WESTERNTAN AG E R

Volume 69 Number 4 March/April 2003 Los Angeles Audubon Society

*Bacl<i to 'Ecuador("Part I)

A bout 25 years ago, I was invitedto be the naturalist on a tour tothe Galapagos. The tour included

a few days in mainland Ecuador. TheGalapagos were interesting, though miser-ably hot. My only duty was to keep thetourists from trampling the booby nests.The mainland was the real surprise, unex-pectedly beautiful, full of life. I knew Imust return someday.

In December, 2001,1 realized thetime had finally arrived. I searched theinternet for lodges, guides, and air fares.Jane Lyons of Mindo Bird Tours under-stood what I wanted, and suggested anitinerary. I could explore both slopes ofthe Andes and even spend a few days inAmazonia! Talking my friend RichardHoover into joining this expedition waseasy. We had enough experience in CostaRica to feel comfortable on the eco-tourism circuit, and the idea of escapingsouthern California's freeways and airpollution was enticing. Assured that theweather in Ecuador was always unpre-dictable, with a combination of good andbad at any time of year, we cheerfullyseized the first available date.

Our adventure began July 1, 2002,with a flight from Los Angeles to Bogota,Colombia via Mexico City, then on toQuito. This route has two advantages:lower fares, and shorter layovers. Thewinds over Quito that night were fierce. Iturned green and held on for dear life,while a business traveler exclaimed withevery heart-stopping jolt, "May bonito!"

by John McCoy,

In 25 years, the country had changed!Quito is full of wonderful sights, and thefamous pickpockets in the old cityignored us. The standard of living hasimproved. The revolution of computersand cell phones is in full swing. The offi-cial currency is the U.S. dollar. Prices arereasonable. The Ecuadorians are touch-ingly modest. Responding to our wide-eyed enthusiasm after every adventure,they would say, "But our country is thesmallest in South America. You shouldsee the rest of South America!" They hadto be reminded of their own spectacularscenery and wildlife.

Our base of operations was a smallhotel, La Cartuja, near the AmericanEmbassy. The staff was friendly andaccommodating. After a couple days ofsightseeing, we were ready for our firstexpedition, down the eastern slope ofthe Andes.

Our guide was Edison Buenano, whoproved his worth at our first stop. Whilepouring coffee from a thermos this coldmorning, he spotted the day's first bird, theAndean Condor, now quite rare. Edison, aformer resident manager at BellavistaLodge, is experienced with foreign birders.He kept us cheerful even in the worst rain

Birding near Guango Lodge: the mountains, the rain,the guide, the pipeline construction.

and mud. He pointed out the field marksand behaviors of each species as weencountered them. This experience provedimportant later on, when we had to sharea guide with other birders.

We quickly realized the entire coun-try is "becoming". Quito has new buslanes for mass transit (though not enoughmoney was left to buy the buses).Throughout the city, buildings are goingup or coming down. In the countryside, anoil pipeline is being built, and with it, newroads and power lines. This constructionproject will define Ecuador for years tocome. Will it succeed, or will it destroy"the environment"?

In Ecuador, there are few placeswhere a major road or a pipeline can bebuilt over the mountains. The pipelinemainly follows the major road from theAmazonian forests through Quito, thenwest to the ports. This is the same routetaken by most local traffic, including bird-watchers. The birds themselves do notnecessarily prefer these locations; rather,these are the areas most explored by bird-ers. Huge tracts on either side of the roadseem completely inaccessible due to thesteepness of the terrain. If the pipelineproject can stay within the 30m stripcalled for in the plans, actual damage maybe minimal. But there are ruffled featherson both sides of the pipeline debate. Thecountry needs revenue, and even if somehabitat is destroyed, the improved roadswill benefit natives and tourists alike.

We soon reached Papallacta, thehighest Andean pass most travelers willvisit, at an elevation of about 4,000m. Ona clear day, many volcanoes can be seen,but it is more often cold, windy, and very

Stumped by austral migrants, lowlands near Rio Napo

wet. The pass is the gateway to the eastside of the Andes and the jungle beyond.We stopped at a reserve north of the high-way to explore the paramo habitat. Whilethe guidebooks say paramo is grasslands,a closer look reveals a diverse but minia-ture plant community. There are birds,too, though sometimes hard to see. Whilewaiting for the birds, we explored thebeauty of the paramo with a close-up lens.Entire realms of colorful foliage, flowers,and fruits thrive within a couple inches ofthe ground. Not far below Papallacta Pass,barely at the treeline, are the famousPapallacta Hot Springs. The pasturesabove the thermal resort were full of hum-mingbirds, tanagers, and tyrannulets, aswell as exotic flowers and fruits.

The eastern slope of the Andes, atleast the section we saw, is remarkable forthe role played by erosion. The geology ischaotic. There are large, convoluted seamsof mica that decay into unstable soils, andthen into slippery mud. There are unimag-inable colors of mud: black, white, red,green, even pale purple and aqua, depend-ing on the minerals in the soil. We hikedthrough mud of all colors, up to our ankles.

The mountain forests are gashed bycountless large and small landslides.Every one of these patches undergoes arapid ecological succession. There is somuch slippage and regeneration going onit is hard to find a mature patch of galleryforest, except in the few flat areas. Instead,the forest contains a baffling array ofplant and animal communities. While itcan be hard to see the birds in theseunruly thickets, the botanical spectacle isoverwhelming, like a terrarium gonemad. And butterflies were everywhere! I

soon understood•> that ecological suc-

" ;. cession will begin'- > ' . the day the pipeline

crews leave. This isnot to say every-thing will be as itwas; there are stillmany things that cango wrong. But theprofusion of life thatsprings up almostovernight on anypatch of bare earthwill assert itself.

By late after-noon, we reached

Guango Lodge, among the forests andmud of the eastern slope at about 2,600m.The lodge is bordered by the new road onone side, and the Guango River on theother. The pipeline under construction isacross the river. The road shakes underheavy truck traffic. Nevertheless, bird par-ties visit the grounds of the lodge, andtrails lead up to the hillsides above theroad. One trail about a mile west of thelodge follows a rocky stream through arare section of undisturbed gallery forest.The forest had a familiar, Califomianlook: the dominant tree was an alder,Alnus acuminatus, and the residentsincluded Band-tailed Pigeon and BlackPhoebe!

Farther down slope, at about 2,000m,Mitch and Carmen Lysinger have turnedtheir lodge at San Isidro into a rusticparadise. The food was sensational,especially given the remoteness of thelodge. A particularly fine soup flavoredwith peanut and banana sent the guestsinto raptures. At dinner, a guest exclaimedthat we were eating one of the "lost tubersof the Incas". I believe he was mistaken:we still have the tuber; it was the Incaswho were lost! We had one afternoon offine weather before the rains closed in.Even so, we watched bird parties from acovered lookout, and saw all the residenthummingbirds, as well as tanagers in allcolors. This is one place I want to seeagain in a drier season!

After the mountain rains, the ridedown to the lowlands was glorious. Theweather improved mile by mile, and thepace of life in the villages increased, too.By the time we reached the bustling fron-tier town of Tena, gateway to Amazonia,it was as if we were in a different country.We shed our rain gear and sweaters for aroadside lunch, then followed the NapoRiver toward our next stop. Along theroad east of Tena, where life is still veryprimitive, the biggest development apartfrom the pipeline seemed to be aLetrinizacion Familiar project; i.e., everyfamily should have its own outhouse! Newouthouses, brightly painted, are displayedalong the road, but the project still has along way to go. In such circumstances, anew paved road will have tremendousimpact. Produce will move to marketfaster. Vehicles will last longer. It will befeasible to reach more distant markets,and to obtain supplies with less difficulty.

Western Tanager

Rio Napo near Cabanas Alinahui

Locals are counting on the road to attractvisitors, too. The price of land along theNapo River has jumped in anticipationof a tourist bonanza.

The Cabanas Alinahui had seen betterdays. At some time in the past, they hadhot water, reliable lights, beautiful gardens,and finer dining. The gardens are stillbeautiful, but overgrown. Huge fruit treesstand neglected. We stumbled around incomplete darkness for two nights beforesomeone figured out how to connect thesolar-powered batteries to our cabin. Bynow we had figured out how to copewith the rain, and besides, the weatherwas definitely better. While we reviewedour bird list on our covered veranda, theafternoon rain abated, and we added fivenew species from a nearby tree, includinga picture-perfect pair of Swallow Tanagersjust as we reached that page in the fieldguide. In the few days we were there,some very odd species turned up, such asBrownish Twistwing, Guira Tanager, andYellow-throated Spadebill.

Alinahui has resident guides whoplan daily adventures. The first oneseemed to be a simulated conquest of theInca Empire. The famous expedition ofGonzalo Pizarro and Francisco Orellanapassed nearby in 1541, so perhaps thiswas a commemorative march! The guidewanted to show us the forest from a hill-top, blazing a trail with his machete. Weshoved and pushed each other up anddown slippery and spiny hillsides, andsomehow reached our goal, rewarded byclose views of Paradise Tanagers. But wewere almost too exhausted to appreciatethe landscape. As it was, we had barelyenough energy to make it back to our van.The next day, the guide wanted to show

us the river. Wecould already see itwas extremely highand muddy after lastnight's storm. Couldwe make a shortcanoe trip and thenspend the afternoonat the lodge? No,that would inconve-nience the cook,who wanted to sendeveryone out with a

• i'-?'"i; packed lunch andthen have the rest ofthe day off! Wecompromised: wetook our packed

lunch and spent the day in Edison's SUV,birding along the road east of Alinahui. Itwas the best day yet. We stayed dry andcomfortable, and we turned up one finebird after another.

A Dark-billed Cuckoo, an australmigrant, posed by the road to show off itsfield marks. A tall snag produced an inter-esting woodpecker, but as we arguedwhether its back was spotted or not, wediscovered we were looking at two differentspecies in the same tree. A pasture gaveus at least 20 new species, and then a newspinetail virtually underfoot. Even theswifts flew close enough for identification.

Our week on the eastern slope passedtoo quickly. We were tired and muddy,but sad to leave the Napo River behind,not to mention our guide and companion.Edison drove us back over the Andes,stopping for lunch and a couple moreduck species below Papallacta. We wereall too soon back in Quito. The staff at LaCartuja welcomed us warmly. We hadbeen well prepared and luckier than manybirders: all our plans had worked out per-fectly, with only one short delay. Now weturned our attention to preparing for ournext adventure, a morning flight to alodge deep in the Amazon jungle."

John McCoy received his Doctorate inZoology from the University of Illinoisand is currently a software engineer inthe L.A. area. His idea of a perfect hikeis one with lots of birds, and modernplumbing at the end.

Back to Ecuador continues in theMay/June Western Tanager.

The Power ofCitizen Science

Dr. Frank Gill of National AudubonSociety will present a program in NewportBeach, on Friday, March 21, 2003.

Dr. Gill is one of the most broadly-skilled and widely-respected ornitholo-gists in the world today. His path fromavid youthful birder to writing the defin-itive text, Ornithology, to the halls ofthe Philadelphia Academy of NaturalScience, to editing the multi-volumeopus The Birds of North America, toDirector of Science for the NationalAudubon Society. He has found the timeto serve as president of the AmericanOrnithologists' Union and further hisinterest in promoting birding and sci-ence with various board and committeeappointments and commitments. Dr. Gill'sposition with the NAS encompassesmany of the citizen science projects thatare familiar to most of us.

Dr. Gill is noted for being a wonder-ful and entertaining public speaker. Hewill take us on a tour of his career as heexplains the many long-term ornithologystudies and science projects originatingfrom the National Audubon Society thatdepend on birders like him and us.Projects that need birders from all walksof life, all professions, all levels of inter-est and, all levels of birding skills tomake them happen.

Please join us for this exceptionalopportunity to welcome Dr. Frank Gillof the National Audubon Society tosouthern California as he speaks onsome of the topics he loves most:ornithology, birds, birders, and birding.Mark the date on your calendar now -Friday, March 21, 2003 at 6 P.M. at theRadisson Hotel, Newport Beach.

Please call Sea and Sage Audubonfor dinner and program - $40.50 -reservations and information, at(949) 261-7963.

Reservations are necessary.

March/April 2003

CONSERVATION CONVERSATIONby Sandy Wohlgemuth

Seeking New TrafficStudy, LA. May SueOver Ahmanson Ranch(Los Angeles Times, 12-12-02)

This headline will indicate the stateof the controversy over protectionor development of the remaining

open space in America. The AhmansonRanch, a 2800-acre unspoiled parcel isowned by the Washington Mutual Bankthat has been trying to build a $2 billiongolf course city there since the early 1990s.The plans include 3050 expensive homes,a hotel, TWO golf courses, and 400,000square feet of retail space and offices.

The ranch is north of the VenturaFreeway and is near Las Virgenes Roadand the city of Calabasas. Surveys predictan additional 45,000 vehicles per day onthe already crowded freeway and willimpact travel deep into the west valley.Development will threaten several sensi-tive habitats including walnut and valleyoak woodlands, coast live oak riparianforest, and a rare native needlegrassgrassland.

Two federally endangered specieshave been found here: the San Fernandovalley spineflower and the red-legged frog.The source of the Malibu Creek water-shed is in the ranch where construction ofhomes and businesses seems certain topollute the creek all the way to MalibuLagoon. A recent discovery that a welland the underlying aquifer contain seventimes the safe concentration of perchlo-rate for drinking water set by the state.Toxic perchlorate was used in testingnuclear reactors at the Rocketdyne facilitywhere there are still radiation problems.

Government officials believe there is astrong possibility that perchlorate hasmigrated to the nearby ranch.

When fully developed the new citywill eliminate vital wildlife corridors goingnorth from the Santa Monica mountainsto the Santa Susanna mountains, so pre-venting native animals from finding foodand mates. The project is complicated bythe fact that the entire area lies withinVentura County where it sits cheek by jowlwith Los Angeles County. The VenturaCounty people have strongly encouragedthe development because both propertyand sales taxes will come their way. LosAngeles County will be burdened withthe inconvenience and cost of maintainingthe burgeoning freeway as the trapped

MILES

VENTURACOUNTY

'Agoura Hills

VictorBlvd.

Calabasas

Angeleno commuters scream for help.Ignoring the cries of the opposition, onDecember 19th the Ventura Board ofSupervisors voted to give WashingtonMutual permission to get state and federalpermits to turn the first shovelful of soil.Almost immediately the L.A. City Councilvoted unanimously to sue Ventura County.Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn has beenopposed all along to the Ahmansonproject and agrees that legal action willbe necessary if Ventura does not listen tothe city. The City of Calabasas said theywould sue and the L.A. County Supervi-sors joined the chorus. California Attor-ney-General Bill Lockyer has said allalong that the environmental threat of theproject was too much and he may bringthe state into the picture.

The public has not been unmindfulof this threat to the beautiful green hillsat the junction of Las Virgines Road andthe freeway. Washington Mutual's argu-ment that it is serving the needs of thecommunity by providing sorely neededhousing creates a skeptical response:"Yeah, 3050 million-dollar homes!" Andthere have been a number of big meet-ings where people hear prominent scien-tists, political luminaries, and plain folkswho want to have their say. The 1992Environmental Impact Report on trafficis considered pitifully out of date byL.A. transportation officials with thehuge increase in population and automo-biles. A new study must be made, yet theVentura supervisors ignored the obviousand approved a $2 billion project thatguarantees freeway gridlock.

Commenting on the 1992 EIR, theCalifornia Native Plant Society said, atthe time, "Direct loss of 1800 acres ofplant communities and wildlife habitat;

Western Tanager

fragmentation of adjacent, maintained,native communities within the site;mid-term to long-term loss of riparianwoodland, and specific loss of coastalsage scrub."

This is a just fight in our own backyard. No one is asking for money - ourenvironmental friends in the entertain-ment industry are putting their own

money and energy into the struggle.Let's hope that the lawyers know theirstuff and we win the battle.

The media's description of this storychanged almost weekly and the writer'sattempt to cover it meant changing the mes-sage frequently as it spilled out. By the timeyou read it, it all might be settled and hisf*&f>*~

NEWS FELECTIONS •—

Along with spring migrationcomes the annual election of theExecutive Board of Los AngelesAudubon Society, Inc. In theJanuary 2, 2003 Board meeting theExecutive Committee appointed2nd VP Garry George Chairman ofthe Nominations Committee and inthe January 14, 2003 general meet-ing the Members elected MaryFreeman and Margo de Grosse tojoin Garry on the NominatingCommittee. This three personNominations Committee will meetand propose a slate of officers at theApril 8 meeting. At that meetingmembers may nominate additionalcandidates or by written noticebefore April 8 to the ExecutiveBoard, LAAS, 7377 Santa MonicaBlvd, West Hollywood, CA90046-6694 and supported bywritten petition signed by at leastfifteen (15) members of the Society.Members will vote on the slatepresented by the NominatingCommittee and additional candi-dates if there are any in theMay 13 meeting. PLEASE PLANTO ATTEND IF YOU CAREABOUT THE FUTURE OF LAAS.Elected candidates will take officeJuly 1, 2003 at the Board Meeting.

ROM THECONSERVATION —

The Board voted unanimously tosupport Friends of Piute Ponds andL.A. birders Mike San Miguel andTodd McGrath in their attempts tocreate a wetlands at Piute Ponds aspart of the planned expansion ofthe water sanitation facilities in thecity of Lancaster. L.A. SanitationDistrict 14 predicts the addition of70,000 new homes in the AntelopeValley by 2005 and the facility mustdouble in capacity to handle thatmuch waste water. Mike, Todd, andLAAS' 2nd VP Garry George spokepublicly in support of the wetlandsciting other projects such as Arcatamarsh in northern California:www.humboldt.edu/~ere.jiept/marsh/and also southern Florida'sWakodahatchee wetlands:www.pbcwater.com/wakodahatchee/both of which are successful creat-ed wetlands for use as dryingponds which have brought eco-nomic prosperity to their regions.Environmental Sciences, a privatecorporation, will begin their$600,000 Environmental ImpactReport in the next few monthsexploring the proposed options forexpansion of the facilities, and thehope is that January 9th testimonywill put the wetlands alternative

BOARD

back in the report as a viable alter-native to concrete drying vats onproperty purchased by the WaterDistrict. Local politicians andbusinessmen spoke in oppositionto the use of Piute Ponds or anyother property on Edwards AFBby the sanitation facility eventhough the AFB has indicated itswillingness to lease some of thebase to the Sanitation District andsupports the use of the Ponds as aneducational and public wetlands.The businesses and politicians fearthat the precedent of leasing willbe the beginning of a flood of law-suits and requests to lease landfrom the base that will eventuallycause the the Air Force to abandonthe base and the aerospace militaryeconomy that the Antelope Valleydepends on. Their campaign isentitled NO ENCROACHMENTand asks the EIR to only limit theevaluation and the project to thepurchase of private propertiesadjacent to the current sanitationfacilities. They also cited the fearof "bird strikes" on test aircraft butno past such incidents were cited.No AFB officials spoke at thescoping meeting.

March/April 2003

B I R D S O F T H E S E A S O NThis Birds of the Season column is acompilation of bird reports from LosAngeles County taken from the RBA tapethat is recorded weekly by Jon Fisher.The birds mentioned were seen duringthe week indicated. We expect to resumethe regular column in the near future.

October 31, 2002 —A female Surf Scoter, a EurasianWigeon, and a Plumbeous Vireo were atBonelli Regional Park in San Dimas.A Baird's Sandpiper and a TropicalKingbird were reported from MalibuLagoon.Lewis' Woodpeckers were reported inClaremont, and Malibu Creek State ParkA Least Flycatcher was at Sand DunePark. A Black-and-white Warbler and aWhite-throated Sparrow were also seen.A Palm Warbler was at Harbor RegionalPark in Wilmington.A Black-and-white Warbler and aRose-breasted Grosbeak were reportedat the Pomona Cemetery.A Clay-Colored Sparrow, an IndigoBunting, and a Bobolink were foundalong the San Gabriel River in Pico Rivera.Two Large-billed Savannah Sparrowswere at the south jetty at Marina del Rey.

November 7, 2002 —A Greater Scaup was reported along theLos Angeles River just southwest of theSepulveda Basin Wildlife Area in Van Nuys.Several Brown Creepers were reportedaway from their usual haunts. Locationsinclude the Baldwin Hills, Santa Fe Damand near Dodger Stadium.A Black-and-white Warbler was atRancho Park in Simi Valley.A Vesper Sparrow was at Santa Fe Damin Irwindale.

November 14, 2002 —A Hooded Merganser and a Clay-coloredSparrow were along the San GabrielRiver between Dunlap Crossing andWhittier Blvd.A Summer Tanager was at the PomonaCemetery.A White-Throated Sparrow was atEaton Canyon.

November 21, 2002 —A nearly pure albino Red-tailed Hawkwas seen at Brackett Field on the east sideof Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas.Two Black Oystercatchers were on thejetty at Marina del Rey. The Large-billed Savannah Sparrow continued inthis area as well.The Tropical Kingbird continued to bereported from Malibu Lagoon.Reports of Varied Thrushes this pastweek have come from Towsley Canyonnear Santa Clarita, from Oak ParkCemetery in Claremont, and from SandDune Park in Manhattan Beach.An Orchard Oriole and a Summer Tan-ager female were also been seen at SandDune Park.A Rusty Blackbird was found last week-end at Harbor Park in Wilmington.

December 5, 2002 —Three Lewis' Woodpeckers continuedto be reported along Malibu CanyonRoad near the entrance to Malibu CreekState Park.A male Vermilion Flycatcher and a Bal-timore Oriole were at El Dorado Park inLong Beach.A Varied Thrush and a very lateYellow-breasted Chat were reportedfrom Sand Dune Park.

December 5, 2002 —A Long-tailed Duck was at the L.A.River mouth.A Common Goldeneye, a GreaterScaup, and a Red-throated Loon wereseen at Quail Lake.A flock of 80 Mountain Plover was seenjust south of Avenue L between 40th and50th Street East. This location is east ofPalmdale in the Antelope Valley.Two Varied Thrush and a female SummerTanager were still at Sand Dune Park.

December 19, 2002 —The Long-tailed Duck at the L.A. Rivermouth continued to be seen.A Black-and-white Warbler was seen atLadera Park.The Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley CBCwas held on Saturday, December 14. Thecurrent species total stands at 153. High-lights follow . . . . There were three Ross'Geese (one at Lincoln Park, two at LeggLake). A Peregrine Falcon was near PeckPit in Monrovia. Several Western Gullsand two Glaucous-winged Gulls werealso found. One Rufous Hummingbirdwas reported at Scholl Canyon. A GrayFlycatcher was at Oak Grove Park (akaHahamongna Watershed Park) in Pasade-na. Six Barn Swallows (Legg Lake andPeck Pit) and one Violet-green Swallow(Peck) were found. The Brown Thrasherthat has wintered for three years at EatonCanyon was finally recorded on thecount. One Hermit Warbler was foundat Legg Lake in the Whittier Narrowsarea. A Baltimore Oriole was at theArcadia Arboretum.

Western Tanager

December 26, 2002 —A Yellow-breasted Chat, a SummerTanager female and, two Varied Thrushescontinued at Sand Dune Park. A PalmWarbler was at Peck Pit in Monrovia. ALarge-billed Savannah Sparrow wason the south jetty at Playa del Rey.The Palos Verdes Christmas Bird Countwas head on December 21. A Nazca Boobywas seen flying by. Also on the count wasa Black-chinned Hummingbird on privateproperty, an Eastern Phoebe in PeckCanyon, a Nashville Warbler at BanningPark, and a continuing Long-tailed Duckat the mouth of the L.A. River. Seabirdsseen from Point Vincente on the countincluded Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck,RMnocerous Auklet and both Pomarineand Parasitic jaegers.

January 9, 2003 —A Glaucous Gull was reported whereSunset Boulevard meets the PacificCoast Highway.A Marbled Murrelet was at the Marinadel Rey channel. A female Black Scoterwas at the Ballona Creek mouth.The Brown Thrasher continued at EatonCanyon in Pasadena.Mountain Bluebirds were seen at BalboaLake in the San Fernando Valley and afemale Vermilion Flycatcher continuednorthwest of the lake as well.At the L.A. National Cemetery in West-wood, a Summer Tanager continued.Several Common Grackles were seenrepeatedly the Earvin "Magic" JohnsonRecreation Area in Willowbrook.

January 16, 2003 —A Red-necked Grebe was seen at MalibuLagoon.The Marbled Murrelet at the Marinadel Rey channel continued through Sun-day, January 12. Three White-wingedScoters were also seen. A single Large-billed Savannah Sparrow was also seenon the middle jetty.A female Williamson's Sapsucker wasat Veteran's Park at the north end ofSayre Street in

SALE

SALE

SALE

R ecords of rare and unusualbirds reported for Birds of theSeason should be considered

tentative pending review by theregional editors of North AmericanBirds or, if appropriate, by the Cali-fornia Birds Records Committee.

Send observations with details to:

North American Birds, L.A. Co.Kimball L. GarrettOrnithology Collections ManagerNatural History Museum of L.A. County900 Exposition Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90007e-mail: kgarrett@nhm.org

California Bird Records Committee

Guy McCaskieP.O. Box 275Imperial Beach, CA 91933-0275e-mail: guymcc@pacbell.net

To report birds for the tape, call:

Jon Fisher: (818) 544-5009 (work)e-mail: Jon.L.Fisher@disney.com

NEW AT THE BOOKSTOREToll Free Phone Number

Sales and Inquiries(888) LAAS428 or (888) 522-7428

A Birder's Guide to Alaska, ABA Birdfinding GuideCovers more than sixty locations, including the entire road system, ferrysystem, Alaskan Highway. Annotated species list, checklists by location,120 detailed route maps. Popular destinations and off-the-track birding sitesare detailed. Over forty expert birders are contributors to the guide.586 pages, spiral bound, soft cover. 2002George C. West $28.95

Birds-Eye Guide to 101 Birding Sites—PhoenixColored coded to four quadrants in Phoenix and surrounding areas. Unlikeother guides, it presents an aerial photo of each birding site, along with aground or bird photos, and vertical photos or maps, all in full color.Exact driving instructions and specific site data.Pocket sized, spiral bound, soft cover. 2002Michael J. Rupp $23.95

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March/April 2003

E L A TTR I P $Sunday, May 4 —Marina del Rey toward the ChannelIslands National Monument.Twelve hour trip departs from Marinadel Rey at 6:00 A.M. on the R/V UCLASeaworld.Birds seen on prior trips: NorthernFulmar; Black-vented, Sooty, and Pink-footed shearwaters; Pomarine Jaeger;Sabine's Gull; rocky shorebirds (up tofive); Common Murre; Pigeon Guillemot;Xantus's Murrelet; Cassin's andRhinoceros auklets.Leaders: Michael J. San Miguel,Bernardo Alps (Cetacean Society).$65 - Coffee, no galley

Saturday, June 7 —Landing on Santa Cruz Island atPrisoner's Cove for about one hour andthen pelagic birding south towardAnacapa Island. A ten hour trip departsfrom Island Packers dock in Ventura at8:00 A.M. on the M/V Sunfish.The endemic Island Scrub-Jay is easilyseen here. Then we will cruise south ofthe island toward Anacapa Island. Birdsseen on prior trips: Northern Fulmar;Sooty and Pink-footed shearwaters;Pomarine Jaeger; Sabine's Gull; rockyshorebirds (up to five); Pigeon Guille-mot; Xantus's Murrelet. Rarities: Flesh-footed Shearwater; South Polar Skua;Tufted Puffin seen in 2002.Leaders: Michael J. San Miguel,Jonathan Feenstra, Bernardo Alps$75 - No galley.

Saturday, September 6 —A deep water trip toward Cherry, Tanner,and Cortez banks. This twelve hour tripdeparts from Santa Barbara Harbor at7:00 A.M. on the fast catamaran theCondor Express.This is our Red-billed Tropicbird Trip.

We go far offshore in three counties, LosAngeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara.Birds to be expected: Black, Least, Ashy,and Leach's storm-petrels; Pomarine andLong-tailed jaegers; South Polar Skua;Sabine's Gull. Rarities: Black-footedAlbatross; Buller's Shearwater; ArcticTern; Craveri's Murrelet. Blue, Fin, andMinke whales as well as several speciesof dolphins have been seen on this trip.Leaders: Mitch Heindel, Kimball Garrett,David Pereksta, Todd McGrath.$150 - There is a full galley on boardwhich seats 60 people in comfort. Thereare large windows that allow you toobserve the ocean while seated.

Saturday, October 4 —A deep water trip south of San MiguelIsland to Richardson's Rock and cruiseout to 1000 Fathoms. This eight hour tripdeparts from Santa Barbara Harbor at8:00 A.M. on the fast catamaran theCondor Express.Birds to be expected: Black-vented,Pink-footed, Buller's, and Sooty shear-waters; Black, Ashy, Leach's, and Leaststorm-petrels; Pomarine Jaeger; SouthPolar Skua; Long-tailed Jaeger; Sabine'sGull; Xantus's Murrelet; Cassin's andRhinoceros auklets; perhaps CommonMurre and Pigeon Guillemot. Rarities:Flesh-footed shearwaters.Leaders: Mitch Heindel, David Pereksta,Barney Schlinger, Peter Cantle,Bernardo Alps (Cetacean Society).$110 - There is a full galley on boardwhich seats 60 people in comfort, withlarge windows which allow you toobserve the ocean while seated.

Saturday, October 25 —Northern Channel Islands MonumentTrip. Anacapa, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruzislands toward San Miguel Island. Eleven

hour trip departs from the Oxnard Marinaat 7:30 A.M. on the MTV Vanguard.Birds seen on prior trips: Northern Fulmar;Pink-footed, Sooty, and Black-ventedshearwaters; Leach's, Least, and Ashystorm-petrels; cormorants (three); Sabine'sGull; Arctic Tern; rocky shorebirds (upto five); Common Murre; Craveri's andXantus's murrelets; Cassin's Auklet.Rareties: Flesh-footed, and Buller'sshearwaters; South Polar Skua; Long-tailed Jaeger. Blue, Finback, and Hump-back whales have been seen on this trip.In 2002 a Streaked Shearwater was seen.Leaders: David Pereksta, Michael J.San Miguel, Jonathan Feenstra,Bernardo Alps (Cetacean Society).$90 - Limited galley on board. Boxlunches can be ordered from a nearby deli.

Saturday, November 8 —Ventura Marina toward and past SanMiguel Island on the fast catamaranM/V Islander. Nine hour trip departs fromVentura at 8:00 A.M. and returns by 5:00 P.M.After dropping off campers on Santa CruzIsland, we have the boat to ourselves, andhead toward the 1000 fathom waterabout 10 miles from San Miguel Island.Birds seen this time of year: NorthernFulmar; Black-vented, Sooty, and Pink-footed shearwaters; Leach's Storm-Petrel;South Polar Skua; Pomarine and Parasiticjaegers; rocky shorebirds (up to five);Common Murre; Cassin's and Rhinocerosauklets. Occasionally: Craveri's Murrelet;Rarities: Flesh-footed and Buller's shear-waters: Black-footed Albatross.Leaders: Kimball Garrett, DavidPereksta, Michael J. San Miguel,Bernardo Alps (Cetacean Society).$95 - Limited snack type galley on board.

Western Tanager

WESTERN TANAGER

Published byLos Angeles Audubon Society,

a chapter ofNational Audubon Society.

EDITOR: Jean BrandtASSISTANT EDITOR: Tom Frillman

CONSERVATION: Sandy WohlgemuthORNITHOLOGY CONSULTANT:

Kimball GarrettFIELD TRIPS: Nick FreemanPELAGIC TRIPS: Phil Sayre

PRINTING: Holden Color Inc.

Opinions expressed in articles or lettersherein do not necessarily express the

position of this publication or of LAAS.

PRESIDENT:Raymond Schep

1st VICE PRESIDENT:Dexter Kelly

2nd VICE PRESIDENT:Garry George

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:Mildred Newton

RECORDING SECRETARY:Johanna DawesTREASURER:

Elizabeth Prigge

Annual membership in both societies is$35 per year and $20 for new membersfor their first year. Members receive theWestern Tanager newsletter and Audubonmagazine, a national publication.Renewals of membership are computer-ized by National Audubon and should notbe sent to LAAS; however, new member-ships may be sent directly to LAAS.Make check payable to the NationalAudubon Society.

Western Tanager subscription rates fornon-members are $9 per year for thirdclass delivery or $15 per year for firstclass delivery. LAAS members mayreceive first class delivery by paying anadditional $5. Make check payable to LosAngeles Audubon Society.

Los Angeles Audubon SocietyHeadquarters, Library

and Bookstore are open to the publicTuesday — Saturday10:00 A.M. - 4 : 0 0 P.M.

(323) 876-0202 - office(323) 876-7609 - fax

(323) 874-1318-bird tape

WesternTanager@LAAudubon.org - e-mailLAAS@LAAudubon.org - e-mailwww.LAAudubon.org - website

Printed on Recycled Paper

In passing . . .

Ruth Lohr and Glenn Cunningham

Ruth Lohr volunteered at Audubon House for many yearsbefore she was elected Registrar, a position she filled withgreat charm and enthusiasm. As a matter of fact, "enthusi-asm" was her second name. She was a graduate of Holly-wood High School and UCLA and became a school nurse inthe schools of rural Los Angeles, driving the dirt roads of theAngeles Forest alone and with many adventures. She was aGirl Scout leader and a life-long camper. She was a chartermember of the ABA and attended many of their annual con-ferences. Ruth was the ultimate "lister" who birded all 50states and all 58 California counties, keeping her hand-written life-lists in her safety deposit box at the bank. She notonly kept bird lists but recorded (and could recite) statisticsfor the Los Angeles Dodgers and attended many games atChavez Ravine when she was not on a birding trip. Ruthpassed away last March after a long fight with Alzheimer's.She is survived by her son, Lewis, and his family. Ruth was87 years old.

Glenn Cunningham was a volunteer and served as Librarianand Historian for LAAS for over 15 years. He wrote manypieces for Western Tanager. Glenn grew up in Glendale andlived in the same home for 80 years. He attended the Glen-dale Public Schools, UCLA, and then the University ofPennsylvania where he took his PhD in geography. He taughtgeography at Penn, UCLA, California State University at LosAngeles, and finally at Los Angeles City College. DuringWorld War II, as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. ArmyIntelligence Service, he managed the development of topo-graphic analyses that supported the Allied invasion inEurope. His passion was "collecting" countries, and heattained the goal of a lifetime when he tallied over 250 coun-tries - a remarkable feat. After retirement from LACC, Glennbecame interested in birds and wandered into AudubonHouse where he was welcomed and promptly put to work.His sense of humor was a joy to those of us who workedwith him. He had been in a declining condition since a fall inearly November and he passed away on Christmas Day. He issurvived by his nephew, Glenn E. Cunningham, and his fami-ly. Glenn was 94 years old.

LAAS recently lost two long time friends and volunteers andwe shall miss them greatly.

March/April 2003

F I E L D T R I SBefore setting out on any field trip,please call the LAAS bird tape at(323) 874-1318 for special instructionsor possible cancellations that may haveoccurred by the Thursday before the trip.

Sunday, March 2 —Topanga State Park. Ken Wheelandand Chris Tosdevin will lead participantsthrough this diverse coastal mountain area.An ideal trip for a beginning birder orsomeone new in the area. From VenturaBlvd., take Topanga Canyon Blvd. 7 milesS, turn E uphill on Entrada Rd. Followthe signs and turn left into Trippet Ranchparking lot. From PCH, take TopangaCanyon Blvd. 5 miles to Entrada Rd.Parking $2. Meet at 8:00 A.M.

Sunday, March 9 —Whittier Narrows. Leader: Ray Jillson.View colorful resident and winteringbirds, including the introduced NorthernCardinal. Take Peck Dr. off the 60 Fwyin South El Monte (just west of the605 Fwy). Take the off ramp onto DurfeeAve. heading W (right) and turn left intothe Nature Center, 1000 Durfee Ave.$2 donation. Meet at 8:15 A.M.

Saturday, March 15 —Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.Leaders: Nick and Mary Freeman. Thistrip covers landscaped parkland andnatural coastal scrub habitats, and ispaced for beginning birders and membersof the Baldwin Hills community. Thepark entrance is off of La Cienega Blvd.Between Rodeo Rd. and Stacker St.After passing the entrance kiosk($3 entry fee), turn left (leading to the"Olympic Forest") and park in the firstavailable spaces. Meet at 8:00 A.M.

Sunday, March 16 —Private Duck Club. Leader: IrwinWoldman. This duck club is an excellentspot to observe wintering birds, andmigrating shorebirds. We have seen Soraand Virginia rails here, as well as bittern,Eurasian Wigeon, dark Red-tails, GoldenEagles and Snow Geese - all due to thesheer numbers of birds on the property.Get to the preserve by taking the 101 W to

Las Posas Rd. S, then take Hueneme Rd.W to Casper Rd. Take Casper Rd. past theturn, park and meet by the barn. Free.Limited phone sign-up with LAAS.

Sunday, March 16 —Ballona Wetlands. Bob Shanman willbe leading this trip to our nearest wetlandand adjacent rocky jetty. Loons and scotersmoving through. Meet at the Del ReyLagoon parking lot. Take the Marina Fwy(90 W) to Culver Blvd. and turn left for amile, turn right on Pacific Ave. The lot ison the right. Lot or street parking isusually not a problem. Three-hour walk,spotting 'scopes helpful. Meet at 8:00 A.M.

Saturday and Sunday, March 22-23 —Anza Borrego with Fred Heath. Thespring explosion of desert flora andfauna should be well under way in theColorado Desert, including butterfliesand early birds in the throes of breedingactivity. Suggested accomodations:Tamarisk Grove Campground (reservethrough Destinet (800) 444-7275), orStanlund Motel in Borrego Springs(619) 767-5501. Anticipate a busy week-end, and reserve camping January 22, ormotels earlier. Limit 20 people. SendSASE with $5 fee to LAAS to learn7:00 A.M. meeting place and more details.Pleasant days, cool to cold nights.

Saturday and Sunday, April 5-6 —Owens Valley Grouse Trip. Leader:Mary Freeman. Limited to 20. Meetearly in Big Pine Saturday. Blue Grouse,Sage Grouse and raptors featured. Justthe scenery is worth it! Lots of driving.To sign up, and for accomodation sug-gestions, send $10 and a SASE to LAAS.

Sunday, April 6 —Topanga State Park. Leaders: KenWheeland and Chris Tosdevin. Meet at8:00 A.M. See March 2 listing for details.

Sunday, April 13 —Whittier Narrows. Leader: Ray Jillson.Meet at 8:15 A.M. See March 9 trip for info.Saturday, April 19 —Sierra Vista. Biologist, birder and,ex-docent Scott Harris will be traipsingthrough the tussocks in search of the

elusive Grasshopper Sparrow, Blue Gros-beak, Lazuli Bunting as well as otherfoothill and grassland species. This is oneof the few spots in the southland thatreports the sparrow on an annual basis. Avisit to the Satwiwa Indian Cultural Centerwill follow, if it is open. Take the 101west to Ventura county, exit at WendyAvenue in Thousand Oaks, and continueS to the end. Turn right onto Potrero Rd.,left at the first stop sign (still calledPotrero Rd.), and left at the next stopsign onto Pinehill Rd., which dead-endsinto the parking lot. Meet here at7 : 3 0 A.M., and bird until noon.

Saturday, April 19 —Bonelli Regional Park. Leader RodHigbie. Meet at 7 : 3 0 A.M. BonelliRegional Park has lake, coastal sage,mixed woodland, and riparian habitats.Birds regularly seen include CaliforniaGnatcatcher, Cactus Wren and, Rufous-crowned Sparrow. Golden Eagle and 200other species including many migratingsongbirds are also possible. From L.A.,take 10 or 210 fwy E towards San Dimasonto the stretch of the 210 that curvessouth. Proceed N from the 10, or S alongthe 210 to the Via Verde exit just N ofthe 10/57/210 interchange (at the bottomof Kellogg Hill). If coming from the S,be alert that it comes up fast. Proceedright off the ramp onto Via Verde to the"Park and Ride" lot. We will meet here at7 : 3 0 A.M. to carpool since there is a$6.00/car park entrance fee. Rod willcontinue after lunch, if there is interest.There are picnic tables and facilities.Bring lunch, if you plan to bird into theafternoon. No limit, but please call yourname and phone number in to LAAS ifpossible.

Saturday, April 19 —Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.Leaders: Ann and Eric Brooks. Meet at8:00 A.M. $3 entry fee.See March 15 listing for details.

Sunday, April 20 —Ballona Wetlands. Bob Shanman leads.See March 16 listing for details.Meet at 8:00 A.M.Saturday, April 26 —

10 Western Tanager

Malibu Creek State Park. Leader:Roger Cobb. Look for Hutton's Vireo inoak woodland, California Thrasher inchaparral, and migrating warblers andflycatchers in the riparian habitat. Take101 Fwy west to Las Virgenes Rd. TakeLas Virgenes Rd. 3 miles S to the parkentrance on your right. The parking feemay be raised as high as $10 by then, oruse your annual State Park pass. Considercarpooling with a friend. Meet in theupper parking lot of MCSP near therestrooms at 8 :30 A.M. Rain cancels. Nodogs or small children, please. Finish atPepperdine Ponds shortly after noon.

RESERVATION

AND

FEE EVENTS(Limited Participation)Policy and Procedure

Reservations will be accepted ONLY if ALLthe following information is supplied:

1) Trip desired2) Names of people in your party3) Phone numbers:

(a) usual and(b) evening before event, in

case of cancellation4) Separate check (no cash please) to

LAAS for exact amount for each trip5) Self-addressed stamped envelope for

confirmation and associated trip informationSend to:

LAAS Reservations7377 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90046-6694

If there is insufficient response, the trip willbe cancelled two Wednesdays prior to thescheduled date (four weeks for pelagics). Youwill be so notified and your fee returned.Your cancellation after that time will bring arefund only if there is a paid replacement.Millie Newton is available at Audubon Houseon Wednesdays from noon to 4:00 P.M. toanswer questions about field trips. Our officestaff is also available Tuesday through Saturdayfor most reservation services.

REFUND POLICY FOR

PELAGIC TRIPS

If a participant cancels 31 days or more prior todeparture, a $4 service charge will be deductedfrom the refund. There is no participant refundif requested fewer than 30 days before departure,unless there is a aid replacement available.Call LAAS for a possible replacement. Pleasedo not offer the trip to a friend as it would beunfair to those on the waiting list.

All pelagic tripsmust be filled 35 days prior to sailing.

Please reserve early.

Sunday, April 27 —Jawbone Canyon Birds and Herps. Ledby LAAS member Harvey Fischer, L.A.Zoo Curator Emeritus. We will look forbirds and reptiles in Butterbredt Springsand lower Jawbone Canyon. Meet at at8:30 A.M. at the Jawbone Ranger Stationon Hwy 14, 20 minutes north of Mojaveand about 2 hours north of L.A.Anticipate heat, hunger, thirst, rock-hoppingand, sandy desert. Bring lunch, drinks andplenty of water.High-clearance vehicles suggested.

Sunday, May 4 —Topanga State Park. Leaders: KenWheeland and Chris Tosdevin. Meet at8:00 A.M. See March 2 listing for details.

Sunday, May 11 —Whittier Narrows. Leader: Ray Jillson.See March 9 listing for details.Meet at 8:15 A.M.

Sunday, May 11 —California City and Galileo Hill.Leader: Nick Freeman. Take Hwy 14past Mojave, continue N on Hwy 14about 10 miles, then turn right on

California City Blvd. Drive throughtown about a mile past the shops andturn left on Randsberg-Mojave (20 MuleTeam) Rd. just past the Central ParkGolf Course. Follow me signs to SilverSaddle. Turn left before the hill, takeyour first right, your first right again, intothe Silver Saddle Country Club, followedby two lefts into the lot. Park by thepond. About 2 hrs driving time fromL.A. LAAS phone sign-up mandatory.12 max. Bring lunch, sunblock.Meet at 8:00A.M.

Saturday, May 17 —Santa Anita Canyon. Leader: MaryFreeman. Take the 210 Fwy towardArcadia, and take Santa Anita Avenue Nto the parking lot at the very end of theroad. Meet at the trailhead at the bottomof the lot. 4 mile RT moderately strenuouswalk through oak and chaparral canyons.Good selection of breeding and migratingbirds. Meeting time 7 : 3 0 A.M.

LAAS INTERNATIONAL TOURS

AMAZON VOYAGE - PERU - June 14-22, 2003Machu Picchu Extension - June 22-27Cruise the upper Amazon aboard a graceful 19th century style expeditionship. Excursions up streams in small boats into seasonally floodedforests, and walks in dry forests offer specialized birding and wildlife.A perfect combination of comfort and adventure.Continue your journey to Machu Picchu the Heart of the Inca Empire.

SOUTH AFRICA - BOTSWANA - November 13-23, 2003ZAMBIA Extension - November 23-29Travel with renowned Derek Solom through this magnificent land ofuntamed beauty by way of a modern safari. Wildlife is prolific.Then continue your adventure to Zambia, with views of Victoria Falls,and the Luangwa National Park, where one of the richest concentrationsof mammals and birds in Africa can be found.

FOR ITINERARIES and MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Olga Clarke, Travel DirectorLOS ANGELES AUDUBON SOCIETYPh/Fax: (818) 249-9511e-mail: oclarketravel@earthlink.net

March/April 2003 11

EVENING MEETINGSTuesday, March 11 Sarah Fangman -

The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Sarah Fangman will speak on seabird research and some of the managementefforts undertaken to better protect the seabirds at the islands supported overthe last few years by the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Specifi-cally, they have been involved in studies of Ashy Storm Petrels, Xantus's

Murrelets, and Cassin's Auklets.Channel Islands National MarineSanctuary has worked with the Fishand Wildlife Service, the ChannelIslands National Park, and theDepartment of Fish and Game toresolve issues related to squid fish-ermen impacting nesting pelicans.

Meet at 7:30 P.M.in

Plummer Park

Los Angeles Audubon Society7377 Santa Monica Boulevard

West Hollywood, CA 90046-6694

www.laaudubon.org/general/plmprk.html

Meeting Raffle:

To increase your chances of winning,visit the LAAS Bookstore and Head-quarters either on meeting day or theSaturday immediately preceding themonthly meeting and receive an extraraffle ticket to submit at the meeting.

Good luck!

Tuesday, April 8 Herb and Olga Clarke -Birding in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea may well be the last frontier of birding with its spectacu-lar Birds of Paradise and other species of birds, butterflies, and flowers foundno where else in the world. This evening, view highlights of the Clarke'srecent private trip to this remote primitive corner of the Earth.

Los Angeles Audubon Society7377 Santa Monica BoulevardWest Hollywood, CA 90046-6694

DATED MATERIALPlease Expedite

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDGlendale, CA

PERMIT NO. 276

Bird Tape(323) 874-1318

Jon Fisher records the Bird Tape.Please report interesting bird sightingsto him at:

Jon Fisher(818) 544-5009 (work)JonF60@hotmail.com

12 Western Tanager