San Mateo County, California
— The October - December 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
December 8th
Live at the San Mateo Garden Center & via Zoom
Program:
Birds and Wildlife of Southeastern Arizona
Joe Morlan
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.
Foster City Canada Goose Mitigation Plan
The Sequoia Audubon Society Board of Directors is aware of the plans by Foster City to reduce the population of Canada geese in the City's parks, open spaces, and waterways by obtaining a permit to allow culling up to 100 geese by lethal means. The Board's position is that lethal means should not be implemented until non-lethal means have been fully utilized and given time to work. We recognize that the impacts of excessive numbers of Canada geese are significant and action is warranted. However, measures such as habitat modification, hazing, and addling of eggs have been proven effective with proper resources.
The Board's position was provided in a public comment session during a meeting of the City Council considering whether to continue pursuit of applications for the permits needed for lethal action. Unfortunately, the City Council voted to continue with the application process. That may not be the end of the opportunity to express opposition to the lethal measures. If the permits are issued, Foster City will still need to enter into an agreement with a specialized contractor to carry out the culling. This may present a fresh opportunity for the community to let its opposition to the lethal measures be known. We urge anyone interested in the subject to monitor the Foster City website for the latest information.
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!
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.
Entire Web Site, all content and photos © 1997 - 2022 S.A.S.