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Altacal Audubon SocietyA California Chapter of the National Audubon Society |
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Mission: To promote the awareness, appreciation, and protection of native birds and their habitats through education, research, and environmental activities.
In all our areas of interest (e.g., Field Trips,
Education, Conservation, etc.) we are trying to get things
done more efficiently and effectively by asking members to
contribute in any way they can by contacting a Committee
Chairperson or other Board member and offering to help in some
area of interest. There’s no need to sign on for a
particular position or office and you can be sure you’d be
appreciated.
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Northern Saw-whet Owl project and ADOPT AN OWL! Altacal Audubon Society
is proudly sponsoring Dawn Garcia and her
banding crew as they continue researching
the migration ecology of the Northern
Saw-whet Owl (ageolius acadicus).
Their project was the recent focus of the
Greenways Column in the Chico News and
Review, (http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1869662).
Dawn also recently launched an "Adopt an Owl" program that will help support the long-term monitoring of the owl. Check out her blog at http://birdbling.blogspot.com/, to learn more about the owl project and how to ADOPT AN OWL! The package includes a owl certificate, project brochure, and letter of thanks for your tax free donation. |
Upcoming
Programs
![]() East Park
Reservoir
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Monday, May 21, 6:30
p.m., Chico Creek Nature Center
Charles
Garvin’s background includes US
Marine Corp, trained in South
Africa as a Game Ranger under
Kruger National Park. He worked in
Alaska at Togiak National Wildlife
Refuge and Denali National Park. |
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Trip Canceled - Sorry! May 11, Friday - THE TYRANNY OF RAPTORS ON MIDDLE RIDGE - EAST PARK RESERVOIR. Join Ranger Garvin on an interpretive hike in East Park, Middle Ridge as we search for raptors; Golden and Bald Eagle, Ospreys, Northern Harriers, Prairie Falcons, Red Tailed Hawks, and American Kestrels. We will station ourselves near their killing fields as they strafe ground squirrel colonies for unsuspecting young. Then transition to a cove where Ospreys have been sighted plying their deadly trade. There will be ducks, cranes, turtles and a family of otter in the area as well. The hike will be moderately strenuous. Wear strong ankle boots, pack food, water for lunch in the field. Meet at Chico Creek Nature Center, 8:30 am. Takes 1 1/2 hrs to get to East Park Reservoir, hike 3-4 hrs, back by 5 pm. Contact Jennifer Patten jpchico@sbcglobal.net or 530-345-9356. (Check out Garvin’s program on May 21) |
![]() East Park
Reservoir
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![]() Upper Bidwell Park
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May 12, Saturday - SECOND SATURDAY - END THE SEASON IN THE UPPER PARK! Weather permitting, this trip will be different! It is our last Second Saturday hike before summer break. Start at Horseshoe Lake and drive up to Bear Hole. We’ll hike the rim of the spectacular Iron Canyon, through Black Rail and Peregrine Falcon habitat and late blooming wildflowers. Prepare for a little mud from seeps. Birders of all levels are welcome. Meet at east Horseshoe Lake parking lot just past the gun club at 9 am. Bring binoculars, water, snacks, walking shoes and proper clothing for expected weather. Back to our cars by noon. Rain cancels. altacal.org/sites/UpperBidwellPark/index.php. For more information contact Skip Augur at wba@acm.org or 530-519-4724. |
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May 19,
Saturday - SUTTER BUTTES HIKE, PEACE VALLEY BIRDING
In cooperation with California State Parks, Altacal Audubon is offering a guided hike into the Sutter Buttes Peace Valley area with Parks Ranger Zach Chambers. We will visit an early California cemetery, a Wintu grinding rock site, an old homestead, a beautiful side canyon deep within the Buttes and the birding for those spring migrants will be at its peak! The hiking will be mostly on uneven ground and climbs will be from moderate to strenuous. Good physical shape is required. We will meet at Chico Park & Ride (lot closes to Hwy 99) at 8 am. Bring binoculars, field guide, and food, plenty of water, wear hiking boots and money for ride sharing. There is a twenty person limit. Advance reservations are required with a requested donation of $20. Please contact Jennifer Patten at jpchico@sbcglobal.net. |
![]() Sutter Buttes
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![]() Pine Creek
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May 26, Saturday - PINE CREEK AND INDIAN FISHERY
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May 27,
Sunday - BRAD FREEMAN TRAIL ALONG THE FEATHER RIVER
We’ll take a walk on the Brad Freeman Trail meandering along a portion of the lovely Feather River, up to the spillway and beyond, enjoying a relatively flat mile or two walk. We’ll see both riparian species like Common Mergansers and Belted Kingfishers and songbirds that inhabit the gray pine/chaparral community including California Towhee and Wrentit and more elusive birds like Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Rock Wren. Meeting time is 8 am in the parking area near the bathhouse on Old Ferry Road off of the Montgomery Street round-a-bout in Oroville. Please carpool as parking is limited. Bring water, lunch, sunscreen, hats and binoculars. There could be opportunities to take a dip too! The trip will end about 1pm. To see the meeting place and birding route: http://g.co/maps/ep4qu. To view the Brad Freeman Trail, http://www.giswk.tzo.com/lowerdamtrails/default.aspx. Contact Dawn Garcia at mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net or 530-513-1785.
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| Altacal Audubon Society has had an exciting opportunity to create an educational brochure to inform landowners along the Sacramento River about Bank Swallows (Riparia riparia), their nesting habitat, and incentive programs to help protect them. Members Carolyn Short, Raina King and I were awarded a grant to create the brochure and companion website by the Fund for Wild Nature. Go to Bankswallows.org to learn more about this species population on the Sacramento River. |
Image copyright
2006: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| North-state Naturalists
http:// Liam Huber's banding experiences http:// Those Amazing Birds |
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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 1st of the month for the next issue
of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep and
Nov 1st) - editor@altacal.org – Thanks.
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Attention Libraries! |
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If you would like to receive the White-tailed Kite for distribution to your patrons, please email membership@altacal.org to let us know how many copies you'd like. |