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Cathedral Birds in Stitches

Text and photos by Michael Lampen

Editor’s Note: The choir-stall needlepoint at Grace Cathedral is just one example of how artists have been connecting birdsong and human-song for centuries. For further exploration, and an opportunity to hear bird inspired music, please join GGBA for a fundraising concert in Berkeley, Flights of Fancy: A Musical Celebration of Birds. Go here for more information.

Hiding in plain sight on the choir-stall seat cushions of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral is a cornucopia of Northern California fauna. Some seventy seat cushions display needlepoint images of 34 mammal species, 16 fish species, 37 insects and invertebrates, and 94 bird species. Another 18 bird species are in the wall stalls. Associated plant species and natural settings are also included. Designed by artist Eula Getty Capron (“Eugenia”) of Sausalito, the series was crafted by 122 faithful Episcopalian stitchers from many diocesan parishes. Installation in 2000 honored the 150th anniversary of the Episcopal Church in California, and the beloved saint and lover of nature for whom San Francisco was named.

Sets of stall cushions focus on specific bioregions; the Coast Ranges/Point Reyes, San Francisco Bay, the Farallon Islands, the Sierra Nevada, Monterey Bay and the Deep Sea/Pacific Ocean. The Monterey Bay set is devoted almost entirely to sea otters. Clergy stalls also have California fauna relating to clerical roles such as the golden eagle for the cathedral or bishop’s stall. Individual wall stalls include several additional mammals and birds. In the Franciscan spirit, all stall kneeler cushions display in needlepoint the full text of Hymn 400, “All Creatures of Our God and King.”

Some of my favorite needlepoint renderings show birds in motion such as the flock of sandhill cranes, the dancing” egrets, and the mountain quail covey running from unseen danger past a startled marmot. Other personal favorites are the black oystercatcher, scoter duck, and colorful puffins. As a cathedral choir alumnus I also have a soft spot for the “chorister” cushion. A wall stall cushion close to the organ console, it shows 12 songbirds and honors the choristers whose voices fill the cathedral with song at Sunday services and weekly evensong. As singing goes, perhaps the most deserving bird depicted in the cushion is the western meadowlark, and the least deserving the western bluebird. Choristers, like birds, also cover a range of vocal ability. I was, I suppose, a Wilson’s Warbler at best. (A full list of species and their choir-stall locations can be found here.)…

Sierra Valley Photography: An Abundance of Raptors

Text and photos by John Ehrenfeld

Editor’s Note: You can have the opportunity to join John on our bonus Birdathon trip Field Photography with the Napa Ospreys. Find out more here.

If you are interested in learning more about the Birds of the Sierra, there are still spots available in our upcoming class. Go to goldengatebirdalliance.org/education/classes/ for more information.

At the end of February I was fortunate enough to lead a GGBA Photo Workshop to California’s beautiful Sierra Valley. It was a little different than some GGBA trips as the focus was on photography as well as birding. Raptors was the name of the game this time of the year.

The Sierra Valley is located north of I-80 and west of Lake Tahoe; a beautiful agricultural Valley surrounded by the Sierra mountains near the small town of Sierraville. With the possibility of bad winter weather and hazardous driving conditions in February, we were careful to keep an eye on the weather and were pleased that it looked good enough to go. We were able to book reasonably priced rooms for all six of us, at the Canyon Ranch Resort, a quaint group of rustic cabins on a picturesque stream in the woods. It was perfect.

Day One: We met in the hotel living room Saturday morning. We got to know everyone and had an hour to chat informally about photography and answer some questions both creative and technical. Good group dynamics are always important and are directly proportionate to the trip’s success and we had a great group. A couple of excellent birders, a medical researcher, a filmmaker and a teacher.

Off we went, car pooling to make the trip and stopping along the way manageable. At the end of town behind a feed store was a large group of birds feeding so we stopped and got our feet wet shooting them. Highlights were perched and flying Black-billed Magpies, Cassin’s Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos, a Red-tailed Hawk perched high in a pine tree and various Sparrows. It was fun and we all got to adjust our camera settings and get the feel of the light and snowy backgrounds we would deal with all day.

Our target area was about twenty miles away, a series of farm roads and agricultural fields covered in snow that are known for an abundance of raptors. On the way we saw a pair of Bald Eagles, one perched and one in flight, which is always a thrill.…

The Magic of Mitchell Canyon

By Steve and Carol Lombardi

Editor’s Note: This blog post originally ran in March 2016. We’re rerunning it now to remind folks of the special quality of this birding hotspot and to allow those interested time to register for our Birdathon 2019 trip to Mitchell Canyon. You can learn more about the trip here.

The north slope of Mt. Diablo near Clayton offers one of the best birding spots in the East Bay. Mitchell Canyon is a shady, steep-sided, north-facing canyon with varied habitat and more-or-less permanent water. It provides easy access to both the casual stroller and the serious hiker/biker/equestrian. (Birding by horse? Now, there’s a concept.)

The canyon is a delightful place to bird year-round, but becomes spectacular from late April to early May. This is when migrant warblers, flycatchers, and others make brief visits on the way to their summer breeding grounds. And the canyon’s resident breeders show up and make themselves known with their songs.

While you’re there, don’t spend all your time looking up into the canopy. Be sure to enjoy the plethora of spring-blooming wildflowers alongside the trail. The canyon is one of the best places to see the Mt. Diablo globe lily (Calochortus pulchellus Benth.) among many other wildflowers.

Because of the canyon’s steep sides and deep shade, the area provides several different habitat types. Pine-oak woodland, riparian, grassland, chaparral, and sage scrub are all accessible in a relatively short walk.

Mitchell Canyon in springtime, by Scott Hein

Mitchell Canyon in the dry season, by Matt Guziejka

All northside trails into the park eventually lead to Mitchell Canyon (see the park map listed below). From the Clayton entrance, Mitchell Canyon Road follows Mitchell Creek and runs moderately uphill for about two miles through oak woodland and riparian habitat. It then breaks out of the trees and becomes a steep climb through chaparral and scrub, eventually emerging onto Summit Road in the main part of the park after several strenuous miles. If you’re out for a morning bird walk, the beginning of the steep portion is a good place to turn around. Of course, if you want to hike to the 3,800 foot Mt. Diablo summit, you’re welcome to do it.

A more moderate spring bird walk would start in the Mitchell Canyon visitor center parking lot. Begin by birding in the oaks around the parking area for oak breeders like White-breasted Nuthatch, and “parking lot” birds like quail and turkey.…

Gardening for the Birds

By Kathy Kramer

In The Chickadee’s Guide to Gardening, a charming New York Times Op Ed article, Douglas Tellamy wrote, “Chances are, you have never thought of your garden… as a wildlife preserve that represents the last chance we have for sustaining plants and animals that were once common throughout the U.S. But that is exactly the role our suburban landscapes are now playing and will play even more in the near future.”

“What will it take to give our local animals what they need to survive and reproduce on our properties? NATIVE PLANTS, and lots of them.”

In fact, it takes 350 to 570 caterpillars every day for sixteen days for a pair of chickadees to raise a family, according to Tellemy! And it’s native plants that provide this kind of food source, while most non-natives do not.

Wondering what plants you can incorporate into your own garden to attract birds? Check out the Audubon’s Society’s terrific new Native Plant Database at https://www.audubon.org/plantsforbirds. Another excellent database is the Califorinia Native Plant Society’s CalScape (https://calscape.org/), which will provide you with information on all of the native trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, grasses, succulents, vines and ferns that grow naturally in your area.

In either database, just enter your zip code to obtain a list of bird-friendly plants that will attract the birds you love while making your space beautiful, easy to care for, and better for the environment.

Hummingbirds are attracted to the tubular, red flowers of the native fuchsia Photo by David Harper

Here in the Bay Area, we have an outstanding resource for people who want to create bird-friendly gardens—the annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour.

Coming up on Sunday, May 5th, 2019, the 15^th Annual Tour will showcase thirty seven East Bay gardens that have excelled at attracting birds. This award-winning, self-guided tour features beautiful Alameda and Contra Costa County gardens that are pesticide-free, water-conserving, provide habitat for wildlife, and contain sixty percent or more native plants.

Registration for the Fifteenth Annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, which will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2019 from 10:00 to 5:00, is now open. This award-winning event features thirty seven Alameda and Contra Costa county gardens. The self-drive tour showcases a variety of gardens, from large wooded lots in the hills to small parcels in the flats. Native plants will be available for sale, and forty talks will be offered on the week-end of the event.…

Bidding on Birding

By Alex Smolyanskaya

One of the many special items up for bid during this year’s Birdathon Auction is a private Birding By Ear session with Denise Wight. Denise’s Birding By Ear group classes have been known to fill up within minutes of going up online, so this is a unique opportunity to learn from Denise in a small setting.

Photo by Jerry Ting

I have taken her class multiple times (as have many others!) and I think that even a single private session would help take your birding by ear to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or working on your sparrow ‘tseeps’ and chips, Denise meets you where you are. She shares her intimate knowledge of bird songs, calls, and non-vocal sounds and offers a variety of approaches and tips among which you choose whatever works for you. There are some bird calls for which I still conjure a mnemonic in Denise’s voice, and you know what? That works for me!

Marsh Wren by Rick Lewis

Denise starts many walks with a few minutes of quiet listening — something I now try to do every time I’m out on my own. It helps me become more aware of my auditory environment and pinpoint what I know and what I don’t. With Denise nearby, she helps identify the mystery birds and reveal the key parts of the sound you can use to identify the bird on your own. I love that throughout a walk she stays focused on listening, even if a bird is in plain sight. The reward is the ability to identify many more birds out on your own, since we typically hear many more birds than we see.

California Thrasher by Alex S.

Denise’s instruction has taken my birding to the next level, and this is a great opportunity for you to do the same!

Photo by Bob Gunderson

The auction goes live on March 25 at this link: https://www.ebid.net/us/for-sale/private-birding-by-ear-with-denise-wight-177674020.htm. It will go to the highest bidder on April 1 at 12:30p. Check out the other auction items, which run throughout Birdathon, at https://www.ebid.net/us/users/goldengateaudubon/listings/. Bid your heart out!

Alex Smolyanskaya has been birding the Bay Area since moving here in 2015. She is currently enrolled in the Master Birder course with the goal of becoming well-rounded observer of local birds and wildlife. When she’s not birding, Alex helps people make informed decisions with data science.…