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| Support Local Education & Conservation January General Meeting Christmas Bird Count December 29 Pee Wee Audubon Thank You Volunteer Opportunities Midweek Refuge Trip Pee Wee Report Observations Midweek Walkabout Results Birding Classes Fall Campout Mayacamas Sanctuary Update Think Birdathon Visit the Amazing Central Valley Refuges Welcome New Members Prepare Next Boxes Now The Winter of the Red-breasted Nuthatch | Visit the Amazing Central Valley RefugesMadrone Audubon is offering two field trips to the Sacramento Valley refugesduring the first week of December: a midweek tour to the Sacramento, Colusa,and Gray Lodge refuges on Wednesday and Thursday, December 4 and 5, and aBeginners' Bird Walk at Sacramento and Gray Lodge on Saturday, December 7. Themidweek trip includes an optional overnight in Yuba City.For those who haven't experienced it, this is a sensational display of birds,birds, birds, in the air, on the water, and on the ground, sometimes apparentlyshoulder-to-shoulder, by the tens of thousands. In addition to varied speciesof ducks and geese in huge numbers, there are swans, shorebirds, and hawks, andsightings of golden and bald eagles, cranes, and ibis are probable. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, these refuges, which alwaysoffer an astonishing number and variety of winter birdlife, should beespecially teeming with ducks this year, thanks to a successful breeding seasonand three years of ample rain and snow in key nesting areas. Beginners' Bird Walkers, please note that this will be an all-day event, andthe caravan will be departing the Bailey Field parking lot early at 7 AM. Those attending the midweek walk will be meeting at the Sacramento WildlifeRefuge at 9 AM. It is a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive from Santa Rosa. To see andhear the spectacular evening fly-in of snow geese at the Sacramento Refuge,plan to arrive the preceding afternoon and spend an extra night in Williams orWillows. See Calendar for details. |