The Common,
and Not-So-Common,
Birds of San Diego County
with Gary Nunn
6:30 p.m. Social—7:00 p.m. Program *Note: Our General Meeting will be on the 4th Wed. this month
Local birder and San Diego Field Ornithologists Vice
President Gary Nunn takes us on a birding journey examining
rare birds and discussing how to identify them in San
Diego County. Rare birds can be found by anyone, but the
observer needs to be armed with the right information and
be in the right place at the right time. Today, digital photography
can be of critical importance to bird identification. We’ll see how photographic images, captured at the
time of sighting, have changed the skills needed for being
a successful field ornithologist, and what lays ahead for
those interested in finding the very rarest vagrant birds.
Join us for a lesson in improving your “rare birding” skills.
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Spring Open House at
the Nature Center
Saturday, May 18—10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Spring Open House at the Nature Center is our annual celebration
of birdsong and wildflowers. The free activities
we have planned for the day are all designed with family
fun in mind, and our playmate will be Mother Nature herself.
We’ll even supply the refreshments! Fun Activities—We’ll have stories, nature crafts, and other
special activities, many geared toward the younger
crowd. There will be a session of Nature Storytime, an
animal tracking workshop, and our popular Nature Treasure
Hunt, with prizes for participants. Everyone will be
fascinated with the “Lagoon Discovery Dip.” While we
all gather around, a big scoop of lagoon critters will be
emptied into a large tub for everyone to see up close. Last
year we had lots of different things to discover and talk
about, including baby bass and bluegill, dragonfly
nymphs, midges, tiny little crawfish, diving beetles, and,
of course, mosquito larvae. Endangered Species Day—This year’s Open House coincides
with National Endangered Species Day. Teaming up
with our friends from Preserve Calavera, we’ll have student-
built displays highlighting a number of endangered
plant and animal species that can still be found within the
lagoon and other nearby reserves. Everyone will learn a
little more about these special
plants and animals. Wildflowers—The timing will be
just right this year to showcase the
native plant gardens around the
Nature Center and the plants along
the lagoon trail. Aromatic scents
and colorful flowers will be in
abundance.
Everyone’s Welcome!
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Joey’s and Johnny’s Clubhouse
BVAS Nature Center
1-4 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month
Joey and Johnny DiMento have been entertaining their
young friends at the Nature Center on the third Sunday of
each month. Seven-year-old Joey and her younger brother
Johnny (age 4) have always enjoyed hanging out at the
Nature Center, investigating the exhibits, reading the children’s
books, doing nature-oriented crafts, and exploring
the trail. Their parents, Danny and C.J., are long-time
members and highly involved volunteers at BVAS.
The monthly gathering of kids began when the DiMento
family signed up to host the Nature Center from 1-4 p.m.
on the third Sunday of each month. Joey quickly took on
the role of “kid’s greeter,” welcoming each youngster who
entered the Nature Center with special walks around the
exhibits and suggestions of fun activities. She then began
inviting her friends from school to drop by to join her and
Johnny for fun and games at the Nature Center. It’s now
become a much-anticipated nature play day for a growing
number of young children, as well as their accompanying
parents. As attendance has
grown, so has the fun and
excitement. The adults provide
a few ideas and help
oversee things in general,
but the kids themselves invent
many of the games and
choose their activities.
Visitors to the Nature Center
can always tell when
Joey’s and Johnny’s Clubhouse
has had another
“meeting”. For several days following each session, the
sidewalk at the entrance to the Nature Center is adorned
with colorful chalk art featuring birds, flowers, and other
designs, usually accompanied with the hand-written sentiment
“We Love the Nature Center!”.
Do you have a bored youngster looking for a little fun this
summer? Drop by the Nature Center from 1-4 p.m. on the
third Sunday of each month and join the kids (and parents)
at Joey’s and Johnny’s Clubhouse.
Everyone’s welcome.
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Estate Planning and BVAS
Just before the summer break, the BVAS Board received word that Joni Ciarletta had generously included BVAS in her estate plan. Joni established a future bequest in her will to help ensure the chapter would have the funds needed in the years ahead to continue to maintain the Nature Center and support its nature education programs. Joni is an active birder and naturalist and a regular contributor to BVAS. She has previously volunteered her expertise to help BVAS prepare grant requests for various projects.
The Board gives Joni its heartfelt thanks for joining the BVAS Legacy Circle, and for helping us call attention to this special program. The Legacy Circle is comprised of friends and members who have provided for BVAS in their estate plans, whether by provisions included in their wills or trusts, or by several other means now available. Joni follows the grand tradition set by a number of our early “charter” members who chose to remember BVAS in their estate plans.
How important is this to BVAS? As a result of bequests that BVAS has received over the last ten years, the Nature Center Endowment Fund has now grown to approximately $500,000. A portion of the annual investment earnings from this fund now help augment the chapter’s annual operating budget, allowing BVAS to maintain and upgrade its facilities and offer a wider variety of exciting new programs.
BVAS has prepared a guide to planned giving that provides basic information regarding establishing an estate gift to BVAS. The guide can be read and downloaded by following this link.
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Alger Hiss and the
Prothonotary Warbler
A first-person connection between the infamous Alger Hiss, our very own Dennis Huckabay, and birding in New York’s Central Park is explored in a story by Dennis.
Shanti Mayberry has an interesting story to tell. It’s about a special encounter she had over several months with a great horned owl that still lives in Crest Canyon, adjacent to her home in Del Mar. This is a story about an interspecies relationship that was born in innocent communion but quickly grew in intensity and passion. Something finally had to give, and the natural order of things has now been restored. But, the poignant and somewhat bittersweet memories persist . Read Shanti's story HERE.
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Looking for Birding Optics?
For unbiased advice, reviews and ratings of binoculars & spottingscopes, check out this new website:
Support our Ruddy Duck Club members Click on the above picture for a list of all current members
Ruddy Duck Club
This special group of local businesses
and organizations support the
nature education and recreation programs offered at the
Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center with an annual donation
of $100 or more. To request your “no obligation”
Ruddy Duck Club packet of membership information and
benefits, please call Kelly Deveney at 760-721-2441.
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Sign Up Now!
Summer Nature Camp
The very popular BVAS Summer Nature Camp is now
accepting applications for its June sessions. We’ll learn all
about the lagoon, from the days of its
early inhabitants to the present day
natural world of plants and animals.
The camp will feature stories, songs,
crafts, and walks along the lagoon
trail. We’ll catch bugs, examine things
with our magnifying glasses, and even
have some live animals for the kids to
visit up close. It’s all about exploration,
discovery, and fun!
Our first week (June 17-21) will be for
children who are ready to enter grades
1 through 3. The next week
(June 24-28) is designed to cover
a wider age span, and will be for
children ready to enter grades 1
through 5. We’re sorry, but the
level of activities planned require
that all campers will need to have
already finished kindergarten.
Each week-long session will run
from Monday through Friday, 9
a.m. to noon.
The cost is $110 per camper per
session. You do not need to be a member of BVAS to enroll
your child in Summer Nature Camp.
Camp applications can be picked up and turned in at the
Nature Center. The application is also available by clicking HERE. Print it, fill it out, and drop it off at the Nature Center.
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Volunteer!
There
are plenty of volunteer opportunities at BVAS for people
of all ages. You can volunteer with the Native Plant Club
and help maintain the Nature Center gardens and trail.
Perhaps you’d like to share your interest in nature by
becoming a Nature Guide? Many of our volunteers start
out by signing up to be host at the Nature Center for just
a few hours a month. BVAS will give you the training
you need. Just call Bob Crowell at 760-207-3884, or
e-mail kbcrowell@cox.net, and we’ll get you started. More info HERE.
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NestWatch Invites You to Watch!
NestWatch is a nest-monitoring project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center aimed to provide a unified nest-monitoring scheme to track reproductive success for all North American breeding birds. NestWatch invites people who are interested in the natural world to help monitor the success of nesting birds and better understand the threats they face. These data will provide a wealth of information about breeding birds and the factors that influence their success across different landscapes. For more info, go to www.nestwatch.org.
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San Diego Birding Info
BVAS members interested in the birding scene in San Diego County might want to investigate SDBIRDS. Over 1,000 area birders currently participate in this free listserv. Subscribers post their interesting bird observations via e-mail to SDBIRDS, and receive the daily postings of other members. It’s a great way to learn which birds are being seen locally, and where to see them. Interesting birding questions and observations are also discussed. Check out the rules and learn how to subscribe by clicking here.
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Donate that Old Clunker to BVAS
BVAS is now participating in the Cars 4 Causes donation program. Tax-deductible donations of any car, running or not, can be made through the Cars 4 Causes organization, for the benefit of BVAS. Avoid the hassle of trading in or selling that old car and help support the Nature Center. Just call 1-800-766-2273 and say you’d like to donate your vehicle to benefit BVAS. Cars 4 Causes will pick up your vehicle at your home, fill out the necessary paperwork, and provide the receipt for your tax deduction. Or click the below link to sign-up online.
In response to repeated requests, BVAS has produced a full-color brochure highlighting some of the best birding spots in North County. The brochure profiles 14 different coastal and inland birding sites that promise a varied bird list in a range of habitats. A detailed site map and directions are included, along with notes about visitor services at each site. Award-winning photographer Chris Mayne contributed the dramatic bird photos that illustrate the brochure.
The brochure was partially funded by a San Diego County grant. A committee headed by Judi Wilson oversaw the project, with graphic design services provided by Daniel Sanchez. The brochure is being distributed free of charge at the BVAS Nature Center and at several other North County sites. Stop by to pick up your copy today, and go birding!
Buena Vista Audubon
PO Box 480
Oceanside, CA 92049-0480
Carlsbad Lagoons and Wetlands
The three Carlsbad lagoon foundations - Buena Vista, Agua Hedionda and Batiquitos - together with Buena Vista Audubon have started coordinating their activities and working more closely together with the City of Carlsbad under a new umbrella group, Carlsbad Lagoons and Wetlands (CLAW).Click on logos below to check out activities and common interests of all of our lagoon foundations.
The contents of this website are copyrighted by BVAS Audubon
All photos are copyrighted by Suzann and Larry Spann, unless otherwise indicated. Please do not use without permission.
