The Valley Habitat

May 2013
A Joint Publication of the Stanislaus Audubon Society and the Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

May 17th, 2013 Audubon and Yokuts Program: A Green Year of Birding
Internationally known wildlife artist, Keith Hansen of Bolinas presents a A Green Year of Birding. Keiths imaginative illustrations of birds and their habitat are combined with scientific accuracy and have been key features in numerous books and journals. A landmark book coming this spring, written by Ted Beedy, David Lukas and Steve Granholm, has 67 color plates created by Keith Hansen representing 320 species of Sierra Nevada and Mono Lake birds. The program will be held Friday, May 17, at the Fellowship Hall of the College Ave. Church, 1341 College Ave. (at Orangeburg) in Modesto. Refreshments and socializing begin at 6:45 p.m. and the program starts at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public We Have to Talk
by Anita Young, Chair, Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

We have to talk. Many unpleasant conversations begin with that phrase, and so, at the end of our program year, it's time for us to talk about life beyond the convenience factor. As conscientious Sierra Club members we've done the list from the 1970s of the "10 things you can do to save the planet." Now it is time to push ourselves into the realm of the inconvenient. It's time to push ourselves to conserve resources more in our daily lives. time to insist on a viable recycling program for Modesto and other cities in the County. time to use water frugally and wisely. time to buy produce farmed locally. time to switch from fluorescent lightbulbs to LEDs. time to switch from gas powered gardening equipment to electric (with some power supplied by non-carbonbased resources) - or even a push reel mower, to compost your kitchen and garden waste. time to increase insulation in your home or install a radiant barrier in the attic. time to reduce your use of heating and air conditioning. time to hang clothes out to dry - every home should have a clothes line. time to run at least one errand a week using a bicycle or walking. time to fly less. time to install solar panels on your home. I call it pushing beyond the convenience factor because the time it takes to do all these things takes away from the leisure we enjoy, from idle moments surfing on our favorite electronic devices, from reading the latest thriller or seeing the newest film. And that makes it inconvenient for those of us who live complex, busy lives. But I have to ask you: if WE don't do these things, if we who care enough about the environment and the planet we call home to join and support the Sierra Club, just who do we think WILL do them? Some of these measures may seem trivial, and several are certainly inconvenient, but the ripple affect upon an entire community, upon an entire country, of a committed group of people doing these things, and doing them NOW, gives us a chance to reverse the assault on our planet caused by greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Just as Paul Ehrlich said, the population bomb is everybody's baby, and the global warming bomb is everybody's carbon footprint.

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Stanislaus Audubon Society

RECENT SIGHTINGS OF RARE OR UNCOMMON BIRDS MERCED COUNTY: Peter Metropulos and Dominik Mosur had two BLUE-WINTED TEALS at Merced National Wildlife Refuge on March 24, and a WESTERN GULL at ONeill Forebay. David Suddjian estimated about 50 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS mixed in with Long-billed Dowitchers at Merced N.W.R. on April 6. STANISLAUS COUNTY: On April 14, Jim Gain had an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER at upper Del Puerto Canyon. That same day, Harold Reeve, Bill Amundsen and Ralph Baker saw a SNOWY PLOVER during a bird survey at the Modesto Water Quality Control Facility. LEUCISTIC BIRDS Sometimes plumage goes awry. Leucism is a genetic mutation in birds that prevents the normal deposit of melanin on feathers. This causes either a uniform paleness in the bird, or a pied appearance, in which some feathers create white patches on the bird. A leucistic bird (or other animal) is so rare that you should feel lucky to see one. During one six-year period of Project Feeder Watch, participants noted fewer than 1,000

leucistic birds out of tens of millions of birds reported. The blurry video clip shows a Yellow-rumped Warbler that I recorded at Horseshoe Pond on January 26. Byerly Woodward shared this photograph of an American Robin that she saw on March 31 near Lake Yosemite, northeast of Merced. ONLINE NEWSLETTER REQUEST CONTINUES Stanislaus Audubon Society is still collecting email addresses from those of you who would prefer to receive Valley Habitat in color online. This option would not only reduce paper, but would also reduce the cost of printing and mailing. If you wish to receive this newsletter online, send an email to phalarope@sbcglobal.net with Online Newsletter in the subject line. Put your membership name in the body of the text AND YOUR POSTAL ZIP CODE. By including your zip code, you will make it easier for membership staff to remove your label from the mailing list that is sent from National Audubon Society. If you would still prefer to receive this newsletter by mail, no further action is needed. Valley Habitat 2

Stanislaus Audubon Society

BIRDS ARE OF FEATHERS PART THREE by Salvatore Salerno
Some feather colors and patterns are designed for adornment, others for concealment. Many birds are skilled at camouflage, not only from plumage patterns, but also from behavior, which ranges from skulking behind vegetation to remaining stock still. It is a crucial survival technique for birds to blend into their environments, and feathers aid in such blending. Several species of low-foraging birds such as sparrows and wrens are brownish, flecked with earth tones. The females of many duck species are drab so that they may sit unnoticed on their ground nests. Snowy Plovers resemble sand, and Mountain Plovers appear like dirt clods. Woodland species such as American Woodcock and Sooty Grouse are speckled like the dappled effect of sunlight as it filters through trees onto leaf litter. Owls are feathered cryptically, like the trees they roost in and the shades of darkness they hide in. Feathers are also useful for birds to retain social contact with one another. Breeding pairs need visual cues, in addition to flight and contact calls, in order to stay together. In migration, there are advantages for flocks to keep tightly compactedto avoid getting lost, to find foraging areas, and to confuse predators seeking to pluck an individual from the flock. A single bird should not lose sight of its flock; the wing patterns of many species offer a way to remain together, in addition to flight and alarm calls. The next time you are staring at a Willet on the beach, notice how the bird flashes its blackand-white flag as it flushes, warning other shorebirds about the troublesome mammal staring at them. MOLT Although feathers are durable, they cannot be permanent: life presents too many physical hazards. Feathers are battered by vegetation, abraded by winds laden with dust, and infested with lice. They are saturated by the rain and radiated by the sun. Furthermore, feathers are worn down from the friction of flight through the air. Birds solve this problem of inevitable feather wear by the strategies of molt. What causes worn feathers to replace new ones? Despite extensive studies, ornithologists dont fully understand what stimulates molt in most birds. Their best theories include the temperature of the environment, the intensity and duration of sunlight, and the suppression or activation of certain key hormones. What is known is that all birds must molt. In fact, because of the multiple purposes of feathers, birds will die if they dont molt. Some birds may not nest every year if conditions are not suitable, but they cannot go a year without molting. Even severely malnourished birds will continue to molt, albeit producing deformed feathers. Molt is that essential. Molt is cyclical, like breeding and migration, and most molting occurs annually. Most molting in resident North American birds occurs from early spring through late fall. For birds that migrate to Central or South America, molting occurs while it is winter here, because their wintering grounds provide ample food and warmer climate. Because molting is physically intense, it usually occurs at intervals between breeding and migration, which also make strenuous demands on birds. Birds replace most or all of their feathers during molt, with new feathers growing in and pushing out the old ones. This process cannot be completed rapidly, as a minimally feathered bird is vulnerable to weather and predators. A complete molt may take from two to six months, depending on the birds size. After all, thousands of contour feathers must be replaced. An American Robin has nearly 3,000 such feathers; a Tundra Swan may have more than 25,000 of them. Molt sequence is systematic for flight feathers. The primaries molt from innermost to outermost, the secondaries molt towards the center, and feather loss is symmetrical on both wings. Generally, tail feathers are lost from the inside out. These sequences maintain flight stability for a molting bird. A common surmise of some birders is that molt is linked to the colors and patterns of breeding plumages.

Consequently, the terms breeding plumage and nonbreeding plumage are often used colloquially in the field, as if molt causes color changes. The fact is, though, that pigmentation changes in feathers and the process of molting are independent of each other. They may happen to overlap yearly, but that is often coincidental. That is why many birders and ornithologists, when referring to plumages, prefer using the terms basic instead of nonbreeding and alternate instead of breeding.
(Continued on page 6)

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Stanislaus Audubon Society

AUDUBON FIELD TRIPS Audubon Field Trip Email List If you would like to be on a group email to advise you of all Audubon field trips, please email: Dave Froba at froba@comcast.net. Stanislaus Audubon Society
Board of Directors: Bill Amundsen, Ralph Baker, Eric Caine, Lori Franzman, Jody Hallstrom, David Froba, Jim Gain, Daniel Gilman, John Harris, Harold Reeve, Salvatore Salerno. Officers & Committee Chairs President: Sal Salerno 985-1232 (bees2@sbcglobal.net)

Sunday, May 19 and Saturday, June 15, San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge is huge and offers the most diverse habitats in the area, including mixed species transitional savannahs, riparian forest, oak woodlands, grassland, and seasonal wetlands. Trip leader, Bill Amundsen ( 521-8256, birdscouter@prodigy.net ), chooses the particular habitats to visit each month based on conditions and season. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking lot at 1500 I Street. at 7:00 a.m. We'll be back early afternoon.

May 4-5. Monterey Area. This overnight trip will include such locations in Monterey County as Andrew Molera State Park, Pt. Pios, Carmel River Beach, Elkhorn Slough Preserve, and Moss Landing. We will be looking for spring migrant and vagrant passerines, shorebirds and seabirds. Trip Leader, Sal Salerno, 985-1232, bees2@sbcglobal.net. RSVP is required. Prospective participants will receive a tentative itinerary and recommendations for lodging in Pacific Grove by email. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking at 1500 I Street at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 4. We will return to Modesto in the late afternoon of Sunday, May 5. May 11. String of Pearl Parks. This trip to the series of parks along the Stanislaus River between Oakdale and Knights Ferry will get you to the right place and at the right time to see the newly arriving spring migrants from the tropics to the south. The marvels that play out for you will be interpreted by trip leader, Dan Gilman, spiderdan1974@att.net, 551-5440. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking lot at 1500 I Street. at 7:00 a.m. We'll be back early afternoon. June 8. Dry Creek, Modesto. The resident birds have now been joined by those who have migrated in for the summer, all frenetically engaged in activities of nesting and raising young. While the time for unusual sightings has waned, the opportunity for a lot of action views has increased. But while the birds will be extra active, we will have an easy and pleasant day inModesto's parks. Trip leader, Dave Froba, froba@comcast.net, 521-7265. Meet at the Stanislaus Library parking lot at 1500 I Street. at 7:00 a.m. We'll be back about noon..

Vice President: Eric Caine 968-1302 (ericcaine@sbcglobal.net) Treasurer: David Froba Secretary: John Harris Membership: Revolving San Joaquin River Refuge Field Trips: Bill Amundsen 521-8256 (birdscouter@prodigy.net) Other Field Trips: David Froba 521-7265 (froba@comcast.net) Christmas Bird Counts Coordinator; Secretary, Stanislaus Birds Records Committee:
Harold Reeve 538-0885

521-7265 (froba@comcast.net) 848-1518 (johnh@mills.edu)

How to Join Audubon To become a member of the National Audubon Society, which entitles you to receive Valley Habitat and Audubon Magazine, send your check for $20.00 to: National Audubon Society Membership Data Center P.O. Box 422250 Palm Coast, FL 32142 Visit our web site: www.stanislausbirds.org

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Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

MOTHER LODE CHAPTER ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET - MAY 4, 2013 This is always great fun as we celebrate the achievements of outstanding environmental activists. Our featured speaker will be State Parks Director Major General Anthony L. Jackson. Enjoy delicious food and inspiring people. A no host bar will be available. Our silent auction and raffle offers an opportunity to take home some wonderful items, including art, guided rafting and kayaking trips, and great nature photography for your walls. Your purchase will help support the work of our local activists in Northern California. Lions Gate Hotel and Conference Center 3410 Westover Street, Sacramento (McClellan) CA 95652
Saturday May 4th - Social hour at 5 pm & Dinner at 6 pm Directions: www.motherlode.sierraclub.org Reservations: Attendance is by advance reservation only & the cost is $48.00. Please make your reservation onlineat www.motherlode.sierraclub.org, or call the number above to request a reservation form to be mailed to you.

fields, and poppies. Limited to 15 participants. Sponsored by the Tuolumne Group of the Sierra Club. Reservations and further details from Leader, Frank (209) 9627585, or email: frank-oyung@sbcglobal.net Friday July 26-Sunday July 28 Car Camp/Day Hikes (1A) Lake McSwain (Yokuts) Enjoy the summer under the shade of the oaks at Lake McSwain, located off hiway J-59. (Left on Merced Falls Rd, east of Snelling, pass Hornitos Rd entrance to McSwain Lake on McClure Rd.) Amenities include a marina store, hot showers, 2 children playgrounds, swimming beach, hiking, fishing, patio and kayak rentals, fuel and propane, restroom facilities and fish cleaning stations. Campsites in D-Loop are available to reserve by calling (855) 8002267. To make a boat reservations at marina call (209) 3782534. Contact outings leader Alan at abernikoff@gmail.com or 209.768.5881 for meeting times and more info. July 30th Aug 4th Backpack (2B) Yokuts Annual Summer Backpack 19th Annual Yokuts backpack: Tablelands Ramble. This summers trip will start in the Sequoia National Forest near Big Meadows, pass through the Jennie Lakes Wilderness, and enter Kings Canyon National Park on the first day. After stopping at various scenic lakes along the way, we will reach the unique, high plateau area known as the Tablelands on day 3,

and camp there for two nights. Days 3-5 will entail mostly offtrail hiking. Day 4 will offer an option for a side trip to one of many lakes in the tablelands area, or possibly a hike to Coppermine Pass with majestic views in several directions. On days 5 and 6 well venture down the upper watershed of the Marble Fork of the Kaweah, via Pear Lake and Emerald Lakes, then out by trail to the Wolverton trail head. The trip will involve a car shuttle of approximately 1 hour at each end. For further details, please contact Yokuts leaders Jerry Jackman (209.577.5616) or Randall Brown (209.632.5994). A $50 reservation fee is required to hold a spot. Limited to 10 experienced backpackers.
Population Committee Earns Leadership Award
The Motherlode Chapter Committee for Sustainable World Population (CSWP) has earned this year's Motherlode Chapter Leadership award. The CSWP has members from the Yokuts, Delta-Sierra, Tuolumne, Sacramento, Yahi, and Shasta groups. We have been busy showing the film, "Mother, Caring for 7 Billion", tabling at Earth Day and other community events, speaking at conferences, and educating students about population issues. Members of CSWP will be present at the May 4 MLC awards banquet to accept the award. For information about population issues, contact Yokuts Population Chair Milt Treiweiler.

May 5, Sunday Sierra Club Day Hike (1A) Table Mountain, Jamestown, Wildflower Hike Spring wildflower walk to ancient lava flow on a flat-top plateau covered with varieties of lupines, unflowers, monkey flowers, gold

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Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club / Stanislaus Audubon Society

Birds are of Feathers:
(Continued from page 3)
The Humphrey-Parkes System identifies four fundamental molt strategies. Some sixty families of birds, from hawks to woodwarblers, utilize the Complex Basic Strategy. This is when the juvenile plumage of a bird is followed by a formative plumage in the first cycle, and then every subsequent molt produces the definitive basic plumage. Many field guides do not show all the possible plumages, which can be problematic for birders. To further complicate the issue, some families of birds may use either the Complex Basic Strategy or the Complex Alternate Strategy, depending on the species. Molt is a complex and sometimes difficult topic, but even a cursory reading of a source like Steve Howells Molt in North American Birds can reap great insights into the identification and appreciation of birds. Next Month: Feathers in Flight

The Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club and Stanislaus Audubon Society at Earth Day on April 11, 2013 at Modesto Junior College

EARLY BIRDERS CLASS, SPRING 2013 Salvatore Salerno is offering another Early Birders class through the M.J.C. Community Education Department. This course is designed for the beginning or intermediate birdwatcher in the identification and appreciation of wild birds. The class meets on Thursday, May 9, 2013. The field trips are to La Grange on Saturday, May 11, and Knights Ferry, May 18. The class is listed in the Spring 2013 mjc4life catalog. Interested participants can register online at www.mjc4life.org. Stanislaus Audubon Society GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING There is a meeting for the general membership of Stanislaus Audubon Society on Tuesday, May 21st at 7:00 p.m. at 1824 Fallon Lane. The purpose of this general meeting is to elect officers to the Board of Directors for the year and to ratify the revised bylaws of the chapter.

Paddle to the Sea

Tuolumne River Trusts popular paddle-a-thon is coming through Stanislaus County starting May 25th. Dont miss out on all the fun of these fun one-day canoeing and kayaking adventures to raise money for river protection right here in our local community. Top fundraisers win prizes from our sponsors! And the event kicks off with a rockin bluegrass concert featuring Poor Mans Whiskey in Groveland on May 18th. Register or get concert tickets today at www.paddletothesea.org or call toll-free 1-888-994-3344. Valley Habitat 6

Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club

Sierra Club Membership Enrollment Form
Yes, I want to be a member of the Sierra Club! Yes, I want to give a gift membership! ______________________________________________________________________

Yokuts Sierra Club Joins Meetup

The Yokuts Sierra Club group, along with the Delta Sierra and Tuolumne groups have formed a StocktonModesto-Sonora Meetup group that includes Sierra Club outings and events. Its easy and free to join this Meetup, just go to the link below and sign up. Its not necessary to be a Sierra Club member to join. Once you sign up, you will automatically be sent announcements of new and upcoming Meetup events. Join the fun and get active in the Sierra Club. http://www.meetup.com/StocktonModesto-Sonora-Sierra-Club/

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Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club Management Committee

Chair Treasurer Secretary Programs Conservation Membership Hospitality Publicity Anita Young 529-2300 (ayyoungbooks2@gmail.com) Steve Tomlinson (Steve.tomlinson97@gmail,com) Maryann Hight 417-9114 (mhight@csustan.edu) Pending Brad Barker 526-5281 (braddbarker@gmail.com) Anita Young 529-2300 (ayyoungbooks2@gmail.com) Candy Klaschus 632-5473 (cklaschus@gmail.com) Dorothy Griggs 549-9155 (dorothygriggs@att.net) Randall Brown 632-5994 (rbrown@csustan.edu) Nancy Jewett 664-9422 (njewett@sbcglobal.net) Kathy Weise 545-5948 (kweise@ssica.com) Milt Trieweiler 535-1274 (magictrain@aol.com) Leonard Choate 524-3659 Jason Tyree (jason.tyree@gmail.com)

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Check out our Website: http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/yokuts To send stories to the Habitat, e-mail: njewett@sbcglobal.net

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Yokuts Group Mother Lode Chapter Sierra Club P.O. Box 855 Modesto, CA 95353

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Watch Mother-Caring for 7 Billion online for free this spring, April 19th through May. Go to motherthefilm.com to watch the film.

Mother, the film, breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises population growth. In 2011 the world population reached 7 billion, a startling seven-fold increase since the first billion occurred 200 years ago. Today, nearly 1 billion people still suffer from chronic hunger even though the Green Revolution that has fed billions will soon come to an end due to the diminishing availability of its main ingredients-oil and water. Compounded with our ravenous appetite for natural resources, population growth is putting an unprecedented burden on the life system we all depend on, as we refuse to face the fact that more people equals more problems.

Yokuts Annual Potluck Picnic June 7th, 2013

This years Yokuts Potluck will be on Friday, June 7th, starting at 6:00 p.m. at Anitas, 1003 Coldwell Avenue, Modesto, CA., 529-2300. All friends of the Sierra Club and Stanislaus Audubon are invited. Bring a favorite dish to share, a beverage or two, your own table settings, and a lawn chair. Enjoy the start of summer with friends, great food, and a fun evening .

The Valley Habitat

http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/yokuts

May 2013
http://stanislausbirds.org