PACIFIC FLYWAY - April 2024


APRIL 2024

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EUREKA! The Birds of San Luis Obispo County - January 2024


JANUARY 2024

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MCAS Field Trip - APR 16 - Cloisters to the Strand

Filing out Bird Lists [photo by Robbie Revel]

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents 

FIELD TRIP:       Cloisters to the Strand 

DATE:                  Tuesday, April 16, 2024 

TIME:                   9:00am to 11:30am 

LEADER:            Claudia Freitas 

CO-LEADER      Karen Watts 

Trip is limited to 12 participants - Signups will be taken for 24 hours. Participants will be randomly selected. The remainder will be put on standby status in case of cancellations. Only registered people may attend.

Description: Enjoy a leisurely walk through many different habitats; from grassy park, reed lined pond, backyard bird feeders, and finally out to the Morro Strand State Park Beach. RED-WINGED and BREWER’S BLACKBIRDS visit many of the feeders and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS are lurking in the trees around the pond. There are a variety of breeding and migrant birds in the willows along the trail north and south. The nuttalli race of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW is often seen up close. There is a possibility of seasonal pools on the beach.  When present, these pools can have an amazing variety of species that are easy to view! Look for GULLS, TERNS and SHOREBIRDS.  Walk will be on a flat trail and beach with some areas of deep sand. Expect to walk 1 – 2 miles at a slow pace.

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

Registration will open on the morning of APR 6thOn that date, MCAS members will automatically receive an ALERT with the LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form.

Non-members will receive an ALERT with the LINK ONLY if they have joined the MCAS ALERT or the SLOCOBIRDING email list. You can join MCAS ALERT via JOIN MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST in the Footer of the MCAS website or SLOCOBIRDING via Groups.io.

Please consider becoming a member of MCAS to support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Field Trips.

Questions? Email Robbie Revel  robbie@morrocoastaudubon.org

MCAS In-Person Community Program - APR 15 - Annual Members Meeting and Birds of SLO & NSB Counties

Great Egret [photo by Alice Cahill

MCAS April In-Person Annual Members Meeting and Community Program

Date:               Monday, April 15th, 2024, 7:00pm

Program:         Second Annual Birds of SLO and Northern Santa Barbara Counties

Presenter:       Curated and Presented by Al King; Music by Al King

Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of San Luis Obispo, 2201 Lawton Ave., SLO. 

See directions below. 

All MCAS Community Programs are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

No signup/registration is required to attend. 

Description: At Morro Coast Audubon Society’s Annual Members’ Meeting, we will present an all new program that, as in the October 2023 program, will showcase the splendor of birds that live in the varied habitats found in San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara Counties, from sandy beaches to oak woodlands, savannahs and alkali flats. The wide range of birds that live in or pass through these landscapes is truly amazing. Join us as we get a close-up look at these birds as they live their lives, in photos taken by some of the Central Coast’s finest nature photographers. The program will be set to original music created and recorded by the curator and presenter of the program, Al King.

Bio: Al King has had a lifelong interest in the natural world. He received his BA in Environmental Biology with a special interest in plant ecology from UCSB. He developed an interest in photography at a young age, and has enjoyed photographing plants, animals and landscapes throughout his life. Another passion of Al’s is playing and composing music which you will have the opportunity to hear as an accompaniment to this program.

MCAS is excited to offer this program as an in-person event. If you are unable to attend in person, you will be able to view the program just a few days later on our YouTube Channel.

Please consider helping out with setting out cookies, coffee, and tea before the program and cleaning up afterwards. We especially need a kitchen clean-up crew to help this go smoothly. If you can help, please contact Wendy at wendy@morrocoastaudubon.org

If your are not already, please consider becoming a member of MCAS to support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Community Programs.

If you have questions, email Wendy McKeown, Programs Chair: wendy@morrocoastaudubon.org 

Directions to 2201 Lawton Ave., SLO:

From South St. near Broad St., turn onto Meadow St. next to Meadow Park. You will see the church parking lot on your left. Turn at the second entrance into the parking lot and park. Next, walk through the gate (there is a disabled ramp there). Our room is the second door on the left. We will be meeting in the Social Hall.  Map

VIDEO now available - 15 Years of Birding for Conservation in Colombia

 

Crimson-rumped Toucanet [photo by Chris Calonje]


Video is now available on the MCAS YouTube Channel

Title:               15 Years of Birding for Conservation in Colombia

Presenter:      Presented by Christopher Calonje 

Description: Christopher Calonje will talk about his 15-year involvement in promoting bird tourism in his native Colombia. The end of a 50-year civil war brought peace and prosperity to a country marred by violence, opening it up to tourism and to birders from around the globe. Colombia boasts the world's longest list of birds, now over 1,960 species, which is roughly 20% of the world’s species in a country that occupies less than 1% of Earth's landmass. Chris will discuss how bird tourism has supported conservation and local communities in rural areas of Colombia, and his involvement in the process since the country finally became accessible to birders at the beginning of the 21st century. 

Bio: A Humboldt State University graduate, Chris has led hundreds of tours in all regions of Colombia since he founded Colombia Birdwatch in 2009. Chris devotes his time to various non-profit conservation groups and local communities in Colombia and also runs the amazing Araucana Lodge in southwestern Colombia, near the city of Cali. Owned by his family on a 30-acre property purchased in 1957 by his grandfather Julio H., the lodge has been touted as one of the best birding lodges in the country.

MCAS Virtual Community Program - MAR 18 - 15 Years of Birding for Conservation in Colombia

 

Crimson-rumped Toucanet [photo by Chris Calonje]

MCAS Virtual Community Program 

Title:               15 Years of Birding for Conservation in Colombia

Presenter:      Presented by Christopher Calonje 

When:             Monday, March 18th, 2024, 7:00 pm 

Zoom INFO below

Description: Christopher Calonje will talk about his 15-year involvement in promoting bird tourism in his native Colombia. The end of a 50-year civil war brought peace and prosperity to a country marred by violence, opening it up to tourism and to birders from around the globe. Colombia boasts the world's longest list of birds, now over 1,960 species, which is roughly 20% of the world’s species in a country that occupies less than 1% of Earth's landmass. Chris will discuss how bird tourism has supported conservation and local communities in rural areas of Colombia, and his involvement in the process since the country finally became accessible to birders at the beginning of the 21st century. 

Bio: A Humboldt State University graduate, Chris has led hundreds of tours in all regions of Colombia since he founded Colombia Birdwatch in 2009. Chris devotes his time to various non-profit conservation groups and local communities in Colombia and also runs the amazing Araucana Lodge in southwestern Colombia, near the city of Cali. Owned by his family on a 30-acre property purchased in 1957 by his grandfather Julio H., the lodge has been touted as one of the best birding lodges in the country.

All MCAS Zoom Community Programs are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.

No signup/registration required to attend. 

Please consider becoming a member of MCAS to support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Community Programs.

If you have questions, email Wendy McKeown, Programs Chair: wendy@morrocoastaudubon.org

Join Zoom Meeting                 Zoom Meeting ID: 985 7649 5990                 Passcode: 640771 

MCAS Field Trip - APR 6 - Birding by Ear at San Simeon

Birding by Ear with Jessica [photo by Robbie Revel]

REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents ** MEMBERS ONLY** 

FIELD TRIP:       Birding by Ear at San Simeon 

DATE:                  Saturday, April 6, 2024 

TIME:                   8:30am to 11:00am 

LEADER:            Jessica Griffiths 

Trip is limited to 15 participants - Signups will be taken for 24 hours. Participants will be randomly selected. The remainder will be put on standby status in case of cancellations. Only registered people may attend.

Description: It’s nesting season and the birds are singing so "Birding by Ear" is back. Join Jessica Griffiths for a bird walk along the trails and boardwalk at San Simeon, focusing on bird songs and calls. She will ID all of the bird songs heard, as well as presenting helpful tips and mnemonic devices for remembering bird songs.

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

Registration will open on the morning of MAR 27thOn that date, MCAS members will automatically receive an ALERT with the LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form.

Our Member-Only field trips are a bonus for members. So you don’t miss out, JOIN MCAS NOW!

Questions? Email Robbie Reveal robbie@morrocoastaudubon.org

MCAS Field Trip - APR 4 - Habitat: Dune scrub, Intertidal & Beach at Estero Bluff’s China Cove

Looking North Toward Villa Creek in the Distance [photo by Faylla Chapman]

REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents 

FIELD TRIP:       Habitat: Dune scrub, Intertidal & Beach at Estero Bluff’s China Cove 

DATE:                  Thursday, April 4, 2024 

TIME:                   1:00pm - 3:00pm 

LEADERS:          Faylla Chapman and Sharon Iranpour 

Trip is limited to 12 participants - Signups will be taken for 24 hours. Participants will be randomly selected. The remainder will be put on standby status in case of cancellations. Only registered people may attend.

Description: This will be the last low tide trip to this location for the season. We will start at the last pullout for Estero Bluffs State Park and will walk across the dune scrub, learning about the scrub habitat along the way. Then we will follow the path to the China Cove beach and look at the intertidal rock and sandy beach organisms. This is a snowy plover habitat along with other shore birds that will be seen as we walk the beach to Villa Creek. Restrooms are not available. 

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

Registration will open on the morning of MAR 25thOn that date, MCAS members will automatically receive an ALERT with the LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form.

Non-members will receive an ALERT with the LINK ONLY if they have joined the MCAS ALERT or the SLOCOBIRDING email list. You can join MCAS ALERT via JOIN MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST in the Footer of the MCAS website or SLOCOBIRDING via Groups.io.

Please consider becoming a member of MCAS to support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Field Trips.

Questions? Email Freddy Howell freddy@morrocoastaudubon.org