White-tailed Kite

February/March, 2009

Mission: To promote the awareness, appreciation and protection of native birds and their
habitats through education, research and environmental activities.

Program Meetings for the general community are normally held on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.,
at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 E. 8th St. In December the meeting is held on the second Monday and in
July and August there are no Program Meetings.

February Program - Monday, February 16, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Wildlife Rehabilitation in California - Nicole Carion

If you see a wild animal in distress, how do you know when to take action and when it is best to just let
nature take its course? When help is needed, do you know who you can call in this situation? Once a
wild animal is turned in for care, where does that animal go and what happens to it? These are just some
of the questions that will be answered when Altacal welcomes Nicole Carion from the California
Department of Fish and Game to our February program. Nicole’s topic will be wildlife rehabilitation
in California. The presentation will explain how wildlife rehabilitation is conducted in the state of
California, and what role wildlife rehabilitators play in protecting the state’s natural resources. There
are over 100 facilities permitted in the state and these facilities receive from the public over 60,000 wild
animals each year. Nicole has been working for the California Department of Fish and Game for 15
years, currently holds the title of Associate Wildlife Biologist and is the Statewide Wildlife
Rehabilitation Coordinator. She works for the Wildlife Investigations Lab which has many functions
but mainly focuses on wildlife diseases. Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies
from California State University San Bernardino. Prior to working for Fish and Game she volunteered
at Wildlife Care in Sacramento and rehabilitated song birds and small mammals. When she is not
working she loves to “adventure travel” and is an avid birder.
Also making an appearance will be Marilyn Gamette who for many years served as Interpretive
Specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and continues to be an environmental education
specialist in many ways, both locally and statewide. In 1974, Marilyn and husband Bob helped found
and still operate the Bidwell Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Chico. She will be accompanied by her
friend, Checkers, a wing-disabled Great Horned Owl.

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 Checkers
Photo by George W. Hartwell

March Program - Monday, March 16, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Birding and Herping Southern Mexico – Jackson Shedd
Join Jackson Shedd as he takes us along on his quest for adventure, birds and reptiles of Southern
Mexico. Mexico is one of the richest biodiversity hot spots in the world. Acting as a bridge between the
United States and Central America, Mexico hosts a great number of species found both to the north and
to the south. In addition, it is home to a phenomenal number of endemics (confined to a certain region).
Jackson traveled through the states of Michoacan and Guerrero in order to bird and herp [a common
contraction referring to looking for “herpetofauna,” specifically toads, frogs, salamanders, lizards,
snakes, and turtles] this relatively unexplored region where many species are only now being described
to science, picking up many lifers along the way. Jackson is an expert birder and Past President of the
Altacal Audubon Society. He is also a local wildlife artist and author of Amphibians and Reptiles of
Bidwell Park.

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 Conant’s Milk Snake
Photo by Jackson Shedd

Giant Horned Lizard

Photo by Jackson Shedd
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 From the President

Help With Education Projects?

The Altacal Audubon Society has a
great need for education-related
volunteers in its ever-increasing
involvement with youth activities and
the education of young people in
support of its mission, “to promote the
awareness, appreciation and
protection of native birds and their
habitats through education, research
and environmental activities”.
Volunteers can choose to work with,
or be responsible for, specific
education projects in as limited or
expanded a role as they desire.
A group of Forest Ranch Charter School children learn how bird-banding is
used for science and conservation at the Toyon Slope Songbird Migration
Monitoring Station, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve
Photo by Dawn Garcia
We continue to grant three $500 scholarships to high school seniors in Butte, Glenn and Tehama
counties whose educational goals are related to wildlife and habitat studies, ecology, conservation and
related earth sciences or environmental sciences. We are thankful to have the professional expertise of
volunteer Sue Scott in this effort.
Altacal Board Member and Conservation Chairperson, Dawn Garcia, has established bird-banding
stations to determine avian species diversity, abundance, and demographics on CSU Chico reserves.
Mike Fisher, AAS co-Vice-President, has been integral to these projects, and with the help of other
volunteers, Dawn and Mike have educated budding naturalists about birds and conservation. Recently,
AAS was awarded a grant to conduct local educational programs, "bird-banding as a science and
conservation tool," to school children in 2009. Outreach will include development of a standards-based
curriculum, bird-banding field trip, and post trip evaluation. The project helps promote the proposed
"No Child Left Inside" Act of 2008. Dawn has also been awarded two grants to monitor Northern
Saw-whet Owls during fall migration and this project is in its fifth year. The bird-banding stations
contribute not only to science, but to education and conservation.
Scott Huber, Altacal Board Member, Field Trip Chairperson and Northern California Representative to
Audubon California has, along with other statewide representatives, advocated for greater emphasis on
youth development at the State level. This effort has been immediately rewarded as Audubon California
developed a scholarship program and awarded matching funds to chapters to encourage attendance by
youth representatives to the Audubon Assembly at Asilomar in March 2009. The redesigned
conference will now feature an entire youth agenda, and young birders will have an opportunity to learn
and recreate with their birding peers.
Altacal Board Members Kathryn Hood, Ruth Kennedy, Jennifer Patten, Carolyn Short, Steve and
Raina King and other volunteers engage in youth education at the annual Endangered Species Faire,
Rancho Esquon, the California Wildlife Festival, Chico Creek Nature Center and additional youth-
oriented events and organizations.

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We currently have a vacant Board of Director’s position, Education Chairperson, who would head up
the Education Committee. As stated in the Altacal By-Laws, “The Education Committee shall
promote the understanding, awareness, appreciation and knowledge of birds and their habitats. This will
be partially accomplished by initiating, supporting and sponsoring environmental activities in our local
community, including encouraging schools to stress natural history, ecology and conservation”.
So, give it some thought. You could tailor the program in any number of ways. You don’t have to be a
teacher/educator to do well in this position, but if you are, then it’s a great opportunity to be helping
youngsters even more than you currently do, or to get back into youth education if you’ve been away
from it for a while. Thanks for your help.

Annual Fall Fund Drive

We gratefully extend a special "thank you" to our members who contributed to Altacal's annual Fall
Fund Drive in 2008. We have received over $1,955 so far. Your donations make our organization's
mission of promoting avian education and outreach within our local communities a reality. Because of
your generosity we will continue to fund the three $500
scholarships mentioned above and also hope to provide some
funding for Altacal's special 2008/09 commitment to producing
a "Birds of Bidwell Park" static bird exhibit for the newly
constructed Chico Creek Nature Center Exhibit Hall, where
we hold our monthly Altacal meetings. The bird exhibit will
feature professionally wood-carved replicas of native birds, both
abundant and rarely seen species within the varied park habitats.
The New Chico Creek Nature Center’s
Exhibit Hall
This is an exciting undertaking that we feel will bring increased awareness and appreciation of birds to
park visitors, both local and world-wide. Despite its name, the Fall Fund Drive has no date deadline.
Please feel free to contribute at any time to any of our various projects and programs. If you would like
more information on projects or programs or wish to volunteer to help with them, please contact one of
the members of our Board of Directors.

Phil Johnson
President
Altacal Audubon Society

Upcoming Bird Walks and Birding Trips

All of our field trips are open to beginning birders. Anyone with a sense of wonder is welcome to participate.

February 15, Sunday - Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

Leader: Mike Peters
Join US Fish and Wildlife Service
Biologist Mike Peters for an insider’s
look at the Colusa National Wildlife
Refuge. The waterfowl season ends in
January so things quiet down and the
refuge becomes the domain of birders in
February. The 4,507-acre refuge is the
winter home to 20,000 ducks and
50,000 geese. Year-round resident
wildlife includes herons, egrets,
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American Coots, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ring-necked Pheasants, Red-tailed Hawks, Black-tailed
Jackrabbits, Northern Raccoons, and Black-tailed Deer. This refuge provides food and cover for
hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish, and is well-known for its population of the
endangered Giant Garter Snake. We’ll meet at the Chico Park ‘n Ride promptly at 7 a.m. From there,
we’ll carpool to the refuge. Refuge rendezvous point will be at the restrooms near the start of the Auto
Loop at 8 a.m. We’ll drive the three-mile loop and then take the one-mile walking loop. Rain cancels.
Dress warmly. We should be back at Chico by approximately 2 p.m.

February 21, Saturday – Rancho Esquon

Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten

Just a short drive outside Durham, Rancho Esquon, a private rice farm, has over 900 acres of
wetlands set aside as a sanctuary for wintering waterfowl. We will visit their viewing platform which
offers a spectacular view of the surrounding wetlands with high concentrations of ducks. Along the
roadways bordering the ranch, we should also see Sandhill Cranes, Snow and Greater White-fronted
Geese, Bald Eagles, and other raptors.
Meet at the Chico Park ‘n Ride at 9 a.m. Bring water and snacks. The trip will last from 9 to 1. If you
have any questions, call trip leader Jennifer Patten at 345-9356 or send her a message at
jpchico@sbcglobal.net
March 8 – Sunday – Llano Seco and Butte Basin
Trip Leader: Skip Augur
"Butte Basin" refers to the flat, open lands
roughly between Dayton, the Sutter Buttes, the
Sacramento River, and Highway 99.
Historically, this area was all tule marshes and
grasslands. It is the wintertime "Serengeti" of
migratory waterfowl. We will start at the Llano
Seco viewing platform and continue along Rd.
Z in search of waterfowl, raptors, rails and
Black-crowned Night-Herons. From there we
will hit various spots along the rice fields
looking for concentrations of Sandhill Cranes
and other wintering birds. Meet at the Park ‘n
Ride (the lot closest to the freeway) at 7:45 a.m.
to carpool. Contact trip leader Skip Augur at
893-9222 or email wba@acm.org.
Butte Basin Habitat

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March 15, Sunday – Pine Creek NWR and Indian Fishery State Park
Trip Leader: Mike Fisher
Two trips in one! Our first stop will be
the Pine Creek Unit of the Sacramento
River National Wildlife Refuge. We
will walk and bird parts of
this restored site looking for
grassland and riparian birds. Next
we will visit the Indian Fishery area of
the Bidwell-Sacramento River State
Park. Here we will take a ½-mile
guided nature trail to see several
species of woodpeckers and many
other woodland and aquatic birds.
We may also see River Otter, Beaver
and pond turtles.

Pine Creek Unit, Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge

Beginning birders are always welcome. Let the trip leader know ahead of time if you need to borrow
binoculars or a field guide. Meet at the Park ‘n Ride closest to Hwy 99 at 8:00 a.m. We will carpool
over to the Pine Creek Unit and then to Indian Fishery. We will return to the park ‘n ride by 1:00 p.m.
Contact Mike for more information. fisherml@pacbell.net or 530.624.4777

March 22, Sunday - Oroville Wildlife Area

Trip Leader: Nancy Nelson
The Oroville Wildlife Area consists of 11,870 acres of woodland, riparian and grassland habitat along
the Feather River and Thermalito Afterbay in Oroville. We will familiarize ourselves with various
access points and explore the area both on foot and along fairly well-maintained gravel roads. We
should see waterfowl, raptors, lingering winter visitors, year-round residents and perhaps some
early spring migrants. Great Horned Owls have been seen on nests at this time of year. Ospreys,
herons and egrets may be starting some nesting activity, as well. This area is full of surprises and
anything is possible!
We will meet at the Chico Park ‘n Ride on Hwy. 32, the lot nearest Hwy. 99, at 7:30 a.m. Wear
weather-appropriate clothing and shoes suitable for hiking. Bring water, a lunch, binoculars and a field
guide if you have one. Scopes would also be useful. Beginning birders are always welcome. Let the
trip leader know ahead of time if you need to borrow binoculars or a field guide. We should be back in
Chico by 2 p.m. Heavy rain cancels. For more information call Nancy Nelson at 345-0580.

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March 29, Sunday – Upper Bidwell Park
Field Trip Leader: Phil Johnson

Take a casual walk along the creek-side and adjacent woodlands in search of
birds that breed in Upper Park. No experience necessary. Just bring your
binoculars, a field guide if you have one, hiking shoes, water and snacks. Meet at
the newly constructed parking lot by Horseshoe Lake at 8:30 a.m. and walk until
about 11:30 a.m. (2-3 miles). For more information, contact Phil Johnson at 570-
7139.

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April 4, Saturday – Table Mountain
Team Leader: Gaylord Grams

This field trip will include Cherokee,

Cherokee Cemetery, the ponds along the
road and the wildflowers on Table
Mountain plus the birds and waterfalls.
For more information check the Altacal
web site www.altacal.org or contact
Gaylord at gg2canoe@yahoo.com or 530
872-0739.

Table Mountain Spring Flowers, Oroville

April 18, Saturday – Kayak Trip through the Oroville Wilderness
Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
For more information check the Altacal web site www.altacal.org or contact Gaylord at
gg2canoe@yahoo.com or 530 872-0739.
Banding
Migration Monitoring Banding Summary 2008 for BCCER and BCEP, Chico, CA
In 2008 the bird-banding team processed and banded a total of 603 individuals of 44 species at the Big
Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) and Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (BCEP). More
birds (n=328) and species (n=36), were banded at BCEP than at BCCER where we processed 276
individuals of 31 species (Table 1). We captured, but did not band (due to permit restrictions), an
additional five species in our nets at the BCEP, including four species of hummingbird and California
Quail (Table

1). Although abundance and diversity appear higher at the

BCEP, the tabular data are not directly comparable since we
banded an additional four days at BCEP and net hours (#nets
open/per hour) for each site have not yet been calculated.
Analysis of the data is something we strive to accomplish in
2009.
Kudos to a great group of volunteers for keeping this project
viable and now entering its fourth year!

Singing and Banded Golden-crowned Sparrow

at BCCER - Photo by Liam Huber

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Table 1. Bird Species and Number of Individuals Banded at Butte Creek
Ecological Preserve (BCEP) and Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve
(BCCER) in 2008.

Species Total BCEP Spp # BCCER Spp #

#
American Robin 20 AMRO 9 AMRO 11
Ash-throated Flycatcher 2 ATFL 2 0
Bewick’s Wren 35 BEWR 23 BEWR 12
Brown-headed Cowbird 2 BHCO 2 0
Black-headed Grosbeak 7 BHGR 4 BHGR 3
Black Phoebe 6 BLPH 6 0
Brown Creeper 1 0 BRCR 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 3 0 BTYW 3
Bushtit 57 BUSH 48 BUSH 9
California Towhee 6 CALT 1 CALT 5
Downy Woodpecker 1 DOWO 1 0
Dusky Flycatcher 1 DUFL 1 0
Fox Sparrow 14 FOSP 7 FOSP 7
Golden-crowned Sparrow 34 GCSP 2 GCSP 32
Hammond’s Flycatcher 1 0 HAFL 1
Hermit Thrush 133 HETH 66 HETH 67
House Wren 1 HOWR 1 0
Hutton’s Vireo 6 HUVI 2 HUVI 4
Lazuli Bunting 1 0 LAZB 1
Lesser Goldfinch 54 LEGO 45 LEGO 9
Lincoln’s Sparrow 4 LISP 2 LISP 2
McGillivray’s Warbler 4 MGWA 2 MGWA 2
Myrtle Warbler 1 MYWA 1 0
Nashville Warbler 1 NAWA 1 0
Nutall’s Woodpecker 4 NUWO 4 0
Oak Titmouse 8 OATI 6 OATI 2
Orange-crowned Warbler 26 OCWA 11 OCWA 15
Oregon Junco 16 ORJU 2 ORJU 14
Pacific-slope Flycatcher 2 PSFL 1 PSFL 1
Purple Finch 21 0 PUFI 21
Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 0 RBSA 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 21 RCKI 14 RCKI 7
Red-naped Sapsucker 1 0 RNSA 1
Song Sparrow 1 SOSP 1 0
Spotted Towhee 46 SPTO 16 SPTO 30
Swainson’s Thrush 5 SWTH 4 SWTH 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 2 0 WBNU 2
Western Tanager 8 WETA 7 WETA 1
Western Wood-peewee 1 WEWP 1 0
Willow Flycatcher 1 WIFL 1 0
Wilson’s Warbler 13 WIWA 12 WIWA 1
Wrentit 14 WREN 8 WREN 6
Yellow-breasted Chat 8 YBCH 5 YBCH 3
Yellow Warbler 9 YWAR 9 0
Total Individuals Banded 604 TOTAL 328 TOTAL 276
Species Count 44 species 36 species 31

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 Table 1. cont. Additional Species Captured but not Banded

SPECIES BCEP BCCER

California Quail CAQU

Anna’s Hummingbird ANHU
Rufous Hummingbird RUHU
Black-chinned Hummingbird BCHU
Calliope Hummingbird CAHU
Species TOTAL - 49 41 31

Conservation Corner

Dear Altacal Members - The following situation may have been settled, one way or another, by the time
you read this, but maybe not. We figure it’s important enough to make you aware of it and ask for your
help. If you saw the young California Conservation Corps (CCC) people helping to park cars at the
Snow Goose Festival and providing and driving field trip vans; or if you read about the CCC workers
placing Christmas trees in Lake Oroville as fish, bird and other wildlife habitat; then you know
something about the worth of this program that helps at-risk youth and provides volunteer community
service.
Below is an email message we received from John Griffith, a Board Director of Friends of the Eel River,
that is being sent to individuals and organizations in response to the governor's proposal to eliminate the
California Conservation Corps and the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards programs. Prompt action is
necessary as a final decision to eliminate or fund these two important restoration programs will be made
in the upcoming weeks. A link to an article that Griffith wrote for the Environmental News Network is
included below. A letter to your representatives and the governor would be much appreciated.

Dear Friends of the CCC:

Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed to eliminate the California Conservation Corps (CCC) - the
world's oldest and largest youth environmental corps program. The CCC employs at-risk youth to do
ecological restoration and emergency response work. A final decision to defund the CCC could be
made as early as next week. With it, the AmeriCorps program called the Watershed Stewards may also
be eliminated. Everyone who supports these two vital programs needs to act right now. And I've made
it easy for you.
The first link below is to a petition to the governor to continue funding for the CCC. The second link
takes you to an online letter to the governor. After you send the letter, you will be directed to a
clearinghouse of information about the "Save the CCC" campaign. The third link is to an Environmental
News Network article about governor's proposal.
Governor targets the CCC! - The Petition Site

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This is the link to the letter. save-the-ccc This is the link to the website. www.save-the-ccc.org
ENN article. Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment
Hardcopy letters to the governor (sent this week) are still the best. If you don't have time to write one,
cut and paste the one below and mail it to him ASAP. His address is included at the top of the letter.
Please forward this email to everyone you think would lend their support. Green jobs for youth and
endangered habitats depend on your prompt action. - John Griffith

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814

Attention, Governor Schwarzenegger,

Please do not let the California Conservation Corps be cut from the budget. The CCC is the
world’s oldest and largest youth conservation program. We need the CCC to continue doing its
emergency response and environmental restoration work. We need the CCC to continue giving youth a
place to live, job skills, education, and scholarships for college. We need the CCC to continue to provide
financial stimulus into rural communities. We need the CCC to provide green jobs for urban and rural
youth. We vote according to our beliefs. We voted for green jobs, youth programs, and more efficient
emergency services. We will have the CCC in mind when we vote again. Please make the tough
decisions. Decide to save the California Conservation Corps.

Signed by the voter named,

Sister Society (Cape Cod Bird Club) News

Members of our Sister Society had excellent weather and good coverage combining to produce 132
species of birds on the Cape Cod Christmas Bird Count held on December 14. By their local standards,
nothing exceptionally rare was found - the best birds being an Ovenbird in East Orleans and a
Lincoln's Sparrow in South Chatham. Unfortunately for them, a couple of recent local attractions, a
Mountain Bluebird and a Golden Eagle were no-shows - the bluebird apparently not being seen for at
least four days prior to the CBC. Remarkably, for a 77-year-old count, 18 species exceeded or matched
previous high totals, which they figured was, at least in part, due to the favorable weather and coverage.
Included in the count were: an American Woodcock (in full display at 6:15 a.m. in 22 degree weather!),
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5 Iceland Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Dovekie, 1061 Razorbills, 17 Yellow-breasted
Chats (a record high - and a new national high!), 2 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows, 3 Seaside
Sparrows and a White-winged Crossbill.
Highlights from the Mid-Cape Christmas Bird Count held on Tuesday December 30 included an
amazing 80,000 American Robins leaving a roost in Barnstable, an American Bittern, a Great Egret,
2 Canvasbacks, 15 Virginia Rails, a Rough-legged Hawk, a Short-eared Owl, 5 Black-headed
Gulls, and a House Wren.
The snows in January drove birds into local yards in search of fruiting trees, and there were several
reports of Eastern Bluebirds and Baltimore Orioles in local yards. The number of Baltimore Orioles in
particular reported from yards in towns like Orleans, Mashpee and Falmouth this winter is remarkable.
A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was found on Salt Pond
in Falmouth in mid-January and stayed a few days.
This breeding goose of Greenland and Iceland winters
in Northwestern Europe, and occurs only as a very rare
vagrant to North America. As you might imagine, this
was of great interest to birders on the Cape and
elsewhere.
In addition, hard on the heels of the Pink-footed Goose
was an IVORY GULL in Plymouth Harbor (I know, I
know. I’d like to be there too – but consider, they’ve
had much snow, rain, wind off the Atlantic and 1-
degree temperatures, as well as birders from all over
the US coming to see the gull.) As of late January the
bird was still there.
Pink-footed Goose

In Provincetown during the same period,

birders reported 700 White-winged Scoters,
3 Iceland Gulls, 60 Black-legged
Kittiwakes, 45 Razorbills, and 1 Thick-
billed Murre.
It all sounds kind of exotic to our Northern
California ears, doesn’t it?

Ivory Gull

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 The Snag Hangout
Rex Burress
Down by the riverside, near the Feather River Nature Center, there is a grove of Populus fremontii
cottonwood trees. In October the leaves start turning yellow as they twist in the breeze and finally go
spinning to the soil.
A few years ago, two of those old trees died, becoming leafless snags as they slowly started to decay
with limbs falling twig by twig. They seemed to be outcasts compared to the other tall healthy trees, and
to some they might appear as unfit to be part of the scenic beauty.
There are other outlooks, though, and thanks to their riverside isolation, they were spared even though in
Oroville park property where the policy is to take down dead/dying wood. The Acorn Woodpeckers
that found the two snag trees a perfect hangout are happy about leaving them natural.
A standing snag tree is cherished by acorn woodpeckers, and they love to scale those woody heights,
peck out holes where they can nest, or smaller holes for the acorns they collect. The deteriorating wood,
harboring various boring insects, is the hangout-habitat of the clownish bird, even decorated in a festive
costume of contrasting feathers. The male has an extra large splash of red on its head, and they are prone
to fuss a lot, poking into those holes in play. Don’t be surprised if one goes swooping out across the
river to snatch an insect!
One wonders if they have any apprehension as to when the final bit of debris will shatter to the ground
leaving them homeless, but seemingly, they work on with what they’ve got, taking one day at a time and
taking what the day gives. Of course, with wings, they could go on in search of other snag trees, unless
the final collapse came at nesting time.
I’ve watched those trees die and slowly dissipate for several years, so it’s a slow process unless some
unusual windstorm or turbulence occurs. One dead branch leans off to the side, the last segment to die,
and grape vines had attached and still hang on as long as there is anchorage. Some clumps of mistletoe
have slowly died, as they actually sink roots into the living tissue and depend on a live tree.
On cool autumnal mornings, Turkey Vultures spread their wings to the morning sun to warm up and
dry, until finally the woodpeckers fuss and annoy the scavengers into gliding away. Birds love a snag
tree, where they can perch and clearly see the surrounding scene. The Osprey lands there to rest
between fishing excursions. The Black Phoebe sits there until an insect comes into range and then it
darts out for a catch. "Catch the Dream" applies not only to Riverbend Park’s theme, but each little food
morsel a bird catches is its daily dream!
There is also the pure beauty of the yellowish decaying wood, some of it bleached white and barkless, as
well as arty knobs and burls on the trunk. A snag tree is showing hidden character somewhat like an
aging human with handsome lines of time creased in the face.
So look well to old snag trees; they are serving a useful purpose as they slowly recede into the arms of
time, offering temporary homes to animals, and eventually help mulch the soil with necessary nutrients.
"The woods are full of dead and dying trees. Yet needed for their beauty to
complete the beauty of the living."
John Muir

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 Coast Horned Lizard Survey

Coast Horned Lizard

A Survey of Remaining Coast Horned Lizard Populations within the Sierra Nevada
and Central Valley of California
Background Information
Local naturalist, bird expert and Past President of the Altacal Audubon Society, Jackson Shedd, asks for
our help in a Coast Horned Lizard survey.
The Coast Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii [=coronatum]) is a State-listed Species of Special
Concern and is on the decline throughout California. Reasons for decline are attributed to conversion of
habitat to housing, golf courses, agriculture, extensive oil drilling, as well as the introduction of the
invasive Argentine Ant, which the horned lizard won’t eat and which eliminates native ant species.
Introduced European grasses and other annuals such as star-thistle also appear to have choked this
species out from many undeveloped grassland areas where native grasses were much shorter and sparse.
Where in the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley
The Coast Horned Lizard occurs on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada from the Central Valley up to
around 2,500 ft in the northern Sierra and to around 6,200 ft in the southern Sierra. Historically this
species occurred throughout much of the Sacramento Valley south throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
Both Sierra Nevada and Central Valley populations are now few and isolated. Like most horned lizards,
this species has specific habitat and dietary requirements. Found in grassland, chaparral, and open pine,
oak, and pinyon-juniper woodlands, the Coast Horned Lizard is dependent on open ground situations
where areas of loose soil allow for burial during periods of inactivity (i.e. daytime heat or hibernation).
Such soil types include alkali, basalt, gabbro and decomposed granite. Harvester ants, a main prey item,
are also typically present. This is the only horned lizard within the region of focus and should be readily
identifiable by its flattened, spiny body; stocky appearance; and horns adorning the head. Coloration
varies with soil type.
Sightings
The relatively few historical vouchers and records for the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley are typically
old, lack useful locality data, and very often represent extirpated populations. More information is
needed to better understand Coast Horned Lizard abundance in the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley.
Both recent sightings and older sightings from remaining natural areas are encouraged. Please include
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as much data as possible. The information gathered during this survey is not for public use. Coast
Horned Lizards are protected by State law and should be left at the site of discovery.

*Please report your sightings and locality information to Jackson Shedd:

jackson_shedd@sbcglobal.net.
Useful information includes the following:
• Name of observer(s)
• Date and time
• Locality (include county, elevation, GPS coordinates if available)
• Land use at time of observation
• Photo voucher

Bird Walk and Birding Trip Reports

November 30, Sunday – Gray Lodge Wildlife Area Fly-Off
The finale of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area field trip was a
spectacular fly-off at dusk of thousands and thousands of ducks
and geese. Over thirty people took the trip down to Gray Lodge
on a warm, autumn day. Before we settled in for the fly-off there
was time to walk out to the viewing platform and hike out to the
viewing hide. Some birds seen along the trails where Ruby-
crowned Kinglets, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Golden-crowned
and White-crowned Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers,
Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Greater White-
fronted Geese, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Pied-billed Grebes,
Snow Geese in Flight
Turkey Vultures, Spotted and California Towhees, Red-tailed Hawk, Great and Snowy Egrets,
Great Blue Heron, Cinnamon Teal, Black Phoebe, plus several flyovers of large flocks of Snow
Geese and Greater-white fronted Geese.
Then off we drove along the auto tour route to parking lot 16, where we set out our chairs, shared
cookies and hot chocolate, and waited for the sun to set. All of a sudden, huge flocks of Snow Geese
simultaneously lifted off from the ponds. These flights continued for several minutes. Then the ducks
started their fly-off, in every direction possible. It’s a stunning experience to be there and one of the
greatest spectacles of flight you’ll ever see and we have it in our own backyard.
December 6, Saturday – Raptor Run
Trip Leader: Phil Johnson
About the worst type of weather that you could ask for when watching
raptors is dense fog, and that is exactly what we got on our Raptor Run.
The big, wide-open-sky country along Nelson and Cottonwood Roads
was socked-in thick. This did not, however, stop us determined birders
from having a good time.
Along Nelson Road we encountered many Red-tailed Hawks perched on
the power poles. Several American Kestrels were seen perched on the

Bald Eagle
fence lines along the way. Mourning Doves, White-Crowned Sparrows, and Western Meadowlarks
clung to the barbed wire fences as we passed.
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The big highlight on Nelson Road was coming upon a tree with four Bald Eagles in it. Three of them
immediately flew off, but a juvenile stayed perched in the tree, just above the road. We all got great
looks at this stately creature.
With the fog so thick, we decided to go to Bedrock Park along the Feather River in Oroville thinking
that it may be a better spot to bird in the fog. It was. Right away, we spotted five Barrow's
Goldeneyes (males and females) in a backwater channel directly below us. A Spotted Sandpiper flew
off, and a few Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets were seen resting along the banks. Hermit
Thrushes, Fox Sparrows, Anna's Hummingbirds, and Golden-crowned Sparrows were some of the
birds that we saw lurking in the brush.
After a while we returned to the open grasslands along Cottonwood Road to look for raptors again, with
little luck. A Northern Harrier gave us a little show, and several more American Kestrel's were seen.
A Say's Phoebe kept flying alongside the cars, and gave us a good look. The rice fields along the
highway 99 corridor were filled with the calls of Northern Pintails, Tundra Swans, Greater White-
Fronted Geese, and American Wigeons but we only got glimpses of a few that were close in.
December 13, Sunday - Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Trip Leader: Mike Fisher
Snow Geese and Ducks and Eagles - Oh
my! Yes, that sums up the close-to-perfect
day we had at the Sacramento National
Wildlife Refuge (SNWR). Gaylord Grams,
Marcia Briggs, Rick Wulbern and Mike
Fisher took full advantage of a beautiful
winter’s day and spent five hours at the
refuge near Willows.
The Willows refuge is the headquarters for
the SNWR Complex and is one of six
Viewing Platform at SNWR, Willows
located in the Sacramento Valley of north-central California. The 10,783- acre refuge consists of about
7,600 acres of intensively managed wetlands, uplands, riparian habitat and vernal pools. It typically
supports wintering populations of more than 600,000 ducks and 200,000 geese. On this trip it seemed
like we saw them all!
We took the back roads out of Chico making a very brief stop at the Llano Seco unit of the Sacramento
River National Wildlife Complex. By the time we arrived at the Willows Refuge we had already seen
24 species of birds. Our exploration of the complex began at the picnic area near the office. In and
around the willows were Yellow-rumped Warbler, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, House
Finch, Marsh Wren and Turkey Vulture. The nature trail begins by crossing the main road and
looping around the north-front of the refuge. In this section we picked up Red-winged Blackbird,
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Tree Swallow, Black Phoebe, Golden-crowned Sparrow and Bewick’s
Wren. As the trail passed a large flooded area we had our first white geese, both Snows and Ross’s, in
large numbers. Hanging with them were Greater White-fronted Geese, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall,
American Wigeon and the ever present American Coot. Just before we crossed back over the main
entrance road to the south side we had a Muskrat leisurely swim by. Our attention was drawn to a
massive uprising of thousands of white geese in the main part of the refuge. Looking at the chaos and
confusion it was easy to see what was going on. Two adult Bald Eagles were coming our way flying
over the now very agitated main flock of birds. The eagles soared by us acting like they owned the sky.
A third eagle, this one an immature, trailed along behind the original two. As we watched, we were
treated to a small flock of soaring American White Pelicans making their way into the refuge.

17
After picking up our cars we set out for the auto loop. Here we were treated to several more ducks
including Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck and Green-winged Teal to add to our list.
At the platform, sizable numbers of Black-necked Stilt and Dunlin were present. In the willows just
beyond the platform we picked out Bushtit, Lesser Goldfinch, American Pipit, Savannah Sparrow,
and a lone Orange-crowned Warbler. The day ended with well over 60 species seen.
December 21, Sunday - Chico Christmas Bird Count
Compiler: Phil Johnson
Check the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count web site for results.
http://cbc.audubon.org/cbccurrent/current_table.html
December 28, Sunday - Oroville Christmas Bird Count
Compiler: Scott Huber
After a week of checking and double checking the data here are the count totals for the Oroville CBC
(Butte County) along with some observations*. Species Total: 144 - This is highest species total since
the count began in 1968. The second highest was 140 in 1989.
High Species Counts:
Northern Shoveler: Highest at 718, second highest was 1997 with 46
White-tailed Kite: Highest at 44, second highest was 1997 with 21
Bald Eagle: Highest with 26, second highest was 1997 with 15
Red-shouldered Hawk: Highest with 38, second highest were 2001 & 2003 with 23
Ferruginous Hawk: Highest with 6, second highest was 1981 with 5
Red-tailed Hawk: Highest with 91, second highest 2001 with 77
Merlin: Highest with 5, second highest was 2003 with 4
Long-billed Curlew: 2. only 7th time on list since 1968
Rock Pigeon: Highest with 860, second highest 299 in 1992
Mourning Dove: Highest with 301, second highest 190 in 2006
Great Horned Owl: 3. Tied for highest with '72, '73, '85, '87 and `98
Northern Pygmy-Owl: 2. tied for highest with '82, '85, '89 and `97
Belted Kingfisher: Highest at 28. Second highest was 25 in '71, '90 and 2000
Nuttall's Woodpecker: Highest with 39. Second highest 37 in 1978
Say's Phoebe: Highest with 14. Second highest in '77 and 2006 with 6
Yellow-billed Magpie: 44. Highest since 2003. Zero in 2005. All time high 158 in 1978
Common Raven: Highest with 35. Second highest 19 in 2005. Only 4 from 1968-1993
Oak Titmouse: 153. Highest since 2000 (157). Low of 27 in 2005
Bushtit: Highest with 421. Second highest 413 in 1976
Western Bluebird: Highest with 615. Second highest 292 in 1988
Song Sparrow: Highest with 39. Second highest 38 in 1989
Lincoln's Sparrow: Highest with 65. Second highest 28 in 1974
Lesser Yellowlegs: Highest with 3. Second highest 1 in 2003. 2nd time on count
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: 1. Tied for highest with 1981 & 1985. Only third time on count.
Black-throated Gray Warbler 2. Tied for highest with '74 & `04. Fifth time since'68
Peregrine Falcon: Tied for highest with 3 in 2001
Eurasian Collared-Dove: 10. First time on count
Sandhill Crane: First time since 1988. Second highest with 12, highest was 1977 with 14
Brown Creeper: Missed. First time missed since 1998
Loggerhead Shrike. Missed. Only third time missed since 1968

18
Many variables contribute to differences, including weather, number and skill-level of census takers, and
emphasis on specific habitats within count zones, but clearly there are some notable trends in the above
data.
* not including 2007 data which I did not have access to
January 11, Sunday – Indian Fishery and Pine Creek
Trip Leader: Mike Fisher
Have you ever wondered what makes a popular field trip? After this experience and having led a
number of past field trips for Altacal, I believe I can now answer that question. Is it a great destination?
That surely helps. Is it a leader with vast knowledge? Not as important as you might think. In my
experience, the number one factor for a popular field
trip seems to be… beautiful weather! Something like
temperatures in the mid 70s, sunny with no wind?
Then, if you can produce all of this in January, you
have really hit the jackpot.
That is exactly what greeted the 21 people who
showed up for a leisurely stroll through the Pine
Creek Unit of the Sacramento River National
Wildlife Refuge and then a walk through Indian
Fishery, part of the Bidwell-Sacramento River State
Park.
Pine Creek Unit, SRNWR
The morning began by meeting at the Park ‘n Ride and then carpooling over to the Pine Creek Unit
located about nine miles west of Chico on Hwy 32, just past River Road. Walking along the wide trails
we were visited by many of our resident birds. Western Scrub-Jay, Black Phoebe, Red-tailed Hawk,
Red-shouldered Hawk, Bushtit, Turkey Vulture, American Crow and Common Raven were all out
in force. Flyovers of Canada Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese and Common Merganser were
special as these are not birds you would normally expect to see here. The group continued along the
trail to the area where it meets up with the Sacramento River. Here we were excited to find a group of
Common Goldeneyes diving for dinner. Also along the river’s edge were Greater Yellowlegs, Great
Blue Heron and Great Egret. It was just about then when Jennifer Patten spotted the highlight of the
day. Across the river were two adult Bald Eagles engaged in nest-building activities. Eagles build a
nest out of large sticks and branches. To collect them they fly by a tree and reach out grabbing hold of a
branch. Then, using their weight and power they snap it off while in flight. They then carry it over to
the nest. We were fortunate enough to witness this activity for several minutes. With our time running
out we forced ourselves to leave this spectacle and worked our way back to the car. Along the way we
saw many of our visiting winter birds including Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, White-
crowned Sparrow and Golden-crowned Sparrow.
Into the cars and off we went, next stop Indian Fishery just a four-mile drive from the Pine Creek Unit.
Here we walked along the half-mile loop trail enjoying the unbelievable weather. I have never seen this
area so full of birds in the winter. It seemed that they too were enjoying the day just as much as we
were. Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, White-breasted Nuthatch,
American Goldfinch, both kinds of Towhees, House Finch, Oak Titmouse, and Bewick’s Wren were
all heard and seen seemingly at ever turn. For me though, the highlight of this part of the field trip was
the multiple up-close looks at Golden-crowned Kinglets. Sometimes staying high in the trees this bird
is hard to spot. Today they gave their presence away by their constant high-pitched calls and came
down to almost eye level. Another highlight had to be the three River Otters eating fish and playing in
the slough. Well, there is really no need to choose the best part of this field trip as the whole day
qualified as a favorite and was very special indeed. We ended the morning having seen 45 species of
birds.
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January 18, Sunday – Upper Bidwell Park
Trip Leader: Steve King
What a great day for a field trip into Upper Bidwell Park! There were about 14 of us
who went out and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We saw a total of 42 species of
birds. The bird of the day was a Northern Pygmy-Owl that hung around to give
everyone good looks at it along with lots of photo ops.

Northern Pygmy-Owl - Photo by Steve King

There was a flock of Lesser Goldfinches along with a lone Pine Siskin that kept a
close watch on the Northern Pygmy-Owl. We also had a flock of about 25 Tundra Swans fly overhead
heading in a northerly direction.
January 31, Saturday – Chico State Birding Club Winter Survey
Field Trip Leaders: Shelly Kirn and Jay Bogiatto
Nine birders, including Altacal Audubon Society members, participated in a
dark-to-dark Winter Survey (a “Big Day” of sorts). The CSBC does such
surveys three seasons a year, covering the same habitats for about the same
amount of time in each habitat on each survey. They birded Forest Ranch (low
elevation montane coniferous forest), a chaparral habitat lower down on Rte. 32,
the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge (semi-
permanent marsh), the Thermalito Afterbay (lake/reservoir) and the Feather
River near Bedrock Park (riparian lotic). By day’s end they had seen 106 species
of birds and heard three others. Best birds of the day were a Pileated
Woodpecker off Nopel Rd. in Forest Ranch, a California Thrasher off Rte. 32
below Forest Ranch and a Barrow’s Goldeneye on the Feather River.
Pileated Woodpecker

November Program - Monday November 17, 2008

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge – Mike Peters

A packed house greeted Mike Peters for his eagerly anticipated presentation on the Colusa National
Wildlife Refuge (CNWR). Mike is the Refuge Manager for the Colusa Refuge, the Sutter Refuge and
the Butte Sink Wildlife Management Area. He has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 16
years and is also a highly skilled wildlife photographer. Add to this an intense passion for his work and
you get the perfect person to promote the birds and wildlife of the CNWR.
Using his beautiful photos as talking points Mike began with a description of habitats contained in the
4500-plus-acre refuge. The refuge primarily consists of intensively managed wetland impoundments,
with some grassland and riparian habitat. Colusa Refuge typically supports wintering populations of
more than 200,000 ducks and 50,000 geese. Colusa and its sister refuges are a significant reason the
20
Sacramento Valley is one of the most important wintering areas for waterfowl in North America. The
goal of management is to provide the best possible habitat for migratory birds and endangered species,
while providing as much natural diversity of indigenous flora and fauna as possible. In addition to the
birds, the refuge is home to a large assortment of mammals and reptiles. At least three albino deer also
make their home in the refuge as does the threatened Giant Garter Snake.
Mike emphasized that the public is welcome and encouraged to come out and visit the refuge. A newly
built parking lot, picnic area and restroom facilities have been completed at the entrance next to the
interpretive kiosk. The refuge has a three-mile graveled automobile tour that meanders through
freshwater wetlands. A 1-mile Discovery Walk offers visitors a place to stroll along a dense riparian
slough and a marsh. The auto tour is open to vehicles and the trail is open to foot-traffic from sunrise to
sunset year-round.
Next time you are looking for a great place for Wildlife observation or nature photography remember
the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, you won’t be disappointed.

December Program - Members’ Slide Show

Monday, December 15, 6:30 p.m., Chico Creek Nature Center
Once each year at our monthly Altacal program we turn things around and instead of bringing in
someone to make a presentation, we call upon our
members to take to the podium. I’m referring of
course to the Members’ Slide Show. At this program
any member who chooses to do so can show off the
best of the photos he or she has taken over the past
year. All it takes is a camera and a little courage.
Think of it as home movies without all the relatives.
As could easily have been predicted, it turned out to
be a very popular evening with a wide variety of
birds, reptiles, mammals, insects, and ‘the wonderful
wonder of nature’ on display. On this occasion we
had four of our members participate in the show. A
big thank you goes to John Lewis (JT), Tom
Prichard, Phil Johnson and Mike Fisher for
sharing their photos with us.
Western Grebes Photographed by Tom Pritchard

Each presenter approached his photos in a slightly different way. Mike led off with a mixture of shots
that ranged from some exotic species photographed in Panama, to a few common birds of Arizona and
then some wildlife of Yosemite National Park. He also included some yard birds like a Hooded Oriole
at his feeder and some shots of the owl-banding project. Tom was a very pleasant surprise participant as
it was his very first Altacal program. His presentation was entitled “Lunchtime Lunacy” and was a
beautiful collection of birds he photographed during his lunch hours. Especially elegant were his
Western Grebes in a courtship dance and a striking pair of Eared Grebes in full breeding plumage.
Phil, as we all know, is the supreme outdoorsman. His adventurous sprit keeps him traveling and
exploring whenever he has the time. This lifestyle works to our benefit when it comes time to show off
the photos of his explorations. As in the past, Phil put together a fascinating assortment of travel shots.
Much of this focused on the remote and rugged canyons of Death Valley National Park. Finally, it was
time for the pro. Every time JT takes the stage we know we are in for a treat as he is equally passionate
about birds and about photography. Raising the bar in both quality and quantity, he presented a
collection of shots taken both locally and on his travels around the country. A crowd favorite were those

21
that focused on birds in flight, a stunning shot of a Costa’s Hummingbird as it banks and turns and one
of magnificent Sandhill Cranes soaring over Llano Seco.
If you enjoyed seeing this year’s collection of photos you can count on being delighted and surprised
when we do it again next year. For those of you who take photos, whether in the yard or across the
nation, consider taking the leap from the audience to the podium at our next annual Members’ Slide
Show.

January Program – Birding Florida’s Southern Peninsula, the Florida Keys and the
Dry Tortugas – An Electronic Slide Presentation by Tim Ruckle
Monday, January 19, 6:30 p.m., Chico Creek Nature Center
Mike Fisher

Florida, one of the top five birding

areas in North America, is a must
destination for any serious birder. It
is also a very large and complex state
located clear across the country from
Chico, about 3300 miles away. Now,
let’s just say you decide you want to
plan a birding trip to Florida but you
have never done this kind of thing
before. Maybe you are intending to
travel alone and want to hire a guide
to make the most of the limited time
you will have. How would you get
started? Exactly where would you
go?
Spot-breasted Oriole
What resources are available that could be of help? If you attended the January Altacal program you
already know the answers. You know because Tim Ruckle found himself in this exact situation last year
and began his presentation by taking a few minutes to share the process he used to prepare for his
adventure. This turned out to be a very helpful and informative addition to the program and applicable
to any birding trip to any destination you may choose to take.
Then, it was on to the birds of Florida. Tim’s trip began in Key West at the very tip of the Florida Keys
where he almost immediately got his first “lifers” of the trip (a species of bird you personally have never
seen before). Just in back of his hotel were White-crowned Pigeons, a threatened species. In Old Town
Key West one of the ubiquitous Gray Kingbirds was watching tourists from a telephone wire. Later,
after a five-day search by the group, a very elusive Antillean Nighthawk, one of the best birds of the
trip, showed up at the Key West airport.
Using photos and distribution maps Tim pointed out just how difficult it is to see some of these birds.
Many of the species found in Southern Florida, the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas are found
hardly anywhere else in North America. The birding tour group headed out by boat 70 miles west of
Key West to the Dry Tortugas. These are a group of seven small keys (low, sandy islands) devoid of
fresh water (hence, dry) where sailors in the 1500s stopped to get turtles for meat (tortuga being the
Spanish word for turtle). On the way out, the group saw very-difficult-to-find Audubon’s Shearwaters
and Bridled Terns. Tim explained that the Dry Tortugas have a long and interesting history, first as a
resting spot for ships long at sea and later as home to Fort Jefferson for the US military. Now a National

22
Park, it is mostly a destination for birdwatchers and people interested in its history or in camping or
scuba diving.
Being the first land they see for hundreds of miles, it is used by migrating birds for resting and refueling
during their long journeys. This makes the
Dry Tortugas a hot-spot for birdwatchers.
You never know what may show up there.
Some of the birds Tim saw and described to us
were Black Noddy, Brown Noddy, Red-
footed Booby, Masked Booby, Sooty Tern
and Magnificent Frigatebird. Migrating
songbirds included Scarlet Tanager,
Blackpoll Warbler, Cape May Warbler,
Prairie Warbler and the striking Black-
throated Blue Warbler. A couple of bonus
birds seen were Chuck-will’s-widow and the
Caribbean sub-species of Short-eared Owl.
On the way back to Key West they ran across
the hard-to-find Roseate Tern.
Black Noddy (above) – Brown Noddy (below)
Of course any trip to Florida would not be complete without spending time on the Florida Keys and
particularly in the Everglades National Park. Some of the highlight birds seen in the park were
Common Myna, Seaside Sparrow, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, white morph of the Great Blue
Heron (“Great White Heron”), and the Shiny Cowbird. Even in the Miami area great birds were to
be found. Red-whiskered Bulbul, Monk Parakeet, Fish Crow, Spot-breasted Oriole and White-
winged Parakeet all didn’t mind living in or near the city and surrounding communities. Continuing
their travels around Florida’s southern peninsula, the group turned up another bounty of great birds.
Masked Duck, Limpkin, Hill Myna, Smooth-billed Ani (a fast-disappearing species in the US),
Wood Stork, Bachman’s Sparrow, Snail Kite, Whooping Crane, Short-tailed Hawk and Mangrove
Cuckoo, just to name a few.
Possibly the only thing better than this armchair tour of the best birding in Florida would be to actually
take the trip yourself. Tim made it very clear that planning and executing a trip like this is within all of
our abilities. If I had to single out the best thing learned from his presentation it would be - get out
there and enjoy the natural world! Then, come back home and share it with the rest of us here at the
Altacal Audubon Society.
Opportunities and Events

Sacramento National Wildlife Complex

December, ‘08 through April, ’09 – Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Programs
Witness the magnificence of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge’s (SNWR) wintering
waterfowl as their refuge naturalists guide you through wetland habitats on the auto tour and walking
trail. Whether you’re a seasoned refuge veteran or a casual visitor, these tours are geared to varied
interest and skill levels. See the schedules at the links below. If you would like more information or to
sign up for a tour, please call the Sacramento NWR at 530-934-2801 or e-mail them at:
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sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov. Here are the links to the information on their website: December,
January, Febuary March & April . Check out their “Hot Topics” section. They list Altacal’s upcoming
field trips.
February 6-8, Friday-Sunday – 13th Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival
Spend time with thousands of other people enthusiastic about the wild and wide-open spaces of San
Francisco Bay and its mysterious “north shore.” Many of the nearly 70 outings are free and don’t require
pre-registration, making it an outstanding option for beginning birders. Informational slide presentations
are inspirational and educational. Plus, the festival was chosen as the site for two days of American
Volkssport Association-sanctioned walks.
For more specific information go to: http://www.sfbayflywayfestival.com/

February 13-16, Friday-Monday – The Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in
counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can
participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you
can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.
For more information, go to: http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
March 5-8 – San Diego Bird Festival – Marina Village Conference Center in Mission Bay

The 13th annual San Diego Bird Festival will be held from March 5th to March 8th at Marina Village.
We have added many new events and are repeating our most popular events from previous years. Many
of our trips will net more than 100 observed species. For more information go to
http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/index.htm

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April 16-22, Thursday-Wednesday – Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival – Arcata, CA

Arcata, California welcomes you to the 13th Annual Godwit Days, the three-day Spring Migration Bird
Festival where amid our ancient redwood forests, marshes and the Pacific Ocean, 450 species of birds
have been recorded visiting the Arcata area annually. One can watch Marbled Murrelets, have face-to-
face encounters with Spotted Owls, and take small boat tours of Humboldt Bay to view migrant
shorebirds at their peak. Nearly 100 birding field trips and workshops are offered in the heart of
California's Redwood Coast. The keynote speaker will be Pete Dunne, Director of the Cape May Bird
Observatory in New Jersey. Registration is currently available. Visit our website at
www.godwitdays.com to view the event schedule and to register on-line. Contact: Godwit Days non-
profit Organization P.O. Box 894, Arcata, CA 95518 Tel: 800-908-9464 or 707-444-2938 Fax: 707-269-
0632.

Sightings
(If you have any interesting sightings in your yard, on the way to work, or in the Butte, Glenn or Tehama counties area in general in
February or March you can send them to the Newsletter Editor at Editor@altacal.org by November 7 for possible inclusion in the next
newsletter.)

November 28
Bill Haas and his wife, Dr. Larian Barretta, visited back roads west of SR-99, east of SR-45 between
Gridley and Chico. Between 0.5 and 0.6 miles south of Richvale Highway along Wickman Road, in a
cluster of recently mowed fields that gird Wickman on both east and west, they found a concentration of
Northern Harriers (n>24) and Short-eared Owls (n>10) that rivaled in numbers any clustering of
these species (individually or collectively) that Bill had ever previously witnessed in the north state. He
figured that since both species are typically (including locally) nomadic, they might be exploiting a
temporally limited resource. With such numbers, then, if anyone is interested in either species’
occurrence phenomenon it’s probably worth a trip to the Wickman fields in the near future. They visited
the area between 1630 and 1715 hours on 27 November. The owls were particularly active and at least
two of these passed within 100 feet of them as they scoped the fields from opposite ends of Bill’s truck.
When they arrived, eight harriers were scattered within one of the fields just west of Wickman; so too
were three Short-eared Owls. They could not see the ground in the next field to the west but observed at
least six Harriers and three Short-eared Owls flying. At one point, one of the Harriers veered sharply
toward an near-flying owl at which time the owl abruptly changed direction. Bill reported this because
cleptoparasitism [a form of feeding where one animal takes prey from another that has caught, killed, or
otherwise prepared it] is a rare behavior in the strigids but has been reported for the Short-eared Owl. Its
target in most reported cases? - the Northern Harrier. Therefore, if you are patient, you may have an
opportunity to observe this rarely documented behavior.
According to Bill, their species list was extensive but mostly unspectacular. However, in a flooded field
immediately south of SR-162 and east of Wickman Road there were approximately 160 swans most of
which were Whistling Tundra Swans (C. c. columbianus); three of the individuals appear to have been
Bewick’s Tundra Swan (C. c. bewickii), recognizable by extensive yellow in the basal portion of each
individual’s bill.

25
December 24

Liam Huber reported that in Paradise he saw a possible

flock of over 100 Mountain/Black-capped Chickadees,
a flock of over 38 California Towhees, eight Steller’s
Jays, a White-throated Sparrow, a Varied Thrush
and a Fox Sparrow as well as 27 other species in recent
days.

Canyon Wren
On New Years day in Paradise he recorded two species of note, a Band-tailed Pigeon - only the second
since June, 2008, and 13 Varied Thrushes. On January 3, in Forest Ranch, he saw two species of note
– an adult Bald Eagle - the third Forest Ranch record, and a Canyon Wren - the first Forest Ranch
record!
December 26

Carolyn Short got a Northern Pygmy-Owl for Christmas - Well, she saw
one, anyway. It was in an oak tree in her front yard (near Butte College)
watching the finches and sparrows at her feeder. Here’s her photo of the
owl.

December 29/30 – On December 29 Mike Fisher had a rare winter Black-throated Gray Warbler in
the oak tree in his yard. On the next day, he and Dawn Garcia saw a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a Red-
naped Sapsucker and a Red-breasted Sapsucker while participating in the Honey Lake Christmas
Bird Count in Susanville. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was only the 2nd Lassen county record for that
species.
January 5 – Mauricio Schrader for the first time had Pine Siskins in his backyard in Chico. They were
elbow-to- elbow with Lesser Goldfinches. A Fox Sparrow has returned for the third straight year,
along with other regulars – Dark-eyed Juncos, Towhees, White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows and
a Hermit Thrush. On January 10 he spied three Brown Creepers in front of Feather River Hospital -
rather tame - next to the patient's parking lot, working the Ponderosa Pines and a Blue Oak. He had
previously never seen more than one at a time, in mixed flocks with chickadees, titmice, and kinglets.
January 7 – Scott Huber and family (wife Kathleen, son Liam and daughter Alita)
were thrilled to have a Mountain Lion wailing 20 yards from their house at
approximately. 6:45 a.m. Scott said “Kathleen went outside to let the dog out, heard a
heinous noise and called me to come outside quick. I have often heard mountain lion
vocalizations referred to as sounding like "a woman being killed" and this could not
have been more accurate (unless of course a woman was actually being killed, over and
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over again on the hillside below our house). We called both of the kids out to listen but they could only
handle a few moments of it. As Kathleen and I stood there in the dark listening, the lion walked right
past us, just below the lip of the canyon - literally yards away. The cat continued up canyon but downhill
and we last heard it 100 yards below us.” Scott noted that “After a lifetime spent in the outdoors this is
still a lifer mammal for me”.

Submission of Articles
(Notices or articles submitted for publication consideration should be sent by e-mail message to the newsletter editor as
Microsoft Word (if possible) attachments by the 7th of the month prior to the next issue of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May,
Jul, Sep and Nov 7th) - Editor@altacal.org – Thanks, Ed.)

Newsletter Contributors
Thanks to all of you who contribute regularly by sending in items, articles and photos, and special
thanks to Denise Devine who does the widely appreciated layout design of the paper version of the
White-tailed Kite – Tim Ruckle, Editor

Altacal Board of Directors

President Phil Johnson 570-7139/ptjptj@gmail.com
Co-Vice-Presidents Jennifer Patten 345-9356/jpchico@sbcglobal.net
Mike Fisher 624-4777/fisherml@pacbell.net
Secretary Kathryn Hood 342-9112/kathrynhood@sbcglobal.net
Treasurer John Oswald 342-1651/amoent@aol.com
Membership Carolyn Short 345-4224/carolynshort@mac.com
Finance Mike Fisher 624-4777/fisherml@pacbell.net
Publications/ Tim Ruckle 566-9693/Editor@altacal.org
Newsletter
Publicity/Web Site Wayland Augur 893-9222/wba@acm.org
Field Trips Scott Huber 321-5579/Scott@birdtours@altacal.org
Sanctuary, Lands Ruth Kennedy 899-9631/rken1733@sunset.net
and Refuge
Conservation Dawn Garcia 872-2165/mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net
Education vacant
Directors-at-Large John Merz 345-4050/jbmerz@sbcglobal.net
Jackson Shedd 342-5144/jackson_shedd@sbcglobal.net
Marilyn Gamette 343-3154/gamettec@aol.com
Dave Tinker 824-0253/dtinker@cuhsd.tehama.k12.ca.us
Nancy Nelson 345-0580/concownancy@earthlink.net

Board meetings are held at 5:15 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The usual meeting place is
the Altacal Audubon Society/Snow Goose Festival office at 635 Flume St., Chico. The public is
welcome to attend.

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 Local Chapter Membership Application

Please join us! Your membership will help Altacal Audubon Society (AAS) continue its important work.
Altacal is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. In addition, it is a separately incorporated non-
profit organization. With a local chapter membership, 100% of your membership dues goes to support
local projects and activities. AAS is an all-volunteer organization that conducts all of its programs with
no paid staff. We offer regularly scheduled field trips focused on birds and bird habitats, our own
website, www.altacal.org/, a bi-monthly newsletter (White-tailed Kite), monthly membership meetings
which include lectures and media presentations on birds and other natural history-related topics, and
advocacy to protect and conserve local habitats as well as special projects and programs. Other AAS
activities include:
• sponsoring and participating in the annual Snow Goose Festival
• sponsoring and participating in the annual Endangered Species Faire
• founding and providing continued support to the Chico Creek Nature Center
• owning and managing the Arneberg Sanctuary as a wildlife habitat and research area
• helping to monitor the bird populations at the Del Rio Wildland Preserve near the Sacramento
River
• paying to maintain public access and a wildlife viewing blind at the Chico Oxidation Ponds
• leading annual Christmas Bird Counts in Chico and Oroville for the past 51 years

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Welcome to the Altacal Audubon Society! Please indicate your choice of membership options:

‰ $20 Basic Membership ‰ $10 Low Income/Student/Retired ‰ $35 Family

‰$50 Sponsor ‰ $100 Sustaining ‰ $500 Patron ‰ $1000 Benefactor

Payment method: ‰ Cash ‰ Check Date: ______________

Important: Membership in Altacal Audubon does not include membership in the National Audubon
Society. We encourage you to also support National Audubon in their important education and lobbying
efforts. To join the National Audubon Society contact them at their website www.audubon.org/

Name: Phone: (_____) _______________

Address: _________________________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________

City: ________________State: ____ Zip Code: _______

‰ Save paper! Send me an e-mail version only

‰ E-mail me Altacal Action Alerts
‰ I would be interested in volunteering to help

Please make checks payable to Altacal Audubon Society, and mail to: AAS, P.O. Box 3671, Chico,
CA 95927
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 Dates to Remember
February 6-8, Friday-Sunday – 13th Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival
February 13-16, Friday-Monday – The Great Backyard Bird Count
February 15, Sunday - Colusa National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip - Leader: Mike Peters
Monday, February 16 - February Program - 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Wildlife Rehabilitation in California - Nicole Carion
February 21, Saturday – Rancho Esquon Field Trip - Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten
March 5-8 – San Diego Bird Festival – Marina Village Conference Center in Mission Bay
March 8 – Sunday – Llano Seco and Butte Basin Field Trip - Trip Leader: Skip Augur
March 15, Sunday – Pine Creek NWR and Indian Fishery State Park Field Trip
Trip Leader: Mike Fisher
Monday, March 16 - March Program - 6:30 p.m., Chico Creek Nature Center
Birding and Herping Southern Mexico – Jackson Shedd
March 22, Sunday - Oroville Wildlife Area Field Trip - Trip Leader: Nancy Nelson
March 29, Sunday – Upper Bidwell Park Field Trip - Field Trip Leader: Phil Johnson
April 4, Saturday – Table Mountain Field Trip - Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
April 16-22, Thursday-Wednesday – Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival – Arcata, CA
April 18, Saturday – Kayak Trip through the Oroville Wilderness - Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams

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