Yolo Bird Alliance

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2020-10-11 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent on a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, October 11th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools and materials will last about 1/2 hour. No experience necessary! Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal. Everyone will then reconvene at 11:15 to discuss and and share their journals.

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Visit to learn more about joining a Zoom meeting, or email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Behind the Scenes on A National Wildlife Refuge: Preparing for Fall and Winter Migrants
2020-10-21 19:00 - 20:30
Colusa NWR; © Mike Reinhart

Curtis McCasland is the manager of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Refuge Complex consists of Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter, and Sacramento River NWR’s. Curt will take us behind the scenes to present what Managers, Biologists, and Technicians do to prepare the wetlands for both the migratory birds and the visitors that come to see them. Participants will learn how the knowledgeable staff work together to incorporate practices to provide food, cover, and safety for migratory birds. In addition, the staff also considers how the habitat will appear to artists, photographers, and birdwatchers. Colusa National Wildlife Refuge will be the primary focus of the presentation.

Preparing fields for winter birds (courtesy C. McCasland)

Curtis McCasland, who attended Humboldt State University and the University of Memphis, is trained as an avian biologist and has a strong background in plant ecology, especially in wetland environments. Utilizing this knowledge, he started his career with the National Wildlife Refuge System at Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona, an 860,000-acre refuge with no running water. Besides working in Arizona, Curt has worked in national wildlife refuges in Georgia, supervised refuges in California and Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in Oregon/California. Four years ago, Curt was given the awesome opportunity to manage the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex which includes Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter, and Sacramento River NWR’s. In addition, he and his staff are also responsible for the Steve Thompson North Central Valley, Butte Sink, and Willow Creek Lurline Wildlife Management Areas.

This event was recorded and is now available here on the YAS YouTube channel for viewing.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2020-11-08 09:00 - 12:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, November 8th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools and materials will last about 1/2 hour. No experience necessary! Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal. Everyone will then reconvene at 11:15 to discuss and and share their journals.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Great-tailed Grackles: What Makes this Adventurous Species Tick?
2020-11-18 19:00 - 20:30
‘Batido’ the Great-tailed Grackle; photo by Corina Logan

Are great-tailed grackles that are on the invasion front and actively expanding the range into new habitat, different in some way from those that are in areas where there have already been many generations of grackles? Did you know great-tailed grackles were originally restricted to Central America, but have rapidly expanded their range north into the U.S.? And, that at this time, the furthest north resident population is in Woodland?

To learn the answers to these and other questions you may have, please join the Yolo Audubon Society on November 18 for the Members’ Meeting via Zoom. Kelsey McCune, PhD will present insights discovered from her research studying grackles in Tempe, AZ, which is the new center of the expanded range, coupled with findings from identical research being done here in California.

Kelsey McCune completed her PhD in animal behavior from the University of Washington in 2018. Her dissertation compared asocial California scrub-jays and social Mexican jays on social behavior, learning ability and personality traits. Currently, Kelsey is a postdoctoral scholar at UCSB, and part of the Grackle Project research group started by Dr. Corina Logan.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

CBC Bird ID Workshop
2020-12-09 19:00 - 20:30
View from Pleasant Valley Road bridge – the center of the Putah Creek count circle; © Steve Hampton

Always a popular event, Steve Hampton returns to host a Bird ID workshop in advance of our 50th annual Putah Creek Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Steve will share data and trends from previous counts, focusing on climate change and the fire history of the count, as well as provide helpful tips on bird ID.

The CBC is scheduled for Sunday, December 20th. Our 15-mile diameter count circle centers on Putah Creek and is divided into ten different areas, each with its own plan regarding coverage, teams, start time, and method of travel (car, foot, hiking, bike, etc.). Covid-19 protocols are forcing us to change many of our traditional CBC practices. Up-to-date information about the count and contact information for the Area Leaders is here on the Yolo Audubon website.

Steve’s Bird ID workshop will be conducted via Zoom. There is no cost to attend but advance registration is required.

This program was recorded and is available for viewing on the YAS YouTube channel.

Annual pre-CBC Workshop with Steve Hampton

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2020-12-13 09:00 - 12:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, December 13th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools and materials will last about 1/2 hour. No experience necessary! Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal. Everyone will then reconvene at 11:15 to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

50th Annual Putah Creek Christmas Bird Count
2020-12-20 00:00 - 23:59
Yolo Audubon will host our 50th consecutive Putah Creek Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 20th. Complete information about the CBC is located here.

Due to the Covid-19 situation, there are some significant changes to the CBC protocols this year.

We will confirm we are actually holding the count on Nov 15, pending local Covid ordinances. Based on current Covid regulations, we are optimistic we will hold the count.Masks or social distancing are required at all times. No carpooling with people outside your bubble. This may limit team sizes, including the number of vehicles. Our primary goal is to cover the usual routes from past years, even if only 1 or 2 people are able to cover a route. No social gatherings before or after the count.Sign-up is directly through an Area Leader only. Contact info for Area Leaders is here. All day-of-count details are arranged by respective Area Leaders. Some areas require more hiking, or more walking, or more birding by car. If you want assistance choosing an area, contact the CBC Organizer and Compiler, Steve Hampton.

This year, our CBC Bird-ID Workshop will be conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, December 9th at 7:00pm. Details and a link to register can be found here (coming soon).

The post-CBC Compilation session will also be held via Zoom. Details and a link to register can be found here (coming soon).

CBC Compilation Program
2020-12-20 19:00 - 21:00
Grasshopper Sparrow at Vesper Corner; © Deb Ford

The traditional Putah Creek Christmas Bird Count Compilation ‘potluck’ will be held online this year. Whether you were able to join the count or not, we invite to join us to watch the returns come in.

Steve Hampton and Area Leaders from the count will provide historical and regional analysis, stories from the day and, most importantly, the numbers. We promise to count every bird!

Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-01-10 09:00 - 12:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, January 10th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary! An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools and materials will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal. Everyone will then reconvene at 11:15 to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

What are Automated Recorder Units and How Can They Assist Ornithologists in the Field?
2021-01-20 19:00 - 20:30
Danielle Fradet, Jacob McCafferty, and Lynette Williams setting up an audio recording unit in a marsh plot at Bird Haven Ranch; photo by Andy Engilis

The Central Valley has undergone massive habitat change in the past century, creating a heterogeneous landscape. Many researchers lack the ability to undertake long-term biological monitoring on restoration projects and to measure long-term success, particularly on understudied private lands. What’s a researcher to do?

To find out, join Yolo Audubon’s virtual January Members Meeting to hear featured speaker, Danielle Fradet, describe one possible solution, Automated Recorder Units, (ARU). Ms. Fradet is the first recipient of the Yolo Audubon Small Grant Program.

Automated Recorder Units can be used to saturate a large landscape with time dependent surveys of birds, thus gathering more data on bird presence than traditional point counts. Ms. Fradet’s study tests if the ARU method can be applied on a smaller scale for long-term monitoring on specific restored sites. Her work was done on a ranch with heterogeneous habitat of rice, wetlands, and riparian systems.

Danielle Fradet is a recent graduate from UC Davis, earning a B.S. in Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology. Danielle grew up in Southern California and first found an interest in wildlife watching Animal Planet on TV. However, she discovered her passion for birds in her first year of college while interning at the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology (MWFB). Today, Danielle works in the MWFB, doing field work with small mammals, birds, bats, and herpetofauna in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-02-14 09:00 - 12:00
Sketch by Alison Kent (from the journaling that she did during last month’s workshop)

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, February 14th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary! An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal. Everyone will then reconvene at 11:15 to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Uganda: Pearl of Africa
2021-02-17 19:00 - 20:30
Shoebill; © Kevin Gusé

Kevin Gusé believes that the combination of primates, big game, and birds makes Uganda a truly unique destination. For example, did you know that Uganda is the most bird-diverse country in Africa, with an official list of almost 1,100 species? Please join Kevin as he recounts the adventures of his group during their trip in July 2019 to the “Pearl of Africa”.

Kevin Gusé has been birding throughout the United States and abroad since receiving a gift membership to (then) Davis Audubon in 1985. He has served on the Davis/Yolo Audubon boards in many capacities (Membership Chair, Field Trip Chair, President and Fundraising Chair) over the years. Kevin continues to lead field trips for Yolo Audubon, sharing his love of raptors, migrants, and mountain birds.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-03-14 09:00 - 12:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, March 14th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

NOTE: Clocks advance forward for Daylight Savings Time on Sunday, March 14th. Remember to reset clocks before going to bed to avoid being late!

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Marbled Murrelets: The Enigma of the Pacific
2021-03-17 19:00 - 20:30
Marbeled Murrelet; © Brett Lovelace

The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small, cryptic seabird with a range extending from northern California up through Alaska. Like other alcids, murrelets forage in the ocean and exclusively inhabit marine environments when not breeding.

Whereas most other alcids nest in large groups near the coast, murrelets typically nest solitarily on the limbs of large trees in forest sites that can be located over 50 miles inland. Unfortunately, this split habitat strategy renders them vulnerable to declines in habitat quality in both oceans and forests. In 1992 Marbled Murrelets were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Challenges associated with capturing murrelets and locating their nests have made them extremely difficult to study. A lack of basic knowledge about murrelet biology has hindered progress on conservation and management.

Dr. Jonathon Valente is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Oregon State University College of Forestry. He is currently working on the Oregon Marbled Murrelet Project, a scientific research effort launched in 2015 to advance our knowledge about basic murrelet biology. Dr. Valente will discuss how their research team is using cutting edge technology to better understand murrelet habitat requirements, movement, and limitations to population growth, as well as how this research will be used to improve management of public and private forest lands.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-04-11 09:00 - 11:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, April 11th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

The Current Status of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for 2021
2021-04-21 19:00 - 20:30
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area; © Joe Hobbs

Please join the Yolo Audubon Society for the monthly virtual Members’ Meeting when Joe Hobbs, Manager of Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, will give a talk on the current status of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (YBWA) for 2021.

We, here in Yolo County, are very lucky to have the 17,000-acre YBWA available for bird watching, hunting, fishing, K-12 education programs, walking/hiking and just plain ‘ole enjoyment of nature. Nestled between Davis and Sacramento within the Yolo Bypass, the YBWA is a fantastic mixture of wetlands and upland and home to various species of animals (fauna) and plants (flora). In addition to animals that raise their young here, it is an important feature in the Pacific Flyway serving as a waypoint for numerous bird species migrating from the Arctic and Canada to points further south, as well as those species that spend the winter here.

Joe is the current area manager for California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Joe has been a permanent employee for the Department for 21 years and has been the area manager for the last three years. Prior to coming to the wildlife area Joe worked for 13 years as the Statewide elk and pronghorn coordinator. He has also worked for the Departments Wetland Program, Timber Harvest, and Private Lands Management. Joe has a B.S. and M.S. degree from California State University, Sacramento. His M.S. was on the fall and winter distribution and habitat use of Tule Greater White-fronted Geese in the Sacramento Valley. He enjoys kayak fishing and spending time outdoors.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-05-09 09:00 - 11:00
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, May 9th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Members' Memories: Short Stories and Illustrations of Birding during the 2020-2021 Pandemic
2021-05-19 19:00 - 20:30
Backyard American Goldfinch; © Ken Ealy

Yolo Audubon would like to celebrate those who found ways to continue their passion for birding during the pandemic. We invite you to share your photos, drawings and short stories with the Yolo Audubon members. It will take place via Zoom and requires advance registration. (See below.)

Details:

Birding adventures experienced from January 2020 to May 2021 will be accepted. We suggest that you use five to ten photos or drawings, or, if you want to express yourself via the written word, we would love to have short stories or poetry submitted. Please do your best to identify your birds. Each person will be allotted up to ten minutes.

Aspiring participants must submit their entry to Program Chair Ken Ealy at litehawk@sbcglobal.net by May 14 by 5:00pm PDT. The number of people accepted will depend how many people decide to participate. First come, first served.

Ken will prepare a slide show of the photos and drawings, and participants may describe their submittals to the group during the program. Those submitting written short stories or poems may read them. As an alternative, Ken will read the descriptions and stories by prior arrangement.

Participants will be notified of their time slot via the email address used during submission. They will also be reminded to register for the event on Zoom in order to attend the meeting.

We hope you’ll share your memories with us!

Contact Program Chair Ken Ealy at litehawk@sbcglobal.net with any questions.

You must register (no cost) in advance for this program. It is NOT a requirement that you be an Audubon member to attend. Follow this link to register:

Register for the Program

Zoom limits the number of participants to 100.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting. An account with Zoom is not necessary to join a meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-06-13 09:00 - 11:30
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, June 13th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-07-11 09:00 - 11:30
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, July 11th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Napa River at American Canyon
2021-08-05 07:00 - 14:00
Now is the time in the life of migratory birds when breeding is over; it’s time to go south to winter range. This trip is designed to take you to a place where we can look for some of those shorebirds as they move down the Pacific Flyway looking for a stopover for rest and food. The Napa River at the town of American Canyon provides such a place. We will be timing our fieldtrip to coincide with tidal movements to observe as many shorebirds as possible.

Black-bellied Plover; © Sami LaRocca

Adjacent to the Napa River is a restored shoreline-walking trail, where tidal fluctuations can be observed. First we will walk along a large tidal lagoon looking for resting birds. Following, we will proceed to Green Island via a level-walking trail to the Napa River to observe the rising tide looking for foraging birds as they come closer to us. We will be on the lookout for the expected sandpipers, godwits, willets, and Black-bellied Plovers, some still in breeding plumage. As often happens there may a surprise of a rarity such as seen before … Red Knots still in traces of breeding plumage.

All along the approximate 1-mile level path, we’ll be enjoying the open vistas looking west toward the Green Island wetlands and over Napa River.

Plan to meet at 7:00 am at Edgewater Parking lot in American Canyon; map and directions will be provided to participants who RSVP via email by August 3. [It’s approximately a one-hour drive from Davis.] If you have questions, please use the mobile phone number below to text or email Sami LaRocca. Unless you request otherwise, we will send a email to all who have RSVPd so you will know who else is attending if you wish to coordinate transportation, and for us to facilitate cancellation of the trip if necessary.

Bring binoculars, scopes and snacks/lunch. After returning to the parking lot the group is invited have a lunch in the picnic area before returning to Davis at approximately 2 pm.

Contact for co-leaders:

Sami LaRocca [530-908-0288; sami.larocca@outlook.com]John Mott-Smith [530-400-7622; johnmottsmith@comcast.net]

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-08-08 09:00 - 11:30
Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, August 8th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Bodega Bay
2021-08-21 00:00 - 23:59
All-day trip limited to 12 participants – priority given to those with some birding experience but unfamiliar with common late-summer birds of the Pacific coast and/or with birding at Bodega Bay, a world-class birding location. Harbor mudflats, ocean beach, and rocky headland for pelicans, three species of cormorant, Heermann’s Gulls, Elegant Terns, and shorebirds in one compact area – Bodega Bay, Harbor and Head, and Doran Beach.

Be prepared for cool temperatures, wind, and maybe fog, but can also be surprisingly warm in late summer. Easy walks and good bird photo opportunities around the harbor.

All participants should be vaccinated.

Contact leader Chris Dunford [530 753-9073; christopher.j.dunford at gmail.com] to reserve a seat and for details of lunch, transport options and meeting time/location. From Davis, a two-hour drive each way; you should be back by 6 pm.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-09-12 09:00 - 11:30
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, September 12th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Audubon Conservation Ranching
2021-09-15 19:00 - 20:30
Stemple Creek, Marin County; photo by Matt Allshouse

California has roughly 40 million acres of rangelands that provide food production, carbon sequestration, water infiltration, and habitat for a wide range of species. However, this historic land use is under threat with an average of 20,000 acres a year being lost to development or crop conversion. Climate change, invasive species, aquifer depletion, and outdated grazing practices also degrade large portions of grasslands, increasing economic and ecological vulnerability. This in turn has contributed to steep declines in grassland bird species across California, and the United Stated.

Audubon launched its Conservation Ranching program (ACR) here in California in 2019. This program is designed to stem the conversion of grassland ecosystems and improve the ecological functions of rangelands by partnering with ranchers to transition to more regenerative grazing approaches via a ranch certification program. This presentation will highlight the ACR program components which includes the development of ranch-specific Habitat Management Plans and a third-party certified set of regenerative grazing practices to increase climate-driven drought resiliency, rebuild soil organic matter, enhance plant diversity and cover, increase water infiltration and carbon sequestration, and increase overall biodiversity. This ecological resilience can translate to economic resilience, as participating producers are able to use the Audubon certification logo on their product – providing a market incentive to landowners to enroll in this program through increased sales or revenue. This presentation will highlight program practices, early results and opportunities for enrollment.

Here are some links to program specifics:

https://ca.audubon.org/conservation/conservation-ranching

https://www.audubon.org/news/what-world-conservation-ranching

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/spring-2017/how-cattle-ranchers-are-helping-save-western

This event is free, and you do not need to be a member of Yolo Audubon. If you would like to become a member, click here. If you only want to receive the monthly newsletter, click here.

SPEAKERS BIO

Pelayo Alvarez works as the Director of the Conservation Ranching Program in California. Before joining Audubon Pelayo worked for the Carbon Cycle Institute where he helped establish carbon farming programs across California. Pelayo has experience working with the ranching community, government agencies, academia and other stakeholders on rangeland conservation initiatives including the development of programs to incentivize good stewardship practices on rangelands. Pelayo also worked for Defenders of Wildlife as the Conservation Program Director for the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition where he coordinated research and outreach activities. Pelayo also teaches Rangeland Ecology and Management at American River College in Sacramento. His previous work experience includes positions at UC Davis, The World Bank and The Nature Conservancy. He has a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine from Universidad de Leon (Spain), a MS degree in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University and a PhD in Ecology from UC Davis.

Matt Allshouse came to Audubon California from Wyoming and has been the Conservation Ranching Program Manager for the state since September 2019. As a rangeland ecologist, he has 13 years of experience associated with land policy, management, and science. Previously, Matt served as Ranch Manager for Antelope Springs Land and Cattle in Wyoming, as a Biologist for the Peregrine Fund in Belize and Guatemala directing conservation field research, and as Ecologist with the consulting firm Trihydro Corporation focusing on restoration ecology. Matt holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources, and Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management from University of Wyoming.

DETAILS ON JOINING THIS ZOOM MEETING

You must register (no cost) in advance for this meeting.

Register for Program on Zoom

An account with Zoom is NOT necessary to join a meeting. Zoom limits the number of participants to 100. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (you can unsubscribe at any time.)

During the presentation, you will be able to ask questions via Zoom’s chat feature for the Q&A afterwards.

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.

Point Reyes Birding
2021-09-18 00:00 - 23:59
Magnolia Warbler (Fall); © Kevin Gusé

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Fall); © Kevin Gusé

This is the annual Terry Colborn Memorial trip to Pt. Reyes. This is an all-day trip limited to 3 vehicles and no more than 12 participants. Fall migration at Pt. Reyes can be spectacular and makes this area a well-deserved birding hot spot. Depending on the weather, the numbers and diversity of songbirds passing through the “Outer Point” can be impressive. In addition to the passerines there are usually plenty of raptors, other migrants, and several species of mammals to enjoy.

All participants are expected to be vaccinated. Masks are not required while out of doors but may be required in vehicles depending on preferences of the driver and passengers. Federal, state, and local health guidelines will be followed.

Please bring a lunch, plenty of fluids and dress in layers. Be prepared for cool temperatures, wind and maybe fog, though Pt. Reyes can also be warm at this time of year. There will be easy walks and good bird photo opportunities on the trip. Participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation.

Trip Leader: Kevin Guse.

For reservations contact John Mott-Smith: (530) 400 7622 or johnmottsmith@comcast.net

Bodega Bay
2021-09-19 00:00 - 23:59
Brown Pelican; © JoAnne Fillatti

All-day trip limited to 12 participants – priority given to those with some birding experience but unfamiliar with common late-summer birds of the Pacific coast and/or with birding at Bodega Bay, a world-class birding location. Harbor mudflats, ocean beach, and rocky headland for pelicans, three species of cormorant, Heermann’s Gulls, Elegant Terns, and shorebirds in one compact area – Bodega Bay, Harbor and Head, and Doran Beach.

Be prepared for cool temperatures, wind, and maybe fog, but can also be surprisingly warm in late summer. Easy walks and good bird photo opportunities around the harbor.

All participants should be vaccinated.

Contact leader Chris Dunford [530 753-9073; christopher.j.dunford at gmail.com] to reserve a seat and for details of lunch, transport options and meeting time/location. From Davis, a two-hour drive each way; you should be back by 6 pm.

Sparrow Bingo
2021-10-10 07:30 - 15:00
Fox Sparrow; © Zane Pickus

Fall migration is largely over and the winter birds are settling in. Join Bart Wickel and Zane Pickus for a local jaunt around Yolo County. The challenge: to find as many species of sparrows as possible. To further the fun of this trip, participants will be able to check sparrows off of a bingo card! As believers in the rule that when you search for one bird, you discover another, expect anything on this trip– the sparrows are just the excuse to get out and about. This will also be a good trip to practice birding by ear. Route to be determined as conditions warrant.

The trip is limited to 4 cars. All participants are expected to be vaccinated. Drivers and their passengers will decide whether masks are required while in the vehicles.

Bring binoculars, scopes, cameras, snacks, lunch, and beverages. High winds or a significant rainstorm cancel this trip. The trip will begin at 7:30 am and we will return by 3:00pm.

Contact John Mott-Smith (johnmottsmith@comcast.net) for more details and to reserve a spot.

Nature Journaling with Alison Kent
2021-10-10 09:00 - 11:30
Sketch by Alison Kent

Join Alison Kent at a virtual Nature Journaling workshop starting at 9:00 am on Sunday, October 10th. The workshop is free and will be conducted over Zoom.

No experience necessary. An introduction to the art of nature journaling with a discussion of tools, materials, and resources will last about 1/2 hour. Participants will then be encouraged to go out and walk their patch and journal for an hour. Everyone will then reconvene to discuss and and share their journals and observations.

Alison has assembled this list of thoughts, suggested materials, and resources which may be of help:

Click on drawing to view in larger format

Click on drawing to view in larger format

To register for the workshop, follow this link:

Register for Workshop on Zoom

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Once you register for the December Nature Journaling workshop, you will be able to attend subsequent ones with the same login information.

Participants must use the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. An account with Zoom is NOT necessary.

Email Alison if you have questions about the workshop.

Testing the Social Intelligence Hypothesis in Wild Jays
2021-10-20 19:00 - 20:30
Kelsey McCune

Why do some species evolve complex cognitive behaviors while others do not? One hypothesis is that social species need more advanced cognitive abilities than asocial species to deal with the unpredictable behavior of other animate beings. Therefore, sociality may co-evolve with cognitive traits that ease navigating social interactions to increase survival and fitness within a social group. However, most research that has tested this hypothesis compares species using general proxies of cognition (like brain size) and sociality (like social group size). These proxies are particularly poor measures of cognitive ability and social behavior in birds. The sizes of bird brains are constrained by the need to fly, and social group sizes can change with age, time of day or time of year.

In this presentation I will talk about my dissertation research where I directly tested this hypothesis by measuring and comparing the social behavior and cognitive ability of two congeneric jay species that differ in social behavior, the social Mexican Jay and the asocial California Scrub-Jay.

Kelsey McCune completed her PhD in animal behavior from the University of Washington in 2018. Her dissertation compared asocial California scrub-jays and social Mexican jays on social behavior, learning ability and personality traits. Currently, Kelsey is a postdoctoral scholar at UCSB, and part of the Grackle Project research group started by Dr. Corina Logan.

DETAILS ON JOINING THIS ZOOM MEETING

You must register (no cost) in advance for this meeting.

Register for Program on Zoom

An account with Zoom is NOT necessary to join a meeting. Zoom limits the number of participants to 100. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Registrants will receive email updates about this online event, as well as periodic email updates about Yolo Audubon’s conservation work and how you can help birds. (you can unsubscribe at any time.)

During the presentation, you will be able to ask questions via Zoom’s chat feature for the Q&A afterwards.

Please note: Participants must have the Zoom desktop client downloaded on their computer or on their Apple or Android mobile phone or tablet to access the meeting.

Visit to learn how to join a Zoom meeting. You may email Yolo Audubon Program Chair Ken Ealy before the meeting if you need assistance.
