Snowy Egret at the Pacific Flyway Pond, Summer 2024 ©Sarah Mayhew
We’re back after our summer break with our new name—Yolo Bird Alliance (YBA)! For those who may not have been around for last year’s discussions, the name change was prompted in part by growing awareness that not everyone has felt included or welcomed by the name Audubon, due to John James Audubon’s complicated historical legacy. A number of local Audubon chapters began looking for a new name that would better reflect what we are about (birds) while also showing our continued affiliation as part of the National Audubon network, and, most importantly, help us promote our goal of greater inclusion and outreach to people who may not have felt included or welcomed in birding communities in the past. To date, nearly 50 local chapters across the country have changed their names to include the phrase “bird alliance”. In California, these include, in addition to Yolo: Mount Diablo Bird Alliance, San Diego Bird Alliance, Oakland Bird Alliance, Alta Cal Bird Alliance, and Golden Gate Bird Alliance. While our name has changed, our mission is the same – to promote appreciation and conservation of birds! We look forward to having you join us in those efforts.
Genevieve Diane Colborn and Ann Brice are co-presidents this year, and we have two new board members who will be voted onto the board at the upcoming meeting. Kirk Ehmsen will replace Marnelle Gleason as our treasurer. Thanks Marnelle and welcome Kirk! And many of you already know Emmett Iverson, an amazing local birder who left the area to finish college and is now back in Davis. He and Zane Pickus will be the field trip co-coordinators. We’re sorry to lose Ryan Janke, whose work is taking him abroad.
Pacific Flyway Pond (formerly North Regional Pond) is one of the best local birding spots in Yolo County. The City of Woodland has asked us to alert our members that they are starting work on habitat enhancements there. There will be dirt moving and changes in water level for the next couple of months, but the results should be worth it for the birds. With grant funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board, eroded banks will be repaired, and three islands totaling about three acres will be constructed in the pond.
We’re looking for a few more volunteers to participate in the phenology project at Bobcat Ranch. The bird surveys occur every other week and sometimes on Saturdays over a prescribed 2-mile route at the ranch. For more information, contact Sonjia Shelly here.
Please let teachers and those involved with community nonprofits know that we have binoculars and spotting scopes available for loan. Email us at info@yolobirdalliance.org if you’re interested.
Enjoy the fall birding!
–Ann Brice and Genevieve Colborn