San Mateo County, California
— The August to September 2022 Newsletter is now available online —
Note: links to external sites open in a new tab or window.
SAS needs volunteers for committees and the Board. Please help. Click for opportunities.
Upcoming Meeting
September 8, 2022 at 7 pm
Live and In-Person at the San Mateo Garden Center. Join us for outdoor refreshments and an engaging presentation by San Mateo County's acclaimed biologist, Alvaro Jaramillo.
Program:
San Mateo County Raptor Palooza
Alvaro Jaramillo
White-tailed Kite
Photo by Alvaro Jaramillo
Additional Meeting Information
Additional Program Information
Reminder:
There are no meetings/programs in July and August.
Sequoia Audubon
Field trips have restarted!
Note: Registration is required for every field trip. There are also new protocols that must be followed. A brief description is on the field trip page.
We also encourage participation in the iNaturalist project "Meet your nature neighbors"
Find a Bird in Distress?
If at all possible please leave a baby bird where it is because the adults will usually continue to feed and care for it.
To report a bird in distress please contact the Peninsula Humane Society Wildlife Rescue,
first call 650-340-7022, if directed take it to their center at 1450 Rollins Rd, Burlingame
Is a Drone disturbing Wildlife?
What you can do if you see a drone disturbing wildlife:
- Contact your local police non-emergency number.
- Contact Department of Fish and Game by using the CalTIP program
- Get the license plate number of the drone pilot's vehicle.
- Obtain a photo or video of the pilot using the drone in a manner, which is disturbing the birds. However, do not put yourself in danger while doing this. Do not confront the pilot.
Sequoia Audubon has registered in the
Amazon Smile Program.
Amazon Smile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Sequoia Audubon every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked "Eligible for AmazonSmile donation" on their product detail pages.
You use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
Have you tried our Birding Guide?
March 2022 San Mateo County COVID Update.
"Pop-Up" Field Trip added:
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Sunrise Dr, Woodside (8:30 – 11:30am)
We will look for birds in an area of willows, oak and buckeye trees along a small creek and in second-growth redwoods.
We are likely to see both year-round resident birds, and summer visitors preparing to migrate. Our approximately 2.5-mile walk will take us by tributaries of Alambique Creek to a historic logging bridge. Most of the route is on paved or unpaved roads of slight to moderate grade. Typical woodland hazards such as ticks, poison oak, and yellowjackets are present in the area. There is no water or restroom at the parking area, although there is a pit toilet about 1/3 of the way along the walk.
Directions: Take Hwy 84 (La Honda Road) headed west from I-280 to the intersection with Skywood Way. Turn right on Skywood Way and follow it to the intersection with Sunrise Drive. Turn right onto Sunrise Drive and park alongside the right shoulder (In area near 100 Sunrise Dr, Woodside, CA 94062 on GPS). Air Quality Index over 150 cancels.
Leader: Christin New, e-mail: new.a.christin@gmail.com. Co-leader Donna Pomeroy.
Registration Required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bird-walk-sunrise-drive-woodside-ca-tickets-395405437307
Origins of the Crystal Springs Christmas Bird Count
CBC Circle as defined by Jim Rigby
The Crystal Spring Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is among the highlights of the yearly avian calendar for San Mateo County birders. Sequoia Audubon's website boasts how "the Crystal Springs CBC is one of the top counts in the country, consistently placing in the top 10 in terms of number of species seen." The count circle is based around the Crystal Springs watershed, but its 15-mile diameter encompasses the mud flats of Foster City, suburban oases and canals, the oak woodlands of the foothills, mixed redwood forests along Skyline, and into Half Moon Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The spectacular habitat diversity in this capacious bay-to-sea circle sets the table for countdown dinners stuffed with eager anticipation and gaudy total numbers. So how did we get this lucky, to inherit the most deftly-designed circle in the nation? The story is a tad older than Sequoia Audubon itself!
Beverly Cronin is leading a Cavity Nesters Recovery Program for Sequoia Audubon. Visit the new page to read all about it. She is looking for Western Bluebird, American Kestrel and Barn Owl Nest Box Monitors, too.
New Photo Resource
Donna Pomeroy has assembled a remarkable resource for birders - a photographic guide to the 240 most common bird species in San Mateo County! Here's the link (it's on iNaturalist).
Volunteers Wanted!
If you are interested in helping to shape the future of Sequoia Audubon Society please consider joining the Board. While all members' ideas are welcome and encouraged, participating as a Board or Committee Member increases the opportunity to get involved in the "nuts & bolts" of the chapter.
We have several open positions at this time, as shown below. Please have a look and let us know if you (or anyone you know!) are interested by contacting Sequoia Audubon at: (650) 529-1454 or office@sequoia-audubon.org
Open positions include:
- Program Committee: Help arrange speakers for the monthly meetings.
- See the Volunteer Page for other opportunities to help Sequoia Audubon Society
Learn Bird Sounds and Benefit
Sequoia Audubon Society!
Ever wish you knew how to identify birds by ear? It's one of the most essential birding skills, but one of the hardest to learn. Some folks from Seattle's Audubon chapter set out to make learning bird sounds truly accessible to everyone.
The result is Larkwire: a game-based learning system that uses cognitive techniques to make it easier to learn and remember bird sounds. Combining quiz games, an extensive sound library, and tips from renowned birdsong expert Michael O'Brien, Larkwire makes the learning process not only much easier but fun. Customizable levels from beginner to advanced invite both the backyard birder and the serious student to play and learn.
The company behind Larkwire is a social venture whose mission is not only to teach birdsong; a minimum of ten percent of all proceeds go to support conservation.
Sequoia Audubon Society has joined their affiliate program; enter our code when you purchase and we'll receive 20% of the purchase price! Our code: SEQAUD
Larkwire is now available as a native app
in the Apple App Store.
It's a great tool and your purchase supports Sequoia Audubon Society!
Sequoia Audubon Society protects native birds and other wildlife and their ecosystems in San Mateo County by engaging people of all ages in conservation, education, advocacy and enjoyment.
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Please consider supporting Sequoia Audubon Society with a tax-deductible donation.  Your support is greatly appreciated. |
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The Sequoia Audubon Society is committed to equal opportunity and abides by all relevant laws and regulations. All Sequoia Audubon programs and volunteer opportunities are administered without regard to race, gender, creed, national origin, age, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, physical, mental or sensory handicap, or any other basis prohibited by law. However, Sequoia Audubon reserves the right to exclude volunteers who do not support its goals.
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