by Rebecca Mills

They’ve gone.

With my morning tea, I open the back door and search. No Golden-crowned Sparrows. A California Towhee shuffles among the crusty leaves below the platform feeder.  Several Dark-eyed Juncos tap at the ground or into the feeder openings for suet or peanuts, “wild bird mix” or thistle seed.  No Golden-crowneds. Dave and I kept track for years. Now Dave is gone, and my daughter and I keep up the ritual. We expect them to leave sometime in mid-April and return in mid-September. Over the last few weeks we watched them eating rapaciously, as photoreceptors deep inside their brains reacted and triggered hormonal changes. Their stripes of crown feathers molted and regrew a rich bright yellow, framed in black. Most of them disappeared on April 21^st.  A few hung around the next day. None in sight two days later. Buen vuelo (have a good flight)! 

They will fly north, some as far as Alaska, to breed and raise their chicks. Scientists know little about their migratory routes, breeding behavior, and nesting sites. We hope their stopover spots have survived the epic fires and floods of our times, that they find enough food and drink at their hostels, that their breeding is successful, their chicks robust and ready to fly back here in the shortening days of September. They comfort me in these times, coming and going, responding to an ancient call, braving the skies with no certainty they’ll find room and board in their traditional migratory habitats. 

Other color-splashed avian visitors are here now.  Brilliant orange, black, and white Black-headed Grosbeaks whose occasional sweet gentle call we love to hear.  Elegant grey Band-tailed Pigeons with their white collars and tail-bands and their iridescent violet necks, who grunt and coo.  Hairy woodpeckers with their red hats. And Bushtits, Juncos.

I’ve known juncos as long as I’ve known my sister—all my life. Proverbial “little brown birds”, they are everywhere.  Their black heads—black hoods, black crowns, —their cinnamon-brown backs and lush-white breasts edged in pale peach, their tails flashing white stripes when they fly, their familiar “chp chp” calls populate my every day. They’re up before I am. They’re at all our different feeders and on the ground. They crack the seeds with their small, fat, pinkish sparrow beaks, spitting out the husks— in our backyard, on the front porch, in the Mahonia and Douglas Fir next to my daughter’s window feeding tray. …

by Clive Harrison

My wife and I took up birding in 2024—not by accident, but out of curiosity. What began as a simple desire to put our high-quality binoculars (purchased for a 2018 safari but left gathering dust) to good use has since evolved into what I now know will be a lifelong passion. Definitely one of the catalysts for this becoming such an enjoyable hobby was the great introductory courses and field trips run by GGBA – Thanks Maureen!!

I recently started participating in the Golden Gate Bird Alliance’s (GGBA) annual Birdathon—a decision that has enriched my life in unexpected ways. Not only did I set a personal goal to identify 40 bird species, of which I’ve already spotted 31, but I also aimed to raise $1,000 for GGBA’s vital conservation efforts.

House Finches / Clive Harrison

Understanding Birdathon’s Mission

Birdathon is GGBA’s largest annual fundraiser, designed to support their education programs, advocacy work, and conservation of bird and wildlife habitats in the Bay Area. This year’s goal is ambitious: raising $200,000 to protect our native bird populations and inspire future generations about the wonders of our natural world. 

Reflecting on Last Year’s Success

The 2024 Birdathon was a testament to the community’s dedication, raising over $160,000—the most successful fundraiser GGBA has ever held. Approximately 400 community members participated in nearly 50 programs, highlighting the collective passion for bird conservation. 

My Fundraising Experience

Initially, the idea of fundraising seemed daunting. However, GGBA provides a comprehensive Fundraising Tips Sheet that guided me through the process. 

1. Setting Up a Personal Campaign: I created a fundraising page on GGBA’s platform, sharing my birding goals and the importance of supporting GGBA’s mission.

2. Engaging My Network: I reached out to friends, family, and colleagues, sharing my enthusiasm for birding and the significance of GGBA’s work. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive. Ex: ““Thank you Clive! We love our birdies 🦅🐦‍⬛🦉🪿♥️”

3. Utilizing Social Media: Regular updates on my birding progress, accompanied by photos and anecdotes, kept my supporters engaged and attracted new donors.

4.…