30 Years and Still Counting
by Jeff Holtzman, President and Judy Burness, Co-Editor
THE ANNUAL MEETING ON May 19 capped off Madrone Audubon's 30th year as
a conservation organization and chapter of the National Audubon Society.
During that time we have grown to almost 1,800 members, while working constantly
to further the goals of bird conservation, habitat preservation, and nature
education.
In the past 12 months, the Board has tried some new things, and some
new ways of doing old things. We hope that you, the members, are pleased
with what you see, and that you will be inspired to participate in upcoming
Madrone activities. If you have thought of expanding your involvement in
conservation, education, or field work, now is a great time to think about
getting more involved.
The Chapter's annual planning meeting is set for early August, and will
be discussing ways of improving the Chapter. We would appreciate your suggestions;
please phone them to a Board member (see roster on the back page) or mail
a note to the P.O. Box.
Thirtieth Year Highlights
New Activities
A Perch on the World Wide Web
We've loaded the
spotting scopes into the cyber car and have headed out onto the Information
Superhighway with our very own Web site. Madrone is fortunate to have the
talents of Leaves co-editor and computer professional Malcolm Blanchard,
who designed the site.
The Web page, known as "Madrone Online," contains the latest
issues of the newsletter, membership information, and the beginnings of
a guide to birding in Sonoma County. It also has links to National Audubon
and other related organizations and sites of interest to our members. With
additional volunteer help, we could do so much more with this exciting communications
tool. Some examples include rare bird bulletins, conservation issue updates,
and informational pieces on birds and birding in Sonoma County.
To find "Madrone Online," point your Web browser to:
audubon.sonoma.net
Nest Boxes
Bird nest boxes are sprouting up all
over Sonoma County, and Madrone Audubon is behind some of them. Peter Leveque
and a team of MAS volunteers have built and sold 78 of the boxes, which
are suitable for bluebirds and other small cavity-nesters. The project has
also been a good fund-raiser for Madrone Audubon, bringing in $10 per box,
plus another $10 to have a volunteer personally deliver and put it up. The
MAS volunteers also made more than 30 boxes for Pee Wee Audubon's bird house
project at Spring Lake.
Membership
In March, Madrone held its first special
invitational bird walks to welcome new members to the chapter. About 50
new members participated in the two walks, and their response was enthusiastic.
Leaders were Dan Kahane, Betty Burridge, and Peter Leveque. Madrone now
plans to offer the welcoming walks twice a year, in spring and fall.
Education
Audubon Adventures
A half-day teachers' workshop
sponsored by Madrone Audubon has almost doubled the demand by Sonoma County
teachers for this valuable classroom enrichment program. Sixty enthusiastic
teachers attended the workshop, which was given by David Berman during the
schools' Spring Inservice Training Day. Each will receive a $35 Audubon
Adventures subscription for his or her class from Madrone Audubon, thanks
to your generous Birdathon funds and donations. The County Office of Education
has invited MAS to become a regular participant in the inservice training
day.
Teachers who want more information and individuals who support Audubon
Adventures in the classroom are invited to call Chairman Bob Evans.
Pee Wee Audubon
Our popular monthly half-day field
trips for children and their families ranged from Hawk Hill in the Marin
Headlands to Goat Rock State Beach, and from Point Reyes to Spring Lake.
These programs are made possible by Pee Wee organizer Marilynn Scott, her
assistant Elham Rafla-Yuan, the outstanding nature educators who serve as
leaders, and the many parents and other volunteers who help.
This year for the first time Pee Wee fielded its own fund-raising team
for the annual Birdathon, helping to raise money for Pee Wee and Madrone's
other education and conservation programs.
We're all proud of the many children who participated in this year's
Pee Wee programs.
Teachers' Resource Kits
Madrone's educational Resource
Kits have been borrowed by 42 teachers and youth group leaders during the
year. There are five kits: two on birds and habitat and one each on identification
and nesting, visual aids, and bird storybooks. The kits, each contained
in a large, wheeled suitcase, are available on loan through Judy Hartwig,
Resource Kit coordinator.
Birding in the Schools
Each year, the MAS Education
Committee arranges for members to help classroom teachers with bird programs.
Usually our volunteers help lead the children on bird walks, at various
locations around Sonoma County or even on the school grounds. Participants
this year included Diane Hichwa, Karen Nagel, Barbara Carlson, Winnie Nelson,
Marilynn Scott, Bill Van Schaick, Dennis Beall, Bill Payne, Deanna De Marco,
and Jim and Jean Tonascia. Interested teachers may contact Education Chair
Cathy Angell or Diane Hichwa.
Bird Walks
MAS now sponsors seven different bird
walks each month, September through June. These include monthly Field Trips,
weekly Walkabouts, and bi-weekly Beginners' Bird Walks. An average of more
than 90 people per month participate.
This was the second year for the Beginners' walks, which grew from an
average of 15 birders to about 20. Thanks to the excellent planning of co-leaders
Bill Payne, Ken Wilson, and John Ferrari, these half-day trips find great
birding close to home, and often explore places we may never have visited
before.
About a dozen people usually participate in the Field Trips, while Walkabouts
often have 20 to 25. Chairman Lew Edmondson draws upon some of our Chapter's
most outstanding birders to lead these enjoyable outings. Everyone is welcome,
from beginner to expert.
Research
The Sonoma County Breeding Bird Atlas
The Atlas,
edited by Betty Burridge and published by MAS less than two years ago, has
now sold more than 1,200 copies. This valuable birders' reference book is
for sale in book and nature stores throughout the county and at MAS membership
meetings.
Mayacamas Bird Census
For more than a year, six
study teams have been censusing twelve 2 1/2-acre plots in the Mayacamas
Sanctuary on a monthly basis, and completing detailed forms on their findings.
Chairman Bill Payne expects to wind up the study at the end of this breeding
season, and hopes to have a preliminary statistical report by September.
Christmas Bird Count
Despite a full-blown storm
with heavy winds and rain, 100 stalwart birders turned out to help with
the Christmas Bird Count on December 29. Amazingly, under the circumstances,
they saw a total of 48,107 individual birds and 167 species. Any records
set were for commitment and determination. Compilers Ken Wilson, Russ Agnew,
and all the heroic counters will remember this one for many years.
Conservation
The past year saw Madrone dealing
with some complex and important conservation issues. The proposed land swap
at Lafferty Ranch, the preservation of bird habitat in the park plan for
Santa Rosa's Third Street wastewater ponds, the Lake Sonoma and Kelly Road
issues, urban growth boundaries, Santa Rosa waste water, and the Russian
River watershed, as well as legislative assaults on the environment at state
and national levels. Our Conservation Committee, chaired by Clyde Nance
and Diane Hichwa and working with the Board of Directors, was active in
letting our voice be heard on these important issues. All MAS members are
invited to attend and participate in Conservation Committee meetings.
Membership in the Madrone Audubon Society offers something for just about
every kind and level of interest, and new participants are warmly welcomed.
If you'd like to be more involved, just call one of the phone numbers listed
on the back of this newsletter. | 
