• Our Successful Bird Art Auction!

    By Ilana DeBare

     

    Golden Gate Bird Alliance held its first Online Bird Art Auction last month—and it was a smashing success. The auction generated sales of just over $20,000, about half of which went to the 22 participating artists. Generous fans of birds and art bought 176 items, ranging from notecards to paintings. Some buyers even made additional donations—above the cost of their item—to support Golden Gate Bird Alliance.

    The auction idea had its genesis this spring, when Covid-19 shelter-in-place rules forced Golden Gate Bird Alliance to cancel all the in-person events associated with Birdathon, which is usually our main fundraiser of the year.

    Former board member Alan Harper suggested an art auction with shared revenues as a way to support both GGBA and local artists, whose income from sales, shows, and teaching has been slashed by the pandemic. Current board member Alex Smolyanskya had already been setting up a Birdathon auction web site for more traditional prizes, such as vacations and catered dinners. She pivoted on a dime and shifted the site into an online art gallery.

    Then volunteers Daryl Goldman, Marjorie Powell, and I set about identifying bird artists and inviting them to take part. They were delighted by the idea!

    Organizing the auction was a wonderful experience.

    Amy Tan’s collected works for bid. Photo by Ilana DeBare.

    At a time when the pandemic seemed to bring life to a halt, here was an opportunity to create something new and beautiful that would help both Audubon and artists. The works were colorful, varied, and exciting. The artists were responsive and enthusiastic. Our group of volunteers worked smoothly and super-efficiently.

    And we grossed $20,000, well over our initial goal of $10,000! We cannot thank you all enough for your participation.

    We hit 167.4% of our goal thanks to you!

    Those funds won’t make up for the cancellation of Birdathon, which typically brings in about $60,000 in donations. But it’s a start, and a step forward at a time when many other non-profit organizations are standing still or slipping backwards financially.

    An added bonus: The auction brought GGBA to the attention of new audiences. It was written up not just in Bay Area media like the San Francisco Chronicle, Berkeleyside, and Bay Nature magazine, but also in Birdwatching Daily, a national web site.

    Our art auction poster, featuring various artists and some of auction piece.

    So what’s next?…

  • Photographing on the Median and at Home

    By Gerry Traucht

     

    Editor’s Note: Gerry offers us glimpses of what he sees at home. This unique collection embodies the qualities of the beloved Japanese poetic form, Zuihitsu. Zuihitsu is genre of Japanese literature (since adapted by many Western writers) consisting of loosely connected personal essays and fragmented ideas that typically respond to the author’s surroundings. Photos taken by Gerry. 

     

    A Ruby-crowned Kinglet lived in a gigantic juniper tree in the front yard.

     

    Ruby-crowned Kinglet

     

    One morning, he discovered the sideview mirror on the car in the driveway next to the tree. After that, he came by every morning.

     

     

    Fanned.

     

    He hangs from the top edge of the mirror by one or two feet, fluttering, pecking, kissing at his reflection. He flies to the driver’s side mirror and starts it all over again before flying back to the passenger side where he gets even more excited.
    When he catches glimpses of himself in the darkened window beside the mirror he completely loses it. He flies back and forth the length of the driveway like a toy jet airplane at his top speed, wings making a loud whir.

    Objects in the mirror may appear larger than they seem.
    When he occasionally stops for two seconds, he reveals a dapper little puff of a bird in changing soft greens, yellows, blues, a white stripe on each wing, white circles around his eyes and that vivid ruby crown that he can show or hide.
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet.
    Wow, that was a while ago. What a surprise from my front yard.
    Now I look closely at home to see what else is here…
    The California Towhee Visit 
    Usually towhees hop around the backyard. One towhee visits the deck outside the kitchen door.
    California Towhee perched on computer.
    Later he makes it to the living room and perches on top of the computer screen.
    Gerry Traucht is a Bay Area photographer and blogger. You can check out his website here. Be sure to catch him on Instagram @gerrytraucht. 
    …

  • A World Exposed: How a Pandemic Refocused my Birding

    By Tara McIntire

    People often ask me how I’m able to spot birds to which I reply, “I don’t know. I just do.” That answer is the truth, but I’ve learned, as kindred birders can relate, that birding is a skill we develop. Once you know what to look for, your senses become ‘bird-tuned’ to your surroundings. It’s hard to overlook a sparrow skittering by or a distant speck darting across the sky or the inevitable ‘third’ (or fifth) insulator on a power pole. Our sense switch is always in the ‘on’ position and in endless ‘search’ mode, because you know there’s a bird out there somewhere.  

    Birding can be exhausting at times, frustrating for the non-birders in our midst, but really it’s a wonderful skill and gift, especially while sheltered in place. I have taken the shelter order to heart. Much of my nature explorations have been relegated to my 20’ x 20’ backyard. Though birds occasionally pass by, there have not been enough to satisfy my senses or my photography. I have sincerely missed birds. Instead of allowing frustration and sadness to overwhelm me, I have adjusted my focus to fill the void.

    In the process, I’ve been exposed a new world (and possibly a new love).

    Though I’ve seen and photographed these little jumping wonders on a few occasions, my recent observations have noted several similarities between these tiny spiders and birds! Now, instead of spotting irregular feathered ‘lumps’ five football fields away, I take note of odd fuzzy ‘specks’ tucked between frilly lettuce leaves. I’ve discovered favorite ‘hang-outs’ and specific plants that they prefer (chard has been quite popular). 

    I notice how they position themselves in morning sunspots and I believe there are at least three species, all of which are different physically and characteristically. 

     

     

    I’ve watched birds hunt insects, sometimes using a ‘perch and pounce’ technique reminiscent of Red-tails, or actively perusing all the nooks and crannies like a Bewick’s Wren. 

    Also, like birds, though I have found birds to be very curious and bold, they can be quite shy and disappear in the blink of an eye, especially the second I reach for my camera (sound familiar?). Capturing these moments through a lens has allowed me to fully appreciate the fine details and beauty of these fantastic little creatures. The world of macro photography is always revealing and full of surprises.

    I’m a bird swooner.…

  • Virtual Advocacy Day: Behind the Scenes

    By Marjorie Powell

     

    Two weeks ago, four Alameda residents participated in what was, for them, a first-time experience — talking to state legislators through a computer link. Members of Golden Gate Bird Alliance joined more than 360 Audubon members statewide who logged into their computers to talk with their legislators. The calls happened either on Tuesday, the actual Advocacy Day, or the day before or after, depending on legislative office schedules; the offices remain very busy as they adjust to changing circumstances.

    The Alamedans were joined by people from Oakland and Berkeley to talk with staff for local legislators, Assembly member Rob Bonta and Senator Nancy Skinner.

    Normally, some 70 to 80 Audubon members from throughout the state gather in Sacramento for in-person meetings with legislators or staff members on Audubon California’s annual Advocacy Day. This year, all the meetings were held virtually in accordance with the state’s shelter-in-place rules. Organizers suspect there were several reasons for the increase in participation this year, including that people are searching for ways to contribute as we spend more time at home, and that it was easier to join calls from home than travel to and from Sacramento.

    This year’s National Advocacy Day has inspired countless bird and nature lovers to connect virtually to help protect the birds and environment we all love. Photo provided by the National Audubon Society.

    Zoom sessions in the weeks before Advocacy Day enabled participants to learn about the policy issues and the two bills that were the major focus of our discussions, as well as the importance of conveying to legislators that the bills were of interest to their constituents.

    While the discussions varied with each local Audubon chapter, and sometimes with each legislative member, three themes were woven through all the discussions. Perhaps the most important was the need for the state to continue to support conservation efforts, even in the face of severe budget cuts. Living in a low-lying island city where the potential effects of climate change can be seen every day, Alameda residents are well situated to highlight the importance of supporting efforts to address climate change. In addition, as we witness changes to the birds and mammals that enjoy the Alameda environment with us, we can argue persuasively that protection for natural habitats is important to Californians.

    AB 3030, introduced by Bay Area Assembly Member Kalra (San Jose) would establish a goal for the state to have 30% of the lands and waters in the state under some form of permanent protection by the year 2030. …

  • From Film to Digital: The Learning Continues

    By Carree M.

     

    In a previous blog, I discussed lessons I learned from a tree while backyard birding to hone my audio and visual bird identification skills. In that article was a selection of bird photos that drummed up interest and inquiries. As a follow up to that article I’m taking a moment to discuss my development as a photographer and offer pointers to help guide your photo journey.

     

    Snow Goose mid flight.

     

    National Geographic Wasn’t Interested…

    My first foray into photography began with a plastic 110 film camera. I photographed the “active” lives of my stuffed animals and was frustrated that the subjects, while “in focus” in the viewfinder, ended up blurry in the prints. Clearly that setback would be remedied when I was given an “adult” 35mm, or so I thought. What I didn’t know at the time was that I was being presented with a crash course in depth of field and camera limitations. It wasn’t until I purchased a manual 35mm Pentax for a college photography course that everything started to make sense. Weekly assignments required students to take a minimum number of photos and process the film and prints in the school’s lab. Film and paper weren’t cheap so it was in my best interest to master the art of framing and knowledge of settings or find myself going through said pricey materials faster than I could replenish funds.

     

    A Burrowing Owl looks right at the camera.

    I attribute my current approach to photography and the skills I picked up along the way to this experience of being thrown in the deep end with a compelling reason (my wallet) to figure things out quickly.

     

    Do Your Homework

    I can assure you that wildlife doesn’t care how much you spent on equipment or that you need a moment to figure out settings. This is why it’s important to not only know your camera and why your photos look the way they do, but also get acquainted with routines and behaviors of your subject(s). Pick a local spot you can visit on a regular basis (while adhering to current mandates and park closures) and take notes on observations: what is hanging around at certain times of day, the lighting situation throughout the day, etc.

     

    Red-tailed Hawk and Snow Goose sandwich.

    Why does this matter? Let’s say you miss the perfect shot, and yes it happens to the best of us, if you’ve done your homework you have info on whether or not that bird/mammal/insect makes a habit of repeatedly returning to a spot or just making a pit stop at a certain time of day.…