White-tailed Kite

August/September, 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.

September Program - Monday, September 21, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center

Alaska Revisited

Join the crew of

Altacal Audubon's
Alaska birding team
for an evening of fond
memories of a most
memorable trip. A
number of the
participants on this
summer’s Alaska trek
took photos ranging
Grizzly Siblings at Denali National Park
Photo by Tim Ruckle

from the birds of the Nome tundra to the mega-fauna (huge mammals) of Denali National Park and the
rarities of Saint Lawrence Island off the coast of Siberia! Share the adventures, the birds and the funny
anecdotes from this trip from the relative warmth of the Chico Creek Nature Center.

1
 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.

August 2, Sunday - Butte Meadows

Trip Leader: Skip Augur
Meet at the Park ‘n Ride at 8:00 a.m. (the lot closest to Hwy. 99) and caravan to the Butte
Meadows/Jonesville areas to look for warblers and other montaine species. Light hiking and
carpooling. Bring a sack lunch. We will bird until about 3:00 p.m. and then return to Chico. For more
information, contact Skip Augur at 530-591-4724.
August 8, Saturday - Brokeoff Mountain Hike in Lassen National Park
Trip Leader: Steve King
Are you ready to spend all day in the
splendor of the Cascade Mountains and
one of the least-visited National Parks in
the country? That is what the Brokeoff
mountain trail located in the Lassen
National Forest offers you. Starting at
about 6,000 thousand feet you begin your
hike through moist forest, wetlands and
open-water ponds where you will
hear/see Mountain Chickadees,
Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-
breasted Nuthatches, and other
mountain species like Clark’s
Nutcracker. Wonder where the Dark-
eyed Juncos and MacGillivray’s
Warblers go?

Raina King, Dawn Garcia and Steve King Last Summer at the Summit
of Brokeoff Mountain with Mt. Lassen in the Background

They should be visible as should American Dipper at the lower lake. Sooty (formerly Blue) Grouse
are also often seen along the trail as well as Olive-sided Flycatchers. We will break out into subalpine
habitat full of shrubs and stunted trees until we climb to the treeless summit. A lot of habitat change for
not much altitude. But, you must be prepared for a strenuous all-day hike with a gradual elevation
change from 6,600 to 9,200 feet (approx. 3,000 foot climb). The journey and lunch at the summit are
worth the effort! Wear sturdy hiking boots and layers; bring lots of water, lunch, sunscreen, bug juice, a
camera and, of course binoculars. For more info on this great hike see:
http://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/hiking_brokeoff_mountain.htm
We will meet at the Park ‘n Ride off highway 32 closest to highway 99 at 6:45 a.m. and be on the road
to Lassen park by 7:00 and at the trail head by 8:30. The trailhead is just outside the park but a $10 fee
per car is still required. Season passes to the park are available a half-mile beyond at the park entrance
for $25. As always, bad weather cancels.
Contact Steve King (sking.chico@gmail.com 342-6715) for more details.

2
August 7-9, Friday-Sunday - Lassen National Park
Trip leader: Nancy Nelson
Beat the heat and head for the high country just up the road in Lassen Volcanic National Park. We have
reserved a site at Lost Creek Group Camp for Friday and Saturday nights. Steve King is leading a
Brokeoff Mountain hike on Saturday. We’ll
explore other parts of the park on Friday and
Sunday. You can join us for one or more of the
hikes, kayak or canoe on your own at Manzanita
Lake, explore the park on your own or lounge in
camp and let the birds come to you. The birding is
great right in the campground area. We’ll get
together for dinner and campfire socializing in the
evening and perhaps take a night hike to look for
owls. Come for all or part of the weekend. There
is a $10.00 fee per car to enter the park and we will
share the campsite fee. Group size is somewhat
limited. If you would like to join us or need more
information, please contact Nancy Nelson at 345-
0580 or concownancy@earthlink.net
Manazanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park
August 28-30, Friday-Sunday - Juniper Lake
Trip Leader: Jennifer Patten
Juniper Lake is located in the southeastern
corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park and
is the park’s largest lake. We’ll be hiking,
birding, swimming and enjoying the lake in
kayaks and canoes. Camping is rustic with
pit toilets, but no potable water. For further
details and to reserve a space, contact
Jennifer Patten at 345-9356 or
jpchico@sbcglobal.net.

September 25-27, Friday-Sunday - Point Reyes National Seashore

Trip Leaders: Jennifer Patten and Mike Fisher

Point Reyes National Seashore is well-known for its excellent birding. The seashore and surrounding
areas offer many different habitats from grasslands, estuaries, and coastal scrub to forests. The
3
projection of the Point Reyes peninsula some 10 miles seaward from the "mainland" makes Point Reyes
National Seashore a landing spot for many vagrants - birds that may have made errors in navigation and
thus are unexpected in this area. Each fall these vagrants seek out resting spots along the peninsula on
their way south. Some of these rarities have included Black-throated Blue Warbler, American
Redstart, White-throated Sparrow, Palm Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler. We will visit these
vagrant traps (resting spots), such as the Fish Docks, the lighthouse rocks and cliff areas, Abbott’s
Lagoon, Tomales Bay, Drake’s Beach, Bear Valley, Olema Marsh and the famous historic ranches along
the way.
We will camp Friday and Saturday night at Olema Ranch Campground. Please contact Jennifer at 345-
9356 or Mike at 624-4777 if you are interested in going or for more information on what to bring,
directions, camping, etc.
Date to be announced – Oroville Wildlife Area Kayak Trip
Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
The date for this trip hasn’t been set, but will probably take place in September or October. Watch the
Altacal website or contact Gaylord Grams at 872-0739 for more information.
October or November - Thomes Creek Gorge Hike
Trip Leader: Phil Johnson
Thomes Creek Gorge is a little-known spot with great views and great chaparral birding. We hope to
see California Thrashers, Mountain Quail, Golden Eagles, Yellow-legged Frogs, California
Junipers and Black Bear scat.
The canyon hosts some interesting geological formations. This trail is similar in length and slope to the
Feather Falls trail. It is about five hours round trip hiking time through moderately steep terrain. Bring
hiking boots, lunch, water, rain gear, and binoculars. We will meet at the Park ‘n Ride at 7:45 a.m. and
car pool to the trail head. We will be back around 6 p.m. Look for a date to be published in the next
newsletter. Contact Phil Johnson ptjptj@gmail.com if you are interested in going, and let him know
what dates would be good for you.

Altacal Contributions to the Community

Altacal awarded two $500 scholarships to high school seniors this spring. Cody Will from Red Bluff
Union High School received his award at the Altacal program meeting in May. Lauren Siebal from
Chico High School received her award from Altacal President Phil Johnson at the high
school scholarship awards ceremony. The Altacal scholarship committee was impressed with Cody’s
and Lauren's academic performance plus their commitment to environmental causes in both their high
school activities and their planned college careers.

Altacal Co-Vice-President Jennifer Patten, Cody Will and Sue Scott,

Altacal Scholarship Committee Chairperson, at May Meeting

4
 Altacal President, Phil Johnson and Scolarship
Recipient, Lauren Siebal

Help Count Curlews This August!

Volunteers are needed to help count Long-billed Curlews in the Central Valley during the four-day
period August 7 through 10, 2009.
The purpose of the surveys is to estimate the total number of migrating and
wintering curlews in the interior valleys of California, to identify hot spots of
occurrence, and learn more about which types of croplands they prefer. Surveys are
conducted by driving routes in pre-determined areas and counting all curlews that
can been seen from the road. Surveying areas are sized so they can be covered by
one or two people in four to eight hours of birding.
This will be the fourth survey the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO) and
Audubon have run in recent years, and we learn more every time. For the first time
ever, we have new areas to cover north of Sacramento. The first report is being published in the next
issue of the Central Valley Bird Bulletin.
In our chapter’s general region the new areas are:

Yuba County (3)

District 10 (#106: Feather River east to Hwy 20 north to county line)
Linda (#107: Hwy 20 south to Hwy 65 east to Beale/Spenceville Rd)
Arboga (#108: Sac River east to Hwy 65 south to Bear River)

Butte County (4)

Nelson (#109: Ord Ferry/Grainland Rds south to Hwy 162; Sac River east to Hwy 99)
Biggs (#110: Hwy 162 south to Co. Line; Butte creek east to Hwy 99)
Thermalito (#111: Hwy 149 south to county line; Hwy 99 east to Hwy 70)
Honcut (#112: Ophir Rd south to South Fork; Hwy 70 east to Palermo/Honcut Hwy)

Glenn County (5)

Orland A (#113: Co. Line south to Rd 35; all roads east of Hwy 5)
Orland B (#114: Cutting Ave south to Rd 30/29; Hwy 5 east to Sac River)
Willows A (#115: Rd 35 south to Co. Line; all roads east of Hwy 5)
Willows B (#116: Rd 30/29 south to Hwy 162; Hwy 5 east to Sac River)
5
 Willows C (#117: Hwy 162 south to Co. Line; Hwy 5 east to Co. Line)

Colusa County (6)

Williams A (#118: county line south to Hwy 20; most roads west of Hwy 5)
Williams B (#119: Hwy 20 south to county line; most roads west of Hwy 5)
Colusa A (#120: Norman Rd south to Hwy 20; Hwy 5 east to Sac River)
Colusa B (#121: Glenn Rd south to Butte Slough Rd; Sac River east to county line)
Colusa C (#122: Hwy 20 south to Grimes/Arbuckle Rd; Hwy 5 east to Sac River)
College City (#123: Grimes/Arbuckle Rd south to county line; Hwy 5 east to Sac River)

Agricultural fields support large numbers of curlews in the interior valleys of California. Dry and
irrigated pastures, alfalfa fields, and post-harvest rice fields appear to be important foraging habitats.
We want to learn how much curlews depend on agricultural lands during migration and winter and if the
species can cope with future changes in the California farming industry.
Audubon California will send out all the details to those who contact them. Contact: Gary Langham,
Audubon California, glangham@audubon.org , 510-292-9325

Conservation Corner
Dawn Garcia, Conservation Chairperson
Audubon Leader Tapped to Join Obama Team
The President has announced his intent to nominate Audubon COO Bob Perciasepe as
Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, following required
vetting. Upon Senate Confirmation, Perciasepe will serve as the number two person in
an agency with over 17,000 employees and a budget of $10.5 billion. "EPA must
address some of the most important issues facing our nation and the world," said
Audubon President John Flicker; "No one could bring greater commitment and
expertise to this important role."
Prior to joining Audubon, Perciasepe was confirmed twice by the U.S. Senate as an
Assistant Administrator for the EPA. He first served as Assistant Administrator for Water, then Air and
Radiation, during Carol Browner's tenure as Administrator of the EPA. Bob managed all aspects of air
and water pollution control and drinking water protection programs, coordinating with 50 state
programs.
More at:
www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-More-Key-Administration-Posts-
5/19/09/

6
 House Votes Yes on Landmark Climate Change Bill
As of publication time, the House of Representatives had voted 219 to 212 to pass the American Clean
Energy and Security Act (HR 2454). This bill will help put our nation on a path to a clean energy
economy, will create jobs, increase national security, and help species adapt to a warming world.
Thank you for your calls, your emails and your support. The opposition to this legislation was
intense. But true grassroots demand for change and solutions has prevailed over those who wish to keep
us tied to dirty fossil fuels. Thank you! Now we turn our eyes to the Senate. We will work hard to
strengthen this bill as it continues to move through this process. With your continued help, we will
prevail.

Birds and Blossoms

Rex Burress

Just because summer is nigh and many "bird and blossom" newsletters go on a sabbatical until
September doesn’t mean nature news shuts down.
It has become a copycat regime for the agendas of various clubs: photo, Audubon, Sierra, CA Native
Plant Society, etc, to close their doors to meetings and publication distribution (but not Altacal Audubon
with its White-tailed Kite) until September - "The Great Rest-Out!" - Each group has its June potluck to
signify that ending of spring with the intention of regrouping in September. Some like the break while
other "stay-at-homes" miss the camaraderie.
Happily, even though the spring "flush of life" has been expended as the wave of abundant blossoms
finally recedes, life goes on. Most of the baby birds are out of the nest awkwardly learning the steps to
be a fledgling, but some parents try the egg-laying business again. A certain group of late blossoms also
emerge in the "bird and blossom" annual seasonal merger.
The swallows will be swirling over the river actively making their contribution to insect control. The
shorelines are peppered with Tree Swallow nests in old cottonwood snags and even holes in light poles,
while the equally active Cliff Swallows tend their mud/jug/nests under the bridges (and under the eves
at Oroville High School!). The swallows are the most noticeable bird activity of the summer, since the
winter contingent is in the migratory mode and the local Western Scrub-Jays and other thicket birds
are partially hidden by the dense summer foliage.
Along the Feather River, we will continue to see the white egrets and Great Blue Herons prowling the
edge, forever on the lookout for fishy things or danger. Most birds are continually alert for predators or
perils, conducting their own police force and vigilant to the observations of other birds. The jay family
especially sounds a call of alarm for all to hear when danger lurks.

7
Some species of birds continually occupy wildlife habitats, just as some plant is always in the process of
blooming or dispersing seeds, and even the dead seedless wild oat stems remain as a bleached fleece,
toning the fields and providing cover for creepers and crawlers (if fire doesn’t occur!)
Something is blooming along the river every month of the year, a seasonal salute to the succession of
specially adapted plants. After the dramatic "flush of life" in the spring, yellow tarweeds take their turn
at utilizing the land. Gumweed puts forth composite yellow petals, and lavender California asters bloom
right into autumn. Red monkey flowers flourish near the water, and in early fall California fuschia puts
on its show of red tubular blossoms, relished by hummingbirds. Thus a thread of organic interactions
continually provides something of interest, whether watchers are on vacation or not!

"...The flush of life may well be seen,/Thrilling back over hills and valleys;
The cowslip startles in meadows green,/The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,
And there’s never a leaf nor a blade too mean/To be some happy creature’s palace;
The little bird sits at his door in the sun,/Atilt like a blossom among the leaves,
And lets his illumined being o’er run/With the deluge of summer it receives."
James Russell Lowell

Cornell Lab of Ornithology needs your keen eye and quick fingers! As
you may know, we have live cameras positioned at active bird nests all
around the country. Since 1999, we’ve archived more than eight
million images from these Nestcams.

http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/breeding.jsp

To help sort through the images, we developed CamClickr

http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/clicker/clicker/index

an online tool you can use to view the images and sort them into albums, then tag each image by the
type of behavior you see: preening, eating, feeding chicks, etc.

What’s in it for you? NestCams allow you to peek into the nests of Barn Owls, bluebirds, Wood
Ducks, and other birds for an up-close look at fascinating bird behavior. CamClickr will appeal not only
to bird lovers, but to people who enjoy testing their skills with online games. When you help sort and tag
the camera images, you collect points and compete for prizes such as binoculars, DVDs, books and
posters. It's easy and fun!
Why do we need your help? By using CamClickr to help tag and sort
the NestCam images, you help scientists studying breeding bird
behavior. The more we understand about bird behavior, the better
equipped we are to understand how birds are responding to threats in
their environment.

8
Just visit www.camclickr.org to create an account. This allows you to chat in the NestCam forums, tag
photos, and track your stats in CamClickr anytime. You can check your rankings in “my sessions” to see
how you stack up against other taggers. The redesigned CamClickr home page also provides the latest
Twitter feeds. Educators will appreciate the newly developed lesson plan, appropriate for all ages, and
easily modified for individualized instruction. You can watch videos of fascinating nesting behaviors
from the Lab's Macaulay Library.

Sister Society (Cape Cod Bird Club) News

In late June our sister society members had a continuing seabird show that occurred on the Outer Cape.
Any time you can stand on shore and see birds that are usually only seen miles from shore is a good
outing, so you can imagine the excitement when thousands of these birds, representing several species,
could be seen from shore during a matter of hours.
One such two-hour outing on June 21 at Race Point, Provincetown produced the following: 3 Cory's
Shearwaters, 3400 Greater Shearwaters, 400 Sooty Shearwaters, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 300
Wilson's Storm-petrels, 110 Northern Gannets, 25 Laughing Gulls, 325 Herring Gulls, 1 Lesser
Black-backed Gull, 500 Common Terns, and 2 Parasitic Jaegers.
The big surprise during that week of wind
and rain was a Black-capped Petrel that
was seen off Race Point on June 23. This
species, nicknamed Diablotin (Little
Devil) by the Haitians, is a rare visitor to
the Southeastern United States, much
sought after on pelagic trips out of North
Carolina. This Little Devil is much rarer
that far north and has only been recorded
in Massachusetts a handful of times.
Another odd seabird seen was an
Audubon's Shearwater spotted off of
Nantucket. This is another southern
shearwater, but it is much more likely to
show up in New England waters.
Not to be outdone on Nantucket was a
staggering count of 6 South Polar Skuas.
These large kleptoparasitic seabirds are
found many miles from shore and those
9
that do cruise by are often not identified, making this sighting even more exciting.
Here are some high counts for species that week: 3400 Greater Shearwaters, 6 Lesser Black-backed
Gulls, 15 Leach's Storm-Petrels, 10 Roseate Terns, 100 Common Terns, 2 Parasitic Jaegers, 2 Long-
tailed Jaegers,
Sadly, due to the viewing conditions, speed and distance that the birds passed by, many individuals were
left unidentified.
There was a rare bird around that was not a seabird, a Purple Gallinule that spent a few days at a
private pond in Nantucket.

Well, I’ll be Darned!

A group of shearwaters is collectively known as an "improbability" of shearwaters.

The Greater Shearwater has a unique method of self-defense: it ejects foul-smelling oil from its
nostrils.

Quiz

In 2002 a Manx Shearwater was netted and proved to have been ringed (banded) in 1957 when it was
five years old. This 50-year-old was the second oldest wild bird ever documented. What was the
oldest? (answer on page 17).

10
 Bird Walk and Birding Trip Reports
May 21-25, Thursday-Monday, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Princeton, Oregon
Trip Leaders: Mike Fisher and Jennifer Patten
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon was originally set aside
by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 to protect nesting egrets
and other waterbirds from unregulated plume hunting. Today, it’s
known as one of the premiere birding hot spots in North America.
Six Altacalers made the seven-hour drive to Malheur over Labor Day
weekend staying four nights at the Page Spring Campground. What’s
nice about visiting Malheur this time of year, is that it’s a place where
some of the birds that winter here (Chico) go to breed.
The Refuge is configured in a roughly “T” shape, 39 miles wide and
40 miles long, with an intricate network of marshy meadows, ponds,
sloughs, lakes and wetlands surrounded by sage uplands and basalt
rimrocks. With this great diversity of habitat, Malheur attracts more than 320 species of birds and other
wildlife. We didn’t see 320 species of birds but we did see 118 by driving, hiking, walking, standing,
and scoping about every hot spot in Malheur NWF. Central Patrol Road was one of them. We saw
Bobolinks, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Yellow, Wilson’s, and
Yellow-rumped Warblers, Marsh Wrens, Tree, Violet-green, Northern rough-winged, Cliff and
Barn Swallows, Mallards, Cinnamon Teals, Northern Shovelers, American Wigeons, Lesser
Scaups, Ruddy Ducks, Canvasbacks, Redheads, American White Pelicans, Black-crowned Night-
Herons, Tundra Swans, Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets and the Forster’s and Black Terns,
all in breeding plumage. Other stops included the refuge headquarters, which consists of a collection of
old stone buildings under a cool grove of cottonwood trees. We found Bullock’s Orioles, American
Robins, Townsend’s and Orange-crowned Warblers, a Great Horned Owl, Cedar Waxwings, and a
Red-breasted Nuthatch.
On a drive on a rugged road to a barren desert lake, Krumbo Reservoir, and in ponds along the road, we
saw two Trumpeter Swans, Red-breasted Mergansers, egrets, herons, and Chukars. On to P Ranch,
Benson Pond, and the little town of Frenchglen where the highlights were Evening Grosbeak, lots of
Wilson’s Snipes, Turkey Vultures, Short-eared Owls, Lazuli Buntings, and noisy Franklin’s Gulls.
A special treat was to go to Raptor Alley, where some of us saw Golden Eagle, Merlin, Ferruginous,
Red-tailed and Swainson’s Hawks.
On the way home we drove south toward Fields, legendary for rarities. We did see Mountain
Bluebirds, Sage Sparrows and Sage Thrashers in the sage uplands, but no rarities in Fields. With an
exceptional variety of birds all in one big place, this trip is definitely worthwhile.
May 30, Saturday – Butte Meadows
Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
On Saturday, May 30th, eight Chico participants joined eight more Butte Meadows residents for a
beginners’ birding trip in Colby Meadows. The best was at the start when a Hermit Warbler revealed
himself to everyone over and over. At the same time, a noisy Pileated Woodpecker was constantly
heard nearby and soon flew over the parking lot in full view of most participants. Other birds of note
included a Red-breasted Sapsucker in full breeding color, an Osprey circling over head (later we
viewed the nest) and an American Dipper flying up Butte Creek ... good weather and a good group.

11
June 5, Friday - Search for Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Lesser Nighthawk
Trip Leader: Phil Johnson

The threat of rain almost cancelled this trip, and indeed it did drizzle a little, but it turned out to be very
nice weather to walk in. We started at the Indian Fishery parking lot with Bullock’s Oriole, House
Finch and Black Phoebe singing in the trees. When we approached the pond, we encountered a Pied-
billed Grebe, which is likely to have been breeding in the grassy margins of the pond. Walking down
the trail we got a great look at a Common Yellowthroat singing its little throat out in plain view.
We played a tape for Yellow-billed Cuckoo along the way, but had no luck. As we proceeded down
the trail we encountered many ticks clinging to the grassy margins of the trail at shin level. The trail to
the river was choked in with vegetation, so we decided to go the Washout parking area instead. At the
Washout, we encountered many Western Kingbirds hovering above the river hawking for insects.
They were out amongst the Tree Swallows. After having walked the length of the gravel bar, we
flushed up two Lesser Nighthawks. They circled and called; then one landed in a low branch and gave
us a great look. Shortly after, we looked across the river to see many more Nighthawks hovering above
the gravel bar on the West side of the river. A Great Horned Owl called in the distance.
All in all it was a very successful trip for Lesser Nighthawk, but not so lucky for Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
The dark, moody sky was one of the highlights of the trip as well.
June 6, Saturday – Upper Bidwell Park – Neotropicals for Beginners
Steve King led a group of six birders in Upper Bidwell Park on June 6th. The
weather was especially good for birding and walking but the birds seemed quiet.
However, he was surprised to ultimately count 39 species of birds seen for the
day– about ten more birds than he thought they would spot. Interesting birds they
encountered were a Green Heron at Horseshoe Lake, at least three Yellow-
breasted Chats, and pairs of Phainopeplas, Ash-throated Flycatchers, Lark
Sparrows and Rufous-crowned Sparrows.

Upper Bidwell Park Near Shooting Range

June 8-17 - Nome, Denali, Anchorage and Fairbanks Alaska Altacal Charter Trip
Trip Leaders: Scott & Liam Huber
Altacal Audubon Does Alaska!
For a small Audubon Chapter, Altacal Audubon has developed a reputation for world-class field trips.
Our June 8-17 trip to Alaska continued that tradition. It started with a short overnight (well, it never
really got dark!) in Anchorage where a few of the group found their first life bird for the trip –
Hudsonian Godwit. All assembled in Nome on June 8th and got started right away looking for birds. A
rare Asian bird - a Hawfinch, had been found a few days prior, about 40 miles from Nome. The group
piled into three large pickup trucks and headed for the spot. Numerous new and beautiful species were
found along the road even though the Hawfinch was never seen. Some of the group’s most memorable
sightings occurred right outside the door of their lodgings.
12
 Rear, L-R: Bill Kehoe, Veronika Kehoe, Mike Fisher, Skip Augur, Warren Patten, Jennifer Patten, Tim Ruckle
Scott Huber. Front, L-R: Raina King, Liam Huber, Dawn Garcia, Pam Hansen, Mauricio Schrader, Frances Oliver,
Bill Frey at Kuzitrin River Bridge.
Over the following three days our group traveled the length of all three of Nome’s roads (the only roads
in western Alaska) and developed an impressive list of northern species. Some of the group’s favorites
included: a pair of Gyrfalcons on a jagged peak, a displaying Bluethroat, a hard-earned Bristle-
thighed Curlew and a pair of rare Asian visitors – two Red-necked
Stints viewed at thirty feet!
From Nome the party moved to interior Alaska. A flight to Anchorage
and a long day’s drive took us to the edge of Denali National Park
(apologies for missing dinner to the non-birders in the entourage).
Our two days in Denali were spectacular in terms of scenery and
mammal sightings, including a pair of young grizzlies that ambled to
within 20 yards of the group before being shooed away.
Young Grizzlies at Denali
Photo by Scott Huber
From Denali we headed to Alaska’s most northerly city, Fairbanks, finding a number of coveted birds:
Upland Sandpiper, Boreal Chickadee and American Three-toed Woodpecker. From Fairbanks we
drove through incredible scenery to the home of Audubon L. Bakewell, IV (a descendant of J.J.
Audubon) whose craftsman cabins were a pleasant change. ‘Audie’ showed us the region’s most
sought-after species – Smith’s Longspur, a breeding-plumaged male perched in the rich tundra amongst
displaying American Golden-Plovers, Long-tailed Jaegers and singing Whimbrels.
By all accounts this trip was a sensory delight and another example of the great passion and camaraderie
of our members. For a more detailed account of our trip see Scott’s blog at
www.birddiscoveries.blogspot.com
and his photos at
www.flickr.com/photos/39894556@N03/

13
June 19, 20 and 21, Friday-Sunday- Willow Lake
Trip Leader: Gaylord Grams
A good group of birdwatchers, kayakers, and hikers were
treated to cool daytime weather, bird activity, wildflowers and
an eventful Saturday night thunderstorm. Of special interest
were the ever-present calls and hammering of Pileated and
White-headed Woodpeckers in and around our campsite as
well as along the trails. We watched cavity nesters busily
attending nests and their young. One very noisy snag
belonged to a Black-backed Woodpecker and another busy

Willow Lake From Campsite

cavity was occupied by Brown Creepers. Red-breasted Sapsuckers and a Mountain Chickadee were
also observed attending their nests. MacGillivray's and Orange-crowned Warblers were the most
abundant warblers (of the six species) Other frequent sightings included Wilson’s Snipes (with their
"whistling wings"), Sandhill Cranes, Willow Flycatchers, Western Tanagers, Black-headed
Grosbeaks, and Ospreys.
June 27-28, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Trip Leader: Bill Oliver, Wintu Audubon

Lassen Trip with Wintu Audubon

Photo by Joyce Bond
The combined campout at Lassen Volcanic National Park with the Wintu, Redwood Region, and Altacal
Audubon Societies was a great success. Chet Ogan was the only representative from the Redwood
Region A.S. but six joined us from the Altacal A.S. The weather was great! The valley broiled but the
nights were comfortably warm at 5600-ft. elevation. The total count of species was at least 56 (We may
have missed some and additional species may have been spotted after we disbanded on Sunday
14
afternoon). The target bird for most participants was the Black-backed Woodpecker. Only Larry
Jordan actually saw one because he arose early on Saturday morning and stumbled out over all the
downed logs in the old burn behind the Lost Creek Group Camp to find it. Incidentally, that burn is at
least ten years old and the snags may be too old to attract Black-backs. I speculate, however, that the
smoke from the campfires at Craggs and Lost Creek Campgrounds have attracted them. To paraphrase
the old Camel cigarette ad, Black-backs will fly over a mile for a smoke. Last year a Pileated
Woodpecker family nested in the campground. This year we found one gorgeous male but we had to
walk down an access road near the campground to see it.
Other notable sightings were an Acorn Woodpecker near the campground (surprising to all to see this
species at so high an elevation without a hardwood tree within miles). On our way out the South side of
the Park we drew in, thanks to Larry Jordan's i-pod, a couple of Green-tailed Towhees. Further along
George Horn suggested that we walk a ways up the Brokeoff Mt. Trail to try for a Sooty Grouse - a
suggestion that landed with a dull thud. Then miraculously, a few yards down the road there was a
mother Sooty with five chicks in the road. All in our car got good looks at them.
It was a wonderful weekend and the Altacal folks thank Wintu Audubon for inviting us.

May Program - Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Breeding Seabirds on St. Paul Island - Jim Snowden
If you attended the May Altacal Program you are now familiar with the Pribilof Islands. It was at this
program that long-time Altacal member and author of The Annotated Bird List for Butte County, Jim
Snowden, recounted his 2002 adventure of three months spent on the Pribilof’s largest island, St. Paul,
doing a seabird study.
The Pribilof Islands are little known outside of the
birding, fishing, U.S. Coast Guard and scientific
communities. St. Paul and St. George Islands
dominate the chain and just saying their names give
me a chill. The islands are completely open to the
weather in the Bering Sea. It is difficult to think of
any place in North America that is more inhospitable.
A rocky, treeless, windswept, wet and cold set of
islands, the Pribilofs are part of the vast Alaska
Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. They lie in the
Bering Sea, some 300 miles from both the coasts of
the western Alaska mainland and the Aleutian Islands.
St. Paul and St. George Islands are famous for their natural beauty, large seal populations, and migrating
birds.
For his presentation Jim showed slides he took while on the island and used his recollection of events to
give our members and friends a taste of what it was like to live and work in this harsh yet beautiful
environment. A nice day on St. Paul and the temperatures may reach the upper 40s. Wind is almost
constant and most days are foggy. Weather-wise these islands are not a welcoming place. However, for
those wanting to see breeding seabirds and shorebirds or look for rare migrants, the islands are a magnet.
Over 240 different species of birds have been identified there, and an estimated two million seabirds
nest there annually. Common breeders on the island include Rock Sandpiper, Northern Fulmar, Red-
faced Cormorant, Red-legged Kittiwake, Parakeet, Least and Crested Auklets, and Tufted and
Horned Puffins. There are also four common breeding songbirds on the islands, Winter Wren, Snow
Bunting, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, and Lapland Longspurs.

15
Jim also gave us a good look at the other famous residents of St. Paul Island, the Northern Fur Seals
(Callorhinus ursinus). The largest breeding colonies of these pinnipeds in the world are located on the
Pribilofs. Hundreds of thousands take over much of the exposed shoreline in huge rookeries. The
largest males arrive in early June to stake out their territories. Females follow by the thousands joining
the harems of the males with the best territories. Encounters with these powerful animals are to be
avoided as they can be aggressive. The Northern Fur Seal is listed as a federally endangered species and
any disturbance of the seals could result in severe penalties.
Jim’s interesting presentation raised many questions and comments concerning this remote area.
Afterword, people stayed on for more conversation and refreshments. Many thanks go to Jim Snowden
for his generosity of time and continued commitment to Altacal Audubon.

June Program - Monday, June 29, 6:00 p.m. Chico Creek Nature Center
Altacal Annual Potluck
Even with record-breaking heat, Altacal Audubon’s annual potluck, on
Monday, June 29th, was well attended. Twenty-five hardy folks showed up at
Chico Creek Nature Center with delicious fresh foods from fruit, vegetables,
and rice salads, to apple pie, brownies, and home-made, hand-cranked vanilla
ice cream.
The decision to bring the potluck indoors made for a more comfortable
evening where all enjoyed visiting, sharing stories and playing a bird trivia
game. Plus, a special visit by Audubon California’s, Jordan Wellwood,
Central Valley/Sierra Conservation Coordinator, updated us on where efforts
towards bird conservation are currently focused.
Have a great summer and we’ll see all of you in September for our next round of outstanding programs
brought to you by Altacal Audubon Society!

Opportunities and Events

July 27 – October 9 - The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) is delighted to announce its
first annual Click Off!- a photo contest highlighting the bird and habitat diversity found in the Bay
Area and beyond. The Click Off! is a great way for you to share your best photos and win valuable
prizes – including incredible photo workshops and display space at the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge
Environmental Education Center – all while supporting SFBBO, an organization dedicated to the
conservation of birds and their habitats through science and outreach.
Winners will be selected from six categories including: Bird Portraits, Endangered Species, Birds in
their Habitat, Bird Behavior, Human Interaction, and Birds of the World. Also, a People's Choice
Award will be selected on from the category winners. The winners will be announced at the Annual
Meeting at the conclusion of the Fall Challenge on Sunday, October 25th. Please see our Click Off!
web page for more information.

16
August 1, Saturday - 11th Annual Kern River Valley Hummingbird Celebration, Weldon, CA

The Southern Sierra's Kern River Valley is one of the premier migration routes for six
species of hummingbirds. Join us for a day of hummingbird appreciation at our
feeders. Contact: Kern Valley Nature Festivals, PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283

September 24-27, Thursday-Sunday, Monterey Bay Birding Festival – Watsonville, CA

Featuring field trips, kayaking, workshops, optics expo, and speakers, the Birding Festival has
something for everyone, especially beginning birders. The Pajaro Valley and the Monterey Bay region
are home to an incredible diversity of habitats – redwood forests, rocky shorelines, sandy beaches with
Snowy Plovers, the world-class Elkhorn Slough National Estuary, oak forests and surrounding
grasslands at Pinnacles National Monument, the stunning Big Sur coastline with California Condors,
and, of course, pelagic trips on Monterey Bay – and bird species - over 600 species of birds have been
found. Contact Info: Phone: (831) 724-3900 or Email: montereybaybirding@hotmail.com ,
http://www.montereybaybirding.org/
September 26-27, Saturday-Sunday - Kern River Valley Fall Nature & Vulture Festival -
Weldon, CA

Visit the Southern Sierra's Kern River Valley to experience one of the U.S. and Canada's largest
known Turkey Vulture migrations and the height of fall landbird migration at desert oases. You will
enjoy vultures, other birds, geology, botany, natural history, Native
American studies, moths, reptiles, and children's activities. Contact: Kern
Valley Nature Festivals, PO Box 833, Weldon, CA 93283
Answer to Quiz
The oldest wild bird ever found was a Royal Albatross that nested in New
Zealand and was named Grandma, according to the London Times. The
bird was at least 53 years old when it went missing.
(
http://www.neseabirds.com/shearwatermanx.htm#From_the_CNN_web_p
age
17
 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 August
or September you can send them to the Newsletter Editor at Editor@altacal.org by July 1st for possible inclusion in the next newsletter.)

Late June - Phil Johnson reported a Tricolored Blackbird colony just southwest of the intersection of
Highway 99 and Nelson Ave. in a cluster of vegetation adjacent to a rice field.

He also said that on the east side of the Afterbay (off of Tres Vias Rd.) there is a pond with a small
cluster of bulrushes that has several pairs of nesting Yellow-headed Blackbirds.

Finally, on June 27, at Black Butte Lake (near Grizzly Flats), he saw many pairs of Western Grebes
building nests in the grassy margins of the lake.
June 28 - Nancy Nelson observed two adult Burrowing Owls and one juvenile on Durham-Pentz Rd.
where they have been breeding for at least the past three years.

Peregrinations
Late June – Carolyn Short reported from a family ranch in Blaco, Texas that she saw a Painted
Bunting, a Greater Roadrunner, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, several Northern Cardinals and a few
she hadn’t identified yet.
Early July – Jon Aull, Education Coordinator at the Chico Creek Nature Center, and his wife and son,
Theo, are on the Japanese island of Amami Oshima (subtropical, 85% original forest, coral reefs) for the
summer. He saw the elusive Lidth’s Jay on July 4th. He offers free floor space and a chance to see the
bird to the first White-tailed Kite reader who can make it over there.

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 prior to the next issue of the newsletter (i.e., Jan, Mar, May,
Jul, Sep and Nov 1st) - Editor@altacal.org – Thanks, Editor)

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

18
 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 530-519-4724/wba@acm.org
Field Trips Nancy Nelson 345-0580/concownancy@earthlink.net
Sanctuary, Lands Ruth Kennedy 899-9631/rken1733@sunset.net
and Refuge
Conservation Dawn Garcia 872-2165/mel.dawn@sbcglobal.net
Education Scott Huber 321-5579/Scott@birdtours@altacal.org
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

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.

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

19
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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

Dates to Remember
August 2, Sunday - Butte Meadows Field Trip
August 8, Saturday - Brokeoff Mountain Hike in Lassen National Park
August 7-10 – Long-billed Curlew Count
August 1, Saturday - 11th Annual Kern River Valley Hummingbird Celebration, Weldon, CA
September 21, Monday – Altacal Members’ Program – Alaska Trip Report
September 24-27, Thursday-Sunday Monterey Bay Birding Festival – Watsonville, CA
September 26-27, Saturday-Sunday - Kern River Valley Fall Nature & Vulture Festival –
Weldon, CA

20