Posts by BVAS News
Oceanside Christmas Bird Count 2017
Summary – Oceanside (CAOV) Christmas Bird Count – 2017 by Kirsten Winter The 72nd Oceanside Christmas Bird Count was held on December 23, 2017. A very dedicated and talented group of 115 birders logged 191 hours, and recorded approximately 35,000 individual birds – detecting birds at a rate of 183 birds per hour. A very…
Read MoreCDFW Expands Land Pass Program in 2018 to include Buena Vista Lagoon ER
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is expanding its Lands Pass Program to 41 wildlife areas and ecological reserves this fall and winter and will soon require a CDFW lands pass of all visitors 16 or older. Those carrying a current hunting or fishing license are exempt from this new requirement. Locally, three…
Read MoreLeaf It Where It Falls
On garden day, local first graders were introduced to the notion that trees drop their leaves where needed. One budding botanist responded, “So you just leaf it where it falls?” The duff of trees and plants are important compost for both soil and insects. But for some reason, we have been trained to “clean up”…
Read More2016 Christmas Bird Count Results
The 117th Oceanside-Vista-Carlsbad Christmas Bird Count Results The 117th Oceanside Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was held on December 30th, 2016. We had a very successful Christmas Bird Count, despite the cool, rainy weather. There were approximately 183 species seen, and more than 30,970 birds counted. We estimate there were more than 120 participants in 39…
Read MoreChristmas Bird Count Friday, December 30
Calling all birders for the 2016 Christmas Bird Count! All levels of birders welcome! For the Oceanside CBC (which includes the Buena Vista Lagoon, Whelan Lake, Anstine Nature Preserve, Oceanside Harbor, among other locations), please contact organizer Jane Mygatt: janemygatt@me.com who will assign you to a group leader who will fill you in on when…
Read MoreMonthly Meeting and Program: A Natural History of Wildlands in Southern California.
What makes Southern California so ecologically diverse? Dr. Allan Schoenherr, Professor of Ecology from CSU Fullerton is our guest speaker for November’s monthly meeting and program. Dr. Schoenherr is the author of “A Natural History of California” and “Natural History of the Islands of California.” He will delve into Southern California’s climate and weather, and the…
Read MoreANNOUNCING: JANUARY 2017 UC CALIFORNIA NATURALIST CERTIFICATION COURSE
If you enjoy exploring and learning about our local ecology, engaging in citizen science and sharing your knowledge with others, this program is for you! The 40 hour course combines a science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips and project-based learning to explore the unique ecology and natural history of coastal north San Diego County.…
Read MoreWoodpeckers, Cavities, and Snags: Changing a Stubborn Paradigm
Most woodpeckers excavate their own nest and roost cavities, and most do so each breeding season. Where woodpeckers live, the abundance of cavities increases each year, and, more than 40 other North American bird species—not including the woodpeckers themselves—exploit this abundance for their own nests. Cavity excavation is their “signature behavior” elevating the woodpeckers’ ecological…
Read MoreRidgway’s Rail Surveying Project Updates and Conclusion
On the evening of August 14, the signal from Rail #3 was no longer heard. The survey was thus concluded. While we had now lost touch with all of our three Rails, our surveying helped demonstrate that the Buena Vista Lagoon provides the Ridgway’s rail’s basic needs for foraging opportunities and shelter. We also believe that the…
Read MoreThreatened: California’s Woodpeckers and Their Habitats, with Steve Shunk
Join us Wednesday, September 21 for our monthly program. 6:30: Social and 7:00 Program begins. Woodpeckers have always captured our attention. Their unique anatomy and behavior sets them apart. But like so many species, the path ahead is uncertain. The official California bird list includes 17 woodpecker species, 15 of which breed in the state—more…
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