VIDEO now available for NOV 18th Community Program

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South Africa's National Birds, Blue Cranes, on a carpet of native wildflowers
in Namaqualand, South Africa (Credit: Nishi Rajakaruna)

 Video available on the MCAS YouTube Channel.

Title:           Becoming a Birder in South Africa

 

Presenter:  Nishanta Rajakaruna


Description: Nishi Rajakaruna fell in love with birding and wildlife photography during his 2022-2023 visit as a Fulbright US Scholar to South Africa. During his travels, he took photos of 402 bird species in southern Africa and is looking forward to sharing some of his photos and stories.

 

Bio: Nishi Rajakaruna was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He pursued his undergraduate education in human ecology at College of the Atlantic, Maine, and his MS and Ph.D. in botany at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He conducted postdoctoral research in plant ecology at Stanford University. He has taught at predominantly undergraduate teaching-focused universities for 20 years and is currently a professor in plant biology at California Polytechnic State University where he teaches general botany, ethnobotany, biogeography and geoecology. Nishi is currently a Fulbright US Scholar Alumni Ambassador, promoting opportunities for educational and cultural exchange among faculty and students across the United States.

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Giving Tuesday - Supporting MCAS Taxidermy Collection

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Taxidermy being used in a Birding Workshop [photo by Robbie Revel]
We are very thankful for the continued support of our members and the public, including the opportunities for directed giving on dedicated days like Giving Tuesday. Our last Giving Tuesday was a success providing everything we needed for 4 trail cameras now placed throughout Sweet Springs.
Photo from one of the trail cameras at Sweet Springs Nature Preserve
Our upcoming Giving Tuesday monies will be dedicated to Education and Outreach. We have several museum quality avian mounts utilized for both education and outreach, and we are looking to add to our collection.  Quality bird mounts are very expensive, and we would appreciate your donations on this Giving Tuesday to support our collection.

Taxidermy being used in Birds in Your Neighborhood class
[photo by Tami Livermore,  used with school's permission]

Last year, between the MCAS education programs in the schools and outreach to the community, we reached over 3,000 youth and adults. The collection includes great local birds that people can see up close, and are a great introduction to birding, conservation, and to our Chapter! Please consider a donation on Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

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MCAS Field Trip - DEC 7 - San Simeon

San Simeon Day Use Area [photo by Bob Keally]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents 

FIELD TRIP:       San Simeon  

DATE:                 Saturday, December 7, 2024  

TIME:                  8:30am to 11:30am  

LEADER:            Bob Keally and the Revel Team  

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: Join Bob Keally for a moderate 2-3 mile walk to identify the birds of San Simeon State Park. The group will walk through riparian areas by creek, wetlands, shoreline, then into the chaparral and pine forest habitats to discover a variety of land, shore and ocean birds. We hope to see Snowy Plovers, Pygmy Nuthatches, terns and a variety of raptors. Terrain: Flat on boardwalk and meadow trail, becoming moderately strenuous as the trail climbs into the pine forest. 

Restrooms are available at the trailhead.

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

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

Non-members can receive ALERTS from MCAS regarding Field Trips, Community Programs, and other MCAS activities. You will need to fill out the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST sign up form in the footer of theMCAS website. You can also join the SLOCOBIRDING email list to get ALERTs via Groups.io. (Field Trip alerts only)

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

Questions? Email Robbie Revel robbie@morrocoastaudubon.org 

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MCAS Virtual Community Program - NOV 18 - Becoming a Birder in South Africa

South Africa's National Birds, Blue Cranes, on a carpet of native wildflowers in Namaqualand, South Africa [photo by Nishi Rajakaruna]

MCAS November Zoom Community Program

 

Date:           Monday, November 18th, 2024, 7:00 pm

 

Title:           Becoming a Birder in South Africa

 

Presenter:  Nishanta Rajakaruna

 

Join Zoom Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 918 9942 4958; Passcode: 615341

You can also find the link on the MCAS Events Calendar in our website’s header https://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/.

 

All MCAS Zoom Community Programs are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. No signup/registration required to attend.

 

Description: Nishi Rajakaruna fell in love with birding and wildlife photography during his 2022-2023 visit as a Fulbright US Scholar to South Africa. During his travels, he took photos of 402 bird species in southern Africa and is looking forward to sharing some of his photos and stories.

 

Bio: Nishi Rajakaruna was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He pursued his undergraduate education in human ecology at College of the Atlantic, Maine, and his MS and Ph.D. in botany at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He conducted postdoctoral research in plant ecology at Stanford University. He has taught at predominantly undergraduate teaching-focused universities for 20 years and is currently a professor in plant biology at California Polytechnic State University where he teaches general botany, ethnobotany, biogeography and geoecology. Nishi is currently a Fulbright US Scholar Alumni Ambassador, promoting opportunities for educational and cultural exchange among faculty and students across the United States.


If you are not already an MCAS member, please consider becoming a member to support our mission and activities, including Community Programs.

 

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

 

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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 30 - Shorebirds and Gulls on the Strand


Migrating Birds Along the Strand [photo by Bob Revel]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

FIELD TRIP:       Shorebirds and Gulls on the Strand  

DATE:                  Saturday, November 30, 2024  

TIME:                   9:00am to 11:30am  

LEADER:            The Revel Team  

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 stroll along Morro strand to look for arriving fall migrants and shorebirds on the beach. We will investigate the pond and outflow of Alva Paul creek looking for birds that flock to this freshwater source - gulls, terns and others. The walk will be on a flat trail and beach with some areas of deep sand. Expect to walk 2 miles at a slow pace. Restrooms are available.

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

Registration will open on the morning of NOV 20th. On that date, MCAS members will automatically receive an ALERT with the LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form.

Non-members can receive ALERTS from MCAS regarding Field Trips, Community Programs, and other MCAS activities. You will need to fill out the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST sign up form in the footer of the MCAS website. You can also join the SLOCOBIRDING email list to get ALERTs via Groups.io. (Field Trip alerts only)

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

Questions? Email Robbie Revel robbie@morrocoastaudubon.org

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PACIFIC FLYWAY NEWSLETTER - November 2024

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November 2024 Flyway

Click READ MORE to VIEW, PRINT, or DOWNLOAD Flyway Newsletter. Then move cursor over the Flyway Newsletter displayed below and click the "Pop-out" icon in the top-right corner.

From the now newly opened window, you can read the Flyway Newsletter OR use the icons in the top-right corner to PRINT or DOWNLOAD the Flyway Newsletter.



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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 22 - The Birds and Plants of Las Pilitas Nursery

Plantings at Las Pilitas Nursery (courtesy LasPilitas.com]
REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

FIELD TRIP:       The Birds and Plants of Las Pilitas Nursery  

DATE:                  Friday, November 22, 2024  

TIME:                   8:30am-11:00am  

LEADER:            Penny Nyunt  

CO-LEADERS:  Dale Ball and Freddy Howell  

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: Observe and learn about native birds and their important interrelationship with the native plants, insects and habitat.  Las Pilitas Nursery owner Penny Nyunt has a wealth of expertise to share.  California native plants and seeds will be available to purchase. Walking is on uneven terrain of about one mile. Restrooms are available. Rain cancels

ADA Accessible: No

Experience Level: All Levels Welcome

Registration and RSVP to confirmation Required! 

Registration will open on the morning of NOV 12th. On that date, MCAS members will automatically receive an ALERT with the LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form.

Non-members can receive ALERTS from MCAS regarding Field Trips, Community Programs, and other MCAS activities. You will need to fill out the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST sign up form in the footer of the MCAS website. You can also join the SLOCOBIRDING email list to get ALERTs via Groups.io. (Field Trip alerts only)

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

Questions? Email freddy@morrocoastaudubon.org

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Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count Registration is OPEN



Registration for the 2024 Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count is now OPEN!

The Morro Bay CBC is on Saturday, December 14th.

There is no fee to participate in the CBC and all skill levels are welcome. MB CBC Registration is required for you to participate. You are asked to register by Sunday, December 1st so that the 54 sectors can be organized in order to provide thorough coverage of the entire circle. After you register your Area Leader, who coordinates multiple sectors, will contact you in early December.

Please take a few minutes to Register Here and scratch it off your TO DO list.

A few Reminders...

Partner With:

If you are partnering with others, please check that those individuals have also registered. They must register separately from you.

Bird Feeders:

If you live within the count circle and have bird feeders, yet do not want to do a sector count, you can still participate and share your bird-watching talents by counting birds at your feeders (full-day sector counters can do Both). Just check "Only" (or “Both”) in the Bird Feeder question when you register.  Read eBird article "Counting 102--birds at feed        ers" for more information.

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