fresnoaudubon.org

Rodney Olsen, riggo01@sbcglobal.net

Fresno Audubon Society 559-222-2473

Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation559-298-3276

Audubon Legislative Actionline1-800-659-2622

To report banded birds800-327-BAND or BBL@nbs.gov

Publications:The Yellowbill

Fresno-Madera County Bird Checklisthttp://www.fresnoaudubon.org/checklist.pdf

FAS on the Internet:www.fresnoaudubon.org

Kevin Enns-Rempel, Webmaster, kennsrem@fresno.edu

FAS email:FresnoAudubon@gmail.com

Fresno County Birders email group:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fresno_county_birders

National Audubon Society: www.audubon.org California Audubon: www.ca.audubon.org

The Fresno Audubon Society, founded in 1966, is a chapter of the

National Audubon Society. Its mission

is to promote the enjoyment, understanding,

and preservation of birds and other wildlife in Fresno

and Madera counties through

birding, education, science, advocacy, and fellowship.

The Fresno Audubon Society is a registered non-profit

organization

For more information about the birds of the Fresno-Madera area visit fresnoaudubon.org

Deadline for Yellowbill submissions: The 15th of August through April

The Yellowbill 48 (2) 2010

Use this form if you want to join National Audubon Society and Fres-no Audubon Society. One fee gives you membership in both:

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY membership application

[ ] Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Society and my local chapter as the special rate of only $20.

[ ] Electronic copy of The Yellowbill? [ ] Mailed paper copy?

Name ____________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________

City _____________________ State ______________ Zip __________

[ ] My check for $20 is enclosed. [ ] Bill me, please.

Please make check out to National Audubon Society and mail to:Fresno Audubon Society • P. O. Box 9324 • Fresno • CA 93791-9324

C19 C0ZC190Z

Use this form if you want to join Fresno Audubon Society only, but not National Audubon:

FRESNO AUDUBON SOCIETY membership application. You might prefer to belong to Fresno Audubon only, without joining the National. Your dues will stay in the community. You will receive The Yellowbill, but not Audubon magazine. Yellowbill preference: [ ] electronic [ ] mailed copy

Name _____________________________________________________Address ___________________________________________________City _____________________ State ______________ Zip ___________email ____________________________________ date _____________

Please make check out to Fresno Audubon Society and mail to:Fresno Audubon Society • P. O. Box 9324 • Fresno • CA 93791-9324

[ ] $5 Short-eared Owl

[ ] $10 Snowy Plover

[ ] $15 Burrowing Owl

Please check one:

[ ] $25 California Quail

[ ] $50 Mountain Plover

[ ] $100 Swainson’s Hawk

[ ] Renewing Member

[ ] $500 Calif. Condor

[ ] $1000 Golden Eagle

[ ] Other

[ ] New Member