A publication of

Pomona Valley Audubon Society

www.pomonavalleyaudubon.org

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 A Chapter of the National Audubon Society Volume 49, No. 2

Western Bluebirds by
Richard Moore

A medium-sized songbird, a small thrust, wings and tail

blue, chest red, some reddish on back, 7 inches long, a
blue throat, but varied in size and color depending upon
age, and gender - this is the WESTERN BLUEBIRD.
Over much of its range the Western Bluebird has been
in decline as a result of habitat loss, especially the lack
of tree cavities. And that is where You and I come into
the picture.
Have you made your NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS location where permission for installation is available. It
yet? Help is needed in the installation and monitoring is helpful if the installed houses are monitored at least
of bluebird houses. Your Pomona Valley Audubon has once every seven to fourteen days during the nesting
appropriate sized birdhouses available free of charge. season beginning in March and extending through the
Western Bluebirds seem to prefer a large area with green summer months. If you prefer to build your own bluebird
grass and available trees for shelter. We prefer to hang houses patterns are available from the Southern California
the birdhouses from tree branches out of reach of the Bluebird Club, on various Internet sites or in copies of
curious, and we can show you how to do this. In this past “Bluebird” the journal of the North American Bluebird
season Karlene Campo has monitored bluebird houses Society. For further information please contact Dick
on the campuses of colleges in Claremont, and 6 of her Moore, Conservation Chair, at (909) 626-1127. And
houses were used to fledge 39 Bluebirds. Gordon Kane THANK YOU!
reported the same number of 39 which fledged from eggs
laid in bluebird houses at the Claremont Golf Club. And In this issue...
Dick Moore with the assistance of Rod and Pat Higbie
Monitoring Western Bluebirds.................................Pg. 1
installed 17 Bluebird Houses in Bonelli Regional Park.
PVAS Mid-West Migration Trip.................................Pg. 2
Those that were actually used fledged a total of 92 young
Christmas Bird Count................................................Pg. 3
Bluebirds.
Field Trips...................................................................Pg. 4
So with training and birdhouses available but do not wait, Essay..........................................................................Pg. 6
volunteer to for a new site, something like the park in Announcements........................................................Pg. 7
Glenn Helen or even locally at Webb School, any suitable Upcoming Programs.................................................Pg. 8
 PVAS Mid -West Migration Trip Blocks of rooms have been reserved for Magee Marsh,
May 15-22, 2010 Pt. Pelee and Mio, Michigan and space is limited. If you
Please join us for a very special opportunity to witness are interested in joining us for this once-in-a-lifetime
eastern songbird movement at the height of migration! opportunity, please contact Pam Kling at 909-240-7604
We plan to visit two of the most popular locations along or Dan Guthrie at 909-607-2836.
with midwestern flyway during the peak of migration.
Magee Marsh in Ohio is the stopping point for many birds
just before crossing Lake Erie on their way to the boreal
forests of Canada. Pt. Pelee National Park, Canada is the
first land for many birds crossing the great lakes. Bird
numbers at both locations should prove to be dazzling and
can provide many of us with several lifer opportunities.
Plan to see many of the eastern warblers including Canada,
Blackburnian, Palm, Black-Throated Blue, and Chestnut-
Sided.. Uncommon but possible warbler species include
Hooded, Mouring, and Connecticut. Other commonly seen
species include Scarlet Tanager, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak,
Orchard Oriole, Amercian Woodcock, along with possible Plan to join us!
Yellow-Billed and Black-Billed Cuckoos! We will finish
our trip in Mio, Michigan where we stand a good chance
to see and hear one of North America's rarest species -
Kirtland's Warbler.

Welcome New Members

We extend a warm welcome to all new members. Subscribers to Audubon Magazine from our area are automatically
enrolled in our chapter and receive the Chaparral Naturalist at no additional charge. You are welcome to all our
events.

Alta Loma: Mark Bayless, Mabel Harp, and Etiwanda: Gale Steele
Dulaine Magnes Glendora: John Williams
Chino Hills: Cheryl Alderson, La Verne: Esther Burke, Judy Hayami, Sarah Svob
Michele Crawford, Candace Franck, Mira Loma: Frank Provinziano
Jessica and Nicole Kennedy, Laura Goldberg, Montclair: Esther Brettin
M. Groen, and Margaret Thomas Norco: Kathleen Knight
Claremont: Laura Burt, Joann Eisberg, Ontario: M.E. Davis, Laurel Johnson, Nancy Terry,
Ron Fukagawa, Briand Gentry, Linda Gunter, and Mary Wingerd
Aida Hughes, David Jamieson, Jasmina Koprivica, Pomona: Yolanda Solis
Dave and Julie Lannom, Daveen Litwin, Larry Rancho Cucamonga: John Brendon, Cheryl
Maass, Hillary Shipps, Ann Stromberg, Anne Maddux, and Sally Marcyes
Warder, Emily Weller, and Mary Williams San Dimas: Anthony Adamus, Elizabeth Anderson,
Corona: Clarice Cook, Kathy Houck, Shih Huang, Betty Bogar, Sheryl Brezina, Patricia Nagle,
Don Lewis, Mary Molina, and Jesse Thomas and Kent Vercruse
Covina: Ollie Garcia, Rene Salmeron, and Joyce Upland: Barbara Ames, Sam Dickerson,
Shaul Mary Mercer, Judy Schroeder
Diamond Bar: Frances Carty, Alice Chikamori, Walnut: Bonnie Johnson, Glenn Winter
Mark Fenstermaker, Jim Miller, and Michelle Wu West Covina: Arline Boston, Juanda Davis

2
 Recycle and Help PVAS!
Don't forget to bring your aluminum cans and
plastic bottles to our regular membership meetings!
Money raised through recycling goes to Wild Wings
to help offset the cost of rehabilitating raptors and
other birds in our area. Donations can be dropped
off in the parking lot of Bauer Forum prior to and
after the meetings. Our goal is to see Bruce and
Nancy drive away with a haul similar to the one
pictured. We thank you for helping the environment
and Wild Wings!

110 th

Christmas
Bird Count

Mark your calendars for this year’s Christmas Bird Count. It will be held on Saturday, December 19,
2009, the first Saturday of the Count period. Plan now to join in the fun.

Contact Neil Gilbert (contact information below) or Dan Guthrie if you are able to help with the count.

We can use your help in a number of ways. The teams cover only a small percentage of the circle. They
cover all the important parts or hot spots, but much of the circle is not visited at all, especially the more
urban areas. We are looking for volunteers to do their back yards, their city block, their neighborhood, the
local park down the street. We are looking for people who will volunteer for the whole day, for half of the
day, or just one hour.

If you are willing to help out with this very important project, let us know. Hand me a note at the monthly
meeting; send me a note by mail (Neil Gilbert, 183 E. Miramar Ave., Claremont, CA 91711); or (preferred)
send an e-mail to: [email protected]

Saturday, December 19, 2009

3
 Everyone is welcome to join us for one of our many field trips! We
PVAS Field Trips try to car pool whenever possible. Contact the leader beforehand to
arrange transportation from Memorial Park.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Meet near Bathroom 8 off Via Verde in Picnic Valley
Mt. Baldy Village and Vicinity (the painted redstart location) for a morning search for
goodies prior to our Christmas Census. Leaders: Bruce
Meet at Memorial park at 7:30 am for a trip into our
and Nancy Strang 626-339 6984
local mountains for woodpeckers and perhaps a dipper!
Leader: Dan Gregory 909-944-2259.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Saturday, November, 21, 2009 Claremont Pre-Christmas Trip
Antelope Valley Owl Pellet Trip Meet at Memorial Park at 7:00 a.m. for a morning visit
to the Moreno Ponds and various parks and cemeteries
A trip north to collect owl pellets along a cottonwood
in the Claremont- Pomona area searching for goodies
wash for our educational programs. Trip requires about
for our Christmas Census. Leader: Dan Guthrie 909-
a mile of easy walking and, we hope, a lot of picking
607-2836.
up pellets from the ground. Children welcome! We
will also look for raptors. Meet at Memorial Park at
7:00 a.m. and bring a lunch. Leader: Dan Guthrie Saturday, December19, 2009
909-607-2836. Annual Christmas Census
(see article on page 3)
Sunday, November, 22, 2009 Sunday, December 27, 2009
Bonelli Park Monthy Hike Bonelli Park Monthy Hike
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Bonelli Park headquarters on Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Bonelli Park headquarters on
Via Verde near the 57 freeway for our monthly walk (4th Via Verde near the 57 freeway for our monthly walk (4th
Sunday, about 2 hours) at Bonelli Park. Leader: Rod Sunday, about 2 hours) at Bonelli Park. Leader: Rod
Higbie 909-599-6526 Higbie 909-599-6526
Sunday, December 6, 2009 Sunday, January, 2010
Beginner’s Bird Walk, Rancho Santa Ana Beginner’s Bird Walk, Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Garden Botanic Garden
Join us for our monthly (first Sunday, September, Join us for our monthly (first Sunday, September,
through June) bird walk at the Rancho Santa Ana through June) bird walk at the Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Gardens. Bring binoculars if you have them. Botanic Gardens. Bring binoculars if you have them.
Adults and children welcome. The walk is flat and slow Adults and children welcome. The walk is flat and slow
and takes about two hours. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the and takes about two hours. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the
front entry gate (north end of College Ave. north of front entry gate (north end of College Ave. north of
Foothill Blvd. 1500 N. College Ave.) Leader: Fraser Foothill Blvd. 1500 N. College Ave.) Leader: Fraser
Pemberton 909-624-6451. Pemberton 909-624-6451.

Saturday, December 12, 2009 Saturday, January 9, 2010

Coastal Orange County Big Day Trip To Orange County
A trip to Bolsa Chica and other spots along the coast for A trip to Orange County to find rarities spotted during
wintering water birds and recent rare sightings. Meet at the Christmas Bird Count. Meet at Memorial Park at
Memorial Park at 7:00 am and bring a lunch. Leader: 7:00 am and bring a lunch. Leader: Dan Guthrie
Dan Guthrie 909-607-2836. 909-607-2836.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Bonelli Park Pre-Christmas Trip

4
 PVAS Fall/winter field trips 2009-10
November march
Sunday, November 1, 2009 - Beginner’s Bird Sunday, March 7, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird Walk
Walk, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, – Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 8:00
8:00 a.m. a.m.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - Mt. Baldy Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - Los Angeles
Village and Vicinity, 7:30 a.m. County Arboretum – Dan Gregory 7:30 a.m.
Saturday, November 21, 2009 - Antelope Valley Saturday March 20, 2010 - Lake Perris, San
Owl Pellet Collecting trip, 7:00 a.m. Jacinto Preserve. 7:00 a.m. leader to be
Sunday, November 22, 2009 - Bonelli Park announced
Monthy Hike. Rod Higbie, 8:00 a.m. Sunday, March 28, 2010 - Bonelli Park Bird
Walk. Rod Higbie 8:00 a.m.
December
Sunday, December 6, 2009 - Beginner’s Bird April
Walk, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Sunday, April 4, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird Walk
8:00 a.m. – Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 8:00
Saturday, Dececember 12, 2009 - Coastal a.m.
Orange County, 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 7, 2010 - Living Desert
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Bonelli Park Reserve – Dan Gregory 8:00 a.m.
Pre-Christmas trip, 8:00 a.m. Saturday, April 24, 2010 - Morongo Valley.
Saturday, December 19, 2009 - Annual Leader; Pam Kling, 6:00 a.m.
Christmas Census Sunday, April 25, 2010 - Bonelli Park Bird
Sunday, December 27, 2009 - Bonelli Park Walk. Rod Higbie 8:00 a.m.
Monthy Hike. Rod Higbie 8:00 a.m.
May
January Sunday, May 2, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird Walk
Sunday, January 3, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird – Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 8:00
Walk, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, a.m.
8:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 5, 2010 - Big Morongo
Saturday, January 9, 2010 - Big Day Trip to Nature Preserve – Dan Gregory 7:00 a.m.
Orange County. Dan Guthrie, 7:00 a.m. Saturday, May 22, 2010 - Butterbread Spring
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 - Santa Fe and the northern desert. 5:00 a.m. leader Dan
Dam. Dan Gregory 8:00 a.m. Guthrie
Sunday, January 24, 2010 - Bonelli Park Bird Sunday, May 23, 2010 - Bonelli Park Bird Walk.
Walk. Rod Higbie 8:00 a.m. Leader to be announced. 8:00 a.m.

February June
Sunday, February 7, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird Sunday, June 6, 2010 - Beginner’s Bird Walk
Walk, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, – Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 8:00
8:00 a.m. a.m.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - Prado Basin Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - Carbon Canyon
Park/ Dan Gregory. 7:00 a.m. Regional Park. Dan Gregory. 7:30 a.m.
Saturday/Sunday, February, 13-14, 2010 - Saturday, June 12, 2010 - Big Bear Lake Area
Salton Sea Weekend – Dan Guthrie – leader to be announced.
Sunday, February 28, 2010 - Bonelli Park
Monthy Hike. Rod Higbie 8:00 a.m.

Half and one day trips start at Memorial Park, Indian Hill Blvd at 10th Street, Claremont. Weekend trips
usually meet at the destination on Saturday morning. Bonelli Park trips meet at park headquarters on
Via Verde, just off the 57 freeway. It is recommended to bring a snack (lunch if recommended), plenty
of water, sun protection, and bug spray to all trips.

5
 An Essay about Audubon Radicalism, Saudi Arabia,
Bush Meat, and The Endangered Species Act by Dan Guthrie

This summer I was interviewed by a student who is

doing a graduate school thesis about attitudes and
activities for nature. She wanted to know what our
chapter did and what our attitudes were. It was clear in
reviewing our membership that we were primarily a club
of older middle to upper class white people and toward
the end of the interview she asked if we had thought
about making efforts to understand how other cultures
or groups viewed wildlife with a view to becoming more
appealing to them.

This got me to thinking. Today we are very conflicted

between two opposing views. One is acceptance of
others, their customs, beliefs, etc., and the idea of a
multicultural world where all views and beliefs are parakeet, and near extinction of many other birds and
respected. The other view is that some of our beliefs mammals. We still allow hunting, but it is controlled,
are ‘better’ or ‘correct’ and that we must work to spread and many hunters, such as those in Ducks Unlimited,
these ideals. We recognize that the citizens of Saudi are avid conservationists, caring for the maintenance of
Arabia are a proud people with a long history and their wildlife populations and habitat. Just as slavery, once
own ideals. However, we also believe that women should nearly universal in Earth, has been almost universally
be allowed to vote, drive cars, receive an education, and condemned and prohibited, Audubon seeks to extend
that slavery should be outlawed, even if these ideas go our ‘modern’ attitude towards nature to everyone in this
against their traditions. country and the world. Wildlife can no longer survive if
we continue to treat it as did our ancestors. The human
Similarly, we have a clear view of what is the ‘proper’
population is too big.
behavior towards wildlife. Killing gorillas and
chimpanzees for bush meat, a behavior in many parts of In my environmental science class I asked students
Africa, is something we are against. Of course market why we should prevent the extinction of other species.
hunting was once common in this country, resulting Reasons range from their potential economic value (cure
in the extinction of the passenger pigeon, Carolina for cancer in a drug found in a sea animal), to ecosystem
survival (we are all living in an interconnected world
and extinction of any species may feed back on us).
There is also the moral argument (no one species has the
right to cause the extinction of another) and the purely
self interest argument (I would like to see a polar bear
or at least have the possibility of seeing one).

The Endangered Species Act is, like the Abolition of

Slavery, a moral act. Its base is the concept that every
species has a ‘right’ to exist and we do not have the right
to end that existence. Audubon is ‘radical’ in that we
are willing to push this view on the world in the face of
conflicting desires, attitudes and tradition.

6
 Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival PVAS OFFICERS 2009-2010
Morro Bay - CA President.......................Dan Guthrie.........909-607-2836
Vice-President..............Bruce Strang...... 626-339-6984
January 15-18, 2010 Secretary......................Pam Kling............909-596-7604
Treasurer.......................Neil Gilbert......... 909-626-0334
Every January on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Board Member ............Nancy Strang..... 626-339-6984
Board Member.............Dick Moore.......... 909-626-1127.
weekend, the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. All-day Board Member.............Pat Higbie........... 909-599-6526.
and half-day tours take participants to a wide variety of Board Member.............Rod Higbie......... 909-599-6526
habitats, including deep water pelagic, oak woodland and COMMITTEE CHAIRS
riparian, wetland and estuary, and the unique grassland Conservation................Dick Moore.......... 909-626-1127
Education......................Dan Guthrie.........909-607-2836
habitat of the Carrizo Plain. Workshops cover a vast Field Trips.....................Dan Guthrie.........909-607-2836
array of topics ranging from beginner birding classes Membership.................Dan Guthrie.........909-607-2836
to gull identification. Outstanding Evening Speakers Publications..................Neil Gilbert......... 909-626-0334
Publicity........................Shirley Harris.......909-982-9727
make presentations on Saturday and Sunday. A variety Door Prizes...................Karlene Campo... 909-627-8191
of vendors will be present with nature related artwork, Hospitality.....................Gloria Slosberg...909-626-4754
books, field equipment and attire, and local merchant Website.........................Mike Klein............909-625-5510
wares. CHAPARRAL NATURALIST
Editor.............................Pam Kling............909-596-7604
Morro Bay California is one of the few remaining The Chaparral Naturalist is published bimonthly,
estuaries on the Pacific flyway. Christmas Bird Counts except July and August by the Pomona Valley
on the bay have numbered above the 200 species mark, Audubon Society. Copy deadline is the last
Thursday of the month. Articles may be reprinted
and the festival bird lists have totaled over 220 species for without permission, but please give credit to
the weekend, making this area on the central California the author and the Chaparral Naturalist. We
coast a prime birding destination. encourage members to submit articles and photos
by email at [email protected]. Acceptable
For more information, and to register, please visit our file formats are jpg, Word and Excel.
website at http://www.morrobaybirdfestival.org. Subscriptions to the newsletter are available for
$10 per year to non-members. Make checks
payable to PVAS and mail to W. M. Keck
Science Center, 925 N. Mills Ave., Claremont,
Godwit Days Spring CA 91711.
Migration Bird Festival National Audubon Membership
Arcata - CA Annual membership in the National Audubon Society is $30 per
April 15 - 21, 2010 year. New membership dues are $20. Members receive the
Audubon Magazine and Chaparral Naturalist newsletter. Renew-
Arcata, California welcomes you to the 13th Annual Godwit als of membership are computerized by National Audubon and
Days, the three-day Spring Migration Bird Festival where should not be sent to PVAS. However, a new membership may
be sent directly to PVAS.
amid our ancient redwood forests, marshes and the Pacific
Make checks payable to National Audubon Society. Mail payment
Ocean, 450 species of bird have been recorded visiting with membership form below and mail to: PVAS, W. M. Keck
here annually. One can watch Marbled Murrelets, have Science Center, 925 North Mills Avenue, Claremont,
face to face encounters with spotted owls, and take small CA 91711. (Please note chapter code number, CO8, 7XCH
on your check.)
boat tours of Humboldt Bay to view migrant shorebirds at
their peak. Nearly 100 birding field trips and workshops Name__________________________________________

are offered in the heart of California’s Redwood Coast. Address________________________________________

City, State, Zip___________________________________
Contact: Godwit Days non-profit Organization P.O. Box
Chapter Code: Pomona Valley Audubon CO8, 7XCH
894, Arcata, CA 95518 Tel: 800-908-9464 or 707-444-2938 You may also join National Audubon via our website at:
Fax: 707-269-0632. http://www.ca.audubon.org/chapters.html/

7
 Membership Meetings
Thursday, November 5, 2009  Thursday, December 3, 2009 
Roy Poucher Jon Feenstra
Birding S.E. Asia: Status and Recovery
Cambodian of of the Tricolored
Charms, Blackbird
Thai Surprises According to the writeup for
From Dec. ’07 to Jan. ’08 Bird Wings Birding Tours, for whom
Odysseys explored old-world he is a leader, Jon was raised
Cambodia and modern Thailand, enjoying their diverse in the Appalachian ridges of
cultural and natural riches. Come join us on a photographic northwestern New Jersey, Jon’s playground was the outdoors.
tour of these highlights. In Cambodia travel to the enchanting He grew up holding a fishing pole and a pair of binoculars.
floating village called Prek Toal on the ever-changing, After college he moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles
sustenance-providing Tonle Sap Lake. Surrounding Prek to complete graduate research in physical chemistry at
Toal is flooded swamp forest, an international Important Bird the California Institute of Technology. There he became
Area supporting some of the most significant large waterbird active in Southern California birding: leading field trips,
colonies of Southeast Asia, including breeding populations writing articles on bird distribution and local issues, and
of the globally threatened Spot-billed Pelican. Then walk in spending time exploring the diverse and bird-rich area. He
the jungle forests surrounding the ancient temples of Angkor finished his Ph.D. and decided to make birding his full-
Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and see the interesting time passion. When not traveling the country or the world,
birds and architectural/cultural wonders of this area. Jon lives in urban Los Angeles and works as a free-lance
Journey to Thailand and see the birder’s dream bird, the ecological consultant. He volunteers for the Pasadena and Los
Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Walk along a beach and find Angeles Audubon Societies, serves on the board of directors
Malaysian Plover, Black-faced Spoonbill and Painted Stork. of Western Field Ornithologists, leads most of Southern
Other shorebirds abound such as Red-wattled Lapwing, California’s pelagic trips, and has contributed to several
Common Redshank and Broad-billed Sandpiper. publications on terrestrial and pelagic bird distribution.
During any other time he reads widely, supports the local
Take walks in high, chilly mountainous Thai forests and music scene, and plans his next adventure.
see unbelievable birds such as the Greater Flameback (a
huge and brilliantly colored Woodpecker). Watch as Great Thursday, January 7, 2010
Hornbills swoop down from steep hillsides. View Large- Our widely travelling member Rod Higbee, will present
tailed Nightjars, Spotted Owlets, and a Collared Scops Owl a program about his summer 2009 trip to the northwest
on our night patrols. territories of Canada, entitled Arctic Adventure

Monthly meetings are held in Bauer Forum of

Claremont McKenna College. Evenings begin with
a bird identification session at 7:00 p.m., followed
by refreshments, a short business meeting, and our
evening program.

PERMIT NO. 240

CLAREMONT, CA. Claremont, CA 91711
PAID www.pomonavalleyaudubon.org 925 North Mills Avenue
U.S .POSTAGE W.M. Keck Science Center
NON-PROFIT ORG. Return Service Requested Pomona Valley Audubon Society

Printed on recycled paper by Moore-Bergstrom Co., 1341 W. Brooks, Ontario , CA