July 2010: Wingbeat

Monthly enewsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

Snowy Plover Nest Predators

San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory biologists recently documented a Gray Fox depredating a Snowy Plover nest. The video starts with the incubating plover flushing off the nest, and the fox arrives 30 seconds later. This video and other nest depredation events in the salt ponds are posted on the web at: http://vimeo.com/12923362. Warning: This footage includes disturbing and graphic images of nest predation events.

Click Off 2010 Opens

The 2010 Click Off photography contest has begun! It’s time for you to register and compete for outstanding prizes. Go to http://www.sfbbo.org/support/clickoff to learn more, register, or submit your photos. Share your best photos while supporting San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory's mission to conserve birds and their habitats through science and outreach.

Winners will be selected from six categories:  Bird Portraits, Endangered Species, Birds in their Habitat, Bird Behavior, Human Interaction, and Birds of the World. In addition, one People’s Choice Award will be selected from the Category Winners. All winners will be announced at the Annual Meeting on October 17, 2010.

When, How & How Much
Images must be received before September 20th, 2010. A $25 registration fee entitles you to enter up to five images. See contest rules, including usage rights at www.sfbbo.org/support/clickoff/clickoff_rules.php.

Workshops with Alvaro Jaramillo

These workshops incorporate ecology, evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology, and natural history to complement bird identification.

RSVP
Fall Shorebirds
Tuesday, Aug. 31st and Thursday, Sept. 2nd (instruction), 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Sunday, Sept. 5th (fieldtrip), TBA
San Francisco Bay is one of the world's most important migration stop-over areas for shorebirds. Shorebirds can be difficult to identify, especially in fall, when duller juvenile and non-breeding plumages are seen. In order to identify these fall shorebirds, we will dig deep into bird behavior, physiology, ecology, and everything else that is relevant to this season and your enjoyment of migrating shorebirds. This is an opportunity for you to create depth to your shorebird identification skills, have a great time, and view many shorebird species.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, July 24th, 7:45 am– noon
RSVP
Walk Through Fire
SITE: RUSSIAN RIDGE OPEN SPACE PRESERVE
Eric Feuss takes us on a birding trip to one of the Bird Observatory's most scenic field sites - Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve into he Santa Cruz Mountains. Take a walk through this beautiful grassland, where Bird Observatory biologists study the response of avian communities to grassland fires. Nesting season will be over, but we should see adults and young birds preparing for migration. Information about our walk policies are here.

Saturday, July 31st, 7:45 am– 10:00 am
Young Audubon Summer Adventure: Bird Banding
SITE: COYOTE CREEK FIELD STATION (MILPITAS)
Together with Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, we are offering a very special bird banding demonstration at the Coyote Creek Field Station for families and children. Come learn about bird banding, tour the field station, and see wild birds up close and personal. This tour is for ages 7 and up and lasts approximately 2 hours. RSVP required and space is limited. Click here for more information or call Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society at (408) 252-3740 for reservations. Groups with children receive priority.

Thursday, Aug 12th, 2010, 6:30 – 8:00pm
RSVP
Lecture: Isla Partida Norte - Encounters with the Mexican Fishing Bat
SITE: SOBRATO CENTER FOR NONPROFITS (MILPITAS)
Join Tom Stewart for a presentation about Isla Partida Norte, a desert island in the Sea of Cortez. Tom visited the Island in May 2009 and was part of a research group collecting data on the endangered Mexican fishing bat and Least Storm Petrels. Tom's presentation will also highlight some of the wildlife he encountered, including a visit to the colony where 95% of the world’s Heermann’s Gulls breed. RSVP requested, light refreshments will be served.

Volunteer Opportunities
See all opportunities on our volunteer opportunities page.

Coyote Creek Field Station Bird Bander
Are you an experienced bird bander? If so, we want you to volunteer at the Coyote Creek Field Station. You must have experience ageing and sexing passerines, using the Pyle Guide, extracting birds from mist nests, and recording data. All volunteers will need to be approved in the field by our master bander. We operate the nets on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Nest open a between 5:00-6:40 a.m. and close between 10:00-11:40 a.m. We ask for a 2 day per month commitment from our volunteer banders. If interested, please email a resume detailing your banding experience and contact information for 2 references to Josh Scullen at jscullen@sfbbo.org. Please see a complete job description here.

Avian Disease Prevention Field Volunteer
Join Bird Observatory biologists on the South Bay sloughs and channels to help monitor for botulism outbreaks. Surveys occur weekly from late-June to mid-November and require that volunteers spend 4 -5 hours in a small boat. Participants are guaranteed to get muddy and/or wet! Must be willing to handle (with proper protection) sick, injured and dead wildlife. A commitment to at least 1 survey per month over the season is required. Contact Caitlin Robinson-Nilsen at cnilsen@sfbbo.org to sign up or for more information. Please see a complete job description here.

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the conservation of birds through science and outreach.

Please click here to donate to the Bird Observatory!