General Meeting info: The meeting begins at 7:30 PM on the third Monday of the month, except in June, July, August and December, at the First United Methodist Church 1551 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa.

The First United Methodist Church is on Montgomery Drive about one-half mile west of Montgomery Village between California Avenue and Talbot Avenue, and just two blocks east of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Parking is available on Montgomery Drive.

Thursday, April 24, 8:30 AM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAIN AUDUBON SANCTUARY AND PINE FLAT ROAD. Bird Walk. Meet for carpooling at Alexander Valley Community Church on Alexander Valley Road, immediately west of the Jimtown Store. Bring lunch and liquids. For information: Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Saturday, April 26, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS AUDUBON SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP. A general nature hike led by Peter Leveque. Please see page 5 for details.

Wednesday, April 30, 8:30 AM
ANNADEL STATE PARK. Bird Walk. We will search for returning passerines, mainly along Channel Drive. Meeting place: From Montgomery Drive in Santa Rosa, go 0.6 mile on Channel Drive to an unpaved parking lot on the left side of Channel Drive. There is a $4 entrance fee for the park. Bring lunch, liquids, and layered clothing. For information: Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Saturday, May 3, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
WILLOW CREEK, DUNCANS LANDING, JENNER. Bird Walk. Meet at the parking lot for the Sizzling Tandoor Indian Restaurant in Bridgehaven at the south end of the Russian River Bridge on Highway 1 (Coast Highway). Informal carpools leave Santa Rosa at 7:15 AM; please arrive about ten minutes earlier to make arrangements. See April 5th entry above for carpooling location. Bring lunch, liquids and layers of clothing. Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom Cashman, 433-2528; Bob Speckels, 569-0563; and Ken Wilson, 775-2558.

Saturday, May 3, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS AUDUBON SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP. Wildflower and plant walk with Peter Warner. Please see Madrone Leaves for details.

Wednesday, May 7, 7:30 PM
BOARD MEETING. Sonoma County Environmental Center, 55A Ridgway Avenue, Santa Rosa. Contact Veronica Bowers for agenda information at 829-2955.

Thursday, May 8, 8:30 AM
POINT REYES AREA. Bird Walk. Meet in the parking lot across from the Point Reyes National Seashore Bear Valley Visitor Center, which is just west of Olema. Bring lunch, liquids, and layered clothing. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Saturday, May 10, 9:00 AM
SHOLLENBERGER PARK. Petaluma Wetlands Alliance leads a bird walk. Meet at the first kiosk. Rain cancels. Contact Bob Dyer, 763-2934.

Saturday, May 10, 9 AM to 3 PM
ESSENTALS OF NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE ECO-TRAVELER at Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, the second in a two-part course taught by Bryant Hichwa. The classes will include easy to understand tutorials on key camera settings; raw vs. jpeg digital capture; creative use of camera feedback (histograms); natural vs. flash lighting; helpful techniques to digitally capture wildlife in the field and close up/macro photography of wildflowers. Various photography travel tips will be discussed. To register, contact Leslie@egret.org or 415/868-9244. Click here for more info.
Note different locations for each class.

Wednesday, May 14, 8:30 AM
ANDERSON MARSH AND CLEAR LAKE STATE PARKS. Bird Walk. Meet in the Anderson Marsh State Park parking lot (3/4 mile north of Lower Lake on Highway 53). There is a $4 parking fee. Bring lunch and liquids. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Saturday, May 17, 8:00 AM to Noon
SANTA ROSA CREEK AT WILLOWSIDE ROAD. Beginners Bird Walk. Meet at Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District office, 747 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa. The parking lot is behind the office (access from Carrillo Street). Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom Cashman, 433-2528, and Ken Wilson, 775-2558.

Saturday, May 17, 10:00 AM
SHOLLENBERGER PARK. Petaluma Wetlands Alliance leads two children/family nature walks. One to two hours, dependent on age of children. Meet at the first kiosk. Rain cancels. For the children/family walk in English, contact Gerald or Mary Edith Moore at 763-3577; for the walk in Spanish, contact Connie Peabody at 763-7458.

Monday, May 19, 6:00 PM
ANNUAL MEETING & POTLUCK DINNER. Biologist Ron LeValley will present "Bird Migration&SHY;What's New?" following Madrone's presentation of awards and installation of new officers for 2008-2009. See the front page for more information. The public is always invited to attend these programs.

Thursday, May 22, 8:30 AM
SUGARLOAF RIDGE STATE PARK. Bird Walk. From Kenwood on Highway 12, go east on Adobe Canyon Road to the park entrance and parking lot ($6 parking fee). Bring lunch and liquids. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Wednesday, May 28, 8:30 AM
SALMON CREEK ROAD. Bird Walk. Meet in Bodega at the junction of Bodega Highway and Salmon Creek Road (on north side of Bodega Highway, opposite the Bodega Post Office). Bring lunch and liquids. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net>, 546-1812.

Thursday, June 5, 8:30 AM till Noon
SPRING LAKE REGIONAL PARK. Bird Walk. Parking fee for non-permit holders. From Summerfield Road, go east on Hoen Avenue, turn right on Newanga Avenue, and turn right inside the entrance gate. Meet in the parking lot near the restrooms at the top of the hill. For information, contact Tom McCuller, <sisyphus@sonic.net> or 546-1812.

Saturday, June 7, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
PINE FLAT ROAD. Bird Walk. We will meet and combine into as few cars as possible at the Alexander Valley Community Church, two doors west of the Jimtown Store on Alexander Valley Road, north of Healdsburg. Please do not join us after the trip has started in an additional vehicle. The number of cars negatively impacts the birding and the residents of the area. Bring lunch, liquids and layers of clothing. Rain cancels. Leaders: Tom Cashman, 433-2528; Bob Speckels, 569-0563; and Ken Wilson, 775-2558.

Sunday, June 8, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
MAYACAMAS SANCTUARY FIELD TRIP. Kathy and Dave Biggs will help us find and identify the dragonflies found along Pine Flat Road and on the Mayacamas Sanctuary. Meet on Pine Flat Road as for May 3rd hike. Close focus binoculars are best; 10-power or higher hand lens would be helpful. Please wear shoes and clothes that can get wet. Children over 12 OK. NOTE: Any rain cancels this easy hike. No reservation required.

CONSERVATION COMMITTEE. No scheduled meeting this month. If you have conservation concerns, contact Diane Hichwa at dhichwa@earthlink.net or call her at 579-1182.