Page updated: May 10, 2012

SAN JOAQUIN AUDUBON SOCIETY

A California Chapter of the National Audubon Society Serving the communities of Stockton, Lodi, Tracy, Manteca, Escalon, Ripon, and Lathrop--All of San Joaquin County.

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LINKS TO AUDUBON INFORMATION and more......
Places to Visit on our Website Chapter Officers & Board Members · Program and Field Trip Information · Field Checklist of the Birds of San Joaquin County · Bird Sightings in San Joaquin County · San Joaquin County Birding Areas · Membership Benefits-JOIN US! You Can Now Join San Joaquin Audubon ONLINE. Please select CHAPTER CODE "C22, SAN JOAQUIN AUDUBON" so a portion of your dues come back to our local chapter! JOIN NOW	Other Web Pages to Visit · Help with Identifying Birds · What to do with an injured or orphaned bird · Wildlife Rehab Information · Central Valley Birds Listserve · San Joaquin Birds Listserve · Stanislaus Audubon Society · National Audubon Society · Central Valley Bird Club · California County Geographic Birding Guide · Kern River Preserve · Artist Keith Hansen · Artist Rene C. Reyes
Current San Joaquin Audubon Newsletter Hoot Owl May-June 2012 Hoot Owl March-April 2012 Hoot Owl January-February 2012 Hoot Owl November-December 2011 Hoot Owl September-October 2011 Hoot Owl July-August 2011 Hoot Owl May-June 2011 Hoot Owl March-April 2011 Hoot Owl January-February 2011 · Hoot Owl November-December 2010 · Hoot Owl September-October 2010 · Hoot Owl July-August 2010 · Hoot Owl May-June 2010 · Hoot Owl March-April 2010 · Hoot Owl January-February 2010 · Hoot Owl November-December 2009 · Hoot Owl September-October 2009 · Hoot Owl July-August 2009 · Hoot Owl May-June 2009 · Hoot Owl March-April 2009 · Hoot Owl January-February 2009 · Hoot Owl November-December 2008 · Hoot Owl September-October 2008 · Hoot Owl July-August 2008 · Hoot Owl May-June 2008 Annual San Joaquin Audubon Chapter Picnic SATURDAY, May 12, 2012 Held at the Mokelumne River Day Use Area/Fish Hatchery .  We will start off birding at 8:00 a.m., combining our bird walk with the monthly bird census of this delightful park.  The pot luck brunch will follow at approx. 10:00 a.m., so bring a dish to share.  Meet in the fish hatchery parking lot (below the dam). HELPING MIGRATORY BIRDS California’s migratory birds are a vital part of the state’s natural identity. Each year, millions of birds stop over on the Pacific Flyway, making California one of the most important areas for migratory birds on the west coast of the Americas.      Audubon California is partnering with PRBO Conservation Science and The Nature Conservancy to make California a better home for migratory birds. This Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership seeks to protect, restore, and enhance lands that support bird populations in California. This partnership is working to: Enhance the value of agricultural lands as migratory bird habitat Encourage better public and private land management Secure reliable water for wetlands Apply the best science to our efforts Promote policy solutions that will help bolster migratory bird populations and protect and restore their habitat.      Even though California continues to be a haven for migratory birds, the state has seen a steep decline in habitat over the past 150 years. Less than 10% of the state’s original wetland habitat remains today.      The Partnership is currently working in three areas.      San Joaquin Valley. The recent San Joaquin River settlement offers an unprecedented opportunity to help migratory birds in this 32,000-square-mile habitat area. We’re working with farmers to protect and restore bird habitat while maintaining the area’s agricultural productivity.      Sacramento Valley. This 27,000-square-mile area supports millions of shorebirds and waterfowl each year. The flooding of more than 300,000 acres of rice lands offers many benefits for these birds, and we’re working with rice and other growers to maximize the conservation value of these lands.      Klamath Basin and Modoc Plateau.  As we seek policy changes to pave the way for massive river restoration in the Klamath Basin, we are conserving birds by working with private landowners to employ compatible agricultural practices and through conservation easements. For further information about Audubon California’s efforts to help migratory birds, contact us at:  auduboncalifornia@audubon.org. Christmas Bird Count Results Stockton 12/17/2011 The dreaded winter tule fog appeared with a vengeance this morning in the Stockton CBC circle, bringing with it bone-penetrating cold. Many teams heard flocks of swans and geese flying relatively low overhead but were unable to see them. Fortunately, the fog finally burned off in the afternoon, but the best many participants could say was at least it didn't rain like last year. Big misses: Western Sandpiper, Rough-legged Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Lesser Scaup, Mew Gull, Brown Creeper, Townsend's Warbler. Highlights: Osprey (White Slough), Swamp Sparrow (Venice Island), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Micke Grove golf course). Please check the National Audubon in the future for Stockton CBC results. Jim Rowoth San Joaquin Audubon Stockton Wallace-Bellota 12/31/2011 There were 31 participants in this New Year's Eve day Wallace-Bellota CBC and we managed to find 141 species on this foggy, cold, and sometimes rainy day. Unusual sightings included a Hammond's Flycatcher, Townsend's Warbler, male Blue-winged Teal, female Barrow's Goldeneye, and a Grackle. All resuls can be found at National Audubon's website To find the Wallace-Bellota data Go to Step 1, Go to Option C and enter count code CAWB, Click on the tab "Find Count", Go to Step 2, Click on CAWB, Click on tab "Submit Circle Count Code". Kasey Foley San Joaquin Audubon Stockton San Joaquin Audubon lost several members this past year that we would like to remember: Nancy Greenwood:   Stockton Audubon Society Officer, longtime Audubon Society member and supporter, long time Hospitality Chair, and CBC Team Leader. Cheri Pillsbury:   San Joaquin Audubon Society board member, CBC Team Leader, sjbirds yahoo listserve Moderator, and advocate for disabled birders. Ed Wager:   Stockton Audubon Society Past President, Wallace-Bellota CBC Compiler and Team Leader, Chapter Field Trip Chair, Audubon Science Camp Scholarship supporter, and field trip leader. John Schick:   CBC Team Leader, led monthly Cosumnes River Preserve bird counts for more than 20 years, long time San Joaquin Audubon Society member, Board member, and officer, GM presenter, and field trip leader. FEEDING SONGBIRDS Studies by the National Bird-Feeding Society have shown that black-oil sunflower, white poso millet, nIger (thistle) seed and sunflower chips are the highly sought after seeds.  Birds must consume a mix of fats, proteins, carbo-hydrates and various vitamins and minerals to fuel their metabolism, which can require up to 10,000 calories a day.  “A backyard feeder is an especially efficient place to forage because it mimics what scientists call a "resource patch,” a cluster of food much like a fruit-laden apple tree. Even with access to feeders, birds obtain most of their food from other wild sources.  It has been found that growth rates, survival rates, breeding success, and clutch sizes all improve when birds have access to feeders".  National Wildlife Seeds for birds should be as fresh as possible, of high quality, and stored in a clean dry place. Birds choose seeds which are easily handled and digested. They may taste the fat content and seeds high in fat are usually high in protein as well.  Birds may avoid your feeder if you put out old, moldy, or inedible seeds. Birds typically avoid cracked corn so avoid mixes which contain corn. It just stays around and molds.  A clean birdbath is important for your bird-friendly landscape.  It is also important to clean seed feeders with a 10 percent solution of non-chlorine bleach solution.  Then let it dry in the sun. Get rid of moldy food.  It’s also very important to locate the feeder away from windows and cats. Birdscape: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Steve Stocking, Education Chair BIRD SIGHTINGS BIRD SIGHTINGS December 21, 2011 – February 22, 2012 (All sightings pertain to San Joaquin County) Submitted by Liz West      Judy Kane saw a pair of Western Tanagers feeding in a persimmon tree in her yard on December 28th.  She had seen a single tanager on December 19th.       While participating in the Wallace–Bellota Christmas bird count, December 31st, Lorna and Mark Elness found a Hammond’s Flycatcher.  It is a first record for the circle.  It was last seen January 7th.      On January 17th, Jeff Davis found a Dusky Flycatcher in the group campground at Caswell Memorial State Park.  It was still present when he returned the next day.      During a January 29th visit to the Lodi Sewage ponds Jim Rowoth found a Pacific Golden Plover amongst the several hundred Black-bellied Plovers. It was last reported January 30th.      Dan Kopp saw a California Thrasher at Caswell Memorial State Park on New Year’s Eve.      Terry Ronneberg reported the presence of two Western Gulls at the gravel pit pond on Koster Rd., on February 11th. SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY BIRDING AREAS As Published by Jim Gain Lodi Lake Lodi Sewage Ponds White Slough Wildlife Area Woodbride Wilderness Area- NOW OPEN 1st and 3rd SATURDAY OF THE MONTH!(2012) Woodbridge Rd/Isenberg Crane Reserve Oakgrove Regional Park Stockton Sewage Ponds Flood/Waverly Roads Caswell State Park Mokelumne Day Use Area Tracy Sewage Ponds San Joaquin Audubon Society PO Box 7755, Stockton, California 95267 For more information contact: San Joaquin Audubon Society President: Lorna Elness sjbirdermark@yahoo.com Send website comments or questions to: Kasey Foley: kaseyfoley@sbcglobal.net

For San Joaquin Audubon Field Trips visit our Field Trips Page.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

Membership in the National Audubon Society includes:

· San Joaquin Audubon's Hoot Owl newsletter 6 times per year.

AUDUBON magazine.

Monthly field trips led by San Joaquin Audubon members.

General Membership meetings from September-December and February-April.  We often have local experts presenting topics such as Beginning Birding, Gardening for birds and butterflies, Raptor Rehabilitation, Sandhill Cranes-our local winter wonders, Swainson's Hawk conservation, Slide presentations on trips to Mexico, Galapagos, Honduras, Florida,and much, much more.

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