San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

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If any story or activity in this e-newsletter has piqued your interest in the Bird Observatory, please consider making a donation. If you are not already a member, please join us! Be a partner in our bird conservation science and outreach programs in the Bay Area as a member and volunteer. To our current members, we greatly appreciate your continued support. Looking for other ways to support the Bird Observatory? Check out our Wish List.

The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory does not trade, give away, or sell your information to any group, organization, or individual.

A Cassin’s Vireo was captured at Coyote Creek Field Station on 4/11.
PHOTO BY JESSICA GRIFFITHS

Volunteer to help count California Gull nests this May.
PHOTO BY KEN PHENICIE..

Team Datasets, which included SFBBO board, staff, and friends, birded in the rain for support of Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society's fundraiser.

Join the Stilt Society.
PHOTO BY GARRETT LAU.

Yellow Warbler.
PHOTO BY MIKE MAMMOSER.

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May 2010: Wingbeat

Monthly enewsletter of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

In This Issue....

Dear Member
Coyote Creek Field Station
Workshops with Alvaro Jaramillo
Upcoming Events
Volunteer Opportunities
Increase Your Impact!

Dear Member,

We are pleased to announce that our 2009 Audited Financial Statements are now online. Keep an eye out for our Annual Report to arrive in your mail box later this month.

Sincerely,
The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory Board of Directors

Coyote Creek Field Station

Did you know that as a member of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, you are welcome to bird the riparian corridor and restored waterbird pond at the Coyote Creek Field Station, our year-round bird banding station, on your own. We do require, however, that you have an access agreement on file. Contact outreach@sfbbo.org or call the office at 408-946-6548 for access information and agreement. Take advantage of this great benefit of your membership with the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory!

Not a member? You are welcome to attend a banding demonstration at the Coyote Creek Field Station. Better yet, become a member today to help protect our local birds and their habitats.

Workshops with Alvaro Jaramillo

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

RSVP
BIRD SOUND
Tuesday, June 8th and Thursday, June 10th (instruction), 6:30 – 9:00 pm
Sunday, June 13th (fieldtrip)
Birders are attracted to birds for many reasons, but one aspect of birds that transcends all is their ability to sing. This is not a workshop solely devoted to identifying birds by song, but also focuses on understanding the ecology and behavior of bird vocalization. We will cover topics on the development of song, song variations, and the purpose of song as well as how to visualize, learn, and study bird sounds. The field trip will aim to listen to bird sounds in nature and also attempt to do some simple experiments to hear what we learned in the class.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 13, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
RSVP
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION PARTY
SITE: RENGSTORFF HOUSE, SHORELINE at MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK
This is our day to celebrate YOU and all of your hard work! We couldn’t complete our work without our volunteers. Please come and celebrate all of your shared achievements with the Bird Observatory staff and fellow volunteers. Enjoy good food, great people, and of course, our local birds. Staff-led Bird Walk starts at 5:30pm, Party at 6:30pm.

Saturday, May 22, 7:45 - 10:30 am
RSVP
TOLMAN PEAK TRAIL
SITE: GARIN/DRY CREEK PIONEER PARK (HAYWARD)
Join Bridget Greuel on a walk through the oak savannah and riparian habitats of Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Park. We can expect Lazuli Bunting, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Wilson's Warbler, Brown Creeper, Hooded Oriole, California Quail and possibly Grasshopper Sparrow. These are just a few of the dozens of species we can see on this trip. Expect to walk 2 miles in moderately strenuous terrain.

Saturday, June 19th, 8:30 – 10:30 am
RSVP
A Bird in the Hand
SITE: COYOTE CREEK FIELD STATION (MILPITAS)
Tour the Bird Observatory's banding station and learn about the Bird Observatory’s bird banding research at the Coyote Creek Field Station. You will have the opportunity to see several different species as they are banded. We will tour mist nets, watch a bird banding demonstration, and explore a restored riparian habitat. Please join us and learn why bird banding is so important for protecting birds and their habitats. RSVP required. We will meet at the Borders bookstore parking lot in McCarthy Ranch, Milpitas. More information about the Coyote Creek Field Station can be found here.

Volunteer Opportunities
See all opportunities on our volunteer opportunities page.

Photo Library Organizer
The Bird Observatory needs help organizing our electronic photo library into a searchable database (Adobe Lightroom). Volunteers should to be able to identify birds from photographs and work as part of a team. See our detailed job description here, or to volunteer contact Jill Demers at jdemers@sfbbo.org.

Auction and Prize Donation Procurement Volunteer
We are planning for our Fall Events and need a volunteer to oversee the acquisition of items to be sold at the Silent Auction or given as top prizes for California Fall Challenge Fundraisers at the Annual Meeting event. This volunteer will work with the Silent Auction Manager to ensure that all donation procurement planning, execution, and follow-up is conducted in a timely basis. Please see a complete job description here.

Looking for other ways to volunteer for the California Fall Challenge? Contact Melanie Kimbel at at mkimbel@sfbbo.org for more information.

Banded California Gull Re-sighting Volunteer
We need your help relocating banded California Gulls around the Bay. Volunteers will use binoculars and spotting scopes to search for banded California Gulls 2-4 times a month during the breeding season, and 1-2 times a month after that. Surveys take between 30 minutes and 2 hours. See our detailed job description here, or to request more details, please contact Caitlin Robinson-Nilsen at cnilsen@sfbbo.org.

California Gull Colony Walkthroughs
SFBBO biologists and volunteers have documented the number of California Gull nesting throughout the South Bay colonies for 30 years. We need volunteers for the 2010 "walkthrough" surveys. We ask that volunteers commit to 4-8 hours of walking in a colony, counting nests, eggs, and chicks. The walkthroughs will occur the 2nd and 3rd weeks of May. See our detailed job description here, or or request more details, please contact Caitlin Robinson-Nilsen at cnilsen@sfbbo.org.

Increase Your Impact!

You can make your conservation dollars go further by having your employer match your gift to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory.

What is a Matching Gift?
Many companies, both big and small, may double (or sometimes triple) the value of donations made to SFBBO by their employees, employees' spouses, or even retirees.

There's no additional cost to you and these matching gifts provide much needed funds, as we work to protect our local birds and their habitats.

How Does it Work?
Matching your gift is easy. First, just donate to SFBBO as you normally would. Then ask your Director of Human Resources or Director of Community Philanthropy about the Matching Gift Program at your company. Most companies ask you to complete and return a short form or may require SFBBO’s tax identification number, which is 94-2788588.

Questions about Matching Your Gift?
Call our office at 408-946-6548 between the hours of 9:00 am - 5:00 pm PDT, or email our Development Director at mkimbel@sfbbo.org.

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!