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Written by TheChapter
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Tuesday, 14 May 2013 08:52 |
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Weekday Trip:
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary
Friday, June 7, 9:00 a.m.
Carpool Time: 7:45 a.m.
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is a 12-acre non-profit nature preserve located in the heart of Modjeska Canyon adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest (29322 Modjeska Canyon Rd., Silverado 92676). It is owned and operated by Cal State Fullerton and its College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. In addition to serving as a research center for Cal State Fullerton students, faculty and others, Tucker is open to the public to enjoy and learn about the local wildlife and natural habitat in the Southern California canyon area.
Tucker's facilities include a small natural history museum/interpretive center, two ponds, a bird observation porch and feeders that draw a huge variety of birds especially at this time of year, relaxing patio and picnic areas, a small amphitheater, a caretaker's house, hiking trails, a gift shop, restrooms and an ample visitor parking lot. If you have mobility issues, this would be a great field trip for you, as the aforementioned bird feeder/observation porch is very close to the entrance and is partially enclosed with ample shading. It’s like watching bird theatre.
Directions: Take 91 Fwy(E), to 55 Fwy (S), exit on Chapman, and go east. This road becomes Santiago Canyon Rd and turns south. Continue on Santiago Canyon Rd, past the 241 Toll Road and Irvine Lake and past Silverado Canyon. Watch for the sign that says "Wildlife Sanctuary" on the right side of Santiago Canyon Road as you approach Modjeska Canyon Road then turn left on Modjeska Canyon Road. Drive through the olive trees, across a small bridge and make a left around the large oak tree at the "T" in the road. Continue on Modjeska Canyon Road past the fire station to the end of the public road. The museum is on your left. Park on the street or in the gravel lot just beyond the sanctuary.
For those who prefer to carpool, please meet at El Dorado Library parking lot at 7:45 a.m. If you would prefer to meet at the venue please be at the site at 9:00 a.m. Feel free to bring a lunch and snacks. Rain cancels the trip. Hope to see you there!
Weekend Trip:
Irvine Regional Park
Saturday, June 29, 4:00 p.m.
Carpool Time: 3:00p.m.
Got Owls? If not, you can add Western Screech and Lesser Nighthawk (I hope) to your list when we visit Irvine Regional Park (1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, 92869)
on Saturday evening, June 29th. Bring dinner to enjoy in the company of fellow birdbrains as we begin our evening of owling at 4:00 p.m. at Parking Lot #15 of the Park. There is a $5.00 parking fee.
If you wish to carpool, meet at the south end of the El Dorado branch Library parking lot (on Studebaker Rd. just south of Spring St.) at 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring binoculars, field guides, hat, flashlight, dinner and a drink. Dress in layers, as you never know what our “June gloom” weather will bring. We won’t be out all night long as the Park closes at 9:00 p.m.
Directions: Take the 22 Fwy to the 55 Fwy, north. Take the Chapman Ave. exit and go east (right turn) approximately 5 miles. Turn left on Jamboree to the Park entrance. Enter the Park and turn right at the first chance you have and follow the road to the right all the way to the back and Parking Lot #15. Park there and we will find picnic tables to have dinner, followed by an exciting evening of owling! Bring your friends; it’ll be a hoot!
Rain cancels the trip. Hope to see you there!
NOTE: It is strongly recommended that you always check the website (www.eldoradoaudubon.org) for last minute cancellations or call me on my cell at 562-822-9548.
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Written by TheChapter
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Tuesday, 14 May 2013 08:51 |
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Please join us on Thursday, June 20th for our last meeting until September. It’s a chance to experience the Nature Center at a wonderful time of day.
Bird walk at 5:30 p.m. (for those who can make it); Potluck begins at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a dish big enough to share with 6-8 people. Don’t forget your own plate and utensils. The Chapter will supply drinks.
Voting for next year’s Board will also be done. After all this is sharing time. Bring slides, DVD’s, your poems, cartoon, jokes, photos or whatever you want to share.
Join us on Thursday, June 20th, early at 5:30 p.m., at El Dorado Nature Center, 7550 E. Spring St., Long Beach (between Los Alamitos Blvd. and Studebaker Rd.) Parking is free and refreshments will be served. Remember to bring your recyclable aluminum cans and plastic bottles with caps removed to help support chapter activities.
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Written by TheChapter
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Tuesday, 14 May 2013 09:00 |
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It may seem a ways off to National Public Lands Day (Sept / Oct), it’s really just around the corner. Typically on that day the Refuge enlists 150 - 200 volunteers to help plant native plants in our restoration efforts of natural habitat. In the past, the Navy has given us a grant with which to buy the plants (usually up to 700). This year will be different.
Due to massive budget cuts, there will be very little “extra” money for such projects, either for the Navy or the Refuge. But we have a solution.
We have our own nursery now. Using recycled plastic pots, bulk planting mix, and bulk seeds of native plants, we have built our plant stock up to 1500 plants that do very well on the “upland” habitat on the Refuge. This doesn’t come without some effort though.
Our Refuge Manager has designated the first Wednesday of every month as a volunteer work day. The focus of this day is always something to do with habitat restoration; planting, weeding, transplanting nursery plants, and such. We have a core group of volunteers that come in on that day and do the bulk of the work. But we could always use more.
If you are interested in volunteering for 3 - 4 hours one day a month, please call the Refuge at 562-598-1024 and let them know. It’s an extremely important and satisfying way to spend your time.
Eyes on the Colony
It’s once again the season for the Least Terns to return for their breeding, nesting and raising young. In the past, we had a total volunteer effort at monitoring them 12 hours day, seven days a week. But we couldn’t fill all the spots. A few years ago we went to contract help, which was somewhat costly, but we never had empty spots; there was always someone out there.
This year will be different. The budget cuts will not allow for contract help. We need to go back to using volunteers. But now there’s another problem. The small arms range is unable to keep spent bullets from ricocheting past their berm, which puts anyone watching the turns at some risk. The Refuge Manager put out a call for volunteers and got no response. Now there’s a tentative new plan.
The range is going to provide a calendar for when they’ll be active. Using this calendar, volunteers would sign up for times to monitor the terns on their own schedule during the times the range would be “cold”. Thus volunteers would sign up for times ranging from a couple hours to as many as would be available. But now there’s another problem; due to Navy security regulations, in order for volunteers to work unsupervised, they have to be badged, which is not an easy process. How will the terns do this season? Time will tell.
Watch this column for future updates.
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Written by TheChapter
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Tuesday, 14 May 2013 08:57 |
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The Nominating Committee of Donna Bray, Mike Neilsen and Mary Parsell have offered the following slate of Officers for the 2013 – 2014 year:
Pres: Mike Neilsen
VP: Mary Parsell
2nd VP: Open
Treasurer: Joe Rosenthal
Secretary: Cynthia Dunbar
Voting will be at Member’s Night and Nominations will be taken from the floor.
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June Conservation News & Updates |
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Written by TheChapter
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Tuesday, 14 May 2013 08:55 |
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Los Cerritos Wetlands -- Our Walks Continue. Spring is a great time on the Pacific Flyway as we enjoy resident and migratory birds. Our walk on Los Cerritos Wetlands was no exception. Among our highlights were American Goldfinch, Wilson's Warbler, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer and Red-shouldered Hawk. Join us as we continue to document the bird species and enjoy butterflies, bugs, plants and animal tracks. We will continue the wetlands walks and the Gum Grove Park (overlooking the wetlands) walks through the summer so that we can provide as citizen science information on the wetlands as possible.
Los Cerritos Bird walks always on the second Saturday, 8:00 a.m., at PCH and First St. in Seal Beach.
Gum Grove walks always on the third Saturday, 8:00 a.m. at the Avalon parking lot of Gum Grove Park in SB.
Los Cerritos Wetlands -- Ad Hoc Committee meeting, meet at the gate of the El Dorado Nature Center on Second Sunday of June, July and August at 2 p.m. We will have a relaxed meeting close by either just inside the gate on the benches (of find a cooler spot depending on the summer weather).
Three Restoration Alternatives Presented April 18 at Workshop #5 - It is not too late to submit comments. The presentation is available on the website www.intoloscerritoswetlands.com. If you have comments kindly submit to both
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and copy
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. We are working with the staff of the National Audubon Society and other chapters and we want to know what you are thinking.
LCWA - LCWA stands for Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority (Cities of LB, Seal Bch, California Coastal Conservancy and the Lower Los Angeles and Rivers and Mountains Conservancy). Their website is www.lcwetlands.org. LCWA owns approximately 166 acres of the wetlands and the City of LB owns 33 at the Marketplace marsh near Trader Joe's. LCWA is working to acquire the remaining 200 acres or so of the wetlands.
SEADIP - The City of Long Beach is hiring a contractor to study the zoning in Southeast LB which includes the wetlands and the areas around the wetlands. (City Council agenda item, May 14, 2013). Check out the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust website for updates on meetings and what is happening on this throughout the summer.
Nature Center Bird Festival - Thanks to John & Lindsay Fitch for leading the bird walk, Grace Earl for creating a new poster, copying hand-outs for kids and being at our table from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Thanks - Thanks to all who work on conservation of birds and wildlife through our Chapter. Some of you we have known for years and some of you we are just getting to know. Thanks and hope to see you at our members and friends potluck on the third Thursday of June (our regular night).
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