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Welcome to El Dorado Audubon!

A California Chapter of the National Audubon Society serving the communities of Artesia, Avalon, Bellflower, Carson, Cypress, Hawaiian Gardens, La Palma, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Paramount, Rossmoor, San Pedro, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, Sunset Beach, and Wilmington.

Mission

Photo 2The mission of the El Dorado Audubon Society is the conservation of native birds and their habitats. The society provides leadership in conservation and educates its members and the community, so that they may appreciate birds and participate in the society's conservation efforts.

December - January Events

Clarann Levakis, Wells Fund Chair

Heard Birds Count Too


Do you ever find yourself wondering what bird you hear singing in your neighborhood or at a local park? I am trying to determine if there is sufficient interest in taking an introductory course in birding by ear. I am thinking of approximately a four week course with a weekly classroom session and practice in the field. We would confine ourselves to birds commonly found in El Dorado Nature Center. If you would be interested in taking such a course, please send me an email at tanager2@earthlink.net.

Please note the emphasis would be on learning the vocalizations of local birds and having a good time in the process. This is not intended to be a rigorous course such as those offered by other chapters. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Our New On-Line Forums Are Open
Click Here to go to our new forums page.
Val & Elias

Please take a moment to stop and visit our forums, where members and non-members can join together to talk about Field Trips, photos, birding gear and more. Feel free to join, post your birding list, and or photos if you wish, all are welcome. Joining the forum is free.
 

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
108th Christmas Bird Count
by Rich Sonnenberg, CBC Compiler

Here we go again. This year's CBC will actually take place on January
3,2009. Mark your calendars. We start at7:30 am from the El Dorado
branch library parking lot (on Studebaker Rd., just south of Spring
St.). There is a $5 participation fee which helps pay for publishing the nationwide results of the CBC. Each participant will receive a copy when it is published. Please bring binoculars, pencil, and paper, and plan to enjoy a day of birding. Backyard birders are encouraged to tally results of their observations and call (562) 597-3476, or email them to me at rsonnenberg@charter.net. Also if you would like to be placed on a team prior to meeting at the library call me and I'll try to accommodate you.

CONSERVATION

As I write this article in early December, I am thinking about the words of John Muir, "go to the woods and get their glad tidings, nature's peace will flow into you like sunshine into trees...." Yosemite remains one of the most peaceful and inspiring places for me since the first time I saw it.

Yet my "trees" are not always trees but plants like pickleweed and cordgrass and views of sunsets over the ocean. I have spent many a peaceful vacation in Morro Bay, around Santa Barbara and San Diego and often, as part of a hectic life, I've stopped by Bolsa Chica for awhile to "re-create" my sense of peace.

In recent years, I have spent many a happy hour in Gum Grove Park overlooking Los Cerritos enjoying nature, enjoying the richness of one of Southern California's most treasured gems. Raptors soar, Canada Geese fly over and land, Song Sparrows and Common Yellowthroat sing, hummers buzz by at lighting speed and butterflies flutter by.

I think of the subtle beauty of the nearby Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge and remember that it wasn't always a National Refuge, that it's protection came about as a result of hard work of people who cared. I think of the fact that LCWA is negotiating for 100 acres of the property I am looking out on. The funding is coming from the Wildlife Conservation Board. I remember that LCWA already owns 66 acres on either side of the San Gabriel River, known as Phase I. Since 166 acres would be a large enough area to restore initially, feasibility studies would proceed once the Hellman purchase is completed. This in and of itself is good.

In addition, last month I heard some more promising news, that the City of Long Beach is working on a land swap where the City would swap several city owned parcels for 175 acres of Los Cerritos Wetlands. Long Beach would then sell the 175 to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority and use some of the proceeds of the sale to acquire open space along the Los Angeles River.

On December 9, a transaction that was expected to be part of the complicated deal did not take place --the Press Telegram reported that though the Americas deal did not take place the city is still negotiating a land swap with Tom Dean to allow the preservation of the former Bixby property. Our chapter has concerns about the hilltop property (Willow/Spring Gulch), listed separately.*

The new is promising, indeed! We will continue to post links to articles on www.eldoradoaudubon.org.

In the New Year, I hope that each of you have a chance to enjoy nature, that nature's peace will flow into you, whether it be in your backyard, or in some other place near or far from home.

(For more information about the land-swap status, read December 9th Long Beach Press Telegram article, linked here.)

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*Notes on the Hilltop Property/Willow Spring Gulch

The currently owned City properties to be swapped include the city-owned site of the proposed sports park/Willow Spring Gulch with the exception of 18 acres which would be kept by the City for open space. The 18 acres is located directly behind the cemetery on Willow between Orange and California. It is the highest spot in Long Beach and natural resource in and of itself, currently used by raptors, grassland birds like Meadowlarks indicators of the web of life that exists there. A spring, the source of the first water supply in Long Beach and wetlands are in the portion of the parcel that the city would trade away in a swap.