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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
andpiper
Redwood Region Audubon Society www.rras.org
110 TH Christmas Bird Counts
Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS) is Arcata – Saturday, December 19, Kerry Ross (707-839- Centerville – Sunday, January 3, Gary Lester (see
sponsoring four local Christmas Bird Counts 4365; e-mail kerry@madriverbio.com). The count circle Del Norte). The count circle is centered on Loleta,
(CBCs) between December 19 and January 3. The is centered on Arcata, stretching north to McKinleyville divided into geographic sectors of 1) Fields Landing,
counts are part of the 110th count that involves south of Murray Road, west to Samoa and Manila, east King Salmon, College of the Redwoods; 2) Table
over 50,000 observers – most of them amateurs -- to Bayside up to the Baywood Golf Course, and south Bluff; 3) Loleta; 4) Fortuna; 5) Ferndale; 6) Centerville
throughout the US and the world. including Freshwater and to Eureka along the waterfront Road; 7) Port Kenyon Road; 8) Grizzly Bluff Road;
to Bayshore Mall. 9) South Spit; 10) Centerville Beach; 11) Elk River
Visit www.rras.org/cbc/cbc_full_extent.htm to view Valley; 12) Humboldt Hill; and 13) Salt River.
maps of the local count circles imposed over major Del Norte – Sunday, December 20, Alan Barron (465-
streets and roads. Such boundary delineations will let 8904, flockfinder@yahoo.com) or Gary Lester (work
you know whether your property lies within a count 707-443-8326, home 707-839-3373, garylester@w-
area. and-k.com). The count circle includes Crescent City,
Smith River, Fort Dick, Lake Earl, Jedediah Smith
Ways you can participate Redwoods State Park/Redwood National Park, and the
1. Give counters access to your property western portion of the Smith River National Recreation
2. Keep a list of birds that you see in your yard Area.
on that day (be a “feederwatcher”)
3. Join a team to cover a territory near your Willow Creek – Saturday, December 26, Gary Lester
home. (New birders are paired with veterans, (see Del Norte). The count circle, centered on Willow
so you don’t have to be an expert.) Creek, includes Horse Mountain, portions of the South
Fork & Main Stem of the Trinity River, the small
All are welcome. Call the contacts listed below to community of Salyer, and the southern Hoopa Valley.
participate at any level.
New Members
Keep Up-to-Date
Redwood Region Audubon Society welcomes the
Through RRAS following new members and subscribers:
Listserve Arcata – Patty Andriese, Stephen Bailey,
Be reminded about field trips and programs and Nate Blum, Simone Bottger
learn about upcoming meetings, public hearings, Eureka – Kristin & David La Fever
and symposia of interest to RRAS members and McKinleyville – Rowetta Miller
other concerned nature lovers. Subscribe in 1 of Redway – Kathy Ludey
2 ways: through a Web page link at http://groups. Trinidad – Peter Monahan
yahoo.com/group/rras or by e-mail to rras-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Postings should We look forward to seeing you on field
have complete information. This listserve is not for Ruffed Grouse, 1 November 2009 trips and at our monthly programs.
posting bird sightings. Mad River,Trinity Co., CA © Kerry Ross
Contrarian, and Proud of It
It was surprising just how fast the day had County. Weather forecasters predicted the
warmed. Scoping the skies for my quarry, I felt remnant typhoon’s deluge to begin… on the
a certain urgency to find one before the image- morning of the Arcata Christmas Bird Count. The
distorting heat waves took control. day kicked off with heavy wind and sideways
With the sparkling ocean below me, I rotated rain. Not surprisingly, all avian life appeared to
the scope slowly, scanning the horizon to the have been purged from our sector. Just before
southeast. Three… no four, large birds soared lunch, our soggy team visited a property outside
together in the distance. I was encouraged by the Eureka. The house’s eaves lacked gutters, made
lack of upturned wings and what appear to be abundantly clear as I peered upward into a tree,
short tails. There’s no flapping or teetering to their only to have a series of waterfalls stream down
flight; they soar from point A to B with authority. the sleeves of my rain jacket. Fortunately, our
A single bird splinters off and heads straight for house lay within the count circle, so hot soup