Editor’s note: Make your voice heard! Email state legislators today about protecting the Mokelumne River. There is an important hearing on Monday June 23.
By Andrea Cassidy
The Mokelumne River in the central Sierra Nevada may seem far from the Bay Area, but we have a vital connection: It’s the source for much of our drinking water through the East Bay Municipal Utility District.
Friends of the River and the Foothill Conservancy have been working to protect the Mokelumne River for 24 years. They had hoped to have it designated as a wild and scenic river under the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, enacted under President Lyndon Johnson. However, their congressman Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) does not support the federal program to protect rivers. Thus, one year ago, the organizations changed direction and decided to seek protection of the Mokelumne under the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. While the California Act is not as protective as the federal act, it would prevent new and larger dams from being installed on the Mokelumne River.
Since the state representatives in the Foothill area are not supportive of the conservation efforts, the local sponsors sought support from State Senator Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) whose district consumes 90 percent of the water obtained from the Mokelumne River. Hancock introduced Senate Bill 1199 in February. It passed in the Senate and is being heard by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee next Monday, June 23. If it gets out of committee, it will go before the full Assembly. It would designate 37 miles of the Mokelumne River as a California Wild and Scenic River. The proposed stretch runs from Salt Springs Dam to the Pardee Resevoir.
North Fork of the Mokelumne / Courtesy of Foothill Conservancy
North Fork of the Mokelumne
The protection is being sought because the Mokelumne River is already oversubscribed and further dams could destroy the important riparian habitat, home to Yellow Warblers, Black Phoebes, Bullocks Orioles, and Western Tanagers. Dippers live along the river and the area is also home to Cave, Barn and Cliff Swallows. Northern Goshawks and Spotted Owls live in the forested river section upstream. The river is also home to amphibians and fish. There is potential for restoring salmon to the river above the Pardee Dam, and protecting the 37 mile section of the river would assist in the salmon restoration project.
Western Tanager / Photo by Bob Lewis
Birds aren’t the only ones who benefit from protecting the Mokelumne!…

By Richard Bangert

In early June a pair of returning Ospreys looked ready for the day in their newly made nest atop a parking lot light pole at Alameda Point, but they had no chicks to attend to.  The pair’s first nest this season — on a nearby ship — had been removed while they were building it. Their second attempt faced interference from another Osprey. By June, hopes for fledglings this year had faded.

An ad hoc group of Osprey watchers is now hoping a dedicated Osprey platform can be erected at Alameda Point in a spot where competing interests and annoyances of daily commotion don’t intrude into the reproductive efforts of the Ospreys.

In early March, the Osprey pair began building their first nest this year where they had nested last year — on a kingpost high atop the maritime ship Admiral Callaghan. The ship’s owner, the Maritime Administration (MARAD), had removed last year’s nest. This year MARAD moved quickly to stop the nest building to avoid potential delay from relocating a nest if the ship were ordered into service.

Male osprey bringing nesting material to light pole near maritime ships at Alameda Point with female looking on. Photo by Richard Bangert

“The Maritime Administration worked closely with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on dismantling the nest and installing deterrence devices on March 19 prior to any eggs being laid,” said Alameda resident Harvey Wilson, who has been monitoring the Ospreys at Alameda Point.

Crew removing osprey nesting material from kingpost on Admiral Callaghan maritime ship at Alameda Point, March 2014. Photo by Harvey Wilson.

But that removal didn’t end the Ospreys’ interest in the ship, at least not for the male Osprey. He soon started bringing sticks to a lower-level hoisting post on the ship. The female, on the other hand, took a liking to a light pole in the parking lot next to the wharf.

After weeks of back-and-forth episodes of mating and nest building at both sites, the female won, and nest building started ramping up on the light pole. At one point, it appeared that the female was hunkering down in the nest, a sign that eggs had been laid and incubation had started. But soon another female Osprey appeared, trying to lure the male from his duties and disturbing the composure of the female.

Female osprey bringing nesting material to nest on parking lot light pole near maritime ships at Alameda Point – May 2014.…

Jay Holcomb, Executive Director of International Bird Rescue in Fairfield, passed away from cancer on Tuesday June 10 at the age of 63. Many Golden Gate Bird Alliance members knew Jay from his leadership in bird rescue emergencies like the Cosco Busan oil spill.  GGBA Executive Director Cindy Margulis worked with Jay as a volunteer at IBR and offers this tribute.
By Cindy Margulis
Jay Holcomb was a giant in the field of wildlife rehabilitation globally, not only locally. He devoted his entire life to providing and ensuring the very best care and compassion to wild creatures who needed help  — especially birds.  In this unwavering commitment, Jay touched and deeply influenced the trajectory of many people’s lives, including my own.
Not ony did he heal and restore animals back to the wild, he showed a way for countless people to find their route, to emulate his luminous example of how to actualize compassion in severe and challenging circumstances.  For me and for many many others, Jay was an incomparable teacher, a friend, a leader, and a constant reservoir of inspiration.
He was also a national hero in the face of massive and calamitous environmental disasters, managing to save the lives of thousands of animals in the face of nearly impossible odds.  He was always undaunted yet never arrogant.  Jay was a man of gentle grace, humility, and essential humor. It has always been a privilege to spend any time with him.
Jay Holcomb / Courtesy of International Bird Rescue
Jay Holcomb / Courtesy of International Bird Rescue
I have seen exquisite birds, banded by Jay and consistently gracing my favorite birdy places, which would not be alive and wild, were it not for Jay and how his compassionate expertise gave each one back a capacity to thrive, and to soar.
Jay truly brought wonder into my eyes and placed beauty back in all of our shared skies. There will always be lively wings whenever I think of Jay, and his legacy. My heart goes out to all of his family and friends, for Jay was deeply and dearly loved by so many hearts.

You can read more about Jay Holcomb’s life and contributions on the International Bird Rescue web page. A public memorial is planned, details of which will be announced soon by IBR. IBR has set up a Jay Holcomb Memorial Fund, which is accepting online donations. …

By Ilana DeBare
Golden Gate Bird Alliance joined International Bird Rescue on Saturday to release four of the juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons that had been displaced and injured in a downtown Oakland tree trimming incident that drew national attention.
Five young herons had been rescued by volunteers in May when the U.S, Postal Service hired tree trimmers to prune trees filled with heron and egret nests — a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, as well as state laws protecting birds.
After weeks of care, including treatment of one bird for a fractured mandible, four of the five herons were healthy and mature enough for release into the wild. GGBA Executive Director Cindy Margulis — who had done heron releases with IBR before as a volunteer there — identified a site in the New Marsh section of Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park.
GGBA also recruited some young birders — including two from our Eco-Oakland program, which provides hands-on nature education in the Oakland public schools — to open the crates for the birds.
News media, volunteers, and wildlife lovers watch the release / Photo by Rick Lewis
More than two dozen volunteers, bird photographers and news reporters gathered at the release site. The mood was upbeat and excited. We spend so much of our time on long, complex battles over threats like habitat loss and wind turbines that it was exhilarating to watch the simple return of young birds to a welcoming habitat.
And New Marsh was a particularly appropriate site. Not only is it prime foraging habitat for herons, but its continued existence is due to a successful battle waged by GGBA and our allies in the 1980s and 90s. The Port of Oakland had been trying to develop that area; we sued, and as part of the settlement, won the preservation of 73 acres of marsh. Today GGBA volunteers continue to restore habitat at MLK Shoreline, and our Eco-Oakland program uses the park as an outdoor classroom.
IBR and GGBA staff carried the blue transport crates into the fenced-off New Marsh area. The news media formed a semicircle at a safe distance. The kids opened the crates.
GGBA Executive Director Cindy Margulis helps the youngest birder / Photo by Rick Lewis
Lazuli Lune & other young birders prepare to release the herons / Photo by Doug Mosher
Yassira Murphy, a young birder from Oakland Technical High School, releases a heron / Photo by Rick Lewis
One bird leaped out and flew immediately over our heads to roost in some trees.…

By Ilana DeBare
Whew! Now that Birdathon 2014 is all wrapped up, we can take a deep breath and look around and and realize that… everyone was a winner.
The 180 people who went on great field trips. The 650 people who felt proud to sponsor a friend or donate. The 100 people who attended the Birdathon Awards Celebration on May 18 and enjoyed Rockwall wines, Linden Street beer, and terrific jazz by the Skyline High School jazztet.
And of course, the biggest winners were the beneficiaries of the money raised during Birdathon… including the kids in our Eco-Education classes, the wildlife that find food and refuge at our habitat restoration sites, and the birds whose lives are saved through conservation work like our Lights Out for Birds campaign.
Birdathon 2014 participants and supporters raised over $56,000 for all these programs — blasting past our goal of $50,000!
But still, I bet you’re thinking, Come on, Ilana, who were the PRIZE winners?
Birdathon Awards Celebration. Photo by Lee Karney.
So here’s a summary of the top birders, top fundraisers, and other honorees of Birdathon 2014:

Birding Awards

 

Best Bird

Bruce Mast and his Big Day team, for spotting a Black Vulture in Sonoma County

 

Best Bird winner Bruce Mast with Celebration attendees Juliet Cox, Denise Wight and Dave Quady. Photo by Ilana DeBare.

 

Most species in 24 hours

1st place – Bruce Mast’s team in Sonoma County, with 172 species.

2nd place – Glen Tepke and the Dippers in Alameda County, with 132 species.

3rd place – Ivan Samuels’ Miwok birding team in Bolinas, with 120 species

 

Most species in six hours

1st place – Glen Tepke and the Dippers in Oakland, with 117 species.

2nd place – Bruce Mast’s team in Sonoma County, with 87 species.

3rd place – Chris & Gary Bard’s trip in Alameda, with 77 species.

Chris Bard accepts her Birdathon award. Photo by Lee Karney.

Fundraising Awards

1st place – Bonnie Ng and Paul Kramer, who raised $2480. (The prize is two nights at a luxurious Bolinas vacation home.)
Bonnie Ng receives the award for top fundraiser from Ilana DeBare, while GGBA Board President Laura Gobbi looks on. Photo by Lee Karney
2nd place – Chris and Gary Bard, who raised $2340. (The prize is two nights at Costanoa Resort and Lodge.)
3rd place – Bob Lewis, who raised $2000. (The prize is two nights at Sierra Hot Springs resort.)…