One advantage of touring as a birder—is getting away from the traditional habitat you’re used to. Different hills, fields, streets, and parks can convey out quite a lot of birds you’re not used to seeing.
You would possibly even give you a lifer!
I didn’t have any lifers on my recent go to with my father, who lives in Surprise, Arizona, which is a bit northwest of Phoenix.
But, shhhhh…. don’t inform the managers of his group that Dad scatters feed on his patio deck and rocky panorama! Birdfeeders aren’t allowed, and they won’t like seed scattering both.
(And me? I’d have a tough time dwelling in a place that doesn’t enable birdfeeders. Managers declare feeders entice pigeons, however I’m glad that Dad nonetheless throws seed out on the bottom. He’s additionally fairly profitable with suet and hummingbird feeders.)
As you’ll be able to see, he does entice a pleasant number of birds to his yard, with Gambel’s Quail, Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens, Finches and Grosbeaks, Curved-bill Thrashers, and extra, displaying as much as feed.
Help me out with a few birds although: What is the Grosbeak—it is a Grosbeak, proper, or am I by some means mis-IDing a House Finch?—and the Hummingbird? I’m considering the Grosbeak could also be a feminine Pine Grosbeak, however I can definitely stand to be corrected. The hummer could also be a Costa’s or Broad-tailed. Maybe an Anna’s? Any ideas on these?
In addition to those yard birds, and some others not caught on digital camera, my brother and I went on a pleasant hike on a close-by path and obtained another actually good birds, however I didn’t have my digital camera with me. Bird highlights of that hike have been a really cooperative Phainopepla in a bush-top, and a complete bunch of Northern Cardinals! (Cardinals are one of many birds that I actually miss with dwelling within the SF Bay Area!)
Annual Audubon Fundraiser!
As a lot of you’ll recall, each spring my spouse and I participate in a “Birdathon” for our native Audubon chapter, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS).
I don’t want to inform Dawn Chorus regulars what nice work native Audubon chapters do on behalf of birding schooling and habitat safety… however I’ll.
SCVAS does a incredible job with these efforts, and we’re very completely happy to assist them increase wanted money. However, the money raised right here doesn’t go to funding salaries or paying the electrical invoice. It goes to educating youngsters about birds and the surroundings, and what higher trigger in your type donations?
So sure, it is a plea for help, to assist SCVAS increase money that may convey their instructors out to elementary faculties, and to convey elementary schoolkids out to the San Francisco Bay shoreline, via the Wetlands Discovery Program, the place they are going to be amazed and thrilled to find out about birds that they’ve by no means earlier than seen!
SCVAS applications attain lots of of low-income children in Santa Clara County every year. Trained volunteers conduct hands-on, in-class actions and shows to highschool kids, educating them about birds, wildlife, and the surroundings with, if attainable, dwell birds within the school rooms. For extra info on the SCVAS academic efforts. See here.
Our crew, Subspecies, will race round our county on May 3 attempting to find as many species as we are able to discover in our 4-hour window of alternative. We count on to find and rely a minimum of 100 species across the bay entrance, city areas, pure habitats, and open areas.
Who wouldn’t wish to assist fund that effort?
Please assist us with any donation you’ll be able to afford, be it a big or small quantity. Every greenback helps!
Last 12 months, along with your assist, we have been in a position to increase somewhat greater than $3,000 for SCVAS, which was our private file. Help us beat that complete this 12 months!
How to Donate
First, all donations have to be obtained by May 13.
Please donate instantly from our crew’s Birdathon page.
When that hyperlink opens up, search for my spouse’s title, Carolyn Straub, and click on the large, inexperienced Donate button beneath her title. Selecting Donate will open up a regular donation kind the place you’ll be able to fill in your title and credit score/debit card info. You may also choose “Anonymous donation” if you want in your title to be hidden for any motive. And after all, in case you are itemizing your taxes, you’ll be able to declare the donation in your taxes.
After the Birdathon ends in May, we’ll ship you a report detailing our day and the birds we noticed.
Thanks for studying, and a honest thanks upfront in your generosity!
Senor Unoball and Carolyn
